Julestarz Dance Academy
Faculty & Staff
Academy Owner
Ms. Julie Kenny
Owner
Ms. Julie Kenny holds a Masters Degree in Arts and Humanities in Dance and Theatre from The State University of New York at Buffalo and a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education from Westminster College. Julie has been a faculty member of the Theatre Studies Program at Niagara University where she taught dance classes for three years. She also taught theatre, acting, and public speaking classes at Daemen College. She is a tenured music teacher for the Buffalo Public School District and the Baltimore County Public School District, where she taught music to grades K through 8. Julie was an NFL cheerleader for the Buffalo Bills for three years, and served as captain for one season.Read More…
Dance Instructors
Ms. Liz
Competition Team Director/Dance Instructor
Ms. Liz Strehle started dance at age three and has had nineteen years of dance training in Ballet, Tap, Modern, Lyrical, Hip Hop and Jazz. She has been teaching dance classes for five years. She is from Pensacola,FL and recently moved to Tampa in June to pursue her bachlor of arts in Dance. Liz has danced for Pensacola School of Ballet and the Emerald Coast Ballet Company, training under Anthea Nader and Marrol Hiederaly.Read More…
Ms. Sarah
Assistant Competition Director/Dance Instructor
Sarah Lochridge has been dancing for 32 years, and has had the opportunity to teach at studios across the country and beyond. Her career began at Cheryl’s Dance Studio of Baytown, Texas where she studied and competed in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical and Musical Theatre. As a dance scholarship recipient, Sarah studied modern dance under Dr. Suzanne Oliver and Rob Davidson at San Jacinto College in Houston, Texas. While completing school, Sarah was on staff at Premier Dance Academy as the Mini Company director..
Ms. Candice
Dance Instructor
Ms. Candice Cunningham is from Mesa, AZ, where she graduated from MCC with her AFA in dance, highest distinction. She continued her Dance Education at Cornish College of the Arts where she graduated with her BFA in Dance. While at MCC she performed with the MCC Dance Company for two years, during which time she displayed her choreographic works alongside faculty.Read More…
Ms. Shani
Dance Instructor
Ms Shani is originally from a small town in New Hampshire and began her dance journey at the age of eight at Kathy Blake’s Dance Studio. What started with Jazz quickly blossomed into a lifelong passion, leading her to train in Ballet, Modern, Lyrical, Musical Theatre, and Hip-Hop. By 13, she was selected to join the studio’s dance company, earning opportunities to train in New York and Los Angeles at various elite intensives.
After graduating high school in 2009, Ms Shani moved to Tampa to attend The University of Tampa, majoring in Business Management and minoring in Applied Dance. During her college years, she served as Captain of the Spanish Dance Team and choreographed for UT’s Fall and Spring Dance Happenings. In the summer of 2011, she worked as a dance instructor at Camp Vega for Girls in Maine.
Her performance career continued to grow when she became a Tampa Bay Storm Cheerleader in 2012, returning for a second season after graduating in 2013. She also remained active in Tampa’s dance community by training, performing, and participating in local productions.
Ms Shani’s teaching career took her to North Carolina in 2015, where she taught at Dance Theatre of New Bern and choreographed for the New Bern Civic Theatre’s productions of Evita and Catch Me If You Can. In 2017, she joined Power House Dance, working with both recreational and competitive dancers.
Ms Shani has been a proud part of the Julestarz Academy family since 2019. She has loved watching her dancers grow, celebrating multiple first-place wins and title recognitions alongside them. Her passion for teaching, strong technical foundation, and love for performance create a nurturing and inspired classroom environment.
Outside the studio, Ms Shani enjoys spending time with her family—her husband Miles, and their children Ava, Deckard, Layton, and Leila—who are her greatest supporters.
Ms Shani is thrilled for another amazing season at Julestarz and can’t wait to continue sharing her love of dance with her students!
Ms. Bella
Dance Instructor
Bella started dancing at the age of 2 and hasn’t stopped since! As a member of the Julestarz competition team for 10 years until she graduated in 2024, her dances won multiple judges and special awards and received countless top overall placements. While on the team, she performed throughout our local community as well as Disney, USF basketball game half time shows, and even the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. After being an assistant teacher for many years, Bella became a member of our teaching staff in 2021 where she shares her passion for dance through the technique, performance and competition classes she teaches.Bella is currently pursuing a degree in Elementary Education at the University of South Florida and is on her second season as a member of the Golden Bulls Dance Club Gold Competition Team at USF. Through the Golden Bulls, she continues to be able to grow as a dancer and showcase her love of the stage in dance classes, performing in the community and on the competition floor!
Ms. Lily
Dance Instructor
Lily Grace Cummings, originally from Clemson, SC, moved to New York City at the age of 14 years old to be a Jazz & Contemporary trainee with Joffrey Ballet School, receiving a four-year dance certificate. Following her time at Joffrey, Lily received her BFA in Dance from New Jersey City University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Lily has since relocated to Tampa, FL after a decade of working professionally in the arts and entertainment industry in the Big Apple, and two years in Upstate South Carolina, as both performer and dance teacher. Read more…
Ms. Trisia
Dance Instructor
Trisia LaShon is an international choreographer that has worked withmajor artists such as Flo Rida, Trina, Natalie LaRose, Gladys Knight andmore! Her work has been featured on Major Television shows such as TheEllen Show, The Nickelodeon Awards, The Today Show , The Voice, andAmerica’s Best Dance Crew! Trisia has over 15 years of experience working with the NBA, NFL, and many competitive dance and cheer teams. Trisia LaShon has worked internationally on televised production shows…
Ms. Suzie
Dance Instructor
Ms Suzie’s passion for dance began at the age of 2. She has experience in Ballet, Tap, Ballroom, jazz and lyrical types of dance. She also held multiple national titles in ballroom and Latin dance from her youth. She taught for a local dance studio while in college where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Entrepreneurship and decided to continue teaching dance after moving from Portland, to Houston, and now here locally at Julestarz. She passionately loves dance and feels that dance is the hidden language of the soul. Suzie seeks to cultivate a love of dance for all her students.
Ms. Lora
Dance Instructor
For the past 24 years Lora Pfeiffer has been shaping the lives of children and adults through dance and movement. A native of Florida, she began her dance training at the age of 10. Her training continued at Palisades Performing Arts Center in Nyack, NY under the direction of Bill Hastings, Lisa Lockwood and GeoffreyDoig-Marx..
Ms. Krystal
Dance Instructor
Krystal Huot is a dancer, instructor and choreographer originally from Miami, FL. She has a strong ballet foundation and has trained in various styles, including pointe, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, modern, and hip-hop. She began her training at Academy of Arts and as part of the Senior Company performed lead and pas de deux roles, including Nutcracker’s Arabian and Snow….
Ms. Chloe
Dance Instructor
Ms. Chloe has been dancing for over 15 years, with classical training in Ballet and Pointe serving as the foundation of her technique. She has trained with both the Orlando Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre at their intensives, and studied year-round at Brandon Ballet and Tampa Ballet Theatre. In addition to ballet, she has over a decade of training in Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Tap, and Acro. She is focused on…
Ms Kaylee
Dance Instructor
Ms.Kaylee Frost is a graduate of the University of South Florida, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a concentration in Modern Dance Performance. She currently serves as the Modern Adjunct Dance Faculty at Orange Grove Middle Magnet School.
Ms. Liv
Dance Instructor
Ms. Liv has danced at Julestarz since she was 2 years old. During this time she has trained in many genres including ballet, jazz, acro, lyrical, contemporary, and aerial hammocks. Additionally she has taken part in many master classes put on by top teachers and choreographers in the dance industry. During the years before she joined the competition team in 2022, Ms Liv also cheered and took gymnastics alongside of her dance classes.
As a current member of our competition team, you can find Ms. Liv in classes each night, performing in our community or on the competition stage where her dances have brought home many special awards and overall placements! Some of her performances include USF basketball game half time shows and Disney World. In the summer of 2025, after 5 years of being an assistant teacher, Ms. Liv joined our teaching staff where she combines her love of teaching and her passion for dance in performance and technique classes for students of all ages.
Ms. Tatiana
Dance Instructor
Bio Coming Soon!
Mr. Nick
Dance Instructor
Nick is a passionate teacher and choreographer with a strong background in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, and Acro, along with well-rounded training in all styles of dance. After years of studio and professional training, he continued his dance education at the University of Central Florida, focusing on Ballet and Modern. He now continues to train year-round in Ballet and Contemporary, and brings a mix of technical precision and creative energy to every class.
Ms. Autumn
Dance Instructor
Autumn has been doing hip hop since she was 5. She was then presented the opportunity to be a part of the performance team at Progress Village Middle Magnet School for 3 years, where she trained in ballet, jazz, and hip hop.
Ms. Paige
Dance Instructor
Paige grew up dancing from the age of two and has dedicated her life to performance. She attended Florida State University, where she spent four years on the Seminole Dance Force and served as senior co-captain in her final year. With six years of teaching experience, Paige has loved sharing her knowledge and passion for dance with her students….
Ms. Jeanne- Marie
Dance Instructor
Bio Coming Soon!
Music Instructors
Mr. David
Music Instructor
Mr. David Cannistraci received his Bachelors Degree in Music from the The City College of New York, minoring in Education. He spent four years teaching piano, music theory, and music history at the New York learning Center in New York City and has extensive experience as a percussionist for Broadway Musicals and jazz sets.Read More…
Mr. Joe
Music Instructor
After hearing his music teacher strum a few chords in class Joe Weaver at the age of 9 begged his mom to let him take guitar lessons. Hearing the sound of the guitar was a life changing experience.
Mr. Hamilton
Music Instructor
Mr. Hamilton Ortiz is an active music teacher, currently working for Dr.Kiran Patel Elementary. He holds a Masters Degree in Arts in Music Education from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico. He has been a music teacher for more than 10 years in which he had taught music from K-12 for diverse populations in group and individual settings. Read more…
Mr. Duc
Duc Anh Tran is a professional musician and passionate educator. Growing up in Vietnam, he spent most of his schooling years receiving professional training in piano performance at the Vietnam National Academy of Music. In 2018, he moved to the United States to pursue his American dream. Mr. Tran graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Music Education….
Ms. Lidia
Lidia Biedlingmaier was born in Ukaraine and has been playing the piano since the age of 8. Graduated with honor from Lutsk college of music and then received a Bachelor of Arts degree at Volyn National University. She has been teaching piano classes in Ukraine for over 25 years and has significant experience working with students of all ages…
Ms. Joyeux
Music Instructor
Ms Joyeux is excited to join our Julestarz family as a violin teacher this year. She has been playing the violin for 12 years, starting at age 5 and looks forward to teaching students of all ages.
Ms. Katherine
Music Instructor
Ms.Katherine graduated from Valdosta State University with a B.A in piano performance. While in college she was a part of the Georgia Music Teachers Association as well as being the secretary for the collegiate chapter in 2022. She presented multiple times at the GMTA conference with other members on topics such as, “A Pedagogical Approach to Four and Six-Hand Playing” and “Exploring the Repertoire By Lesser- Known Latin-American Composer.”In 2025, she took part in the research symposium hosted at Valdosta State University where she presented “The Sleeping Beauty Waltz for Four Hands” and “Mini Tango for Piano 6 Hands by Manfred Schmitz”. She also performed in multiple community and fundrasing events for the studio. Katherine was also a part of the string ensemble, playing viola.
She is inspired by her own teacher to teach is excited to pass on the knowledge to others. It’s never too late to learn!
Mr. Abrien
Music Instructor
Abrien W. Nelson is a vocal and acting coach, piano and guitar instructor at Julestarz Academy of the Performing Arts. He is also a certified K-12 music educator and a second-year K-5 music teacher at Valrico Academy. Mr. Abrien holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theater with a concentration in vocal performance from Jacksonville University. Mr. Abrien is a strong advocate for encouraging students to become lifelong learners and creatives. He employs a diverse range of teaching methods and resources to engage and inspire all types of learners. He believes that each student possesses unique talents and will contribute something distinctive to the community county, and the world. Mr. Abrien fosters confidence and encourages his students to develop their skills. He derives great satisfaction from witnessing his students blossom with innovation and creativity. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Abrien is an accomplished actor, singer, songwriter, and producer. His aspiration is to share his insights and knowledge with the next generation of artists.
Dr. Keenan
Music Instructor
Dr. Keenan Boswell is a highly regarded keyboardist, vocal coach, music teacher and composer. Dr. Boswell received a Bachelors in Organ Performance from The Juilliard School, a Masters in Organ Performance from Westminster Choir College and a Doctorate in Opera Coaching from The University of Texas in Austin. As a keyboardist for the Carmel Bach Festival between 2014 and 2018, Dr. Boswell served as chorale accompanist, orchestral keyboardist and collaborative pianist for the festival’s main stage solo vocal concerts. Selections from his voice-piano song cycle Trinity were premiered to much acclaim during one of the featured main stage concerts during the 2018 festival.As a composer, Dr. Boswell’s works have been and continue to be performed across the United States in schools, churches and concert halls. Most recently, he has released several full length albums that can be found on all streaming platforms. Dr. Boswell is passionate about connecting people through music and desires to encourage and empower others to pursue their creative potential through musical expression.
Mr. Sandro
Music Instructor
Sandro Rogenski is a passionate and accomplished violinist and educator with over 15 years of orchestral and ensemble experience across the United States and Europe. With a strong foundation in performance, leadership, and music theory, he is dedicated to sharing a lifelong commitment to music, inspiring the next generation of musicians.
Mr. Sandro extensive musical education includes a Diploma in Violin, Music Theory, and Composition from the Conservatory of Music “Arrigo Pedrollo” in Vicenza, Italy, as well as study at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, FL.
He has participated in numerous master-level classes with acclaimed violinists including Leon Spierer, Enrico Balboni, Glauco Bertagnin, Michele Bettinelli, and Markus Placci, showcasing a continuous dedication to refining his artistry.
Mr. Sandro has performed with orchestras across Italy, Germany, and the United States, collaborating with renowned directors as Robert Moody, Mark Thielen, Dr. Jason Aylward, and has served in leadership roles such as Concertmaster. His performance experience includes Florida Philharmonia Orchestra (Concertmaster), Lakeland Symphony Orchestra , Wiesbaden Symphony Orchestra, Frankfurt Sachsenhausen Orchestra , Orchestra Fraglia dei Musici , Imperial Symphony Orchestra , Orchestra del Teatro Olimpico , Orchestra “Arrigo Pedrollo” and Orchestra Ducale “Ferrante Gonzaga” .
His experience in these diverse environments underscores his adaptability and mastery of the instrument, ranging from Italian ensembles to German and American symphonies.
Academy Staff
Ms. Kristen
Director Of Operations
Ms. Erika
Office Staff
Ms. Kelly
Office Staff