Ms. Marissa has served thousands of families in Westchester County for 20 years.  She attended Manhattanville College where she received a performing arts scholarship and earned a degree in Psychology and Dance.  After graduating college, Marissa taught for over 30 dance schools in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York before opening her own at the young age of 23. Her choreography has earned her prestigious awards from NRG Dance Project, American Dance Awards, Revolution Talent Competition, and Nexstar Dance Competition. Her students at BGDC have gone on to dance in college programs and professionally across the country.  Marissa’s leadership and savvy business mindset have led BGDC to win the Best of Westchester: Best Dance Studio, Best Party Place, and Best Business 
Person awards.  BGDC was most recently awarded Best Dance Studio in 2024.

Ms Laurel is the Operations Manager & has been with BGDC since 2014.  Laurel has been dancing since the age of 4 on the island of Oahu, where she is originally from and trained in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Lyrical, Hip Hop, & Hula.  She has a Bachelor's degree in Dance, minor in Psychology, & specialization in Dance Therapy from Manhattanville College & Master's degree in Arts Administration from Baruch College.  Laurel oversees day-to-day business operations and continually pursues professional development to implement new systems that enhance the business and help our BGDC families.  When she's not in the office, you can find her teaching our Mini Hip Hop Crew!  She's also a certified group fitness instructor.

Certifications: CPR, AED, First Aid

Ms Stephanie is the Staff Manager and has been with BGDC since 2014.  She has a Bachelor's degree in Dance with a minor in Business Management & a Master's degree in Early Childhood Development.  As Staff Manager, she onboards new hires, leads training instructors in curriculum development, is a liaison between parents and instructors, & spearheads our annual recital.  She is also an instructor for our Spin & Sparkle Program, Beautiful Beginnings Program, Core Program, and Intensive Program.

Ms Bailey is the Intensive Program Director and has been with BGDC since 2017.  She oversees all aspects of the Intensive Program such as scheduling & registering for competitions, ordering costumes, scheduling dancer rehearsals, monitering student progress & more!  Bailey danced competitively growing up and was also a high level gymnast.  She shares a lot of expertise on technique and is able to help students build the confidence and work ethic they need to succeed in class and on the stage.  Ms Bailey also leads our Acrobatic program, building the curriculum and training other instructors.

Certifications: Acrobatic Arts

Ms Christina is the Merchandise & Social Media Manager and has been with BGDC since 2017.  She does everything from shoe/dancewear fittings and creating social media content to ordering/steaming/packaging 1000+ recital costumes and teaching 3 days!  She does it all! She holds a Bachelor's degree in Dance with a specialization in Dance Therapy.   Christina also teaches our Spin & Sparkle program, Beautiful Beginnings program, Core program, & Intensive Program.

Miss Sofia is our Marketing Manager and this is her 6th season at BGDC.  Sofia is from Westchester, NY, where she has been dancing since the age of 3.  Sofia is an alumna of BGDC. During her time at BGDC, she was on the Senior Dance Team coached by Ms Stephanie! She graduated from Sacred Heart University majoring in Digital Marketing, Advertising and PR.  She also holds down the fort in the office on Saturdays!  Miss Sofia is our full-circle story and we are thrilled to have her on the team!

Ms Luiza is our Enrollment Coordinator and has been with BGDC since 2021!  As Enrollment Coordinator, she takes care of registrations and tuition payments.  When she's not in the office, you can catch her teaching our Early Childhood and Core Program classes.  Luiza has an M.F.A in Performance and Choreography from SUNY The College at Brockport, NY, and graduated from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul – UFRGS (Brazil) with a degree in Dance Education.

Mr. Andrew is a veteran instructor of our Intensive Program and now we are happy to have him on board helping Ms Bailey as Assistant Intensive Director.  He is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, with a BFA in dance, a concentration in choreography, and a minor in Business Administration.  He has been dancing since the age of 3, training in various forms including ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, tap, modern, and dance composition. Andrew has toured nationally with a dance convention, NRG Dance Project, where he was given the opportunity to assist top choreographers from So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Best Dance Crew, Disney’s Shake It Up, Step Up 2, and Britney Spears. Andrew works as a guest teacher and choreographer for over twenty dance studios across the United States, has taught master classes for college dance programs, and has worked for several dance competitions both as a judge and regional director.

Miss Lexie is a veteran instructor at BGDC! She is a Hip Hop instructor for our Core & Intensive Programs.  Alexa "Lexie" Sahagian is originally from Long Island, NY, where she grew up training in various styles of dance. After competing for many years, Lexie moved on to teaching. She has taught at multiple studios as well as coached many high school and college dance teams. After graduating, she was accepted onto AbstraKT Beings: The Company directed by Theresa Stone (who has also been a guest choreographer at BGDC for many years). She completed the Professional Semester at Broadway Dance Center, where she worked with and assisted many well known choreographers.  Lexie has credits working with America's Got Talent, Good Morning America, & to name a few.

Miss Rachele is a veteran instructor at BGDC! She is a Core & Intensive Program instructor.  Rachele received her foundational training at Boston Ballet School. She graduated Cum Laude from Fordham University with a BFA in Dance from The Ailey School and is working to complete her Master of Education in Childhood/Special Education Degree at Fordham University. Rachele is currently a dancer with New Chamber Ballet. Rachele has trained internationally in ballet, contemporary ballet, modern, and improvisation techniques and currently teaches dance at multiple studios throughout NYC.

Ms Marissa is a veteran instructor and has been with BGDC since 2022! She will be teaching for our Spin & Sparkle, Early Childhood, and Core Programs.  Marissa grew up in Westchester, NY where she started dancing at the age of 5. She found her love for Hip-Hop and Jazz when she attended New Rochelle High School as part of the PAVE program. She was also the captain of the school’s dance team. Marissa graduated from The University of Albany in 2017 with a Masters in Education. Since then, Marissa has taught dance to children ages 4-14 in the Westchester area, as well as in middle school and high school settings.

This is Miss Vanya's third year with BGDC!  She is a professional gymnast and dancer. Vanya received her early professional training in Bulgaria, where she was part of the acrobatic gymnastics national team. She graduated from National Sports Academy “Vasil Levski.” In her youth, Vanya won the title of National and World Champion of Acrobatic Gymnastics.  After this, she was a professional dance performer. Vanya participated in live performances and concerts, television productions, music videos, and toured with visiting and local bands. Vanya is a certified USA Gymnastics coach. She has more than 15 years of experience as a professional coach and mentor. Vanya has developed her own program and methodology for working with dancers and athletes.

This is Miss Jamie's third year at BGDC! She will be working with our Intensive dancers.  Jamie is a freelance artist, performer, choreographer, and dance instructor based in NYC. Originally from Long Island, NY, Jamie received her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Adelphi University with a major in Dance and minor in Psychology, and studied abroad at the London Contemporary Dance School in the UK. She has set works at Adelphi University, for music videos, and on various dance studios.  She is still actively performing & enjoys working with other creatives.

This is Mr. Ryan's third year at BGDC! He will be teaching our Intensive Program. Ryan resides in New York City and has been active in the dance industry for 15 years. His talent has taken him around the world performing with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and in Orlando theme parks including Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando. His musical theatre background has allowed him to travel throughout the U.S. to perform in productions such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Beauty and the Beast, and On the Town to name a few.  Ryan continues his training in NYC and is an active member of the Actors Equity Association.

This is Ms Maile's 2nd year at BGDC!  She is an enthusiastic, nurturing, and inspiring dance teacher dedicated to developing the whole dancer—body, mind, and heart. Specializing in jazz, lyrical, acro, and flexibility training, Maile has guided her dancers to succeed both recreationally and competitively.  She holds a USA Gymnastics certification.  Beyond dance, Maile has a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education from Mercy College and has taught pre-k and kindergarten for the past five years. She also currently works as a curriculum coach for preschool teachers in Westchester.  She will be teaching our Early Childhood, Core, and Intensive Programs.

This is Ms Nina's second year with BGDC!  She began her dance training in NYC, attending Ballet Hispanico and Joffrey Ballet School Trainee Program on scholarship. She graduated Joffrey with a BFA in Dance Performance. After graduating Joffrey, Nina has professionally danced for Rennie Harris, H.T. Chen & Dancers, Michael Mao Dance Company, Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, IKADA, LaneCo Arts, Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, as well as performed classical roles set by members of The Royal Ballet. She currently teaches with international company FINIDance and performs as a principal with the company in addition to her teaching in NYC.

This is Cait's second year with BGDC & she will be helping us on Sundays in the office and subbing for our Dream Team.

This is Miss Camille's first year at BGDC!  Originally from Canada, Camille Spence is a dynamic and expressive performer with a strong foundation in commercial dance. In May 2025, she graduated from the Sands College of Performing Arts at Pace University. Camille earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Commercial Dance with a concentration in Choreography and a minor in Business Arts and Entertainment Management.  Camille is currently represented by Clear Talent Group in both New York City and Los Angeles. Camille began her choreographic journey at a very young age, and has nourished her craft by teaching at her mother’s dance studio, Dancers Burlington. She now sets choreography across Canada and the U.S. Camille most recently was named a finalist at the prestigious 2025 ACE Awards where she presented her work amongst some talented artists and creatives in the industry. 

This is Miss Madison's first year with BGDC, but she's a familiar face to our early childhood dancers! You've seen her subbing on occasion and has been a summer camp instructor.  Madison grew up dancing at Seven Star School of Performing Arts in Brewster, NY and has been creating and teaching dance in the New York and Connecticut area for the past six years. She recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from University of the Arts with a BFA in Dance and Minor in Business in December of 2023. Madison also received her certifications to teach the Franklin Method and Pilates Mat. In 2019 she represented the USA at the World Tap Championships and received a gold medal. She recently completed her first contract as a performer with Walt Disney World.

Miss Georgia is back at BGDC! She's a veteran instructor and will be teaching our Intensive Program students.  Georgia holds a BFA in Dance with a major in Ballet Pedagogy from the Professional Dance Academy in Thessaloniki, Greece, and a Master’s Degree in Dance Education from NYU’s Steinhardt School. She is certified in modern and jazz techniques, movement analysis, and several specialized methods including the Zena Rommett Floor-Barre®, Progressive Ballet Technique, and is an ABT® Certified and Affiliated Teacher.  Her professional development includes training with institutions such as the National Ballet School of Canada, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and the Paris Opera Ballet School. She has taught at renowned institutions including ABT, the School of American Ballet, and the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet.  Georgia has trained students accepted into top programs like Juilliard, SAB, JKO, and Tisch, and has choreographed for major competitions including YAGP. She has also served as an adjunct professor at Sacred Heart University and a lecturer at Rutgers University.

This is Ms Kellyann's second year with BGDC, however, she's been a familar face to our dancers since 2020 choreographing for our Intensive Program!  She was part of our 2020 Dream Team and has returned after moving back home from LA where she pursued her dance career. Kellyann is originally from Brookfield, CT and she graduated from Pace University's Commercial Dance BFA program, with a concentration in choreography. Kellyann has had the opportunity to work beside Emmy award winning choreographers on the tv show, So You Think You Can Dance and her film credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maiesel, The 71st Prime Time Emmy Awards, 1660 Vine (Amazon), and “The Merry Gentleman” (Netflix).  She has worked with artists such as Paula Abdul, Jojo Siwa and Sir Elton John.  She is also a Lead Judge/Adjudicator for KAR Dance Competition.  In her spare time, Kellyann enjoys doing Yoga!  She is a certified Yoga Instructor!

This is Dre's first year with BGDC! Dre is an International Tap Dance Artist, Educator, and Choreographer based in NYC and highlights include roles as Assistant Tap Choreographer for Broadway's Funny Girl and 1st Nat'l Tour, Associate Choreographer for Henry & Me, Choreographer for DanceLabNY's Tap Project, and performances with 2 Bessie Award winning productions! Dre was also honored as Dance Teacher Magazine's Awardee which highlighted her joyful teaching philosophy at Broadway Dance Center that bridges tradition and innovation. Dre has performed at NY City Center, The Joyce, Comedy Central, FOX, BBC, PBS, Harvard, and was a Principal Tap Dancer in Tapestry Dance Company to name a few. Dre's contributions to tap dance have garnered features in Fest Magazine, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Dance Magazine, London Theater Review, and Vida. Dre also has a Bachelor of Science in American Dance Pedagogy and Minor in Business Entrepreneurship.

This is Miss Gerogia's first year with BGDC, but she's already a familiar face with our Intensive dancers! She's also the sister of Miss Maddie, who was with us for several years.  Miss Georgia grew up dancing in Australia.  She went onto train at The Rock School For Dance Education in Philadelphia, were she received a full scholarship to their Professional Division. She achieved distinctions in both her Royal Academy of Dance and Australian Conservatoire of Ballet examinations. She also currently holds the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet Teacher Qualifications and an Australian Teachers of Dance Certificate III in Dance Education. In 2021, Georgia completed Queensland Ballet’s teacher training program. Prior to relocating to New York she ran her own successful ballet company “Ballet By Georgia Clay”, which has been featured multiple times on Australian National television. Since moving to New York City, she has danced in countless productions with Hudson Ballet Theatre and Smith & Co. and was recently the lead role in a music video for an international’s music artist. Georgia has also had the privilege of choreographing for several companies and has assisted many renowned industry professionals at dance conventions and with choreographic works.

This is Miss Jenna's first year with BGDC! Jenna grew up in Brewster, NY where she started dancing at the age of 3. She is an alumna of the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, graduating in 2016.  In addition to her training at RCD, Jenna studied ballet extensively under George Balanchine’s student Maria Calegari and in Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Tap and Hip Hop styles.  Jenna has a Bachelor's degree in history and Master's degree in Secondary Education with a certificate in Special Education from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT.  During her 4 years at QU, Jenna was an active dancer and choreographer for the Quinnipiac Dance Company, where she choreographed, collaborated on, and performed over 20 pieces with her team.  She continues to train dancers in CT and NY.

This is Miss Nadine's first year at BGDC! Originally from the Gold Coast, Australia, Nadine has been performing since the age of five and is thrilled to be part of the dream team at Breaking Ground Dance Center. She is represented by The Daniel Hoff Agency and graduated summa cum laude from Pace University in 2025 with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Commercial Dance. As an artist, Nadine is passionate about storytelling, self-expression, and discovering joy through movement. She has had the privilege of working closely with a range of notable performers and creatives, including Ellenore Scott, L Morgan Lee, Kathleen Turner, Amanda Flynn, Scott Jovovich, Nancy Lemenager, Shannon Atkins, Ray Hesselink, Suzi Taylor, Marinda Davis, Kelli O’Hara, and Alex Lacamoire. Most recently, Nadine appeared onstage as “Dream Laurey” in a production of Oklahoma!, directed by JV Mercanti and Tony nominee Erin Dilly.