Dance Faculty
Michael
Buoni has trained with the best schools and teachers
in Philadelphia. Although not a naturally
gifted student, his sheer will and passion for dance allowed him to achieve
technical proficiency and an understanding of the development the body in order
to achieve the best results for a long life of dancing. He went on to dance on contract with several
regional dance companies including the Ohio Ballet, North Carolina Dance
Theater, Dayton Ballet. He was also a guest artist with the Pennsylvania Ballet,
Maryland Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet and others. Michael believes everyone can develop a strong technique with proper
hard work and discipline. Whether training to be a professional or as a
passion, his guidance can support a lifelong enjoyment in the art of dance. In addition to continuing his own training,
he is also a teaching artist in the NYC schools and has a wonderful folk dance
program running in 6 schools this year.
Danielle DeRuyter began her dance training in North Toyalton, OH at Studio 82 Performing Arts Center. In 1998 she moved to NYC to further her
dance training at Marymount Manhattan College. Here she studied all styles of dance and eared a BFA in Dance with a minor in Education. Since then, Danielle has been fortunate
to perform in numerous venues around the world, from a principle role in the Off-Broadway musical "There's a Marquee," to the European and American tours of "Sesame Street Live!",
to several industrial shows for L'Oreal, just to name a few. Danielle's greatest passion is teaching children the joy of Dance! She has taught at the Ailey School, Manhattan Movement
Arts Center and Apple Seeds in New York City and numerous dance studios in the tri-state area. She is excited to join the Dance Designs Family!
Diego Funes attended the School of American Ballet and later danced with the
Cincinnati Ballet and Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. For the theatre, his credits
as a dancer include Cats, Hello, Dolly!, Riverdance, Anything Goes,
and A
Chorus Line. He has also choreographed productions of Hello, Dolly!,
Beauty and the Beast, And the
World Goes Round, Zorba! Leader of the Pack. Funes also choreographed the films P.S. I Love You with Gerard Butler
and Hilary Swank and Back to High School. His television appearances include performances in the United
States, Italy, London, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Mexico and Brasil as well as
numerous appearances with recording artists on MTV and on tour. He is the artistic director of de
funes dance company.
Rhonda
Holland earned her BFA in Dance education from Temple University in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduation, Rhonda was a principal dancer with
Seventh Principal Dance Company, Alfred Gallman's Dance Theater, Whole Theater
Dance Company and The Montclair Dance Company. She continued to excel in the
areas of television, video, and theater, including performance segments on NBC's
The Today Show, The Philadelphia Tribune's Morning Show and The Randall
Cunningham Show. Rhonda appeared in a music video directed by Busta Rymes and danced
in music videos for Boyz II Men and Luis Miquel. As an artist-in-residence, she
has taught at many local schools, including Roselle Public Schools, Union Public
Schools, Newark Public Schools, Elizabeth Public Schools, Union County College,
The East Orange School District, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Verona School
District, Kent Place School and the American Repertory Ballet Institute. In
addition, she is the Associate Artistic Director for the Umoja and Ussama Dance
Company.
Bridget
Hudzik’s
training began here at Dance Designs, leading her to teach her very own classes
in Rising Star I and Rising Star II. Dancing since the age of 4, she has had
training in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pointe, hip-hop, modern, and ballroom.
She has also assisted the choreographer for the Paramus High School musical
The Wizard of Oz, and their Paper Mill Playhouse nominated musical
production of Brigadoon. As an eager recent college graduate, Bridget has
attended prestigious workshops and courses at Towson University and Ramapo
College of New Jersey. She has studied under influential choreographers as Susan
Mann, Dennis Price, Catherine Horta-Hayden, and Lester Holmes.
Colleen Meitzler
began
her dance training at Dance Designs in jazz, tap and ballet. After graduating,
she continued her studies at Broadway Dance Center and Steps in NYC, attending
master classes and teacher workshops with legendary choreographers such as Judy
Ann Bassing, Lynda Gache, Gertrude Hallenbeck, Frank Hatchett, Charles Kelley,
Bob Rizzo, Germaine Salsberg and Mark Santoro. With over 20 years teaching
experience, Colleen has won numerous awards as a competition dance team
performer and instructor, choreographed many shows for community theater groups
in NJ, worked with bodybuilders to choreograph competition routines, worked with
professional singers to choreograph routines and worked with the FLHS marching
band’s award winning color guard. She also works full time teaching children
with special needs. She is thrilled to be able to share her passion and love of
dance with our youngest students, as our Rising Star I, Rising Star II and Combo
Class instructor.
Jackie
Obeid
is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and ballroom dance. She continued her
studies at the prestigious Broadway Dance Center in New York City after
receiving the Maria Torres Scholarship Award in 2002. Soon after, Jackie became
certified to teach Classical Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, and Acro-Tumbling, as
well as pre-ballet and dance for children. While her choreography has been
showcased in Walt Disney World, at New Jersey Nets games, and New York City
Knicks games, along with a variety of shows throughout New Jersey, Jackie’s true
passion is teaching. She has worked with children and adults of all ages,
including special needs children and athletes, and treasures each opportunity to
share her passion with others. Using her degree in child services and her
varied dance background, Jackie brings an ideal mix of knowledge and intuition
to the classroom.
Lynn-Marie Peare
is thrilled to be joining the faculty of Dance Designs. The
former founder, owner, and artistic director of Lynn's Dance Connection in Park
Ridge, Lynn made the difficult decision to close her studio after twenty eight
wonderful years in business in order to spend more time with her son. Lynn-Marie's training, performing, and choreography experiences are
extensive. She studied in New York at American Ballet Theatre, and with such
notable teachers as David Howard, Douglas Wassel, Luigi, Charles Kelly, and
Frank Hatchett. Lynn- Marie is certified through Dance Educators of America and
is a graduate of their teacher's training school where she earned her masters
degree in Ballet and Theatre Arts. Lynn-Marie danced and sung in seven productions with the Montclair Operetta
Club including a featured role as Purity in "Anything Goes". Also notable, she
spent an exciting year cheering and dancing for the Cosmos at Giants
Stadium. Her choreography has been seen in a number of Fairlawn High School
productions including her celebrated work in "Sweet Charity" for which she was
nominated for best choreography by Paper Mill Playhouse. Lynn-Marie has been
welcomed as a master teacher for Christopher National Dance Teacher Seminars in
Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania, and as a competition judge in Philadelphia.
This year Lynn-Marie will celebrate her fourteenth year of marriage to her
husband Stuart. Her biggest achievement and proudest accomplishment is being a
mom to their beautiful son Benjamin.
Ready Roc is
Dance Designs premiere B-Boy. He has toured with Snoop Dog and danced and
choreographed for some of the hottest hip hop artists of today including: Missy
Elliot, John Legend, Fat Joe, Fantasia, Toby Love, Ludacris, KRS and many more.
He has performed at the VMAs with Fergie and the Celebrity half time show with
the Pussycat Dolls.
With
over 20 years of Hip Hop experience,
Tic-Tock
has choreographed with the likes of Missy Elliot, Jay-Z, Whitney Houston,
Fabolous, Beyonce, Busta Rhymes, and many more. When he ios not working with
today's popular artists he's teaching master classes around the world with his
unique brand of hip hop, Street Jazz Blast. This class is a combination of new
schools Hip Hop, Breakin, popping, and jazz.
Pamela
Travers
began
performing at the age of 12 as a soloist with the Westchester Children's Ballet
Company. For several years, she appeared at Radio City Music Hall in the Corps
de Ballet. Pamela received extensive training in ballet, pointe, and character
dancing at the School of American Ballet and at the Igor Youskevitch School of
Ballet in NYC. She went on to teach at the Igor Youskevitch School and
currently at Dance Designs. She was also an award-winning choreographer for
Fair Lawn High School's Varsity Dance Team.
Meagan Woods
trained at
Princeton Ballet School, and then at Princeton Dance and Theatre Studio where
she later served on faculty. She graduated with a BFA from Mason Gross School
of the Arts, earning the Margery Turner Award for Choreography. She has
performed professionally with Dana Salisbury, Sarah Skaggs, Glitterati and
Insurgo Stage Project. Filmmaker Orit Ben-Shitrit has featured her as a lead
performer in her latest work. Meagan is the originator of Dance Within the Art
at the Zimmerli Art Museum, and frequently serves as a choreographer and
lecturer for the museum. Her choreography has been shown at the Ailey
Citigroup Theater, George St Playhouse, Grounds for Sculpture, Crossroads
Theater, and New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Her company will be in
residence at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton for the 2011-2012 season.
She is a board member of Dance New Jersey and co-producer of Your Move,
Jersey City's modern dance series.
