Dance & Studio Faculty
Janelle Bradway
All levels of Dance & Fitness Instructor, Studio Owner & Director
janelle@newstepsdanceandfitnesscenter.com
Miss Janelle graduated from Central Connecticut State University with her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. She also became a certified Health and Fitness Specialist through the American College of Sports and Medicine. Miss Janelle has been dancing at New Steps since she was five years old. She has been teaching with the company since 2001 and was named New Steps Dancer of the Year in 1998. Miss Janelle has attended the New York City Dance Alliance Convention in Boston for many years, where she has had the opportunity to receive dance training from teachers from around the country.
In addition to dancing at New Steps, Miss Janelle has taught creative movement, tap and jazz for the Glastonbury YMCA. Miss Janelle was also the Director and Choreographer for the Glastonbury YMCA productions of High School Musical, Annie, Alice in Wonderland and Beauty & the Beast.
Miss Janelle founded Fitness with Janelle in 2008. After working in big gyms and experiencing group fitness classes from other teachers, she developed a style of teaching that is appropriate, approachable, effective and fun. She takes pride in working with each of her students.
Lauren Crooks
All levels of Dance Instructor, Studio Assistant Director
lauren@newstepsdanceandfitnesscenter.com
Miss Lauren graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Statistics, and a minor in Human Development and Family Sciences. She was a member of Figments Youth Dance Ensemble from 2012-2018 where she was a choreographer for three years. Miss Lauren has danced at New Steps since she was two and became a demonstrator at thirteen, but her family has been with the studio since before she was born!
Miss Lauren has been keeping active by attending Spin, Pilates, and Yoga classes. Throughout college she helped backstage for New Steps’ recitals, taught summer classes, led virtual and in person classes during the 2020-21 dance year, and became a head teacher in 2021. In her senior year of college, she directed the New Steps Dance Company pilot season. This fall, she is so excited to continue teaching classes and expanding the New Steps Dance Company!
Sydney Boettger
All levels of Dance Instructor, Studio Assistant Director
Miss Sydney graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and a Certification in Elementary Education. In 2016, she got her Master’s Degree from Central Connecticut State University in Elementary Education. She is currently a 5th grade teacher in New Britain where she has been teaching since 2015.
Miss Sydney began dancing at New Steps at six years old. She became a teaching assistant at age 13 and continued to assist until she left for college. Throughout college, she took advantage of any dance offerings on campus, such as pop-up classes and zumba! She also continued to stay involved with New Steps, often assisting backstage during dress rehearsals and recitals. When presented with the opportunity to teach at New Steps, she immediately accepted!
Staying active is always very important to Miss Sydney. As a former cheerleader, she now gets her exercise by taking barre classes, attending Orange Theory classes, and running outdoors. She is currently expecting her first child in November of 2022!
Meghan O’Brien
Office Manager & Head Teacher of Sunshine Stars
Miss Meghan danced with New Steps from the age of 4 through her senior year of high school. She attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst earning a degree in Communication Disorders. She worked in the field of Special Education for many years before starting her family. Outside of the studio, she loves to bake cakes, cupcakes and cookies!
Miss Meghan is excited to be a part of New Steps again, helping out both in the office and with the Sunshine Stars class!
Alyssa Crooks
All levels of Dance Instructor & Office Manager
Miss Alyssa graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Sociology. In 2020, she graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law and in 2021 she passed the Connecticut Bar Exam. Miss Alyssa has been dancing at New Steps since she was two and became a demonstrator when she was thirteen. Miss Alyssa has continued to work backstage at dance recitals since she graduated high school and has recently been a substitute teacher here at New Steps.
Chelsea Vendette-Lopez
Tap Instructor
Miss Chelsea began dancing with New Steps at the age of 4 and taught tap, ballet, and jazz in high school until she left for college. At New Steps she developed a love of dance, but most especially, tap. She graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater. She has continued to take classes after graduation at Broadway Dance Center as well as Steps on Broadway. She has taken classes with Savion Glover, Brenda Bufalino, and Felipe Galganni, as well as studied musical theater dance under Liza Gennaro. She is extremely excited to teach at New Steps again and share her love of tap with others.
Sophia Solecki
All levels of Dance Instructor
Sophia Rose Solecki grew up in Connecticut where she fell in love with dance and graduated in the dance department from Greater Hartford Academy of Arts. She then went on to study at Montclair State University where she obtained a BFA in Dance Performance, BA in Studio Teaching, and a minor in Business. Sophia has worked with and performed for many choreographers such as Stefanie Batten Bland, Bradley Shelver, Janice Rosario, and Urban Bush Women. Sophia loves performing but also has a passion for sharing her love and knowledge of dance by traveling, teaching, and choreographing. Sophia has taught at many schools and studios while traveling and dancing around the world. Most recently she traveled to El Salvador where she shared the gospel and was able to share her love for dance in front of thousands.
Samantha Ehlers
Assistant head Dance Instructor
Miss Sam is currently attending Southern Connecticut State University with a major in social work focusing in special education! She was also a part of the SCSU dance team.
Miss Sam started dancing at the age of 2 and has been in love with the sport since. She went on to compete nationally in all genres, but was known for her tapping! She also taught a 7-9 year old competition team. Throughout high school she had a main focus in ballet and technique. She continues to take pop in classes at studios all over the state. Miss Sam loves to share her passion for dance with the younger generations and hopes to help dancers strengthen in all genres, but most importantly, to keep the love of dance alive.
Stacey Hansen
All levels of Dance Instructor
Miss Stacey majored in both psychology and dance at Elon University in North Carolina. During her undergraduate years, she performed in multiple showcases with the Elon Dancers and other theater performances. In 2005, she received her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Central Connecticut State University.
Miss Stacey began dancing at the age of eight at Dawn’s Studio of Creative Dance in Vernon, Connecticut. She instantly fell in love with the art and enjoyed every minute in the studio. Following her graduation from Elon, she returned to Connecticut to continue her master’s program and began teaching jazz, contemporary, technique and hip hop at Dance Express in Tolland. She continued to teach at Dance Express for thirteen years, later making the difficult decision to take a break from teaching to focus on her family and career as a therapist. She is now co-owner of Center for Behavioral Wellness in South Windsor and Stafford Springs, Connecticut.
Dance has remained a passion for Miss Stacey and she enjoyed taking an adult hip-hop class at New Steps, following her move to Glastonbury in 2018. She is so happy to be a part of the amazing staff at New Steps and share her love and knowledge of dance with the students!
Tracy Lombardo
Guest Dance Instructor
Miss Tracy is a graduate of Adelphi University, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. There, she performed and choreographed for the Adelphi Dance Theater. She has also performed in Frank Hatchett’s Broadway Dance Center Showcase in New York City, in the First East Coast Aerobic Competition and in The Taste of Hartford. The Rockville Festival, Manchester Food Festival and The Vernon Tri-Town Taste are a few other local performances Miss Tracy has taken part in. Miss Tracy choreographed and performed in a commercial for Formal Elegance in Manchester.
Miss Tracy‘s training began at the early age of five with Helyn Flanagan. She taught three years at the Flanagan Studio and demonstrated for Miss Flanagan at the nationally attended Dance Caravan conventions. She began teaching, choreographing and directing New Steps Dance Center in 1988.
Along with sharing her talents with New Steps, Miss Tracy has performed with The Sonya Plumb Modern Dance Company and taught creative movement at the Glastonbury YMCA for six years. She is also a teaching artist with JDPP Residency at Parkville School in Hartford as well as the Bridging Boundaries program. Miss Tracy also teaches at the Greater Hartford Academy of The Arts and is currently performing with the Judy Dworin Performance Ensemble.
Tammy Carlson
Guest Dance Instructor
Miss Tammy is a graduate of Goucher College where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance. She has been associated with the Professional Dance Teachers Association in a teaching capacity during a Boston convention. She has performed at many levels. At the age of 10, her earliest dance experience was under the direction of the nationally-known Helyn Flanagan. During college, she performed with the Hartford College for Women Dance Club, Trinity College Performing Arts Dancers and the Goucher College Dance Festival. She also has danced competitively on a local level and has placed well in those events.
Miss Tammy’s teaching experience includes eight years of teaching for Helyn Flanagan, from whom she received her performing arts training. She taught for over six years at The U.S. Dance Club and has also been a part of Judy Dworin Performance Ensemble Residency at Parkville School in Hartford and Snow School in Middletown, teaching dance and movement to children. Miss Tammy founded New Steps Dance Center in 1984, where she has taught, directed and choreographed.
Miss Tammy and some of her students have performed in the Taste of Hartford, Vernon Tri-Town Taste and Manchester Food Festival. She choreographed and danced for Northwestern Hair Show for Ethiopia at the Hartford Hilton. Miss Tammy performed in Frank Hatchett’s Broadway Dance Center Showcase in New York City.
New Steps Aerobic Team, choreographed by Miss Tammy, placed third in the First Annual East Coast Regional Aerobic Competition. Miss Tammy, Miss Tracy and the New Steps Dancers have performed in various fundraisers including “Touch of Love” Benefit (babies with AIDS), and the unforgettable Collection Hair Show.
Allie Goodin
All levels Dance Instructor
Miss Allie is currently a student in the Honors Program of Drexel University, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Spanish and Nutrition. She is also studying to be a Pilates instructor. Miss Allie was a student at New Steps for 15 years, and enjoys coming back whenever possible. She loves to dance and especially to share it with others!
Emma Luxemburg
All levels Dance Instructor
Miss Emma is from South Windsor, CT, and has been dancing since she was 3 years old as both a recreational and competitive dancer. Emma has trained and taught many styles including Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Street Jazz, Jazz Funk, Musical Theatre, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Contemporary, and more. Emma is a rising Senior at Wagner College in NYC pursuing a BA in Musical Theatre where she is able to work with industry professionals and Broadway veterans and current stars. Over the years, she has taken numerous masterclasses and workshops in CT and NYC with respected choreographers and dance professionals, such as Rachelle Rak, Jessica Lee Goldyn, James Combo Marino, and many more. Additionally, she has been the Choreo Technician and Assistant Choreographer of the award-winning Choral Spectrum and Spotlight Show Choir, respectively, for the past two years in South Windsor.
Karen Lesh
Guest Tap Instructor
Miss Karen began Tap dancing when she was five years old, and fell in love with it. She grew up dancing here at New Steps, co-founded Cornell University’s first and
only Tap troupe, On Tap, which still exists today, and has studied/taken classes with Savion Glover, Clare O’Donnell, Nancy Newell, Artis Moon, and more.
Heather Parlee
Guest Dance Instructor
Miss Heather is a recent graduate of Clark University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art with a concentration in Oil Painting and a minor in Art History. Through all for years of her college career, she was an active and prominent member of Clark University’s Hip Hop Collabo, a student-run hip hop dance group where she performed, taught and led throughout her time with the group. She served on the Executive Board for HHC as head of publicity for two years and as Co-Director for one. Miss Heather has choreographed and performed for events, workshops, and fundraisers throughout her community.
Miss Heather’s dance training began at the early age of three at the Julie Lang Studio of Dance (formerly Betty Jane Turner) where she danced for 13 years and was classically trained in ballet, lyrical, contemporary and jazz.
In 2011, Miss Heather joined the New Steps family and began teaching summer hip hop classes. Since graduating, she has taught classes throughout the school year.
Daniella Lombardo
Guest Dance Instructor
Miss Daniella is originally from Connecticut, who is currently a student at Jacksonville University studying dance and sociology. Her dance training was done at Hartt Community Division Dance Department in the pre-professional program. She was apart of a Figments Youth Dance Ensemble from 2010 to 2015. She spent two of her summers studying with the director, Lorelei Chang, of DancEnlight Company (2011 and 2012). In 2013 and 2014 her summers were spent at the Joffrey jazz and contemporary intensive along with studying with Angel Corella at Hartt in the summer of 2014 as well. Miss Daniella currently works with the Judy Dworin Performance Project in the Bridging Boundaries program. This program uses the arts and social work to bridge the separation of families affected by incarceration.
Meet our assistant dance teachers, student assistants & dance class demonstrators who help us throughout the year...
Miss Courtney
Assistant Dance Teacher
Miss Courtney is 16 years old and is a 11th grader at Glastonbury High School. She has been dancing at New Steps since she was 4 years old, and has been a demonstrator for the past 7 years. She has been a member of Figments Youth Dance Ensemble since 2022 where she danced in many pieces and has now been allowed to choreograph. One of her favorite things about demonstrating is that she loves seeing the kids enjoy dance as much as she does. Miss Courtney believes that dance is an outlet for kids to show their emotions through their movements and make friends along the way. Being able to connect with the students in class and help provide a fun and safe environment is important to her as well. That's why she loves being a part of the New Steps family.
Miss Angel
photo & bio coming soon…
Miss Cassidy
Demonstrator
Miss Cassidy is 12 years old and is in 7th grade at Smith Middle School in Glastonbury. She has been dancing at New Steps since she was 4 and she is completing her 9th year of dancing at New Steps this year. Miss Cassidy’s dream is to become a Professional Dancer and Dance Instructor. Outside of dance, she loves skiing, artwork, and playing with her dog, Abby. Miss Cassidy has been a demonstrator for the past 4 years, and likes taking her time to teach younger students and watch them grow as dancers. She loves helping kids learn to love dance as much as she does. Miss Cassidy is grateful she is able to be a part of New Steps!
Miss Lily Claire
Demonstrator
Miss Lily Claire is a 7th grader at Smith Middle School. She has been dancing since she was 3 years old. This is her 5th year dancing with New Steps and her 4th year as a demonstrator. Miss Lily Claire loves demonstrating at New Steps because she enjoys helping other dance students grow and explore their talents. Outside of dance, Miss Lily Claire enjoys reading, skiing, playing the piano, biking with her friends and visiting Texas.
Miss Julia
Miss Julia is 11 years old and she is starting 7th grade at RHAM Middle School in Hebron. She just completed 5 years dancing at New Steps and she has been dancing for as long as we can remember, but her passion for dancing she acquired at New Steps. Her dream is to be an author and a dance instructor. She practices her dances all the time, even when she is waiting for the school bus. “It is a sight to see!” Miss Julia has been a demonstrator for a year and that brings her a lot of joy to show her love for dance to younger kids.
Miss Kara
Kara is 12 years old and is in 7th grade at Corpus Christi School in Wethersfield. She has been dancing at New Steps since she was 3 and is in her 10th year of dancing at New Steps. She likes demonstrating for younger students at New Steps because she likes seeing them grow and learn to dance. Outside of dance she enjoys playing lacrosse, running, playing with her guinea pigs, painting, drawing, and rock climbing.
Miss Marin
Marin is 9 years old and is in 4th grade at Corpus Christi School in Wethersfield. She has been dancing at New Steps since she was 3 and is in her 7th year of dancing at New Steps. This is her first year demonstrating and she is looking forward to teaching younger students. Outside of dance she enjoys swimming, playing mini golf, rock climbing, playing with her cat, and loves spending time with family and friends.