Certified Instructors

Michelle began studying dance at age three. She trained at the DeLutis School of dance under Rosemary Boynton and Dorothy Beaton in Mansfield MA. As a young dancer Michelle appeared in the Ballets "Cinderella" and "Aladdin" with Pentucket Ballet School Haverhill MA.

She danced in Stillpointe dance company in a series of performances and studied modern dance, jazz dance and ballet with them in college and during college she joined the nationally touring jazz company "Push Factor of New York City" where she was Dance Captain.

She has been a long standing member of Dance Master's of America and Dance Teachers Club of Boston and has been tested with High Honors by the National Dance Teacher's Council of America in Ballet, Tap dance and Jazz dance and with Superior Honors through American Academy of Ballet in Classical Ballet.

Michelle earned platinum and gold medals in her tour in the competition arena, "New England Dance Festival" and "Miss Olympic Dance". Traveling to New York City with her students and teachers they studied dance with AAB at the Alvin Ailey Dance Studios with Mignon Furman, Sara Knight and Brian Loftus as well as others from Steps on Broadway.

She currently dances with a Professional Jazz Touring Dance Company "Kinetic Dance Company" and with "Dance Prism" a Professional Touring Ballet company and has appeared in the Nutcracker and Alice in Wonderland Ballets. Along with continuing her own dance education and artistic growth she enjoys teaching dance classes and being the Director of the Center for Performing Arts Dance Studio & Acting School Methuen and passing her knowledge and joy onto the next generation of students.

Rebecca Farnham is the vocal and dramatic director at the Center for Performing Arts, Acting and Dancing School.

Becca has been acting and singing for as long as she can remember! However, she decided to pursue classical training at age 10, in violin, piano, and voice. By age 13, it was obvious that Becca had a talent for music and musical performance. Thus, she decided then to pursue it as a career, with a focus in voice. Throughout high school, Becca excelled academically, eventually graduating Valedictorian of her 2008 senior class, with Highest Honors in her Advanced Music Studies, Ensemble Choir, and Chamber choir, where she was a featured soloist in the annual Winter and Spring Concerts. She also excelled dramatically, landing lead roles in Godspell, Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma, and Once on This Island.

She became a member of the National Honor Society, and also the National Society of High School Scholars, a society in association with the Nobel family.The following summer, she was requested to join the 2007 International Athlete and Scholar Games hosted at the University of Rhode Island. There, she was a soloist to the 2007 International Choir. Thereafter, Becca received a full scholarship to continue her musical studies at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.

During her freshman year, Becca was discovered to be a coloratura soprano, a rare voice type that is categorized in certain repertoire specific to Handel and Mozart arias. She studies under renown teacher Murray Kidd, and performs regularly in weekly recitals at UML, and also with UML's Opera Workshop, in roles such as Julie Jordan of Carosel, and The Duchess, of Mozart's, The Marriage of Figaro. Her goal is to sing the coloratura role of Lucia di Lammermoor at the Met in New York.

She has been with the Center for Performing Arts Acting School for almost 3 years, and loves her job with a passion! Her emphasis is in classical training, both vocal and dramatic, with applicable technique in modern repertoire. She places emphasis on classical training in order for her students to build fundamental understanding of vocal and dramatic technique, so that whatever musical or dramatic genre they decide to endeavor, they will have the tools necessary to get there.

Nicole Surette started dancing at the age of three and gained a wide knowledge base attending many of the areas best dance schools. As Nicole progressed she found a natural affinity for tap dance and began competing at the age of 10. Her competition dance team won many gold and special awards from American Dance Awards, New England Dance Festival, and Eastern Dance Awards.

At the young age of 13 she choreographed dances for a local elementary school as well as becoming an assistant dance instructor at her dance studio. Nicole began teaching at the Performing Arts Studio & Dance School Methuen in 2002 and became tested through National Dance Teacher's Council of America in Ballet, Tap and Jazz with Superior Honors.

Recently Nicole traveled to NYC with Center for Performing Arts teachers to train with American Academy of Ballet Teachers such as Sara Knight and Mignon Furman at the Alvin Ailey Dance Studios.

Kristen has been teaching dance and gymnastics since the age of 13. She was also a gymnastics coach for recreational and competitive teams for over 5 years. In 2004, Kristen received a certification in dance education from Northern Essex Community College. She has also had the opportunity to attend the Dance Teacher Summer Conference in NYC where she took classes with some of the best teachers and choreographers in the dance world, such as: David Howard, Mia Michaels, Bob Rizzo, and Greg Russell.

Kristen has had many great performance opportunities as well. She has performed twice in Cancun, Mexico, for the Dolphin Cruise Line, in the opening ceremonies for the Fleet Center, and with Disney for their Holiday Dreams tour. She also performed in many regional and national dance competitions. As a cheerleader, Kristen competed in the pop-warner national cheerleading competition in MGM in Orlando, FL.

Kristen currently teaches tumbling, hip-hop, baby classes, and advanced jazz and is a company member in the Kinetic Dance Company at the Performing Arts Studio & Dance School.

Brittany will be a Junior at Dean College School of Dance in the Fall of 2009 where she is pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Dance. She has participated in all student choreographed shows over the last two years either as a performer of other students choreography or her own.

She was also selected to perform at Patriots Place this past March. Dancing since she was three, Brittany is currently a teacher, choreographer and a 6-year Company member at the studio. Brittany has participated for 5 years on the competitive team and continues to compete.

She has taken part in The New England Dance Festival, Olympic Miss Dance Challenge (Nationals) and Star Bound Dance Competition as well as several other local competitions. Brittany has also put her own choreography into these competitions. She has done performances all around the New England area.

Brittany has participated in the American Academy of Ballet Performance Awards for 5 years and has achieved all Gold Medals in each of her solo performance tests, she has completed levels 6 through 10. Brittany has also been tested to teach by the National Council of Dance in Ballet, Tap, and Jazz, and has completed the bronze bar, silver bar, gold bar, and bronze medal levels.

Brittany has also taken master classes with teachers from the Alvin Ailey Studios in NYC, other master teachers around the New England area, and guest teachers.

Gwen was introduced to Israeli dancing as a young child by a dancer from Israel experienced not only in Israeli dancing but also in other styles of dance including modern, ballet and jazz. She was Gwen's inspiration to pursue dance.

In her teen years, Gwen was a member of two Israeli Folk Dance Troupes that performed at various festivals throughout the Washington D.C. area as well as at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In college, Gwen joined the University of Pennsylvania Israeli Folk Dance Troupe which performed throughout the Philadelphia area and in the annual New York City Israeli Folk Dance Festival which included Israeli dance groups from all over the world.

Gwen began teaching Israeli dance to children and teens at summer camps while she was in high school. She has also taught adults at synagogues for special events.