shore dance center
staff
Meet Our Staff!
Brianne Kavanagh Patruno
Studio Owner & Director
Brianne has been dancing since the age of 3 and has not stopped since. She has studied all genres of dancing including jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, hip hop and acrobatics. As a member of a competitive team for most of her middle school and high school years, she received many national awards from a number of dance competitions and workshops. During this time, she trained with master teachers such as Thommie Walsh, Frank Hatchett and Sheila Barker.
Throughout these years, Brianne performed in Disney World, Disneyland, on Carnival Cruise Lines and for many athletic events. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Brianne had the opportunity to travel the country with Hoctor’s Dance Caravan working along side of many renowned choreographers.
Brianne graduated from East Carolina University where she majored in Education and was a member of their nationally ranked dance team. While at ECU she attended both UDA and NDA dance camps and competed at the NDA nationals. As a member of this team Brianne was able to perform in front of thousands of fans and became involved in many community service projects. Brianne has been teaching dance for over fifteen years and specializes in jazz, lyrical, and creative movement/preschool classes. In addition to dance she has been a certified Zumba instructor for the past several years. Brianne has choreographed many award winning competitive routines, and has had many of her students continue on with their dance education and performance after high school. Brianne was raised in Point Pleasant and is beyond grateful to be able to pass on her passion for dance in her community. She is very proud of what SDC has become over the past few years and looks forward to continuing to inspire dancers for many years to come!
brianna colwell
Assistant Director, Company Team & Instructor
Brianna Colwell, of Point Pleasant NJ, graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ in May of 2015. She graduated with a B.A in Dance Performance and a minor in Arts Administration. Brianna has trained in many different dance genres including ballet, tap, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, and hip-hop. In January of 2014, Brianna auditioned and was signed to be a dancer on the Trenton Freedom Xtreme Dance Team for two seasons. Brianna continued her dance studies at the Princeton Ballet School throughout college.
Brianna has been teaching at Shore Dance Center since 2015. In 2018, she was assigned by Brianne Patruno to assist with SDC's Company Team. She has choreographed numerous pieces for the team and loves watching her students grow as dancers each and every year.
olivia zitarosa Ricci
Instructor, Media Manager
Olivia has been dancing since the age of 5 and has been dancing with Shore Dance Center since it opened in 2012! She has studied various styles of dance including tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, pointe and hip-hop. While taking classes at SDC, Olivia was a Student Assistant working alongside our teachers until she graduated from Point Boro High School in 2014. After graduation, Olivia continued to teach at SDC while she pursued her B.S in Business Administration with a Concentration in Marketing at Georgian Court University in Lakewood, NJ where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and as President of the Student Government Association.
Olivia works with our youngest students to our oldest both on the regular and competitive levels, and has choreographed a number of award-winning routines. She brings her love and passion for dance to every class and dance she choreographs. Aside from teaching, Olivia runs our social media, website, houses our music, organizes our schedules and and ran our SDC Virtual Studio in 2020! She has a very big, special place in her heart for SDC and all of her students and loves being a part of the SDC Family!
felicia catney Martin
Instructor
Felicia Catney graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2016 from Westminster College of the Arts of Rider University, with a BA in Dance Performance, as well as a minor in Popular Music Studies. Felicia is an active member of NDEO, the National Dance Education Organization. Felicia has choreographed and performed in dance festivals such as the Biomorphic Festivals, in N.Y.C. and Philadelphia Fringe Festival. During her time at Rider, she choreographed and performed in many Rider Dance Ensemble productions as well as performed in all four of the dance department’s mainstage Rider Dances shows. During these four shows she has worked with experienced choreographers.
Felicia has also performed in many musicals and theater productions at Spring Lake Community Theatre. She is beyond thrilled to step out into the real world and use her art to perform, choreograph, teach and share her passion!
christy box
Christy has been dancing since the age of 3 and has not stopped loving it ever since! She has grown up dancing competitively at her studio, training in the styles of ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, contemporary, and hip-hop. Christy attended Rider University and graduated in 2016 with a BA in Elementary Education and Dance Studies, and a minor in Early Childhood Education.
Instructor
During her time at Rider, she choreographed and performed in many Rider Dance Productions, as well as continued her dance training at the Princeton Ballet School throughout all 4 years. Christy has choreographed many pieces for Shore Dance Center’s competition team, as well as being the resident choreographer for Princeton Junior School, where she is currently an elementary school teacher. Christy loves being able to share her passion for dance with her students and is excited for each year spent with the wonderful dancers at SDC!
kelly satterlee paton
Instructor
Kelly has been dancing since the age of 3 and has not stopped since. She has studied all genres of dancing including jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, hip hop and acrobatics. As a member of a competitive team from the age of 10, she received many national awards from a number of dance competitions and workshops. Throughout those years, she auditioned and was accepted into prestigious dance programs such as The Rock School of Ballet, Steps on Broadway, Shake the Floor, Broadway Bound International, Tap Kids, etc.
Kelly graduated from Penn State University where she majored in Education and Dance and was a member/ head choreographer of the Whiplash Dance Team. After college, she joined the SDC team and has been teaching now for three years. Although she teaches 2nd grade during the day, Kelly can’t wait to see her dance students after school to pursue their own careers in dance. Teaching children has always been her passion and she is thrilled to continue giving her all to the SDC students and seeing them grow into wonderful dancers!
taylor moslowitz
Instructor
Taylor has been dancing since the age of 6 and has been dancing with Shore Dance Center since 2013! She has studied various genres of dance including tap, ballet, lyrical, and jazz. Taylor started with us as a Student Assistant before graduating from Point Pleasant Borough High School in 2017. Taylor graduated from Georgian Court University in Lakewood, NJ in May 2021 with her B.A in English Education. Taylor’s love for dance shows in each class she teaches and she loves being a part of the SDC team!
kristen ghidella
Instructor
Kristen has been dancing since the age of 2 and has been with Shore Dance Center since we opened our doors in 2012! Kristen graduated from Point Borough High School and Shore Dance Center in 2018. She has studied a variety of dance styles including ballet, lyrical, contemporary, acrobatics and jazz. Along with taking classes at SDC and being a part of our Award Winning Company Team, she also was a Student Teacher working alongside our staff throughout high school. She is now continuing her studies at Ocean County College majoring in business, and is planning on continuing on to a four-year college to study business and dance. She is very excited to be teaching at SDC and loves sharing her love of dance with her students!
julia zitarosa
Instructor, Social Media Specialist
Julia has been dancing since she was 2 years old and has not stopped since! She was one of SDC's very first students, and one of the founding members of our Award-Winning Company Team. During her time competing, Julia has won multiple awards for her dance performance and emotional execution. Julia recently graduated in June of 2020 from Point Boro High School and was always one of our most dedicated Student Instructors, Dancers and Teammates. Julia is currently attending Kean University studying Elementary Education and is proud to be a staff member here at SDC.
CECELIA ZITAROSA
Instructor and Front Desk
Cecelia has been dancing since the age of 4 and has been dancing with Shore Dance Center since the studio’s 2012 opening! She has trained in tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, pointe, modern and musical theater. Cecelia graduated Summa Cum Laude from Baldwin Wallace University in 2020 with her BFA in Acting. During her time at BW, Cecelia continued to dance as part of her program curriculum, particularly deepening her training in ballet, jazz, and exploring the intricacies of modern dance.
While Cecelia has worked professionally in regional theater and the indie film scene, her greatest passion is educating children through the arts. When Cecelia is not teaching dance class or helping with in-house operations at the front desk, she visits schools with Lead U, a performance-based leadership and empowerment educational program. Cecelia prioritizes building resilience, integrity and confidence in each of her dancers, giving them the foundations they need to forge a healthy and successful path as an artist. We love having Cecelia as a part of the SDC Family!
kristin katsafados
Assistant Instructor
Kristin has been dancing her entire life and has been teaching at SDC since we opened our doors in 2012! Kristin’s two daughters also attend SDC, both performing on our Award-Winning Company Team. Kristin has studied various styles of dance include ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip-hop. Currently Kristin assists with our Tiny-Tots and Preschool Ballet Program.
valerie alcantra
Office Manager
Valerie has lived in Point Pleasant her whole life and is our Office Manager here at SDC! She is the first face you see when you walk in, and the last face you’ll see as you leave. Valerie herself danced growing up, giving her extensive knowledge of the dance industry and the ins-and-outs of working in a dance studio. Her daughter has danced with SDC since we opened our doors in 2012 and is a proud member of our Company Team. We are so grateful to have Val with us!