Sally Heaney [Director]
Sally Heaney is a 1976 High Honors graduate of Auburn High School. She has owned and operated her own dance center since 1977 offering a complete program of dance education. She is a member of Dance Educators of America, a national organization of certified Performing Arts instructors. Sally continues to study dance professionally in Boston and New York. Some of the outstanding teachers she has studied with are Eleanor Thompson, Jeannette Neil, Sam Fiorello, and E. Virginia Williams, to name a few. Among her accomplishments are scholarships from Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and New England Dance Theater, Boston. Sally was one of 50 students selected nationally to study with the Pennsylvania Ballet Company's Summer Dance Program. She also performed in the Virgin Islands with a professional entertainment agency based out of Boston.
Bernie Courtney
Bernie Courtney hails from Springfield, MA originally, and began her dance training at the Ballet Theatre School of Springfield. Bernie continued her dance training at the Boston Conservatory for Music, Harvard Summer Intensives, the Martha Graham and Merce Cunnigham studios in New York City, Eugene Ballet of Eugene, Oregon, as well as academic studies at the University of Oregon and Smith College. [She received her M.F.A. in Dance and Choreography in 1986] She has performed professionally on both the east and west coasts, with the Boston Dance Theatre, Lane Dance Theatre, Eugene Ballet and New England Ballet Company. In 1985 she founded the only resident modern dance company in the city of Springfield, the City Dance Company, also known as City Dancers. Bernie began training dancers in 1985 and has been a sought after teacher/trainer/choreographer for over 20 years. She has received numerous grants and commissions and has been recognized by the Artist Foundation for her outstanding choreography in 1989 and 1998.
Michelle Duclos
Michelle received her dance training at Diane Kelley Dance Studio, where she studied jazz, tap, ballet, pointe and modern. In addition, Michelle also performed with the Mary McInerney School of Irish Step Dancing, the Burncoat High School Dance Department and the New England Surge professional dance team. She has competed both regionally and nationally as a solo and group performer. Michelle graduated from Burncoat High School and the College of the Holy Cross with a degree in English and Education. She is certified to teach dance in the Massachusetts public schools and is currently teaching middle school English in Worcester.
Cailtin Foley
Caitlin is a 1998 cum laude Wheaton College graduate. Caitlin was on the Dean's list for all 4 years, was an athletic scholar and was co-captain of the Wheaton Dance College Dance Company. Caitlin is certified to teach dance in the public schools and has her Master's degree in elementary education from Anna Maria College. Caitlin's choreography has won numerous national and regional recognition. She teaches all ages and levels at the Auburn Center. Caitlin is a fifth grade teacher in the Northboro public schools and resides in Auburn. Caitlin resides in Auburn with her husband Jay and her two daughters Nora 5 yrs and Clare 2 yrs.
Heather McDermott, daughter of director Sally Heaney, trained at the Sally McDermott Dance Centers for 15 years. She continued her professional dance studies at Dean College and Point Park University. Heather is a 2004 honors graduate of Dean College where she received her Associates Degree. A 2006 graduate of Point Park University, she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance concentrating in Jazz Dance. Her studies focused on Pedagogy, Dance Composition and Creative Movement. She has performed with Dean College Dance Company, Dance Team, Scholarship Showcase, Albany Berkshire Ballet, and Dance Prism.
Heather has been choreographing for the Sally McDermott Dance Company for the past 6 years. She recently joined as a fulltime teacher at both the Auburn and Charlton Dance Centers. She teaches all ages, specializing in Jazz and Contemporary styles.
Megan, daughter of Sally Heaney, trained at the Sally McDermott Dance centers for 16 years. She studied in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Tap, and Modern and won numberous gold and platinums as well as high score as a solo and group performer. She graduated in 2005 from Tantasqua Regional High School. She extended her professional dance training at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA where she studied Jazz, Contemporary, Ballet, Modern and Tap. In the spring of 2007 she transferred to Worcester State where she is currently majoring in elementary education with a second major in psychology. She teaches all levels of jazz, ballet and lyrical at the studio. She also choreographs group and specialty dances for the SMDC Company.
Sarah is a 2004 graduate of Doherty Memorial High School and the Sally McDermott Dance Centers, where she danced with the Company and competed regionally and nationally as a solo and group performer. She is now a student at Clark University, majoring in both psychology and biology. She has recently perfromed witht he Clark University Dance Society in local fundraising events as well as the Orange Bowl Half Tiem Show in 2008. Sarah teaches at both the Auburn and Charlton studios.