Deborah S. Maida….Artistic Director and Owner (Miss Deb)….Instructor for
Mini Ballet Company, Intermediate Tap company, Junior Production company, Adult
Tap and Jazz. Deborah has Directed and owned Stratford Academy
of Dance for the past 27 years. She has designed and formatted the
schools entire curriculum and had been listed in Who’s Who Among Professional
Business Owners.
Peter L. Maida...Company Coach and co-owner (Coach)….Instructor for all Vocal
levels, and Company and Recreational classes. Coach in various classes and
levels. Peter has coached and inspired students for the past 27
years and has trained singers and dancers that are currently pursuing
professional performance careers nationally.
Julianne M. Braziel...Company Administrative Director (Miss Julie)...Instructor for
Senior level Tap, Lyrical, Ballet, Jazz, and Advanced Placement Lyrical, Jazz,
Modern. Julie has been with Stratford Academy of Dance since the age
of five. She has been teaching for the past 14 years, six of those
years as Company Director. She is also the advisor of Nu Delta
Alpha, the first Connecticut Chapter of the National Dance Honor Society.
Tracey Pittman...Senior Company Director, Company Ballet and Jazz Instructor for
Junior, Intermediate and Teen/Senior levels. Tracey has been
teaching at Stratford Academy of Dance for the past 25 years. Her
reputation speaks for itself. She continues to share her love of dance
with her students.
Amber L. Maida...Junior Company Director, Company Ballet, Lyrical and
Modern Instructor for Teen and Senior Levels. Amber has been a
faculty member for the past seven years. She has introduced
visual Art as a fusion with the performing arts, and has instituted our
successful Modeling program, which includes several title and pageant
winners. Amber is also a licensed Massage Therapist.
Brittany Medeiros...Company and Recreational Hip
Hop, and Tap. Brittany has been with Stratford Academy of Dance since the
age of 10. She was a member of the Competition Dance Company until she
joined the Faculty in 1999. Her students excel in Hip Hop and she is the
Coach and advisor of the award winning Bunnell High School Dance Team.
Wendi Zdru…Company and Recreational Ballet, Jazz,
lyrical Instructor. Wendi joined our studio at the age of five years
old. She was a member of the Dance company for six years until joining the
faculty in 1999. She is a recent graduate of Southern Connecticut State
University.
Diana J. Medeiros...Office and Reception Manager
and Ballroom Instructor. Diana has been a staff member for 12 years.
She is not only the first person you meet at the front desk, but she is a
Ballroom Dance instructor, who consistently teaches wedding couples their
“first dance”.
Jennifer DeBlasio…Discovery through Movement
(Pre-School) and Jaz’ett Instructor….Jennifer was a student at Stratford
Academy of Dance since the age of six. She was a member of The dance
company for three years, and after college, joined our faculty. Jenn has
been an instructor at our Academy of the past 8 seasons.
Karen Ryan...Discovery, Jaz’ett, Recreational
Ballet, Yoga and Pilates Instructor. Karen joined our faculty in 2001 and
has introduced Yoga and Pilates to our curriculum. She is an exercise
Physiologist and has directed many fitness programs throughout the area.
James Moran...Recreational Ballet, Jazz, Theatre,
Company Petite Jazz and Tap. Jay joined Stratford Academy of Dance in
2001, first as a Senior company member. Upon graduating from Southern
Connecticut State University, Jay joined our faculty and has been teaching
for the past three years.
Jim Clark...Fosse and Theatre Jazz….Jim has been a
special guest Master instructor at our school for the past five seasons.
He has appeared on Broadway in several shows, and has spent the past 20
years in Japan, where he instituted the Theatre program for Osaka
University.
Rita Holloway...ABC Hop…..Rita has developed
this academic program, teaching upper and lower case letters to pre school children,
as well as increasing reading skills incorporated with dance movement. Rita
is a school psychologist and is the newest member of our faculty.