Pamela Caira

Artistic Director

Pamela C. Caira is a graduate of Dean College with a degree in dance. After completing two years at Dean, Pamela transferred to the University of Performing Arts and Design in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on a scholarship award in dance. She attended the University with a serious study in contemporary dance to fulfill her passion. Valuing her talent as one of the greatest blessings in her life, Pamela, a native of Waltham, MA, knew her gift needed to passed on for generations.

A self-made entrepreneur/ business woman, Pamela founded Step-By-Step Dance Studio in 1996. To add to her classical training in 2004 Pamela took a serious study in Latin dancing winning her second place at the Stardust Competition in N.Y. That same year The Next Step Dance Company was formed under her direction.

Pamela and her dance team have been featured as guest performers on The Fernando Hideaway Show on station BNN in Boston and have danced for many worthy causes throughout Massachusetts. Her choreography has been recognized in regional and national competitions. She currently spends her time choreographing, teaching, directing and producing. She wants students who have an opportunity to attend her classes to embrace not just the techniques of dance but to embody the soul of dance. She currently resides in Waltham with her two children.

Michelle Usseglio

Studio Coordinator / Bookkeeper

Michelle Usseglio first joined the Step-By-Step family in 2005 as the parent of a pre-school dancer. With an outgoing personality that makes everyone feel like her best friend and having volunteered her time on numerous projects and crafts, it was inevitable that Michelle join the staff. The financial operations of the company being her primary responsibility, she brings 20 years of bookkeeping experience to the table.

Michelle resides in Waltham with her two children and is an active member of the community.

For any billing questions, please contact office@stepbystepinc.com.

Serena Lillie

Studio Office Manager

Serena graduated from Bentley College with a B.S. in Economics-Finance. After college she worked for a boutique commercial mortgage company for 5 years managing loan closings and working with outside legal counsel on all of the company's legal matters. After choosing to move on from the corporate world, she split her time between a small residential construction company, helping to manage the company’s operations, and Floga Yoga Studio as Studio Assistant.

Serena is excited to join the Step By Step team and be in a creative environment. As the Studio Office Manager, she hopes that her background in office administration and operations can assist Step By Step as much as possible.

She resides in Ashland with her husband, dog, and two cats. When she is not in the studio, Serena continues her work with Floga Yoga and the construction company.

Christina Ackley

Instructor

Christina Ackley received her BFA in Children's Dance Pedagogy in 2003 from the University of Hartford's Hartt School. She studied pedagogy, ballet, pointe, modern, character dance, composition and graham technique daily under master teachers Peggy Lyman, Alla Osipenko, Adam Miller, Alla Nikitina and Katie Stevenson-Nollet. Upon graduation, she was invited to attend the University of Oklahoma on full scholarship where she continued studying ballet, pointe, modern, pedagogy and choreography, under instructors Mary Margaret Holt, Jeremy Lindberg, Steve Brule, Don Edwards, Austin Hartel and Rob Mcwilliams.

While in graduate school Ms. Ackley had the opportunity to perform George Balanchine's Concerto Barocco during an international tour to France. She was also awarded the modern dance choreography award, and her piece, Mechanical Goddesses was chosen to be taken to the American College Dance Festival in Austin Texas in 2006. Ms. Ackley developed a genuine interest in the history and practice of Middle Eastern dance while writing and researching her thesis. Her work in this field has continued since receiving her MFA, and she currently performs as a Middle Eastern dance artist in and around the Boston area.

In addition to her dancing, Ms. Ackley holds a Pilates certification and teaches privately in Lexington and Wellesley. She has been with SBS since 2007.

Adam Berman

Instructor

Adam Berman was born and raised in Waltham MA, and is a recent graduate of Waltham High School. Adam began his dance training at age 5 and hasn’t stopped since. His early years of dance were focused in jazz, but he rapidly expanded his studies to hip hop, pop & locking, lyrical, modern and west coast swing. Though most of his studies are done locally, Adam has had the opportunity to travel and study under such masters as Dave Scott, Tabitha & Napoleon D’Umo, Marty Kudelka and Hypno.

Adam’s strength lies in the West Coast style of hip hop. He not only teaches this style but choreographs and competes as well. Adam’s dance talent has led him up and down the East coast as an assistant instructor at various dance conventions and workshops.

When Adam isn’t performing and winning awards he can most likely be found blending some sick beats. His talent as a dancer has successfully contributed to his music mixing skills. His subtle timing and sense of rhythm mix well with his intricate dance moves. Adam is currently teaching in the Boston area, and can be found performing under the direction of Ricardo Foster, the artistic director of Unyted Stylz. He hopes to someday travel to the West coast and train at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in CA.

Jessica Brewer

Instructor

Jessica Brewer began her dance career at age three at Sherry Gold's (now The Gold School), in Brockton, MA, where she continued to train and then teach for the next 17 years. During this time, she competed in national and international competitions including Dance Masters of America, American Dance Awards, and the North American Ballet Festival, among others. She also danced at many charity performances to benefit organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, Helping Hands Foundation and the Children's Cancer Clinic at Tufts Medical, while attending various conferences and conventions for both students and teachers.

Jessica is a graduate of Suffolk University with a degree in Public Relations/Advertising and was a member/captain of the Suffolk University Dance Company, where she choreographed for and performed with the team at various college performances and sporting events. Currently, Jessica is earning her Master's in Elementary Education at UMass Boston while continuing to work and teach at studios throughout Massachusetts, choreographing at both the performance and competition level for students of all ages.

Caroline Dangson

Guest Instructor

Caroline Dangson discovered her love for performing in fourth grade when she choreographed her first dance solo for a school talent show.  Since then, she has studied and performed with Manassas Dance Company, North Carolina School of the Arts, Carolina Ballet, Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet, and Boston Ballet.  While pursuing a degree in Journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill, Caroline served as captain of the nationally recognized UNC Dance Team her senior year.  She was a member when the team placed fourth in the nation at the Universal Dance Association College Dance Team National Championships.

 

After graduating from college, Caroline worked and lived in New York City where she studied jazz and hip hop at Broadway Dance Center.  Caroline moved to Boston in 2003 and joined Rainbow Tribe, The Dance Company, which gave her the opportunity to perform, teach Tribe: The Class, and choreograph two company pieces.   Living in Boston, Caroline has enjoyed the opportunity to work with local choreographers Carl Alleyne, Kelly Peters, and Adrienne Hawkins.  She also performed with Tandem Dance, Inc., and the Celtics Dance Team at Foxwoods in 2006.

Currently, Caroline is living in Waltham with her husband, working as a research analyst, and perfecting her art. This is Caroline's third year teaching at Step By Step.

Ricardo Foster Jr.

Instructor

Ricardo Foster Jr. has been member of the Step by Step faculty since 2006. He is one of our resident modern teachers and is now branching out this year and teaching Hip Hop to the students of Step by Step.

Born and raised in Boston, Ricardo has been involved with the entertainment industry since 1996. Using his special talents as a dancer, choreographer, performer, actor, comedian, and model, he has single-handedly made a name for himself amongst many of today's popular artists. Working and performing with artists ranging from Jay-Z to NSYNC, En-vogue to Uncle Cracker, and Destiny's Child to classic old school acts Naughty by Nature, and RUN DMC, he has seen it all.

Recently he has been focusing his talents on ventures behind the scenes, choreographing for various artists, and producing onstage performances through his production company Unyted Stylz Entertainment. He has also fashioned Unyted Stylz to be an entertainment umbrella housing performers, teachers, and dance groups of different disciplines, styles, and backgrounds to help enrich and broaden the dance community in Boston.

With an outstanding personality, he has a way with audiences, students, and his peers alike. By using comedy, simple physical analogies, and a story-like premise behind all of his dance movement, he looks to have people understand and enjoy his performances and choreography. He also uses the same formula to enhance each master class and workshop he teaches. All while trying to help people find a new appreciation and love of dance and themselves.

Known as a master teacher, and an exceptional performer, Ricardo strives to live up to the standard of “…not necessarily being the best, just everyone's personal favorite.”

 

Aisling Francoeur

Instructor

Aisling has been dancing since the tender age of four. She has competed in many local, regional, national, and international competitions throughout her dancing career. She was the New England Regional Senior Lady Champion in 2007. Aisling recently passed her exams and is now a certified Irish dancing teacher with the Irish Dance Commissions of Dublin, Ireland. She hung up her dancing shoes in 2009 after graduating from Boston College with degrees in English and Communications.

When she is not teaching dancing, she is working as an editorial assistant at UpToDate, Inc., an online medical information publication for clinicians and patients.

Janelle Gilchrist

Ballet/Modern Instructor

Janelle Gilchrist Ballet/Modern Instructor Janelle Gilchrist is from Stoneham, MA trained at Harriet Hoctor Ballet School, Boston Ballet, Broadway Theater Project, Concord Academy, Dance Theater of Harlem, and received her BFA in dance from the University of Hartford. Ms. Gilchrist danced professionally with Hartford Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, Legends in Concert, Neil Young, Celebrity Cruises, Anna Myer, David Parker, and Island Moving Company. Ms Gilchrist is currently dance company manager and a professional dancer for BalletRox. BalletRox produces many shows during the year including the Urban Nutcracker where she performs various roles including the Sugar Plum Fairy. When Janelle has time, she has been able to work on a few movies including 27 Dresses where you can see her as a bridesmaid in the final scene.

Aiko Ruch

Guest Instructor

Aiko Ruch has been dancing since she was 5 years old. She trained at the Classical Ballet Academy of Northern Virginia performing ballet and modern for several years until she moved to Boston to get her degree in physical therapy at Boston University. During her time at BU, Aiko danced with Dance Theater Group and completed her minor in dance. She danced with Rainbow Tribe for their 2005- 2006 season and with Dance Currents from 2006-2008 with choreographer Kathy Hassinger. She has been a teaching assistant for Boston Ballet’s CityDance progam and has taught classes in anatomy, injury prevention and hip hop for her home dance studio in Virginia.

Aiko is currently dancing with choreographer Gabrielle Orcha and works as an outpatient physical therapist for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Chelsea, MA.

Amy Spencer

Instructor/Choreographer

Amy Spencer has been involved with the art of dance since the tender age of two. A well-trained dancer and performer, she has studied under the direction of such masters as Ellen Enos, the late Grace Bates and Mary O' Mara.

As a teacher for over 20 years, Amy’s dynamic personality and infectious approach to dance has been brought to each class she has taught. Although Amy is best known as a master hip-hop instructor whose musicality can’t be beat, she can also be found teaching tap, jazz, ballet, line dance and theatre dance. Amy loves the challenge of bringing her signature funk and sensuality to all types of dance – and her students love it!

An accomplished choreographer, Amy has coached and choreographed dance teams from beginner level through the pro-am level - and scored platinum!

In her mission to always exceed expectations, Amy continues her training through weekly classes and conventions. She has had the opportunity to study, participate in master classes, and attend dozens of workshops, with such well-known artists as Anthony Locascia, Mike Minery, David Marquez, Jimmy Locust, Brian Friedman, Shane Sparks, Dave Scott, Tabitha and Napoleon D’Umo… just to name a few.

In her ever quest for learning more dance, Amy has begun lessons in West Coast Swing and hopes to one day be able to compete in this style of dance.

Amy is currently touring the US, Canada and the UK, where students of all ages and levels are embracing her sexy – but classy – choreography!

Arlene Steiner Hockman

Instructor

Arlene Steiner Hockman is a classically trained dancer holding a BFA in Dance from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Her choreography has earned her an Emerging Artist Award from Green Street Studios, recognition at the Gala Performance at the American College Dance Festival as well as invitations to participate in Concord Academy's Summer Program and to choreograph for Billbob Brown's Chaos Theory Dance Company, the North Country Dance Company, the Dana Hall School, The Academy of Performing Arts on Cape Cod, and QNEK Productions. Additionally, Arlene is a Personal Trainer with Fitness Therapists, Inc. at the Fitness Club for Women in Wellesley.

If that were not all enough, Arlene can also be found at the judge's table of Turn It Up! Dance Challenge and teaching six levels of Jazz and Advanced Lyrical at Impulse Dance Center. Step by Step Studios is delighted to have Arlene back for a fourth year, this time as a competition choreographer.