Faculty
Experienced Masters
Doreen Padilla
Owner/ Director
A Letter from the Director
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In 1992 I opened "Fabulous Feet"
Prior to that I was a dance and acro teacher/ choreographer for 15+ years at the "Verne Fowler" School of Dance which was also my childhood dance studio. Under the direction of my mentor and lifelong friend, Verne Fowler.
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I began dance classes at the age of 2.5 in Elizabeth, NJ with Miss. Betty Lou Courtney. (Thanks Mom & Dad) Moving to Edison, NJ I then went to Tom Stevens in Iselin, NJ and then to Verne Fowler when she opened in Metuchen.
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During High School and after, I often traveled into NYC to take classes from master teachers. My favorites were Chuck Kelly, Frank Hatchett, Luigi and Germaine Salsburg. Each one had a unique style that I loved, and they were all great inspirations to me.
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Dance has been the ONE constant in my life. I love to perform and entertain an audience. Having a dance studio allows that to happen at our recitals, holiday show and community performances.
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Although I have turned my advanced students over to my younger faculty, I still enjoy and look forward to my classes with the little and younger dances. What a joy they are!
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I feel I have transitioned into a "guiding light" at Fabulous Feet. I love sharing my love of dance and my expertise with my faculty and students. I am proud of the professional reputation Fabulous Feet has earned. Including our annual Nutcracker Suite (30 years this season).
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We have classes for everyone, beginner through advanced, young to adult- in a safe, friendly environment.
"Quality Dance Education" since 1992
Lauren Belasco
Assistant Director
Competition Team Director
Tap Instructor/ Choreographer
Movement & Music Class Teacher
Lauren Belasco is an alumni of Fabulous Feet She is a graduate of Rowan University where she received a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Elementary Education, and a dance minor. While in college Lauren was the president and member of Dance Extensions, a modern dance company. Lauren received the Bryna G. Goldhaft Dance Award, which recognizes artistic excellence and contributions to the dance program. Lauren was an advanced company member of Uniting Colleges Through Tap for 4 years and a member of "Take It Away Dance '' a Philadelphia based tap company.
Morgan O'Shea
Competition Team Director
Lyrical, Jazz, Acro, Ballet Instructor/ Choreographer
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Morgan O’Shea was a student at Ms. Doreen’s Fabulous Feet starting at the age of 3. Throughout her time there, she performed in numerous Nutcracker Suites. She was on the competition team from age four on, where she won numerous competition titles. Morgan attended the Rockette Summer Intensive twiced and was a model for a dancewear costume catalog. Morgan attended Stockton University where she graduated with a degree in Health Sciences and a minor in dance. She was the captain of Stockton’s Dance Team where they competed at regional competitions and at the National UDA competition in Disney World, Florida. At Stockton, she had the chance to work with professional choreographers and companies allowing her to expand her knowledge and grow as a dancer. Morgan is also a Graduate of NYU with a degree in Occupational Therapy and currently works at Jersey City Medical Center.
Deanna Pandolfo
Contemporary Instructor/ Choreographer
With a passion for dance that started at the young age of 3, Deanna has built a diverse background in various styles. As a former member of Koin and Co, a pre-professional company in New York City, she advanced her skills in technique and performance, showcasing her love for dance. In her training, Deanna graduated from Montclair State University, where she was captain of the dance team, leading them to become Division III National Champions. In addition to her contemporary dance experience, Deanna has made an impact in the hip hop industry as a dancer with Kozmic Edge.
Deanna's journey also includes being a part of the convention circuit where she became an ADE Prodigy, an ASH Apprentice, and a TDX Protégé. She has also been an invited dancer for a variety of live performances, including Leg Up on Life, Sybarite, and Carnival.
Deanna has had the honor of being a featured dancer on ABC's Live with Kelly and Mark and served as a backup dancer for Milania Giudice in her music video "CWTGU." Additionally, she showcased her talent in a Selfie Stixx commercial and made an appearance as an extra in the series Gravesend.
As a new dance teacher at Ms. Doreen’s Fabulous Feet, Deanna is excited to share her love for dance with students, encouraging creativity and confidence in every class. She believes in the power of movement to inspire and uplift and looks forward to helping each student discover their unique voice through dance.
Alexandra Jans
Ballet & Pointe Instructor
Ali has been training in ballet and other dance forms for over twenty years. She grew up a military kid, stationed across the U.S. as well as abroad, which presented opportunities to work with many world-renowned instructors and choreographers. She trained under various
acclaimed instructors including Stefan Grebeldinger, Franca Desinia, Paula Weber, David Justin, Gary Abbott, DeeAnna Hiett, Ronald Tice, and Mishic and Valentin Liberatore. Ali trained for three years in Italy at a ballet school associated with Teatro alla Scala in Milan. While in Europe she performed The Nutcracker with the Croatian National Ballet and Don Quixote with the State Ballet of Georgia (Europe). She also attended an invitation-only summer intensive in Novi Sad,
Serbia. Ali spent two years pursuing a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where she worked with a variety of choreographers including Nilas Martins and Cleo Parker Robinson. She is currently finishing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management. Ali is a freelance professional ballerina and over the past several years has performed in various with Michael Crawford. For two seasons, she was the Assistant Artistic Director at Central New Jersey Ballet Theatre and the Junior Company Ballet Mistress for one year. She has been assisting in and teaching dance classes for nearly a decade at multiple dance studios. Last season she was a Wardrobe Assistant with Princeton’s American Repertory Ballet. Ali currently teaches ballet at Princeton Ballet School through their community outreach program. She is also a certified teacher of the Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) strengthening program for
dancers. Ali aims to create a supportive environment to foster students’ love for dance while providing them with the necessary skills to reach their goals.
Jacqueline Selesky
Jazz Instructor/ Choreographer
A proud native of Long Island, New York, Jacqueline was introduced to dance at the tender age of seven. She became well versed in all styles including but not limited to ballet, modern, jazz, latin, tap, and hip hop. She graduated from Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education. Jacqueline has performed elite choreographed pieces by Bill T. Jones, Martha Graham, Jose Limon, David Parsons, Larry Keigwin, and Frederick Earl Mosley. She was the lead soloist in Martha Graham's Daughters of the Night, performed at The Joyce Theatre, NYC and she performed in the musical Prime Time in Keywest, FL. Jacqueline spent three seasons with Asha Dance Company, is currently on her fourth season with Dance Key West, and was the lead actress in The Truth Urban Theatre Group’s production of Viva Africa in Long Island, NY. Jacqueline appeared on Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It Netflix series as well as a dancer on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, and Live with Kelly and Ryan. Some of her commercial credits include performing with Cardi B, Demi Lovato, Rita Ora, and G-Eazy. She walked in Brooklyn Fashion Week and performed in New York Fashion Week. Being represented by Bloc Agency, has afforded her the opportunity to be casted in commercials such as Ultimate Ears Headphones and a Nutrafol Hair commercial. Jacqueline is grateful to be able to travel the world and share her expertise at dance competitions as an adjudicator. She is currently a dance instructor in the Orange School District in New Jersey. Jacqueline’s experiences have allowed her to not only advance her skills as a dancer but also as a well-rounded performing artist and educator.