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Robin Tabackman-Mendelson
Owner & Director

Miss Robin began dancing at the age of three, studying all forms of dance with later concentrations in jazz and tap. She was a member of the Commack Cougarette National Championship Dance team which was featured on ESPN and Fox Sports Net. She attended the University of Delaware where she performed with the dance team as well as the Delaware Repertory Dance Company. Robin later became a lead choreographer for the company and was named "Most Outstanding Member."   She finished her undergraduate education at Hofstra University where she received a Bachelor's of Business Administration.  While at Hofstra, Robin performed with DanceWorks, the University dance company. She has also studied at Alvin Ailey, Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway. Robin has performed at the Staller Center for the Performing Arts, the EAB Annual Christmas Tree Lighting, and the Newsday Marching Band/Kickline Festival. In addition to her 13+ years of competition experience, she has trained in all genres of dance and has studied under several talented teachers. Robin has been a judge for the Long Island Kickline Association as well as Scholastic Dance Championships. Robin ran the dance team program for East Islip Middle & High School for 5 years.  Most recently, Robin has become a certified Barre instructor. Robin's lifelong commitment to dance provides her with the proper tools to pass on an extensive, knowledgeable dance education to all of her students.


 

Miss Theresa, otherwise known as Miss Tee has been dancing her entire life and when she was asked to begin teaching at the early age of 16 it was not even a question! Miss Tee has trained and competed in all genres and loves sharing her passion for dance with all of her students.  In addition to all of her time spent training at the dance studio, Miss Tee was a part of her high school dance team and competed nationally with them.  Miss Tee has been with Island Dance since the very beginning and still continues to teach in addition to being a Registered Nurse and pursuing her degree for a Masters in Science Family Nurse Practitioner.    You can find Miss Tee at the studio on Tuesdays teaching acro, technique, strength & conditioning, jazz, lyrical, turns & jumps and more! 


 


 

Miss Caitlin is a graduate of Muhlenberg College with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Dance and Psychology. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Caitlin began her dance education when she was just three, but her passion for dance only blossomed as she grew up and continued training in many different styles including ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, contemporary, lyrical, musical theater, and tap.  Entering college, Caitlin was given the opportunity to continue this technical and choreographic training while also performing in both faculty and student choreographed works that led her to perform at the American College Dance Association twice. Before graduation, she performed in a restaging of Karole Armitage’s contemporary ballet “Ligeti Essays.” As a dance educator, Caitlin has taught a wide variety of ages, styles, and levels for many years. She has trained at the Dance Teacher Summit in New York City specifically for dance education and believes that students should be encouraged to express themselves creatively through their dance education while also understanding the technical components of each style. Caitlin also spent a semester abroad in Florence, Italy where she was able to train at Florence Dance Center with Italian students and teach ballet classes for American students at Florence University of the Arts. Caitlin is a dancer, educator, choreographer, and traveler who loves integrating her many different passions and is excited to share them with others!  Miss Caitlin teaches all of our competition team level ballet classes.  

Theresa Campbell
Instructor- Jazz, Acro, Lyrical, Strength & Conditioning, Contemporary & Technique

Caitlin Fell
Instructor- Ballet & Pointe

Shianne Kaiser
Instructor- Competition Team, Jazz, Musical Theater, Lyrical, Contemporary & Technique

Shianne started dancing at the young age of 3 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She has been trained in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Modern, Pointe and Lyrical. She spent summers traveling all over Canada and to the United States to compete and train, including spending 4 summers at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet summer training program. After graduating high school in 2013 Shianne moved to Franklin, MA to get her Bachelor's Degree in Dance. In college she performed in over 30 shows as well as musical productions. After graduating college Shianne moved to New York to be in the center of all things arts. Becoming a dance teacher has been Shianne's dream as long as she can remember and is so happy to be a part of the Island Dance Academy family.   Miss Shianne is a choreographer for our competition team and loves teaching contemporary, lyrical, musical theater, jazz & technique classes.  

Emily Monahan

Instructor- Jazz & Musical Theater

Emily has been dancing since she was 3 years old and is an Island Dance Alumni! She was a dancer both recreationally and on the competition team until she graduated high school and went off to study at the University Of Delaware.  Emily recently graduated with her BS in Elementary Education with a minor in Dance. During her time at Delaware, Emily was able to study different histories of dance and train in various styles. Emily also performed with the Harrington Theater Arts Company as she was seen in A Chorus Line, Mamma Mia!, Disney’s High School Musical and had the opportunity to choreograph The Wedding Singer her senior year. Emily has previously taught summer classes which home from college and now is officially with us since graduation.  Miss Emily loves sharing her musical theater expertise with her students and can't wait to have you in her class. 

Alexa Muccio
Instructor- Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, Hip Hop & Technique

Miss Lexi has been dancing for 19 years training in various styles including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and contemporary.  Miss Lexi was a lead dancer under the Elite Corps de Ballet participating in their production of The Nutcracker as the role of Clara, Dew Drop Fairy, and many others for over ten years.  Miss Lexi is a three year alumni member of St. Joseph’s University Dance team, and a Top 8 finalist from the UDA nationals this past January!  This past April, Miss Lexi performed with Where the Lines Overlap Dance Company in Westhampton in Jazz and contemporary performances.  Miss Lexi has been teaching various ages and styles for over 5 years, and looks forward to continuing with Island Dance!  You can catch Miss Lexi in the studio teaching contemporary, tap and jazz too!! 

Joanna Bryant
Front Desk & 
Instructor- Hip Hop, Jazz & Acro

Miss Joanna is an Island Dance Alumni and is so excited to be on staff!! Joanna not only runs the front desk but you can also catch her teaching classes!! Miss Joanna was on the competition team and is currently a middle & high school math teacher and is so excited she still gets to keep dance a part of her life!  She loves teaching all of our littles! 

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