Meet Our Staff!

Joanne Buck, Teacher and Owner
Joanne began teaching at ADS when she was just eighteen years old. Originally from the Bronx, she moved to Long Island after getting married to her husband (and business partner) Roger. She absolutely loves the studio so she travels all the way from Long Island to teach her ballet, tap, jazz, and competition classes. In addition to her love of dance, Joanne also has her Masters in Education and is a Junior High Teacher at a Catholic Elementary School in Queens. She has also twice attended Dance Teacher University sessions hosted by Dance Teacher Web in Las Vegas where she earned Level I and Level II Dance Teacher Certifications.  

Grace Ann Savanello, Administrative Secretary
Grace is the first person that you see when you walk into A Dance Studio since she holds down the fort at the front desk. If you have papers to hand in, a check to drop off, or shoes that need to be ordered...Grace is the person to see! In addition to her administrative skills, Grace also takes class and performs in our annual recital.

Jessica Kogan, Teacher
Jessica graduated from A Dance Studio, attended Skidmore College and has a degree in Education. She is also a certified Yoga Instructor. Jessica also attended a Dance Teacher University session hosted by Dance Teacher Web in Las Vegas where she earned a Level I Dance Teacher Certification. We are so happy to have Jessica back at A Dance Studio and we can't wait to see what she will do this year.

Marina Kotlar, Teacher
At the age of three, Marina came to A Dance Studio as an eager student. After graduating from The Ursuline School, Marina began teaching at A Dance Studio. She also attended a Dance Teacher University session hosted by Dance Teacher Web in Las Vegas where she earned Level I and Level II Dance Teacher Certifications. As a teacher of both tap and jazz, her choreography is innovative, creative, and fun! When she is not flapping and spinning at the studio, Marina is a special education teacher in the Bronx.

Christina Palma, Teacher
Christina started at A Dance Studio as a three year old student! Now, she is a creative and amazingly talented teacher and performer at our studio. She teaches tap and jazz and has a style to her choreography that is so unique. In addition to her dancing skills, Christina is an Italian teacher at the Louis M. Klein Middle School in Harrison.

Jaime Paldino, Teacher
Jaime began dancing when she was a mere babe...She came to A Dance Studio at the age of two! After graduating Manhattanville University majoring in both music and business, she became a teacher here at A Dance Studio.  After college, Jaime also studied acting at the Stella Adler Studio. At our studio, she teaches tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, and lyrical. As an amazing dancer, a beautiful singer, and a fine actress, Jaime is surely our studio's "triple threat"!

Eric Acevedo, Teacher
Eric has been part of the ADS family since the age of three! After graduating from Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers, where he founded and ran the dance club, he attended Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY where he graduated with a BA in both Dance and Theater and Psychology. Eric is our newest ballet, lyrical, hip hop, and Broadway teacher and also has training in tap, jazz, modern, and contemporary. He has danced for renowned choreographers such as Shawn Bible, Max Stone, Yoshito Sakuraba, and Ashley McQueen, and has also choreographed his own works. We are so happy to have Eric on staff!

Dawn Halasz, Teacher
Most of you may know Dawn as "Dawny Dew" and we are so lucky to have her on staff this year teaching our little ones! Dawn has been dancing since she was three and was a competitive Irish step dancer with Margaret Pike Studios. She also studied tap, jazz, hip hop, ballet, and pointe. Dawn has been dancing at A Dance Studio for the last twenty years where her daughter also attended classes until she graduated in 2021. What a great way for Dawny Dew to continue with us here at ADS!

Liana Acevedo, Teacher
Liana is an A Dance Studio alumna who went on to graduate from Manhattanville College where she studied both Dance and Marketing. Her dance training includes tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, modern, contemporary, and hip hop. She started out teaching some of our pre-school classes and will now be taking on even more classes throughout the week!