Our Mission
To instill in our students a love of music and dance; encourage imagination and creativity through classroom technique, performance opportunities and exposure to different genres of dance arts.
Our Values
To achieve our goals and to therefore, accomplish Our Mission, we strongly believe that the proper environment is essential. At Dance It Up!, you may expect a warm, caring, nurturing and harmonious atmosphere, where cooperation, open communication, courtesy and respect are our trademarks.
Our Facility
- Opened in 1996
- Three beautiful, fully equipped, clean, well ventilated dance classrooms with observation windows and free of obstructions
- Resilient and well maintained, suspended floors; floor spaces are adequate for class size
- Access to drinking water, beverage vending machine, 3 restrooms
- Two furnished and decorated waiting areas; magazines for adults; books, toys and table and chairs for children; VCR and DVD players
Our Method
- We're a non-competitive dance school whose Mission is to instill in our students a love of music and dance
- We offer a broad range of movement programs for ages 2 1/2 to adult
- Major portions of classes are devoted to formal/specific dance instruction, with a gentler approach for the younger students
- Performance focus at appropriate time(s) during the dance year
- Pointe work is authorized by the Director of the Ballet Program
- Our DANCE 'N PLAY© program, a stepping stone to pre school, is designed to ensure young children (ages 2 1/2 to 4) are not beginning formal training too early; they are gently encouraged to explore movement and imagination; geared to provide social interaction in a fun and exciting atmosphere
About the Director
Stephanie Mack Whiterell
B.S. degree in Dance and Physical Education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She was the owner/director of SMW Dance Studio in North Grafton, MA, from 1977 to 1987. Stephanie developed, implemented and taught pre-school and other dance programs in Boston area studios.
Her DANCE 'N PLAY© classes have been showcased on WCVB-Channel 5 Lifetime Television with Dr. Penelope Lynch, child psychologist, analyzing and promoting the benefits of non-competitive activities for young children.
She is ACE (American Council on Exercise) certified and holds a Massachusetts Teacher's Certificate in Health and Physical Education, K-6. Stephanie is also trained in Stott Pilates.
About the Instructors
Brigit Catalanotti
Brigit is currently attending Assumption College in Worcester, MA, completing her final year toward a degree in Human Services/Social Rehabilitation. She will be continuing her education to become a Child Life Specialist. She would like to work in an oncology unit with terminally ill children and children who have been diagnosed with cancer.
She is a volunteer at Camp Sunshine, a camp for children who have cancer or are terminally ill. Brigit has volunteered at Jeremiah's Inn, which houses men who are overcoming substance abuse and at the Salvation Army After School Program for children from low-income families.
She is a member of the Assumption College Dance Team, participates in and serves as a volunteer in the Addictions Program and acts as a Tour Guide for Assumption College. Brigit is also a Camp Counselor for the town of Shrewsbury.
She was a student at Dance It Up! for 14 years and has been a member of our Faculty for 3 years.
Michele Gordon
Michele has over twenty years of teaching, dancing and choreographing experience. She has taught students ages 2 ½ through adult in a variety of dance techniques, including Ballet, Jazz and Tap. She recently earned her Zumba certification.
She spent the first 10 years of her teaching career in New York, where she also was a choreographer and studio manager for the JG Dance Arts Center. She has had additional teaching and choreographing experience in both Florida and Texas.
She teaches Dance 'N Play©, Intro and Ballet/Tap, as well as more advanced classes.
Deanna Jarvis
We welcome Deanna to her first year here at Dance It Up! Deanna comes to us after teaching at Denise Day's Dance Center in Shrewsbury Massachusetts. Deanna has been dancing since the age of 3 and has been trained in Jazz, Tap and Modern. Her expertise is in Hip Hop and has experience instructing ages 5 through high school students. She maintains a focus on technique and performance while incorporating appropriate movements and music for all classes.
Deanna continues to take master classes whenever possible to keep up on the current trends of hip hop. She is also part of a hip hop dance crew in Worcester called Critical MASS Crew. Critical MASS Crew won First place at Clarks got Talent and also Consortiums got talent!
We are very excited for Deanna to share her passion of Hip Hop with us!
Tracy Levicki
Tracy has been a member of the Dance It Up! faculty for four years. She obtained a Masters degree in Elementary Education from Framingham State College and is currently teaching third grade at the Grafton Elementary School. She has been a student of dance since the age of 2, taking classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern and Hip Hop.
She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and Psychology from Worcester State College. While attending WSC, Tracy performed in numerous shows with the Worcester State Dance Team as well as choreographed many production pieces.
Tracy has taught in Elementary and Special Education programs in the Worcester area for Pre-K through 9th grade.
Courtney Norton
Courtney, a student at Dance It Up! from 1996 through 2000, holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she performed and choreographed extensively. While at UNCG, she was elected President of the student Modern dance group PrimeMovers and produced the annual student dance concert.
Courtney has performed with Kelley Donovan and Dancers of Boston and Soul Play Modern Dance of Orlando, Florida. She also headed CannDance Consultants where she taught and choreographed throughout Central Florida. She has show work in various festivals and performances throughout Massachusetts as well as choreographing for local companies.
At Dance It Up!, Courtney coordinates and manages Team Dance It Up!
In addition to her dancing, she has taught 3rd and 4th grade. Currently she is a reading teacher at Sutton Elementary School.
Nora O'Brien
Nora is a recent graduate of Sacred Heart University and is employed as a Spanish teacher at St. Mary's High School in Worcester, MA.
Nora began her dance career at four years of age, with the McInerney School of Irish Dance. She competed in hundreds of Irish Dance competitions and was a champion dancer when she concluded her classroom study of Irish Dance. She now teaches at the McInerney School.
In addition to the competitive side of Irish Dance, Nora has also enjoyed public performances and has had the opportunity to dance with world renowned Irish performers, such as Cherish the Ladies and The Saw Doctors, in beautiful venues including Mechanics Hall in Worcester, MA and the State House in Boston.
Kathryn Proulx
Kathryn graduated from Roger Williams University in 2011, with a Bachelor of Arts in both Elementary Education and Dance Performance. She has a passion for working with children and enjoys teaching and sharing her love of learning with her students.
Before leaving for college, Kathryn had studied dancing for over 16 years, 12 of which were at Dance It Up! Throughout her years at Roger Williams University, Kathryn was a member of their Dance Theater performing many modern dances including her own choreography. While at Roger Williams she was able to study under France Hunter, a previous member of Twyla Tharp's company, Sean Curran, Tiffany Mills, Deganit Shemy, Jenny Rocha, Carl Flink, Kelly Donovan, David Dorfman, and Melody Ruffin Ward.
As part of the Dance Theater, Kathryn has performed in the American College Dance Festival New England Region in both 2010 and 2011. In 2010, Kathryn performed "This Way Through" choreographed by Angela Conte at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. This particular piece of dance was chosen to be shown at the American College Dance Festival National Showcase out of forty-five other works performed regionally that year.
Kathryn loves the joy dancing brings to life and is very happy to be back at Dance It Up!, guiding her students on an exciting journey to discover their own world of Dance! She will be teaching ages 4 to high school level.
Catherine Rhodes - Artistic Director, Kingdom of Sweets
Catherine received her ballet training in New Hampshire with Larry and Colleen Robertson, formerly of Boston Ballet and Ballet West and at Walnut Hill's summer ballet program. She has a minor in Dance from the University of New Hampshire, with an emphasis in ballet.
While at UNH, she performed with the Ballet and Jazz Companies and the Modern Company, under guest direction by Paul Taylor Dancers. She also performed the title role of Pinocchio in an original ballet with original orchestral music.
With the SeaCoast Ballet Company of New Hampshire and the New England Ballet Company of Connecticut, Catherine performed in various roles in The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Swan Lake and many more.
In addition to many years of experience teaching dance to all ages, with a Master of Fine Arts degree, she teaches Interior Design at the college level as well as practices professionally and is raising her two children.
2010/2011 marks Catherine's fifth year with Dance It Up!, teaching Ballet and Jazz and working with Dance Team and the Nutcracker production.
Maureen St. George
Maureen grew up in Bellingham, Massachusetts, where she began dancing when she was five years old. She attended Christine's Dance Studio and Paula O'Malley's School of Dance. She performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City in 2005 with the Mike Miller Dance Team.
After high school, Maureen attended Dean College where she majored in Dance. She spent the next four years studying Ballet, Tap, Theatrical Jazz, Contemporary and various techniques in Modern Dance. She graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Ashley Velosky
Ashley began dancing 19 years ago at the West Side Dance Center in West Springfield, MA. She has been choreographing for 10 years and is experienced in Jazz, Lyrical, Tap, Acro, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre and Ballet. She has competed in multiple Regional and National competitions.
Ashley graduated from Worcester State College and has a degree in Business with a Marketing Concentration. While attending WSC, she was a member of the Worcester State College Dance Company. She served as the Company's Secretary from 2005 to 2007 and as President from 2007 to 2009.
Also, Ashley was the Founder and Coach of the WSC Competitive Dance Team from 2008 to 2009.
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