TDS Faculty:

 

Lisa Kaplan Barbash, TDS Director

Lisa has owned and directed The Dance Studio since 1981. A certified member of Dance Educators of America, Lisa is certified by test with high honors to teach all dance subjects on all levels. Lisa majored in Dance at Emerson College and has performed for the National Screen Actors Guild, as well as professional dance companies. Lisa has also done commercials for national television. As a choreographer, Lisa has won top choreography awards from Dance Educators of America, StarPower, Starquest, Showstoppers, International Dance Challenge, Starbound, and many more. Her students have gained National recognition becoming National Dance Champions across the United States, in Maryland, California, South Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, Florida, New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Most importantly, Lisa loves sharing her knowledge of dance with her students, and takes great pride in all of her students and their accomplishments.

 

Hope Specht

TDS is proud to have Hope on our staff. Hope is one of the most sought after master teachers in the New England area. Hope’s former students can be seen performing professionally on Broadway, and all over the world. Having owned her own studio for over 15 years, Hope’s students have won countless regional and national awards and titles across the country. Hope is warm and energetic, and if you enter one of her classrooms, you will sense the energy in the room. Her students aim to please her, and she continuously brings out the best in all of the TDS students who study with her. Hope has trained 12 National Acrobatic Titleists and has had the prestigious honor of having her students perform for President Bush. We welcome Hope back to TDS!!!

 

Ashley Massey

Ashley graduated from the Hartt School, University of Hartford, with a BFA Cum Laude in Dance. Ashley’s strong ballet training includes instruction with teachers such as Susan Brooker, Cecchetti faculty examiner, Adam Miller of the Pennsylvania Ballet, Hilda Morales of American Ballet Theater, Amie Fritz of the Hartford Ballet and Peter O’Brien of the Royal Ballet Company. Ashley’s training also includes modern from Peggy Lyman of the Martha Graham Dance Company, and Becky Jung of Pilobolus. Ashley is wonderful with the teaching of children and teens, and we warmly welcome Ashley back to The Dance Studio.

 

Lyndsay Angell

Lyndsay is currently a Fine Arts and Dance Major at Stonehill College. She is a graduate of the Dance Teachers Club of Boston Training Program where she was awarded the Marjorie Duff Ballet Scholarship for Excellence in Ballet. Lyndsey is a wonderful  teacher with teaching experience in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acrobatics and Creative Movement. Lyndsay loves teaching all disciplines of dance. We welcome Lyndsay to TDS, and we look forward to her joining our dance family!

 

Pia Arnone Lalli

Pia Arnone Lalli has been working in the entertainment, fitness, and dance industry for almost 20 years. She started The Hip Hop Fun Shop Dance Company in 2003. Some of their most notable performances include : The Polar Express Live Show @ Gillette Stadium, The World Leadership Conference Series featuring Mikhail Gorbachov, First Nite Boston, First Nite Quincy, Boston Heartwalk @ the Hatchshell, Aidswalk @ the Hatchshell, and Fight Night @ The Roxy Boston, televised on Univision. On July 2, 2008, she made her national television debut on Morgan Spurlock’s Emmy nominated series “30 Days” on FX. She was featured on Kiss 108 with Matty in the Morning, Jammin 94.5 with Ramiro & Pebbles, as well as feature stories in the Boston Herald, Boston Metro, and Brockton Enterprise. Pia is a CPR / AFAA certified fitness instructor. She has appeared in numerous fitness videos for Comcast On Demand, The Method series, Denise Austin’s Lose the Last 10 pounds video, and Tighter Assets with Tammilee Web. She has also worked as a fitness model for Cybex and Reebok. Currently she is finishing her Pilates certification and plans to continue sharing her unique mixture of jazz & hip hop choreography with her students.

Elena Solovieve

Elena brings with her an abundance of knowledge in Ballet. She is currently a ballet teacher at the Boston Ballet School, Boston University and The Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts. Elena has performed as a principal dancer with major ballet companies around the world in Holland, England, Belgium, Poland, Italy, Korea, and the U.S.A. Elena has been in the ballet films Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. A graduate from the Vaganova Academy of Dance in St. Petersburg, Russia, we warmly welcome Elena to The Dance Studio.

Nicole Paolillo

Nicole is proudly welcomed back to our faculty this season. Nicole is currently beginning her third year as a Dance Major at Dean College. Formerly, Nicole was a senior company dancer at TDS, winning many regional and national awards for many years. Having grown up at The Dance Studio, Nicole has the perfect blend for a great teacher, an extensive dance background, the ability to convey her knowledge with kindness, and a genuine sense of caring for each student. Welcome back Nicole!

Alicia Zola

Alicia is beginning her second season as a faculty member at TDS, and is currently a member of our Senior Dance Team. Alicia has won many regional dance titles and brings to us her expertise and hard working character in dance. Her dedication, and kind manner make her amazingly well suited for teaching dance. Alicia still dances competitively, and was selected by the judges at the Starpower Competition as a Power Pak Dancer. Alicia traveled to the Starpower National Finals, in Ocean City, Maryland to perform with the Power Pak Dancers, as well as learning the latest in dance technique from the finest master teachers in the country. Welcome back Alicia!