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Faculty Bios
Our faculty is made up of passionate and caring dance and theater educators dedicated to helping every student grow, build confidence, and achieve their individual goals.
Alison Hart
Born and raised in New Hampshire, Alison Hart grew up dancing at New England School of Dance & Theater under the direction of her mother and studio founder, Susan Case. Her early training at NESD&T inspired a lifelong passion for dance, teaching, and choreography.
Alison earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from York University in Toronto, Canada, where she developed a particular passion for choreography. She continued her studies in London, England, earning a Master’s degree in Choreography from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.
Throughout her career, Alison’s choreography has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Outstanding Choreographer Award. She is also certified in Pre-Primary through Level 6 of the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum.
Alison loves teaching dancers of all ages and helping each student develop confidence, artistry, and a genuine love of dance. Having grown up within the school, she is grateful to now carry forward the New England School of Dance & Theater legacy while continuing to build upon the nurturing, high-quality dance education that has been at the heart of the school since 1986.
Kelly Thompson
Kelly is a dance educator, choreographer, and the Assistant Director of New England School of Dance & Theater, where she also manages the Performing Company. A lifelong member of the NESD&T family, Kelly trained at the studio under Susan Case for 12 years before earning her BFA in Ballet Pedagogy from the University of Hartford; The Hartt School.
Kelly’s training and professional experience have taken her throughout the United States and abroad, including The Rock School for Dance Education, Point Park University, Limón Italia in Rome, and Doug Varone and Dancers. She has performed professionally with Saving Grace Dance Ensemble, Dance Currents Inc., and NSquared Dance.
Inspired by her own training at NESD&T, Kelly is passionate about creating a nurturing yet challenging environment where dancers can develop strong technique, confidence, artistry, and a lifelong love of dance.
Outside of the studio, Kelly is the Director of Operations for Erin Dinsmoor Real Estate. Most importantly, she loves spending time with her family and friends, especially enjoying summers and making memories together at the lake.
Julia Kilmister
Julia Kilmister is a New Hampshire native who began her dance journey at the New England School of Dance and Theater at just three years old. After growing up training at NESD&T in classical ballet and competitive dance across multiple styles, Julia now returns to the studio as an educator, choreographer, and Curriculum Director. Her experiences as both a student and educator have shaped the versatile and well-rounded approach she brings to her teaching today.
Julia completed all levels of the Royal Academy of Dance ballet examinations, earning the highest grade of Distinction. She has trained through summer programs with renowned organizations including Boston Ballet, The Bolshoi Ballet, Ballet Austin, and Sarasota Ballet.
Julia earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance Pedagogy from Butler University and is a certified Acrobatic Arts instructor. In addition to her work as an educator and choreographer, she travels across the country as an adjudicator for regional and national dance competitions, where she has the opportunity to work with dancers and studios from a wide range of backgrounds and styles. Through both teaching and adjudicating, Julia is passionate about helping dancers develop strong technique, artistry, and a lifelong love of dance. Above all, she strives to help her students become confident, creative, and well-rounded individuals both inside and outside the studio.
Jen Hamilton
Jennifer’s love of dance started at an early age and has spanned decades and being able to share that passion with her students brings her such joy! She has performed professionally throughout New England with many companies including Dance Prism and Bay State Ballet and others. She is also a member of Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston. As a teacher and choreographer, Jennifer is experienced in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical, Tap, and Hip-Hop and has taught students of all ages throughout New England.
Her choreography experience includes musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Alladin, as well as many years as lead choreographer for the Kidstock summer program. She has also taught the dance team at Bentley College and has choreographed numerous competition pieces, with her work recognized for its entertainment value and technical excellence.
In the studio Jennifer strives to create a fun, encouraging environment where students can flourish, develop strong technique, and discover a lifelong love of dance! She is proud to have seen students go on to professional careers, while countless others have carried their love of dance and movement with them while they pursue their goals outside of dance, but they’ll always carry with them the lessons they learned while enjoying their years of dance. She is also a Certified Personal Trainer and teaches various fitness formats including Barre, Zumba, Zumba Toning and Silver Sneakers promoting fitness and movement as way of life for all ages!
Margaret Grace Fair
Margaret Fair began her dance training at a very young age, and her passion for performance quickly expanded to include musical theatre. She continued her education at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she earned a B.A. in Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance. During her time in college, she discovered she not only had a love for performing, but also a passion for teaching and choreographing.
Margaret strives to help each student feel supported, challenged, and inspired in the classroom. She believes the arts provide not only technical training, but also valuable life skills such as teamwork, self-expression, resilience, and confidence. Whether teaching beginner dancers or experienced performers, she is committed to creating a space where every student can grow both as an artist and as an individual. She has had the joy of working with performers of all ages, from primary-aged students to adults, at Proctor Academy, New Hampton School, New London Barn Playhouse, and The Winnipesaukee Playhouse.
Recent choreography credits include Mean Girls and Alice in Wonderland at Proctor Academy, Heathers: The Musical and My Fair Lady at The Winnipesaukee Playhouse, and Hadestown: Teen Edition at Merrimack Valley High School. She is grateful to be part of the teaching community at New England School of Dance and loves sharing her passion for dance and musical theatre with every student she works with.
Haley Emery
Haley is a passionate dance educator and performer with over 15 years of competitive dance experience and a lifelong dedication to the art of tap. She began dancing at the age of three and trained extensively in a wide range of classical styles, including tap, ballet, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, and musical theater, competing at both regional and national levels throughout her training. Haley joined the NESD&T faculty in 2019 as a tap instructor, where she brings energy, creativity, and a deep love of rhythm to dancers of all ages and abilities. For more than a decade, Haley has cultivated her teaching skills working with young dancers, beginning her teaching journey while she was still a student herself. This early experience helped shape her supportive and relatable teaching style, fostering both technical growth and confidence in the classroom. Her specialty in tap has led her to study with internationally renowned tap artists, experiences that continue to inspire her teaching and artistic growth. In addition to her dance background, Haley earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University in 2022 and her Master’s degree in Social Work from University of New Hampshire in 2024. Her academic background strengthens her student-centered approach, allowing her to create a supportive and encouraging environment where dancers can thrive both artistically and personally. Haley’s mission as an instructor is to inspire a lifelong love of dance while helping every student build confidence, discipline, and joy through movement.
Steph Noble
Originally from New Jersey, Steph Noble began her dance career as a mentee & assistant to Marinda Davis. Steph traveled with Davis as a guest choreographer to over 1,000 dance programs in U.S. & abroad, ranging from competitive dance studios to professional training programs. Steph was the founding Apprentice of her company, marInspired; the storytellers & later went on to found her own pre-professional training program based in NYC. Steph has worked as an associate to choreographers Shannon Lewis, Tina Sidoni, Sheila Barker, Ellenore Scott & Al Blackstone. Shortly after graduating from the Marymount Manhattan College Dance Department, she began development of Off-Broadway musicals, 'TRUE LOVE', based on the music of recording artist, P!nk, & 'The Anthem' with Director Rachel Klein.
Steph relocated to New England & was cast in Anthony Bounphakhom’s hip-hop show 'AYO- Are You Okay?', ‘A Royal Play’ produced by Bill Royal & worked in a variety of projects with the New Hampshire Dance Collaborative, under the direction of Joan & Howard Brodsky. Steph has been working with NSquared Dance Company since its inception in New York City & is now their Production Director. She performed in their inaugural NH performance at Shaker Village, was an original cast member of ‘The Shire’& ‘3 Signals of Light’. Steph most recently began her entrepreneurial journey aiming to bring creative visions to life with her production company, Elbon Enterprise & is honored to be working with the dancers at New England School of Dance & Theatre!
Cassidy Schroyer
Cassidy Schroyer is a dynamic performer, artist, and creator. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Brigham Young University, graduating in May 2025. Throughout earning her degree, Cassidy choreographed works that were performed across the country, showcasing versatility and creativity. She recently collaborated with the brand GHUM, choreographing and performing a pointe solo for their inaugural runway show—an experience that blended her artistic vision with passionate creators.
Cassidy has trained under various choreographers and teachers through SALT2, a sister company to SALT, and has worked with the Royal Academy of Dance curriculum—both as a student and a teacher, coaching others through their exams. Cassidy is an NESD alum, having performed and trained with the company from 2014-2017, and is excited to be back home to teach children dancing in the very studio she grew up in.
Beyond dance, Cassidy is signed with Maxx Management, pursuing opportunities in modeling, acting, and film. With endless energy, Cassidy strives to create a fun and safe environment for children to explore and learn various styles of dance.
Laura Wawrzyniak
Laura began her dance training at the age of three and has been a dedicated dancer at NESD&T since she was five. She is currently attending Manchester Community College, where she is pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Business Studies. When she’s not at the studio or working on her college classes, she is an assistant manager at a local wedding/event venue. Laura has a passion for teaching dance to young children. She especially enjoys sharing her love of dance with young dancers at the studio she has proudly called home for so many years!
Sayla Wilgren
Sayla is a current junior at Saint Anselm College, where she studies Dance through the Aaron Tolson Institute of Dance. Additionally, Sayla also has a double major in Health Sciences. She is also a member of the Saint Anselm College Dance Team, where she performs at her school's home football and basketball games. She was born and raised in Arlington, Massachusetts, and trained at The Dance Inn in Lexington, Massachusetts, for 11 years, where she later became a member of The Legacy Dance Company. Here, she had the privilege of training under Thelma Goldberg, Ryan P. Casey, Maria LaRosa, and Nicole Chaput, as well as serving as a teacher's assistant in the style of Hip Hop for three years. She then went on to teach at The Palace Youth Theater in Manchester, New Hampshire, teaching primarily Hip Hop and assisting in various Tap and Jazz Classes. Sayla is now the head Hip Hop teacher at New England School of Dance, and also teaches various Tap, Jazz, and Pom classes there. As an instructor, she strives to teach in a way that allows her students to fall in love with dance as she did.
