Jennifer Faulkner (she/her)
Artistic Director and CEO
Jennifer began studying dance at a very young age. She is trained in various styles, but has always had a love for ballet & modern dance. As she grew older, she continued her studies, and received a B.A. in dance from The University of Akron and a Mat Pilates certification. She also studied dance at The University of North Carolina, and attended New York University’s prestigious Summer Dance Program. Before starting her teaching career Jennifer performed for several years with The Choreographer’s Group in Boston.
One of her favorite things about teaching is the ah-ha moment: When you see a student working so hard and then they finally figure out how to execute a step properly. It’s a joy seeing them realize what they are truly capable of through commitment and focus.
When not at the studio you can find Jennifer painting, salsa dancing, taking aerial classes and planning her next adventure! She loves to travel and learn about different cultures. Jennifer also enjoys Yoga and in 2019, she completed her Yoga Teacher Training and is now a Registered Yoga Teacher.
Miss Jill (she/her)
Empowering Dance Educator, Assistant Director, Competition Program Director
Jill Murray grew up in Burlington, MA and began her training at the age of three at Suzanne’s Dance Connection where she danced competitively. She recently graduated from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst with a Dual Degree – earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. In addition to being a member of the UMass Dance Company, she performed in multiple works in UMass Dance Senior Thesis Concerts, Faculty Concerts, as well as one of her most recent performances in the Dance Film with the National Endowment for the Arts, in collaboration with Dr. Aston McCullough and Five College Dance Faculty, Convergence. Jill is thrilled to be dancing for the WNBA – Connecticut Sun Dance Team this season. She enjoys exploring her creativity by combining her passions in the styles of ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip-hop, and contemporary and is so excited to share her love for dance with her students!
One of her favorite aspects of teaching is sharing dance as an oasis. The personal expression and freedom she seeks in movement brings her infinite joy and she finds it rewarding to help others in developing this relationship with movement. Jill’s hobbies outside of the studio include going for walks through nature,
taking trips to the beach, and curling up watching shows and movies on Netflix!
Miss Muriel (she/her)
Studio Manager
Muriel Jones is an experienced marketing professional with a background in operations and customer service. Serving most exclusively in the events industry, she spent her career organizing and promoting leadership development classes, webinars, workshops, and conferences with a special focus on diversity & inclusion, and advancing women leaders in the workplace. Muriel holds a BA in International Business from the Institute Supérieur des Affaires et du Management in Paris, France.
Before settling down in New England in the mid 90’s, she studied in Madrid, Spain, and in Hartford, CT; and she held a 4-month internship as part of her course of studies in London, England. She values kindness and compassion in the workplace, and fosters nurturing working environments that are conducive to growth and self-discovery for all.
Miss Sam (she/her)
Empowering Dance Educator
Samantha Bernat is a choreographer/performer from North Andover, MA. She has trained in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Contemporary, Modern, and Irish Step. She received a BA in Dance and Psychology under professionals including Thomas Vacanti, Lauren Cox, Duane Lee Holland Jr., and Molly Fletcher Lynch-Clark. Inside UMASS/Amherst, she has participated in faculty works, and in several student works as a dancer and choreographer.
Outside of UMASS/Amherst, Samantha completed a teaching internship with BoSoma School of Dance and taught at Mini Movers Dance Studio in Salem, MA. In addition to that, she has worked backstage and in merchandise for Dance To Inspire Dance Competition and for reception at Dance Technics in Merrimac, MA. Most recently, she completed the summer professional studies intensive at UNCSA and participated in the Like Sugar dance film. Samantha desires to spread her passion for dance and its intersection into other parts of her life through movement, choreography, and education.
One of Samantha’s favorite moments as a teacher is when students find their own unique moment style and learn to make the dance their own, and when students learn to love improvising! In her free time outside of dance, Sam likes to swim, travel, ski and spend time with her family and friends!
Miss Melanie (she/her)
Empowering Dance Educator
Melanie Capalbo began dancing and tumbling at the age of 3. She became competitive in both at the age of 7, but soon realized dance was her passion. After high school, Melanie attended Dean College, receiving, with high honors, her degree in Dance Pedagogy and Performance. While at Dean, she was chosen to perform with the Dean Dance Company, accepted into the Alvin Ailey Dance Certification program in NYC, and received the Gregory Hines Tap Dance Scholarship.
Melanie also attended the Hartford Conservatory of Music and Dance in Hartford, CT. After college, Melanie continued her dance education at renowned studios including EDGE Performing Arts (LA), Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio (LA), Millenium Dance Complex (LA), Broadway Dance Center (NYC), and STEPS on Broadway (NYC). Some of the many master instructors she has trained with include Mia Michaels, Brian Friedman, Wade Robson, tWitch, Nappy Tabs, Geo Hubela, Debbie Dee, Brenda Buffalino, Dr. Henry LeTang, BOSCO, and Savion Glover.
Melanie has been teaching dance for 30+ years and is also a certified Ballet Barre Fitness instructor and has experience teaching Zumba®, Cardio-Dance, Pilates, and Group Fitness. In addition to being an accomplished and successful competitive dancer and gymnast, Melanie was also captain of a pop-warner cheerleading squad in Southern NH. The squad went on to win Regionals, State, and the National Pop Warner Championship held in San Jose, CA. She was also nominated as All American Cheerleader by the National Cheerleader’s Association.
Melanie loves that she has been able to not only share her passion for dance with all of her students, but also provide an artistic outlet for them to find their own expression through movement, boost their confidence and self-esteem, and also fall in love with the art of dance. She is so excited to be able to share her passion with the dancers at The Movement Center! When she is not dancing or teaching, she enjoys gardening, swimming, beach days, and most of all, spending time with her two fur babies, Rocky and Sassy!
Miss Grace (she/her)
Empowering Dance Educator
Grace Goldberg discovered her passion for dance at just two years old, and began dancing at Dance Junction in Saugus, MA, where she trained and competed until she graduated high school. Throughout her time there, she studied a wide range of styles including jazz, contemporary, tap, hip hop, ballet, and acro. While she enjoyed all forms of dance, her favorites have always been jazz and hip hop. In addition to dancing, Grace was also a dedicated cheerleader for many years.
Grace decided to elevate her love of dance by pursuing it in college. She began her studies at the University of Tampa, where she expanded her dance training to include modern, improvisation, and advanced levels of tap and jazz. After two years, Grace transferred to Salem State University to complete her degree, receiving a Bachelor’s in Media and Communications with minors in Entrepreneurship and Dance. While at Salem State, she continued to choreograph and perform in shows, further broadening her dance experience. She also began teaching at local dance studios, creating competition and recital pieces for dancers of all ages and skill levels.
One of Grace’s favorite parts of teaching is seeing the joy and excitement in her students when they master a new skill. Watching their pride and sense of accomplishment is incredibly rewarding for her.
When she’s not in the studio, Grace coaches a high school cheerleading team as well as competitive gymnastics teams. She is passionate about coaching and loves being involved in her other favorite sports—cheerleading and gymnastics. Outside of the studio and gym, Grace enjoys skiing and hits the slopes in Colorado every year, often tackling challenging black diamond trails! Grace also loves to spend time binge-watching her favorite tv shows in bed with her favorite foods!
Mr. Shawn (he/him)
Empowering Dance Educator
Shawn McClintock began his love for dance staring with performing in his local show choirs from 6th-12th grade. He was his show choirs’ dance captain both in middle & high school. He slowly began choreographing for his high school’s talent shows and various after school activities.
He began his dance career as a hip hop teacher at Morlock School of Dance in East Hartford, CT in 2014. He taught many classes from intro all the way to adult hip hop. He also began teaching competitively where various of his routines won platinum and was in the top 5 many times and even a special judges award! Shawn is super excited and eager to keep working on his craft with talented students of all ages and dance levels.
Miss Carol (she/her)
Empowering Dance Educator
Carol Schneider-Sereda fell in love with dance under the direction of her home teacher Pat MuCusker in Clark, New Jersey. It was from there that she was introduced to and performed as a soloist in the New Jersey Dance Theater Guild under the direction of Julliard ballet master, Alfredo Corvino. Ms. Sereda then immersed herself in Horton and Graham techniques as a scholarship student at The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. This launched her career as a professional contemporary dancer and choreographer.
After performing in New York, Philadelphia, Portugal and England she permanently relocated to Boston to attend the Harvard-Radcliff Summer Dance program. In Boston she produced works at Mobius, the Cambridge Multi-Cultural Art Center, The Dance Complex, and was a member of Boston University’s Dance Collective, Peter Dimuro, and Paula Josa-Jones. Ms. Sereda taught for the Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts and was on faculty for 20 years at Boston Ballet School where she developed her comprehensive children’s syllabus for ages 3 to 8 uniquely incorporating American Sign Language.
As founder of her school Sereda DanceWorks, in Natick she encouraged young artists to pursue their journey and individuality through hip-hop, jazz, modern, ballet or improvisation. SDW was a two-time recipient of Mass Cultural Arts council grants for their outreach programs.
Ms. Sereda actively continues her teacher training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and most recently by using the Royal Academy of Dance pedagogy. As a teacher, she pulls from each of those syllabi to help dancers understand how to turn raw material into a solid technical form. Miss Carol enjoys guiding students to push their boundaries of expression and range of motion and/or to consider pursuing their dreams of dance professionally. Since free lancing Ms. Carol loves having more time to “micro-garden”, study American Sign Language and travel with her husband to visit her two daughters in Washington, D.C. and Ireland.