Renee Celeste
Artistic Director/Owner
Acting, Ballet, Combo, ShowTime, ShowTime Performing
Miss Renee comes from a very diverse background that includes being a director, choreographer, teacher, performer, teacher's teacher, writer, and mom! Renee has been teaching for over 20 years and has been the Artistic Director and owner of Front & Center for Performing Arts in Springfield, NJ for the past 12 years. She teaches all disciplines as well as directs and choreographs FNC's yearly musical productions. Renee's students have been seen on Broadway, in National Tours, and have won numerous awards at Competitions all across the state and Nationally. She is especially proud of the diverse college programs her students are being accepted into as a result of their versatility, training, and hard work! Renee is extremely proud of the many achievements of the students at the studio and feels extremely blessed to have everyone at FNC as a second family!
As a director and choreographer, her credits include productions of Shrek, Aladdin, Grease, The Little Mermaid, 42nd Street, The Wiz, 13, Thoroughly Modern Millie, RENT, Beauty and the Beast, Working, Once On This Island, Godspell, CATS, Into the Woods, Seussical, The Pajama Game, and Annie. She is also proud to head up the theatre program at Willow Lake Day Camp.
Renee began her ballet training at the Rochester City Ballet in Rochester, NY. She began training in voice and acting at age 10. After graduating from the Rochester School of the Arts, she attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. There she earned a BFA in drama with a minor in Dance Education. She is an Associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and a long time member of the Actor's Equity Association.
A specialist in teaching Musical Theatre for young children, Miss Renee has become a highly sought after teacher's teacher. This summer she was invited to present at the prestigious Rhee Gold DanceLife Convention. (www.DanceLifeConference.com) There she taught amongst the top master teachers in the industry, some of whom were her own mentors! This fall she will also be teaching at Rhee Gold's Retreat Center (www.DanceLifeRetreat.com) where she will also return for the summer of 2016. She is also the Co-creator, along with her partner Julie Lira, of T3: Training the Triple Threat (www.T3TrainingTheTripleThreat.com) which is a brand new company teaching and providing products and syllabi for Musical Theatre programs in the U.S., Canada, and many other countries. T3 was launched this summer at DanceLife and is growing fast with the help of the awesome FNC students who are an inspiration to the work! Renee's first book, Leap 'N Learn for Musical Theatre (www.leapnlearn.com), a young children's curriculum, is licensed to Leap N' Learn studios around the world. A true teacher's teacher, she has also presented for Dance Teachers Unite of Australia, The Dance Teacher Summit in NYC and Leap 'N Learn conventions across the country.
In November of 2015 Miss Renee and FNC will be featured in Dance Studio Life Magazine. This is a career milestone for both Renee and the studio! No matter how far she travels, she always looks forward to returning to her own studio for that is her most favorite place to teach!
In her past life, she was seen on Broadway in The Wizard of Oz (starring Mickey Rooney and Eartha Kitt) as Rumpleteazer in the National Tour of CATS and at numerous regional theatres including Paper Mill Playhouse, Walnut Street Theatre, and numerous others professional theatres across the country.
Renee has a true passion for sharing her love of musical theatre with children of all ages. At home, she enjoys singing show tunes with Miss Julie and her three amazing kids, Celeste, Lucas, and Thomas!
Danielle Bobish
Hip Hop, PK ShowTime
In addition to being our front office studio manager, the lovely and talented "Miss Danielle" also teaches Hip Hop & PK ShowTime here at Front and Center. A graduate of the University of Hartford's Hartt School of Music with a BFA in Musical Theater with a focus on Directing, Danielle's performance credits include: The 50th Anniversary National Tour of Singin' in the Rain (Lina Lamont), Pink Elephants (Bubbles) at Manhattan's Slipper Room, Ragtime (Evelyn Nesbit), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Philia), and Children and Art: Sondheim's 75th Birthday Celebration (Broadway All-Star Chorus). When she is not keeping us all on track, Danielle is performing in her favorite role of all: Mother to our own company member, Madeline Bobish.
Amanda Hudson
Ballet, Lyrical, Pointe
Amanda began her training at Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts (NJ), where she studied as a scholarship student for over ten years. Additionally, she spent summers training at Studio Maestro, and The Ailey School. Amanda attended Mason Gross School of the Arts, at Rutgers University, and later furthered her training as a student in the professional division at The Ailey School. She concluded her undergraduate education at Montclair State University, where she completed her BFA in Dance, with second major in and Psychology. Amanda has also attended dance teacher-training programs including: Ballet Teacher Intensive, DanceLife Retreat Center, and the DanceLife Teacher Conference.
With over 14 years of teaching experience, Amanda continuously strives to create a nurturing learning environment that stimulates her students' curiosity while refining their technical skill. Her classes are centered on classical dance techniques with additional emphases including, yoga, Pilates, dance history, and performance. As an instructor, she focuses on the fundamental components of discipline, respect, integrity, and compassion.
Ryan Kasprzak
Tap, Theatre Dance
Ryan currently serves as Dance Supervisor for the #AndPeggy company of Hamilton. With Lin-Manuel Miranda returning to the title role, the company premiered with a historic run in San Juan, Puerto Rico. From their they moved to the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco for an open ended run.
Ryan made his Broadway debut in the swing fueled musical Bandstand under the direction of two-time Tony Award® winner Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton, In the Heights). He celebrated an incredible year highlighted by a performance on the Tony Awards, a best choreography win for Andy, and the personal gratification of a Chita Rivera Award Nomination for Outstanding Male Dancer. Previously, Ryan choreographed the critically acclaimed Southern Comfort at the Public Theater, the world premiere of Brave New World: The Musical at NC Stage Company, and Mary Poppins at NCT. He was honored to serve as assistant choreographer alongside Emmy winner Josh Bergasse on NBC’s Smash. He was associate resident choreographer and dance captain for the national tour of Billy Elliot. Ryan was dance captain on the international tour of Fosse and studied the style with Gwen Verdon, Ann Reinking, and Ben Vereen. Along with his brother Evan, he appeared and choreographed on Fox’s So You Think You can Dance. He has choreographed national commercials for Hershey’s, White House Black Market, and Sun Drop soda and created movement for David Blaine’s Real or Magic tour.
Ryan continues to create new work with multi Drama Desk Award nominated Parallel Exit: Physical Comedy Theater. Their production of This Way, That Way prompted the NY Times to say Kasprzak, “can get laughs simply by breathing” and their comic tap musical Time Step was seen at the New Victory Theater, Joyce SoHo, Lincoln Center Institute and Cos Festival in Spain. Their show Exit Stage Left was presented at the Queens Theater, toured the US, and played variety theaters throughout Germany.
His choreography has been featured at the NY Musical Festival in Academia Nuts (Best New Musical), and Best of Fest winners Cloned and Volleygirls. He is part of the resident faculty at The Performing Arts Project and a professor and alumnus of Marymount Manhattan College. He also holds an MFA in Choreography from Wilson College.
Originally from Michigan, Ryan continues to spread his uniquely comedic and fun loving physical storytelling throughout the world. His energetic teaching style creates an environment where imagination and play support the creativity of the choreography. A firm believer in the science of comedy, Ryan continues to educate dancers on the art of the gag and ways to create bold, physical characters with simplicity, specificity and the economy of movement.
Julie Lira
Creative DIrector
All levels Ballet, Lyrical, Theatre Styles, Tap, Jazz, Acro, SLT, Butterfly Garden and Pointe
Julie is extremely excited to be returning to Front and Center, and to be yet again immersed in a world of inspiring teachers and wonderful students who share her love for the performing arts.
"One of my greatest passions is teaching the art of dance and theatre to children and young adults. I find great joy in watching a student discover that they can work hard and still have fun.... I love being part of that journey, when a young dancer falls in love with the work and becomes an artist."
Julie danced and performed from a very young age and began her teaching and choreography career by directing the neighborhood kids in shows in the backyard of her childhood home in her native Texas. She went on to train formally and has not stopped.
She toured the U.S. in West Side Story, Dick Clark's American Bandstand and State Fair, which later transferred to Broadway. Not only did Julie appear on Broadway in State Fair, but she also served as the assistant director, working alongside James Hammerstein. It was while working on State Fair that Julie decided that she wanted to begin a career as a director/choreographer. She was the associate director on Abby's Song at City Center and then went on to direct sold-out productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West Side Story, The Sound of Music, Footloose, Carousel, The King and I and the acclaimed Morrison, off-Broadway.
In 2009, Julie was ordained as an Interfaith Minister after studying for 2 years at The New Seminary in NYC. She has served as an art therapist abroad under the auspices of the United Nations where she worked to help children overcome severe trauma in war torn and disaster ravaged countries.
Miss Julie has been teaching in all genres at FNC for the past eight years. She has also choreographed and
co directed productions of The Wiz and 42nd Street, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Children of Eden, Seussical, Cats. While her interests may be diverse, her true passion has brought her home to the classrooms of Front and Center.
Jeff Ostermueller
Voice
Jeff Ostermueller is a Manhattan-based actor, singer, musical director and voice teacher. As an actor, he is best known for touring with the musical Spring Awakening, working regionally around the US and at dozens of venues throughout NYC, as well as appearing in short films. Favorite Credits: Jean-Michel in La Cage aux Folles, Brad in Rocky Horror, L.M. in Pump Boys & Dinettes, Jamie in The Last 5 Years, and Franky in Forever Plaid. Recent credits include Music Directing the The Drowsy Chaperone and Peter and the Starcatcher with the St. Bart's Players in NYC. Other MD credits include Arkansas Repertory Theatre and Flat Rock Playhouse. As an educator, Jeff has a private voice studio and has worked with PGT Theatre in White Plains, NY, Applause NYC and Broadway Kids Auditions. BFA in Music Theatre, Elon University. Currently working towards a Master's Degree from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Kierra Reed
Acro
Kierra , a Native of New Jersey , has been dancing since the age of 2 in styles such as tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, modern, musical theater, and hip hop & acrobatic arts By 5, she was competing across the US and won various awards and was recognized for her many technical dance abilities. Also winning many medals in acrobatic & rhythmic gymnastics competitions. A proud student of the “dance moms” choreographer Ed Phelan , she was not only taught the fundamentals of the art of dance, but also was inspired to become a teacher and choreographer. At age 15, she began assisting, learning and growing under his guidance.
Her dedication & passion to dance continued into college. As an academic achiever, she is studying in business related fields & loves working with others. She surrounds herself with all aspects of living a healthy, fit lifestyle & actively participates in various fitness classes from Pilates to, yoga, and conditioning. Kierra is also trained in the Acro Arts Syllabus. Miss Kierra is honored to be a staff member at Front & Center , and looks forward to sharing her love and passion of dance with young dancers.
Kathy Voytko
Voice
Broadway: A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Oklahoma!, Nine, The Frogs, The Pirate Queen, Next to Normal. NYC: Carnegie Hall: Showboat, Kristina; Encores!: On Your Toes, Little Me, The Most Happy Fella. Tours: Evita, Phantom of the Opera. Proud member of AEA since 1996, proud wife of John Cudia since 2003, and proud mom of Alena and Evelyn indefinitely!