Faculty

Agnes Strecker is a member of the Dance Master of America, Inc., Dance Educators of America, Inc. and under the instruction of various New York Teachers.

She constantly strives to remain innovative by continuing her education in dance instruction and choregraphy through frequenting conventions and seminars given by some of the top dance personalities in New York.

Melyssa has been teaching dance for fifteen years at the Agnes Strecker Dance Studio and has been a dancer at ASDS for 28 years.  Melyssa also is in her sixth year teaching for Happy Feet, a company that brings dance education to many preschools throughout Massachusetts.

Melyssa has been dancing for the past twenty-six years and is trained in all forms of dance. She completed and is now a member of the Dance Teacher's Club of Boston Teacher Training Program and continues to study by taking classes and participating in conventions.

Melyssa graduated from Revere High School in 1995. She received a B.A. degree in Elementary Education with a second major in Multidisciplinary Studies Surrounding the Visual and Performing Arts from Stonehill College in 1999.

Chad has a master's degree in creative arts education, and currently serves as president of The Winthrop Playmakers. He has choreographed productions of "Nunsense", "Footloose", "Company," and "A Chorus Line". His work on "A Chorus Line" won him the DASH Award for Best Choreographer in Eastern Massachusetts local community theater.

He choreographed a cast of forty-seven in "Seussical the Musical" for an October 2005 production. In addition to his work as a choreographer, Chad has also performed in many local and regional productions including "Godspell", "Cabaret", "Chicago", "Annie", "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown", and "Rocky Horror-Live!"

Chad brings his varied experiences in theater to the Agnes Strecker Dance Studio teaching theater-style jazz classes to teens and adults.

Vanessa has been involved in the dance community for over twenty years. . Many of those years have been with the Agnes Strecker Dance Studio. She as been teaching dance at ASDS for six years. She is thrilled that her daughter, Selena, is now part of our dance family.

Vanessa is licensed as a Kindermusik Educator. Kindermusik focuses on introducing the art of music, movement and dance to the early stages of a child's development.  She has also earned her certification in Zumba.

Vanessa is trained in all of the forms of dance that are offered at the studio. She continues to further her dance knowledge by attending classes and participating in conventions.

Vanessa attended Marian Court College, where she studied Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Management. She not only danced aboard the Norwegian Majesty, but also organized the travelling arrangements for the entire staff and guests.

From 1990 to 1996 Heather taught for the Darla Kash School of Dance, and in 2000 went on to open her own dance studio after attending Point Park college for Dance and Musical Theater. Heather was a member of the Mon Valley Ballet Theater and has performed in the nutcracker as well as Cinderella under the California University of Pennsylvania. Heather has also studied at UNLV and with tap master Henry Le Tang and many Tap sensations of our time. She was also the Choreographer for Monessen High school Group of the Performing arts.

Heather and her daughter Josie just relocated from Hershey PA, to Exter NH. Heather is a former flight attendant for US Airways Express and now works for Core Physcians Group as a medical office coordinator. She is thrilled to be working with everyone at ASDS and sharing her love of dance with all of you!

Phyllis comes to Agnes Strecker Dance Studio from NYC where she has trained with notable tap and jazz instructors such as Lynda Gache, Phil Black, Michael Owends, Gus Giordiano, Frank Hatchett and Celia Marta. She studied Ballet with Anastasia Brusnitsyna, Nadia Zhivotenko and Robert Christopher.

She has taught work shops at St. Paul School as well as a boces Cultural Art Center and has worked with serveral dance organizations.  Her stage work consists of Hello-Broadway and 42nd Street.  She as choreographed the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as well as a portion of the 1996 Super Bowl. 

 Phyllis has had students go on to perform professionally in Stomp, Swing, Tap Dance Kid, Tap Dogs, The Gene Kelly Story, Disney World Japan, Radio City Music Hall Rocketts and the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.  We look forward to having Phyllis share her knowledge and enthusiasm for Tap, Jazz and Hip Hop with our students.
Phyllis currently has a student dancing in High School Musical @ Walt Disney in Floridia and in the Broadway Tour (Revolutions) Tap Show

Magda has been dancing for 35 years. For 8 years, she was a part of a dance academy in Bogota, Colombia, in which she participated in many dance contests. In that dance academy she learned folklore dancing and latin dancing. Afterwards, she taught folklore dancing in a elementry school for 7 years. She came to this America in 1990, and became a Zumba Instructor in Conneticut in 2007. She teaches Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Kalypso, Flamenco, Samba, and Cha-Cha-Cha. Magda has earned her Zumba Certification for Seniors.

She graduated from Everest Institute in Chelsea as a Certified Medical Assistant. When she is not dancing, she is a Medical Assistant for the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center where she is certified to be a EKG Technician and Phlebotomy Technician. She is also Notary Public and an English-Spanish Interpreter.

She enjoys dancing because she thinks it is the best therapy for stress.

Patrice Cowhig is the ASDS yoga teacher. She has been practicing yoga for a number of years. In addition to teaching yoga at the Agnes Strecker Dance Studio, Patrice participates in weekly classes and yearly conventions. Patrice believes that yoga is the fusion of movement and breathe, stretching and strengthening, and energy and relaxation. Yoga is a wonderful way to stay fit, flexible, and relaxed. It helps both the body and mind by introducing breathing techniques, concentration and carefully guided poses to achieve relaxation. Patrice works with each individual's flexibility level because yoga teaches you not to push yourself. Patrice graduated from North Shore Community College with a Physical Therapy Assistant degree. Patrice now works at Laura Lanes Skin Care in Salem, MA as a licensed massage therapist.

Stacie Nardizzi, owner of YogaKids North Shore, is currently wroking toward her 400+ hour Yoga Alliance Certification with YogaKids International.

Stacie has earned her B.A. degree from Scripps College of the Ckaremont College; and a Graduate Certificate of Excellence from The Drama Studio London.

We welcome Sallee Slagle to the Agnes Strecker Dance Studio.  Sallee has been teaching, performing and choreographing professionally for over 20 years.  Since receiving her BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory, she has taught students of all ages and abilities from preschool to professionals. Sallee teaches many dance forms includeing her favorites Modern Dance and Ballet. Sallee has perfromed throughout New England, the Caribbean and abroad with a vatiety of dance companies as well as her own modern company, Forty Steps Dance. Sallee enjoys helping others discover a passion for dance teaching technique along with the artistry of dance.