Faculty
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.
Leo Donahue, Assistant Director
Mr Donahue has teaching for over 25 Years in jazz, tap, contemporary,yrical and hip hop. He has had the opportunity to study with many master Teachers like Savion Glover, Bob Rizzo, Frank Hatchett and Matt Mattox and has served as an Adjudicator and Director for the past 15 years for Regional and National Competitions.
His students have won many overall awards and have gone on to perform in Off Broadway Shows, on Cruise Lines, at Disney and with Modern Companies throughout the United States. Many of his students have received Scholarships to dance programs like Julliard, Walnut Hill, Boston Ballet and Alvin Ailey. Leo is very proud of his students and due to their understanding of his Choreography has enabled him to receivemany Choreography Awards.
Leo enjoys teaching Master classes and Choreography throughout the United States. In 2004, Leo had the honor of being the Choreographer for 96 dancers at a National level Finals. He believes that all
children who love to dance should have the opportunity to perform, compete or express themselves on stage. He also believes that through the art of dance, children gain a multitude of life skills which they carry throughout their lives.
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.
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!
Bethany Cassidy
Bethany has been a choreographer, dance teacher and performer in the area for over
25 years. Her early training was at UNH where she was a member of the UNH Dance Company and received a Minor in Dance. Further studies were at Jeannette Neils and Leon Collins in Boston; Steps and Broadway Dance Center in NYC. She has performed professionally at the Palace Theatre, Huntington Theatre, Worcester Foothills, Ogunquit Playhouse and North Shore Music Theatre. She has performed in community theatre productions for Actorsingers and Stagecoach productions as well as a performer in Cabaret de Boheme. She has choreographed for Pinkerton Academy, the Derryfield School, Kids Coop Theatre, Stagecoach Productions, Seacoast Repertory Theatre and most recently Ovation Theatre Co. She is now a paraprofessional in the Danville Elementary School.
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.
Brendan Falsey
Brendan Falsey has always loved to dance. He grew up in a studio setting taking musical theatre,”HipHop” and tap classes. Brendan has recently been expanding his versatility by training with The Expressive Movement, StriveForChange Lifestyle, Sean Bjerke, Darnell Snoopy Brown, and others. He has also taught classes and workshops around New England, and is always looking for new opportunities to teach. Dancing is more than just movement to him, it represents strength, passion, versatility, growth, and so much more. For the past four years dance has been his career and he is always excited to further it and grow.
“I dance for those that come after. To open minds and hearts. Including my own. The connections I’ve made through movement, I never would’ve made otherwise. I’ve connected with so many incredible people. And my students are what keeps me pushing. I need to make myself better for them. For anyone who believes in me. So that I can pass on everything I learn and keep this beautiful tradition alive.
My inspiration for dance is change and communication. I want to be able to make people feel what I cannot explain in words. But it is also a release. It is a way for me to tell stories, exercise, create, and let things out in a healthy way. Dance, for me, is so much more than an art. It is one of the few universal languages of humankind along with music, physical, and visual arts. I want to be versed in all the styles I can find. I don't need to be an expert. But I want to know enough about each individual culture to be able to portray things, and have that culture understand"
Allyson Yennaco 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.
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.
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 s started dancing at the age of five and has been doing what she loves ever since. She is a New Hampshire Academie of Dance alumna spending eight years in the Dance Company training with Laura Foti and Leo Donahue and competing around New England. Amanda spent several years under the direction of Laura assisting in her classes and working with the younger students. Over the years Amanda has attended numerous workshops and conventions to expand her knowledge in both choreography and technique. Amanda just finished her Bachelors of Arts in Elementary Education with a certification in Special Education. She is continuing on to obtain her Masters in Curriculum Instruction and Educational Leadership.
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.
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!