KAD Staff

Kathleen Cirioli has been the director of the Kathleen Academy of Dance, a central NJ dance studio since 1971. She received her formal training at the Boston Conservatory of Music, and continues to study with Master Teachers throughout the US. She is the founder, artistic director, and choreographer of the Youth Tap Company, "Kids On Tap", who have performed in many venues, in the NY/NJ area, including Swing ’46, the Joyce Theatre, and the Duke Theatre in Tap City 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. They have appeared at the Brook Arts Center Show, “Mirror of the Masters I and II”, for National Tap Dance Day, with T.A.P., in PA, and at the Chicago Human Rhythm Project in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005, “A Tribute to Gregory Hines” in Washington DC, and most recently, “Memories”, a Tribute to Pascalle Stahel, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. Other performances have been at the takoma Theatre in Washington DC, the Brook Arts Center “Gala”, ‘Dance for the Brook”, Open Mic Night as guests of “Tappers With Attitude” in Washington, DC, Symphony Space, NY, with Traditions in Tap Dancer’s Showcase.

Ms. Cirioli was also the recipient of the Outstanding Tap Teacher Award presented by the NY Tap Festival in 2004.

As a choreographer and teacher, Ms. Cirioli's mission is to promote and preserve the art of tap dancing by training the young dancers in both the current and historical styles of rhythm tap. She is a guest teacher for many studios and organizations, and on the teaching faculty of NADAA. She has been on the dance faculty of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pa.. She is a guest teacher for various Workshops and Dance Organizations, and an adjudicator for many National Competitions. Ms. Cirioli is a former member of the Tap Company, T.A.P. Company, and is the founder and director of the performance troupes “Show Biz Kids” and “Kids On Tap”. She is currently a member of the Tap Company “Tap Ties”. Ms. Cirioli is the New Jersey Representative for the International Tap Association , a past Member of The New York Committee to Celebrate National Tap Dance Day , Advisory Board Member of the Jazz Tap Center’s Traditions in Tap , and owner of Just TAP! , a web-based business serving the international tap community. As an advocate for breast cancer awareness, she has appeared on The Rosie O’Donnell Show performing an original tap routine in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She is the founder of Dance For The Cure, a non profit organization dedicated to the prevention and cure of breast cancer through the celebration of dance.

Former students have appeared on Broadway, television, regional theatres, Garden State Arts Center, professional dance companies, cruise ships, cabarets, and international showcases around the world. Many of her students have pursued performing careers appearing in Broadway and National Tours including Footloose, A Chorus Line, Cats, Contact, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Beauty and The Beast, David Copperfield World Tour, 42nd Street, Contact, Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, and Saturday Night Fever.

Among other distinctions, Ms. Cirioli was the charter chairperson for the American Heart Association "Dance For Heart," and was a Dance Captain for the International Macy’s Tap Event since it began in the 1970's.

Instructors

Linda Bozzo: "Miss Linda" has been dancing since the age of three. She is a former student of Miss Kathleen's where she studied and competed in tap, jazz, and ballet. She has been teaching at KAD since 1987. Miss Linda enjoys community theatre where she has performed in various musicals including Damn Yankees, Sweet Charity and Kiss Me Kate. She has also performed Off-Broadway in the original musical, It Had To Be You. Miss Linda has choreographed such favorites as Guys and Dolls, Annie and Bye, Bye Birdie. Miss Linda currently teaches tap, jazz and musical theatre at the studio.

	Nilza Tyson: "Miss Nilza" has been with the studio since she started dancing in 1984. She trained in all forms of dance and assisted with the younger classes for many years. She attended Somerest Vocational Arts School for Dance and continued studying, choregraphing and performing while in college. Nilza completed all of the syllabus levels at the studio and currently prepares students in jazz. She was also a dance captain for Macy's Tap o Mania. Nilza is a participant of Dance for the Cure and performed on the Rosie O'Donnell Show. She has been teaching at the studio since 1997. Nilza has always felt that the Kathleen Academy has been her home!

	Joanne Liscovitz: "Miss Joanne" has been teaching at the Kathleen Academy of Dance since 1981, and dancing forever! Her passion for dancing and teaching inspired her to earn a BA in English Education and Theatre from Kings College. She lives in Hillsborough with her husband Michael and her two children, Meredith a recent graduate of Penn State University, and Brian, a gymnast at University of Illinois (both former KAD dancers). When Joanne is not dancing or spending time with family, Joanne is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Hillsborough. She has been successfully helping people buy and sell homes in our area since 1984. Joanne (along with Miss Kathleen) co-founded Dance for the Cure, an organization committed to the prevention and cure of breast cancer through dance.

Robyn Noble: "Miss Robyn" was one of the first students at the Kathleen Academy of Dance when it opened in 1971, having already been dancing from age 3. Robyn danced and participated in many competitions, talent shows, pageants and Teen Arts Festivals. She was a member of Dance Educators of America, and has attended seminars, workshops and classes in New York City. It is because of Robyn's passion for dance, combined with her love for children, that she chose to pursue a career as a dance instructor. She been teaching at the KAD since the 1977.

	Sheila Mills: "Miss Sheila" has been teaching at the Kathleen Academy of Dance since 1997. She brings with her expertise in the disciplines of ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, creative movement, improvisation and choreography. Sheila's professional credits include performing in the stage production of "Music America" at Great Adventure/Six Flags as a singer and dancer. Sheila also danced in "The Odyssey" in NYC. In addition to her training at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Sheila holds a BS degree from Houghton College, and a Master's Degree in Dance Education from New York University.

Dana Shenloogian began her dance career at the age of 4 at the Denise Daniele Dance Studios in Brick, New Jersey. There she studied and competed in ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop and lyric. She continued to further her dance training when she went to college at Point Park University in Pittsburgh and majored in dance. She was very successful while at school, performing and choreographing for all of their dance performances. After receiving her BA of Fine Arts she moved back to New Jersey where she has been choreographing and teaching for various studios. She has been teaching at the Kathleen Academy of Dance since 2006.





	Nicole Frangione has studied and performed many types of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and world dance forms. She has a B.S. in English Education from Duquesne University and is currently completing her M.A. in Dance Education at NYU. During her four years in college, Nicole was a member of the Duquesne University Tamburitzans, an Eastern European music and dance ensemble, and had the opportunity to travel and perform all over the country. In addition to teaching at the studio, Nicole is an English teacher and has also choreographed several musical theater productions.

Ashley Bozzo was a former student at Kathleen Academy of Dance and has been dancing since she was 3 yrs old. She has been an assistant teacher at the studio, and grew up in the classroom. She is a graduate of Piscataway High School where she enjoyed participating in many theatre productions. She currently attends Kean University where she is majoring in elementary education. She is thrilled to be teaching a the Kathleen Academy of Dance as it combines all the the things she loves most: kids, dancing, and teaching!