ABOUT US
The Best Dance School In Middlefield
Dance Central first opened its doors in August of 2017 with the intention of becoming a space where dancers can grow and develop together as a family, a dance family that will become a fundamental piece in their personal growth. Today, Dance Central is full of life, with a growing staff and an increasing impact on its community. We are so grateful for this incredible dance family that has come to exist, and, to best serve our beloved studio community, our organization is committed to a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
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MISSION & PHILOSOPHY
Mission
Our mission is to instill confidence, build grit, and unleash the unique potential in each and every dancer that becomes part of our family.
We value teamwork, integrity, respect, excellence, and grit.
Philosophy
We believe that every child has their own unique, special potential on this earth, and we believe so strongly that dance can be the place where children learn to realize and truly BELIEVE in that potential.
Why Us?
We stand out because we truly care about our dancers, and because we provide a safe, healthy environment where every dancer is seen, celebrated and consistently challenged. It is immensely important to us that, together, we stand for something that sets us apart from the crowd and unites us as a studio community, so we stand for six Core Values that guide every decision we make and every action we take: Passion & Creativity, Teamwork & Respect and Excellence & Growth. We believe that our commitment to our Core Values is what has allowed us to create such a positive and uplifting community that really does feel like family.
Meet Our Staff
Miss Kayleigh
CEO & Director, Instructor
Kayleigh Crocetto has trained extensively in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, hip-hop, and pointe throughout New England and is an alumni of the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. She has attended various master classes and intensives throughout her dance career, such as at the Abby Lee Dance Company, where she had the opportunity to work with renowned choreographers such as Molly Long, James Washington, Gianna Martello, and Abby Lee Miller.
She is currently a company member of CONNetic Dance, a professional, contemporary ballet based dance company mainly centered in Hartford, CT, and has played the role of "Clarice" in their
Nutcracker Suite & Spicy for over a decade now as well as various roles in shows such as Coney Island and Dracula. Kayleigh has also worked with Ballet Theatre Company and the Connecticut Ballet, performing in shows such as The Nutcracker and
Coppelia, and has had the pleasure of performing with comedian Hannibal Buress, seen in Neighbors 1 & 2, Tag, Baywatch and other popular films, as a ballerina in his "Gibberish" skit.
She has choreographed for musicals such as Coginchaug Regional High School's rendition of
Guys and Dolls and has worked as a dance instructor at outreach programs throughout Connecticut, as well as at Brewster Elementary School where she choreographed a routine for all grade levels (K-3) to perform together at their spring dance festival.
Kayleigh is an involved member of the Dance Studio Owners Association Inner Circle, where she collaborates with incredible dance studio owners from all over the world and learns from top experts in the field. She has provided mentoring services as a "Studio Captain" for the DSOA, a role in which she shares her expertise through live interviews, participating in roundtables, and supporting other studio owners that partake in the DSOA's trainings and programs.
In addition to her dance career, Kayleigh loves to play the guitar and piano and is an Honors College alumni of CCSU, having received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.
Amanda
Studio Manager
Amanda is a local professional and the new Studio Manager of Dance Central. Amanda has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and a Masters of Business Administration, MBA degree, both from the University of New Haven.
Hailing from Massachusetts, Amanda has been living in Connecticut for the past ten years. She started dancing at the age of three, and continued until she was well past 26 years old. An Alum from H&H Dance Academy, Amanda studied all styles including ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and lyrical. Amanda attended numerous dance competitions, winning many gold, platinum, and judges awards for her solo and tap performances.
Amanda also studied acting at the world-renowned Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York City.
Amanda went on to dance on her college team. After college, Amanda taught dance and became a Zumba instructor. Amanda hung up her dance shoes a few years ago, but still considers the dance world a passion in her life.
She works full-time at Quinnipiac University as Assistant Director of Career Development and an Adjunct Professor. She loves helping her students build lifelong careers.
In her spare time, she enjoys decorating her home, going to the beach, and her favorite- shopping. She has two adorable tuxedo kitties named Dixon & Daisy.
Miss Meghan
Programs & Events Manager, Instructor
Meghan Crocetto has over seventeen years of dance training in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, and acrobatics. Through her high school career, Meghan attended the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts where she immersed herself in all dimensions of dance. Meghan currently attends Quinnipiac University where she is a member of the Quinnipiac Dance Company. Meghan has been a staff member at Dance Central for over five years and teaches classes of all ages. She loves to choreograph and has been choreographing competitive routines for several years. She has danced in several productions with the Connecticut Ballet, Ballet Theatre Company, and CONNetic Dance (most notably “The Nutcracker Suite & Spicy”). Last fall, Meghan collaborated with The Bushnell in a project directed by Carolyn Paine and Ryan Glista to bring “The Nutcracker Suite & Spicy” to digital screens at The Bushnell. Meghan has worked with various master teachers throughout her career, such as Abby Lee Miller of Lifetime’s “Dance Moms,” Molly Long, and Alexa Moffitt. She has also trained one on one with Missy Moffitt. In all of Meghan’s endeavors, her unwavering love and passion for dance are evident. She hopes to inspire others to fall in love with dance just as she has, leaving an indelible mark in the dance world for years to come.
Sandy
DC Swag Manager, Customer Care Specialist
Sandy brings a wealth of experience to Dance Central as our Customer Care Specialist and DC Swag Manager. With a lifelong passion for dance, Sandy began dance at the age of 4, studying ballet, tap, and jazz. Throughout her high school years, she joined the dance team and danced in school plays. Sandy's dedication to dance continued as she participated in adult dance classes while also embracing her role as a dance mom for the past 23 years. Her firsthand knowledge of the dance world and her ability to empathize with parents make her an invaluable resource for our dance community. In addition to her dance background, Sandy has been a registered nurse for over 30 years. Specializing in psychiatric nursing, she spent significant time working in an inpatient children's unit, providing invaluable care and support to young patients. Sandy's expertise also extends to home health care and serving as a school nurse in the Middlefield and Durham school systems. We are fortunate to have Sandy as part of our team, ensuring a positive and enriching experience for all Dance Central families.
Miss Kellie
Instructor
Coming from a dance competition background, Kellie has been dancing since the age of 3. She’s studied in Connecticut, Massachusetts and NYC, focusing on jazz, tap, lyrical, ballet and musical theatre, and has taken master classes with Broadway legends such as Dana Moore and Rachelle Rak. She graduated from Westfield State University, with a BA in theatre performance, and recently graduated from Hunter College with a Masters in Theatre. During the day, she is the theatre and dance teacher at Sacred Heart Greenwich, as well as director and choreographer of their middle school musical program. Additionally, Kellie has performed with various theatre and dance companies throughout New England, and has choreographed for theatre companies such as Cirillo Summer Theatre, Two Rivers Middle School, Granby Memorial High School, East Hartford Summer Youth Festival and Westfield State University.
Miss Fiona
Instructor
Fiona grew up dancing in Ohio at the Ballet Theatre of Toledo under the tutelage of Royal Ballet School graduate and English National Ballet principal dancer, Nigel Burgoine. She trained at Cincinnati Ballet in 2016, before joining Butler University’s prestigious collegiate ballet program. At Butler, Fiona trained in a wide variety of dance styles including Vaganova method ballet, Paul Taylor and Horton Modern techniques, jazz, West African dance, Character, and musical theatre. She danced in numerous original works choreographed by the faculty as well as classical ballets such as “The Nutcracker,” “Giselle,” “La Bayadere,” and “The Sleeping Beauty.” In the summer of 2018, she toured with the Butler Ballet Ensemble in Poland, the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic, and Austria. Also during her time in Butler’s dance program, Fiona learned the art of costume design and construction. Fiona graduated Magna Cum Laude with High Honors in Dance in May 2020 with a Bachelors of Science in Dance Arts Administration and a minor in English Literature. She joined New England Ballet Theatre as a Company Artist in 2020 and also works for the company as the Development Director and Director of Costume Design and Construction.
Miss Meghan
Instructor
Meghan St. Amand has been dancing since the age of 3 and has trained in a variety of dance styles including tap, jazz, ballet and lyrical. Since an early age, Meghan has been most passionate about tap dancing. Meghan has had the privilege to expand her tap dance repertoire by participating in conventions and competitions throughout New England. She also received a scholarship to attend the “Traditions in Tap” workshop in NYC, produced by Avi Miller & Ofer Ben (recently renamed “The Big Apple Tap Dance Festival”). She participated in a dance showcase as well as master classes taught by Tap Dance Legends: Sarah Petronio, Karen
Callaway-Williams, Barbara Duffy, Acia Gray, Prof. Robert Reed and Dianne ‘Lady Di’ Walker. She has also performed with various dance companies including Ballet Theatre Company and the Colleges of the Fenway Dance Project where she gained valuable experience as a choreographer. Meghan continued her love of movement by graduating Suma Cum Laude from Simmons University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science and two years later, her Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. By day, Meghan works in an acute hospital setting as a Physical Therapist, assisting patients with functional mobility, which greatly coincides with her love of dance.
Miss Meggie
Instructor
Margaret (Meggie) Peterson began her ballet training at Dance Centre North in Syracuse, NY under director Cathy Mucci. In May of 2023 she graduated summa cum laude from Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA under Dance Department Chair C. Noelle Partusch. She now holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Minor in Mathematics. During her time at Mercyhurst she performed in Giselle (2019), Swan Lake (2021), and The Nutcracker (2022), as well as numerous modern and contemporary works by choreographers such as Sidra Bell and
Mark Santillano. She also performed with SoMar Dance Works, a modern and contemporary company in Erie, PA, for their 22/23 season. In June 2022, she interned and performed with Ballet Concerto, a ballet company in Fort Worth, Texas, in Les Sylphides, Luis Montero’s Boléro, and Elise Lavallee’s Dream On. Meggie was invited back in June 2023 to be the Chief Administrative Assistant for their SUMMER DANCE CONCERT 2023, during which time she also performed professionally with the company in Irish Suite, Luis Montero’s Othello, and Elise Lavallee’s Dream On. In August 2023 she performed with Speak Dance CNY, a modern and contemporary company in Syracuse, NY, for their Evening of Dance concert. While at Mercyhurst, she spent numerous summers teaching at Dance Centre North in styles such as ballet (with pointe), contemporary, jazz, tap, and lyrical. Meggie has joined New England Ballet Theatre as a Company Artist this season.
Dance Central
Contact Information
(860) 600-7475
hello@dancecentralct.com
500 Main Street, Middlefield CT 06455
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