Profiles

Miss Lauren began dancing at age two under the guidance of Joyce Smilek in the very same dance studio she owns today. Miss Lauren is accomplished in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Musical Theater,Creative Movement, Yoga and Acrobatics and has competed in regional and national dance competitions/conventions. She began student teaching at the age of eleven and has been teaching ever since. While sharing her love of dance with younger students, she continued her own dance education at the Princeton Ballet School, Broadway Dance Center and Steps in New York City. In 2001, she began teaching for Dance Attitudes and took over as Assistant Director of their Hamilton location. In 2007, she became full owner and changed the studio's name to Front & Center Dance Studio. Over the years, Miss Lauren's students have had great success at various competitions and are always involved in local community events. Miss Lauren is a graduate of Rider University, finishing with her Master's degree in Accounting. Miss Lauren has joyously combined her love of dance and teaching with her business sense to create the perfect environment for confident young dancers to develop their own passion for the art form and achieve great success in all they do. Her healthy mix of fun and discipline in the classroom sets the tone for the entire studio's atmosphere. She truly was born to do what she does!

Miss Caitlin grew up in Aurora, Ohio where she studied under Sharron Burge Voelker while furthering her dance training at the Cleveland City Dance Academy. Miss Caitlin has an accomplished background in Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Modern and Tap. As an experienced competition dancer, she was named Senior Miss Dance of America (Dance Masters of America) in 2003. Since then, Miss Caitlin has graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in dance (jazz concentration). She is currently teaching at Ballet Academy East in NYC and dancing with a contemporary company called Eidolon Ballet and ALMA Dance Company. Her reputation as a loving, hard working teacher follows her wherever she goes. Her classes are always prepared and she is very dedicated to her students.

Miss Meaghan grew up in Aurora, Ohio where she studied under Sharron Burge Voelker while furthering her training and Cleveland City Dance Academy. Miss Meaghan has an accomplished background in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Modern, and Acrobatics. After many years of competition experience, Miss Meaghan continued her education at The Ohio State University, where she graduated with a BFA in dance performance. She is currently teaching at Ballet Academy East in NYC and dancing with a contemporary company called Eidolon Ballet. Miss Meaghan is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and love of dance with her students and helping each of them realize their potential.

Miss Katie is a native of New York where she has been singing and dancing since the age of three. At seven years old, she made her first professional theater debut in New York City Opera’s La Bohème at Lincoln Center and has been performing professionally ever since! She has recently come off the National Tour of Saturday Night Fever where she served as dance captain, swing, and cover for all female lead roles. Katie has been teaching for several years and has been recognized for her choreography in regional and national dance competitions across the country. She is passionate about sharing her experiences and love of dance with her students and is honored to be a part of the Front & Center family! We absolutely love Miss Katie's exuberant personality and are thrilled to have such a talented and vibrant teacher on board! You can find more information about Katie at www.KatieLaDuca.com.