696 Dutchess Turnpike
Poughkeepsie NY 12603
845-454-7540
KDA44@msn.com
Kerry's Dance Academy
Season 19
Meet Our KDA Instructors
Kerry Teator
I started dancing at the age of 3. As many of us started this way, my mom took me to class because my sister was already dancing. At a very young age, I was encouraged to try everything and in a short time I was taking every class I could get my hands on or as many as mom would allow me to take each year. At an early age I got involved with many competitions & performances. First I competed in baton twirling competitions with solos, modeling & groups then I started pageants and modeling. I also spent many years in my early teens highly competitive in the sport of Rhythmic Gymnastics competing at the local, regional and national levels. I was a very eager & ambitious dancer and began assisting at the age of 9 and had my own two classes to teach at 13. I was teaching “full time” shortly after. Not only was I going to school and teaching but I was babysitting every chance I got on the weekends and took on a job at “pizza hut”. I tell everyone that because it’s funny. I just wanted a car, doesn’t every teenager? Then, as it was time for college, I knew I wanted my own studio (well, I knew that since I was very young) and studied business in college. From there, I think you get the idea. Work, dedication, and more hard work has brought me to where I am today. I hope from reading this you now have a little insight and can delight in the true passion, love and ambition that I bring to the world of dance and your little stars. Thanks Mom, for bringing me to dance class!
Training:
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Foundation training included ballet & pointe, tap, jazz, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, baton twirling and modeling.
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Dance Educators of America Teacher Training Certification (4 levels)
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Dance Olympus VIP Summer Tour
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Continue to train in NYC with the Master Instructors including, Frank Hatchett, Joe Tremaine, Gus Giordano, instructors from Broadway Dance Center, Steps and various workshops (Nuvo, Jump, Radix, 24/7) across the country.
Teaching:
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34 years teaching experience
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Teaching ages 3 through Adult in ballet, tap, jazz, gymnastics, lyrical, rhythmic gymnastics and baton twirling
Education:
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MBA candidate - Pace University, NYC
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BS in Business Management and Administration, Manga Cum Laude, from Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY
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Inducted into the Delta Mu Delta - business honor society, Deans List and Honor Roll.
Choreography:
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Solo, Duo and Group Choreography for competitions in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, tumbling & musical theatre
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Spackenkill High School’s Spring Musical Productions for 10 years
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Children’s Community Theater productions
Accreditation/Certification:
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Acrobatic Arts Certified (2020)
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World Modeling Association Hall of Fame & Modeling Choreography Achievement Awards
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Dance Educators of America Teaching Accreditation
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CPR & First Aid
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USA Gymnastics Safety Certification Course
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Better Business Bureau
Awards: See our Team page for our current list of special awards and honors.
Kerry also worked as a Director for Dance America/Dance Olympus competitions and conventions across the country and has worked directly under owners Art & Nancy Stone ever since her VIP tour for 15 seasons.
Najea Ashe
Najea joind our teaching staff in 2014 to teach tumbling. She is currently pursuing a Criminal Justice degree at Marist College.
Dulce Belen Estrada
Dulce Belen Estrada is from Poughkeepsie, NY, and has danced here at Kerry's Dance Academy since 2003. She eventually joined the competition team at the age of nine and has recieved many awards from competitions all over the tri-state area. She graduated from Dean College in 2016 with an Associates of Arts in Dance.
As a performer, she has danced in nursing homes, magic shows, Hollywood Studios in Disney World, and more. She was also selected to be a part of the Dean College: Dance Company in 2015 and 2016 where she had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Jeremy Ruth Howes and J.T. Jenkins.
Belen has a great love for all styles of dance, including bachata, merengue, and cumbia. She also enjoys choreographing for Quinceañeras.
She has had the privilege of working and training with amazing choreographers such as Mignon Furman, Brian Santora, Andrea Hammond, and more. Belen is excited to join the KDA staff and hopes to continue inspiring young dancers to express themselves through the beautiful art of dance.
Allie Hammerling
Allie started dancing at the tender age of 3. She has studied numerous forms of dance including Hip Hop, Tap, Jazz, Ballet, and Lyrical. Along with dance, she studied gymnastics for a number of years. In 2003, Allie joined Energy Dance Company where she trained in Reggee, Step Dancing, Break Dancing, Popping & Locking, Salsa other Latin styles, and many more. She has won first place in several local dance competitions as well as National Dance Competitions. In 2014, she competed with Energy Dance Company at the world famous Apollo Theater in Harlem where they won second place.
Allie works part time at Balletomania and teaches dance at several local dance studios. Allie is very excited to be teaching Hip-Hop at Kerry's Dance Academy!
Briana Crawley
Kayla Bowden
Shannon Tirums
Shannon’s dance background started at the age three at JG Dance Arts Center in Hyde Park. She studied dance at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia on a full scholarship where she majored in Jazz.
Shannon has won numerous competitive dance awards at dance competitions and conventions, including Dance Caravan, Dance Educators of America, and Fred Astaire International Dance Competition. She spent many years studying with numerous dance teachers in New York City at Broadway Dance Center. Shannon is excited to share her knowledge and love of dance and performing with the students at Kerry's Dance Academy.