Nancy Schmidt - "Miss Nancy" is the Owner and Artistic Director of Spotlight Dance Academy, as well as a teacher of ballet, tap, hip hop/jazz, lyrical & pointe. She started her dance training at age 7 in Tap & Jazz with The Jack Young Dance Studio located in Valley Stream, New York. At age 9 she was taking private lessons and become a Jack Young Girl at age 10 the youngest to train on a professional level. She performed as a Jack Young Girl at the 1964/65 New York World's Fair New York State Pavilion, Flushing Meadows - Corona Park & Fireman's Field of Valley Stream. She continued her training in Tap & Jazz with The Jack Young Dance Studio and starting her Ballet training when she began teaching Tap & Jazz for The Downs School of Music & Dance, Valley Stream, New York; under the direction of Ballet Mistress Ms. Darrell Capozzo-Coates. She trained and was on scholarship at Luigi Jazz Center, New York City and participated in Dance Educators of America Dance Conventions and Workshops with Joseph Pugliese. She attended Queensborough Community College Liberal Arts Program.

Her professional credits are: Dancer for "Unique" Dance Company located in Farmingville, Long Island; Dancer/Dance Captain for the New York Dance Conservatory & Company in Astoria, Queens. Owner & Artistic Director of Dance 10 Unlimited, Inc. located in Astoria, Queens from 1985-1992. Choreographer for the Rocky Point High School Musicals; My Fair Lady 1997, Guys & Dolls 1998 & Carousel 1999.

"Miss Nancy's" goal is to share her knowledge of dance with all her students and inspire them by setting an example that through hard work, dedication, commitment & a passion for dance you can achieve your best!

Kyle Blumenthal - Kyle Blumenthal received her BFA from Pratt Institute, her MA and her MFA from C.W. Post. She graduated from the High School of Art and Design. She was a member of the Art/Art History faculty at Empire State College. In addition to her professional teaching career, she has been written about and exhibited internationally and nationally. Kyle is an artist member of the Society of Illustrators.

Kyle's paintings have been published as cover Illustrations for Home World Business Magazine, a CD cover in Canada, Hofstra University Saturday Classes for Young People and Continuing Education catalogs. Tug-of-War is a commissioned three panel mural in-situ at the University Cafe at Stony Brook State University. Kyle has designed numerous Theatrical Installations at Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook State University for the Spotlight Dance Academy. She has been written about in Arts Magazine, Newsday, the New York Times and Art News. She is active in helping young Artists by leading and developing Portfolio classes. Exhibition venues include Harkness House Gallery, NYC, The Long Island Museum, Stony Brook, NY, Islip Art Museum, East Islip, NY, The Museum of American Illustration, NY, Sodarco Gallery, Montreal, Quebec, Guild Hall, East Hampton, NY, the Alfred Van Loen Gallery, NY, the Directors Club, NY, The Open Gallery, NY, Empire SUNY, NY, and the Kean Mason Gallery, NY.

Kyle has also created one of the first video art productions with the inventor of the Video Synthesizer, Steve Rutt. She has shared her knowledge in the arts with students of all ages particularly pre-college and college students. Kyle has successfully helped numerous young artists as a coach and Mentor. She is presently creating, implementing and leading the Portfolio-Preparation program at the Nassau County Museum of Art.

Kristin Gerardi - Kristin Gerardi started her dance training at age 3 at The Stroud School of Dance now known as Spotlight Dance Academy. She has trained in Ballet, Tap, and Jazz. She was a Stroud Dance Company Member at the Senior Level in Ballet, Tap & Jazz which broaden her performance opportunities through seasonal community performances and participated in the Student Teaching Program which offers company members the opportunity to work alongside the assigned teachers in teaching and learning the structure of class and choreography. She joined the faculty at Spotlight Dance Academy as an Office Administrative Assistant in January 2006 & Teacher in September 2006.

Kristin has been a part of our dance family for over 15 years. She teaches Intro to Dance, Broadway Baby, Fundamentals in Dance Tap/Hip Hop, Ballet, Tap, and Jazz & Pure Hip Hop.

She is a graduate of Suffolk Community College and is currently attending SUNY Stony Brook as a business major and dance minor. "Miss Kristin" has a passion for dance and brings her passion to all her classes and students.

Jaclyn Fauci began her dance training At the American Studio of Performing Arts in Deer Park N.Y. She then completed pre-professional training as a Dance major in High school at Nassau County BOCES Cultural Arts Center in Syosset, now known as LI School of the Arts. From there she moved on to earn her Bachelors of Art degree in History at Adelphi University (graduates 2009). Jaclyn has worked one on one as an intern with Suzana Stankovic, founder and artistic director of the Stankovic Ballet Company. Jaclyn was certified in 2008 to teach Simonson Technique through a course held by Lynn Simonson (founder of the Simonson technique) at Dance New Amsterdam in downtown Manhattan. Jaclyn continues to train at Dance New Amsterdam (since 2005) and recently completed a yearlong intensive Professional Training Program at Dance New Amsterdam. She has worked with Choreographers such as Diane McCarthy, Oliver Steele, Katiti King, and Rachel Feinerman through performance projects held at Dance New Amsterdam. She currently performs with Movement of the PEOPLE Dance Company in NYC and Kelley Donovan & Dancers Dance Company in NYC. As a Dance instructor at Spotlight Dance academy Jaclyn hopes to inspire her students through the art of dance just as she has been, and continues to be by her mentors.

Colleen Murphy received her BA in Dance from Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana. After college she moved into NYC where she worked at Radio City Music Hall as a Page, Tour Guide, in the Purchasing Department and was selected for Special Projects: The Grammy Awards (Production Assistant and Assistant to Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb), The Iris Awards (P.A. and Assistant to Lucille Ball), Night of 100 Stars (escort to the Stars), 'Annie' - the movie (P.A. while filming took place at RCMH), Performance/Dinner honoring the Iranian Hostages held at RCMH, escort to Robert Blucker, The Rockette Spectacular starring Carol Lawrence (Personal Assistant to Ms Lawrence during rehearsals and duration of the run of the show).

Colleen performed professionally in Regional, Summerstock and Dinner Theatre and is a member of Actor's Equity Association and AFTRA.

Since moving back to Long Island, Colleen has been: former Co-Executive Artistic Director of the Brookhaven Theatre Dance Guild, taught dance for the theater department at USDAN Center of the Creative and Performing Arts, was a guest teacher at Wagner College, Staten Island, for the New York State Council for the Arts, was a 'Review and Voting Panelist' for the Decentralization Grant Program administered through the Huntington Arts Council, was the company manager and co-choreographer for the 'Ragdolls' in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, choreographed for several years for Hauppauge, Bayport, Westhampton and Bellport School District's Musicals as well as for Gateway Playhouse's Acting School Production, for several years co-choreographed for summerstock theatre in Maine, New Hampshire and New Jersey, trained under Pierre Dulaine ('Mad Hot Ballroom' and 'Take the Lead') to be one of his 'Teaching Artists' for his American Ballroom Theater's Dancing Classrooms Program and is an Advisory Council Member for CoDanceCo.

Alisa Rodela - Alisa Rodela joined the Spotlight Dance Academy Faculty in September 2010 and teaches Hip Hop, Ballet, Lyrical & Jazz. She started her dance training at age 12 and always had a passion for dance. She was involved in her High School dance and song leading teams; as well as a hip hop crew. She trained and danced with The Dellos Dance Studio. Miss Alisa has choreographed numerous solos and team routines for competitions. She is orginially from California and moved to New York to pursue her dance career. She trained at Broadway Dance Center with the Summer Internship, and has danced alongside many well known choreographers. She graduated with an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from Suffolk Community College and is currently attending Hunter College majoring in dance. She currently attends Broadway Dance Center and recently finished choreography for an up and coming artist's music video. Miss Alisa is committed to bring her passion of dance to all her classes; she is an inspiring teacher for all ages.

Leigh Webster - Leigh has been teaching for Spotlight Dance Academy since it's conception in 2001. She has also taught at AMDA: American Musical Dramatic Arts in NYC from 1992-2000. She began her teaching career in Orange County, California where she studied extensively in Los Angeles with renowned ballet teacher Stanley Holden and Glen White. She was a member of Jazz Dancers Inc. under Dennon Rawles and Sayber Sayers in L.A. who choreographed Staying Alive with John Travolta and directed by Sylvester Stallone.

Leigh's Broadway credits include: "A Chorus Line" as well as the National and International Tours.

She has performed on Broadway in 'Cats" as well as Dance Captain. She began her "CATS" career in the L.A. Company, moving on as Dance Captain for the National Tour, and ending up on Broadway as "Cassandra" and dance captain.

Leigh has judged Dance Competitions extensively throughout the country with "Showstoppers." 1996-2000.

Leigh has a love for dance and a passion for teaching that is conveyed through her ability to encourage her students to be the best they can be in a fun filled environment.