Lynn Needle – Artistic Director (Modern, Pilates, Jazz, Yoga, Tap, Repertory, Choreography, Improv)
Lynn Lesniak Needle earned her B.A. in Dance Cum Laude from Connecticut College where she was the recipient of the ACDFA Dance Magazine National Award for choreography, adjudicated by Murray Louis, Pauline Koner and Clay Taliafero.   Her work COOL WAVE, featured in Dance Magazine was performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and hailed as "a flash of what is happening now...Lesniak has a great theatrical sense...the choreographer is in touch with the times in which we live." Lynn is a former soloist with the Nikolais Dance Theatre where she toured internationally, traveling to six out of seven continents and more than 40 United Sates.  She has been influenced by many, including Martha Graham, Twyla Tharp, Luigi, Ann Reinking, and B.K.S. Iyengar, but studied intensely with her mentors Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis at the Nikolais/Louis Dance Lab in New York City.  Nik created seminal works on Lynn during her tenure with the company and she began teaching and assisting Hanya Holm. While on tour she was later asked to direct the Nikolais and Louis Dance Lab, a professional studio school of dance in Soho where she arranged for dancers from around the world to study, choreograph, and perform. During this time, Lynn pioneered classes in Pilates-based exercises, training with thera-bands, trampolines, and fitness balls. Her students included many dancers who have gone on to perform with professional companies and tour throughout the world.  Over the years, Lynn has been featured in the PBS documentary Nik and Murray, been photographed by Lois Greenfield, and Tom Caravaglia and has enjoyed collaborating with lighting and costume designers, composers, and poets. She has choreographed numerous works for MTV, corporate videos for Verizon, and premiered her work at the Boston Conservatory, Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C, the Westbeth Theater Center in the West Village, and the JOYCE SOHO, The Hatch, American Dance Guild, MMAC, the 92nd Street Y, as well as NYU, Hunter College, Rutgers University, Montclair State University, Ramapo College, Rider University, Bergen Community College, and for local community theatre groups. In many of these venues, Lynn has choreographed for the Art of Motion Ensemble, a company established after she founded the non-profit studio, Art of Motion, Inc, with Olivia Galgano, her Artistic Associate. Lynn has also worked as an artist in residence in the public schools as a staff developer, and is currently an adjunct Professor of Modern Dance at Bergen Community College. She has dedicated her life to preserving the Nikolais legacy and training future generations of professional dancers.  Her most recent collaborations with performance artist and costume designer Annie Hickman, composers Dr. Dinu Ghezzo and John T. LaBarbera, and former Pilobolus Principal Dancer, Kent Lindemer have led to the creation of new work exploring body mechanics, the physics of partnering, sculptural shape and complex relationships. 

Olivia Galgano – Artistic Director (Ballet, Pointe, Repertory)
Olivia Galgano directs the classical ballet program at Art of Motion and choreographs excerpts from classical repertory as well as original work. Olivia began her ballet training with the Boston School of Ballet at the age of seven under the direction of E. Virginia Williams. At the age of 16, she became a member of the New England Civic Ballet Company, presently known as the Boston Ballet Company. As a soloist, her performances included Rustic Wedding, which was created specifically for her by Leon Danielian. The work was premiered at the Boston Arts Festival and also performed at the Gloucester Arts Festival. She was then invited to join and became one of the youngest members of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, touring throughout the United States and Canada. Olivia's repertoire included over 50 ballets, and she performed solo roles in such ballets as Coppelia,Swan Lake, Gaite Parisienne, Le Beau Danube, and Sombreros. Her coaches included such renowned artists as Fredrick Franklin, Anton Vilzak, Leon Danielian, and Irina Barovska, all of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Now a resident of Paramus, Olivia has been teaching in Bergen County and has choreographed a number of original pieces that have been performed at the New Jersey Dance Festival and the Bergen Community Dance Festival. Along with her dedication to teaching and choreographing, she has served as chairperson of the Cultural Committee for the Paramus Schools and has assisted the music department in creating and developing movement into their curriculum. Olivia has been co-owner and artistic director of the Classic Ballet School for over 20 years. The Classic Ballet Ensemble has performed throughout the New Jersey school system and other community facilities. As co-director of Art of Motion, Olivia looks forward to continuing her artistic dedication and endeavors by sharing her love, passion, and expertise with the active community of Bergen County. Olivia Galgano is an Adjunct Professor at Bergen Community College.

LINDA COMBS – Studio Manager (Pilates)
Linda Combs, dental hygienist, wife and mother has joined the faculty of AOM teaching Pilates-based conditioning classes.  She has always loved dance, taking classes and performing throughout her youth, and she continues to study ballet and modern technique. She brings her lifelong expertise of weight and resistance training to the studio as well.  After years of strength and fitness training she has translated her love of movement into Pilates and Yoga.  She is dedicated to understanding the complexities of the body and incorporates principles of dance, body sculpting, strength, agility and core work in her classes. 

Susan Nabors Braisted  (Baroque)
Susan Nabors Braisted has been dancing since age 10. Early on, she developed an interest in dance history and the 18th century in particular that has remained a lifelong passion.  She became involved in living history in the late 70’s and was shortly thereafter introdcued to 18th century Country Dancing.  Sue worked with the late, Chip (Cyril) Henderickson for over 13 years.  In 1996 her work gave her the opportunity to choreograph dance sequences for the PBS series “Liberty, and American Revolution.”  Intitally it was a need to learn an authentic minuet that led Sue to attend Baroque dance workshops with Ken Pierce at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA.  But, she quickly became a Baroque Dance devotee.  Sue now studies with Dorrie Olsson and Kaspar Mainz of New York Historical Dance, has attended workshops by Tom Baird of Apollo’s Banquet and most recently has been taking classes with The New York Baroque Dance Company.  Since 2004, Sue has participated in the Amherst Early Music Festival, dancing in productions of Handel’s “Almira,” Purcell’s “Dido & Aeneas,” Campara’s “L’Europe Galante,” Cavalli’s “Ariadne,” and Purcell’s “Dioclesian.”

Jay Bolsom (Iyengar Yoga)

Jay has been teaching Iyengar yoga for over ten years. He has trained with some of the finest teachers in the world since 1994. Jay's teaching style is energetic and focused; his classes are dynamic, challenging and complete. He welcomes all levels of students and is attentive to specific needs. His goal is to deepen your inward journey, while imparting more physical alignment and structural strength to your body. He offers cutting-edge techniques, always teaching a thematic class with a fresh approach.     

Ravah Daley (Luigi Jazz Technique)
Ravah Daley began her dance career as a classical ballet dancer in Los Angeles, California. By the age of sixteen, she had become a professional jazz dancer and singer, with ballet as her foundation. Ravah appeared as a regular on numerous variety shows including; The Carroll Burnett Show, Sonny & Cher, and The Osmonds, among others. Intermittently, she worked on a number of television specials, which were built around stars such as Ann Margaret, Goldie Hawn, Liza Minnelli and John Denver. She was also fortunate to have worked regularly with excellent choreographers such as Lester Wilson, Ron Fields and Michael Peters. Highlights of Ravah’s career included partnering Mikhail Baryshnikov in the television specials Baryshnikov on Broadway and Baryshnikov in Holly wood. Additionally, she spent several years touring throughout the world, singing rock and roll and dancing (as dance captain) with Tina Turner. Ravah also has several film and stage credits, including a concert tour with Chuck Mangione and his full orchestra as partner and assistant to the choreographer, Joe Bennett. Edward Vilella choreographed Ravah’s first Broadway show and a subsequent show, including the original production of Dreamgirls, directed by Michael Bennett and choreographed by Michael Peters. Throughout the years, Ravah has taught dance and currently teaches Luigi’s jazz technique. Like so many other performers, Ravah continues to be inspired by her mentor, Luigi.

Niel V. De Marino (Baroque)
Niel De Marino has danced form a young age.  The classic core of dance study led to Irish dance, which Niel taught in New York City for many years.  A love of history bloomed into being a Revolutionary War re-enactor as well as a living historian devoted to researching, preserving and demonstration all aspects of 18th century life; open hearth cooking, period correct tailoring & social graces and deportment to name a few.  Niel appeared in the PBS series The American Experience films titled “John & Abigail Adams” and “Alexander Hamilton.”  Since 2007, he has danced in the Amherst Early Music Festival productions of Cavalli’s “La Calisto,” Conradi’s “Ariadne,” and Purcell’s “Dioclesian.”  Niel studies Baroque and 18th century dance with Dorrie Olsson & Kaspar Mainz of New York Historical Dance, Amherst Early Music Festival and most recently has been taking classes with The New York Baroque Dance Company.

In 2003, Sue and Niel founded “In Good Company” combining their knowledge of 18th century dance styles and authentic reproduction clothing to bring performances to a variety of historic sites and venues.  They currently teach a class in Baroque and 18th Century Country dance at Art of Motion in Ridgewood, NJ.

Ralph DiRienzo (Ballet, Luigi Jazz Technique)
Ralph has been teaching ballet and jazz for over 20 years and brings a vast knowledge of the ballet
techniques he has studied and dance throughout his career. At a young age, Ralph started dancing in
community theater productions and started his dance training with Luigi at the Luigi Jazz Dance Center,
in NYC. He started ballet training with Helena Baron, in NJ and soon received a scholarship to the
American Ballet Center, the school of the Joffrey Ballet. Ralph has studied with Meredith Baylis, Anne
Parsons, Robert Joffrey, Hector Zaraspe, Jonathan Watts, David Howard, Maggie Black, Melissa Hayden,
Wilhelm Burmann, Paul Sutherland, and Brunilda Ruiz. Ralph danced with the Joffrey Ballet II, The
Joffrey Ballet, the Maryland Ballet (Principal Dancer), the Eglevsky Ballet, The New Jersey Ballet, The
New World Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera Ballet at Lincoln Center, NYC. During his Ballet career, Ralph
has danced in ballets by many of the major choreographers such as Aston, Gerald Arpino, Balanchine,
Jerome Robbins, Stuart Hodes, Anthony Tudor, Stuart Sebastian, Twyla Tharpe, Norbert Vesak, Alvin
Ailey, Fernand Nault, Robert LaFosse, and Gillian Lynne. He has danced in ballets with Cynthia Gregory,
Natasha Makarova, Cynthia Harvey, Evelyn Hart, Beatrice Rodriguez, Nureyev, Anthony Dowell,
Fernando Bujones, Richard Cragun, Zane Wilson.

Ruth Grauert (Lighting Designer)
Ruth holds an M.A. from Columbia University and a certificate as dance educator from the Henry Street Playhouse. Having worked for 40 years with Alwin Nikolais, she has designed lighting and served as mentor for many dancers in that discipline. Her published articles are concerned with various aspects of performance aesthetic. Her award-winning poetry deals primarily with man in nature. Ruth's Web site, BearnstowJournal.org, offers articles and discussion forums on dance, poetry, the arts, and the Nikolais aesthetic. When Annelise Mertz, Professor Emerita of Washington University in St. Louis, asked Ruth to write an article about how Bearnstow approached the teaching of the arts for her book The Body Can Speak, the essay "The Common Aesthetic" was Ruth's response and may be read at her Web site.

Stephen Innocenzi (Voice Lessons, Triple Threat, Musical Theatre, Acting/Scene Study)
Stephen Innocenzi majored in Theatre at Rutgers University, where he performed in seventeen productions, and has a degree in Creative Writing from The New School.  He was a member of Michael Moriarty’s private acting class for seven years and has been authorized by Mr. Moriarty to teach his acting method. Stephen’s dance teachers include Dr. Margery Turner, Nancy Bielski, David Howard, Phil Black, Sal Pernice and Charles Goeddertz, and he has danced with The American Theatre Dance Company, Gabrielle Taylor Dance Company and the Patrick Garreth Mitchell Dancers. Stephen has thirty seven years experience in the martial arts and has taught Tibetan Lama Kung-Fu for fifteen years. He continues to train in Tai Chi Chuan with Dr. Robert Ante. He is recognized as a Sifu level instructor by the United States Wu-Shu/Kung-Fu Federation and the North American Chinese Martial Arts Federation. As an actor, Stephen most recently appeared on the New York stage as Don Juan in Alexander Pushkin’s “Little Tragedies”, and in David Sard’s modern reworking of Oedipus, “The Ballad of Eddie and Jo”. He also played a younger Yogi Berra in Robin Rice Lichtig’s “Déjà vu All Over Again” for New Jersey Rep. Other New York City stage credits include the title role in Anton Chekhov’s “Ivanov”, The Dauphin in George Bernard Shaw’s “St. Joan”, Major Arnold in Ronald Harwood’s “Taking Sides”, Dr. Kroll in Henrik Ibsen’s “Rosmersholm”, and Adolf in August Strindberg’s “Creditors”. On television he has co-starred on “Law and Order”and “100 Centre Street”. Stephen choreographed the Jim Thorpe musical, “Warrior”,for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and directed an award-winning production of Marie Jones’ “A Night in November” for The Actors’ Bridge in Nashville. Stephen has taught B'way Musical Class, Triple Threat Class, the Summer Theatre Intensive, and Ensemble Theatre Class for autistic teens at AOM since 2005

Austin Jarred (Pre-Ballet, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Tap, Modern)
Austin is a recent graduate from the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase, and has been dancing since the age of 3! She received her BFA in Dance Performance and graduated cum laude. Her early studios of training included Dance Sensations in Virginia, Dance Designs (where she met and studied Modern dance for the first time with Lynn Needle), New Jersey School of Ballet, Ballet Academy East, Irine Fokine's School of Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre. While at Purchase, she danced the Dewdrop and Lead Marzipan roles for 3 years in Purchase Dance Corps' The Nutcracker, and danced in the Phlegmatic section of Balanchine's The Four Tempraments. She also danced a solo choreographed by Lane Gifford, the Artistic Director of  Lane & Co. in NYC, for her Senior Recital at Purchase, and performed the solo throughout NJ and NYC with Lane & Co. Her Senior Recital composition piece, entitled "Happy Hour" was chosen to be performed at a Dancers Responding to AIDS (DRA) benefit at the Purchase Performing Arts Center. Austin is delighted to be working with Lynn, her long time mentor, Olivia, and the rest of the faculty at Art of Motion!

Sally Kane (Ballet)
Sally has had an extensive career as a professional dancer prior to teaching. Her earlier training began at The Classic Ballet Company in New Jersey, where she completed the prestigious Royal Academy of Dance syllabus. Sally's credits as a soloist include Los Angeles Ballet, Chicago City Ballet, and Boston Opera Ballet. She also performed with the renowned Joffrey Ballet in NYC. As a performer, Sally has had the opportunity to tour Israel, Italy, and the former Soviet Union. Her teaching credits include the Academy of Dance for the Performing Arts in Westwood Lake, CA, Stanley Holden Dance Center, in Los Angeles, and In The Spotlight, in Waldwick, NJ. Sally has been with Dance Plus since its opening in 1992 and is delighted to have joined the faculty of Art of Motion in 2003. Sally guest teaches classical ballet at Rosa Parks High School of the Performing Arts in Paterson, NJ as part of an artistic partnership between Art of Motion and neighboring schools.

Tony Landa (Tap)
From Chicago, Tony Landa brings his professional experience with rhythm tap and classical jazz to Art of Motion.  He trained and performed for nearly five years with Billy Siegenfield and Jeannie Hill's Jump Rhythm Jazz Project, through which he led choreographic residencies in tap and jazz at Kansas State University (Manhattan), the University of Minnesota (Duluth), Gallery 37 (Chicago), and B.Z.A.E.D.S. (Chicago).  With JRJP, Tony also taught and assisted master classes at universities, elementary schools, and studios across the country in the Jump Rhythm Technique(TM), a "rhythm-first system of dance training".  Next, Tony studied intensively in all forms of dance on a full scholarship with Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in Calgary, AB.  Upon his return to Chicago, Tony became involved with the Chicago Human Rhythm Project and toured with Lane Alexander's BAM!.  He has performed as a featured artist with the Evanston Dance Ensemble and T.J. & Co. Dance Theatre, where he was also a choreographer for the junior company.  Tony was adjunct faculty at Northwestern University, teaching tap and jazz, before he moved to New Jersey.  In his home town of Kenosha, WI, Tony choreographed six years of musicals and holiday shows at his alma mater St. Joseph High School, including such shows as 42nd Street, The Wizard of Oz, and Cats.  He now choreographs with his wife, Jennifer, at Ridgewood High School with the New Players, where they have together choreographed Once on this Island, Anything Goes, Sweet Charity, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Drood.  Tony's tap classes bring back the joy and swing of the classic movie musicals, with an emphasis on expressing rhythm throughout the whole body.

Kent Lindemer (Vinyasa Yoga, Modern, Physical Theatre)
Kent Lindemer graduatied from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1988 with a B.A. in Theatre Arts where he formed his company, NolTuLove Dance Theatre.  He was with the Nebraska Shakespeare Comapny for two summer’s acting, dancing, juggling, fire-eating and tumbling, and then in Chicago dancing for Bob Eisen on a 25 city mid-western tour before joining Pilobolus Dance Theatre in 1989.  He worked with Pilobolus as a dancer, collaborative choreographer and teacher from 1989-2000, serving as dance captain from 1995-96 before taking a 1 1/2 year hiatus in 1997-98 to pursue a degree in Massage Therapy, heal injuries and delve into the world of Yogic Arts.  While with Pilobolus, Kent performed in over 25 countries and in every state in the U.S.A.  His performance of Untitled at Kennedy Center’s 25th Anniversary Celebration won Pilobolus an Emmy award for best televised performance.  Kent has set Pilobolus Dances on the Joffrey Ballet, School of the Hartford Ballet and Western Oregon University among others.  From 2000-2002, Kent toured with the 1st and 2nd National Tours of Swing! as their Massage/Physical Therapist.  He also worked for Anti-Gravity on the tours as Aerial Bungee rigger and trainer.  In 2003, Kent moved to Boulder, CO to study and teach Yoga with Richard Freeman at his studio, The Yoga Workshop and to climb rocks!  Kent is a nationally recognized Yoga teacher and was a presenter and also danced for the 1st annual Northwest Yoga Festival.  He was a guest artist for Los Angeles Music Center Institute for Teachers in 2004, has been featured in music videos by Marilyn Manson and Soraya and the photographic work of Lois Greenfield, Howard Shatz, Michael O’Neill, Jon Ortner, and John Kane. 

Elizabeth Matejka-Grossman (Ballet)
Liz, who trained at the Royal Ballet Upper School in London, England as well as Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Ballet and Monaco’s Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, has performed extensively for various companies, choreographers and venues in both Europe and the United States. Elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance, Liz has taught, choreographed and created programs in a variety of dance and performing arts disciplines as well as worked with multi-varied populations, ranging from young children through professional. Liz, who worked as a tenured high school English teacher in the New York City Public Schools, received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and has Masters Degrees from both Columbia University’s Teachers College and Harvard Graduate School of Education. With a background in instrumental, vocal, and theatre, Liz appeared in her first television commercial at a young age for Special Olympics—an organization which would subsequently play an important role as well as inspiration in her life, initially as a volunteer for Manhattan Special Olympics and later as the mother of a child with special needs. Liz is co-founder and co-director of Sharing the Arts, a 501 (c) (3) organization and school dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with special needs through the performing arts.

Christy Tarr McVey (Voice Lessons by appointment)
Christy made her Broadway debut as Mrs. Walker in "The Who's Tommy."  She was also a part of the first national tour of that same show.  Other Broadway credits include:  "Annie - The 20th Anniversary Tour" with Nell Carter, and "Jekyll and Hyde" where she played the roles of Kate and Emma.  Regional works include Ruby in "Dames at Sea"and Nellie in "South Pacific".  She has done live industrials for such companies as Mattel, Allstate, MasterCard and Pfizer.  Most recently, Christy has done commercials for Microsoft7, Magnavision Eye Wear, Comcast and Gateway Health. 
"... rare is the singer whose voice projects the characteristics and personality of a song.  Whether it is a sassy jazz tune, lyrical ballad or the passionate act one ending power duet, Christy Tarr-McVey does just that.  She embraces a song, ingests it then let's it soar with impeccable phrasing and the purist of tone"
Christy has done many concerts with her husband - J. Mark McVey and is featured in a duet on his newest CD "If You Really Knew Me". (HYPERLINK "http://www.jmarkmcvey.com/I_Finally_Found_Someone.mp3" Click here to listen to a clip of their duet)

Christine Reisner (Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Pilates)
There never was a time in her youth that Christine Reisner didn’t sing and dance. A native of Tenafly, New Jersey, she studied dance, musical theater, voice, violin and acting throughout her childhood. But once she saw Gwen Verdon in composer Albert Hague’s (her uncle) Redhead, she charted her course accordingly.
After graduating from high school she moved to France and made her professional dance debut at Le Palais du Sport in Paris with La Compagnie d’Anne Beranger. The company performed the work of numerous choreographers, and one of the highlights of that year was her work with the legendary Leonide Massine on a newly choreographed solo, which she performed at the Le Palais Royal theatre in a dance-history program that featured soloists of the Paris Opera Ballet. She went on to perform with Carolyn Carlson, who introduced her to Alwin Nikolais; Christine toured internationally with the Nikolais Dance Theatre for four years.
Her love of musical theatre led her to return to her studies with her uncle Albert Hague and other acting and voice teachers in the city. NYC musicals included Equity Library Theatre’s Can Can and Promises Promises; industrials included Pepsi Cola at the MGM Grand. She taught at the Gramercy Park School of Dance and was a guest teacher/choreographer at Trinity High School, where she collaborated with Aaron Bell (former bass player with Duke Ellington).
Rosella Hightower’s invitation to teach at Le Centre de Dance International in Cannes brought Christine back to France in 1983. While there she created a one-woman show for Le Ferme de Mougins. She then moved back to Paris, where she taught at the Academy International de Dance (A.I.D.) and starred at La Nouvelle Eve Cabaret, she also performed with jazz musicians in concerts and in clubs (Gilbert Leroux, Daniel Barda, George Arvanitas, Nico Strazzullo, Samm Woodyard and others).
Upon her return to New York City in 1987, she attended Fordham University and was graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in media studies. She then worked for two years as a news reporter for WRKL radio in Rockland County.

Barbara J Simon (Voice Lessons by appointment)
Barbara J. Simon was a Musical Theater major at NYU Tisch, and after two years, transferred to graduate with honors from NYU’s Gallatin School majoring in Musical Theater and Classic Texts.  While at NYU, Barbara worked on, and appeared in, two award-winning student films that were written and directed by Laurie Craig - head screenwriter for “Ramona and Beezus.”  Both films (“Hidden Desires” and “Grease Monkey”) appeared on HBO and the latter received an Academy Award Student Nomination.

She served as the Director of Marketing for Double Helix Films, Inc. in NYC (a feature film production / distribution company).  Then, with a personal introduction from Doug Herzog (current President of MTV), she landed a job as a Project Manager at Nickelodeon / MTV Networks, Inc. - working as a liaison between the Creative Director and the Marketing Department.

Barbara’s singing students have performed on the Oprah Winfrey show, in the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus, and as the opening act for Sebastian Bach.  They have appeared in clubs around NYC (CBGB, Arlene’s Grocery, The Delancy, Sidewalk Café, The Bowery Poetry Club).  Her students have also been accepted into universities including NYU: Clive Davis School of Recorded Music, and Montclair State University’s BFA Musical Theater Program.

For two years, Barbara was a Contest Judge for Scholastic Awards Scriptwriting Contest.
The second edition of her book “Singing – Body and Soul: a medley of fresh ideas about Musical Theater” as been endorsed by Stephen Flaherty (Tony-winning composer of “Ragtime”) - it will be available on Amazon.com later this year.

Sally Taylor Sullivan (Ballet)
Sally received her B.F.A. in Dance from the Julliard School and an M.A. in Dance Research and Reconstruction from the City College of C.U.N.Y. She is a certified teacher of Labanotation and the Alexander Technique. Sally teaches dance and the Alexander Technique to people of all ages and levels. She has taught at the Julliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Queens College, City College, Connecticut College, Northwestern University, Bergen Community College, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, and the School of the Hartford Ballet. Sally is the mother of two young children and is married to Scott Simpson, a professional percussionist and teacher at The Ridgewood Conservatory. Sally teaches classical ballet, modern dance, musical theater, Renaissance and Baroque Dance, and dances from around the world at Art of Motion.

M. A. Taylor (Choreographer/Dancer/Dance Teacher)

M.A.Taylor received his dance training at Garden State Ballet, Gallman’s Newark Dance Theatre, Science University Arts Academy, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway and has received his undergraduate degree from Rutgers the State University.

Taylor has danced with Premiere Dance Theatre, Newark City Ballet, Footprints, Powerhouse Entertainment, Art of Motion, Sharron Miller’s Performance Workshop Ensemble, Acrodanse Dance Theatre Company, Julio Jean Afro Haitian Dance Company and founder and artistic director of Taylor Dance Company.

Taylor’s has performed and danced in regional theatre productions of , “Dreamgirls”, “Kiss of the Spider Women”, Thief of Baghdad,  choreographed “Cinderella” and “Me and my girl”.  Taylor has dance in the Caribbean’s in such ballets as “Romeo and Juliet” where he danced the part of Paris and “The Thief of Baghdad” where he danced the part of the “Villain”.

Taylor began his dance career on a National Television Show “Club MTV” where he was a lead dancer, has danced in various music videos and behind several recording artist.

M.A.Taylor currently runs the dance department at Plainfield High School, on staff at Sharron’s Millers Performing Arts Academy, Art of Motion, continues to be a guest performer in various dance companies and teach dance workshops throughout the tri-state area.

Sally Ann Tumas (Voice Lessons by Appointment)
Sally is very excited to be joining the faculty at Art of Motion. When Sally was a senior in high school, she won first prize in the National Association of Teachers and Singers competition for the state of New Jersey. After being offered scholarships to study opera, she decided to pursue studies in musical theatre. Sally received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the highly esteemed College Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati, where she majored in musical theatre. She has performed in Carnegie Hall, New York’s Town Hall, and Lincoln Center. Broadway credits include Victor Victoria, directed by Blake Edwards, and Frank Wildhorn’s Jekyll and Hyde. She performed in the Broadway National Tour of Kiss of the Spiderwoman with Chita Rivera and played Babette (aka the feather duster) in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Sally is a new Ridgewood resident, wife, and mother of two beautiful boys. She has studied voice for nearly 20 years and loves working with children and teenagers.