Faculty
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faculty
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
Julianna Venezio
CDE Faculty
Juliana earned her BS in Elementary Education & her MA in Special Education from Ramapo College of NJ. has trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip-hop, and pointe until the age of 18. Juliana has won National Dance Titles at conventions including Tremaine & NYCDA, & danced for award winning choreographers. In addition to teaching dance, she works as an Elementary Special-Education teacher in public school. Juliana creates in a safe, fun, and nurturing learning environment for all of her young students.
Jacqueline Agrusa
CDE Faculty
Jacqueline most recently toured dancing with Cirque De Soleil with Cirque Dreams Holidaze all around the country. She was an associate choreographer for the off broadway musical Only Human and danced for Arts for Autism at the Gershwin theater. Jacqueline worked at the Tuacahn Ampitheater, a regional theater in Utah. She graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design with a B.F.A. in Performing Arts. She trained at Deborah’s Stage Door in Rochester Hills, Michigan where she studied all forms of dance. She was a Radio Disney dancer & has danced for Bernadette Peters, Chubby Checker, & appeared on Star Search with Arsenio Hall. She has 20 years of dance experience and is a dance teacher in the city, as well as a choreographer, who works with dancers of all ages.
Blythe Thompson
CDE Faculty
Blythe Thompson was born and raised in Colorado. She graduated from Denver School of the Arts as a dance major & continued her dance training at Chapman University in California. She then spent a year professionally dancing in LA. Blythe is now training full time under the mentorship of Stacey Tookey, award winning choreographer from SYTYCD, in all aspects of art.
cde youth faculty
Juliana Muretta
CDE Youth Faculty
Juliana is currently earning her BS in Nursing at Ramapo University of NJ. Juliana began training at CDE and has continued her studies in all forms of dance. This is her third year working at CDE. She specializes in teaching our youth technical dance with compassion and kindness.
guest teachers + choreographers
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.
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.
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.