WE DEFINE
Professional TEACHING
We are proud to have a staff of true masters of the dance community teaching at Mainstream Dance Academy. They bring their unparalleled experience and vision into every class, sharing their love of dance with their students. Learn more about some of our staff below.
MEET THE Team
Come dance with us and meet the talented team of instructors at Mainstream Dance Academy. Focusing on teaching exceptional techniques and creating unforgettable experiences, we are committed to our dancers’ satisfaction and success. Continue browsing our staff profiles below to learn more.
MISS JULIE
Owner/Competition Team Director
Jazz/Lyrical/Hip Hop/
Musical Theatre
Julie is the owner of Mainstream and started her dance training at the age of 4. She attended Mason Gross School of Arts at Rutgers University where she was also a member of the D1A Nationally ranked Rutgers University Dance Team.
Julie danced professionally with the NBA as a Nets Dancer and was also represented by Clear Talent Group of NYC where she booked various performances. Some noted performances include a music video with Timbaland and Chris Cornell, a back-up dancer to Veronika Kole and a featured dancer in the Celebrity Fashion Show 'Fashion Gives Back'. As a competitive dance instructor, Julie has won 14 Choreography Awards. Her enthusiasm, expertise in coaching and cleaning dances, and love for her students are just some of the reasons students love learning from her.
MISS TEAGAN
Competition Team/Primas Instructor
Tap/Ballet
Teagan started dancing at the age of 3 at Barton and Williams School of Dance in Stafford, VA. During her 15 years at the studio, she trained in tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, hip hop and pointe, but tap was always her favorite. She was part of their competition team for ten years. Teagan is a graduate of The College of New Jersey where she was a part of the Synergy Dance Company. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate career, she choreographed their tap performances. Teagan has taught tap dance to dancers ages three to seventy. She has taught classes both online and in person for a variety of studios in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area. Teagan has done guest choreography for competition solos and has led tap workshops. She is also featured tap teacher for adults at Powerhouse Dance. When she is not dancing, she teaches high school mathematics.
MISS KIERRA
Competition Team/Leap
Instructor
Hip Hop/Jazz/Lyrical
Kierra is from South Jersey where she has been dancing since the age of two. Her passion for dance drove her to train in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, modern, musical theatre, lyrical, and acro. Kierra has been featured in Matt Steffania's YouTube series Dance Con, ep.4. She started All-Star Dance after high school and placed 1st in the U.S. and 2nd Internationally with her team. She is a dancer with Adrenaline Family as an athlete in Open Co-ed and Open-All Girl. She has choreographed for multiple competition teams along the east coast and has taught an All-Star dance intensive in VA. Most recently, Kierra has won choreography and entertainment awards as an MDA Competition Team Instructor and also is the choreographer to the MDA Performance Team. Kierra also works as a Fitness Professional for kids at Edge Fitness Club in Cherry Hill. She believes dance helped her confidence and discipline and is excited to give the same to her students.
MISS LAUREN
Assistant Competition Team Coach/Leap Instructor
Jazz/Tap/Hip Hop
Lauren has been dancing since age four and has always had a love for dance. While growing up she found a passion for hip hop, lyrical and jazz. She competed for seven years and is a former member of the MDA Competition Team. For the past four years, she has enjoyed teaching the younger students in her spare time at the studio. While competing, she served as a role model for the younger team members. While Lauren was on the MDA Elite team, she won numerous top scores and special judges awards. Lauren is currently attending college for Radiology and will be specializing in Ultra Sound. We are so happy to have Lauren back with us at Mainstream, but this time on staff helping build and shape our students into beautiful dancers.
MISS BRITTANY
Competition Team/Leap Instructor
Ballet/Acro/Lyrical
Brittany is a Philadelphia based performer, choreographer and educator with a BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts. Since starting dance at the age of 3, Brittany has developed a strong and diverse technical background in ballet, modern, and jazz. She has performed numerous works at The Merriam Theatre including most notable "Polka in the Spring" choreographed by Mark Morris, as well as many works performed in the Philly Fringe Festival. Brittany currently dances with Klassic Contemporary Ballet Company. As a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, when outside the studio, Brittany works with dancers to create a strong foundation that will enhance their performance capabilities while avoiding injury. Brittany has been teaching locally for 8 years and now is committed to sharing her passion with students as a dance educator.
MISS AVA
Primas/Leap Instructor
Jazz/Tap/Lyrical
Ava began her dancing career when she was just 15 months old. Over the years she has trained in contemporary, lyrical, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and tap. Ava graduated from Rancocas Valley High School, where she was also the co-captain, and four-year member of their state and nationally ranked dance team. While at RV she added pom and high kick to her dance repertoire. Ava is currently studying cosmetology at Rizzieri Aveda School and is excited to be part of the MDA staff!!
MISS VICTORIA
Primas/Leap Instructor
Ballet/Tap/Contemporary
Victoria began her dance training at age three. During middle school and high school she received numerous scholarships from conventions, while training at University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) and Alvin Ailey. While growing up Victoria found her passion in ballet and contemporary dance, where she performed in over ten Nutcracker Seasons in lead roles. Victoria attended Temple University, where she earned her BBA in Business Management and Minor in Dance. Outside of the studio, Victoria is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Pre and Postnatal Coach. Victoria's love for teaching younger students began at age 14 in her home studio, and she is excited to begin sharing that passion at MDA.
MISS MARY
Leap Instructor
Lyrical/Ballet
Mary started dancing at the young age of four. Training in many genres of dance she found a love and passion for lyrical/contemporary. Mary was on her studios competition team where she received many top scores and special judges awards, as well as being crowned top teen soloist in the lyrical category. She was on her high school dance team, and was part of the Mercer County pre-professional program during her senior year of high school. She has performed at many different festivals throughout the Mercer County area. She started teaching at the age of 15 and continued through out college where she decided to take a different path and become a nurse Currently she works in labor and delivery, has two daughters Adelynn who is now part of the mini competition team at Mainstream Dance Academy and Soleia who will hopefully one day be a little dancer! Mary looks forward to this upcoming season and is excited to learn and grow with all the dancers and staff at MDA.
MISS RAYNA
Leap Instructor
Hip Hop/Lyrical/Contemporary
Rayna started dance when she was seven years old where eventually she competed both independently and with studios. She is trained in hip hop, contemporary, modern, ballet, jazz and tap. Her training has taken her from the East Coast in NYC all the way to the West Coast in California. She has trained with well known choreographers at places like Millenium Dance Complex, BDC and more. Just recently she won a Choreography Award for her Hip Hop Large group at DECA Dance Competition. Rayna teaches dance intensives/showcases at many studios across New Jersey. Her favorite style of dance is hip hop and contemporary! We are so excited to welcome Rayna to the MDA staff.
MISS SIERRA
Business Operations Specialist
Sierra has lived and trained in dance in Pitman, NJ since the age of 2. She has recently completed a dual
degree at Stockton University with a BA in Dance with a concentration in Studio Operations and a BA in Business Studies. During her undergraduate studies Sierra had the opportunity to study under a multitude of professors focusing in various styles of dance, such as ballet, modern, tap,
improvisation, and dance composition. She performed in Stockton Dance Company’s performances all four years of her college experience while also choreographing and participating in student compositional pieces. She held the position of Secretary and Vice
President of Stockton’s Dance Club during her junior and senior year. Sierra is excited to join the MDA staff and family and is looking forward to helping MDA grow.