Faculty
Artistic Director, Robin Magee
Robin Magee has studied the performing arts since 1965. She began teaching in 1971, and has owned and managed WCDA since 1978. Robin Magee’s certifications to teach dance are through the Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston and with the Dance Masters of America, of which she is an active member. Ms. Magee is a former President of the Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston and currently serves on the Board of Directors.
She received her training at the Donna Miceli Dance Center, the Gus Giordano Dance Center in Chicago, and the Boston Ballet. She has also had Master Classes with Mia Michaels, Brian Friedman, Dan Karaty, Mike Minery as well as other schools and organizations throughout the United States. She has won scholarships for “Overall Excellence in Ballet, Tap and Jazz,” along with several awards.
Ms. Magee was hired to be choreographer for the halftime festivities at the “John Hancock Sun Bowl” in El Paso, Texas. This event was nationally televised on CBS. Ms. Magee continues her education in New York and Boston and adjudicates dance competitions.
The WCDA Company Dancers were invited to perform at Little Night Dancing and the Choreographers Pre-Professional Gala at the Sorenson Center for the Arts. Ms. Magee and the WCDA are extremely proud of their students’ outstanding accomplishments, including earning numerous scholarships, degrees in dance and dance physical therapy, operating their own studios, performing and teaching professionally across the country including Broadway and Walt Disney World® in Orlando, Florida.
Lindsay Magee, Co-Director, Teacher
Miss Lindsay grew up at WCDA both in the classroom and behind the scenes. She brings her experience in Customer Service, dance, and work with children up the studio stairs and into the office and classroom everyday – and enjoys getting to know each student and parent! She has taught dance for more than 25 years in Children’s, Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Hip Hop. Miss Lindsay graduated from the Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston’s Dance Education Training Course, and is a current member of the Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston. After graduating from Northeastern University, Miss Lindsay taught high school in Atlanta Public Schools and in Boston Public Schools, and is a great homework resource for students! She was the Director of Corps Communication for Teach For America Atlanta Institute, helping train public school teachers in the southeast. Over the summer, you might find Miss Lindsay at Fenway Park, where she has been working in Fan Services for the Boston Red Sox for over 20 years!
Rowan Anderson, Teacher
Rowan is an expressive dancer, teacher, and choreographer. She focuses on the love and joy created by movement, as well as proper education of dance history and hopes to pass that on to her students. Rowan has furthered her dance education with several mentors, regularly attending classes and sessions in the Boston area. She is currently training with Lowell based dance crew, Mill Advised. Alongside dance, Rowan has been working with children and in classes and childcare for years. She is a passionate teacher and choreographer who takes pride in sharing her skills and heart with the next generation of young dancers.
Shayna Garlisi, Teacher
Ms. Garlisi is returning to the WCDA for more than 3 decades! She is a graduate of Elmira College, where she received her degree in Education, and a minor in dance. While in college, she studied all forms of dance and was a dancer and choreographer for the college’s major dance clubs. She also choreographed for a local dance studio, receiving recognition for her competition choreography as well as a hip hop scholarship. Ms. Garlisi is a member of The Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston. Shayna has been a choreographer and director for several local musical theatre groups. Ms. Garlisi is a 2nd Grade teacher in Littleton, and has been working in elementary education for 20 years.
Tammy Ivers-Aspell, Teacher
Ms. Tammy is certified by “test to teach” and is a member of both Dance Masters of New England Ch #5 and a member of the Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston, and is a graduate of their Dance Teachers Education Course. She was a member of Boston Youth Theater’s “Inner City Energy,” reviewed by Joyce Kulhawick as “fresh & fabulous,” a member of the Harborside Players Stock Theater production of Cabaret. Ms. Tammy was crowned Miss Merrimack Valley and competed in The Miss Massachusetts Scholarship Program. She auditioned and was videotaped for the original Star Search with Ed McMahon as well as a dancer in Nova Star’s production of When Death Comes Quickly. She was choreographer for “A Soldier’s Tale” with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Tammy was the Artistic Director/ Owner of Tammy’s Dance Connection for 30 years, where under her tutelage her students have gone on to perform in NYC and on the West Coast, become dance teachers, studio owners, Nutcracker performers and scholarship recipients for numerous dance conventions, where they have won numerous platinum level and high score awards. Tammy has judged many competitions, pageants, and has taught master classes, but her true passion is passing on her love and knowledge for dance with students of all ages and abilities. WCDA is thrilled to have Ms. Tammy back this season!
Natalia Maldari, Teacher
Natalia Maldari trained and danced with the New England Civic Ballet prior to attending Goucher College where she studied Ballet, Modern, and Choreography. Natalia has had the privilege of working at the Atelier de Paris Carolyn Carlson in Vincennes, France and The Dance Complex in Cambridge, MA. She has also worked with choreographers Jennifer Roberts, Joe Gonzalez, Peter DiMuro, Vanessa White and Molly Wheat. Natalia performs on a freelance basis and choreographs for small projects. Some of her recent credits include choreographing and/or performing in NaChMo Boston, Onstage Dance Company’s “Empower One Another,” the CRLS Modern Dance Company, and the Dance for World Community Festival. She has been teaching ages 3-adult in the greater Boston area as well as virtually since 2011. Natalia is excited to share her Ballet talents in her teaching!
Katie McMorrow, Teacher
Katie is a returning WCDA alumna student and teacher! She graduated from Hamilton College with a degree in Dance and Neuroscience, where she performed with and choreographed for the Hamilton College Dance Team. Katie also studied abroad at the Accademia dell’Arte dance and theater conservatory in Arezzo, Italy with a focus on choreography and modern dance. Katie is now working toward her doctorate in physical therapy at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston. WCDA is excited for all the Katie brings on and off the dancefloor!
Kellcie Teel, Teacher
We are thrilled to welcome back Miss Kellcie! Some of you also know her from the Thoreau or Shaker Lane Schools as Ms. Teel, where she is a special education tutor! Kellcie grew up training at Tammy’s Dance Connection before moving onto the Donna Miceli Dance Center where she also started her dance teacher career. She then went on to receive her B.A. in dance from Dean College. Post college Kellcie has choreographed for pre-professional Boston based company DanceWorks Boston, she is a master teacher and adjudicator for Step Up 2 Dance, stage manager for local benefit showcase Move 4 The Movement, and teaches at other various studios. She had a background in ABA therapy, was a former preschool teacher and is also a personal trainer for TITLE Boxing Club. She can’t wait to work with all the WCDA dancers and families!
Amy VonKahle, Office Administrator
Amy is a life-long WCDA superfan, and is excited to return as an office administrator. She is currently a 3rd grade teacher in Lowell Public Schools.
Caitlin Canty, Guest Teacher
Caitlin is currently pursuing her masters in Dance Education and Choreography at Smith College. As a WCDA 15 year student, alumna and teacher, she will always be close to the WCDA family.
Caitlin studied dance at Colorado College, where she taught ballet and jazz classes through a Colorado Springs nonprofit, KidsInMotion. Caitlin previously lived on Martha’s Vineyard as the Eduction and Community Programs Artist-Intern at The Yard Dance Festival in Chilmark, MA, where she assisted in running their five-week long dance camp under the mentorship of Jesse Keller Jason, The Yard’s Director of Island Programs, and Deborah Damast, professor of dance education at NYU Steinhardt. She also continues to dance professionally in the Boston area. Most recently she has performed with Ruckus Dance, and her own work has been presented at The Dance Complex, Green Street Studios, Third Life Choreographer’s Series, and The Yard.
Maalana Hislop, Teacher
Maalana graduated from Queen Mary University of London with a Bachelors in Global Health and was an active member of the Dance Company, spending a year as Hip Hop Captain and another as President of the society. She taught a range of open Hip Hop, Jazz, and Contemporary classes, and choreographed for the competitive teams. She participated in many regional competitions throughout England, winning “Best Female” twice during her final year of school.
Maddie Gaieski, Teacher
Excited to have Miss Maddie join the WCDA family! Maddie is a professional Hip-Hop dancer, choreographer and educator based out of Boston Ma. Her choreography blends different styles of Hip-Hop to create work that is often high energy, hard hitting and movement that feels good in the body. Her work has been presented throughout Massachusetts and virtually throughout the world. She has performed for DaBaby, Red Bull Dance Your Style, and Tommy the Clown Vs The World. Recently she has been creating dance projects for studios in the New England area while also being a member of Boston’s premier Hip-Hop Company Phunk Phenomenon. Maddie’s goal is to facilitate a safe and open space for students to learn, evolve, and get in touch with their bodies. In her class she starts by introducing students to Hip-Hop history, Elements, and Styles. She aims to challenge students while also giving space to have fun and vibe out!
Cheryl Benjamin, Teacher
Miss Cheryl has been on our faculty for 28 years. In 1985, she became one of the first members of the WCDA Senior Dance Company. Mrs. Benjamin studied dance at the Boston Conservatory of Music. She has taught Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyric and Hip Hop. Mrs. Benjamin also coached competition cheer & dance teams for 5 years, placing First in both local and State competitions.Moriah Kelly-Hildreth, Guest Teacher
Mrs. Kelly-Hildreth has been teaching for more than 15 years and is thrilled to be on faculty at WCDA. She began her teaching career in her childhood dance studio and upon relocating to Boston, went on to head the Dance Department at Riverside Theatre Works in Hyde Park, MA. Along with teaching ballet, tap and jazz, Mrs. Kelly-Hildreth has choreographed for vocal groups and children’s musicals at the theater, and she has taught the summer musical theater classes at The Boston Ballet School. She graduated from Dance Teachers Club of Boston’s Teachers Training school in 1998 and has also completed four years of Dance Masters of America’s Teachers Training School. Mrs. Kelly-Hildreth owned and operated Dance Evolution in Watertown, MA for six years and is looking forward to spending more time with her two children and working at WCDA, closer to her home in Ayer.Jimmy Tran, Guest Teacher
Mr. Tran trained on the professional level in Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Ballroom, and Modern Dance. He has performed at various events and camps, with workshop sessions throughout the Greater Boston area. As a former member of Boston University’s “VIBES” Hip-hop & Reggae dance group and the BU Ballroom dance team, Mr. Tran’s wide variety of dance is displayed in his own stylistic expression which encompasses his well-rounded training. We are excited to have Jimmy as a part of the WCDA family as a guest teacher!Celeste Balboni, Teacher
As a WCDA alumna, Ms. Balboni spent 15 years in the studio studying Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop and Contemporary. During her time at WCDA, Ms. Balboni had the opportunity to attend the Dance Teachers Club of Boston’s Dance Education Training Course, where she graduated with high honors and developed a passion for dance education. Ms. Balboni recently graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelors of Science in Intercultural Communication Studies and Spanish. There, she enjoyed dancing and choreographing for the Miami Motion Dance Team, as well as serving as the club President for four years. When she’s not at the studio, Ms. Balboni works as a marketing research consultant in Boston.
with us!
