FACULTY

Michelle Denise Maurer
Artistic Director
Tap, Jazz and Hip Hop Instructor

Tara Hench
Ballet and Pointe Instructor

Kelly Fahnestock
Ballet Instructor

Julie Moffitt
Vocal/Guitar/Piano Instructor

Leann Creamer and Roslyn Manari
Administrative Assistants

Michelle Maurer - brings her extensive training and education to her position as Artistic Director. After high school, she attended Philadelphia University of the Arts. She has performed and choreographed for Kings Dominion and Nickelodeon Productions. Other professional credits include Club Tours with pop-singer Amber and, most recently, as a New Jersey Nets dancer. Having decided to marry Paul Maurer in the Fall of 2003, Michelle focused her energy on sharing her passion. Her enthusiasm for teaching, her dream to have her own studio and a strange twist of fate brings us Company Dance.

 

Tara Hench - proudly joins the faculty of
Company Dance as a Ballet/Pointe Instructor. She began her dance training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary. A scholarship student at the school of American Ballet in New York City, she then went on to study at the Universal Ballet Academy in Washington D.C. Upon completion of formal her training, she danced professionally with the Boston Ballet for nine years where she attainted the rank of soloist, and then it was on to the Tulsa Ballet. Her repertoire includes works from George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, Merce Cunningham, Eliot Field, Folkine, John Crnako, William Forsythe, Val Canaporoli, Jorma Elo, Loszlo Berdo, Chris Wheeldon, and Daniel Pelzig. Ms Hench has performed numerous classical ballets as well and was featured as "Juliet" in Romeo and Juliet, "Giselle" in Giselle, "Olga" in Eugene Onegin, and the "Sugar Plum Fairy" in the Nutcracker. Her resume includes a variety of festivals and galas internationally and appearances as a guest artist for numerous companies and schools. Ms Hench has also taught ballet classes throughout the United States including Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and the Northwest Florida Ballet.

 

Julie Moffitt - Pianist, guitarist, vocalist and composer, has been performing and teaching in Central Pennsylvania for over twenty-five years. She has performed in many genres, from traditional classical concerts to rock bands. She has also directed and composed for musical theater. Julie teaches piano and voice in classical and popular genres as well as acoustic-style guitar. She holds a Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance with a minor in voice from Bombs College of Music.