Dawn Cargiulo
​Berman

Owner & Artistic Director

Dawn studied at the University of the Arts and the Laban Centre for Dance and Movement in London, England, where she received a BA with Honors in Dance Theatre.

She began her professional dance career with Transitions Dance Company, a London based collaborative group where she performed and taught throughout Europe, Japan, and Taiwan. Dawn joined internationally acclaimed MOMIX Dance Company, performing throughout the US and Europe, as well as teaching master classes at the university level. Additionally, she performed with NYC-based companies Neo Labos, Shoestring, and Isadora Dance Legacy and also collaborated with Vienna-based Blue Moon Productions performing in Vienna, Belgium, and NYC.

Dawn created and directed the dance program at Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, NJ, for two years and then went on to direct the dance program at Middlesex Vocational and Technical High School. During this time Dawn continued her performance work with Philadelphia-based Junk Dance Company and Scrap Performance Group, creating and performing dance works throughout the Philadelphia area, including the Philadelphia Fringe Festivals and Princeton Arts Council galas. Since 2009, when Dawn and her family moved to Pennington, she has repeatedly collaborated with The Hopewell Valley Arts Council, The Princeton Ballet School, Rider University, and The Lawrenceville School.

Dawn has served on The Friends of the Pennington Public Library for 10 years, and was a board member of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council from 2016 - 2021. Dawn has 4 children in the Hopewell Valley School system and has been a proud resident of Hopewell Valley for 15 years.

Gabriella Cunha
Office Manager & Ballet Instructor

Gabriella Cunha holds a BFA in Dance Education with a specialization in Ballet Performance and a minor in Musical Theater from University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. While attaining her degree, Gabriella became a peer tutor in ballet for which she was acknowledged with an Excellence In Tutoring Award and an Outstanding Student Teaching Award. After graduation, she danced professionally with Ballet Fleming, Ballet 180, and Roxey Ballet. Gabriella has several ballet teaching engagements in central New Jersey and at Penn Ballet at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior teaching experience includes ballet instruction at Princeton Ballet School and Mill Ballet School, pre-ballet instruction at The Rock School in Philadelphia, ballet, lyrical, and beginning jazz, acro, and modern at Studio 180 in Paoli, PA, and ballet and lyrical at competition dance studios. In addition, Gabriella has a 200-hour certification in Prana Yoga from Princeton Center for Yoga and Health. Her supplementary interests lie in music, alternative somatic modalities, and multidisciplinary collaboration – all of which inform her work as an artist and arts educator.

Caitlyn was born and raised in New Jersey. She received her pre-professional training at The Rock School for Dance Education. Upon graduation, she joined Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate Program where she performed roles in classical ballets, rehearsed Serenade with Jerry Kumery from the Balanchine Trust, and was selected for a contemporary work by Staycee Pearl. 

Caitlyn began her professional career with Columbia Classical Ballet under the direction of Brooklyn Mack where she performed in classical and neoclassical ballets such as La Bayadere, Bolero, and The Nutcracker, as well as original works by Simone Cuttino and Terrence Henderson. She also had the opportunity to perform as a guest artist with The Charleston Ballet, performing soloist roles in Dracula. Caitlyn is currently a professional dancer with Roxey Ballet Company in Lambertville, NJ.

Caitlyn is a Mat and Reformer Pilates instructor trained through Balanced Body. She is excited to join The Pennington Studio staff this year teaching ballet and lyrical classes.

Caitlyn Kresky

Lyrical Instructor

Samantha Jeanne

Preschool, Kindergarten Dance, Jazz, & Private Ballroom  Instructor
Administrative Assistant

Born to be in the spotlight, Samantha fell in love with performing at a very early age. At the age of 5, she started taking gymnastics and dance classes, quickly transitioning into Competitive Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics.  Always wanting more, Samantha studied a variety of dance styles throughout her adolescent and adult life including, Ballet, Jazz, Modern/Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Latin, Ballroom and Tap.  As a former All-Star and Collegiate Cheerleader and Dance Team member (Go FGCU!), she loves being a part of a team and building strong connections with her community.  

After college, Samantha spent time teaching and spearheading the dance program at a performing arts center in her home state of Delaware.  There, she created dance shows and award-winning competition pieces, choreographed local musicals productions and shared her knowledge coaching students who were focusing on a career in the Arts.
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Samantha started her professional ballroom career with Fred Astaire in the summer of 2013 and has earned multiple Top Female Teacher, Top Female Customer Service, and Top Specialist Awards for the New Jersey Region. She’s traveled the country and has been a top finalist in many regional and national competitions. Samantha has also explored other aspects of the performing arts- acting/dancing on stage, in films and on tv.  As a side project, she also developed a Young Dancers ballroom program for studios- combining her love of dance with her love of teaching children!

Kara Kamenski

Ballet Instructor

Kara Kamenski is a New Jersey-based dance educator with experience teaching in public schools and dance studios. She holds a Master’s in Dance Education and a BFA in Dance Performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Kara’s passion for dance began at a young age, and continued to flourish throughout her studies at Rutgers as she completed her full time teaching internship and performed works by guest artists, faculty, and students across New Jersey and New York. Kara also spent a year studying abroad at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, England, which broadened her perspective on dance and education. In addition to her dance background, Kara holds certifications in Vinyasa and Yin Yoga, which she integrates into her teaching practice. She is dedicated to fostering a supportive and inspiring environment where students can develop their skills and express their creativity.

Dorothy Bach

​Jazz Instructor

Having grown up the daughter of a ballet teacher, Dorothy started her dance career quite early. Dot studied at Broadway Dance Theatre for eight years and danced in their Legacy Company. She is trained in Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Jazz, Acro, Musical Theatre, Improvisation, and Choreography. Dot graduated from Delaware Valley Regional High School where she was a part of the International Thespian Society. While there, she performed in several productions, danced as an ensemble dancer for four years, and held the position of dance caption for two years. 
Currently, she is majoring in dance at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Dorothy has danced in many shows all over the east coast, won regional and national titles, and performed at venues as notable as the Paper Mill Playhouse. She is excited to share her love of movement and performance with the students of TPS! ​

Julia Higdon

Contemporary Instructor

      Bio Coming Soon!

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John Barrella

Hip-Hop Instructor

John "Comix" Barrella is a dance educator from New Jersey.  As a full time artist, he spends his days instructing dancers, choreographing internationally, filming dance, consulting for dance teachers, performing, and directing his professional dance company.  Throughout his career, John has had the pleasure of using dance as a means to connect with young people across the country and help kick-start dance careers.  He wants to continue on that journey with every dancer and hip hop head out there. 

Donna Heffner

Tap Instructor

Donna has been tap dancing her whole life, performing and learning with some of the most influential tap dancers of our time.  She trained at University of the Arts in Philadelphia and Broadway Dance Center in NYC, and is now a company member of Uniting Colleges Through Tap- a Philadelphia based tap company that performs in Philadelphia, NYC and Washington DC.  Donna has performed in DC Tap Fest, Big Apple Tap Fest in NYC, in solo and group showcases, and in many tap shows in Philadelphia.  She has taken master classes with Jason Samuels Smith, Derrick Grant, Karen Calloway Williams, and Heather Cornell, among others.  Donna loves passing on the knowledge from these masters to her students  and being a part of keeping this great American art form alive.  

Donna is one of the few toetap dancers performing today, dancing en pointe in pointe shoes with custom made taps in the toes. She has performed with Lady Greys Lovelies, a vintage dance company from Upstate Pennsylvania.  

Donna is also a championship-level Irish dancer with the Crossroads Irish Dancers of Bucks County.