meet our staff!
Miss Christine
Owner/Director
Miss Christine is excited to begin her role as Owner/Director of On the Barre! She has been on staff at On the Barre for 10 years as both Office Manager and Instructor, and also was a student of On the Barre growing up. She is excited to teach numerous classes including Ballet, Lyrical, and Dance Team Choreography. Christine is a graduate from Westfield State College, where she studied Psychology and Special Education, and also was a member of the Dance Team where she sat on the Executive Board of Directors as Secretary. She is a head coach and choreographer for a local twirling competitive dance team. Miss Jenna is an active member of the Dance Teacher's Club of Boston where she is a certified dance instructor. Outside of the studio, Miss Christine works as a Teaching Assistant at a local Middle School.
Miss Jenna
Instructor/Choreographer
Miss Jenna was three years old when she began dancing, studying ballet and tap. At the age of five, Jenna joined New England Dance Academy in Attleboro, attending many competitions and nationals with the competition team, studying acrobatics, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Lyrical. As a well-rounded young dancer, Miss Jenna danced with other local dance studios as well. Having the opportunity to take class with some of the dancers from "So You Think You Can Dance", Jenna has grown as an artist and performer. Miss Jenna received her Associates Degree in Performing Arts from Dean College. She also attended Alvin Ailey Summer Program, where she had the chance to experience other dance techniques such as Horton and Dunham. Miss Jenna has explored the art community in Boston, thus becoming an original member of Jo-Mé Dance Theatre, a Boston-based Contemporary dance company, in October 2012. Miss Jenna is an active member of the Dance Teacher's Club of Boston where she is a certified dance instructor. She is so excited to continue as an Instructor for On the Barre, in multiple classes including Lyrical, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Dance Team Choreography!
Miss Koty
Instructor/Choreographer
Miss Koty began her dance career at the age of 2 at the former AMJ Dance Center where she studied, assisted and taught classes until her graduation from high school. She is a graduate of Bridgewater State University where she holds a bachelor's degree in Dance with a minor in Management. At BSU, she held the positions of Vice President and Choreographer for the Refined Movement dance club as well as Treasurer of the National Dance Education Organization’s student chapter and is a seasonal member of BSU’s Dance Company. She previously has run an after-school dance program at Moses Brown preparatory school for preschool through first grade. Koty has also traveled to annual conferences held by the National Dance Education Organization to further her research based on the various aspects and benefits of dance and in November of 2017 presented at this national conference! Miss Koty is an active member of the Dance Teacher's Club of Boston where she is a certified dance instructor. She is thrilled to have found a home at On the Barre and is looking forward to learning and growing along with her students in her Ballet, Tap, and Jazz classes!
Miss Steph
Instructor/Choreographer
Stephanie Stanford Shaw has been teaching throughout New England for more than 25 years. She joined Fusionworks Dance Company, a modern dance repertory company, in 1992 and served as assistant to the director for the company until September 2016. Stephanie was also the director and primary choreographer for the pre-professional junior company, Fusionworks II and was a senior member of the Fusionworks Educational Team until its cessation in 2018. Stephanie retired from her professional performing career in 2013 to concentrate on her teaching and currently teaches at several private studios throughout the region as well as conducting curriculum-based dance programs in public and private schools throughout the area. She is a member of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Artist in Residence Educational Roster. Her work, “All You Need to Know”, was chosen to represent the Rhode Island dance scene as part of the 2002 National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) conference and in 2012 her dance “Turf Wars?” was performed at “Day of Dance” presented by Dance Alliance of Rhode Island and the Massachusetts Dance Education Organization. Her formal study began with prima ballerina, Anamarie Sarazin at the Sarazin School of Dance, she then went on to perform as a principal dancer with Cumberland Company and received her BFA in dance from the Boston Conservatory. Miss Steph is excited to join the OTB staff!
Miss Emily
Instructor/Choreographer
Emily started her dance journey at On The Barre at age 15. She has taken classes in ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical, while serving on the OTB company team. Emily is a graduate of Merrimack College, where she studied Psychology and Sociology. While there, she served as a member of the Merrimack College Dance Club, and became Vice President her senior year. As a member, she had the chance to gain experience in hip hop as well as Choreography. Emily is also a member of the Dance Teachers Club of Greater Boston, where she has taken workshops in different styles specifically focused on teaching students. Outside of the studio, Emily works as a teacher at a local daycare. Emily is so excited to be a part of the OTB staff as a new teacher!
Miss Samantha
Office Manager
Miss Samantha has been the Office Manager at On that Barre for a number of years now, and is an alumni of the studio as well! She started dancing at 5 years old, and danced at On the Barre for 13 years until she went to college. Miss Samantha is a graduate of University of Massachusetts Amherst with a B.S. in Psychology, and graduated with her Master's degree in Elementary Education at Bridgewater State University. She is currently an elementary school teacher in the local area. Sam is so excited to be a part of the OTB team, especially since she grew up in the studio!
Miss Lauren
Instructor / Choreographer
Miss Lauren began dancing at the age of three. She progressed into learning various styles of dance including tap, jazz, ballet, pointe and acrobatics. She also participated in both Junior and Senior Company dance teams at her childhood studio. As Lauren’s dance journey continued she began teaching with a focus in tap, jazz, pre-ballet and acrobatics. She holds a B.A. in Business Management and Marketing as well as an MBA with a concentration in Management from the College of Our Lady of the Elms. Outside of the studio Lauren works in Human Resources for a technology company. Lauren is extremely excited to join the OTB team and dance with you!