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.
Laura DeCarlo has been dancing for over fifteen years. She
has choreographed award winning routines in dance competitions throughout New
Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. She also has appeared live on the CW11
morning show for various artists as a back-up dancer. Laura was featured in
Gloria Quinlan-Arroyos’ Reggae and Hip-Hop workout videos as well. Laura
DeCarlo recently was a New York Jets Cheerleader for three years. She performed
for 80,000 fans at every home game in the MetLife Stadium. Laura was picked out
of 22 Flight Crew members to represent the New York Jets Cheerleaders in
Seattle, Washington to welcome home our troops. She was also picked to shoot the
2010 swimsuit calendar in Aruba. She performed dance routines live on CBS, The
Weather channel, the Suze Orman Show, CW11, and NBC. Laura was among the first
Jets Cheerleaders to ring the New York Stock Exchange bell. She has attended
many charity events at children’s hospitals and schools throughout her time on
the Jets. Laura is currently judging dance and cheerleading competitions
throughout New Jersey. Laura looks forward to seeing you in her classes!
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.
Christie
"CJ" Johnson has been a dancer for more than fifteen years, training
in many different styles including Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop, and, in the
past 5 years, Latin & Ballroom Dancing. She currently teaches Zumba Fitness Classes and has a deep passion for health
and fitness. Between teaching Zumba Fitness and joining Weight Watchers, CJ lost 20 lbs and strives to help
others find a happy and healthy weight. With the passion of dance and her love for fitness, CJ has choreographed her Zumba
Fitness classes so that they are fun, easy, and make her students SWEAT!
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 a member of 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 fifteen year of marriage to her
husband Stuart. Her biggest achievement and proudest accomplishment is being a
mom to their beautiful son Benjamin.
Michelle
Puskas
graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance
and Certificate in Criminology from Rutgers University/Mason Gross School of the
Arts.. She was the recipient of the Garden State Arts Foundation 2007 Thomas H.
Kean Scholarship. She has enhanced her training with several intensives at
Jacobs Pillow (Jazz / Musical Theatre Program) The Ailey School, The Taylor
School, The Graham School, David Parsons, Amy Marshall and extensively on
scholarship with Jennifer Muller/The Works.
Michelle is currently a company member with Swing FX, Derling Dance Arts, Nikki
Manx Dance Project, Meagan Woods and Dancers, and Flexicurve Dance.
Michelle is proud to have performed the choreography of Bill
Hastings, Chet Walker, Ryan Francois, Michael Jagger, Evita Arce, Patricia
Wilcox, Brad Musgrove, Randy James, David Dorfman, Christian Von Howard, Raegan
Bliss Wood, John Evans, Meagan Woods, Erin Pride, Nikki Manx, Samuel Pott and
Rennie Harris. Her New York Credits
include Something Stolen...Well Borrowed with Banana Peel Dance, Cirque du
Soleil's Poetic Social Mission in Times Square, Broadway Meets Jazz Under the
Stars in Lincoln Center, Flightless Birds (Joyce Soho) and Pop Nuggets with
Flexicurve Dance, and Microsoft's launch party for X-Box 360's Kinect including
performances with Lady Sovereign and Ne-Yo. She has performed her own
choreography at NJPAC's 10th Anniversary Alumni Showcase, 60x60, The Silk City
Arts Festival and Rutgers University
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 is 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.
