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Elite Dance Center
Dance Convention

Come to the Elite Dance Center Convention to take Class with our

Guest Instructors

December 23rd  - 9:00am to 3:00pm

Maria Cherniske

Maria took her first dance class at the age of 3 and has been hooked ever since. She has worked with choreographers such as Lisette Bustamante, Dana Foglia, Rhapsody James, Luam Keflezgy, Kelly Peters, Derek Mitchell, James Jackson Jr. and Tanisha Scott. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, on national television, in commercials, and has done work for Nike and Adidas. Maria was the assistant choreographer for Rob Thomas’ music video “I Trust You”. She was the assistant choreographer for the New Jersey Lotto “Cash Pop” commercial and co-choreographed for the Off-Broadway hit “La Cancion.” Maria is passionate about dance education and loves helping dancers build their confidence and find their voice as an artist. As a leader for the program Creating Opportunities, she had the opportunity to mentor many aspiring dancers in NYC. Maria has taught dance to students of all ages for the past 24 years. She is on guest faculty at Broadway Dance Center in NYC, and in 2021 became a member of the staff at Acrobatic Arts as a course conductor and adjudicator.

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Becky Chiasson

Becky Chiasson is the owner and artistic director of Spotlight Dance Academy in Westford, MA. She started her journey as a studio owner at age 22 and is currently in her 17th season at SDA. Throughout her years of teaching she has brought her dancers to 10 years of performances with the Boston Celtics, 4 Disney World performances, an International performance in the Bahamas and on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship! Miss Becky, her dancers, and teachers have earned numerous awards in choreography, technique, performance, and kindness at the regional and National level. In 2019, Miss Becky and one of her students were featured on Season 17 of “So You Think You Can Dance”. Her alumni have also gone on to live and dance in LA and NYC, dance with prestigious college dance teams, teach and choreograph all over the country always coming back to visit their home at SDA. Miss Becky has a passion for choreographing and teaching dancers of all ages and hopes to do it for the rest of her life!

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Ashlee Bourque Tinkham

Ashlee Tinkham (formerly Ashlee Bourque) began her dance journey at the age of two, continuing to hone her skills throughout high school and college. She trained at various dance schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, ultimately completing her last years of high school at Festival Ballet in Providence, RI (now known as Ballet RI). Her passion for dance extended well beyond the studio, leading her to major in dance at Dean College, where she earned her B.A. in 2010.Ashlee's extensive experience in dance includes competing and performing throughout high school, as well as dancing with ballet and modern companies during her college years. She was also an active member of the Dean dance team. In addition to her performance background, Ashlee has studied the art of teaching dance extensively. Currently, Ashlee serves as the Director of Shooting Stars School of Dance at the Newman YMCA in Seekonk, MA. Since founding SSSOD, she has further expanded her performance and teaching career, showcasing her talent in London, England, and being selected for the Y's Talent Competition in 2013, where she ranked in the top 12 in Prague, Czech Republic.
Ashlee has also judged at both regional and national competitions and holds her Acrobatic Arts Certificate. Among her achievements, she was elected as a New England Patriots Cheerleader in 2017, 2018, and 2019, before retiring her pom-poms in 2020. Her goal is to share her love, passion, and expertise in dance with all who are eager to learn.

Kristen Geary

Kristen Geary is a teacher and  choreographer from MA. She has been in the dance community for over 20 years. Her performances include Dance Downtown Disney, Providence Bruins, and Harlem Globetrotters events. Miss Kristen is known for her award winning musical theater pieces by winning both director and choreography awards. She has shared her love of musical theater during different intensives over the last year. She loves sharing her passion for dance and continues to grow as a teacher, choreographer, and successful studio owner in the dance community.

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