Faculty
Michelle Viechec
Studio Director
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Miss Michelle has studied the arts of Ballet, Contemporary, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Musical Theater and Gymnastics. For 15 years, she competed in several regional and national talent competitions, winning the highest level awards and accolades such as Top Scoring Duo and Top Scoring Group. She has also received Choreography awards for her Duo/Trios and special judge’s awards for her energetic solos! Her accomplishments include the title of ALL-STAR from UCA/UDA, which allowed her to perform in the Foley’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Houston, TX. She was also chosen to perform in the Citrus Bowl Halftime Show in Orlando, FL for being a Top 10 dancer at Nationals in Virginia Beach. Miss Michelle had a role on the children’s TV program “The Kids Today Show” and she appeared on several MTV programs. She was a part of the Guinness Record Book breaking event for the most tap dancers performing in the NYC streets for Tap O Mania 3 years in a row. She appeared on “Good Morning America” for the “If I had One More Day” and “The Warm Hearts Warm Coats Drive” segments. She instructed members of the “Good Morning America” staff for their Fit Club Challenge. She then performed her choreographed number for Diane Sawyer the last day on the show. After this, she was asked to continue instructing the staff for the rest of the year.
Not only did Miss Michelle start her studies at Premiere Dance of Hillsborough, formerly Hillsborough Dance Academy in 1982, but she also studied at NYC’s Broadway Dance Center, taking classes from choreographers such as Frank Hattchet, Sue Samuels, Shelia Barker, Rahpsody, Brian Greene and various others. For over 15 years she has taught in all areas of dance and choreographed routines for regional and national competitions, gaining Top Scores and Special Awards for her Jazz and Lyrical routines. These include winning 1st place overall at Regionals and Nationals, Top 2 and various Top 10 scoring positions at the Nationals Finals. Her dances have received several special judges awards from Choreography Awards to “Breath Taking Performance” to “Dynamic Duo”. Her specialty group was honored by being chosen for the NDS Jr. Dance-off. Several of her dances have made it to the finals at national talent competitions. Currently she has choreographed for two title winning performances which brought recognition and opportunities nationally for her students. Miss Michelle joined the Premiere Dance staff in 2001 and began instructing with the competition team in 2002. Since 2007 she has been the Director for the Dynamics Competition Team and is now currently Co-Directing the studio alongside Corinna Ahart.
She is looking forward to the next chapter with Nationally recognized Premiere Dance of Hillsborough. Miss Michelle is always there looking forward to the smiling faces of her students and loves hugs! She wishes everyone a great year at Premiere Dance of Hillsborough!
Joseph Tudor
Assistant Director
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Joseph Tudor is a dancer/ choreographer originally from Baltimore, MD. His choreography has been performed throughout Maryland, Virginia, DC, and New Jersey by multiple dance studios, high schools, colleges, and cheerleading teams. As a performer, some of his credits include: International Tour of Phantom of the Opera, A Chorus Line (Mark), Crazy for You (Junior), & Gypsy (Angie), and was a featured dancer with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Joseph holds his BFA in Dance, from Shenandoah Conservatory.
Colleen Guy
Assistant Director
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Colleen was classical trained, from a young age, in ballet and character under the Royal Academy of Dancing syllabus at Shore Ballet School. She mastered her children exams, first level of DES, and a few major exams as well. During her summers, she would intensively train at American Academy of Ballet. During her early years, she performed several roles in Shore Ballet Company’s “Nutcracker” and “Cinderella.” In addition, she performed variations of the “Nutcracker” with other local companies.
Colleen continued onto college at the University of Hartford. Here she majored in Computer Science and undertook a minor in Fine Arts. During her college years, she danced at the Hartt School and The School for the Hartford ballet (with a focus on teaching). She enjoyed working with many master teachers and performing in various student pieces.
After college, Colleen worked full-time as a software engineer, but her love and passion for ballet kept her in the teaching world. She started to teach ballet in 2000.
Upon the birth of her first child, she switched her focus from software engineering to enjoying being home with her family, however she never stopped dancing.
Colleen has been delighted to teach and choreography ballet at various studios for over 15 years. She feels very passionate about the art of ballet and teaching the next generation of young dancers. Colleen also enjoys working on her yoga practices in her free time.
As a resident of Hillsborough, Colleen has enjoyed bringing her expertise locally to the Premiere Dance of Hillsborough Program since 2013.
Jeanine Doslik
Assistant Director
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Jeanine has been dancing since the age of four, training in styles such as Contemporary, Hip Hop, Ballet, Jazz, and Musical Theatre. She has competed at both regional and national levels, attended numerous conventions, and was the recipient of multiple scholarships in Hip Hop. She has been teaching dance for over 10 years.
Jeanine attended Rutgers University where she studied Dance as a minor with the Mason Gross School of the Performing Arts. She danced with the Rutgers Performing Dance Company for three years, in which she held the executive board position of Head Choreographer for two. Her Contemporary piece, “Forest Fire” won 1st Place Overall High Score at Evolve Intercollegiate Dance Competition in 2017. She also received a special judges award for her Jazz piece “Body Language”.
After graduation she studied at Broadway Dance Center, and was signed to Clear Talent Group in 2019. Since then, she has appeared in various internet productions and stage shows as a dancer. She is currently dancing in Pop Divas! at Ocean Casino, and Disco Inferno at Bally's Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.
Jeanine’s love for dance has only intensified throughout the years. She hopes to encourage her students to cultivate their own passion for dance throughout her teaching. She is thrilled to be home at Premiere Dance for another season!
Corinna Ahart
Administrative Assistant
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Corinna received her dance training at New Jersey School of Ballet and the New Jersey Dance Theatre Guild. She has attended N. Y. City dance intensives and conventions learning a variety of various dance styles. Corinna was a top ten graduate of the Somerset County Performing Arts program. Through an audition process she was chosen to be a member of the New Jersey Dance Theatre Guild Ballet Company. Corinna was one of three jazz soloist selected from the state to perform at the PNC Art Center’s “Showcase of the Stars”. Through her years of study she entered several dance competitions competing in jazz, tap, and ballet in which she received top honors and awards. Corinna has served on the panel of judges for MBC Talent Competitions for many years. She graciously accepted the opportunity to have her choreography and students featured on Good Morning America.
Best known for her energy and motivation, her choreography has helped her students earn prestigious awards at both the regional and national level of competition. Through her years at Premiere Dance Hillsborough some of her honors include her students capturing the “Ultimate Achievement Award” in which her junior jazz routine placed first overall at Star Systems regional and her teen jazz dancers came in first overall at Starbound Nationals.
For two consecutive years Corinna’s jazz kickline performances captured placement in the top five overall awards while attending Dancer’s Inc. Nationals. This led to her students receiving the honor of performing in the choreographers showcase.
Corinna has over twenty years of teaching experience in the performing arts instructing a variety of dance forms as well as in the fitness field instructing aerobics, step aerobics, and toning classes.
She is proud to be a part of the talented staff at Premiere Dance Hillsborough.
Mikayla Ahart
Administrative Assistant
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Mikayla began studying dance at Premiere Dance Hillsborough when she was three years of age. She has been a member of Premiere’s Dynamics Dance Company for eleven years. As a team member, Mikayla has successfully competed in multiple dance genres including ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical and hip hop, winning top honors and awards at both the regional and national level of competition. During her years at Premiere, she has received an outstanding dance education from a wide variety of teachers. Mikayla has had the opportunity to assist and substitute dance classes at Premiere, which has given her the necessary experience to work with young dancers.
Through an audition process, Mikayla was accepted into the Somerset County Vocational High School’s gifted and talented performing arts program in which she has diligently focused on for four years. Aside from the dance training she has received from this outstanding program, Mikayla has also studied staging, lighting, choreography, anatomy and much more. In June 2015, Mikayla graduated from this honorary program.
Mikayla is thrilled to be a part of the Premiere faculty where she can continue to share her love and passion for dance.
Ashley Agrusa
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Ashley Agrusa has been dancing for 20+ years. She is originally from Michigan, where she trained at Deborah’s Stage Door on their competitive team. She is trained in jazz, tap, ballet, acro, musical theatre, hip hop, lyrical, and contemporary! She is a proud graduate of Cap 21 Conservatory at Molloy University with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Her professional career has lead her to perform in shows including; The National Tour of My Fair Lady as assistant dance captain, Anything Goes (PCLO), Sunset Boulevard (Broadway Sacramento), Beauty and the Beast and School of Rock (Tuacahn), Catch Me If You Can (The REV) and many more! One of Ashley’s passions in life is to spread knowledge and help foster the next generation of artists into dynamic performers!
Lisa Burton
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Lisa graduated Cum Laude from Muhlenberg College. Lisa has choreographed many solo and group pieces in genres of dance including modern, ballet, lyrical and jazz. She has performed at American College Dance Festival in the adjudicated concerts and performed in the prestigious final piece of the Gala Concert.
Lisa has extensively studied and continues to study, many areas of modern dance including Release Technique, Cunningham Technique, Improvisation, Afro-Contemporary as well as personal movement philosophies. Other forms she has studied are Concert Jazz, Broadway Jazz, Jazz Tap and Classical Ballet. She studied these genres with many talented professional teachers, some of which are Jennifer Kayle, Tiffany Mills, Nicolas Leichter, Karen Dearborn and Danny Buraczeski – Lisa performed in original and/or recreated works with these choreographers.
Professionally, Lisa danced in Charles O. Andersons Dance Theater X’s Parables of Mutants and Madmen at DanceBoom! in Philadelphia. Charles was recently chosen by Dance Magazine’s 25 choreographers to watch. She has also performed her own solo and duet works in many venues in the NJ/NYC area including Oasis Dance Festival in NYC, The International Dance Festival in NYC, and The Outlet Dance Works in NJ. Her choreography was reviewed, Lisa [Burton’s choreography] perfectly highlighted Scott Joplin’s “Fig Leaf Rag” in a clever, precisely choreographed tribute to Chaplin and vaudeville. Christopher Atamian of the Village Voice. She also worked as an intern for Tiffany Mills Company and LKB Dance.
Lisa began studying dance here at Premiere Dance at the age of 3. As a young dancer, she performed in many competitions and events. She is so happy to return home to teach and choreograph. Her competition dances have won many special choreography and high scoring awards. Lisa has a passion for all things related to dance, and she hopes to pass that along to her students.
Rebecca Cannaday
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Rebecca Cannaday grew up in Chesapeake, VA where she started her dance training at the age of three years old. Her extensive training in ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, and lyrical have molded her into the dancer and choreographer that she is today. Growing up near Virginia Beach allowed her to train at Denise Wall’s Dance Energy where she was a part of the national award winning pre-professional company ran by Denise Wall. While in this company she had the opportunity to work with and perform pieces by some of the top dancers and choreographers in the industry including Travis Wall, Anthony Morigerato, Jason Janas, Ayodele Casel, Michael Minery, and Cami Walton where she won several regional and national titles in a group and as a soloist. She is now based out of New York City where she is continuing her training and actively working as a professional dancer. She is currently in three professional tap companies that are based out of Manhattan and travel around the country for various performances including CHRProject directed by Charles Renato, ProjectConvergence co-directed by Vikas Arun and Ramita Ravi, and #Taplife directed by Anthony LoCascio where she is also dance captain and choreographer for the company. Some of her most memorable performances have been for BuzzFeed, Spotify, Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s “JUBA”, the American Tap Dance Foundation’s “Rhythm in Motion”, Dormeshia Sumbry’s “In the Groove”, and the Ted Shawn Theatre at Jacob’s Pillow after she was one of twenty-five dancers selected in the world to attend the three week Professional School Program at Jacob’s Pillow for tap dance. She has several years of teaching experience in various styles while specializing in tap and has also presented choreography in several different venues around Manhattan and at the “Inside/Out” stage in Becket, Massachusetts. She was recently added to the tap faculty at Broadway Dance Center in New York City and is ready to share her love for dance with all of her students!
Eric Decaminada
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Eric Decaminada, 19 years old, was born and raised in Goldens Bridge, New York. He started dancing when he was 5 years old, and since then, has never been able to stop. He started at his local dance studio, The Pulse Performing Arts Studio, in Bedford Hills, New York, under the direction of Jennifer Dell. At age 8, however, he found his teacher and mentor that he still has today, Dexter Jones. Currently, Eric is based out of Queens, New York and studies with Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Charles Renato, and Vikas Arun, but in the past has also worked with Jason Janas, Derick K. Grant, Sarah Reich, and Jason Samuels Smith.
Eric is a part of two companies based out of New York City: CHR Project, a Tap Dance company ran by Charles Renato, and Project Convergence, a company that fuses Tap Dance and classical Indian Dance that is ran by Vikas Arun and Ramita Ravi. His performance credits include Tap Kids, CHR Project, Project Convergence, Tap Family Reunion, and many more. Eric has performed in locations such as Dizzy’s Jazz Club at Lincoln Center, the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center, and a variety of Tap Dance Festivals (Rhythm in Motion, Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Tap Family Reunion). He currently is attending St. John’s University with a major in Business and still continues to dance as much as humanly possible.
Julia Diaz
Administrative Assistant
Performance Dance Staff
Julia Diaz is a senior at Immaculata High School and has been dancing since the age of 3. She has trained in many dance styles including tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical,contemporary, modern, and pointe. She has been a member of the Premiere Dance Company competition team for 11 years with the honor of performing various solos, duos, trios, and group dances over the years. Along with competing herself, Julia has assisted in many classes of multiple styles alongside Miss Colleen and Miss Allie for the past 4 years. She is looking forward to her final year competing with her Premiere Dance family along with working reception on Saturdays and joining the teaching staff for the 2024-2025 season.
Tabitha Edwards
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Tabitha Edwards fell in love with dance at the age of four, and has been dancing ever since. Trained in many different styles, Tabitha enjoys sharing her love of dance through teaching. Tabitha has an Associate’s degree in LA-Dance from MCC. She has performed with, and choreographed for, the Middlesex County College Dance Ensemble, as well as local companies: Artistic Visions Dance Company, Main Street Theatre Company, and the Rahway Arts and Business Partnership. She has performed at Highland Park’s Arts in the Park, the Koresh Showcase in Philadelphia, Dance NJ’s Show Up and Dance, and at OSPAC for the FreeSpace Summer Season Performance.
Catherine Flynn
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Catherine has been dancing for 19 years and danced at Premiere Dance of Hillsborough for 11 years. She was a member of the competition team for 10 years, competing in modern, contemporary, lyrical, and jazz. Catherine recently graduated from Rutgers University, receiving her Bachelor’s of Science in Ecology. At Rutgers, Catherine was a member of the University’s Dance Team for three years. Her senior year, she was a member of the Rutgers Performing Dance Company. Catherine is proud to have developed a strong dance background during her many years at PDH. She is very excited for the opportunity to be apart of the Premiere family again and is looking forward to working with students in the 2024-2025 season!
Amanda Grega
Performance Dance Staff
Amanda M. Grega, grew up in Cleveland, OH where her love for dance sparked as she trained primarily in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and pointe. She trained under the direction of former Radio City Rockette, Melissa Thomas-Edington before heading off to college. She continued her training as she earned her BFA from Ohio University in Dance Performance and Choreography. While at OU, Amanda trained heavily in modern and contemporary styles while expanding her existing training in ballet and jazz. During her time at OU, Amanda worked with many student artists as well as special guest artists like Alexandra Beller, Jessica Lynn Fox, and Brian Books. As part of her pedagogical curriculum, Amanda started her teaching career at OU, teaching non-major dance classes to other college students.
After earning her bachelor's degree, Amanda went on to earn her MBA in Human Resources Management from Baldwin Wallace University all while continuing her teaching career at a few dance studios in the Northeast Ohio area. She has choreographed works for various studios and events, including the Cleveland Dance Fest. As a passionate and dedicated dance instructor she continues to expand upon her own dance training to further elevate her students. She holds her Acrobatic Arts Module 1 Certification and takes yearly opportunities to upskill herself as a dance teacher. She's passionate about fostering a love of dance in students of all ages and skill levels and is excited to share her love for dance with the students of Premiere Dance!
Allie Moroney
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Allie grew up dancing at Premiere Dance since the age of two and a half. She studied several types of dance, which included , ballet, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, modern, pointe, tap, Broadway jazz and musical theater. In 1994, Allie joined the Dynamics Competition Team where she won numerous platinum and top scores. In 2001, she became a member of the teaching staff, teaching various dance forms, but mostly tap, for ages three and up. In 2000 and 2002, Allie performed at Madison Square Garden at half time at a NY Knicks Game. Other local performances included The Hillsborough Fireworks Showcase and The Somerset Patriots Baseball games. She was also awarded the William J. Jordan Dance Scholarship in 2002.
Allie attended Rutgers University, studying Early Childhood Education. She has also has studied at Broadway Dance Center with choreographers such as Savion Glover, Mike Minery, Sonya Tayeh, Gregg Russell, Judy Ann Bassing, Debbi Dee, Anthony Morigerato, Mia Michaels, Twitch, and various others. She has attended various dance conventions such as New York City Dance Alliance, NYC Dance Teacher Summit and JUMP Dance. In 2010, Allie started choreographing routines for the Dynamics Dance Company gaining Top Scores, Choreography Awards, and Special Awards for her tap dances. She is extremely happy to be teaching where she grew up dancing and hope she can share her passion for dance with all of her students!
Lea Murphy
All Bodies Speak
Premiere Dance is where Lea truly fell in love with the beauty of dance. Her perseverance was recognized with “The Premiere Dance Achievement Award” & was rewarded in 2012 with an exceptional independent grant from Dancer’s Inc.
Lea’s thirst for dance led her to attend Somerset County’s Vocational High School “Gifted & Talented Performing Arts” dance concentration. There, she continued training in all dance genres & was awarded with The Ruth St. Denis Scholarship for her performance ethics. Lea was delighted to perform in NYC’s Choreography Project at the Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater, in 2011.
In 2016, Lea graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in Dance from The University of The Arts. She graduated with special honors & was a graduate member of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars. She proudly worked with highly credited choreographers such as Beth Gill, Sidra Bell, Jillian Pena, Faustin Linyekula, Jesse Zarrit, Esther-Baker Tarpaga, Eiko & Koma, Douglas Becker, & many more.
Lea’s hunger for all things related to movement led her to become a certified “DanceAbility® International” dance instructor in Vienna, Austria. She furthered her knowledge by training with Mark Morris’s Dance Company for Parkinson’s Disease, “Dance For PD®.” In 2014, she founded “All Bodies Speak,” a class designed specifically for our physically &/or emotionally challenged community. Lea’s mission is to create an equal opportunity for all ages & all types of bodies to release endorphins while sharing the beautiful experience of diversity & love for movement.
Lea currently teaches her “All Bodies Speak'' special needs dance class in the Manville School district & around the tri-state area. She also instructs Senior Citizen’s Dance Classes & Stretch/Balance. Lastly, she continues dancing for Total Entertainment as a party motivator for social & corporate events. Lea is honored & thrilled to be a dance educator at her forever home “PDH” where her passion for the art of dance was shaped!
Nicole Orzel
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Nicole began her dance career as a member of the Dynamics Dance Company, competing in many genres including modern, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, lyrical, and acro. While dancing at Premiere, she won many awards at both the regional and national level. She also had the wonderful experience of choreographing top winning specialties during her senior year of high school.
Nicole was accepted into Montclair State University’s dance major program, where she received an outstanding dance education and got to learn from many esteemed teachers and choreographers. While in school, she was also a member of the Montclair State Dance Team. Nicole graduated summa cum laude in January 2020.
Nicole is passionate about teaching, and works as a gymnastics coach as well as a certified health, physical education, and dance teacher in public schools. Nicole is thrilled to be a part of the Premiere Dance faculty, where she can continue to share her love of dance with others.
Demi Rooyakkers
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Demi grew up dancing at Premiere Dance, and was also a founding member of the Hillsborough High School Dance Team. She has trained in ballet, contemporary, modern, lyrical, jazz, hiphop, tap, kick, and pom. Demi graduated from Ramapo College in 2024, where she was a two-year captain of the Ramapo College Dance Team. She led the team to an NDA National Championship title in 2023 in the DIII Hiphop category. Her choreography background began in 2018 when she was part of Premiere’s first dance composition class, a group that later became national champions in 2020. She has also choreographed various routines performed at Ramapo College basketball games. Demi’s dance career has given her an extensive range of skills from classical ballet to competitive specialty dances to UDA/NDA championships.
Ariana Szep
Premiere Dance Company Staff
Performance Dance Staff
Ariana has danced at Premiere Dance of Hillsborough since the age of seven and has been apart of the Dynamics Dance Company for eight years. She has competed in lyrical, contemporary, modern, jazz, and hip hop, and has competed in trios, duos, and solos. She has been an assistant teacher at Premiere for the past two years as well. Ariana has also been apart of the Hillsborough High School Dance Team for two years competing in a hip hop and jazz routine. Ariana will be a senior at Hillsborough High School this upcoming fall. Premiere Dance has been a huge part of her life and she is very grateful for all she has learned and the long lasting memories she has created. She is so excited to have the opportunity to teach Saturday morning classes at Premiere Dance!
Guest Choreographers
Toni Eleam
Guest Choreographer
Jessica Erickson
Guest Choreographer
Mia Jaderlund
Guest Choreographer
Anya Mirmajlesi
Guest Choreographer
Rachel Pieroni
Guest Choreographer
Kayla Smith
Guest Choreographer
Izzy Volpe
Guest Choreographer