Centerstage Faculty
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| Kathy Coughlin | Melanie Coughlin | Cosmin Marculetiu | Alyssa Pettingill | Kristina Angell |
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| Justyn Thoren | Shailagh Klicker | Stacey Giffin | Dianne Morganelli | Cassandra Hale |
Kathy Coughlin
Director, Kathy Coughlin founded Centerstage Dance Academy and its company (The Centerstage Dancers) in
1991. Her goal is to provide the training that will nurture both the potential artist as well as the
dance student who studies for the inherent rewards. Kathy inspires young dancers to dance from their
hearts and enjoy the experience along the way. Through her extensive training she has developed a
curriculum with up to date techniques and innovative teaching methods. Her students have enjoyed
acceptance into the most prestigious dance colleges and dance companies in the United States. She
received her formative training from E. Virginia Bowser and subsequently with The Boston School of
Ballet, The Joy of Movement Center and Boston State College. She also spends her time in New York
studying with various Master Teachers. Kathy received her teaching credentials through The Dance
Teachers Club of Boston where she was the recipient of the Carwood Ballet Scholarship. She is an active
member of Dance Masters of America and The Dance Teacherss Club of Boston where she now serves on the
Dance Education Training Committee for the education of new dance teachers.
Mrs. Coughlin has more than 25 years of teaching experience. She has been a guest teacher throughout the U.S. and Russia and has served as a master teacher for dance organizations and colleges. As an independent, award winning choreographer she has staged a wide variety of musicals and has been commissioned to choreograph routines that have been performed in such places as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Copenhagen, and Disneyworld. She has performed in television, industrials and commercials. She recently choreographed and appeared in (along with The Centerstage Dancers) the video for "First Night 2000" in Boston.
Kathy received her judges credentials from The National Dance Council of America and is also the Treasurer of the Tyngsborough Arts Council. She also finds time to coach the Tyngsborough High School Dance Team.
Melanie Coughlin
Melanie is a versatile performer with an impressive array of talents. She has trained
extensively in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop, breaking and gymnastics. Combined with
her enthusiasm for the art and her positive attitude towards her children, Melanie loves to
share her knowledge of dance through teaching. She started dancing at five years old, and her
training continued throughout college where she attended the University of New Hampshire.
During her college career Melanie earned a BA in Business and filled her extra classes with Theatre and Dance courses that ranged from “Threate and Dance III (Adv Jazz and Tap)” to “Dance Pedology” so she could continue to broaden her knowledge of the art. Melanie was also a member of the UNH Dance Team for four years, where she competed at NDA/NCA Regional and National Competitions. Melanie is a graduate of the Dance Education Training Program provided by the Dance Teachers Club of Boston, where she graduated in the top of her class.
A dancer for more than twenty years, she has earned many regional and national titles for performances and choreography and she continues to takes classes throughout the Boston Area to strengthen her knowledge of the art and to keep fresh ideas flowing into Centerstage.
Cosmin Marculetiu
Cosmin, currently living in Quincy, Cosmin has an extensive background in both teaching and performing.
As a performer Cosmin has danced as a soloist in Romania, Croatia and Dresden Germany. His long list of
performances include Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Giselle, Coppelia and many more. While in Europe he taught
many forms of dance at all levels including classical ballet, creative dance, dance history, and pas de
deux. Cosmin is now on staff at the performing arts high school in Boston and is concentrating on the
educational aspect of dance. We look forward to Cosmin’s second year at Centerstage and his extensive
knowledge of the art of ballet.Alyssa Davenport Pettingill
Alyssa Davenport Pettingill received her classical ballet training from Larry and Colleen Robertson,
formerly of the Boston Ballet, San Diego Ballet and Houston Ballet. She also studied at the Boston
Ballet School with notables such as Anna Marie Holmes, Sydney Leonard, Laura Young and Jimmy Capp.
Alyssa also studied with Richard Rein at the Portland School of Ballet, and received a full scholarship
and traineeship to the Milwaukee Ballet. At Milwaukee Ballet, Alyssa received her instruction from Basil
Thompson, Patricia Brown and Taras Kalba, and performed with the corps de ballet under the direction of
Robert Weiss. Alyssa danced with the Seacoast Company for over six years, performing such roles as Snow
Queen and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Hermia in A Mid Summer Nights Dream, the lead in Carmina
Burana, the Can-Can doll in La Boutique Fantasque, the Lilac Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, and in Les
Sylphides and Pas de Quatre. Alyssa went on to attain a BA in Theatre and Dance from UNH, where she
studied jazz and tap with Gay Nardone, and performed with the UNH Ballet and Jazz Companies. Trained in
all aspects of theatre, she was awarded the Gary O'Neill "Triple Threat" Scholarship for Musical
Theatre. Alyssa has performed in a wide variety of dramatic, comedic, and musical roles, and still makes
occasional appearances in local community theatre, most recently as the Emcee in Cabaret (Lexington
Players).Kristina Angell
Kristina has been dancing for 20 years. Along with her ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical training, Kristina
was also a competitive gymnast at Walker’s Gymnastics for 8 years. Kristina is a former student of Kathy
Coughlin, an alumni member of the Centerstage Dancers, and a graduate of The Dance Teachers Club of
Boston’s Dance Education Training Program. While attending Quinnipiac University, Kristina used her
talents to choreograph and perform with the QU Dance Company, and compete with the QU Dance Team. After
graduating with a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy, Kristina is excited to be back “home” and CSDA.Justyn Thoren
Justyn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development from Rivier College and Masters degree in
Education from Harvard University. Justyn received her dance training at the Asami Maki Ballet Academy
in Tokyo, Japan, the Granite State Ballet School in Nashua, New Hampshire, and the Boston Ballet School
in Boston, Massachusetts. She danced as a soloist with the Granite State Ballet Company and enjoyed
roles in Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Peter and the Wolf, the Nutcracker, and An American in
Paris. She also performed as a soloist with Jamaica Plain’s Ballet Rox, An American Concert Ballet
Company, in the Urban Nutcracker and Rally for Peace. Justyn has taught locally for more than ten years,
and she has gained extensive experience teaching and choreographing pieces for students of a wide range
of ages, disciplines, and levels. Justyn has also worked with local students as choreographer of the
musicals Fiddler on the Roof, Evita and Footloose. Her choreography has won awards at the regional and
national level including special recognition at the National Performing Arts Festival in Orlando,
Florida. She looks forward to another year working with the Centerstage dancers and sharing with them a
love of dance, music and movement.Shailagh (Curry) Klicker
Shailagh Klicker has been dancing for over twenty years and has been teaching dance for ten years. A
Centerstage Dancer alum, she received her early training from a variety of instructors throughout
Massachusetts, and has been involved in professional performances and competitions throughout New
England and Disney World in Florida.
Shailagh earned her B.S. in Child Studies and M. Ed. in Elementary Education from the University of New Hampshire. She was also a member of the UNH Jazz and Tap Dance Company and the Dance Team. After college, Shailagh has continued to study in Boston, New York City and Bolder, Colorado. Shailagh began teaching dance after earning her dance teaching certification with Dance Teachers Club of Boston in 1994. She has enjoyed teaching young children's classes and jazz dance since that time. Shailagh also teaches fourth grade in Hollis, NH.
Stacey Giffin
Stacey Giffin has been a faculty member at Centerstage since 2003, and became a member
of Dance Teachers Club of Boston in
2006. Stacey has studied in Boston, Providence, and London and received her BA in Dance and Performance from
Roger Williams University in 2003; she received the dance department award upon graduation. While at
Roger Williams, Stacey was a member of the RWU Dance Theatre by audition each semester and
choreographed "Oklahoma!" and "Godspell" for the RWU Theatre Department. Stacey was a member of
Kelley Donovan and Dancers, was a lead dancer in Turtle Lane Playhouse’s "George M!" and was a
featured dancer in Gary Shore’s Film adaptation of Swan Lake, "Ode," and in his new
film "Three Stores, Three Stories." Currently, Stacey is a member of Perceptions Contemporary
Dance Company in Boston, MA, and is the resident choreographer for Lakeview Junior High School’s Drama Club
in Dracut, MA.Dianne Morganelli
Dianne have over thirty years of experience as a dance educator, bringing a wealth of knowledge and an
abundance of energy enthusiasm to all who study from her. She was Founder and Artistic Director of the
American Academy of Dance in southern Massachusetts for 15 years (1987-2001). As an active member of
Dance Masters of America, Dance Teachers Club of Boston, International Tap Association, and Aerobics
and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), Dianne is qualified to teach Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical Jazz,
Musical Theatre, Aerobics, Swing dance, and other social dances to all ages. Her philosophy is to teach
strong technique and stylization with an emphasis on creativity, self-expression, and self-confidence,
using encouragement and praise as an important ingredient in her classes. Throughout New Enlgland, she
is known as a master teacher, choreographer of musical theatre productions, and the recipient of many
awards for outstanding choreography and performances in regional dance competitions. Some of her
choreography credits are: West Side Story, Carousel, George M, Oklahoma, Cats, and the Twelve Dancing
Princesses. A graduate of Lesley University, she continues to increase her knowledge and expertise as
she currently pursues her Masters degree in Psychology with a specialization in Dance Therapy.Cassandra Hale
Cassandra graduated from the University of New Hampshire, where she received her degree in dance and theater arts.
While at UNH, she studied all forms of dance and stagecraft, including ballet, jazz, tap, costumes, lighting, and
sound design. She also studied "aerial dance" which is a new form of dance that creates dancing/"flying" with the
use of the trapeze and fabrics. Cassandra also took part, both as a performer and choreographer, in many of the
college's dance and theater productions. Cassandra received her early training at Keri Productions, Ltd. Dance Center
in New Hampshire and The Studio of Dance Arts in Massachusetts. There she studied, performed, and completed her student
teaching requirements. Cassandra has competed and received many national and regional awards through out her career.
Cassandra is a bright and energetic woman who brings even more dance diversity into Centerstage and the students she teaches.