Gotta Dance! Staff

Owner & Artistic Director | Our Core Teaching Staff | Visiting Choreographers & Summer Intensive Staff

We are proud to have a well-rounded, talented, caring staff that is excited about sharing their love of dance and expertise with our dancers and families. Each child receives personal attention and will discover their own love and understanding of movement. Our teachers allow their students to enjoy the learning process and encourage students to create and interpret movement themselves. Students work hard and are allowed to master the techniques they are given in a supportive environment. Our choreography, music, and dance costumes are always age appropriate.

Owner & Artistic Director

Nicole Maw

Owner/Artistic Director

Nicole Maw has been dancing since the age of three. She began competing and performing with competition teams and competition lines since the age of 12. Her studies include training with members of Joan Condlin's Liverpool School of Dance, as well as attending local and national workshops and conventions with such notable dancers as Al Gilbert, Janice Barringer, and Darryl Retter.

She has also attended and completed the first year of teacher training from Dance Masters of America, a nationally recognized dance organization. Nicole has been teaching dance and choreographing award winning routines for over 10 years, and was also an assistant teacher for 5 years. She has choreographed and worked as dance captain for high school performances. Currently continuing her dance certification at the Dance Masters of America, Nicole graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York at Oswego.

Our Core Teaching Staff

Justin Canfield

Breakdancing, Hip Hop

Justin has been dancing hip hop for 2 years. He teaches breakdancing and adult hip hop for Gotta Dance! Performing Arts Studio. He has participated in several professional workshops and battles throughout the NY area, and has performed in several cities, including Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, and Providence. In addition, Justin has been hired by DJ Labbe Entertainment as part of the Celebration Dance Unit on numerous occasions.

Justin has extended his focus to include breakdancing. He recently the joined the SU Breakdance Club. He is a full-time Syracuse University student, finishing his junior year in Environmental Biology and Education. To him, dancing is great stress reliever as well as an outstanding workout. Justin says he has been blessed these past few years to be able to have dance as a profession, as well as to teach many great people.

Nikki Cavuto

Creative Movement

Nikki Cavuto is a core member of the Gotta Dance! team as our creative movement instructor for 3-4 year olds. Nikki has been dancing for ten years and has studied ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip hop. Nikki currently works full time teaching day care. She really loves to work with younger dancers and watch them grow. Nikki is very excited to share her love of movement with all our students!

Chad Fletcher

Hula Hoop Fitness, Hula Hoop Tricks

Chad Fletcher is a member of Cleanheart Hooptroop, and credits Cleanheart Hooptroop's founder, Teresa, with inspiring him to teach hooping to others. He is currently working with Jozette Borrman with Whirled Peace Hoops to generate interest in hooping for health. He is married to Tina, and has two children, Cassie and Cameron. Since he started fitness hooping, he has lost 60 pounds! Chad enjoys live music, music festivals, and being a Hoop Trainer. His Hoop is his favorite dance partner!

Amanda Kurey

Modern/Contemporary Intensive

Amanda graduated from SUNY Fredonia with her BA in Theatre Arts with a double minor in Dance and Film. She was also the Vice President of Orchesis Dance Company and received the Carol Prevet Scholarship for dance. In the past few years, Amanda has choreographed numerous pieces for Orchesis Dance Company, as well as dancing as a company member. She choreographed and performed in Fredonia's Performing Art Company's production of 4.48 Psychosis, and performed and competed as a member of the Fredonia State Dance Team.

Gabby Siciliano

All Star Cheer, Tumbling

Gabby has been cheering and tumbling for fifteen years. She has cheered for teams at the Pop Warner, high school, college and All Star Cheer levels in New Jersey and New York, including the Ocean Twp. Spartans, FM Hornets at the Pop Warner, Junior Varsity, and Varsity levels, the CNY Storm All Stars, senior level 3, and the LeMoyne College Dolphins, collegiate level. Gabby has competed and placed in numerous national competitions. She has also coached Pop Warner teams for the Fayetteville-Manlius Hornets. She is currently a fulltime student at LeMoyne College.

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Visiting Choreographers & Summer Intensive Staff

Gotta Dance Performing Arts Studio would like to introduce you to our fantastic choreographers and guest teachers.

Chelsea Mraz

Lyrical, Jazz, Tap

Chelsea Mraz is currently in her senior year at Ithaca College, working towards her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies, with a double minor in Sociology and Dance. Chelsea's areas of dance expertise include tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, pointe, hip-hop and modern. At Ithaca, Chelsea is a member of the IC Unbound Dance Company, and choreographed pieces for the Dance Company. She is also a member of the IC Pulse, a campus hip-hop group, and has performed in many showcases. She has won numerous titles at national and local competitions throughout her career, and continues to participate in a variety of professional workshops.

Aileen Razey

Zumba

Aileen Razey has danced for 12 years, focusing on jazz, lyrical and modern dance. She was on the IC Unbound dance team, and she currently attends Ithaca College as she pursues her degree in Music Education. Aileen was trained by Doug and Joan Jones at a Zumba® workshop in Dayton, Ohio, and is certified to offer classes in Zumba®. She has taught Zumba® classes on the Ithaca College campus, and is also a member of the Zumba® Instructors Network. Aileen loves being able to work out with a smile and her goal is to share this "exercise in disguise" with people of all ages who may or may not have experience in dance, and want to get fit while having a great time!

Kara Robb

Funky Contemporary Jazz, Step

Kara Robb currently attends Dean College in Franklin, MA, working towards her B.A. in Dance with a minor in Arts and Entertainment Management. Dean College is recognized as a leading school in the dance industry. Kara studies ballet, tap, hip hop, modern, contemporary-modern and jazz. Her teachers are some of the best in their respective fields. Kara also performed in many performances at Dean thus far, and has had her own choreography showcased. Kara makes every effort to constantly expand her knowledge of dance to prevent restricting herself to one specific dance form as a specialty. She will be teaching step classes at our 2011 summer intensive program.