Faculty
Laura Foti, Owner/Artistic Director
Mrs. Foti received her early training under the director of Sylvia Clay of Clay School of Dance. Throughout her later training she was also taught by Laurie Clay (Boston Ballet), C. Larry Robertson (University of NH), and Michelle Tolson (Radio City Rockettes). She trained as an assistant dance instructor for seven years, eventually teaching locally at area studios. Hired by New Hampshire Academie of Dance in 2000, she became the principle instructor in 2001. She has participated in hundreds of master classes with such greats as Edward Vilella, Al Gilbert, Frank Hatchett, Leslie Browne, Janice Barringer, Joe Lanteri, Bob Rizzo, Pete Rose, David Howard, Debbi Dee, and many more. Mrs. Foti danced competitively in the Miss America program, earning enough money to fund almost her entire college education. She danced her way to the titles of Miss Manchester, Miss Nashua, Miss Merrimack, and Miss Greater Derry and was a finalist for the title of Miss New Hampshire. With twenty years of dance teaching experience, Mrs. Foti also holds business and computer degrees. She has been a member of the National Dance Education Organization, Professional Dance Teacher's Association and the International Dance Entrepreneurs Association .
Miss Laura believes that dancing schools teach much more than steps, and is most proud of the life lessons she sees being learned daily within the studio. While she is well known for her technical knowledge and methodical teaching, she is equally as well known for the fun classes she creates for our youngest dancers. You can find her working with all levels of dancers, from our "babies" to our seniors. She brings a love and enthusiasm for dance together with technical dance expertise that create an unequalled experience for her students.
Cheryl Donahue, Business Manager
Cheryl has been on both sides of the dance studio world for more than 30 years. She was a dance mom to two of her three daughters and learned the tricks and tips that she is famous for here at NHAD. Her husband is a former dance studio owner, and Cheryl became familiar with the office side of the business. A former Union Insurance representative, Cheryl's organizational skills are second to none. She is also an accomplished seamstress and is always helpful to everyone in our dance family providing services, instruction and advice. She is a born leader and is always at the ready to lend a hand.
Glenna Kurek, Office Manager
Glenna has been involved in dance for over 40 years. She started dancing at the age of 3 becoming a competitive dancer herself. Her daughter, Josie, started dancing at age 2 and they both became members of the NHAD family in 2009. After college, Glenna joined the Air Force and went on to have 4 children ( 2 boys & 2 girls). Glenna loves teaching and spent about 15 yrs as the Education and Programs Coordinator at the SEE Science Center in Manchester NH. After volunteering at every recital after her daughter graduated, she joined the office staff at NHAD in 2019. In April of 2022, Glenna married her high school sweetheart who swept her away to live in Seattle WA but unable to stay away they moved back to NH just a year later. Going back to her love of teaching, Glenna took a job at Easterseals working with the residential students in the classroom. She is very excited to be back with her NHAD family and looks forward
to seeing everyone's smiling faces and help out wherever she can!
Barbara Jones, Office Staff
Barbara has been in the dance world as a competitive dance mom for over 20 years. Her daughter, Samantha, grew up dancing at NHAD. She has gained extensive knowledge about all aspects of the dance studio world, competitions and the work that goes into them. Barbara studied Criminal Justice and is in her 36th year serving the town of Londonderry as a Police Dispatcher and Records Coordinator. She has joined the NHAD staff as part of the Office Team and is always a friendly face and a willing hand to help and answer any questions that you have!
Holly Charest
Holly grew up in Hooksett, NH where she started her dance career at the age of 3. She has had many opportunities to train with teachers and choreographers around the nation. Holly has a very strong background in ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary and modern and extensive knowledge and exposure to the world of competitive dance. Holly also participated in young choreographer and won high scores for her choreography in high school. Holly graduated from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a double concentration in Ballet and Jazz. While at Point Park, Holly had the privilege to study with many amazing teachers and choreographers and performed in “Under-wear” by Pearlann Porter, “The Bench” by Kiesha Lalama-White, and “Faculty Show” by Ron Tassone. Holly is now judging both regional and national dance competitions, and loves seeing the different style and talent around the United States. Holly has an extensive amount of teaching experience and looks forward to inspiring and encouraging each of her students to find the love of dance the way she has.
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Hope Johnson​
Hope began her dance journey at the age of three and has been devoted to it ever since. A New Hampshire Academie of Dance alumna, she spent nine years in the dance company, training under Laura Foti and Leo Donahue while competing throughout New England. During her time at the studio, Hope also assisted Laura in her classes, gaining experience working with younger students. She has enriched her expertise by attending various workshops and conventions, focusing on both choreography and technique. During the 2023-2024 season, Hope completed an apprenticeship working closely with the NHAD staff, further honing her teaching skills. Her career has been highlighted by a series of dance awards, and she is enthusiastic about passing on her love for dance to the next generation.
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Meghan Hamilton
Miss Meg is a dance teacher and choreographer with over 20 years of experience with dancers of all ages. She is proficient in Ballet, Jazz. Lyrical, Contemporary, Horton and Graham- based Modern, Tap. Pre-ballet, Conditioning/Leaps and Turns, and Acrobatics. Meg taught for 14 years at Erin Rae's School of Dance and 18 years at Art in Motion Academy of Dance, both in southeastern Massachusetts. Meg was the Company Director at Art in Motion and continues to choreograph for their team. She now resides in New Hampshire with her wife, daughter, and twin boys.
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Meg's love for dance began at a young age, and she always knew that she wanted to teach in order to share this passion and inspire other dancers. She holds an Associates of the Arts from Dean College, where she was a member of the Dean College Dance Company and Dance Team. She continues her education by attending many programs, classes, and conventions, including Boston Conservatory Summer Program, Boston Ballet, Acrobatic Arts, DanceLife Retreat Center, and Dance Teacher Life Conference, She attributes her success as a teacher to the mentors that trained her, including Ann-marie Basara, Kym and Patti Eisenhower, Nailah Belanger, Jill Silverman, Maryanne Kodzis, Joan Palladino, Sean Curran, and especially the late Marianne Harkless who first sparked her love for modern and contemporary ballet.
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Her choreography is as versatile as the many styles she teaches. Meg's pieces have been recognized at Regional and National competitions by winning top cores, entertainment and choreography awards. She was honored to be nominated for Headliners Choreographer of the Year and win the National Choreography Award at Spirit of Dance Awards in 2015 and 2016. Her teaching philosophy focuses on fostering a supportive environment where students can express themselves, build confidence, and develop their skills. Meg believes in the importance of technique, discipline, and creativity, and strives to incorporate these elements into all her classes. She enjoys teaching and training all levels of dancers and helping students grow a better understanding of their technique and artistry.
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Allyson Kachanian
Allyson is a choreographer and dance educator with more than 18 years of teaching experience in all major forms of dance. Dancing since age three, she began assisting classes at 12 and teaching at 16. After graduating high school, she moved to NYC to train with industry professionals at the Broadway Dance Center and studied the Zena Rommett Floor Barre Technique for corrective body alignment and injury prevention at Broadway Dance Center and at STEPS on Broadway. Allyson is most influenced by her modern training under artists from the former Dance Space Center in SoHo (currently known as Dance New Amsterdam) where she also studied anatomy and kinesthetic body awareness.
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Allyson successfully owned and operated Artistic Ballet and Creative Dance in Hampstead, NH for 8 years before marrying her husband and raising their two daughters. She is currently on staff at Phantom Gymnastics in Hampstead, NH where she coaches dance and choreographs competitive floor routines for NH State Champion gymnasts training in USAG Junior Olympic Program. Allyson is a graduate of the Dance Teachers Club of Boston Dance Education Training Course, a member of American Alliance and New Hampshire Alliance for Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD and NHAHPERD), and the National Dance Association (NDA). She was certified in Leap 'N Learn in 2012. Allyson continues her own dance training by attending classes in NY and Boston, as well as dance conventions and professional educator seminars across the Northeast. Her creative ideas and choreographic style have earned numerous gold medals, overall high score awards, and special judges awards.
Kathryn Scarpetti
Kathryn has been dancing since the age of two. She’s trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, cabaret, musical theatre, break dancing and her favorite genre, tap. Kathryn been training with Aaron Tolson and is an alumni of his company Speaking in Taps. Kathryn has also trained with The School of Creative and Performing Arts Vermont, The Intensive directed by Aaron Tolson and Derick Grant, The Summer Joffrey Tap Intensive, and much more. She is also a backup dancer for drag queen Clara Divine. She also is a certified Zumba instructor. Kathryn also teaches recreational and competition classes for all ages.
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Shannon Roy
Miss Shannon has been dancing for 18 years. She started at the age of 3 and shortly after started competing. She competed until the age 18 when she graduated from high school. While still taking classes, she taught and helped with assisting classes. She then went on to attend the University of New Hampshire to pursue a Dance Bachelors in the fine arts as well as Business Administration. During her 4 years of undergrad, she discovered aerial. Her love and passion for aerial grew every day and she knew that she wanted to teach it one day. Miss Shannon’s favorite style of dance is jazz, though she was trained in jazz, modern, lyrical, ballet, pointe, contemporary, acro, hip hop, and tap. She also helped teach several classes during her college years. Miss Shannon was born to dance and to teach and she is beyond excited to be a part of the NHAD family!
Amanda Shea
Amanda began her dance journey at the age of five and has pursued her passion ever since. She is an alumna of New Hampshire Academie of Dance, where she spent eight years as part of the Dance Company, training under Laura Foti and Leo Donahue, and competing across New England. During this time, Amanda also assisted Laura in her classes, gaining valuable experience working with younger students.
Amanda has continuously expanded her knowledge in choreography and technique by attending numerous workshops and conventions over the years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a certification in Special Education from Southern New Hampshire University.
Since graduating, Amanda has worked in the Manchester School District and attended various dance conferences, including the DanceLife Teacher Conference and MTJGD Studio Owner University. She continues to deepen her expertise in dance through ongoing in-house trainings and other professional development opportunities.
Sarah-Beth Smith
Sarah-Beth Smith has been a lifelong student of classical ballet. She has studied extensively both in the United States and abroad. Ms. Smith performed professionally with The Compania Nacional del Danza, The Paris Opera Ballet, and Boston Ballet. She has also trained in modern dance Limon, Graham, and Horton methods. She danced with the Prometheus Dance Company and Limon Dance company. Sarah-Beth holds a masters degree from The Boston Conservatory and is a respected teacher throughout the Boston and Southern NH areas. She is a noted choreographer and has created and staged many ballets including The Nutcracker, Sleepy Hollow, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Titanic, Alice in Wonderland, and The Hobbit to name a few. Sarah-Beth was the owner and artistic director of Gate City Ballet in Nashua, NH for 15 years and continues to share her love and passion for ballet with students from multiple studios in the area and is excited to share the joy of dance and movement with the next generation.
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Sarah Strong
Sarah is a passionate and exuberant ballet teacher in Northern Massachusetts, where she has resided her whole life. After graduating summa cum laude from Dean College, where she earned her BA in both Dance and Arts and Entertainment Management, she decided to dedicate her life to teaching dance to the upcoming generations. During her studies at Dean, she participated in various disciplines including Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Horton, Tap, Hip Hop, and Ballroom. Additionally, she focused on the anatomy of dancers through Bartinieff fundamentals, anatomy classes, and working with her athletic trainer.Originally trained at New England Civic Ballet under the direction of Roshni Pecora and Phyllis George, Sarah has performed in many ballet productions in both soloist and corps roles, including Mouse Queen and Spanish in The Nutcracker, and as Sleepy in Snow White. While at Dean, Sarah was also cast in multiple pointe companies and was asked to be a part of the restaging of William Evans' "Ritmos de la Tierra" to be performed as part of a William Evans production. Additionally, Sarah was selected multiple times to be a choreographer for the New Dancer Showcase for freshmen dance majors at Dean. Notable teachers include Jill Silverman, Laura Young, Todd Shanks, Kristina Berger, Jeremy Ruth Howes, Roshni Pecora, William Evans, and Adrianne Hawkins.Sarah is teaching at various schools in the New England area, working with both competitive and noncompetitive students, promoting the love and appreciation of ballet as both a sport and an art form. Sarah is excited to continue sharing her passion for ballet and terrible puns with her students!
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