Staff
Liz Perez
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Liz, who’s involvement in the arts spans over 3 decades, has studied with industry greats, such as, Dave Russel, Sheila Barker, Frank Hatchet and Germaine Salsberg. Lizzie is currently an Assistant Director/ Head Judge for Dancers Inc Competitions travelling throughout the country adjudicating young dancers. As a singer, Lizzie released a 12 inch single Titled, Not Gonna Be the One on Renegade Records. She also currently enjoys performing with various Wedding and Cover Bands. In Theatre, some of her favorite roles have been Miss. Hannigan in Annie and Anita in West Side Story. She has been awarded numerous choreography awards over the past twenty years. She has also choreographed several pre-professional musicals throughout NJ and enjoys teaching Master Classes throughout the country. Several of her students have gone on to perform on Broadway, at Radio City, in LA and can be seen on Glee. Lizzie is certified by both DMA and DEA, and in addition, works for the Passaic Public School System.
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Ezequiel "Eezy" Olivares
Ezequiel, known as Eezy, is a hip hop Dancer who has been a member of the Kozmic Edge Dance Company and is currently the Vice President of the William Paterson Dance Team. He trains in various styles and has performed in World of Dance Boston and World of Dance New Jersey. He has also been featured in performances at NJPAC and Carnival, NYC. He is known for his energetic and vibrant approach to teaching and is excited to share this next Season with our students.
Ezequiel, known as Eezy, is a hip hop Dancer who has been a member of the Kozmic Edge Dance Company and is currently the Vice President of the William Paterson Dance Team. He trains in various styles and has performed in World of Dance Boston and World of Dance New Jersey. He has also been featured in performances at NJPAC and Carnival, NYC. He is known for his energetic and vibrant approach to teaching and is excited to share this next Season with our students.
Serena Ryan Cruz
Serena has been dancing since the age of 2 and a half and is a well rounded dancer who studied Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Acro and Tap. She grew up Competing, has earned Top Overall Awards and holds many National Titles. Currently, Serena travels as a Backstage Manager for Dancer's Inc and also represents EMPIRE as an Ambassador of Dance with Dancer's Inc. Her bubbly personality coupled with her passion and knowledge of Dance makes her an outstanding educator and mentor to our Recreational and Company students.
Serena has been dancing since the age of 2 and a half and is a well rounded dancer who studied Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Acro and Tap. She grew up Competing, has earned Top Overall Awards and holds many National Titles. Currently, Serena travels as a Backstage Manager for Dancer's Inc and also represents EMPIRE as an Ambassador of Dance with Dancer's Inc. Her bubbly personality coupled with her passion and knowledge of Dance makes her an outstanding educator and mentor to our Recreational and Company students.
DOUGIE ROBBINS
Dougie loves to share his passion for Dance and Theatre with audiences wherever he goes- most recently directing and choreographing in Taipei! He has also recently had the pleasure of assistant directing the 40th anniversary concert of They're Playing Our Song at the Music Box Theater on Broadway. He is currently directing and choreographing Joseph...Dreamcoat at the national historic landmark Tibbits Opera House. This year he was fortunate enough to bring his theater dance company, DPRdance, to its first off-broadway performance in spring of 2019. Other choreographic and directive credits include: Footloose (BroadwayWorld Nomination), Addams Family (Wilde Nomination) and Peter Pan (Wilde Nomination). He loves teaching and has helped bring the joy of theater and dance to students across the country and internationally.
Dougie loves to share his passion for Dance and Theatre with audiences wherever he goes- most recently directing and choreographing in Taipei! He has also recently had the pleasure of assistant directing the 40th anniversary concert of They're Playing Our Song at the Music Box Theater on Broadway. He is currently directing and choreographing Joseph...Dreamcoat at the national historic landmark Tibbits Opera House. This year he was fortunate enough to bring his theater dance company, DPRdance, to its first off-broadway performance in spring of 2019. Other choreographic and directive credits include: Footloose (BroadwayWorld Nomination), Addams Family (Wilde Nomination) and Peter Pan (Wilde Nomination). He loves teaching and has helped bring the joy of theater and dance to students across the country and internationally.
Emily D' Angelo
Emily D’Angelo is a senior member of The Isadora Duncan Dance Company in New York City. For more than 10 years Emily has taught ballet at many studios, including Dance Xplosion, Theatre Arts Dance America, For Dancers Only, and East Coast Movement. Emily also teaches Isadora Duncan technique in New York City and as a visiting artist at schools internationally. Emily was introduced to dance through the performing arts programs in Montclair, NJ. She began formal ballet training at the Montclair Ballet School with Pauline Andrey and continued at Theatre Arts Dance America in Verona, NJ with Buddy Balou’ and Elaine Kudo. Emily went on to graduate with a B.A. in Dance and Education from Barnard College.
Emily D’Angelo is a senior member of The Isadora Duncan Dance Company in New York City. For more than 10 years Emily has taught ballet at many studios, including Dance Xplosion, Theatre Arts Dance America, For Dancers Only, and East Coast Movement. Emily also teaches Isadora Duncan technique in New York City and as a visiting artist at schools internationally. Emily was introduced to dance through the performing arts programs in Montclair, NJ. She began formal ballet training at the Montclair Ballet School with Pauline Andrey and continued at Theatre Arts Dance America in Verona, NJ with Buddy Balou’ and Elaine Kudo. Emily went on to graduate with a B.A. in Dance and Education from Barnard College.
Shannon Johnston
Shannon has been teaching acrobatics and many styles of dance for 10 years at studios all over in New Jersey. She studied dance and acrobatics at local studio, participating in various competitions over the years. In 2010, Shannon was awarded the national title of Miss Acrobat of the United States through United States Tournament of Dance. She continued her dance and pedagogy training at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts for dance, with a minor in psychology, as well as her Master of Education. She is a New Jersey Certified Teacher of Dance and Teacher of Students with Disabilities. In 2018, Shannon completed her training as an Acrobatic Arts instructor, which provided a dance based, wholesome approach to using the different parts of acrobatics in a studio setting. Shannon is also a certified Rhythm Works Integrated Dance Instructor.
Shannon has been teaching acrobatics and many styles of dance for 10 years at studios all over in New Jersey. She studied dance and acrobatics at local studio, participating in various competitions over the years. In 2010, Shannon was awarded the national title of Miss Acrobat of the United States through United States Tournament of Dance. She continued her dance and pedagogy training at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts for dance, with a minor in psychology, as well as her Master of Education. She is a New Jersey Certified Teacher of Dance and Teacher of Students with Disabilities. In 2018, Shannon completed her training as an Acrobatic Arts instructor, which provided a dance based, wholesome approach to using the different parts of acrobatics in a studio setting. Shannon is also a certified Rhythm Works Integrated Dance Instructor.
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Josh Zacher
Josh Zacher is an NYC based dancer, actor, teacher, writer, and choreographer. A proud native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Josh holds a BFA in Drama (with Honors) from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and is a graduate of both the Broadway Dance Center Summer Professional Semester and the University of Michigan Summer Dance Institute. As a performer, Josh played Larry in the national/international tour of A Chorus Line, which included a sold out run in Tokyo. Josh was also in the world premiere cast of the musical version of the beloved children’s book The Elf on the Shelf. Josh has appeared as Baby John in various productions of West Side Story all over the country. His other favorite performance credits include Newsies (Henry, Spot Conlon), Young Frankenstein (Telegraph Boy), The Music Man (Tommy Djilas), Peter Pan (Slightly), The Little Mermaid (Jetsam), and The Wizard of Oz (Nikko). On camera, Josh can be seen on the NBC series Rise as well as MTV’s TRL, Live! With Regis and Kelly, and Dance Moms. Josh is also a founding company member of American Musical Theatre Dance Company, which debuted in Beijing, China in January 2017. Josh is a teaching assistant at Ballet Tech, The New York City Public School for Dance in Manhattan and also teaches and choreographs for Man in Motion, a network of male dance teachers delivering excellence in dance education to the tri-state area and beyond. www.josh-zacher.com |
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Brad Trump
Brad Trump is thrilled to be joining the 2020-2021 teaching team at Empire School of Performing Arts. Now based in NYC, Brad originally hails from Pittsburgh, PA where he received his training from the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School and Point Park University before heading off to finish his secondary dance education at the Joffrey Ballet School NYC. His performance credits include: CATS 30th Anniversary National Tour, Newsies (Finch), Mary Poppins (Neleus), A Christmas Carol, Spamalot, Grease, Oklahoma!, Joseph/Dreamcoat, and A Chorus Line (Mike). In addition, he has also performed at Hershey Park, Central Park Dance’s production of The Nutcracker (Lead Russian), worked alongside Shelly Hutchinson in the Hutchinson Collaborative around NYC and even appeared in an ABC Family original movie musical: Lovestruck! With Jane Seymour. As a teacher, Brad has spent the last 10 years teaching at various studios throughout the North Eastern Region between Virginia and Massachusetts. He has directed four children’s theatre productions and has presented pieces at APEX and LEG UP ON LIFE: Benefitting the Trevor Project in NYC. |