Carroll Manor Dance Staff

(2010-2011)

Melissa S. Heick

(Artistic Director & Instructor) began her studies at local recreation and park programs at 4 years of age. She has been teaching and choreographing for 12years. Melissa has studied dance at the Peabody Institute, The Dance Studio, Bethesda Dance Studio, The Broadway Dance Center, Towson University, Steps, and other dance studios around the USA. Mrs. Heick has also graced the playing fields of the Baltimore Ravens as an NFL Dance Team member. After performing for one season she then assisted as a guest choreographer. Mrs. Heick was fortunate to have been casted in the well-known musical Fame. She has taught at many schools around the Baltimore, Washington area and is currently the proud artistic director of Carroll Manor Dance. Recently, Melissa volunteered her time for a dance ministry at Community Christian Church where her faith and passion for dance shined. She has attended many competitions around the USA. However, she strongly believes that dance is not a competition, but is an art form. She feels that students should compete only with themselves to achieve a perfect balance of creativity, style, strength, and grace. Mrs. Heick's number one goal is that every student, regardless of his or her ability, should receive the best possible training. The faculty at Carroll Manor takes pride in her philosophy. Her passion to teach students of all ages, with high standards of style and technique shines daily. Mrs. Heick and her husband are anticipating the new arrival of their baby boy this September 2010! Keep an eye for more updates.

Ashley Kathryn Henschen

(Dance Instructor) began her training at Towson University's Children's Dance Division where she was a member of both of their performing companies and had the opportunity to perform with the Moscow Ballet. She later attended Towson University on scholarship. She graduated with Honors, with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance in May 2006. Kathryn spent summers at Baltimore Ballet and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. She is currently a trainee with the Baltimore Ballet, a dancer for the Howard County Ballet and takes class with the apprentices of the Richmond Ballet. She has danced lead and soloist roles in 'The Nutcracker,' 'Raymonda,' and various contemporary works. She has been accepted into summer programs for Richmond Ballet, Ballet Austin and Nashville Ballet (with a scholarship) and was a semi-finalist as a Maryland Distinguished Scholar of the Arts.

Ashley Inman

(Dance Instructor) her passion for dance began in elementary school when she first enrolled in an after-school dance program. Stemming from that first experience, Ashley's studies in dance progressed as she got older when she started dancing at New Castle Dance Academy (Newark, DE, 1998-2007). During her ten years at the dance academy, she performed in every annual recital as well as achieving numerous roles in the studio's annual Nutcracker production. In 2001, Ashley was selected to be a member of the Diamond Cut Dancers (2001-2004). As a member, she competed in several dance competitions such as Starpower and International Dance Competition, where the team received several awards. Ashley has also performed for much larger audiences in Disney World (2004) and in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2004 and 2009). Upon arriving at college, she has continued taking dance classes at Towson University and A Step Ahead Dance Center. While being a dancer at heart, Ashley also prides herself at being a musician and enjoys participating in the dramatic arts.

Alyssa Edwards

(Dance Instructor) began taking dance at the young age of 4 at Carroll Manor Recreation Council. She has been taking dance classes with us for over 13 years and has enjoyed every moment of it. During her time here she was also an on-stage helper during recital time for the younger children and helped out in any way possible. Alyssa was also a part of Dulaney High School's after school Dance Team which she had to audition to be a part of. She performed at the football, basketball, and lacrosse games, where she had to practice frequently, along with being committed to CMRC Company Level Four. Unfortunately, Alyssa had to leave our program when she graduated from high school in 2007 but she never gave up dancing. She is currently a senior at Towson University and is planning on graduating this coming May with a degree in Applied Mathematics. Along with all her math classes, she also continues to take many dance classes at Towson when her schedule allots for it. Alyssa has also been working with young children since she was in middle school; volunteering at her church by teaching Sunday School for many years along with vacation bible school. She is very excited to be a part of Carroll Manor Dance again and can't wait to start teaching!

Alexa Conway

(Dance Instructor) grew up training at Mid-Atlantic Center for the Performing Arts. While finishing her training at MCPA, she attended summer intensives such Tremaine Summer Dance Intensive and Jazz Dance World Congress. Upon graduating, she attended Manhattanville College in New York where she performed in works by Barbara Duffy, Neta Pulvermacher, and Doug Elkins. In 2007, she transferred to Towson University where she has studied with Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, former soloist from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, as well as Vincent E. Thomas, founder of VTDance out of Washington D.C. Alexa was also one of ten choreographers chosen nationwide in the Young Choreographers Festival in New York City. She is completing her B.F.A. degree in Dance Performance with a K-12 Teaching Certification.

Brittany Ryan

(Dance Instructor) love for dance began 16 years ago when she started attending class at Carroll Manor Dance Recreation Program. She attended CMRC dance for 15 years (1994-2009). She had the awesome experience of performing The Nutcracker with the Internationally Acclaimed Donetsk Ballet in 2000. Miss Brittany has always enjoyed performing on stage including involvement in her middle and high school musicals. In 2004 she became an assistant dance teacher at CMRC and began her passion for teaching dance. Miss Brittany is now a student at York College of Pennsylvania where she continues to take dance classes and study Public Relations. This year she is very excited to start her second year teaching at York Dance Arts, in York, PA, and to return this year as an instructor at CMRC.

Angela Jachelski

(Dance Instructor) has been teaching dance classes in Baltimore County for over 12 years and has enjoyed every minute of it. Ms. Angela began her study of dance with Baltimore County Recreation Counsel at the age of 3 and continued to learn and develop her art as a student at Carver Center for Arts and Technology as well as while taking dance classes at Towson University. Ms. Angela has performed in many dance concerts as well as productions of the Nutcracker and Anything Goes. In addition to teaching dance class, Ms. Angela works full time as a licensed Social Worker and enjoys spending her free time with friends and family.

Lisa Roten

(Dance Instructor) Coming Soon!

Cecelia (CJ) Muscarella

(Dance Instructor) grew up in Long Island, New York were her dance training began at the age of 3. She has attended Silva Dance Academy, Body Language Dance Studio, Long Island High School for the Arts and is currently enrolled at Towson University studying dance performance and education. She was trained in the Royal Academy of Dance (R.A.D.) method of ballet and has a background in jazz, hip-hop, modern, tap, lyrical, african, and ballroom styles of dance. She was a member and a captain of Mepham High School's kickline team the "Pirettes" who won Long Island Champions in various events, 3 years in a row. She has competed in several competitions along the Eastern Coast and received the Unsung Hero Award from the women's athletic teams of her high school. She has been a part of various musical performances such as "The Music Man" and "Guys and Dolls" as the choregrapher and has been teaching and choreographing for the Parkville Recreation Center's Dance X-treme for the past 2 years

Megan Maas, Becca McDevitt, Julie Giannino and Lindsay Edwards

(Dance Assistants) All three girls are in Company Level Four (tap and jazz) and take our highest level of Pointe (ballet four). Each assistant helps with choreography, placement, costumes, and much much more. We are very fortunate to have such wonderful assistants.

Lisa Dever, Joan Harris, and Moire Riley

(Co- Chair) Each of the ladies mentioned above are VOLUNTEER mothers and work all year to help our dance program. They help with everything from registration, costumes, treasury, parent concerns, recital, etc… without them we would not have this program! Again we are VERY fortunate to have such wonderful chair mothers.

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The staff at Carroll Manor Dance is very caring and devoted. Many of the teachers not only have extensive dance backgrounds, but also have college degrees- many in the field of dance education. We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful staff here at Carroll Manor Dance.