STAFF
STUDIO OWNER & TEACHER
Jody Shea
Miss Jody opened Dance Etc…Inc in 1982 with her dear friend and business partner Miss Cynthia. She is a graduate of Salem State University with a degree in Sports, Fitness and Leisure with a concentration in dance, and, she has a double minor in psychology and mathamatics. Miss Jody is a former member of Dance Educators of America and a graduate of the Teachers Training Program.
Miss Jody has been sharing her gift and passion of dance, teaching children in the North Shore for the past 42 years. She is grateful for the many years of teaching and doesn’t plan on retiring anytime soon. The children are her world and the joy of her life. Her hope is that Dance Etc becomes a safe, happy home for each of her students to learn, grow, gain confidence and friendships, and become a part of the Dance Etc family
Miss Kathy
Miss Kathy is a graduated of Danvers High School. She attended Dance Teachers Training of Boston and competed in ballroom throughout her younger dance years. She was a top finalist of the Miss Dance of New England and a champion on Community Auditions, several times.
Miss Kathy was trained at Jenkins School of Dance until she was 18 years old, and, then began her teaching career. Miss Kathy has been teaching at Dance Etc… for 12 years. She is our “tap specialist”, and has received numerous awards for her completion tap production numbers and choreography. We are delighted that she continues sharing her talents to all of our dance students at Dance Etc.
TEACHER
Miss Erin
Erin Newhall began dancing at 3 years old. As a kid, she competed in several regional and national dance competitions and became captain of her high school dance team. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Sport and Movement Science from Salem State University where she was a Presidential Arts Scholar and two time recipient of the Creativity Award. Newhall then went on to perform and tour with companies such as The Move Shop and Unyted Stylz. She began teaching ballet, tap, modern, contemporary, jazz, and hip hop classes to ages 3 to adults at several Massachusetts dance studios as well as on faculty at Dana Hall School. As the Competition Director for Elite Performance Challenge and Excel in Motion, she toured the United States running regional and national dance competitions and working with talent from the show ‘So You Think You Can Dance’. She then moved to Sydney Australia where she took classes at the Sydney Dance Company and performed as a featured tap dancer with the band The Low Down Riders. From Australia, Newhall moved to New Zealand where she taught tap classes at the studio Full Swing in Wellington. Returning to Boston in 2017 Erin served two seasons as the head coach of the Harvard University Dance Team. The team competed at UDA nationals at the ESPN Center in Orlando Florida. Erin is thrilled to be back in the area and teaching at Dance Etc.
Miss Jenna
Jenna has been dancing with Dance Etc. since she was 3 years old. She both competed on D.E.P.T. and assisted classes with Miss Jody for six years before graduating. In addition to competitions, Jenna attended numerous conventions where she took class with dance greats such as Travis Wall, Alison Holker, and Derrick Schrader. She attended Salve Regina University in Newport, RI where she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Science for Nursing. During her four years at Salve Regina, she continued her dance training and was co-captain of SRU Dance, the largest student run club on campus. She choreographed numerous pieces for club members and was awarded titles such as Most Valuable Dancer, Miss Congeniality, and Semester’s Best Dance. She began teaching at Dance Etc. in Fall of 2017, and has continued since. She has choreographed numerous pieces for performance across the state in which the team has scored both overall and special awards. She prides herself on storytelling through choreography and encouraging her students to be good humans both in and outside of the studio. She currently teaches the Senior D.E.P.T. Team.
Miss Julia
Julia Hurton has been dancing at Dance Etc. since she was in first grade. She has been teaching ballet, lyrical, and jazz for D.E.P.T. For 3 years and counting. Julia attended Providence College where she was president of the Dance Club and earned her degrees in Elementary and special education. She completed her Master’s Program at Endicott College, and have been teaching second grade in Beverly for 3 years. Julia’s favorite part about Dance Etc. is the supportive environment that is created by the teachers and dancers.