top of page
OUR TEACHERS

We have some of the most talented, passionate and dedicated instructors in the Seacoast area.  We are grateful every day for their commitment to our students...always learning, teaching, inspiring and helping our students grow as performers. We are also honored to partner with local guest choreographers. Learn more about them today!

Emma Katherine

Emma Katherine

Studio Owner / Director | Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Pre Pointe, Pointe

-Studio 109 instructor since 2018
-Has been teaching all styles of dance with a strong focus on ballet technique for the last 5 years
-Trained for 15 years under the direction of Lisa Drouin Goff at Turning Pointe Center of Dance in Pembroke, NH
-Completed a two year dance pedagogy apprenticeship with Turning Pointe Center of Dance in 2016
-Has held and performed lead dance roles in The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Hello Dolly!, The Wizard of Oz, Grease and many more locally in southern NH
-Performed professionally from 2012-2017 in the U.S in locations such as Universal Studios, New York City, Disney World, DisneyLand, Chicago, Boston, and Atlanta
-Produced, Choreographed, and Directed a benefit concert "A Night to Give Back" to support local/nonprofit women's shelters in southern NH in October of 2018
-Started a latin ballroom group at The Health Club of Concord in August of 2018 after working with Arthur Murray's ballroom teacher training program in Manchester, NH
-Choreographed for and performed with Boston non-profit dance company "Onstage Dance Company" in 2020

Niki Kinneavy

Niki Kinneavy

Tap, Jazz, Lyrical

-Studio 109 instructor since 2002
-BS in Communications, M.Ed. from the University of New Hampshire
-Member and Team Captain of the UNH Dance Team
-Master classes with Savion Glover, Frank Hatchett and Gus Giordana
-Recently attended the Dance Teacher Web Live convention in Connecticut where she studied with Aaron Turner, Liz Imperio and Alex Wong
-Attended Dance Teacher Summit in NYC July 2016
-Attended Dance Teacher Web Live Conference in CT August 2015
-Choreographer of many local musicals including Treasure Island at Studio 109 and The Wizard Of Oz, Peter Pan, and The Wiz at Maple Wood Elementary School in Somersworth, NH where she is a 3rd grade teacher

Josie Gillette

Josie Gillette

Hip Hop, Pom

-Studio 109 instructor since 2008, Account Manager at Studio 109 since 2020
-109 alumna since studio opening in 1998
-Current Celtics affiliated Lady Red Claws Dancer for Maine Red Claws, NBA GLeague
-Coach of Dover Little Green Cheerleading Mascots 2018
-Extensive background in Cheer and Dance with numerous competitions for both
-Six years of Cheer with two as Varsity Captain and choreography for Somersworth High School Cheerleading
-Choreographed/Danced in hip hop/pop music video in 2014
-Multiple workshops including, Monsters of Dance Hip Hop, Flow 40, SKooJ, Luam at Broadway Dance Center in NYC, Radio City Rockettes, Disney and with Jeff Jean-Philipe
-Performed at Statue of Liberty in NYC and at Disney
-15 years of customer service experience
-8 years of electronic data entry
-5 years of reception with a corporate hospital
-Supervised operations room and assisted administration as needed
-5 years of training staff in customer service and reception
-Assisted with customer service calls, processes, complaints and new customers, writing training manuals, scheduling, registration, insurance authorizations and reporting

Stephanie Jones

Stephanie Jones

Minis, Petite, Jazz, Tap, Intermediate Tap

-Studio 109 studio manager and instructor since 2014
-Bachelor of Science in Business Management
-Involved with Studio 109 since it opened its doors in 1998 until 2010 handling office management and teaching dance classes, alongside her sister, Mandy and mother, Jennifer.
-Stephanie has been a preschool teacher assistant, and teacher, at KAFB in Okinawa, Japan.
-She also was an assistant teacher at a private family school in New Mexico.
-Attended Dance Teacher Web Live Conference in CT August 2015
-Stephanie's past customer service and management skills are credited to working as a manager at a globally known specialty clothing store, office manager at a small advertising company, supervisory experience at a big box retail and a reservationist, ticket agent and ramp agent with the fourth largest commuter airline in the world.
-She has had the privilege of watching her two older daughters, Jenny and Josie; who is a current choreographer, dance at Studio 109, and now has the opportunity to watch her youngest of eight, Siena, do the same. She is one of the "original" competition team moms. The love of dance just runs in the family!

Brianne Tarleton

Brianne Tarleton

Musical Theatre

-Studio 109 instructor since 2018
-Over 18 years of music and theatre experience beginning with ensembles and productions in her hometown of Somersworth, NH
-Studied voice and music education at UNH starting in 2009
-Has directed and accompanied school and church choirs for the past ten years
-Adjudicated local choir competitions in the Seacoast region
-Participated in shows during her time at Somersworth High School including Into the Woods and The Music Man
-Teacher at Tri-City Christian Academy
-Has co-written two full-length original mystery dinner theatre productions
-Has coached high school vocalists who have made it through highly competitive auditions and to the NHMEA All-State Choral Festival
-Has directed and produced numerous local school and church plays, dinner theatres, and musicals in the last ten years

Sharon Hall

Sharon Hall

Petites, Lyrical, Jazz

-Studio 109 instructor since 2018
-Over 18 years experience working with children ages 3-5 in multiple settings
-Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education at Grand Canyon University
-Pre- K 3 teacher at Tri-City Christian Academy since 2015
-Assisted with Fall and Spring Dance at TCCA with Mandy Barstow
-Co-Choreographed Peter Pan Jr. at TCCA in 2018
-Completed workshop with Nsquared from NYC
-Studied Liturgical Dance, Flags, Hip Hop, and Mime under the direction of Janine Myers
-Completed multiple workshops focusing on Mime directed by Todd & Marilyn Farley

Lauren Scheffer

Lauren Scheffer

Adaptive, Lyrical, Jazz, Tap, Adult

-Studio 109 instructor since 2019
-Started dancing at Studio 109 when she was 2-1/2. Member of the Performance Troupe. Dance Assistant (4 years) Studio 109 Adaptive Dance Program
-Graduate student at UNH majoring in Occupational Therapy, minoring in Dance
-UNH Dance Company member. Has choreographed several dances at UNH
-Participated in many workshops/conventions including Excel, Alvin Ailey, Spirit of Dance Awards, Flow40, Expressive Movement, The Dance Sessions, Tremaine Dance, Monsters, the Rockettes, and at Disney working with choreographers Sonya Tayeh, Lauren Frodeman, tWitch, Alex Turner, Buddy Casimano, SkooJ and more
-Selected for the National Team for Elite Dance Challenge
-A triple threat, her drama production credits include: Charlotte’s Web, Beauty and the Beast, Willy Wonka, Annie, My Son Pinocchio, Seussical, Alice in Wonderland. She participated in Jazz Choir, Girls’ Choir and A Capella choir while at St. Thomas Aquinas High School
-Named a Step Up 2 Dance Future Star Ambassador in 2017
-Convention scholarship recipient for both Hollywood Summer Tour and Spirit of Dance Awards
-Danced for community events such as the Breathe Life benefit, Dancers Making a Difference and Relay for Life

Resha Conley

Resha Conley

Acro

-Studio 109 instructor since 2021
-Teaching gymnastics to dancers since 2001
-Specializes in tumbling on a wood floor so teaching dancers how to flip on a hard surface has been a skill that she has carefully mastered over the years
-Tumbled in The Prescott Park Arts Festival, Ballet New England's Nutcracker and many other a seacoast productions
-Spent many years teaching at both Tri Star and Atlantic Gymnastics and most recently spent 11 seasons at Fusion Dance Academy
-Current resident of Barrington with her 6 and 11 year old sons

Mary Beth Marino

Mary Beth Marino

Tap / Jazz

-Studio 109 instructor since 2020
-Received her B.A. in Theatre with a dance emphasis and business minor from the University of New Hampshire
-Dance education a primary focus by teaching, choreographing and adjudicating on the regional and national level for over 20 years
-A Senior Lecturer at The University of New Hampshire teaching jazz, tap and dance history
-An adjudicator for Dance Masters of America, Step up to Dance, Connecticut Invitational and Dancexplosion National Talent Tour.
-Master class credits include Plymouth State College, Dean College, Dance Masters of America and the Dance Teachers Club of Boston and Maine.
-Directs the tap program at NH School Ballet, where her choreography has been recognized on the regional and national level.
-In 2017, Mary Beth set concert work for the Panda Project in Chengdu China with the Confucius Institute. Most recent musical theater choreography credits include Prescott Park Arts Festival and the Hackmatack Theater.
-For more please visit: http://marybethmarino.wixsite.com/mbmarino

Heather Duszny Collins

Heather Duszny Collins

Ballet, Jazz, Adult

-Studio 109 instructor since 2022
-Loves dance in all its forms but ballet is her passion
-Dancing since age four, first with Lisa Christou of Boston Ballet, and then with Jennifer Reinert at New Hampshire School of Ballet
-At NHSB she performed the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker and the Black Swan in Swan Lake
-Trained with Burklyn Ballet Theater under Doreen Caferella
-Attended Mercyhurst College, and Plymouth State with a dance focus.
-Danced with Ballet Misha for their production of the Nutcracker
-Currently attends company classes with Nsquared Dance

Gabrielle Suleiman

Gabrielle Suleiman

Hip Hop, Tap, Minis

-Studio 109 instructor since 2022
-Currently a UNH undergraduate student, majoring in Dance with a minor in Business Administration and Psychology
-Started dancing when she was 4 years old training in tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, lyrical, and pointe
-Has had years of experience with teaching as she started assisting classes at 15 and eventually moved up to teaching her own hip-hop, ballet, and tap classes
-Currently dancing with the UNH jazz, tap, and aerial Dance Company, as well as teaching at studios and camps around the Seacoast
-Her favorite style of dance is tap and can most likely be caught doing shuffles ball changes while grocery shopping

bottom of page