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| Register Today! |
| 495 Church Street New Bedford, MA (508) 998-7363 |
| Erin Rapoza is the owner and artistic director of DanceXtreme and has over 16 years of dance and 14 years of choreography experience in all subjects of dance. Her choreography has won numerous Judge's awards, as well as top recognition awards at many dance competitions. Her passion for dance and her years of experience teaching to a wide range of ages have helped influence her teaching abilities as a dance instructor. Erin has taken numerous dance and theatre courses at Bridgewater State College and has attended many dance workshops throughout the country to assist with her growth in the dance field and to enhance her choreography skills. Erin also donates her time to Keith Middle School and has been running an after school Hip Hop program there for the past 4 years. She has also worked with disabled children throughout the Dartmouth Public School system. Erin enjoys putting many fundraisers together to help the community and has assisted the following local organizations: the Whaling City Festival, Americas Night Out, the Madeira Feast, Make A Wish Foundation, New Bedford Police Association, Greater New Bedford Community Health Center, the Battered Women's Shelter, and more!! |
| Staff |
| D’Lanor Lee Harris began her training at the age of 7 when she began taking Ballet, Jazz, and Tap at “The Centre of Performing Arts” in Concord, Ma. She received numerous awards as a soloist Jazz dancer. Although she excelled in Jazz, she decided at the age of 9, to move towards becoming a professional Ballerina and began her formal ballet training under Kathryn Anderson and Anne-Marie Sarazin from the Boston ballet. She danced for them under “Acton School of Ballet” and later would join “Commonwealth Civic Ballet Company” under the same direction. Mrs. Harris also at the age of 9 joined “Dance Prism” a Boston-based professional ballet company. She became the youngest company member to be inducted making her professional ballerina at the age of 14. Her soloist roles include Clara in “The Nutcracker”, Alice in “Alice in Wonderland” and Mrs. Mallard in “Make way for Ducklings” Her ballet education continued with training from Walnut Hill School of Arts (Natick Ma.), Boston Ballet (Boston, MA), The Dance Complex (Cambridge, Ma.), and Briansky School of the Arts (Saratoga, NY.). It was there she trained and danced for some of the most famous Ballerinas of today including Darci Kistler, Wendy Whelan, and Jennifer Gelfand. Her teaching Career also began at the age of 14, where she has taught a wide range of ages and classroom sizes. She was responsible for directing regional casts of “The Nutcracker”, and taught for many studios all around the Boston and South Eastern Mass area. Mrs. Harris is a very motivated, creative and insightful dance teacher with many years of experience teaching and choreographing Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Tap and Jazz. She has been teaching children and adults of all ages for 15 years and has been dancing for 22. Her passion for dance, Ballet and all, is noticeable not only in her own career but it spreads to the children she teaches. |
| Amy Mersch started dancing at the age of 4 with Miss Mary's School of Dance. She competed in Dance Olympus and Showstopper competitions winning many regional medals. She went on to compete and win in nationals in Florida and Las Vegas. At the age of 16 she auditioned, and was chosen with only 15 other dancers to join the Dance Olympus Tour across America to help teach and perform. She furthered her education by attending Dean College and graduated with an Associates Degree in Arts. Her training included classes in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, and Modern. While there, she was able to take master classes with numerous people including Disney and the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. She was in Dean's production of Anything Goes and also auditioned and performed various numbers with the Dean Dance Company. Over the past 10 years she has worked with the SSA and SATB show choirs of New Bedford High School who have won numerous awards including top honors for Best Overall Production. She has been teaching for over 13 years and her passion for dance for the past 25 years has led her to share her love for dance and hope to inspire others. |
| Shawn Pacheco has been dancing for 12 years and teaching for 4 years. His training includes Jazz, Tap, Acrobats, Break Dancing, Lyrical, Modern/Contemporary, and Hip Hop. He has choreographed numerous Hip Hop dances for the Xtreme Team that competed in regional and national levels winning many awards including Top Choreography, many Judges Awards, and placing in the Top 3 Overall. Shawn's choreography has received the highest scores at many competitions. He won Jr. Mr. DanceXplosion in 2004 and Runner-up Dancer of the Year at American Dance Awards in 2008. Shawn also won The Dance Spirit Award in 2008 at Step up2 Dance Nationals in New Hampshire. Shawn is captain of the Xtreme Team and has been competing for over 10 years. |
| Megan Rapoza has been dancing for 17 years and teaching for 7 years. She started her training at Kristine Couto's Dance School then went to Susan's Dance Studio, Kelly's Dance Academy, and now DanceXtreme. Megan trains in Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Modern, and Hip Hop. She has competing for over 10 years in many regionals and nationals. Megan has many experience working with children. |
| Junn-Yahh has been dancing for 8 years and teaching for 4 years. He has trained all over the USA, in the streets and in studios. Junn-Yahh has dance styles of Hip Hop, Break Dance, Popping and Locking, Street Jazz, Street Dance and a pinch of Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, and Contemporary. He has won many awards for dance and choreography. Junn-Yahh was on So You Think You Can Dance season 5, Top 5 in the east coast, America's Got Talent season 4, Monster's of Hip Hop's favorite dancer, Americas Best Dance Crew, and many more! |
| Stephanie Farland |
| Diamond-lee Ferrer |
| Tara Hobson |
| All have training in many subjects including Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Acrobats, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Break Dancing, Modern. They are all members of the Xtreme team and have competed in many regionals and nationals such has Step Up2 Dance, National Dance Showcase, Starbound, American Dance Awards, and more winning numerous Judges Awards and Top Overall Scoring awards. |
| Mikayla Lapre |
| Cassie Tavares |
Student Teachers