Owner/Founder of East Coast Dance Force
Michele started dancing at the age of 5 and has over 30 years of teaching experience. She has grown up in the world of dance and has worked her way up to owning a dance studio for over 20 years. Today, with her two daughters as her partners, and a caring, talented, much enthusiastic staff, her path has brought her to open East Coast Dance Force LTD. She loves to dance and continues teaching all ages. Her students, past and present, have kept her young at heart. “Having passion for dance is a gift and there is only one thing that means more to me than having that passion: it’s sharing it with the ones you love”.
Owner/Founder of East Coast Dance Force
Brittany has a B.S. Degree in Childhood Education/Psychology from Molloy College and has over 20 years of dancing experience & over 10 years of teaching experience. She also has worked as a third-grade & sixth-grade elementary school teacher. Brittany’s favorite styles of dance include contemporary & lyrical. The reason why Brittany loves being part of East Coast Dance Force is because of the “positive and loving energy that all the families and dancers bring into the studio”.
Owner/Founder of East Coast Dance Force
Paige attended SUNY Oswego with a major in Criminal Justice and a minor in sociology. She has worked as a nursery and pre-k instructor for over 5 years, and is also a competitive choreographer for Miss Kelly Dance Company in Oswego. She has over 20 years of dancing experience and has worked with multiple outside dance groups. Her favorite styles of dance include hip hop and contemporary. “I love being part of a positive environment where I can freely express myself through my choreography with talented and hard-working dancers”.
Dance Instructor
Marissa graduated from Hofstra University with a B.S. in Natural Science and a minor in Speech Pathology. She is currently attending Hofstra University in the Speech Language Pathology Graduate Program. Marissa danced for Hofstra’s nationally ranked dance team for 4 years and finished her senior year as a second-time captain. Marissa has 20 years of dancing experience and her favorite styles include contemporary, lyrical, and pom. Marissa choreographs for our competition team and “Team Performance” routine which has been showcased at special events such as Bethpage Ballpark, Nassau Coliseum, and Madison Square Garden. She “loves being able to teach and share her love for dance with such a hard-working and talented group of dancers that are at ECDF! The teachers and staff are incredible, and they truly make ECDF an enjoyable place to be able to teach and dance!”
Dance Instructor
Nicola is currently attending SUNY College at Old Westbury as an Early Childhood Education major and runs her own clothing business @idcouture and spray tan business @staygoldenwithnikki. She will begin her student teaching experience in the fall of 2021. She has over 15 years of dancing experience which includes her experience as a competitive dancer on our nationally award-winning competition Team. Nicola choreographs for our competition team and her favorite style of dance is hip hop. She “loves to share her passion for dance with her students and watch them improve throughout the year!”.
Dance Instructor
She has worked as a nursery and pre-k instructor, and has over 20 years of dance experience. Taylor loves working with children and has over 10 years of experience with working with young kids. Taylor also has worked as a gymnastics instructor for children. Taylor choreographs for our competition team and her favorite styles of dance include hip hop and jazz. Dancing has always been a passion of Taylor’s, and she “loves the people she works with at East Coast Dance Force and the kids that she teaches. The kids always make me smile and I absolutely love working with them!”.
Receptionist
Theresa is a life-long friend of all three owners. She has a background in both gymnastics and dance which makes her a huge asset to the East Coast Dance Force staff. Her dedication to our studio and her supportive energy truly creates a fun and positive environment for both staff and students. “I’ve watched Michele raise the most beautiful and talented family. Seeing Michele owning a business with her two daughters and being able to be part of this family is truly a rewarding experience. I also enjoy watching the children learn and grow not only as dancers, but as people as well”.
Dance Instructor
Victoria attends Hofstra University with a major in Childhood Education and STEM. She runs her own clothing business @idcouture. She was a member of our nationally award-winning competition team and she is a member of Hofstra’s nationally ranked dance team. Victoria has 15 years of dancing experience and her favorite styles include pom and contemporary. Victoria loves working at East Coast Dance Force because she "really enjoys sharing her passion for dance with others. I love seeing students improve and gain their confidence through dance! I also enjoy seeing the drive and dedication the dancers have".
Strength & Core Development Certified Sports Trainer
Coach Rob works with our competition team, focusing on increasing speed, power/agility, strength and core development. He trains our dancers to become stronger, more explosive athletes who are able to perform for a longer duration and with fewer injuries. Coach Rob is a Certified Sports and Conditioning Specialist and has worked with athletes associated with NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, MLL, PLL, and is an IOC Approved Professional Athletic Trainer. He is also the President/CEO/Founder of H.E.A.T. Sports LLC, Gotham Athletics LLC, and Embrion Athletics LLC. You can check out his Instagram @Heatsportsli!
Dance Instructor
Alexa graduated from Adelphi University with a B.A. Degree in English and a MA in Childhood Education as part of a 5-year Scholar Teacher Program at Adelphi. She has earned her Advanced Certification in Special Education and Extended Certification in Early Childhood Education . She has experience with working with young children and is a substitute teacher in an elementary school. Alexa was also part of the Adelphi Dance Team during her undergrad years & was captain. She has over 20 years of dancing experience and her favorite styles of dance include contemporary and jazz. “I enjoy teaching at East Coast Dance Force because I get to share my love for dance with others and see dance through a new perspective as a teacher”. Alexa loves the “incredible teachers and children that make working at ECDF so enjoyable”. “I am grateful to call this my job!".
Dance Instructor
John graduated from SUNY Cortland with a B.A. in Physical Education and holds a certification in K-12 Physical Education. He currently works as a permanent substitute teacher and part-time physical education instructor. John plans to start studying for his MS in Health in the fall of 2021. He has over 15 years of dancing experience and choreographs for our competition team. John has always had a passion and enjoyment for dance throughout his whole life. “Being able to share these wonderful experiences and my love for dance with my students is every bit rewarding as a teacher. The amazing staff and fantastic children make working at ECDF such a pleasant experience!”.