Looking for dancing lessons from one of the top dance studios in Stamford, CT?

Jimmy Locust has lent his talents and toured with superstars Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, Quincy Jones and Debbie Allen. He has appeared on shows such as the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, MTV Video Music Awards in Atlanta, he was one of the head choreographers for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics with Kenny Ortega (Michael Jackson’s This Is It). Mr. Locust was nominated for an American Choreography Award 2001 in the television category for his work on Warner Bros. hit show “Nikki”. Locust is founder and Director of Harmony Nation, an anti-bullying anti-hate educational program. Locust has been a studio owner, master teacher and choreographer in the Fairfield County area since 2003. Recently, Jimmy Locust returned from L.A. where he worked on the Justin Bieber Tour. To read more about Jimmy Locust, please visit: www.JimmyLocust.com.

Monica Richardson started her training at the age of three. She is a Graduate of New World School of the Arts in Miami, where she trained heavily in modern, ballet, jazz. Monica has received dance scholarships to attend Bates Dance Festival and overall performer for the Pacific Coast Dance Festival. She has performed lead roles in both Debbie Allen’s “Pepito’s Story” and LaVerne Reed’s “The Chocolate Nutcracker”. She has worked and performed as a background dancer for Gloria Estefan, and has recently danced in music videos for rap artist Ja Rule and Missy Elliot.

Tracey Bonafide began her dance training at the age of three at the David Blight School of Dance in Wilkes-Barre, PA and was a competitive dancer until she was nineteen, winning many overall awards along the way. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Dance from DeSales University with concentrations in teaching and choreography. While in college, she was a member of the ACTion Dance Touring Company and performed as a soloist. After graduating, she choreographed musicals at local high schools and her choreography for West Side Story was nominated for “Best Choreography in Northeast PA”. Tracey has been teaching dance for over 19 years and is the director of the award winning LPAC Competition Dance Team, a group that she started 10 years ago with co-director Suzanne Rydz.

Starting her dance education at the age of 5, Alison Lott graduated from Springfield College in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance and a minor in Psychology. Since graduating, Alison has gone on to teach in dance studios, educational programs and summer camps throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut, as well as coaching and choreographing for local CT high school dance teams. She has trained under Mia Michaels, Shane Sparks and Brian Friedman.

Naimah Saleem, originally from Washington, DC began her performing arts education at the age of three with The DC Youth Ensemble and continued training at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts High School. She received her B.F.A. in dance from New World School of the Arts/University of Florida where she graduated cum laude. She also attended Alvin Ailey’s summer program and worked as an apprentice with the Garth Fagan Dance Company. Naimah has performed internationally in Africa, Austria, Bermuda, Haiti and Taiwan and has had the pleasure of dancing for the NBA’s Miami Heat Basketball team. Her off-Broadway credits include Hairspray (Fireside Theatre, WI) as characters Little Inez and as one of the Dynamites. Currently, she is a member of Forces of Nature Dance Theatre. She has also been teaching children ages pre-K to teen for over ten years. Naimah is very happy, honored and blessed to be a part of LPAC.

Mickela Mallozzi, an original native of Stamford, has danced for over 20 years in the tri-state area. She was trained under Dieter Riesle at The Ballet School of Stamford and JoAnn Lorusso at Center Stage Dance Studio. She annually performed with the New York City Ballet principal dancers in the production of Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, and throughout high school, she participated in the Greenwich Academy Dance Corps where she choreographed and performed regularly. Mickela graduated from New York University with a B.A. in Music, and she has trained at various studios in the city such as Broadway Dance, Steps, Peridance Center and Stepping Out Studios.

LaQuelle Mills graduated from New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida where she received her Associates Degree in the area of Arts where her outstanding performances afforded her an opportunity to travel to Kaohsiung Taiwan where she performed and also trained in other culture styles of dance. For the past thirteen years LaQuelle has directed rehearsals, assisted in the choreography and performed throughout the country in LaVerne Reed's The Chocolate Nutcracker and a local production of Shakespeare in the Park. LaQuelle has also worked with Angel Salzaar who played Chi-Chi in the movie "Scarface". She has participated in industrial works with Hummer and Porsche. LaQelle has participated with Alvin Ailey's summer program in New York, she is a principle dancer in Dundu Dole West African Ballet Company founded by Jai Hinson and she studied  with Garth Fagan dance company, who is the choreographer of  the Broadway production Lion King. Currently LaQuelle is doing guest work with Vissi Dance Company under the direction of Courtney Ffrench and dancing with Forces of Nature Dance Theater whose founder is Abdel Salaam.

Amy Repice joins the LPAC staff with 15 years of dance experience. She graduated summa cum laude from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 2009 where she majored in Marketing and minored in Dance. Amy performed with and choreographed for the University Dance Company for 3 years and served as the Vice President her senior year. Amy has studied with numerous professionals in various styles throughout the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania areas. She has been trained in ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, lyrical, tap and hip-hop. Amy has been teaching dance to children and adults for many years and is excited to share her passion for dance with the LPAC community.

Jenna Gunnip has been involved in music since the age of 4. She recently earned her Master of Arts in Teaching (Music Education) from Manhattanville College, and currently teaches Chorus at Cloonan Middle School in Stamford. She has performed throughout New York and Connecticut, as well as on the Caribbean island of St. Croix. She is also a proud alumnus of the Locust Performing Arts Center. 

Mindy Vaccino studied at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence and in Rome, Italy, receiving a degree in Fine Arts. Her work has been in magazines, newspapers, book and CD covers and on theater stages. She has also taught visual arts to ages preschool through teen in before-and after-school programs and in children's ministry. Mindy has enjoyed assistant-managing and designing within performing arts schools for over twelve years. Her favorite, most challenging creative endeavor has been as Mom to a pre-schooler.

Denise LaPointe has taught all over the U.S. and abroad, including at Japan Arts in Tokyo, Ballet Academie in Sweden and Belvoir Terrace in Lenox, MA. Her training included study at The University of The Arts, Philadelphia, where she also had the opportunity to teach as an adjunct, with additional training at The Ailey School in Manhattan. Her credits include European tours of West Side Story, A Chorus Line and Scrooge: The Musical, as well as work with independent choreographers. Denise’s work has been presented at various showcases around NYC, including Steps Beyond Performance Series, BDC Best of Showcase, Ballet Arts Performance Series, The International Dance Festival at The Duke Theater 42nd St., New Dance Group Showcase and The Bucknell University Dance Company, Spirit in Motion Ballet Theater. Denise is the founder and artistic director of “Inner Waves Dance Project,” which combines her passion for dance and yoga. She is also a Pilates practitioner with certifications in Zena Rommets Floorbarre® Technique and Hot Power Fusion Yoga.

Guest teacher Ryan Daniel Beck has done commercial dance work for ESPN, MTV, Fuse TV, Mini Cooper, Givenchy, Microsoft, FedEx, and Sandals Resort, and appeared in the Mercedes Benz commercial in Frankfurt, Germany. Recently, he danced for the Samsung Times Square 3D Launch with the Black Eyed Peas, and Beyonce's Dereon Christmas Campaign.  He has performed in the Danny Ezralow (Across The Universe) touring show "WHY...be extraordinary, when you can be yourself" in Italy and Israel, and can be seen in the film, Step Up 3D (with Rhapsody and Jamal Sims). He was an ensemble dancer with Disney's Tarzan Stage Show, and danced back-up for Hard Rock Live Tour and special engagements with YouTube sensation Britney Houston. Ryan has choreographed for Central Florida Ballet and Ballet South of Orlando under the direction of Russell Sultzbach of Joffrey Ballet.  He has taught internationally and worked with students at Studio B (Tel Aviv, Israel), La Luna Dance Center (Ancona, Italy) and Castro Dance (Vigo, Spain). 

Jeff Docimo
Guest Teacher

Dijon Whyte
Apprentice Teacher

Stephanie Coleman
LPAC Business Consultant