Faculty at Pineapple Dance, Amherst, Ma

FACULTY

Charlotte Doyle, Owner & Artistic Director

Charlotte E. G. Doyle began her training at the Connecticut Ballet, under the direction of Robin Welch and Robert Vickery. She was a member of the Junior Company, and toured New England in CB’s numerous Nutcracker productions. After graduating from the Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts, Charlotte received her BA in Dance from Mount Holyoke College.

While at MHC, Charlotte was honored with being chosen to represent her school at the American College Dance Festival, with her choreography The Place, and was a two-time scholarship student to the Bates Dance Festival. Charlotte has enjoyed learning from Lance Westergard, Trisha Brown, Ellen Sinopoli, Pam Lindsay, Debbie Poulsen, Therese Freedman, Jim Coleman, Peter Jones, Bebe Miller, Mark Taylor, Madame Darvash, Frank Hatchett, David Howard, Tekla Kostek, Violette Verdy, Finis Jhung, Mollye Maxner, Fritha Pengelly, Ruth and Noble Barker, and Lesley Makings. Currently, she studies with Teddy Forance, Chantal Aguirre, Noel Bajandas and other amazing stars every summer at the Generation IV Dance Intensive.

Professionally, Charlotte has performed with Mary R. Barnett’s In Good Company, Feuer/Matheke, Sandra Kopell, Molleye & Kelly Maxner, Sarah Eley, Katrina Hawley, and Nancy Hughes. Charlotte has been teaching full-time since college, has been a guest artist at Yale University, the Chautauqua Institution, and the Boston Symphony’s Days in the Arts program, which breaks down social barriers through arts immersion. Charlotte was a founding member of Ruth and Noble Barker’s East Street Ballet, directing the Children’s Program, the Adult Extension, and the East Street Youth Ballet Apprentice Company. Charlotte is very grateful for her experiences teaching at the Hackworth School and New England Dance Quarters.

Now, Charlotte teaches and directs Pineapple Dance, where everyone is welcome. She strongly believes that everyone can enjoy learning to dance, develop their artistic awareness, and learn to move correctly for their own bodies with strong technique.

Charlotte resides in North Amherst with her husband, Jon, their sons, Tommy and Geoffrey, two dogs, and two cats.

LAUREL ALLEN

Ballet | Music Theater | Jazz

Laurel started dancing when she was three years old and hasn't stopped since. She received all of her dance education from Michelle Goodwin’s School of Dance in Townsend, MA where she grew passionate about Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Musical Theatre, and Pointe. Throughout her 15 years at MGSD, Laurel spent her time doing performances, attending conventions, and making lifelong friends who became family. She attended the Dance Teacher’s Club of Bostons’ Dance Education Training Course and graduated in the summer of 2019. Since then, she has taught a variety of classes at Michelle Goodwin’s School of Dance.

Laurel is currently studying Management and Public Health at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a part of the UMass Tap Team and enjoys furthering her dance education while having fun. Laurel has always had dreams of sharing her love of dance with students and cannot wait to further those dreams at Pineapple Dance. She is so excited to meet new people and looking forward to the dance year ahead!

CRISTINA HAYES-MENDEZ

Acro | Ballet

Cristina started gymanstics at the age of 4 at Hampshire Gymnastics School in Amherst, MA and joined their Junior Olympic competitive team at age 6. Her time as a gymanst included winning several events at the USA Gymnastics Massachusetts State Championships, coming in first place for the team title at States in 2015, and competing at the USA Gymnastics Regionals Championship. Due to injury she had to stop competing at age 15 but continues to be involved in the sport by teaching the next generation of athletes as a coach for the recreational team at Hampshire Gymnastics.

Cristina is also an avid dancer. She joined Pineapple Dance in 2021 and currently takes Ballet, Jazz, and Contemporary classes. She has taught both ballet and acro classes at Pineapple, excited to pass on her knowledge and love of dance and gymnastics to our students.

EMILY JODKA

Ballet

Emily started taking ballet at Pineapple Dance at the age of twelve. At the age of fifteen she participated in her first performance of The Nutcracker with Pioneer Valley Ballet in Easthampton. After this experience she decided to move away from home in order to have the opportunity to dance more intensely. At the age of sixteen she started dancing at The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory in Torrington, CT. She continued her dance education there for two more years before auditioning for traineeships at professional ballet companies. During her summers she has trained at Orlando Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Festival Ballet Providence, The Rock School of Dance Education, and The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory.

She looks forward to spending the summer with new students and passing on her knowledge.

CARISSA LANGE

Ballet | Contemporary | Jazz

Carissa began her dance training at the Dance Conservatory of Pittsburgh, where she specialized in ballet, modern, contemporary, and jazz. She later went on to attend Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School, where she performed in shows such as The Nutcracker, Alice in Wonderland, The Music and the Mirror: A Tribute to Marvin Hamlisch, and Jesus Christ Superstar. While attending Lincoln Park, Carissa obtained an Associate Arts degree in Dance from the Community College of Beaver County. Upon high school graduation, Carissa attended Allegheny College where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Environmental Science and obtained a minor in Dance and Movement Studies. During her time at Allegheny College, Carissa participated in several dance organizations including the Orchesis Dance Company, the Jazz Dance Ensemble, and the Allegheny College Dance Team. Additionally, she choreographed for a wide variety of showcases and taught modern and ballet at Movement Unlimited Dance Studio. After graduating from college, Carissa judged dance competitions for Creation Dance Championships and served as a substitute dance instructor while completing her Master of Science at Duquesne University. Currently, Carissa is attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she is pursuing a doctoral degree in Environmental Health Sciences.

Lindsay LaValley Fuller

Tap | Jazz | Rhythm N’ Riff | Competition Team

Lindsay LaValley Fuller has been dancing for over 30 years. She has studied tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, and Irish step dancing. She is currently teaching tap and jazz, which have always been not only her favorite styles of dance, but also the styles she feels she can truly express herself with.

Lindsay began taking classes at Carol Butler's at the age of 3. She then went on to dance at the Hackworth School of Performing Arts for 12 years, where she competed in groups, productions, duos, and solos. She began assisting at the age of 14 and was paired up with Charlotte Doyle. Since then, she has been working for Charlotte for 20 years, assisting and teaching at both CJ Studios of Dance and now Pineapple Dance, which is currently her home away from home.

Lindsay has been fortunate enough to take classes from many amazing dancers. She grew up taking classes from all of the wonderful teachers at HSPA and mainly studied with Alison Forance and Lisa Heath. She has participated in many conventions and competitions such as Dance Masters of America, American Dance Awards, and Star Power. She has taken classes at Broadway Dance Center, where she has learned from such dancers as the late great Frank Hatchett (to whom she owes her love of jazz) and Germaine Salsberg. In recent years she has had the amazing opportunity to take classes with Chloe Arnold, Maud Arnold, the Syncopated Ladies, and Aubrey Cheek. She has attended the Syncopated Ladies Mini Bootcamp in New York City and the NYC premier of Tap World Film.

When not at dance, Lindsay is the Store Manager of Dave's Pet City's Ware location. She has been with the company for over 10 years. She lives in South Hadley with her husband, son, and cat. She loves crafts and anything Disney (especially her favorite accessory, mouse ears for any occasion).

Lindsay's philosophy on dance is that it should be fun first and foremost. She is excited to share her love of dance with the students at Pineapple Dance.

Amanda Major

Ballet | Contemporary | Composition

Amanda started dancing at the age of three and quickly fell in love with Ballet and all things dance! She knew from the age of five that all she wanted to do with her life was teach dance and share her joy. Since then, she has studied Ballet, Pointe, Modern, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Contact Improvisation, and Composition.

Amanda graduated from Hampshire College in May 2015 where she studied dance education from the brilliant minds of the dance professors in the Five College Dance Department, taking course at Hampshire, UMass, Amherst College, Smith, and Mount Holyoke. Amanda’s senior thesis project was a comprehensive study of how dancing aids the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development of children. She used Common Core Curriculum Standards for Massachusetts in Math and English in order to develop lesson plans for a Primary Ballet dance class that would use dance and movement skills to achieve learning goals.

Amanda continues to strive to make sure her students leave each class knowing more, about dance and themselves, than they did when they entered. She is thrilled to be teaching at Pineapple Dance where all are welcomed, there is a warm community, and everyone is encouraged to be the best that they can be!

SYDNEY MATAI

Music Theater Dance | Hip Hop | Consditioning/Stretch

Sydney has been dancing for 16 years beginning at age three. She received all of her training from Suzanne's Dance Connection in Burlington, MA, where she studied Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz, Tap, and Contemporary. She fell in love with dance and performing from the start, and was on a competition team at her studio since third grade. Sydney loved to be on stage, which led her to musical theatre dance. She has danced in several different shows at Burlington High School and at Stage 284 Theatre Co. in Hamilton, MA. Within the past three years she has been featured in Aladdin, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, and White Christmas. She is currently studying Economics at the University of Massachusetts where she takes many dance classes in her spare time.

Sydney's high energy and passion for dance is contagious. She loves sharing the art of dance with her students and helping them grow. Sydney is beyond happy to be teaching at Pineapple Dance where the atmosphere is always filled with hard work and smiles!

LEAH NEUBURGER

Acrobatics | Contemporary

Leah has been dancing at Pineapple for almost six years. She started taking acrobatics classes in fifth grade and started assisting teaching acrobatics in eighth grade. Now as a junior in high school, she teaches acrobatics and contemporary dance along with taking contemporary, jazz, and hip hop classes. When not teaching, she loves painting, going on walks in nature, and going to music concerts. She loves teaching at Pineapple Dance because of the strong sense of community fostered among students and staff. She is excited to see new and familiar faces!

Jen root

Contemporary | Composition | Jazz | Acro

Jennifer is a dancer, choreographer and dance educator who grew up and trained at LHQ Danceforce in Agawam, MA with the Dance Intensive program. Jen has been dancing for almost 20 years and competed as a dancer for twelve years. After graduating high school Jen went on to study the art of dance in New York while dabbling in costume design, and choreography. She studied at Manhattanville College while also training with the great Peter Pucci. Jennifer was a featured soloist in a number of shows, some of them including SYNC, Change-A 2015 Freshman Project, and Our Fight Against Cancer-A Senior Thesis. While in New York, Jen was also a dancer with a creative dance troupe called the Valliant’s. Miss Root also spent time working for a competition company, Step Up 2 Dance, working in the crew as well as guest judging.

Jen has been teaching for five plus years now in dance studios, workshops as well as at local venues and preschools. She has a plethora of experience with early childhood students and young children while also gaining experience with choreographing numbers for students in the high school and collegiate level. Miss Jen is extensively trained in all genres of dance, and specializes in the jazz, lyrical and contemporary fields. She has been cast in music videos for local artists, and has choreographed many competitive numbers for students wanting to push themselves. Jennifer is currently taking classes towards her degree in Education with Westfield State University with a concentration in Special Education, which is something she is very passionate about. Miss Root is a certified Integrative Dance Instructor, which is a class based for students with special needs. She is also a certified Team Builder, which aids her teaching when working with competitive teams. Her acrobatic background comes from the Acrobatic Arts course. Jen is also YPAD certified (Youth Protection Association in Dance), which is an amazing organization that trains leaders in the dance community on the best ways to keep our students safe in the ever growing dance climate. Miss Jen loves furthering her education to be the best she can be for her students, and she has attended many master classes and conventions, including The Dance Teacher Summit in NYC. Jen is eager to share her passion with her students, her whole purpose being to share the gift that is dance while creating magical moments within each student she meets.

LAURA SILK

Ballet | Contemporary | Acro

Laura began her training 18 years ago at the Dance Studio of Wakefield where she studied Ballet, Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, and Tap. At the age of nine she decided to take her training to the next step and dance competitively. She traveled around New England attending different dance competitions and conventions, learning more and more about her passion for dancing, and spending many hours at the studio bringing a positive attitude and many smiles. When she turned sixteen she had the chance to become certified by the Dance Teachers Club of Boston to teach the younger competitive levels at her studio, and spent many more hours helping the younger girls train and choreographing for them as well. Laura is currently a Junior at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, studying Kinesiology along with being a part of the UMass Dance Company, where she choreographs and teaches classes as well.

Laura loves to bring a positive, upbeat environment to every class she has and shares her passion for teaching dance everywhere she goes!

Cheryl Veasey

Tap | Jazz | Pre-Pri | Tap/Jazz/Hop | Ballet | United Dance Ensemble

Cheryl began dance at the age of 10 at the Carol Butler School of Dance in Northampton, MA., studying Tap, Ballet, Jazz and Lyrical. Over the years there, she worked her way up from student to Class Demonstrator to Assistant Teacher and then to Teacher. Cheryl has performed in many shows as a dancer throughout Western Mass., as well as competed in several dance competitions. To further her dance education, she travels to New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Boston to attend dance workshops and conventions.

From September 1995 to June 2013, Cheryl taught Tap, Ballet and Jazz at New England Dance Quarters in Amherst, MA. While there Cheryl was responsible for many of the business duties of running a studio as well as very efficiently running the backstage at all the NEDQ shows. Cheryl has made a difference in the lives of so many dancers over the course of her working at NEDQ and is thrilled to see some of those friends here at Pineapple Dance.

Cheryl believes dance class should be fun and stress free. "Everyone learns at their own pace and should be proud of what they have accomplished in class. It brings me so much pleasure to watch as students learn the joy of dance!"

With her large family, Cheryl loves spending time with her son, Dale, her nieces and nephews, and all her relatives. Her hobbies are knitting, crocheting, crafts and creating headpieces and dance costumes. Cheryl has designed and produced many wonderful props for both performance and the classroom, enhancing the students' experience in dance. When not teaching dance or running the office at Pineapple Dance, Cheryl is the office manager at Superior Chimney Sweep, Inc. in Easthampton, MA. Cheryl is so happy to be teaching and to be a part of the Pineapple Dance family!

Mari Washburn

Mari has been dancing for over 16 years starting at the age of 5, performing in tap, jazz, hip-hop, ballet, musical theater and contemporary. Mari assisted dance classes for 6 years and has been teaching at Pineapple Dance for 3 years. She was trained at New England Dance Quarters for 13 years and joined Hackworth School of Performing Arts (HSPA) for her junior and senior years of high school. While training with HSPA she competed in small, large and production groups throughout southern New England. While in high school, she attended various master classes, summer dance intensives and conventions taught by highly esteemed choreographers from California to New York. Recently she has worked as the dance captain with the Amherst Leisure Services Community Theater for their production of Mary Poppins and hopes to continue working with them for future productions. In addition, she has choreographed select pieces for the Broadway Review called Youth on Broadway, a local musical theater program for youth in Amherst.

Mari is now attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst, majoring in Animal Science. When she isn't in the studio she is cooking or traveling. She also enjoys all things art and music related. You will most likely find her with headphones on or playing one of the many instruments she has learned over the years.

“The true essence of dance is the instant the artist has taken a risk”