Faculty

We strive to develop well-trained dancers through a happy, progressive atmosphere. All classes are taught by fully certified, professional instructors, with many years of experience teaching both children and adults. Our teachers take pride in sharing their love of dance by combining superior training with a positive attitude.

​All instructors have studied extensively with some of the finest teachers, both nationally and abroad.  We also attend special classes, conventions, and seminars throughout the year to keep ourselves current on what is new in the ever-evolving world of dance. 

We are members of Dance Masters of New England, Dance Teachers' Club of Boston, and more. 

Read about our team of fantastic teachers below!​

Miss Gina Ferrara, Owner

Dancing is all Miss Gina ever wanted to do.  She grew up dancing, starting in 1973 under the tutelage of Mr. Bill Fowler and others at the Fowler Dance Studio in Medford, and knew then that she wanted to be around dance forever.  She was a member of the Fowler Dance Studio competitive team, winning several solo, special, and team awards. 

This naturally led her to teaching, which she has been doing since 1989. When asked what she loves about teaching, the answer is everything: the kids, the choreography—everything! Miss Gina is a graduate of Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston’s teacher training course, and is a member of Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston and Dance Masters New England.  

As a teacher at The Dance Works, helped grow the studio's competitive program into what it has become today. She acquired The Dance Works studio in 2001 and since then her students have won hundreds of gold medals and other awards at numerous dance competitions both locally and abroad. 

Miss Paula Callahan

​Miss Paula has danced since she was three years old, but realized early on she would rather share that love of dance through teaching than anything else. After more than 50 years of teaching dance, she continues to get great enjoyment out of watching students develop through their love of dance.

She began her training as a child at Mary Jane's School of Dance in Methuen, MA, and has attended classes and workshops in many cities across the country including Boston, New York, Buffalo, and Chicago. She is a graduate of the Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston's teacher training school and a member of their organization. As a young dancer and baton twirler she received numerous awards in regional competitions. As a teacher, her students have received many awards as well as special judges’ awards.

One of the many important things she has done as a dance teacher is to start the Special Education program at The Dance Works. For more than 35 years she and her daughter, Julie, have taught special needs students how to express themselves through dance. 

Another of her most rewarding professional accomplishments is the building of the adult program at The Dance Works. Starting with a class of six adult Tap students, the program has grown to incorporate hundreds of adults studying not only Tap, but also Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyric, and Irish. To see the love of dance she has instilled through these mature ladies and gentlemen gives her great professional joy.
 
Miss Paula’s greatest personal joy is being a mom to Michael and Julie and a Nana to Zoey, Quinn, Noah, and Thea. 

Miss Julie Hamilton

​Miss Julie cites her mom as part of the reason she wanted to become a dance teacher. Growing up at The Dance Works, she began assisting classes at the young age of eight, and loved sharing her passion with other kids.  In 2003 she graduated Dance Educators Training Course and began teaching her own classes.  
 
She is an active member of the Dance Teachers' Club of Boston and continues to be a competitive dancer.  She and her students have both been honored with numerous gold medals and special awards.  
 
In addition to teaching at The Dance Works, Miss Julie was involved in the Timberlane Dance Team and Timberlane Players, choreographing routines for shows and competitions.  She also worked as a paraeducator in the Special Education department at a public high school.

Miss Nicole Stroumbos

Miss Nicole grew up dancing at The Carlene Nazarian Dance Center in Salem NH where she trained in various styles of dance. During her time there she attended and performed in numerous dance competitions throughout New England and through years of closely assisting her instructors found a new passion for teaching. After completing high school early Nicole started the UNH Summer Dance Intensive with her close friend and colleague, assembling a group of multitalented instructors to bring Dance and Aerial Arts to children of all ages.
 
Wanting to explore all avenues of the creative process, Nicole took a brief hiatus from the competitive dance world and went on to study Painting at Maine College of Art in Portland ME. During her time there she continued to dance and became an active member of Collective Motion Dance Company and worked as a choreographer for Portland Youth Dance Company. Her Art/Performance work was also on view at The Institute of Contemporary Art in Portland ME. She Earned her BFA in Painting in 2011.

After graduating she began her teaching career at Bedford Youth Performing Company in Bedford NH, The Dance Works in North Andover MA, The Studio of Dance Arts in Methuen MA and North Shore Dance Academy in Danvers MA. Miss Nicole has also been invited to teach Master classes at various studios throughout New England and has done outreach for organizations such as Girls INC. She is a certified Leap N’ Learn instructor which is a licensed program that concentrates on developmentally appropriate ballet and creative movement instruction with a strong emphasis on the naturally occurring cognitive and neural development of children. 
 
Miss Nicole continues to teach a wide variety of ages and genres at BYPC, The Dance Works, and NSDA. She has also been a Freelance Makeup Artist for MAC Cosmetics for 10 years and is pursuing her Master’s Degree in Expressive Arts Therapies at Lesley University in Cambridge MA.

Miss Erin Leahy

Miss Erin has had a lifelong passion for dance, beginning at the age of three years old.   She became a competitive dancer at the age of eight, competing in both regional and national level competitions, taking classes from world renowned choreographers at dance conventions, and dancing in benefits including Move for the Movement and Dancers at Heart.  She graduated from The Dance Works competitive program in 2016.

Miss Erin's passion for teaching dance began when she started volunteering as a class assistant at The Dance Works dance camps each summer. She began teaching at The Dance Works during college, first as a substitute teacher, later choreographing recreational and competitive level routines.  Miss Erin began teaching her own classes after graduating from college in 2020 and continues to teach both recreational and competitive students. 

She loves to share her passion for ballet and jazz with her students, while encouraging them to further their passion for dance, just as the faculty at The Dance Works encouraged her to do growing up, and as she continues to do by participating in the adult program at The Dance Works.