Ashlyn has been trained in all genres of dance and theater but her true love is Tap. She has performed in and choreographed for music videos, concerts, and benefits. Her Tap Company, Rhythm and Sole Tap Ensemble, has numerous performances each season and has performed at Walt Disney World, The Big Apple Tap Festival at Alvin Ailey Theater, Tap City in NYC, Opening for Friends of Music concerts at Ruth Eckerd Hall and has opened for Chris Daughtry and Counting Crows Band. Ashlyn is also the Festival Director of Tampa Bay Tap Festival which this year featured tap dance extraordinaires Derick Grant and Aaron Tolson. Besides her love and expertise in the genre of Tap, Ashlyn has also trained in Classical Ballet with Next Generation Ballet and several other intensives and programs including the Rockettes Summer Intensive in New York City. She also was a theater apprentice at the Patel Conservatory Triple Threat program. Ashlyn has been teaching tap, ballet, jazz and musical theater classes at the Patel Conservatory for several years.
Originally from Detroit Michigan, Emma began dancing at the young age of 3, where she quickly began developing her lifelong passion for performing arts. At age 6, she entered the competition world, where she traveled the country competing and training with world renowned artists. Emma then attended Interlochen arts academy for high school as a modern major, where she realized her love for teaching and choreography.
Upon graduation, she headed west and began her teaching career in Palo Alto, CA. She directed 2 major dance companies in Northern California, coached high school dance teams, and choreographed for studios all over the country. She continues to expand her knowledge with certifications from acrobatic arts, PBT, and AZ dance med.
Her students have won numerous national titles and continue to thrive in the dance world. She now lives in Los Angeles where she trains dancers working in the industry and directs a competition team. In her spare time, Emma teaches barre fitness classes, runs a dance wear company, and competes in pageants. She was Miss Michigan United States 2022 and even featured on a reality dating show on FOX! She is excited to share her passion for dance with all of her students, and always brings a smile!
Born in New York but raised in South Florida. Isabella‘s love for dance and movement started at four years old. As a competitive dancer for fourteen years, she attended numerous conventions, workshops and competitions. After attending Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts she went on to study at Florida State University. Upon graduation Isabella decided to follow her heart and get fully certified in Pilates through Classical Pilates Education. She currently lives in South Florida with her husband and is a Pilates instructor specializing in training dancers as well as a dance teacher/choreographer. She is passionate about making sure dancers are strong, versatile and have a solid foundation. She currently owns a pilates studio that works to cross train dancers and helps to provide them with injury prevention. Isabella choreographs for various studios and primarily teaches jazz and contemporary. She has been teaching dancers of all ages for seven years and seen her choreography win numerous awards. She loves that she has been able to incorporate her passion for dance into different avenues!
Matthew Mancuso is originally from East Haven Connecticut. He began his training at the age of 8 at Gloria Jean’s Studio of Dance under the direction of Stacy Eastman. Matthew was awarded America’s Male Dancer of the Year in 2021 where he was the first male to win all four national titles at American Dance Awards. He then moved to New York City and just recently graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where he earned a BFA in Dance and a Minor in Entertainment Business. While at school, Matthew got to learn and perform repertoire from Sidra Bell and Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. He also was chosen to study abroad in Prague, Czech Republic at The National Theatre. After graduation Matthew became a new member of “Gaspard and Dancers” which is a contemporary based dance company. He most recently traveled with them to Romania to perform at the National Romanian Opera House of lasi. Matthew has also performed at the Carnival Choreographer’s Ball, New York City Fashion Week, Battery Park Dance Festival, and for Broadway Cares Red Bucket Follies at the New Amsterdam Theatre. He loves teaching and choreographing, as well as passing his love for dance onto the next generation.
Olivia grew up training under Maryen Lorraine Miller and Abby Lee Miller from the TV show Dance Moms. She quickly began competing and traveling the country with the national award winning Abby Lee Dance Company, eventually becoming a faculty member and choreographer. While she loves all styles of dance, her passion for Musical Theatre, Jazz and Tap grew after obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre at James Madison University.
She performed at the Disney World Theatre in Orlando’s theme park, was a featured dancer in the 2013 Jazz Dance World Congress (placing in the top five) and was hand picked by Broadway’s own Ben Vereen to be the featured dancer in his Broadway Theatre Project production, Journey to the Footlights. She has worked at many regional theaters on the East coast. Liv’s choreography of the musical Parade at the Forbes Center for Performing Arts was recognized by the Kennedy Center in Washington DC at their 2018 KCACTF Awards. Liv has spent three years as the founding Artistic Director of a NYC dance studio. She became Director of the Year at TRDC in 2022. Currently, Liv works as a dance educator at Mariann’s School of Dance in Paramus, NJ as well as travels as a competition adjudicator and convention educator.
Suzy Fischbach is the Artistic Director at Essex Dance Academy. She has been choreographing and teaching contemporary and jazz for 7 years, and is managing the creative vision of the company. Suzy has performed in many events including, The Ace Awards, Sybarite, and Peridance Faculty Show. She has had pieces selected to perform in many events including, AIM Invitational, Dancin’ Downtown at the Joyce Theater, and many more. Working with competition dancers is what Suzy loves to do, but above all, making them into artists and creators is her main goal.
Victoria began her teaching career in 2002. Her teaching experience includes recreational and competitive dance in the studio setting, as well as a period as an adjunct instructor in the higher education setting. She is a perpetual student, and enjoys taking class at Gibney Dance, Peridance, Steps, and Broadway Dance Center. As an employee of the former Dance New Amsterdam for four years, Miss Vicky had the pleasure of studying Simonson Technique, modern dance, and ballet. She received her BA in Integrative Arts with a concentration in dance from the Pennsylvania State University in 2008. As a choreographer, Miss Vicky was the Artistic Director of Victoria Scanga / scangadance from 2009-2012. Her choreography was performed at festivals throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania including 60×60 Dance at both the World Financial Center Winter Garden (2009) and DanceFest at Tompkins Square Park in New York City (2010), at the Fertile Ground Performance Series at Green Space in Queens, NY (2010), the Koresh Artist Showcase in Philadelphia, PA (2010), the Sunday Brunch Series at The Rover in New York City (2010), the Silk City Arts Festival in Paterson, NJ (2010), Penn State University (2011), WAXworks at Triskelion Arts in Brooklyn, NY, and the Mish Mash Performance Series at Sukha Arts Center in Harrington Park, NJ (2012). In the competition dance world, Miss Victoria is a national and multi-time regional award winning choreographer and has choreographed numerous regional and national top ten solos, duos, and group dances. Her teen modern group, Survivor, was the highest scoring intermediate 15-19 group for Star Dance Alliance’s Power Rankings for the 2019 season in NJ and PA. Miss Vicky holds an MBA from Rutgers Business School and also works as the Associate Director of Marketing for NX3 Corporation.