Dynamic Dance Academy

Owner/Director/Instructor:

Tara Gast Calise - Miss Tara is well known in the town of North Kingstown, having taught dance in this community for many years.  She has also taught dance in Coventry, Chariho, Cranston, Exeter and for the URI Dance Company.  Dance has been her passion all of her life and she loves owning her own dance and fitness studio alongside her Personal Trainer husband, Anthony.  Miss Tara has a B.S. in Exercise Science from the University of Rhode Island and has been a qualified member of Dance Educators of America since 2006.  She has over 20 years of teaching experience in the dance styles of ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, pointe and group exercise and has taught everyone from toddlers to older adults.  Her most exciting experiences as a dancer have been performing in Walt Disney World twice and once on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Explorer of the Seas.  It was a dream come true when she took 32 dancers and their families to Walt Disney World in July of 2016 for a super fun performance!  She is extremely close with her family, many of whom you will see working at the studio on certain occasions, such as her grandmother, Norma, mother-in-law, Evelyn, and mother, Carol.  Miss Tara is extremely grateful for her students, staff and studio families.  Her goal is to make Dynamic Dance Academy a warm and inviting studio for anyone who has a passion and love for dance like she does!  

Instructors:

Victoria Boulis - Miss Victoria has a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from Salve Regina University and is employed by Citizen's Bank.  She grew up on Cape Cod and has been dancing since she was 5 years old.  She has been teaching dance with Miss Tara for the past 9 years.  Her upbeat attitude and amazing energy make her a popular instructor with the kids.  Miss Victoria and her husband, Nick, are the proud parents of adorable and energetic Bryant and Connor!  

Allie Dyer - Miss Allie is currently a student at Johnson & Wales University getting an Associate's Degree in Baking & Pastry Arts and a Bachelor's Degree in Entrepreneurship.  She has been dancing since the age of 3 and has recently been a part of a competitive dance company that competed all over New England.  This will be Miss Allie's fourth year at DDA.  She has a patient and calm demeanor that makes her a great instructor for the little ones.  You can also find her friendly face working at our front desk.  In addition, she also is a very talented choreographer for our Teen and Senior girls and our Competitive Team!

Caroline Kaercher - Ms. Caroline began her early ballet training with Michael Steele, former soloist of the New York City Ballet, in Saratoga, New York.  She then studied at the School of American Ballet in NYC where she advanced to the professional level.  She next danced with The Boston Dance Company where she was cast in principal roles and soon after became a teacher and choreographer. Other teaching credits include the National Museum of Dance, Tynan's Center for Dance and Well-being, the Guilderland YMCA and the GlensFalls YMCA.  This will be her first year as a teacher at DDA and she is very excited to begin training our dancers!

Lynn Miller - Ms. Lynn began her dance training with Bette Ann Monti Rossi at Atwood Performing Arts Center for 13 years. She also trained under the instruction of Herci Marsden at State Ballet of Rhode Island for five summers. She has competed nationally as well as internationally. In 2002 she placed fourth overall senior soloist at the International Dance Organization's show dance competition in Riesa Germany. She then went on to train at Point Park University's Conservatory for the Arts in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. She spent two seasons as a dancer with the Pittsburgh Steelers for their fundraising events. She then went to Boston to earn her doctorate of optometry from the New England College of Optometry and practices optometry in Providence.   Ms. Lynn has been teaching dance since the age of twelve and is excited to join Dynamic Dance Academy this fall!

Chloe Parkins - Miss Chloe has been a student of Miss Tara's for the past 15 years.  She has studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Pointe, Contemporary and is currently a member of our Competitive Team.  She was a volunteer teacher assistant to Miss Tara and other teachers on the DDA staff for 5 years before becoming a teacher on her own.  This will be Miss Chloe's third year as a solo teacher and she will also be a Senior at North Kingstown High School in the fall!

Heather Richardson - Miss Heather began dancing at the age of eight when her parents enrolled her at The Studio in Narragansett.  She went on to study dance at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, graduating in May 2012 with a BA in Dance.  While at college she performed and choreographed for the Slippery Rock University Dance Team, the Jazz/Tap concert and the Senior Synthesis concerts.  After graduation she stayed in the Pittsburgh area teaching a variety of styles, ages and levels at Richelle Lyn School of Dance.  Miss Heather recently moved back to Rhode Island and is excited to start teaching at Dynamic Dance Academy in the fall!  

Lindsey Turgeon - Miss Lindsey is currently a student at the University of Rhode Island getting her Bachelor of Science in Biology and hopes to continue her education by attending medical school.  She has been dancing since the age of 3 and starting competing at the age of 8.  She competed all around New England and other areas of the United States, such as Nashville, Florida and Maryland.  At the age of 16 she was 4th runner up in the Dance Idol competition during Nationals in Nashville.  She also has been chosen as Travis Wall's Die Hard Dancer at Nuvo.  Miss Lindsey still loves going to conventions to strengthen her skills.  This is her third year teaching at DDA!  She teaches a variety of styles and ages, works at the front desk and did a great job this past year with impressive choreography for our Teen and Senior dancers and our Competitive Team!   

Emily Thorsen - Miss Emily has been a student of Miss Tara's for many years and was a teacher assistant at DDA for 2 years before becoming a teacher on her own.  She currently takes Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Pointe, Contemporary and is a member of our Competitive Team.  She performed with DDA in Walt Disney World in July of 2016!  This will be Miss Emily's second year on our teaching staff and she will also be a Senior at North Kingstown High School come fall!