Our Teachers

Our 2018–2019 season instructors:

Beth Wheeler: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, Preschool, Primary (director, A Dancer’s Dream; VP and co-founder, TAGteach International)

Carli DiMeo: Contemporary, Jazz, Acro

Norma Jean Fowler: Ballet Lab, Cecchetti Graded Ballet

Sarah (Cook) Geary: Preschool, Primary, Studio Culture Coordinator

Elloree Northway Jennings: Hip Hop, Acro, Sparkle Squad Coordinator

Julie Joseph: Tap, Modern, Contemporary

Kelsey Nestor: Modern, Jazz

Melissa Powers: Jazz, Tap

Shaina Schwartz: Tap, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz

Teresa Tobin: PreSchool, Primary

Evan Turner: Contemporary, Acro, Leaps & Turns

Our 2018–2019 season administrative staff:

Kat Knight: Operations & Client Experience Manager

Recent and Recurring Guest Teachers:

Alixa Sutton (Cirque Du Soliel, choreographer)

Jenny Schiff (Schiff Dance Collective, founder)

Sean Fielder (Boston Tap Company, founder)

Brian Henninger (Excel's SYTYCD teaching tour)

Our TAGteach™ certified staff consists of highly regarded professional dancers and performing artists, each with exceptional teaching experience. Our teachers cultivate enthusiasm in our students through their own joy in dance and out of their sincere love for children (we TAG, we don’t nag!).

Melissa Powers

Melissa Powers has been dancing since age 2 studying tap, jazz and ballet with Tina & Ron LaFlam of Gloucester, MA. Her teaching career began with the LaFlam's as well where Melissa was a favorite teacher in their school for 6 years. As a student Melissa was the recipient of the New England Grand Champion award and also earned multiple scholarships from Dance Masters of America, including the coveted Three-Way Overall scholarship.

Now a senior teacher at A Dancer’s Dream, Melissa is admired for her ability to motivate her dancers to be their best and to accomplish more than they ever thought they could, as is evidenced by their award winning success in her care. Melissa's classes are as highly challenging as they are entertaining making her well-loved and respected by her many adoring dancers.

Melissa resides in Gloucester with her husband Jason and her two children, Cali and Cameron.