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Star Dance Center has been under the new ownership of Joe & Erin Sanfelippo since 2005. Since that time, enrollment has tripled and a new studio has been added to accommodate the tremendous growth. Both professional performers from Los Angeles, Erin and Joe believe it is possible to provide quality dance training while having fun at the same time. We offer the largest variety of classes in the Santa Clarita Valley, ranging from dance to musical theater to piano to cheerleading to tumbling. And that’s not all! We provide a family friendly atmosphere and two recitals a year to offer our students numerous opportunities to perform. Our teachers are of the highest quality and stand by our positive, self esteem building philosophy. Whether your child is looking to dance for fun or become a professional, we have classes for everyone ages two to adult.

We look forward to seeing you at Star Dance!

 

Star Dance Center owners Joe & Erin Sanfelippo

 
Faculty Bios

Erin Sanfelippo- Owner and Artistic Director Miss Erin has been teaching dance and musical theater throughout Southern California for 15 years. She has been featured in both Dance Teacher and Dance Studio Life magazines. After graduating from UCLA's School of Theater, Film & Television, Erin pursued her career in theater and television, appearing in various commercials, original cast album recordings, live performances for Disney, various Civic Light Operas, working with such celebrities as Fred Willard, Jim J. Bullock, Nancy Dussault, and many other Broadway and television stars. Since taking over Star Dance Center with her husband in 2005, with the help of their staff, they have watched their business grow as they continue to pass along their love for the performing arts to their students.	Erin Sanfelippo Owner/Director, Tap/Ballet Combination  Instructor
Cherlyann Grasso- Recreational Instructor Miss Cherylann began as an assistant teacher at age 14. By the age of 17 she had her very own successful classes. Cherylann has taught at numerous dance studios coast to coast.  For the past 10 years she has taught dance in Los Angeles. Presently she teaches tap for West LA College and Academy of Dance. Also, Cherylann is the dance director for the young children's dance program at YMCA Culver-Palms. She also received certification of completion for preschool dance curriculum at the Royal Academy of Dance. The most current class she has created is the "Mommy 'n Me Toes & Taps" at Star Dance Center. This class is her very favorite. The children and parents alike experience an energetic curriculum with many different kinds of music genres. Locomotor and Non-locomotor skills are introduced with fun and innovative props, with a concentration on rhythm and movement.	Cherlyann Grasso Mommy & Me, Tiny Stars, Tap/Ballet Combination, Adult Tap Instructor
Christina Noland- Dance Teams & Recreational Instructor Miss Christina loves to dance! She is truly grateful to have been blessed by God with such a gift that enables her to feel such a happiness. She started taking dance class at 7 years of age, training in Tap, Jazz, Ballet and Tahitian. Her love for God and dance are one in the same for He is her true reason dancing. She is thankful for the opportunity to share what she loves to do with others and hopes to be an inspiration. One day you'll see her on Broadway!	Christina Noland Tap, Jazz, Dance Team Instructor
Sommer Thome- Recreation Instructor Originally from Vancouver, B.C., Sommer has trained extensively in the disciplines of Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, and Hip Hop since childhood. Her training has taken her up and down the West Coast and across the country to New York City. Sommer holds her B.F.A. with a major in Dance from Simon Fraser University. She has danced with the Vogue Tap Troupe, Kokoro Dance, Coriograph Theater, and Full Performing Bodies. She has also performed in various shows for 12 Minutes Max, Urban Flow Productions, Cardinal Productions, and PerformArt Collab. Sommer has appeared in fashion shows for MAC Cosmetics and for Point in Time and has choreographed the Port Moody Arts Center Annual Wearable Arts Awards Show for the last 4 years. Sommer has been teaching and choreographing for over 10 years and is thrilled to have joined the teaching staff at Star Dance!	Sommer Thome Tiny Stars Combo, Princess Ballet Instructor
Lindsey Glick- Dance Teams & Recreational Instructor Miss Lindsey is a Competition Judge for MOVE and Dance Rave Competitions. She is an EDGE Performing Arts Center scholarship recipient and award winning choreographer for numerous dance teams. Miss Lindsey's many credits include stage, industrials, print, and tours.	Lindsey Glick      Tap, Dance Team Instructor
Andre Perez- Boys teams and Recreational Instructor Andre brings great enthusiasm and a wonderful energy to everything he does. He has studied at The Edge with Debbie Allen, and trained with original lockmaster, Richie Rich, as well as "Poppin Pete." Andre has also toured and worked with artists such as Christina Milian and Missy Elliott, amongst others. He has choreographed pieces for Hip-Hop International, Team Kids, and summer dance camps and shows.	Andre Perez      Boys Hip Hop/Break, Teen/Adult Hip Hop Instructor
Sandra McCoy- Team Tumbling & Recreational Instructor Sandra has been dancing and doing gymnastics since she was 8 years old. After graduating college (with a Minor degree in Dance), she moved to Los Angeles to begin a professional career. Since then, Sandra has performed in several commercials, music videos, television shows and films, and was a member of the 2002-2003 Los Angeles Laker Girls! However, teaching children has always been her first love, and she is extremely grateful and honored to have the opportunity to share her enthusiasm for dance with such wonderful people at such a well-founded studio! Thank you Star Dance for being an incredible blessing!	Sandra McCoy    Tumbling, Ballet/Tap/Jazz Instructor
Maria Carmen Diaz-Estorga- Dance Teams Director & Recreational Mrs. Maria started performing at the age of 3. As a child, she loved participating in dance competitions and conventions. At the age of 19, she won a dance scholarship to study in Los Angeles at Tremaine, under the direction of prestigious choreographers in the entertainment business. Since then she has danced with artists such as Usher, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys (The Grammy’s), Brian McKnight, The Backstreet Boys, & P-Diddy, just to name a few. Maria has also done over a dozen national commercials, which include, Dr. Pepper, Mc Donald’s, Carl’s Jr, Bally’s Total Fitness, & Pepsi. Besides dancing, she launched her career as an actress guest starring on award winning shows such as, Ghost Whisperer, Lincoln Heights, Six Feet Under, Nip/Tuck, The Division, & Strong Medicine.  Her film credits include, Bring it On Again, Love Don’t Cost a Thing, What’s Cooking, The Elian Gonzalez Story, & Hot Chick. Maria Carmen also graduated from CSLA with her B. A. in Child Development!	Maria Diaz Dance Team, Hip Hop, Tap/Ballet Combination Instructor
Mechelle Ferris-Dance Teams & Recreational Instructor Miss Mechelle was born in the Virgin Islands and began dancing at the age of 5. At the age of 7 she was accepted into the St. Thomas Performing Arts Company and continued to dance with them until age 16. During this time she learned and performed various dances; tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, and ballet.  At age 18 Miss Mechelle relocated to California. Mechelle furthered her dance education in college and taught at various dance schools. For the last 8 years, Miss Mechelle has been teaching our award winning Hip Hop and Production Teams here at Star Dance, leading her Adult Hip Hop Team to win 1st Place at the 2005 Kids Artistic Review National Dance Championships in Las Vegas. Miss Mechelle is also a proud mother to her 3 beautiful children, Justyce, Chance and Estrella.	Mechelle Ferris Hip Hop, Tap, Dance Team Instructor
Suzette Marechal- Recreational Instructor Ms Suzette began ballet classes at age 11. She was trained in classical ballet at the Washington School of Ballet in Washington, D.C. by the late Mary Day, Martin Buckner, and Choo San Goh. She also trained at The Joffrey Ballet in New York City, and the prestigious Julliard in NYC. She has her Royal Academy of Dance (England) certification grades pre-primary to Grade 5 and Grades 1-3 in the Cecchetti (Italian) Method. She danced with the Washington Ballet, the Los Angeles Ballet and Ballet Ecarte. She has also performed with the Culver City Civic Light Opera. Her teaching and choreography methods are drawn from the many styles she has studied over the past 33 years.  Miss Suzette is mother to son, Oliver. Her early years were spent on an 85-acre horse ranch in the mountains of Virginia.	Suzette Marechal Ballet Instructor
Penni Vazquez- Team Technique & Recreational Instructor Raised in Northern California, Penni trained in ballet for 10 years then moved onto competitive jazz. She moved to Los Angeles in 2002 to become a professional dancer. She's trained at Millenium, Edge and Debbie Reynold's Dance Studios since 2002. One of her biggest goals as a dancer was to work with Britney Spears. With a lot of hard work, she danced in Britney's Onynx promo tour in 2003. Since then she has toured with Paulina Rubio, Toni Braxton, promo tour with Miley Cyrus and Mariah Carey. She has worked with Missy Elliot, Madonna, Raven Simone, Groovaloos and Nickelodeon's Fresh Beat Band and Victorious show to name a few. She feels blessed to have had the career she has had and now wishes to pass it on to the next generations.	Penni Vazquez  Hip Hop, Ballet/Tap  Combination,    Team Instructor
Merrideth Lesyshyn- Instructor and Office Manager Miss Merrideth is a graduate of Bard College with a degree in dance and choreography. She has first year certification from Dance Educators of America and has trained with Arthur Murray Studios teacher training program, US Latin champion Melissa Dexter, and the Boston Conservatory. She has performed in films and stage productions and has been teaching all over the country for over 20 years. Merrideth has worked with award winning dance companies as a coach and choreographer. Her choreography was featured in a showcase in NY where she performed with her daughter. She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and has trained as an instructor in both TKD and Karate.  Merrideth is also co-owner of Less is More Productions.	Merrideth Lesyshyn Office Manager, Ballroom, Musical Theater, Contemporary, Hip Hop/Jazz, Ballet/Tap Combination Class, Ballet/Pointe Instructor
Mindy Blank- Dance Team Instructor  Born and raised in Santa Clarita, Miss Mindy began teaching at Star Dance in 2005, instructing tap, jazz and lyrical numbers for our dance competition teams. Miss Mindy moved to Colorado in 2008, where she led her dancers at Danza Dance Academy to win platinum and 1st Overall with her junior lyrical piece "Favorite Things." Miss Mindy has trained at Millenium, the Edge, and Tremaine with great master teachers and choreographers Laurie Johnson and Desiree Robbins. Miss Mindy is now back in Santa Clarita and we are so happy to have her teaching once again here at Star!	Mindy Blank Dance Team Instructor
Brittany Brewer - Desk Receptionist & Instructor Miss Brittany has been dancing & performing since the age of 3. All throughout high school, she competed on various dance teams here at Star Dance Center, including the Senior Jazz, Lyrical, Tap & Production teams. She also danced on the West Ranch Dance Team for three years, and served her last year on team as a Senior Captain. Miss Brittany is now majoring in Psychology at College of the Canyons, and plans on someday becoming a Psychiatrist. She is very honored to have the opportunity to work in a place so dear to her heart and is very excited to share her passion for dancing with her students.	Brittany Brewer Desk Receptionist, Zumba Instructor, Ballet/Tap Combo Instructor
Toni Floyd - Dance Team Ballet Instructor Mrs. Floyd has trained extensively in classical ballet with world renowned dancers and instructors. She received numerous ballet scholarships for such programs as: Summer Dance Lab at Whitman College, Ballet Oregon, and the school of the Joffrey Ballet in NYC, where she was an assistant teacher in children's ballet classes. As a professional dancer Mrs. Floyd worked as a singer, actor and contemporary dancer in muscial theater productions, theme parks and song and dance reviews in Japan, Bangkok, Reno, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and on Norwegian Cruise Lines in the Carribean. Mrs. Floyd began training as a ballet instructor at the age of 13 and has since taught for dance schools, intensives and master classes in Nevada, Texas, Oregon, Alaska and California. She teaches all levels of ballet, from very beginner to professionals, with speciality areas of pointe and partnering. She is very passionate about dance and helping dancers to grow in their art and craft. Mrs. Floyd has called Santa Clarita home since 2003 and lives here with her husband and three children.	Toni Floyd Dance Team Ballet Instructor

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