Paula Meola (Owner and Artistic Director) Paula is an honors graduate of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Dance. She was a member of the resident and touring companies of Butler Ballet, and performed throughout the country under the direction of the nationally recognized ballet master Mr. George Verdak. Paula’s earlier training was received locally, and at the Walnut Hill School and Boston Ballet Company, under the direction of the great E. Virginia Williams. She is a member of Dance Masters of New England Chapter #5, and completed her certification from the Dance Teacher’s Club of Boston. Once again, Paula directed and choreographed the annual production of the Nutcracker Ballet, with an all time cast of over 130 PMD dancers!
Ballet Faculty
David Drummond (Ballet) Mr. Drummond danced with the Boston Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens performing in the U.S., Canada and Europe working with such dance luminaries as Ana Sokolow, Agnes De Mille, Brian MacDonald, John Butler, Louis Falco, Fredbjorn Bjorenson. Critics said of his dancing that it was strong, lithe, and secure. Mr. Drummond danced in a wide range of roles from the classics to Balanchine and contemporary works. During the course of his professional career, he studied with Murial Stuart, Lilian Moore, E. Virginia Williams, Violet Verdy, and Ana Roje who was protégé for the famous Nicolai Legat. Mr. Drummond is a master teacher of Classical Ballet having taught at the Boston Conservatory of Music, Boston Ballet, Wisconsin Ballet, and Ballet New England. He has served as Artistic Director for the Ana Roje School of Ballet and the Copley Square Ballet and Ballet New England. He has taught internationally in Bermuda, the former Yugoslavia, and Greece and is a well-known choreographer locally and abroad.
Dede Recko (Ballet) Dede received a BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory and has been certified with the Royal Academy of Dancing. She owned and operated her own ballet school in Shirley for many years. Dede has choreographed and performed for the Sawtelle Singers at the Bull Run in Shirley, and many local community theatre groups. She recently choreographed “The Producers” (with husband, Tim, directing) at Theatre at the Mount in Gardner. Dede has conceived, written, narrated and choreographed many original youth ballets, including “The Rose in My Garden”, “Sugar and Spice” and “Fairy Isle”.
Anne Marie O’Brien (Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Children‘s Dance) With a passion for all types of dance, Anne Marie is an experienced and enthusiastic teacher at PMD, teaching tap, ballet, and jazz at the beginner and intermediate levels and also choreographing for Disney performances. Anne Marie is an active member of, and is certified to teach dance by the Dance Teachers Club of Boston. Trained at E. Virginia Williams School of Dance in Malden, MA, Anne Marie has taught there and at The Dance Centre of Malden before becoming a faculty member at PMD 6 years ago. Anne Marie enjoys passing on her love of dancing and the incredible value of the discipline of dance to all her students.
Contemporary, Jazz, Lyric, Hip Hop Faculty
Meeshi Edgar (Hip Hop, Jazz, Modern, Competition Choreographer) Meeshi comes to us from Fresno, CA where she trained under the direction of Sue Sampson-Dalena, Martha Kelly-Fierro, and Shirley Winters. She has also trained under choreographers, Mia Michaels, Brian Friedman, Kim Wolfe, and Rhino just to name a few. Her training also includes the Long Beach Ballet, The Boston Conservatory, The Edge, Broadway Dance Center, and The Millennium Dance Complex where she received a dance scholarship from Brian Friedman. Meeshi has been teaching and choreographing at PMD for six years and was instrumental in creating our vastly popular hip-hop program. She choreographs for PMD’s Competition Team where her numbers have received numerous high scores, special awards, and choreography awards. This year two of her soloists, Nicole Baker and Caitlin Dagle, Titled and her contemporary duo “9 Crimes” has been awarded overall high scores, cash awards and choreography awards. Meeshi also judges for Fire and Ice Talent and wants to wish her students the best.
Omar Merced (Lyric & Jazz, Competition Choreographer) Omar A. Merced has been a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher for the past 12 years. His training began at a very young age and he continues to master his craft as a dancer and choreographer. Originally from Springfield, MA he has allowed his talents to take him around the world. Omar travels as a master teacher/choreographer for many dance companies, competitions, and conventions throughout the USA and Canada. He is currently on faculty with American Artistic Awards. His constant training, meticulous and unique choreography keeps him in high demand. With a well rounded background in all styles of dance, his choreography has been recognized with outstanding choreography awards and his students have been recipients of regional and national dance titles and awards.
Jaclyn Thompson(Contemporary, Modern, Jazz) Jaclyn holds a MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Ohio State University and a BA in Mathematics and Movement Studies from Saint Mary's College. After graduate school, Jaclyn served as Assistant Professor and Acting Director of the Program in Dance at Saint Mary's College, where she also had the pleasure of working with the College's Fine Arts Summer Camp as Dance Instructor for girls ages 9-14. She recently lived in New York City, where she performed with several dance companies and continued her training professionally with master teachers from all over the world. She is excited to be joining the PMD Faculty.
Matt Kooyomjian (Modern, Hip Hop, Competition Team Coordinator) Matt began his early dance training at PAT/PMD and is now a junior at Dean College as a dance major. He is studying under greats such as Joan Palladino, Jill Silverman, Nailah Randall-Bellinger, Michelle DaSilva-Ball, and Bryan Steele. Matt is trained in Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, and various styles of modern including Horton, Límon, and Dunham. Matt was the assistant to Stacey McIntyre for her 2009 Competition Team choreography and her Team Disney ’07 choreography. He recently taught workshop classes and performed Buoyancy with Jennie & Company, a modern dance company under the direction of Jennie Membrino-Nano. Matt has also choreographed for Worcester County Light Opera’s summer camp finale and been a motivational dancer.
Children's and Teen Faculty
Elisabeth Anne Hughes (Tap, Theatre, Children’s Dance) Lisa graduated Summa Cum Laude in January from Fitchburg State College with a B.S.E. in Elementary Education and a B.S. in Theatre. She is a member of Dance Masters of America, Chapter #5 and has taught dance and theatre throughout Central MA for over 25 years. Lisa also enjoys performing, directing, and choreographing for local theatre groups, and has most recently been keeping busy with some film and commercial projects. Once again she will be directing PMD’s Summer Spotlight Theatre camps. She looks forward to performing in an international theatre festival in Edinburgh, Scotland this August, as well! “BREAK A LEG students! You have all worked extremely hard this year…now go onstage and have FUN!!! Enjoy your summer!”
Celeste Gordon (Children’s Dance) Celeste has been teaching children’s dance at PMD for the past three years and looks forward to many more years to come. She is a graduate of Skidmore College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in dance. She has over twenty years of teaching experience and operated her own studio for many years. She is wonderful with children, experienced, and a true professional.
Erin Conley (Voice & Children‘s Dance) Erin Conley is a graduate of New England Conservatory where she earned a bachelors degree in voice performance. She has also studied performance in Salzburg, Austria. Miss Conley performs classical operatic and sacred repertoire in the New England area. She is currently staring in Worcester Opera Works production of Charles Perrault’s “Diamonds and Toads”, touring children’s opera set to music of Mozart. Miss Conley has been an instructor at PMD since September of 2003. She began teaching music classes and private voice lessons and soon expanded her teaching to include children’s dance and theatre.
Alison Laverdiere (Jazz, Tap, Teen Dance, Children’s Dance) Alison is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts with a B.A. in Theatre and a minor in Communications. She has 21 years of dance training and a wealth of experience in all areas of dance education. She has choreographed for a variety of productions at Theatre at the Mount and has experience teaching toddlers thru adults. Alison brings endless energy and creativity to all her classes and PMD is very excited to have her part of our family.
Music Faculty
Christine Astley (Piano & Voice) Christine is a graduate of Wellesley College, and has studied at Conservatories in Pittsburgh, Boston, and Paris, where she was a student of Nadia Boulanger. She performed as both a singer and pianist in concert, opera, and churches. Christine has been a music director for numerous school and college productions of Gilbert and Sullivan and Broadway shows. She has been teaching for many years both privately and in community music schools in Worcester, Nashua, NH as well as the Longy School in Cambridge. She also teaches privately at her home in Worcester.
Carol Hartigan (Pianist for Ballet Classes) Carol is an accomplished pianist who accompanies our upper level ballet classes at PMD. She also plays for the Boston Ballet Company. Her music is an inspiration to our dancers!
Theatre Faculty
Joe Andrade (Theatre) Joe teaches Creative Drama at PMD to children in grades K-12. Joe is a local favorite who can be seen performing for many local theatre companies including Worcester County Light Opera Co., Theatre at the Mount in Gardner, and Sterling’s own community theatre group. He has acted, sang, and played guitar locally for over 30 years. Joe continues to entertain our audiences as emcee of our annual year-end performances.
Office Staff
Cathy Reynolds (Costume Manager/Office Staff) Cathy is PMD’s costume manager and she also works in the office several days a week. She is responsible for all the costumes in our studio including the Spring Recital, Nutcracker, Youth Ballets and the Competition Team. She really enjoys working with our great faculty and staff, not to mention all the dancers.
Conveniently located In Sterling, MA at the Dunkin’ Donuts Plaza
Exit 6 off I-190, 1/2 mile south on Rt.12.
Only Minutes From Clinton, Fitchburg, Lancaster, Leominster, Lunenburg, Princeton, Westminster and Worcester
Paula is an honors graduate of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Dance. She was a member of the resident and touring companies of Butler Ballet, and performed throughout the country under the direction of the nationally recognized ballet master Mr. George Verdak. Paula’s earlier training was received locally, and at the Walnut Hill School and Boston Ballet Company, under the direction of the great E. Virginia Williams. She is a member of Dance Masters of New England Chapter #5, and completed her certification from the Dance Teacher’s Club of Boston. Once again, Paula directed and choreographed the annual production of the Nutcracker Ballet, with an all time cast of over 130 PMD dancers!
Mr. Drummond danced with the Boston Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens performing in the U.S., Canada and Europe working with such dance luminaries as Ana Sokolow, Agnes De Mille, Brian MacDonald, John Butler, Louis Falco, Fredbjorn Bjorenson. Critics said of his dancing that it was strong, lithe, and secure. Mr. Drummond danced in a wide range of roles from the classics to Balanchine and contemporary works. During the course of his professional career, he studied with Murial Stuart, Lilian Moore, E. Virginia Williams, Violet Verdy, and Ana Roje who was protégé for the famous Nicolai Legat. Mr. Drummond is a master teacher of Classical Ballet having taught at the Boston Conservatory of Music, Boston Ballet, Wisconsin Ballet, and Ballet New England. He has served as Artistic Director for the Ana Roje School of Ballet and the Copley Square Ballet and Ballet New England. He has taught internationally in Bermuda, the former Yugoslavia, and Greece and is a well-known choreographer locally and abroad. 
Dede received a BFA in Dance from the Boston Conservatory and has been certified with the Royal Academy of Dancing. She owned and operated her own ballet school in Shirley for many years. Dede has choreographed and performed for the Sawtelle Singers at the Bull Run in Shirley, and many local community theatre groups. She recently choreographed “The Producers” (with husband, Tim, directing) at Theatre at the Mount in Gardner. Dede has conceived, written, narrated and choreographed many original youth ballets, including “The Rose in My Garden”, “Sugar and Spice” and “Fairy Isle”.
With a passion for all types of dance, Anne Marie is an experienced and enthusiastic teacher at PMD, teaching tap, ballet, and jazz at the beginner and intermediate levels and also choreographing for Disney performances. Anne Marie is an active member of, and is certified to teach dance by the Dance Teachers Club of Boston. Trained at E. Virginia Williams School of Dance in Malden, MA, Anne Marie has taught there and at The Dance Centre of Malden before becoming a faculty member at PMD 6 years ago. Anne Marie enjoys passing on her love of dancing and the incredible value of the discipline of dance to all her students. 
Meeshi comes to us from Fresno, CA where she trained under the direction of Sue Sampson-Dalena, Martha Kelly-Fierro, and Shirley Winters. She has also trained under choreographers, Mia Michaels, Brian Friedman, Kim Wolfe, and Rhino just to name a few. Her training also includes the Long Beach Ballet, The Boston Conservatory, The Edge, Broadway Dance Center, and The Millennium Dance Complex where she received a dance scholarship from Brian Friedman. Meeshi has been teaching and choreographing at PMD for six years and was instrumental in creating our vastly popular hip-hop program. She choreographs for PMD’s Competition Team where her numbers have received numerous high scores, special awards, and choreography awards. This year two of her soloists, Nicole Baker and Caitlin Dagle, Titled and her contemporary duo “9 Crimes” has been awarded overall high scores, cash awards and choreography awards. Meeshi also judges for Fire and Ice Talent and wants to wish her students the best. 
Omar A. Merced has been a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher for the past 12 years. His training began at a very young age and he continues to master his craft as a dancer and choreographer. Originally from Springfield, MA he has allowed his talents to take him around the world. Omar travels as a master teacher/choreographer for many dance companies, competitions, and conventions throughout the USA and Canada. He is currently on faculty with American Artistic Awards. His constant training, meticulous and unique choreography keeps him in high demand. With a well rounded background in all styles of dance, his choreography has been recognized with outstanding choreography awards and his students have been recipients of regional and national dance titles and awards. 
Jaclyn holds a MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Ohio State University and a BA in Mathematics and Movement Studies from Saint Mary's College. After graduate school, Jaclyn served as Assistant Professor and Acting Director of the Program in Dance at Saint Mary's College, where she also had the pleasure of working with the College's Fine Arts Summer Camp as Dance Instructor for girls ages 9-14. She recently lived in New York City, where she performed with several dance companies and continued her training professionally with master teachers from all over the world. She is excited to be joining the PMD Faculty. 
Matt began his early dance training at PAT/PMD and is now a junior at Dean College as a dance major. He is studying under greats such as Joan Palladino, Jill Silverman, Nailah Randall-Bellinger, Michelle DaSilva-Ball, and Bryan Steele. Matt is trained in Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, and various styles of modern including Horton, Límon, and Dunham. Matt was the assistant to Stacey McIntyre for her 2009 Competition Team choreography and her Team Disney ’07 choreography. He recently taught workshop classes and performed Buoyancy with Jennie & Company, a modern dance company under the direction of Jennie Membrino-Nano. Matt has also choreographed for Worcester County Light Opera’s summer camp finale and been a motivational dancer. 
Lisa graduated Summa Cum Laude in January from Fitchburg State College with a B.S.E. in Elementary Education and a B.S. in Theatre. She is a member of Dance Masters of America, Chapter #5 and has taught dance and theatre throughout Central MA for over 25 years. Lisa also enjoys performing, directing, and choreographing for local theatre groups, and has most recently been keeping busy with some film and commercial projects. Once again she will be directing PMD’s Summer Spotlight Theatre camps. She looks forward to performing in an international theatre festival in Edinburgh, Scotland this August, as well! “BREAK A LEG students! You have all worked extremely hard this year…now go onstage and have FUN!!! Enjoy your summer!”
Celeste has been teaching children’s dance at PMD for the past three years and looks forward to many more years to come. She is a graduate of Skidmore College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in dance. She has over twenty years of teaching experience and operated her own studio for many years. She is wonderful with children, experienced, and a true professional. 
Erin Conley is a graduate of New England Conservatory where she earned a bachelors degree in voice performance. She has also studied performance in Salzburg, Austria. Miss Conley performs classical operatic and sacred repertoire in the New England area. She is currently staring in Worcester Opera Works production of Charles Perrault’s “Diamonds and Toads”, touring children’s opera set to music of Mozart. Miss Conley has been an instructor at PMD since September of 2003. She began teaching music classes and private voice lessons and soon expanded her teaching to include children’s dance and theatre. 
Alison is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts with a B.A. in Theatre and a minor in Communications. She has 21 years of dance training and a wealth of experience in all areas of dance education. She has choreographed for a variety of productions at Theatre at the Mount and has experience teaching toddlers thru adults. Alison brings endless energy and creativity to all her classes and PMD is very excited to have her part of our family.
Christine is a graduate of Wellesley College, and has studied at Conservatories in Pittsburgh, Boston, and Paris, where she was a student of Nadia Boulanger. She performed as both a singer and pianist in concert, opera, and churches. Christine has been a music director for numerous school and college productions of Gilbert and Sullivan and Broadway shows. She has been teaching for many years both privately and in community music schools in Worcester, Nashua, NH as well as the Longy School in Cambridge. She also teaches privately at her home in Worcester.
Carol is an accomplished pianist who accompanies our upper level ballet classes at PMD. She also plays for the Boston Ballet Company. Her music is an inspiration to our dancers!
Joe teaches Creative Drama at PMD to children in grades K-12. Joe is a local favorite who can be seen performing for many local theatre companies including Worcester County Light Opera Co., Theatre at the Mount in Gardner, and Sterling’s own community theatre group. He has acted, sang, and played guitar locally for over 30 years. Joe continues to entertain our audiences as emcee of our annual year-end performances.
Cathy is PMD’s costume manager and she also works in the office several days a week. She is responsible for all the costumes in our studio including the Spring Recital, Nutcracker, Youth Ballets and the Competition Team. She really enjoys working with our great faculty and staff, not to mention all the dancers.
