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

Jimmy Locust has shared his talents internationally, working with superstars Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, Quincy Jones and Debbie Allen. He has appeared in music videos and films and has performed at the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. Mr. Locust was one of the head choreographers for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics and was nominated for an American Choreography Award in 2001 for his work on Warner Brothers’ show Nikki. Locust worked on the Justin Bieber Tour in 2010 and recently as choreographer for the CW T.V. Network’s The Next with hosts John Rich, Joe Jonas, Nelly and Gloria Estefan. Locally, Jimmy choreographed for the Stamford Symphony's Gala and Concert in 2011 and designed and wrote dance education curricula for Domus, Chester-Addision Community Center and the Stamford Family YMCA. Locust has been a studio owner, master teacher and choreographer in the Fairfield County area since 2003. He is also Founder and Director of Harmony Nation (formerly known as No Hate but Harmony), an anti-bullying educational program that performs at area schools. Locust’s multi-faceted lifestyle is chronicled in the reality show Locust Under 5’. His upcoming projects include choreography for Legally Blond at Curtain Call in June 2013.

Assistant Director 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 intensively in modern, ballet and 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 danced in music videos for rap artist Ja Rule and Missy Elliot. Monica is the Director of LPAC’s Kool Kidz and Locust Preparatory Company.

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.

Betse Evans graduated from Point Park University in 2010 with a BA in Dance in Pittsburgh, Pa. While in school she took part in many performance opportunities, as both dancer and choreographer, and in 2007 was part of Doug Bentz’s world premiere work, The Snow Queen, at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. During the summer of 2009, she was an apprentice with The Pillow Project, performing works by artistic director Pearlann Porter and Dance Alloy Theater’s Michael Walsh. Upon moving to NYC in Fall 2010, Betse was the choreographer for the independent film Me the Terrible, and before it made waves in The New York Times, she was a part of the visionary show, The Love Letter You’ve Been Meaning to Write to New York, directed by Jonathan Solari. Betse has most recently returned from performing with Disney Cruise Lines, and currently interns at Steps on Broadway.

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.

Stacy Homicki is thrilled to be joining the LPAC staff.  She has been working in dance education for over 15 years.  She received her BFA in Dance and Education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.  Stacy has taught extensively at a private dance studio in the Boston area, where she also managed the studio office and studio productions.  More recently, Stacy has worked at KING in Stamford for 9 years, teaching, choreographing, and working in the Performing Arts Department.  Stacy also has 2 children who love to dance at LPAC!

Mindy Vaccino studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, receiving a degree in Fine Arts. Her work has been published in magazines, newspapers and book and CD covers. Her work has been showcased at Locust Contemporary Dance Works concerts and also exhibited in New York, New England and Rome, Italy. Mindy has taught visual arts to ages preschool through teen in before-and after-school programs and in children's ministry. In the performing arts, she has worked on theater sets and prop design for over 20 years and has enjoyed assistant-managing and designing for dance studios.  She is excited to continue office management with LPAC and work as Director of Marketing.

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.

Kendra Ross from Detroit, MI began her performance career as an Afro-Cuban fokelore dancer. She received a BFA in Dance from Ailey/Fordham University. She has worked with a number of dance companies including Oyu Oro, Souloworks, Genesis Dance Company, Vissi Dance Theater, Ase Dance Theater Collective, Ronald K. Brown/Evidence and Sonic Leroy /Motionsickness with Monstah Black and is currently a company member of Urban Bush Women and MBDance. Her performances and choreography have graced the stages of arts centers, theaters, festivals and concerts. Kendra has been teaching dance in the New York public schools since 2007. Having studied many different styles of dance, Kendra brings a holistic understanding of movement to her teaching.

A graduate of Fairfield University with a BA in fine Arts, Suzanne Rydz studied abroad in London, England at the renowned Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA). Suzanne has performed throughout the US and Europe and her stage credits include Nora in A Doll’s House, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and Christine in A Chorus Line. Her TV/Film credits include Guiding Light, One Life to Live, Weeds, Switched at Birth and Sons of Anarchy. As a dancer and choreographer, Suzanne has worked with the NJ Nets (Power & Motion), performed with Ashanti and represented Reebok and New Balance. Commercially, Suzanne has hosted numerous live events (American Idol) and been the face of several print campaigns, including USAA, Checks.com and LSAT. Her project Love’s Divide continues to run off-Broadway and is currently being made in to a screenplay.

Anthony Giorgio has danced all over the world from his home town Worcester, MA all the way to the Middle East. He has been trained through the likes of Frank Hatchett, Gus Giordano, Joan Sheary and Grover Dale. Musical Theatre has been a major component of his life as he has performed in numerous musicals and danced for Jean Ann Ryan Productions on Norwegian Cruise Lines. In NYC, he has assisted Broadway’s Rachelle Rak, produced and choreographed his own showcases and has been a member of Overground888 physical theatre dance company. Teaching children, Anthony has been fortunate to direct for high schools and camps as well as lead master classes across the US, fulfilling a part of his dream to bring theater and art to those who normally wouldn't be exposed to it. Anthony looking forward for an awesome year at LPAC!

Rachel Clark began dancing at age three. A native of the Washington, DC area, she is a graduate of The University of Maryland, where she performed at NCAA football and basketball games for four years as a member of The University of Maryland Dance Team. Rachel moved to New York City to pursue her MA and EdM in Psychological Counseling at Teachers College, Columbia University. While living in the city, she continued her dance training at Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center. Rachel has taught dance classes for Round House Theatre's Arts Day Program in Maryland and Millennium Youth Development in Brooklyn, NY. She has performed at venues such as The National Theater, The Verizon Center, Disney World, and Giants Stadium, and has modeled for Spirit by Curtain Call Team Dancewear Catalog.

Maya Sank started her training in dance at the age of six and gained experience in jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, lyrical, hip-hop, contemporary and competitive dance. Maya was a member of Locust Contemporary Dance Works, Harmony Nation and Hip Hop's Finest and has also taught with LPAC for the past two years. She has danced professionally with recording artist Hannah Kelsy and in the Locust Performing Arts Center commercial.

Christina Merrill earned her BFA with a focus on Jazz Dance from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Her extensive training included ballet, modern, and studying tap under the legendary LaVaughn Robinson. After college, she moved to Chicago to study with Jump Rhythm Jazz Project and later became a member of Chicago Tap Theatre, a tap company with strong focus on storytelling and innovation. Highlights include Jazz Dance World Congress at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s tribute to Bill “Bojangles” Robinson choreographed by Lou Conte, a tour of southern France, and sharing the stage with The Polyphonic Spree at Lollapalooza.

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). 

Guest teacher Mickela Mallozzi is an original native of Stamford and 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.

Award-winning tap dancer Dan Mitra has been featured in Dance Teacher Magazine, The New York Times and on television. He was a recipient of the prestigious Presidential Scholar in the Arts Award, the Tap Future Award and was named “Best Dancer” by Connecticut State University. Dan has performed at youngARTS Miami, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Manhattan Center, the Cotton Club, National Dance Week at Madame Toussaud’s, TapCity at the Joyce, and MopTop 20^th Anniversary at Ailey, to name a few.  Dan has filled in for Jared Grimes at Broadway Dance Center and Joseph Webb at Harlem School of the Arts and has taught at Bridgeport’s PACC.