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OUR TEAM
At Dance Force, our team of dedicated and caring instructors place an emphasis on having fun while learning. We believe that each dancer is a star and deserves individual attention as we help them build their self-esteem.
Take a look at the experienced and accomplished individuals below that we are proud to have as a part of our Dance Force family!
Therese Peck
Therese has been with Dance Force since 2005. She was graduated from SUNY Brockport, where she had the privilege to dance with Clyde Morgan, Bill Evans and Wallie Wulfgruber.
Peck has a degree in Dance and Interdisciplinary Arts for Children with a concentration in children's dance. She has studied Tap, Ballet, Irish Step, Jazz, Musical Theater, and Modern. Therese interned with the NYS Theater Institute, which introduced her to choreographing for the stage. She has choreographed for several local school districts as well as several local theatre companies and holds a M.S. in Childhood and Special Education, working as a full-time special education teacher.
She stays up to date with dance and choreography through Brockport Alumni workshops, CLI studios, Ballettogether, and local college workshops and classes. Therese is also a mother of 3!
Cara DeMeo
Cara is the founder of Dance Force and has been the studio's director for 25 years!
At Dance Force Cara teaches at the Rotterdam location and manages both Rotterdam and Amsterdam’s locations. She began dancing at the age of 5 and has studied dance ever since. She is proficient in all areas of dance and loves the expressive outlet it brings to all.
Cara herself was a competitive dancer winning many top awards, one she’s most proud of was “NY Most Well Rounded Dancer” having to win all 4 divisions in Jazz, Lyrical, Tap and Open. She began teaching at age 14 and opened Dance Force at age 17. Cara’s teaching style is laid back but structured and always making it priority to learn and have fun at the same time. She has been fortunate to choreograph for commercials, TV shows and off Broadway shows and theater groups.
She has hosted many event fundraisers for Cancer Society (founder of Entertaining for a Cure) Humane Society, AIDS and many more, giving back to the community is always a priority. Dance Force is now an active member of “National Dance Education Organization” where Cara does continuing Ed along w it’s Musicworks, Dance Life and CLI.
Cara herself has two amazing children, 14 year old Mia and 1 year old Luca, they are her everything in life. She is continually proud of how DF has grown and sculpted so many tiny dancers into beautiful young adults.
Sara Senecal
Sara has been teaching at Dance Force since 2011. She has an MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University and a BA in Dance and Minor in Education from the University at Buffalo. Sara is Artist in Residence at Russell Sage College, teaching dance courses and organizing the dance minor at RSC.
She has been a professional modern dancer and arts education coordinator with the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company since 2010, performing around the Northeast. She has presented her own professional choreography at theaters such as Poets Den in Harlem, Carrier Theater in Syracuse, Spa Little Theater in Saratoga, The Egg PAC in Albany, among others.
Sara loves teaching students of all ages and abilities! From teaching ballet technique at Dance Force to developing and teaching creative movement workshops for adults and students with developmental disabilities at the Center for Disability Services, she is able to share her love of movement with all, believing dance is for everybody!
She and her husband, Andrew, live in Troy with their cat, Martha, named after famous dancer/choreographer Martah Graham!
Jen Bargy
Jen studied tap, jazz, ballet, gymnastics, lyrical and baton at a local dance studio in Schenectady and competed nationally throughout her childhood.
She credits her dance education to a teacher who focused on the technical aspects of ballet, taking ballet three times a week and the encouragement of amazing peers that she currently has the pleasure of teaching with now at Dance Force many years later.
After taking several years off to focus on her four children and a full-time job, Jen has returned to Dance Force to join the gymnastics team.
Laura Marra
Laura began dancing at the young age of 3 and has many years of experience studying gymnastics, tap, jazz, ballet, baton, and musical theatre both recreationally and competitively.
Laura has been teaching at Dance Force since 2006 and loves teaching and sharing her love and passion for dance and gymnastics with her students. Laura graduated from Plymouth State University with a B.A in Creative Arts Therapy and Dance and holds a M.S in Counseling and Community Psychology.
Laura is also very involved with local community musical theatre where she has performed in 30+ local productions with numerous different theatre companies. Laura has also choreographed several local musical theatre productions for which she received a TANYS award for choreography. Laura is the mother of three wonderful daughters and works as a Supervisor for Schenectady County Children and Family Services as well as owner and cake decorator of Heavenly Sweets.
When not teaching and dancing, Laura also enjoys singing, baking, traveling and spending time with her family.
Danielle Reali
Danielle started dancing at the age of 3 and competing at the age of 6. She has many years of experience in Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical and Ballet.
Danielle graduated from LeMoyne College in Syracuse in 2013 where she was a member of the LeMoyne
Student Dance Company. She choreographed for 3 years and was named head choreographer her senior year. Danielle is currently a Category Manager at the Golub Corporation (Price Chopper/M32 Supermarkets) in Schenectady.
When she is not working or teaching, she is spending time with her boyfriend and her puppy, Sal! She is excited to share her love and passion for dance in her 8th year teaching at Dance Force!
Trisha Roth
Trisha has been teaching for Dance Force for 8 years. She teaches ballet and gymnastics at the Amsterdam Studio. She also teaches creative movement and dance for children with special needs at the Rotterdam location.
Trisha is excited to teach ballet and tap at the Rotterdam location beginning this year. Trisha has two daughters, Shauna and Brianna that have grown up dancing at Dance Force. When she’s not teaching dance, Trisha is a kindergarten special education teacher.
She is also the founder and director of Schalmont Youth Cheer and Dance. Fun fact: Trisha first met Cara at the dance studio when they were in elementary school.
Jackie Stark
Jackie has been teaching for over 20 years at Dance Force and over 10 years in the fitness industry personal training & teaching group classes.
She is dedicated to taking continuing education to both grow as a teacher & help her students grow as dancers!
Heather Sheehan-Pielo
Dance has always been a part of Heather's life because for generations it was in her family and passed down. She started dancing at the age of 2 and never looked back.
Over the years Heather has danced both for recreational reasons as well as participated in numerous local, regional, and national dance competitions. She started teaching her own dance classes at age 15 and taught recreational and competitive level dancers ages 2 and up.
After high school, Heather received her A.A.S. Degree in Early Childhood Education. She went on to open a successful dance studio of her own for 17 years, and makes custom/semi custom dance costumes.
She is currently in the process of starting her own custom costume supplies business and enjoys teaching at various local studios to continue her love of dance and teaching!
Michelle Pawlik
Michelle started dancing at the age of 3. She has studied Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Modern and Musical Theater.
She danced for her high school and college dance team, and performed in many musical theaters shows such as Chicago, On The Town and Damn Yankee.
She was a Dance Force competitve dancer and made it full circle by teaching competitive dance at Dance Force. She also attended multiple workshop in NYC with the NYC Rockettes.
Chel works for the City of Amsterdam Tourism Marketing & Recreation Department as the Assistant Director and she has two beautiful little girls.
Chel will be entering her 9th year teaching at Dance Force and she is excited to share her love and passion for dance with all of her students.
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Evan Buess
Brittany Moeske
Susan Dygon
Mia Jones
Lexi Grant
Maddie Jerard
Karen Gilot