AMANDA WASSERMAN

Amanda, one of the proud owner/directors of Modern Rhythms Dance Academy has been teaching and choreographing for over 20 years. Growing up as a competitive dancer, she trained in studios, NYC, & college. She received her BA in Dance & Master Degree in Health Education, NY State certified to teach children K-12, both from Hofstra University. During her college years, she was a part of many performances within the Hofstra dance department by prestigious choreographers. Amanda cumulated her undergraduate college career by interning at the famous Broadway Dance Center, where she trained and learned under the best in the business. She has dedicated her life to her students and teaching. Amanda has brought her gift of teaching and choreography to all different environments; studios, public schools, pre schools, and summer camps to name a few. Throughout the years, her choreography has been recognized and has won multiple high score & choreography awards, along with National Champion titles. In her classes of all ages and levels, she loves to challenge her students and make them understand the basic foundation of dance technique while focusing on the performance aspect beyond the movement. Amanda is passionate about teaching and choreographing and loves to watch her students grow as dancers and people, learn, have fun, build confidence, and create lifelong memories and skills to carry with them for the rest of their lives.

CARRIE IRWIN

Carrie Irwin has been a proud owner and director of Modern Rhythms Dance Academy since the doors first opened in 2011. Throughout her years of teaching, she has been recognized both regionally and nationally for her outstanding choreography. Carrie was mentored at a very young age by the iconic, Jeffrey Edmond who nurtured her talent and helped her develop her passion for tap dancing which still, 30 years later is so eminent in her life. Her style of teaching reflects her style of tap, which is exciting and unconventional. She fuses classic American tap dancing with contemporary music and dance styles and then tops it off with her own unique twist. Carrie graduated from the New School in 2008 with a BA in writing (with honors). Her college education has enabled her to expand her creativity by using both her mind and outside influences in all of her creative outlets; dancing especially. Carrie has never stopped training and learning and feeding her desire to want to grow. She has been enhancing her own personal dance education with professional influences throughout Long Island and Manhattan. Her goal is to continue sharing her love for tap to her students, but most importantly, educating them in a fun, creative, and loving atmosphere. Modern Rhythms Dance Academy has always been Carrie’s lifelong dream and she couldn’t be more proud to continue on this journey with her family.

LAURA NATARIO

Laura Natario received a B.F.A. degree in Dance Performance from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. After graduating, she pursued a career in ballet performance, training and performing professionally. Later, she completed an M.F.A. degree in Dance and Creative Practice at Saint Mary's College of California, where she focused her research on dance film and the phenomenological presentation of American performative bodies and embodied identities. She received an M.A. degree in Dance Education from CUNY Hunter College's Arnhold Graduate Dance Education Program with correlating NYS PK-12 Dance Education Certification in May of 2022. Currently, she teaches, performs, and creates dance films in the greater New York City area. Laura looks forward to a third season with Modern Rhythms Dance Academy!

JENNIFER RAFFAELE

Jennifer started dancing at age 3 and competing at age 8. She was a student of Amanda and Carrie for 12 years before graduating high school and started to choreograph and teach at Modern Rhythms in 2014. She graduated from Marist College in 2018 with a BA in Psychology where she was a member of the Marist College Dance Team from 2014-2018. She served as captain and president of the team in which she set choreography and handled administrative responsibilities for the team. Jennifer received her Masters of Science from Adelphi University in 2021 and works as a Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in a pediatric setting. She has worked with children for the last 10 years in various environments including her current profession as well as dance and summer camps. She is passionate about fostering a positive relationship with students and creating a safe environment for them to learn and grow.

JAMIE KLEINSCHNITZ

Jamie is a freelance artist, performer, choreographer, and dance instructor based in NYC. Originally from Long Island, NY, Jamie received her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Adelphi University with a major in Dance and minor in Psychology, and studied abroad at the London Contemporary Dance School in the UK. As a choreographer, she has set works at Adelphi University, for music videos, and on various dance studios. As a performer, she has danced works by Ohad Naharin, Azure Barton, Alexander Ekman, Paul Taylor, Manuel Vignoulle, Alice Klock, Florian Lochner, William Briscoe, and Wesley Ensminger, among others. Jamie has been a movement artist with Thryn Saxon’s SAXYN Dance Works, Mathew James’ Urban / Tribe, Valeria Gonzalez’s VALLETO Dance, John Zullo’s Zullo/Raw Movement, Emily Greenwell’s Cloude.nyc, and Rudy Abreu’s Radiance.

LISA EVERS

Lisa Evers is very excited to join the Modern Rhythms family! Dancing since the age of 3 and always continuing to train, learn and educate in all styles and facets of dance. Growing up in a dance studio, assisting at age 14, progressing to teaching recreational classes and eventually teaching and choreographing pieces for competitive teams. Earned multiple choreography and entertainment awards from numerous competitions. Lisa has choreographed pieces that have gone on to win National championships in advanced level categories. She loves hip hop but is trained in all genres. Lisa has a masters degree in psychology from St. Joseph's college and is a former NYC police officer. The path has never veered far from the dance world and for the past 20 years continued teaching and training in dance full time. Lisa has recently gone back to school and earned certifications in personal training for dancers as well as becoming a flexibility coach, injury prevention, core strengthening specialist from accredited NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). She prides herself in teaching students proper technique while also targeting other important goals, such as, fitness, intent, discipline, mental toughness, GRACE, AND CONFIDENCE!!!! Lisa teaches children to turn the “impossible” into the “I’m possible”. Her greatest achievement, by far, is being a mom to the 3 most amazing children. Michael, Matthew and Maxine inspire, encourage and challenge me to be 1% better every day!!!!