SHANNA MACKEY
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Shanna has been teaching at TDA for 8 years and Is very grateful for the opportunity to step into the role of director. She previously studied under Miss Lisamarie for 15 years. She has studied all types of dance, which include ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, modern, hip-hop, and pointe. She has been choreographing for the competition team for 7 years and has received numerous awards from local and national competitions. She has personally won top awards and scholarships along with dancing for world-renowned choreographers like Allison Holker, Robert Hoffman, Alex Wong & many more.
Shanna enjoys being at TDA and looks forward to bringing all she has learned and continues to learn to her students. She would like to inspire them as the teachers at TDA have done for her in the past.
LISAMARIE MARKS
OWNER/DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Miss Lisamarie Marks started dancing at the age of five at a small studio in New Jersey (Rifino School of Dance) under the direction of Felicia Rifino, where she stayed until it closed (1987). She also supplemented her studies by joining the New Jersey Dance Theatre Guild, a company of local girls studying from teachers who were brought in from New York two or three times a week. Dance exams were given at each level of dance, and there were also two performances a year ("The Nutcracker" and a spring production). Miss Lisamarie studied with the Guild for 10 years under Marina Stavitskaya and E. Laura Hausmann. She also studied at Dance Dimension (NJ) during her senior year of high school. The following year, Miss Lisamarie started her teaching career as well as her education at Rowan College of New Jersey, where she graduated with a Speech/Theatre/Dance degree. During her college years, she belonged to several companies, including Ballet South for six years, where her repertoire included:
"The King and I', "Cinderella", "Sleeping Beauty", "Snow White", "Peter and the Wolf", and "The Nutcracker”. She also performed with The Atlantic City Jazz Company under the direction of Patty Harris and The Sterling Dance Theatre, which became Allied Motion under the direction of K.T. Huckabee Milburn. Miss Lisamarie has also studied with several professional dance instructors, including Bella Lewitsky, Judith Jamison, David Parsons, Frank Hatchett, and Shelia Barker.
Miss Lisamarie was with The Hanover Academy of Dance for 13 years, most of which was under the direction of Barbara Hare, for whom The Dance Academy's Scholarship is named. She proudly served as artistic director of The Dance Academy for 16 years before retiring in 2023.
SILVIE DAMSKEY
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Miss Silvie began studying dance at the age of two and has continued to share her passion of the art these last eleven years through education. She prides herself on sharing her experience as well as providing a positive influence on her student's lives. Several of her students have won regional as well as national titles. Her choreography has received top and special awards within the competitive circuit. Silvie is also a vocal coach. Many of her students have received leads in musicals and won local events. Silvie splits her time being a mom of two amazing girls, teaching her wonderful students, and being the Maryland Operations Manager at Discovery Title Services. This is Miss Silvie’s 11th year at TDA!
JENNIFER REED
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Jennifer is a professional dancer, instructor, choreographer, and mother with over 19 years of teaching experience. Her passion for dance began at the age of 2, when she began her first ballet lessons in the basement of a church. Jennifer is trained in various genres, including (but not limited to) Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Lyrical, and Musical Theatre. Upon graduation, Jennifer went on to study at The University of the Arts as part of their Dance Certificate Program before beginning her professional career in the dance industry, and is currently studying at Maharishi International University in the Ayurveda Wellness and Integrated Health program. Jennifer's professional credits include Carnival Cruise Lines (M.S. Paradise, M.S. Pride, M.S. Miracle), The Fulton Theatre (A Chorus Line), Olney Theatre (On the Town, Candide, Elf, Singing in the Rain), Totem Pole Playhouse(Footloose, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Grease, Jesus Christ Superstar. A Christmas Carol) to name a few.
Jennifer has vast experience working with students ranging in ages from 2 through adult in various styles, specializing in Ballet, Pointe, Musical Theater, and Certified Level 1 Progressing Ballet Technique. Former students of Jennifer's have gone on to have successful performing careers of their own, including backup dancers for Taylor Swift; Poppy; Ailey II; Giordano Dance Company; IamForce Company member; Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Brooklynettes; Washington Commanders, Tennessee Titans, and Ravens Cheerleaders; Disney World Performers; featured dancers in Glee; Smash; as well as Regional Theater and Television Commercial work.
In addition to her passion for teaching, she is also an accomplished choreographer for professional theaters, colleges, talent shows, and dance competitions. Jennifer is an active member of Actors' Equity Association and continues to work in both stage and film. This marks Jennifer's 9th season teaching and choreographing for TDA!
ABIGAIL ELDER
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Miss Abby has been dancing since she was 3 years old, beginning at The Hanover Academy of Dance under the direction of Ms. Barbara Hare. She continued dancing with Miss Lisamarie and TDA until graduation. She was an award-winning competitive dancer for ten years with TDA. Under Miss Lisamaries’s tutelage and being a student assistant and a teacher assistant, Abby discovered her passion for teaching dance. She received her dance teaching certificate from Dance and Gymnastics in 2014 and continued with TDA for two more years after high school. Miss Abby then taught for another local dance studio for 4 years until deciding to return home to TDA in 2021. Abby has been awarded several choreography awards from local competitions and choreographed the highest-scoring routine at the Disney World Dance Championship.
​Miss Abby loves teaching Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Modern, and Contemporary. Miss Abby has two very energetic little boys that keep her busy, along with her full-time job as a billing administrator with a local business. Miss Abby looks forward to this coming season with TDA!
ELYNDA GARCIA
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Miss Elynda started dancing when she was three years old and became a student of Lisamarie’s when she was eight. Miss Elynda has studied all types of dance which include ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hula, contemporary, modern, hip hop, musical theater, and pointe. Shortly after taking many classes at the studio, Miss Elynda joined the studio's competition team at the age of ten. While competing with the studio, she had the opportunity to take classes from famed and reputable choreographers such as Alex Wong, Kent Boyd, Lauren Froderman, and many more. During her time with the TDA competition team, Elynda won numerous top and special awards with her team as well as participating in numerous local theater productions in the area.
​Miss Elynda loves spending time at The Dance Academy and is looking forward to sharing what she has learned with her students. Miss Elynda graduated in 2021 with her Associate's Degree in Early Care and Special Education and appreciates the opportunity she has being able to live out her two dreams of being a dance teacher and future educator without having to choose just one. Miss Elynda is looking forward to continuing her teaching career in dance at The Dance Academy for many years to come!
AMY BERNHARDT
ACRO INSTRUCTOR
Miss Amy is originally from Annapolis, Maryland, and began gymnastics at the young age of two. By age eight, she was a top ten finalist in the Maryland States ranking. When she was ten, she had grown a passion for dance and started competing with the acro team at C&C Dance Company in Bowie, MD, where she won many regional and national titles. She continued dancing through middle school, specializing in jazz, ballet, and acro, and as a freshman in high school, made the varsity dance company. As a senior, she tried her hand at cheerleading. She was asked to help out with a beginner tumbling class and fell in love with teaching others what she had learned over the years.
Amy began teaching when she was 17 years old at the Maryland Flyers gym. By the age of 20, she was the head tumbling coach, working with all ages and abilities, and had her own dance team that she started at the gym. The dance team won a state title in Maryland, and they traveled to Florida to compete at nationals. At age 23, Amy graduated from college with an associate degree in Nursing. She now lives in Hanover, PA, with her husband and two young children.
​Teaching has remained a passion of hers, and she takes great pride in watching the girls she works with grow and improve in their skills. For the past 17 years, she's continued to teach acro and tumbling to dancers, gymnasts, and cheerleaders and is currently working at the Hanover YMCA gymnastics as the tumbling manager, specializing in flexibility and strength training. She also works part-time at Carroll Hospital Center as an orthopedic nurse. Amy believes there is no limit to what you can do as long as you have the passion and drive, you can achieve anything.
BRIANNA DOSS
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Brianna was born and raised in Fayetteville, NC, for 22 years and moved to PA in 2016. She began dancing at the age of 5 and is trained in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, hip-hop, Lyrical, and Contemporary. Brianna’s training includes Studio Rejoice! Performing Arts Academy, Linda Kinlaw School of Dance in NC, as well as various classes and workshops with Ballet Magnificant in Jackson, MI, and Dance Revolution, to name a few. Brianna went on to pursue a career in Cosmetology at Paul Mitchell while she continued to teach dance. Ms. Bri is passionate about teaching Strength and Conditioning/ Fitness, Modern, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Jazz. In addition to teaching, Ms. Bri is still an active dancer/performer with Dance Revelation in Mechanicsburg, PA.
EMILY THOMAS
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Miss Emily began dancing at the age of nine at a small studio in Gettysburg and then later began dancing at The Dance Academy under the direction of Lisamarie Marks. Emily specializes in working with some of our youngest dancers in the Creative Movement and Novice Tap programs here at TDA. She enjoys creating an exciting and welcoming environment for our young dancers, which makes learning fun! We are excited to welcome Ms. Emily back for another season with TDA!
​TIFFANY HUFF
OFFICE MANAGER
Tiff started dancing when she was just 4 years old and made her debut as "Michael" in The Dance Academy's first annual ballet production,
Mary Poppins, at the age of 7.
Upon completing her dance training, Tiffany went on to graduate college with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and Special Education. In addition to managing the office, Tiff is a proud mother of two beautiful boys, James and Jensen, who occasionally drop by for visits.
This marks Tiffany's 4th year working in the office at TDA and her 2nd year as the office manager!
TOMMI FETT
OFFICE STAFF
Tommi joined the TDA family 11 years ago when her daughter began in creative movements. Her daughter, Abigail, is a proud member of the company and she is a proud comp mom. When people ask Tommi what her hobbies are, it is really quite simple. She is just a mom helping her children live their best lives. When not at the studio you will find her cheering on her son, Tyler, at a football game, basketball game, or track and field. She volunteers making team dinners, working in the concession stand, PTO, and any other parent or teacher organization that helps the CVSD. The Fett’s are Colonials and TDA through and through.
Following graduating from Southwestern High School Tommi went to Central Pennsylvania Business School where she graduated with an associate degree in child care management. She continued her education at Shippensburg University where she earned a bachelor degree. After accepting a teaching position in the Conewago Valley School District she earned a Master's degree from Penn State University.
Although she has been teaching for 24 years, she has had a plethora of business experience that makes her an asset to TDA. She put herself through college as a manager at BMOSS Clothing Company, was a file clerk for the Federal Aviation Administration, and worked in the office for NTE. On top of teaching 4th grade at CVIS, she has been the Mini-THON coordinator for the past 16 years. CVIS has proudly raised over $100,000 over the years, and many TDA dancers have contributed to making each year a success.
Tommi feels that the absolute best part of working in the office is being here for your dancers. She loves watching them join as tiny dancers and progress into our highest level classes. She loves when they share stories about their day, show new moves that they have learned, or even just smile when they stop by the office. She feels blessed to watch them grow from their tutus into pointe shoes. Working in the office has given her a chance to get to know all of the dancers at TDA, not just the ones that take classes with Abby. She loves hearing parents interacting with their dancers with excitement when they get their costumes, perform recital dances, and find out their child is ready to progress to the next level. TDA is more than just a dance studio to Tommi. It is a family that she feels blessed to call home