Center for Dance Education

Faculty

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CDE’s faculty is comprised of professionally trained, highly educated & experienced dancers + teachers. Our instruction provides correct, safe, highly technical teachings with a caring + compassionate touch.

CDE training provides the preparation for students to pursue a professional career in dance + performance, to attend college as a dance major/minor/dance team member, or to have in your life as recreation or a treasured hobby. 

Meet The Directors

Evy zavolas

Co-owner + artistic Director of CDE

Earned her masters in Dance/Dance Education NYU BA in Psychology, Minor in Dance Rutgers College. Studied dance at SUNY Purchase + University of South Florida.

Early Studies- Walcoff McCusker. New Jersey Dance Theatre Guild, New Jersey Ballet, Steps, David Howard Studio, Princeton Ballet, Atlanta School of Ballet, The Martha Graham School Certified + Registered, 500 Hour Svaroopa Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist Certified Wise Earth Ayurvedie Consultant, Pilates Instructor, Performed with numerous regional ballet/musical theatre companies, MTV Productions/Club MTV International, Plays in the Park, NJ Nets Dance and Recording Artist Tour Dancer. Past Union County College and NJB Summer. 

Evy currently devotes her time to teaching and directing CDE.

Christina Zavolas-Manousos

co-owner + Artistic director of CDE

Earned her BFA in Dance from Montclair State University. Early studies were at Walcoff-McCusker, New Jersey Dance Theatre Guild, Princeton Ballet, Atlanta School of Ballet, Broadway Dance Center Performed with the Montclair State University Musical Theatre Company and taught dance to non-majors, regular featured dancer on CLU, MTV from 1987-1992, toured with Black Box, and Projecto Uno. She choreographed dancers performing with musical artists, specializes in dance for young children.

Christina currently devotes her time to teaching and directing CDE. 

Meet the faculty

Natalie Lugo

CDE Faculty

BFA Dance Montclair State University- Natalie is a Professional Dancer, Teacher and choreographer in numerous styles of dance. She is currently performing and teaching throughout the tristate area and L.A. Natalie is also pursuing a future career in sports medicine for dancers.

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Jennifer Innis

CDE Faculty

Jennifer Innis is a dance instructor and choreographer with 30+ years experience. Earned her BFA from Syracuse University. Trained extensively at Steps and Broadway Dance Center and at the New Jersey School of Ballet. Early ballet training was in the Russian Vaganova Style, but has also studied Balanchine and Cecchetti traditions. 

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Jasón Wells

CDE Faculty

Jasón Wells is now a Montclair State University Alumnus, with a BFA in Musical Theatre and has been performing in company works, commercial dance, musicals, and is a part of the teaching faculty for Liberate Artist. Jasón Is so excited to be back with his CDE fam and can’t wait to work with such talented young artists. 

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Lindsey Garnhart

CDE Faculty

 is a dance artist who holds a BFA in Dance and a minor in Business from Temple University. Shestudied ballet, modern, jazz, and tap for 16 years at Center for Dance Education. She is currently a member of Freespace Dance Company and rachelanddancers in New York City. Her recent choreographic work has been presented at The Secret Theater in Queens, NY,  Conwell Dance Theater in Philadelphia, PA, and in virtual settings. Lindsey is a rotating assistant for Tracie Stanfield’s virtual classes at Broadway Dance Center. For the past five years, she has been teaching contemporary, lyrical, jazz, tap, ballet & creative movement in the tristate area. In addition to dance, she is the administrator for Group Motion in Philadelphia, PA, and worked on the social media team at American College Dance Association & Boyer College.

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Katie Claire

CDE Faculty

Katie is a proud member of AEA and has appeared in numerous regional productions. Katie has been dancing since the age of two and has had the pleasure to tap with Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Bill Irwin, and Brenda Bufalino. As a choreographer, Katie’s credits include Tony Walton’s adaptation of Spring is Here starring Melissa Errico; associate choreographer for the Broadway tryout of Paint Your Wagon at Pioneer Theatre Company; Heathers and Legally Blonde at Vanguard Theatre Company; The Wedding Singer at interACTTheatre Company; and many more. Katie was an Associate Professor of Dance and Movement at Five Towns College and is now an Adjunct Professor of Movement at Marymount Manhattan College. She holds a BFA from Shenandoah University in Musical Theatre and an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in Theatre Pedagogy emphasis in Movement. She adores teaching tap and is excited to join the CDE family.

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Madison Scheideler

CDE Faculty

​Madison Scheideler earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Rutgers University & is a second-year graduate student in their EdM Dance Education program. She is a member of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. Madison has trained in the Royal Academy of Dance certification program and danced with the World-Famous Donetsk Ballet Company for the Nutcracker. She has worked with the Ananya Dance Theatre & choreographers such Pam Tanowitz, Michelle Manzanales from Ballet Hispanico & the late Kim Elliott. She is also a choreographer & teacher & an International Talent Winner for 3 self choreographed modern ballet solos. She has a passion for teaching young aspiring dancers.

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Emilee Pratt

CDE Faculty

Originally from Rochester, NY, is a SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance graduate with a BFA in Dance & Composition. Prior to their college education they trained at The Draper Center for Dance Education, the official school of The Rochester City Ballet. Emilee is currently located in Queens, where they freelance both as a dancer and choreographer. Emilee also frequently guest choreographs/teaches throughout the NYC area. They have performed works by Doug Varone, Loni Landon, Manuel Vignouelle, Dylan Crossman and many more. Currently, they are a principal dancer/founding member of MEAGmove dance company, & the artistic director of their own dance company Spare/Change Dance Collective. The company’s work has been featured at numerous festivals throughout NYC and has been featured in many music/dance films. 

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Kimberley Farmiga

CDE Faculty

Kim is currently attending Kean University and has been teaching in our Youth Program for 20 years. Kim holds her certificate in teaching children’s dance from Dance Educators of America. She is the Assistant Director of her church’s Dance Ministry, and performs/choreographs Liturgical Dance. Kim performed with Great Adventure and taught Children’s dance at numerous studios before joining our faculty. Kim’s kindness + compassion along with her knowledge + experience of teaching dance to children make her an exceptional + loved teacher by her young students.

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Hannah Levy

CDE Faculty

has studied many forms of dance since the age of two, including tap, jazz, musical theater, modern, lyrical, with a specialty in classical ballet and pointe.  Hannah studied the Royal Academy of Dance ballet curriculum as well as programs from American Repertory Ballet and Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts. Hannah trained and performed with a teen performance dance company until the age of 18, She then continued with her passion of teaching. She has received credentials from Associated Dance Teachers of New Jersey. Hanna currently performs with the Brook Arts Center Community Players. Hannah strives to inspire passion for dance in a safe, fun & nurturing environment,

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Kassi Popcevski

CDE Faculty

Kassi Popcevski is a recent Long Island University Graduate with her BFA in musical theatre. While at LIU, she was actively a part of the Post Concert Dance Company where she made her first NYC dance debut on Symphony Space stage. Her training consists of tap, jazz, musical theatre, Modern, Hip-Hop, choreography, floor barre, Afro-fusion, Ballet, African, and Contemporary. Since graduating, she embarked on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager as Production Cast singing and dancing while exploring the beautiful sights of Europe, Africa, South America and Antarctica. In her spare time, she continues to train at Broadway Dance Center, Steps, and Precision Dance Classes as well as continuing to choreograph for independent projects!”

guest teachers + choreographers
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Rosemary Sabovick Bleich

Former Principal dancer with the New Jersey Ballet Company for over 20 years. Rosemary currently teaches and coaches at NJB as well as guest teaching at CDE and other venues.

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Katelyn Gaffney

CDEs prodigy is now one of the exclusive 12 full time Radio City NYC Rockette’s and has joined our faculty. She studied all forms of dance at CDE since age 3 when CDE first opened and also studied at Somerset Vo-tech highschool and NYC schools. She performed as Clara in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at age 11, as well as numerous other stage performances, commercials and modeling jobs. Katelyn is also an instructor at Pure Barre when she isn’t performing.

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Lisa Peluso

BFA Dance, Montclair State University. Lisa was a scholarship apprentice/understudy for Jennifer Miller/The Works for several years and has additionally performed with Flexicurve project, Smith and KDNY. Professional Modern dancer with the ELISA MONTE Modern Dance Company in NYC. Was member of Freespace Dance Company & an apprentice with Jennifer Muller Dance Company in NYC. Professor at numerous community colleges, Montclair State Univ & College of St Elizabeth.

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Jen Silver

CDE Faculty

Jen Silver EDM, BFA, recieved her Masters Degree in Dance Education/PK-12 Dance teacher certification (NJ CEAS) from the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University. Prior to this, Jen graduated Summa Cum Laude with her BFA in Dance Performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. Jen has danced with Spark Movement Collective, Marked Dance Project, eSKay Arts Collective, Koley Pruitt Dance, Humanistics Dance Company, and Erin Pryor Dance Theatre. She is an ABT certified teacher(pre-primary-level3) and has taught in a variety of settings, including studios, public schools and community dance programs.

Testimonials