meet the staff
Nicole Aravena
Owner & School Director, Performance Team Director
Donna is the proud Mom of Nicole as well as being co-owner of the Seven Star School of Performing Arts. She has been teaching acrobatics for twenty years. She started her career as a physical education teacher in Stamford, Connecticut after graduating from Southern Connecticut State Teachers College. She began teaching acrobatics at Dance Dimensions in Brookfield, Connecticut where her children studied dance. For nineteen years she taught a gymnastics program in Bethel, Connecticut. Currently, Donna is keeping very busy as the office manager/owner here at the Seven Star School.
Donna Aravena
Owner & B
Donna is the proud Mom of Nicole as well as being co-owner of the Seven Star School of Performing Arts. She has been teaching acrobatics for twenty years. She started her career as a physical education teacher in Stamford, Connecticut after graduating from Southern Connecticut State Teachers College. She began teaching acrobatics at Dance Dimensions in Brookfield, Connecticut where her children studied dance. For nineteen years she taught a gymnastics program in Bethel, Connecticut. Currently, Donna is keeping very busy as the office manager/owner here at the Seven Star School.
Jacqueline Madera
Company Director & Preschool Director
Donna is the proud Mom of Nicole as well as being co-owner of the Seven Star School of Performing Arts. She has been teaching acrobatics for twenty years. She started her career as a physical education teacher in Stamford, Connecticut after graduating from Southern Connecticut State Teachers College. She began teaching acrobatics at Dance Dimensions in Brookfield, Connecticut where her children studied dance. For nineteen years she taught a gymnastics program in Bethel, Connecticut. Currently, Donna is keeping very busy as the office manager/owner here at the Seven Star School.
Kate Parapugna
Administrative Director
Katie is so happy to be working again with her SSSPA family as the Office Manager. Katie attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where she received her BA in Marketing and was a member of the Minuteman Marching Band Color Guard under the direction of George N. Parks.
Since graduating she has worked as a Color Guard Instructor at Brewster High School. Her Color Guards have performed in the New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade™, in Ireland in both the Dublin and Limerick Saint Patrick’s Day Parades, on the deck of the USS Intrepid and will again march down Main Street USA at Walt Disney World this spring.
Melissa Nagelhout
Company Director and Core Program Director
Melissa Wittek has an extensive background in dance. She began her dance training at the age of five. She trained in jazz, tap, Russian and Classical ballet, pointe, lyrical, gymnastics, and rhythmic gymnastics. Melissa was a dancer with and Captain of the Mid-Hudson Ballet Company. She was selected for three consecutive years as a Junior Sweetheart for I Love Dance and performed with them in New York, Los Angeles, and Lake Tahoe. Melissa was featured, “In the Spotlight,” in Dancer Magazine as an outstanding teenager and dancer. (July 2003) After graduating from high school, Melissa attended Point Park University and graduated Cum Laude from the Conservatory of Performing Arts in May 2009. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. Upon graduation, Melissa performed at Walt Disney World where she was a seasonal employee. She recently performed with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas. She is thrilled to return back to her love of teaching.
Anita Intrieri
Instructor
Anita Intrieri is proud to be a part of Seven Star School of Performing Arts. Anita has danced with American Ballet Theatre, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Ballet Hispanico, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Santa Fe Opera, New York City Opera, and Great Lakes Theatre Festival. She appeared on Broadway with The Red Shoes, Phantom of the Opera, and Cabaret. A graduate of North Carolina School of the Arts, Anita began her training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet where she later joined the faculty. She has also been on faculty with Joffrey workshop, Skidmore College, Ballet Academy East, Charlotte Ballet School, Logrea Dance Academy and most recently Ridgefield School of Dance.
Brielle Wymbs
Instructor
Brielle began her training in 2003, at Seven Star School of Performing Arts where she trained in various styles of dance including Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Hip Hop and Modern. During her years training at Seven Star School, Brielle was invited to join the United States Dance Team competing in Reisa, Germany. She has received many awards over the years including ADA’s Ultimate Challenge Winner Regional Dancer. With her qualification to compete for America’s Dance of the Year she also received multiple convention scholarships.
Brielle chose to advance her hip hop repertoire by attending Brickhouse in Manhattan, NY. There she was invited to join the semi-professional/professional performance program X Generation.
Brielle studied under decorated dancers such as Kelly Peters, Delaney Glazer, Candace Brown and more. In addition to performing with her dance crew X Generation, Brielle has performed as a back up dancer for Latin artist Acosta, in his latest music video “Jabaro”. Brielle has experience working under the renowned choreographers Greg Chapkis, Katy Spreadbury, Mike Minery and more. She is currently teaching at studios across NY and CT with numerous awards for her choreography. Brielle is known for her Unique Competitive Dance Choreography in multiple states across the East Coast, and continues to choreograph professionally.
Carol Jendras
Instructor
Carol Jendras, parent of 3 (Taylor, Joe, and Kayla), and Seven Stars Mom since the studio’s grand opening almost 15 years ago, has happily joined the faculty of the Seven Stars School, as one of our voice teachers. She will be teaching our Thursday evening students.
Carol has an extensive background in music and the arts. She began taking classical piano lessons at the age of 6, and was involved in every choral concert/play/show that was available to her through high school. She played Sarah Brown in her high school senior year production of Guys and Dolls, and was a piano soloist annually during those weekend musical performances. She accompanied local school musicals in the Bronx at that time as well.
During a brief leave of absence from college at Fordham University, she worked teaching piano and voice to be able to buy herself a baby grand piano at the age of 18. She studied under professional musicians in NYC before continuing her college education at New York University, receiving a B.S. degree in Music Education (magna cum laude). During that time, Carol studied piano, music composition, and voice with professionals including Profs. Ron Sadoff, Richard Sorce, and John Kuhn. She did her student teaching at Pleasantville Middle School and the Little Red Schoolhouse in Greenwich Village. During her years in NYC and beyond, Carol subscribed to the New York Philharmonic, and did not miss a show in those series for 6 years.
Emily Slater
Instructor
Emily is from Cross River, NY and grew up dancing and competing nationally. Emily graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where she earned a BFA in Dance Performance from SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts as well as minors in both Business and Educational Studies. Emily is an artistic performer who physicalizes her movement and has training in styles of contemporary, ballet, modern, jazz, and musical theater. Emily is currently working with Core Dance Contemporary in NYC and has performed in numerous projects across New York. While at SMU Emily has performed diverse choreography by Martha Graham, Dwight Rhoden, Robert Battle, Silas Farley, Joy Bollinger, Alex Sanchez and others. She also has participated in numerous intensives; most recently at The Graham School, MOVE NYC and Complexions in NYC. Emily is certified in Pure Barre Classic, Empower, Define, and Align instruction. Emily is thrilled to be back in New York performing and teaching!
Emma Stabler
Instructor
Emma Stabler is from Auburn, Alabama and started dancing at the age of 3. The studios she grew up in were heavily based in Ballet, Contemporary and Jazz. While traveling throughout the south taking classes and training, she was booked for the Capezio Ace Awards in LA with Rudy Abreu. During the pandemic she started training with Emmy Award winning choreographer Marguerite Derricks and found a new passion for Jazz. In 2021 she was accepted into Teddy Forance’s CLI Conservatory, taking over 600 classes with the top choreographers in the industry. Now, after finishing the program she moved to NYC to further her education and dance career with Go 2 Talent Agency.
Janet DePaul
Instructor
Janet DePaul has been dancing since the age of five. She is a graduate of Dance Masters of America Teachers Training School, and is a certified member of Dance Teachers’ Club of Connecticut, Chapter 18. She has been teaching young children to dance for all of her adult life.
In addition to her dance studies, Janet holds a BS in Elementary Education from Western Connecticut State University, and an MS in School Guidance Counseling from Central Connecticut State University.
Jenna Caccavale
Instructor
Jenna started dancing at the age of 8 and has danced competitively since 2013, where she has won many high score awards and specialty awards. She trained at Dutchess County Performing Arts Center, where she trained under Stacy Schroeder, Inna Yureneva and Erin Sheets. Jenna has training in ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, tap, musical theater, and modern. Some of her training has come from various conventions and dance studios in New York City such as Broadway Dance Center. She is also certified and trained in Acrobatic Arts. In 2015, Jenna started a modeling career with the Costume Gallery. She worked live modeling expos, and has been featured in costume catalogs. Jenna is currently traveling and working with the dance competition, the Spirit of Dance Awards. While continuing education in dance, she also teaches and choreographs for various dance studios in NY and attends Suny Empire State College to attain a degree in occupational therapy. Her goal is to then work in dance therapy. Jenna has worked in special needs programs and has taught dance classes for dancers who have special needs. She is very excited to continue her dance journey here at Seven Stars.
Jillian McNamara
Instructor
Jillian is an alumni of Seven Star School of Performing Arts where she trained for over fifteen years in all genres including tap, jazz hip hop and ballet. She also received training at various intensives throughout the world, including the Dubrovnik Tap Festival and Sarah Reich’s Tap Music Project. Her passion for dance has led her to achieve top honors at various competitions and conventions in the United States and abroad. She has been named The IDO female World Tap Champion on four separate occasions and is the only person ever to win the solo title in each of the three age divisions. She has also held the titles of JUMP VIP, Nuvo Breakout Artist, 24/7 Non Stop Dancer, ADA Regional Dancer of the the Year, Hall of Fame Inductee and Kids for Kids Diamond Dancer. She is currently teaching and choreographing at several studios in New York and Connecticut, is leading a team of dancers to the IDO World Tap Championships In November and is a member of Mike Minery and Anthony Morigerato’s Loose Screws Tap Company. She is excited to share her passion for dance with others and was honored to receive her first ever choreography award in her inaugural choreography season this past year.
Kelsey Kaufman
Instructor
Kelsey Kaufman is a NYC based performer originally from the Washington DC area. She is currently with Wicked the musical, swinging both the Broadway and National Touring productions. Kelsey was also recently seen in Cape Playhouse’s production of An American in Paris (Olga, u/s Lise) directed and choreographed by Al Blackstone. Other recent credits include Lise Dassin in Surflight Theater’s Production of An American in Paris, A Chorus Line (Maggie), Annie (Lily St. Regis), Xanadu (Calliope), Mid Atlantic Dance Theater’s Nutcracker (Sugar Plum), Holiday Inn, Flashdance, Mama Mia and Matilda. A graduate of Pace University, Kelsey also holds a BFA in Commercial Dance as part of the class of 2022. Follow her journey at @KelseyKaufman_
Montana Nogrady
Instructor
Montana graduated from The University of the Arts, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in May 2018 with a BFA with Honors in Dance. She performed in works by Douglas Becker, Meredith Rainey, Tania Isaacs, Thaddeus and Tanya Davis, Milton Myers, Nora Gibson, Sidra Bell, Jesse Zaritt and Anne White, and Robert Burden. She was trained locally at Step by Step, in Cornwall, and the Darlene Wilson Institute of Dance, in Newburgh. She was a part of Orange County Ballet Theatre and performed annually in The Nutcracker and their spring performances, with repertoire including Swan Lake, Pas De Quatre, Le Corsaire and La Bayadére. With Step by Step, Montana has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and several international festivals in England, Scotland, Spain, Italy and Greece. She has been a choreographer for Step It Up’s Summer Stage, for productions of Hairspray, Shrek The Musical, School of Rock, The Addams Family, Guys and Dolls, and Chicago- High School Edition, in which she performed as Kitty and a featured dancer. In the summer of 2022, she was stage manager and Sister Temple in Theatre on Main Street’s production of Orpheus Descending. This December, she will be choreographing and appearing in Theatre on Main Street’s production of the 2012 revival of Godspell, as Judas.
Skylar Rienert
Instructor
Skylar Rienert began her dance education at New Hampshire School of Ballet. She pursued her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance for 2 years at SUNY Purchase, and finished her degree at Montclair State University. At Montclair, she has had the privilege to dance in works by Ohad Naharin, Stefanie Batten Bland, Gregory Dolbashian, Maxine Steinman, and Christian von Howard. Miss Rienert has been teaching dance for 6 years. She has choreographed numerous pieces for NH, MA, and NY studios, as well as Montclair State University. She is co-owner of Inception Dance Intensive. Skylar has won several choreography and performance awards, and continues to work as an artist throughout New England, New Jersey, and New York.
William Coates
Instructor
Bill Coates has taught tap dance up and down the east coast for almost 13 years. He has given master classes, taught teachers, and worked with children at countless studios as well as conventions. As an adjunct professor, he has taught tap dance at University of Maryland and Catholic University. Currently, he is on the faculty of Steps on Broadway, where he teaches students from young to old and beginner to professional. His classes emphasize rhythm, phrasing, speed and dexterity. They always include technique, mostly derived from tap greats such as Henry LeTang and Steve Condos.
Alicia Monaco
Instructor
Alicia began dancing at the age of 2 at The Dancer’s Studio in North Haven, CT. Her early training comes from Sharon DiCrosta, and she has continued her studies in NYC with teachers such as Andrew J. Nemr and Derick Grant. Cited for her talents at the age of 9 by Gregory Hines, his words of praise and encouragement continue to motivate Alicia even today. A former Petite Miss Dance of America, she has been recognized for her performances, as well as her choreography on the national and international levels. As a member of the World Tap Dance Champion Team in 96 and 97, she placed 3rd highest among female soloists and captured the bronze medal in the couples division. Recently, Alicia took her students to Riesa, Germany as part of the USA Tap Team and they were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2014 World Tap Dance Championship event.
Veronica Nogrady
Instructor
Madison Vendel
Instructor
Kiersten Sanok
Instructor
Gabby Paige
Strategic Assistant
Gabby is beyond thrilled to be a part of the SSSPA team! Gabby is an alum of Seven Star School of Performing Arts, where she trained in various dance styles for 11 years. She has performed at Yorktown Stage, Boston Conservatory Mainstage, Westchester Broadway Theatre, Broadway Method Academy, WPPAC, and 54 Below. Gabby graduated from the Boston Conservatory with a BFA in Musical Theatre and an Emphasis in Directing. She is represented by Lohne/Graham Management.
Kayla Borsari Shaw
Team Culture Coordinator
Kayla Borsari Shaw is a native of Southbury, Connecticut. Her passion started early when she entered the competitive world of dance at age 5. Well versed in all styles, Kayla grew up training in diverse creative atmospheres. During her years as a competitive dancer, Kayla received many Overall and National Title recognitions. Her love for dance led her to pursue the art form as she attended, on scholarship, The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, where she earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree in Dance.
Kayla relocated to Los Angeles, California upon graduation in 2014. She performed as a member of five professional dance companies, including Jason Janas’ tap company Co.Mmit where she was an original member. Co.Mmit debuted its very own 25 Live Show at Dancerpalooza in 2017. The company opened Jason’s self choreographed and directed show “Unvery’d” in July 2018 which was also performed at the American Tap Festival in San Diego, CA.
Kayla performed and choreographed for Los Angeles based company, LA Unbound, an organization of dancers and choreographers of all dance styles collaborating to create unique showcases. Kayla has acted in plays at The Next Stage Theater in Hollywood, CA in addition to other dance and acting commercial work, as well as appearing in several music videos with Universal Records and Iceland Film. Kayla’s had the privilege of dancing at venues such as the Staples Center and Madison Square Garden, opening for headliners Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull.
Michelle Aravena
Social Media Coordinator
Michelle Aravena was last seen on Broadway as Miss Argentina in Beetlejuice. She was previously seen on Broadway in A Bronx Tale, Rocky, Jersey Boys, A Chorus Line (2006), and The Sound of Music (Lincoln Center). Around the country, Michelle has performed leading roles with A Bronx Tale, West Side Story, Jersey Boys, Les Miserables and Mamma Mia. Michelle has had the privilege of performing on some of the most prestigious stages such as La Scala Opera House in Milan, the Orb theater in Tokyo Japan, and The Old Globe in San Diego to name a few. She has worked under some of the industry’s top creative teams such as Alex Timbers, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Jerry Zaks, Alan Menkin, Des McAnuff, Sergio Trujillo, Chazz Palmetari, Robert Dinero, and the late Arthur Laurents. BookedbyMichelle.com
Nikki Sanders Siriani
Studio Manager
NIKKI SANDERS SIRIANI is a professional performance artist and has been a proud member of Actors’ Equity since 2004. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, she has worked professionally as an actress, dancer, vocalist, choreographer, vocal coach and director throughout the tri-state region and has been developing children’s theatre in Westchester County for many years. She found her love of theatre at age 8 while playing Annie and choreographed her first musical at 14 years of age, which quickly multiplied into over 25 full scale productions to date.
Her numerous credits include productions with Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Surflight Theatre, Seven Angels Theatre, and the Warner Theatre. Her favorite and most challenging role is Mom to her 4 1/2 year old twins.
Patty Kilcawley
Front Desk Manager
NIKKI SANDERS SIRIANI is a professional performance artist and has been a proud member of Actors’ Equity since 2004. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, she has worked professionally as an actress, dancer, vocalist, choreographer, vocal coach and director throughout the tri-state region and has been developing children’s theatre in Westchester County for many years. She found her love of theatre at age 8 while playing Annie and choreographed her first musical at 14 years of age, which quickly multiplied into over 25 full scale productions to date.
Her numerous credits include productions with Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Surflight Theatre, Seven Angels Theatre, and the Warner Theatre. Her favorite and most challenging role is Mom to her 4 1/2 year old twins.
Testimonials
Best dance studio around! Teachers are phenomenal. The attention to detail is amazing! My daughter has truly blossomed here. Would recommend nowhere else. SSSPA is truly family .
Amanda M.
Your demonstrated your total commitment- to the children and our family and we truly appreciate the way you handled the situation. It meant so much to us.
Amanda A.
Contact Us
ADDRESS
509 Route 312 , Brewster NY 10509-1534
Monday 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Tuesday 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Wednesday 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Thursday 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Friday 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
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About
Seven Star School of Performing Arts is a children's dance studio located in Brewster with an award-winning team dedicated to providing the best dance instruction whilst also empowering tomorrow's leaders.
Opening Hours
Monday 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Tuesday 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Wednesday 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Thursday 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Friday 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
ADDRESS: 509 Route 312 , Brewster NY 10509-1534
Email: nicole@sevenstarschool.com
Telephone: 845-278-0728
@ Copyright 2024 - Seven Star School of Performing Arts - All rights reserved
