Premier Dance Performing Arts Center is proud to have a faculty of professional dance instructors who are very passionate about the art of dance. Our instructors are dedicated to helping each child progress through their training and reach their highest potential.
Jaye began dancing at the age of 7 through an aferschool program and hasn't stopped since. Her dance education came from years of studying with local and NYC-based instructors. Receiving certifications through Broadway Dance Center, Dance Teacher magazine, and Dance Teacher Summit and being recognized as Top Teacher by Star Systems Competition. She has been the Owner and Director for Premier Dance Performing Arts Center for the last 8 years, alongside her daughter, Miss Skylar.
Prior to realizing her dream of opening her own studio where she could fulfill her own artistic vision and influence and train her students in a way that she felt passionate about, she was the head teacher and administrative helper to another studio in the tri-city area for almost 20 years. In addition to teaching hundreds of recreational students and working to instill a confidence and love for the art of dance in each and every student, she has also directed numerous competition teams to National Championship victories, won numerous high score awards, title placements, cash awards and scholarships for her dancers. Miss Jaye has been awarded numerous Choreography and Entertainment Awards and has received the ADCC Studio of Excellence Award.
In addition to choreographing and directing all of the recreational students, the Pre-Competiton Team, and the Competition Team at Premier Dance, Miss Jaye has been the head teacher and host studio for the locally cast children for the MOSCOW BALLET in their local production of THE GREAT RUSSIAN NUTCRACKER. She has also choreographed for Capital Guild Theatre Group, taught master classes for the Dance Alliance at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga and was honored to received a T.A.N.Y.S (Theatre Association of New York State) award for achievement in choreography for her work in WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. She also has appeared as an extra in the movie "Time Machine" starring Guy Pearce and was a given a callback to read for a part in the Bradley Cooper movie, "A Place Beyond The Pines. Unfortunately a dance commitment with her team made it impossible to realize that opportunity, but her loyalty has always been and always will be to her students first! NYC is the dance capital of the world and it is where she still spends a lot of time, continuing her own dance training by studying with some of the best in the business. Some of those that she has studied with include Mandy Moore and Mia Michaels from TV's "So You Think You Can Dance," Greg Russell, Finis Jhung, Courtney Ortiz, Alex Wong, and many many more.
Her proudest achievement has been her amazing family. Her husband Don and their 4 children (Skylar, Evan, Paige and Casey). They are the light of her life and the thing that drives her to do better and be better every single day.
Miss Jaye's philosophy is simple... Teach the proper technique and have as much fun as your students! If there is one thing her students will tell you, it is that Miss Jaye is having fun right along with them during each and every class. It could be a 3-4 year old group or a group of teenagers or adults. At the end of the day it is all the same question; Did you learn something, and did you have fun?
Skylar started dancing when she was three years old in Albany, NY. She has studied ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, lyrical, modern, African, Zumba, and Pilates. Skylar was a competitive dancer until she was 19 years old and during those years she had great success with overall awards, scholarship awards, and dance team selections. Skylar assisted at Encore! Dance Competition as an assistant choreographer for the performance team in 2011.
Following her graduation from Shenendehowa High School in 2010, she graduated from SUNY Brockport with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in 2014. During her time there she worked in residency and workshops with companies such as; Bill Evans Dance Company, Monica Bill Barnes and co., David Dorfman Dance, Garth Fagan, and Jose Limon. She studied under prestigious dancers including Mariah Maloney who danced with Trisha Brown Dance Company, Karl Rogers who dances with David Dorfman Dance, and William Bill Evans who founded Bill Evans Dance Company.
Skylar has had the opportunity to perform at many venues on and off the Brockport campus, including different theaters around the Rochester and Buffalo area. In addition to her knowledge of dance, Skylar brings a plethora of knowledge about the body and kinesiology. She uses her knowledge of the muscles and bones to help her students better understand movement in a dance class, and in injury prevention. She is very excited to be the Co-Director of the competition team and a head teacher here at Premier Dance. She looks forward to giving all students the most valuable education in dance possible.
Stav started dancing at 3 years old. She has studied ballet, jazz, musical theatre, tap, lyrical, contemporary and hip-hop. She was a competitive dancer until 19 years old, and believe it or not, Skylar's duo partner! Stav has won many regional and national titles as a soloist and group dancer. Along the way, she has learned from many famous professionals and even competed against a few! During her time at RPI, Stav was a member of the dance team and also spent evenings instructing at various studios. She joined the Premier team in 2016 as a technique instructor and choreographer.
Stav is a certified Reformer Pilates instructor, has years of physical therapy shadowing under her belt, and also uses her biomedical engineering degree when instructing. She loves to focus and educate on the benefits of proper exercise to improve strength, mobility, stability, injury prevention and injury rehabilitation. She enjoys helping her students learn to take care of their bodies not just for dance, but in the long run as well! When focusing on choreography, Stav takes class time to work on movement quality and bonding with choreography to express sincere emotions.
Miss Stav looks forward to helping students unleash their full potential physically and emotionally in dance!
Emily has an extensive background in dance and yoga. She holds the following certifications; R.A.D Intermediate Ballet, I.S.T.D Advanced 2 Modern Dance, I.S.T.D Advanced Tap, D.D.I Mdoern Dance, and 500RYT Yoga teacher Training. Emily's professional performance experience includes JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, Whistle Down the Wind, Kylie Minogues' 25th Anniversary Tour, Sunday Nights at Drury Lane, Royal Variety Performance at London Palladium, Aladin Panto, and music videos with Lil Chris, Kylie Minogue and Girls Aloud.
Emily is excited to bring her plethora of knowledge and experience to Premier Dance!
Bio coming soon
Dayna started dancing at the age of 3 at Spendwood School of Dance and Gymnastics in Cohoes NY. Over her 15 years of dance she has studied ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and also took gymnastics for a few years. Dayna was a member of the Shenendehowa Dance Team for both her junior and senior year. In her 2 years on the team was able to experience many fun and memorable things, such as dancing in the Disney Christmas Parade in 2009, competing in the Big Apple Competition in NYC in 2010, and competing in the National Dance Alliance National Competition in Orlando Florida in 2011.
While on the Dance Team, Miss Dayna performed with her team at many of the home football and basketball games, and was able to work with many of the children in the Shenendehowa School District through Elementary Dance Clinics, in which her and her teammates taught the children a pre-choreographed routine.
Dayna has been with us at Premier for 10 years teaching all genres of dance to all ages. Dayna is currently also a Pre-School Teacher and is certified in CPR.
Headshot and bio coming soon