Faculty

Alexander Diaz comes to us from New Milford, NJ. Born and raised in Union City, NJ, Alexander is still a very active member in Hudson County with the promotion of art and culture in Union City. Alexander headed the outreach of the Union City Performing Arts Center where he served as Coordinator of the Theatre and brought many students and parents in the underdeveloped city a cultural awareness and provided a venue for the citizens of Union City to experience live performances by great Hispanic Stars. He has been affiliated with the Paper Mill Playhouse, having performed in Everything Old Is New Again, and Wish You Were Here. Acting credits at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center include, “Nicley Nicely” in Guys and Dolls, “Father” in Ragtime, “Billy Bigelow” in Carousel.

Alexander’s work spans beyond New Jersey and New York. He is a graduate of the University of the Arts with a BFA in Theatre Management and Directing. While attending the University of the Arts his performance credits include “Col. McKean” in 1776, “Harold” in In The Boom Boom Room, “Col. McCarthy” (Court Martial At Fort Devens) Philly Fringe Festival. Directing Credits include Behind Hidden Doors by Tanya Leppert, The Philadelphia by David Ives, Lone Star by James McClure, The Philadelphia Story (Assistant Director to David Howey). In 2008 Alexander opened a theatre in Philadelphia dedicated to bringing to the stage the work of young talented actors in Philadelphia. Other professional Credits include “Brother Trucker”, “Roberto” and other roles in “Working” (Theatre Horizon). Extra “State Fair”, understudy “Franz Libkien” The Producers (Walnut Street Theatre), Actor (Philadelphia Young Playwrights), Nick Massie (Atlantic City Jersey Boys, Borgata Casino).

Alexander is a singer, actor, director, and producer of theatre. Alexander acted as the producing artistic director at New Milford School where he directed the award-nominated RENT, WORKING, and INTO THE WOODS and received rave reviews as well as several nominations from the National Youth Theatre Awards and The Helen Hayes Theatre Company. As the Director of Education and Outreach at bergenPAC, Alexander directed the theater's inaugural musical, FAME, and CHILDREN OF EDEN. Alexander is extremely excited to be part of the bergenPAC team and has made it a relentless goal to provide professional performing arts training and make bergenPAC the home for arts education in Northern New Jersey.

Becky Serico, Director of bergenPAC’s Performing Arts School, is a seasoned community leader, arts administrator, opera singer and voice teacher. Among Becky’s many responsibilities in her role at bergenPAC, she is proud of the programs she oversees that serve the community by using the arts as a vehicle for creative expression and positive change.  Before coming to bergenPAC in July 2016, she was Director of Arts Education at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, where she oversaw after-school and summer programs for students ages 10 to 18. Prior to that, she was with Carnegie Hall’s education arm, the Weill Music Institute, managing community and artist training programs, including The Achievement Program, a national initiative launched to establish assessments for students studying music privately. She also managed projects within the Musical Connections program, which brings music to those living in challenging circumstances, including homeless shelters, hospitals, and correctional facilities. Additionally, Becky worked for The Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program to help recruit aspiring professional singers and pianists. Becky has held voice teaching positions at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and at The Performing Arts Center of Metrowest in the greater Boston area, where she was Voice Department Chair. She has taught voice privately for over 18 years and was a board member of the NYC Chapter of The National Association of Teachers of Singing. As an opera singer, Becky has performed with such acclaimed festivals as Central City Opera in Colorado, and at festivals in Italy and Austria.

Anthony Caiola is a performer and theater teacher. Born and raised in Paterson, NJ, Anthony received his Bachelor of Arts from William Paterson University in Theater and Comedy and his Masters of Arts in Theater Studies from Montclair State University. Anthony has taught students of varying ages and abilities. His stage credits include Boeing Boeing, Speaking in Tounges and The Dining Room as well as numerous online short plays and skits. He has directed Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr. and works with his students to create original works designed for the stage.

D Cross is a New York born and Brooklyn-based artist, performer and art educator. He creates imagery and vocal art that transcends and crosses boundaries of genres and labels. This "Vocal Beat Expressionist” uses “vocal acrobatics” to create sonic collages of his poetry combining words, raps and beatboxing. He has performed nationally and internationally in venues including Madison Square Garden, SOB's, B. B. Kings, Caroline’s and Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. D. Cross was selected as a cultural Hip-Hop Ambassador for The US State Department’s Next Level Program. He recently served as a Hip-Hop Cultural Diplomat in Azerbaijan. D. Cross has been featured on MTV, The Electric Company, Nickelodeon, TV Land and BET's 106's & Park. His vocal talents have been featured on the award-winning Aflac “Pigeon Rap” ad and 7–Up ‘s “10” campaign. He was the Hottest Poets $10,000 Spoken Word Grand Champion of 2002/03 as well as a member of their international slam team of 2003. D. Cross’s visual arts projects have been exhibited nationally and internationally, including Sweden and Brazil. His work is part of the collections of Erykah Badu (Singer), Ed Lewis (Founder of Essence Magazine), Ruby Dee (legendary actress) Judith Jamison (Alvin Ailey) Kool Herc (Hip-Hop founding father), Big Daddy Kane (Hip-Hop legend) and Bashiri Johnson (world-renowned percussionist). D. Cross is also a School of Visual Arts graduate (Bachelors of Fine Arts), who has worked as an arts educator teaching youth visual arts and poetry for the past two decades.

Katherine Mena is a vocalist, composer, actor, and teacher from New York City. She trained in the 'Bel Canto' singing method at The Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Natalie Bodanya from The Metropolitan Opera Company. She has performed on stages internationally and locally, most notably in NYC with the famed La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club under the direction of Ellen Stewart. Performance highlights include The Venice Biennale, Rome's Teatro Palladium, Taiwan's Avante-Garde Arts Festival, South Korea's Seoul National University, Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Festival, and soloist at Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall with Amor Artis. Music compositions for the stage include Question of Solitude, an opera based on the James Bond legacy; S16: Luna Nera, an opera installation about child labor in Sicily's sulfur mines; and Love Cripple, an original dance piece that premiered at The Ellen Stewart Theatre; and 155 Through the Roof, a musical that premiered at Theater for the New City. She continues to perform as a member of The Great Jones Repertory Company. Katherine is very happy and fortunate to share her love of music and art with all the wonderful students at Bergen Performing Arts School.

Diana Gonzalez-Morett is a creative producer, writer, actress, teaching artist, and caregiver. Diana finds creative strength in her fluidity as a multi-hyphenate and is passionate about supporting creative visions.

In 2020 Diana and Akilah ‘AK’ Walker co-founded Good Mother Films a BIPOC, woman-led creative company that specializes in producing personal stories told with emotional depth, bold artistry, and  always considering their social impact. In 2021, the company produced its first short film, award-winning ‘Ivar Tunnel: Shook Ones’ which is currently airing on the REVOLT network. In 2022, ‘Pedacito de Carne’ a short film written by Diana was one of five films selected to be produced as part of the NALIP/Netflix Latino Lens: women of color narrative short film incubator. . Diana is also an associate producer for #Hashtagtheshow a sketch comedy web series about being a Black and Brown in America. Each episode highlights the absurdity in everyday life addressing everything from microaggressions to ‘woketivism’.

When she is not filmmaking Diana works as a teaching artist and director for Bergen Performing Arts Center working with children from ages 5-25. She is also an integral part of the team of Lotus Arts Management, one of the country's premier dance agencies, handling artist and client relations and supporting the president administratively.

Diana received her MFA in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater in SF where she received awards for her innovation and work within the program. She received her BFA in Theater Arts & Acting from Marymount Manhattan College.

Diana is currently based in New Jersey where she is a full-time caregiver for her mother living with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). It would be unfair to not acknowledge that she does everything with the help of her loyal chihuahua, Lupita.

Dalphe Morantus is a professional dancer and art creator born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, who spent the last 11 years in L.A. where he lived and worked as an artist, choreographer and member of several dance communities. His families grassroots hails from Haiti where they migrated from to the States landing in Brooklyn, the melting pot in which molded Dalphe’s artistic beginnings and appreciate of both cultures. That appreciation grew into expression as he fell in love with blending dance styles from several cultures that he was exposed to, growing up vibing to dancehall, afro-fusion, hip-hop, salsa and house dance. Fusions like these are heavy characteristics of his work that led to his trademark style and alias, International Dalphe, with over 14 years of experience working with notable names in the industry, Ricky Martin, Don Omar, Daft Punk, Snoop Dogg, Justin Bieber, just to name a few. Nowadays his work is focused on teaching people how to move their body with using groove isolations as a stepping stool to embrace their true self.

Carlos Mena comes from a family of professional musicians and is honored to continue the family tradition to this day. He began playing music professionally when he was seven years old as a percussionist with acclaimed folk musicians from South America. He soon discovered his passion for the bass and made it his primary instrument upon which to hone his musicianship and technique. As a teen, he received a scholarship to study in Switzerland at the Zurich University of the Arts, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music and Pedagogy. He continued his studies in New York City, where he received his Master of Arts in Music at the Aaron Copeland School of Music at Queens College. Carlos is a multi-instrumentalist who plays electric bass, acoustic bass, guitar, piano, and percussion. He is an accomplished soloist, arranger, and composer and has become a highly sought-after performer, playing alongside many renowned musicians in NYC and abroad.

Rebecca Sonia holds a BFA in Theatre Dance and Musical Theatre from The University of the Arts where she was a Presidential Scholar. Favorite Regional: West Side Story, White Christmas, Mary Poppins, NYC Workshop of The Verdon Fosse Estate with Ann Reinking. Concert Performance: Peter Nero and the Philly POPS featuring Capathia Jenkins, Ashley Brown and Rachel York and The Academy of Music Gala featuring Sting. At the bergenPAC, Rebecca has performed with "Weird Al" Yankovic, opened for Tony Bennett, Betty Buckley and Stephanie Mills in past bergenPAC gala events and was the Choreographer behind the PAC's productions of The Producers, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, West Side Story, and Les Miserables. Rebecca is the Director and Choreographer for the Showtime Jr productions here at the PAS and has been teaching the musical theatre classes at the school since 2016. As a teacher, she has worked with a variety of theatre companies as well as private and religious schools throughout NJ and NYC with students ranging from toddlers through the college level. Rebecca is also currently teaching for the prestigious dance program at Passaic County Technical Institute. Rebecca is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union and holds three state of NJ Teaching Certifications- Dance, Vocational Dance, and Theatre. 

Pia Surace is a passionate educator and director with over 20 years of performing experience and over a decade of teaching and directing experience. An alumnus of The College of New Jersey where she received her BA in Music Education, Pia has performed with many community and professional theaters throughout Northern New Jersey and has worked with students ranging from pre-k through college. Her work as a Music Director and Play Director has been recognized at the Metropolitan High School Theater Awards, The Bucks County Playhouse Drama Festival, and the STANJ Governor's Award Competition for Theatre Arts. She is honored to be joining the Performing Arts School at Bergen PAC and to share her passion for music and theater.

Saloney began pursuing dance as a young child and studied ballet, tap and jazz during her early years. She then moved on to modern dance, competitive cheerleading and hip hop before concentrating on classical and contemporary Indian dance styles. She studied dance under local instructors in southern New Jersey and performed in countless cultural and community events prior to pursuing formal, intensive, one-on-one training in the Indian classical dance form of Bharat Natyam under Guru Venkataraman in New Delhi, India.

Saloney brought her training of this ancient 2nd century art form back to the US and began teaching classical Indian dance to her students while also creating unique fusion dance pieces incorporating multiple dance styles. It was one of these pieces which won her the "Best Talent" award in the Miss Asia International pageant and contributed to her being crowned Miss India New Jersey.

Saloney is also a licensed Zumba instructor and is an active member of ZIN (Zumba Instructor Network). She also pursued and acquired a Zumba Gold certification to work with the aging and senior population and currently teaches classes of both formats. She enjoys working with this population to promote positivity and incorporate movement into their lives. Saloney recognizes and appreciates the importance of a healthy body, mind and outlook in navigating the aging process and the challenges it presents, and has worked with students ranging from 3 to 106 years of age.

Through The Performing Arts School at Bergen PAC, she is a resident teaching artist at The Felician School for Exceptional Children where she works with the students to prepare for various dance programs including the annual Voices in Harmony production.

Saloney has dual degrees in Communication (BA) and Psychology (BA) from Rutgers University. Her professional history includes positions in corporate retail, the footwear industry, dental practice management as well as being a founding member of 2 startups.

Outside of dance, she enjoys yoga and hiking.

Melody Appel is an NJ based director, teaching artist and actor. A graduate of Montclair State University, she holds a BA in Theatre with a minor in Musical Theatre. Throughout college, she was one of the artistic directors of a student-run theatre company where she produced and directed productions each season. Melody is also a graduate of The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival's directing initiative program. In addition to Bergen PAC, Melody is a teaching artist at Porch Light Productions where she directs both in-studio and drama club productions. Melody frequently performs in the area, most recently seen as Libby Tucker in Neil Simon’s “I Ought to be in Pictures” at Nutley Little Theatre. She is passionate about creating a safe, welcoming and empowering space through the arts.

Marisa Budnick is an NYC based actor and is thrilled to be teaching back in New Jersey! Marisa has performed regionally in many states including Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts and made her Off-Broadway debut in NYC this past October! Select credits: The Stranger Things Experience (Netflix/Fever), The Tattooed Lady (Goodspeed Festival), A Little Night Music (Monomoy Theatre), The Amazing Adventures of Dr. Wonderful... (Playhouse On Park). Marisa holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from The Hartt School.

Matthew is thrilled to be working with bergenPAC! Matthew obtained his B.A. in Theatre from Kean University and his A.A. in Musical Theatre from County College of Morris. As a performer, Matthew has appeared in many productions including Mark Cohen in Rent, The Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz, Nicely Nicely in Guys and Dolls, Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, Jack in Into the Woods, and Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden.

Matthew has most recently been stage managing and directing numerous productions throughout New Jersey. His most recent directing and stage management credits include The Giver, The Land of Forgotten Toys, Go, Dog. Go! the Musical, Pinkalicious the Musical, Boogie, and Sunday in the Park with George. 

Since I was a child I have been in love with the arts! I started working professionally in the acting industry as a teenager & earned my BFA in Performing Arts from the Savannah College of Art & Design. In between gigs working as an actor, I enjoy sharing my passion for the arts with children in the hopes that it may inspire them as well. 

BILLY LEYS Is a teaching artist, director, and playwright based in New Jersey. He is currently a part time ticketing representative at Paper Mill Playhouse and a former house manager with STNJ. Billy’s directing credits include: …Gone: A Devised Piece, Juvenile, and God of Vengeance. Acting credits: Spring Awakening, Parade, The Pajama Game, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Finian’s Rainbow, Fame, Oklahoma!, West Side Story. Costume design: Sunday in the Park with George, Juvenile, …Gone: A Devised Piece and Gruesome Playground Injuries. Wardrobe: An Octoroon and Sunday in the Park with George. Billy holds a B.A. from Kean University Theatre Conservatory, and  is currently working towards his M.A in Theatre Studies at Montclair State University.

Cassidy started dancing at the age of four and especially enjoys tap, jazz and theatre dance. She has performed in over 15 productions, her favorite being Nice Work If You Can Get It. She has also done background acting for television and movies including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Joker (2019). Cassidy has been teaching dance since 2018 and loves watching her students grow as dancers and as people. She is passionate about making theatre accessible to people of all abilities and backgrounds. She is grateful to be working with such a talented group of students for the Voices in Harmony program!.

born and trained in NYC, received a BA in dance from Adelphi University and has a distinguished career in the performing arts, both in front of the audience as a performer and behind the scenes as a choreographer and coordinator. Her litany of achievements includes: feature films, Beat Street, Fatal Attraction, television programs, The Guiding Light, Law and Order, and award-winning music videos, Higher Love (Steve Winwood), Heard it Through the Grapevine (Marvin Gaye). She has also performed in shows, Sweet Charity and Kismet, an off-off-Broadway in play, Invisible Child, in major industrials for IBM and Chrysler, in special events including the Liberty Bicentennial and Broadway’s opening of the Disney’s film Hercules. Her strength as a dancer and choreographer is her versatility in style. One of Roberta's outstanding credits was as assistant choreographer in Brian de Palma’s film, Carlito’s Way. She has choreographed the opening segment of bergenPAC’s annual galas, featuring such notables as Tony Bennett, Chaka Khan, Stephanie Mills, Paul Anka and their very first musical, FAME. For thirteen years Roberta co-directed dance plus…a whole lot more, a dance school in Englewood, NJ. She especially loved teaching and choreographing for American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive in NYC and was fortunate enough to be a part of their Make a Ballet Program where her work was presented at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. Roberta guest teaches internationally- Israel, Italy, Canada, Norway, Venezuela, and Brazil. Currently, she is the Artistic Director at the PAS @ bergenPAC and remains on the faculty of Steps on Broadway, NYC. Roberta feels that her best achievements lie in teaching dance as mentioned in a feature article in the February 2000 issue of Dance Teacher Magazine. Roberta loves watching her students grow into expressive and successful dancers. Along with Broadway stages: Carousel, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Wicked, Mamma Mia, Spring Awakening, Les Miserables, Sound of Music, Footloose, and major dance companies, her students have been on SYTYCD, The American Music Awards, competed in the prestigious Youth Grand Prix, performed in the NY Jazz Choreography Project, Dance Collage, a 9/11 Tribute in NYC, and can be seen on television in commercials and music videos. Roberta's dynamic personality, along with her own style and “technique” forms a whole and responsive learning experience. She loves giving the gift of dance and sharing her passion with the next generations of dancers! www.robertamathes.com!

Yucari Kobayashi, hailing from Tokyo, Japan, has been dancing since the age of three. After training at Kazuko Fukazawa Ballet and H Dance Company, she began teaching, choreographing, and performing as a soloist among an elite group of dancers from Alvin Ailey including Obediah Wright. Yucari came to NYC and trained under Patricia Dokoudovsky’s tutelage at The New York Conservatory of Dance. Her NYC performing credits include the bergenPAC’s annual gala, opening for such notables as Tony Bennett, Paul Anka, Chaka Khan, and Stephanie Mills, the 2003 ELAN Awards, Dancers Responding To Aids at Symphony Space and St. Marks Church, as well as the International Chopin and Friends Festival. This dancing dynamo has been featured in several dance companies: Jete, Stankovic Ballet Company, Faune Dance Troupe, Dzul Dance. In addition to Steps on Broadway, she has taught at The New York Conservatory of Dance, Lumiere Ballet, dance plus…a whole more of Englewood, Dance Emotions and Central Park Dance in Westchester, NY and continues to choreograph for the NJ Association of Verismo Opera. Currently, Yucari teaches ballet and jazz at beyond dance @ bergenPAC in Englewood, NJ, and taught jazz at Buddy Balou’s and Elaine Kudo’s Theatre Arts Dance Academy (TADA) in Upper Montclair, NJ. Yucari continues to work closely with Roberta Mathes and has assisted her at The School at Steps and at American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive.

Kirsten Lane began studying classical ballet at age six in Teaneck, New Jersey where she developed her love for dance. She continued her studies on scholarship at the School of American Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet School, and the Joffrey Ballet School. As a student, Kirsten performed at Lincoln Center in a production of “Coppelia” with the New York City Ballet. She has performed with regional dance companies in the New York/New Jersey area and traveled to Nagano, Japan to dance in the opening ceremonies of the 1998 winter Olympics. Her teaching credits include classes at the School at Steps in NYC and various schools in Bergen County. Kirsten is a certified yoga instructor for both children and adults.

Kathleen McAree, a consummate dance professional, Kathleen is well versed in a number of genres of dance: ballet, jazz and contemporary. She has toured nationally and internationally and is delighted to share her knowledge and experience with her students. At age 12, Kathleen began her dance training at The Harlem School of the Arts and by age 15 continued to train here in Englewood, NJ under the tutelage of Roberta Mathes. During her formative years, she was also a scholarship recipient at Steps on Broadway and later went on to teach for The School at Steps. Kathleen holds a BFA in Dance and The Performing Arts from Montclair State University. She received her certification from ABT’s (American Ballet Theatre) National Training Curriculum, primary level through 3. Kathleen has taught dance locally and throughout the metropolitan area including 13 years at CUNY colleges in their Dance Department. She is the former Master Class Series Director for the Elan Awards honoring such amazing performers as Susan Stroman, Bebe Newirth, and Rob Marshall. Kathleen McAree is happy to be back in Englewood, (with her teacher, Roberta), training and influencing the young dancers at bergenPAC.

Esther Lee, from Leonia, NJ, started her dance training at age 8 at beyondDANCE (The Performing Arts School) at bergenPAC. Esther is a graduate of The Ailey/Fordham University BFA program, under the direction of Melanie Person, (Co-Director of The Ailey School), and recently received her Masters Degree in Childhood Education. She has been under the tutelage of "roberta mathes" for many years and worked with teachers and choreographers such as Yucari Koboyashi, Miro Magloire, Lakey Evans-Peña, and Gabriel Lamb. Esther has also attended summer intensives at The Ailey School as a scholarship student. She participated in Fordham University’s Spring Anthem commercial, performed an excerpt from the world renowned 'Revelations' at The 2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and most recently danced in song artist Aggelikki's new music video, Samba Griega. In addition to dance, Esther is classically trained in opera and attended Manhattan School of Music Pre-College for Voice. Esther has her sights on Broadway and she can not wait to share her gift to audiences worldwide!

Danelle Herran comes to NYC via San Francisco, California with an extensive background in gymnastics. She began the sport at age 3 and was competing on the DC USA Gymnastics Team at age 6. Making the switch from gymnastics to dance at age 16, Herran went on full scholarship at DSG under the direction of Ann Marie Garvin and Ann Barrett.

Her combined training of gymnastics and dance has landed her in numerous workshops and shows including Cirque du Soleil, JKing Dance Company, Dance it Forward and Dancemaniacs. She has also had the pleasure of assisting Joyce King (contemporary) and Chuck Kelly (acrobatics).

Danelle is also an advocate for missing children and has choreographed and performed to raise funds for the Xiana Fairchild Recovery Center and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Danelle brings a love for gymnastics and dance to her teaching, creating a fun and positive learning environment for all ages and levels of dance and gymnastics - including pre-school, special needs classes, recreational classes and competitive teams. www.DanelleHerran.com

Originally from Racine, Wisconsin, Madelyn Mickelsen began studying dance at the age of six. After twelve years of recreational and competitive training, she continued into professional dance training and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point obtaining two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Dance and Arts Management. In addition, she has studied under dancers from the Joffrey and Milwaukee Ballet, Giordano Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street, the Verdon Fosse Legacy, and the Radio City Rockettes. Madelyn has been a featured dancer in Jazz Choreography Enterprises (JCE) Jazz Project Showcase and Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center’s performance labs. She has also traveled nationally and internationally as a backup dancer for up-and-coming musical artists and has been involved in numerous projects and productions across the Midwest and Tri-State area. Her choreographical works have been showcased and produced in various performances, showcases, festivals, and for adjudication at the American College Dance Association.

Madelyn judges for regional and national dance competitions across the nation. Additionally, she guest judges for pageants and other regional East Coast contests and also is a teacher for convention and workshop classes. Currently based in New York City, Madelyn is continuing to train and further pursue her career.

Dan Mitra is New York City based tap dancer. Since starting tap dancing at a young age, he has received multiple awards such as the American Tap Dance Foundationʼs Tap Future Award, youngARTS silver finalist, and was selected to perform at the Kennedy Center as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts in 2009.

Dan has been in Joseph Webbʼs Dancing Buddhaʼs, the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival with Michela Lerman, Omar Edwardʼs Passion of Tap, and in works by Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards in On Tap at Summerstage. He has also performed at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Gala, choreography by Jared Grimes; and lastly as a member of Emmy Award Winning Jason Samuel Smithʼs A.C.G.I.

In terms of education, Dan has a B.A. in economics from the City College of New York and is a current student in the Arhnold Graduate Dance Education Program at Hunter College. He was awarded the Judy Dimon Scholarship as a part of said program. Dan currently teaches and has taught at Mark Morris Dance Center, Broadway Dance Center, Peridance, Dwana Smallwood Performing Arts Center, Performers Edge Dance Academy, Washington Rock Dance and many more!

Anthony Caiola is a performer and theater teacher. Born and raised in Paterson, NJ, Anthony received his Bachelor of Arts from William Paterson University in Theater and Comedy and his Masters of Arts in Theater Studies from Montclair State University. Anthony has taught students of varying ages and abilities. His stage credits include Boeing Boeing, Speaking in Tounges and The Dining Room as well as numerous online short plays and skits. He has directed Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr. and works with his students to create original works designed for the stage.

Gianna Grosso is a New York City/New Jersey based performer. Gianna graduated from Montclair State University with a BFA in Musical Theatre. She is a private voice teacher and acting coach, and directs her own musical theatre workshop series for young artists. In her teaching, Gianna is committed to presenting the theatre arts as a joy in life, not only a skill. Recent credits include Countess Aurelia in Dear World, Pam Sakarian in Baby, Georgie Bukatinsky in The Full Monty, and Belle in bergenPAC’s production of Beauty and the Beast. Gianna has spent two summers performing at bergenPAC, and is beyond thrilled to be returning as a dance instructor.

Rebecca Sonia holds a BFA in Theatre Dance and Musical Theatre from The University of the Arts where she was a Presidential Scholar. Favorite Regional: West Side Story, White Christmas, Mary Poppins, NYC Workshop of The Verdon Fosse Estate with Ann Reinking. Concert Performance: Peter Nero and the Philly POPS featuring Capathia Jenkins, Ashley Brown and Rachel York and The Academy of Music Gala featuring Sting. At the bergenPAC, Rebecca has performed with "Weird Al" Yankovic, opened for Tony Bennett, Betty Buckley and Stephanie Mills in past bergenPAC gala events and was the Choreographer behind the PAC's productions of The Producers, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, West Side Story, and Les Miserables. Rebecca is the Director and Choreographer for the Showtime Jr productions here at the PAS and has been teaching the musical theatre classes at the school since 2016. As a teacher, she has worked with a variety of theatre companies as well as private and religious schools throughout NJ and NYC with students ranging from toddlers through the college level. Rebecca is also currently teaching for the prestigious dance program at Passaic County Technical Institute. Rebecca is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union and holds three state of NJ Teaching Certifications- Dance, Vocational Dance, and Theatre. 

Diana Gonzalez-Morett is a creative producer, writer, actress, teaching artist, and caregiver. Diana finds creative strength in her fluidity as a multi-hyphenate and is passionate about supporting creative visions.

In 2020 Diana and Akilah ‘AK’ Walker co-founded Good Mother Films a BIPOC, woman-led creative company that specializes in producing personal stories told with emotional depth, bold artistry, and  always considering their social impact. In 2021, the company produced its first short film, award-winning ‘Ivar Tunnel: Shook Ones’ which is currently airing on the REVOLT network. In 2022, ‘Pedacito de Carne’ a short film written by Diana was one of five films selected to be produced as part of the NALIP/Netflix Latino Lens: women of color narrative short film incubator. . Diana is also an associate producer for #Hashtagtheshow a sketch comedy web series about being a Black and Brown in America. Each episode highlights the absurdity in everyday life addressing everything from microaggressions to ‘woketivism’.

When she is not filmmaking Diana works as a teaching artist and director for Bergen Performing Arts Center working with children from ages 5-25. She is also an integral part of the team of Lotus Arts Management, one of the country's premier dance agencies, handling artist and client relations and supporting the president administratively.

Diana received her MFA in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater in SF where she received awards for her innovation and work within the program. She received her BFA in Theater Arts & Acting from Marymount Manhattan College.

Diana is currently based in New Jersey where she is a full-time caregiver for her mother living with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). It would be unfair to not acknowledge that she does everything with the help of her loyal chihuahua, Lupita.

For over two decades, Amelia DeMayo has been operating a vocal technique program for professional youth; specifically, those wishing to pursue a career in musical theatre or classical performance, as well as various forms of media for over 20 years. While her studio is in New York City, she has satellite locations in New Jersey and Westchester, NY, and her student base reaches from coast to coast.

Amelia’s students (both current and graduates) have appeared, and appear in, countless theatrical productions on Broadway, regional theatre and national tours, including current Broadway productions of Dear Evan Hansen, School of Rock, Kinky Boots, Once On This Island, and A Bronx Tale, and the current international tour of Les Misérable, and the upcoming Anastasia tour. Former Broadway productions include Annie, Matilda, On Your Feet, Fiddler on the Roof, Newsies, and Billy Elliot, and too many more to list. The lead male vocal voiceover in the film, Boychoir, performers in the televised live production of A Christmas Story, and a second-place X-Factor winner are among her students past and present. Her students are also actively engaged in voice-over work for children's animated features (including Pinkalicious and Nella the Princess Knight), appear on national commercials and television series, and have also been featured on CD recordings of The Polar Express and Gertrude McFuzz, featuring opera stars Nathan Gunn and Isabel Leonard.

Glenn Gordon is an accomplished composer, pianist and music director, having worked in the industry for over thirty years. Among the many shows with which he's been involved,  he was the music director/pianist for the Off-Broadway hit  "Forbidden Broadway" from 2001-2004. 
Beauty and the Beast marked Glenn’s second summer as music director of the summer musicals at bergenPAC having music directed "West Side Story" last year. The previous four summers, he served as Associate Music Director for  "42nd Street" ( 2013), "Cats" (2014), "Aida"( 2015), and "Les Miserables" (2016). 
As a composer, Glenn’s musical "Peter Rabbit: Beyond the Garden Gate!", with lyrics by Amelia DeMayo, and book by Glenn, Amelia, and Buddy and Gail Crutchfield, also made its premiere at bergenPAC in 2017.  His piano piece "Reminiscing by the Sea" was featured at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in 2013. 

Katherine Mena is a vocalist, composer, actor, and teacher from New York City. She trained in the 'Bel Canto' singing method at The Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Natalie Bodanya from The Metropolitan Opera Company. She has performed on stages internationally and locally, most notably in NYC with the famed La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club under the direction of Ellen Stewart. Performance highlights include The Venice Biennale, Rome's Teatro Palladium, Taiwan's Avante-Garde Arts Festival, South Korea's Seoul National University, Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Festival, and soloist at Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall with Amor Artis. Music compositions for the stage include Question of Solitude, an opera based on the James Bond legacy; S16: Luna Nera, an opera installation about child labor in Sicily's sulfur mines; and Love Cripple, an original dance piece that premiered at The Ellen Stewart Theatre; and 155 Through the Roof, a musical that premiered at Theater for the New City. She continues to perform as a member of The Great Jones Repertory Company. Katherine is very happy and fortunate to share her love of music and art with all the wonderful students at Bergen Performing Arts School.

Katherine Mena is a vocalist, composer, actor, and teacher from New York City. She trained in the 'Bel Canto' singing method at The Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Natalie Bodanya from The Metropolitan Opera Company. She has performed on stages internationally and locally, most notably in NYC with the famed La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club under the direction of Ellen Stewart. Performance highlights include The Venice Biennale, Rome's Teatro Palladium, Taiwan's Avante-Garde Arts Festival, South Korea's Seoul National University, Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Festival, and soloist at Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall with Amor Artis. Music compositions for the stage include Question of Solitude, an opera based on the James Bond legacy; S16: Luna Nera, an opera installation about child labor in Sicily's sulfur mines; and Love Cripple, an original dance piece that premiered at The Ellen Stewart Theatre; and 155 Through the Roof, a musical that premiered at Theater for the New City. She continues to perform as a member of The Great Jones Repertory Company. Katherine is very happy and fortunate to share her love of music and art with all the wonderful students at Bergen Performing Arts School.

Rebecca Sonia holds a BFA in Theatre Dance and Musical Theatre from The University of the Arts where she was a Presidential Scholar. Favorite Regional: West Side Story, White Christmas, Mary Poppins, NYC Workshop of The Verdon Fosse Estate with Ann Reinking. Concert Performance: Peter Nero and the Philly POPS featuring Capathia Jenkins, Ashley Brown and Rachel York and The Academy of Music Gala featuring Sting. At the bergenPAC, Rebecca has performed with "Weird Al" Yankovic, opened for Tony Bennett, Betty Buckley and Stephanie Mills in past bergenPAC gala events and was the Choreographer behind the PAC's productions of The Producers, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, West Side Story, and Les Miserables. Rebecca is the Director and Choreographer for the Showtime Jr productions here at the PAS and has been teaching the musical theatre classes at the school since 2016. As a teacher, she has worked with a variety of theatre companies as well as private and religious schools throughout NJ and NYC with students ranging from toddlers through the college level. Rebecca is also currently teaching for the prestigious dance program at Passaic County Technical Institute. Rebecca is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union and holds three state of NJ Teaching Certifications- Dance, Vocational Dance, and Theatre. 

Samantha Colon graduated from Anna Maria College in 2014 majoring in Music Therapy and minoring in Psychology. Her main instrument is voice and guitar. She also plays piano and ukulele. She has worked at various facilities and schools during her practicum/internship experiences and has completed 1200 hours of work in the music therapy field for her degree.  A service trip, during her senior year of college, to the Cayman Islands to share and play music using different techniques and interventions for children with disabilities was an inspiring and rewarding opportunity. Samantha has been performing since the age of five and has since been in numerous musicals, acting in straight plays, teaching guitar lessons, writing her own songs and singing in talent shows. She is very enthusiastic about her new journey teaching classes at the BergenPAC- Performing Arts School. 

​Combining her strong background in classical and jazz, Yoon Ah Oh brings a fresh perspective to her music.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Yoon Ah Oh grew up in a musician family and completed her undergraduate degree in classical composition major at Hanyang University. When she was 16 years old, Yoon Ah won the 2nd prize at Seoul CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) contest and, shortly after, she began participating in numerous music albums as a session musician, as an arranger, and as a chorus singer. During her college years, Yoon Ah began to invest her time to explore different styles of music and did not limit herself to classical music, the field of her major. She also participated in numerous Korean Pop (K-POP) albums as a piano/keyboard session musician and as an orchestra arranger. Her contributions included successful albums of some of the most renowned Korean singers, including Kyuchan Cho, So Eun Lee, Woo Won, and Ash.

Yoon Ah has written numerous popular songs. “With All My Heart”, one of her ballads, won the grand first place in the prestigious, Jae Ha Yoo Song Festival. Yoon Ah’s love and passion for music did not stop there. She wanted to creatively intertwine different styles of music, particularly with Jazz.

After receiving a B.M. degree from Hanyang University in 2007, Yoon Ah moved to the USA to study Jazz at Berklee College of Music. Yoon Ah was honored with the entrance award, the Berklee North America Scholarship. At Berklee, she earned a diploma in Jazz Composition and Piano Performance (Cum Laude). She learned from and worked with famous figures, including Joanne Brackeen, Hal Crook, Tim Ray, Jetro da Silva, Scott Free, Bob Pilkington, Greg Hopkins, and Jeff Garlindo. By working with these experienced musicians, Yoon Ah’s music grew immensely in a short period of time. Her musical talents and endless efforts earned her the Piano Department Achievement Award, CJ Foundation Scholarship, and the Berklee Achievement Scholarship as a student. Another highlight among all the recognitions Yoon Ah received as a gifted musician was being given the opportunity to have a concert at Berklee Performance Center, a venue open to only a few talented musicians.

Yoon Ah’s musical journey continued outside the school. Yoon Ah quickly became one of the most demanded pianists in New England area, owing to her versatility on various styles of music, including Jazz, Funk, Gospel, R&B, Pop, Rock, and Classical music. In 2010, she became an integral part of Streets Band, with whom she performed across the New England and eastern area.

Yoon Ah has extensive recording experiences and more CD albums are to be released in the near future. For one of her recent works, Grace sings Grace, Grain Offering she collaborated – as a composer, an arranger, a performer – with Mr. Tally Sherwood, a Grammy Award Winner.

Yoon Ah’s performing grounds include Jazz clubs, concerts, and conferences across the country (please refer to her discography for details).

Currently, she is a pianist and musical theatre coach at Westminster Choir College at Rider University.