OUR TEAM OF TEACHERS
DEDICATED TO PROVIDING QUALITY DANCE EDUCATION TO INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES
NIKKI DIBISCEGLIA
TSDC cofounder Nikki has trained in all aspects of dance and gymnastics since the age of two. Nikki specializes in gymnastics and has studied under renowned instructors all over the north shore area. As a competitive gymnast and dancer, Nikki won numerous state and regional awards and went on to open The Studio Dance Complex with her long time friend and colleague, Kris, when she was just 21 years old. She has been teaching in Revere for 12 years and has received a master's degree in education and certificate in special education. Nikki works with students of all ages and ability levels, placing a heavy emphasis on making class as fun as it can be, while ensuring that her students develop socially and learn proper body alignment so they can dance in a safe and successful way. Along with many gymnastics classes, Nikki also teaches our tiny and teen competition teams lyrical and jazz. Stop by today to meet Miss Nikki!
KRIS TESTA
Dance has always been a major part of our cofounder Kris's life. At just two years of age, Kris began dancing with Mildred Holmes. As she studied under Holmes, she found that she felt most passionate about ballet and began to focus on it more with the Boston Ballet School. She then went on to attend the Northern Essex dance program. She was a member of the Stillpoint dance company and still continues to take classes to remain educated and up to date, bringing the most contemporary styles into her choreography. Throughout the past twenty years, Kris has worked at numerous studios in the Massachusetts and New Hampshire areas, but has found her home with the TSDC family where she enjoys teaching the senior, teen, and junior competition teams in all styles along with many recreational and technique classes. Her work has received numerous choreography and concept awards at both the regional and national levels. Try out a class to get to know Miss Kris!
CARLI DIMEO
Carli joined our family as a competition team member in 2013. After graduating, she returned to us as a teacher of moves n grooves, musical theatre, jazz, improv, and contemporary. Carli graduated from Boston University in 2018 where she studied behavior and health and dance under the direction of Micki Taylor-Pinney. Here she was mentored by Ann Brown Allen and Peter DiMuro and studied under Margot Parsons and Lindsey Leduc among many other outstanding faculty. She is the associate director of the Boston University Dance Arts camp and is currently pursuing a clinical doctorate in occupational therapy. She also teaches jazz technique contemporary company at The Gate City Ballet. Carli has presented original choreography at the American College Dance Association New England conference. She is a member Boston-based contemporary dance company Contemporarily Out of Order and enjoys taking class with this company and various instructors to broaden her knowledge as both a performer and instructor. This will be her third year teaching with us, and she has become known for her positivity in the classroom and her ability to make students feel comfortable pushing their own limits through improvisational exercises. Carli is certified by exam in the Alixa Flexibility method and in Acrobatic Arts. Stop by on a Monday, Friday, or Saturday to meet Miss Carli!
COURTNEY HALAS
Courtney joined the TSDC family in 2010. In college, she founded Suffolk University's first and only hip hop crew, W!cked. She was a member of Boston's premiere hip hop group, Phunk Phenomenon, seen on Season 6 of MTV's America's Best Dance Crew from 2009-2018. She traveled to Las Vegas for Hip Hop International in 2010 and 2013 with the crew placing 2nd and 3rd in the USA respectively. Her goal is to continue to teach the fundamentals and styles of hip hop to her students and mold the next generation of dancers.
Norma Jean Fowler
Ms. Norma is a dance educator with over forty-eight years of experience. Her dance awards include outstanding choreography, outstanding costume, overall high scores, overall National high scores and overall National technical awards. Her students are National Ballet School scholarship winners (Alvin Ailey, River North. Pacific Northwest, Kirov Academy, American Ballet Theatre), DMM, DMA pageant winners, LA Underground, LA Dance Force, LA Dance Magic, Urban Jamm, ASH dance, West Coast Dance Explosion scholarship winners, Miss Michigan 1999, 2000, 2004, 1st runner up to Miss Michigan 2000, 2001, 2003, Radio City Rockettes’ and Rockette ensemble cast members. She is Certified by exam Cecchetti Council of America, Student and Associate Levels Graduate of Theatre Arts Program, Oakland University, Rochester MI Certified by exam Dance Masters of MI and America Certified by exam in the Eight Year program of Leningrad’s Vagonava School Certified by exam Dance Educators of America Certified by exam in the Alixa Flexibility Method Certified by exam in Acrobatic Arts Member of Dance Teachers Club of Boston. Ms. Norma’s objective is to teach dance, movement, music awareness, and artistic creativity to students from beginning through very advanced competitive level. Her priority is to insight self-awareness and self-esteem in young and teen students, as well as, introducing them to multi-disciplined dance techniques.
KRISTEN MARTINO
Kristen (Kris) is a Ballet, Ballet Pointe, tap and lyrical instructor, with a focus on classical ballet, technique, injury prevention, and creative vision. She has taught all ages and trained dancers of all levels in ballet, tap, broadway jazz, lyrical and more at various studios and a current dancer for Danko Productions. She obtained a Nursing degree from Excelsior College, and became an R.N. She is fluent in American Sign Language, and pursuing her Dance Of America Certification. Her dance training began at a young age with La Pierre School of Dance. Having been a dancer for over thirty years, she has studied numerous forms of the art including ballet, tap, character, lyrical, musical theater, jazz and more. Over the past years she danced with the Boston Dance Company and studied from such notable dancers such as Sam Fiorello, Jose Mateos, and more. As an educator, Kris believes in the artistic potential of every student and emphasizes creative expression as well as technicality. Her instruction includes demonstrations of movements, explanations of movements and a breakdown on how to execute them successfully. Her creative work centers on themes of the human experience and influenced by her studies in American Sign Language, Tai Chi, The Alexander Technique, classical ballet, modern, and contemporary dance.
