MEET OUR STAFF

Alyssa has been dancing since the age of three. Her mother is a dance teacher and owns a dance studio, it’s been a big part of Alyssa’s life for as long as she can remember. She competitively danced as a kid and continued to perform and dance recreationally into adulthood. Alyssa plans to continue dancing for as long as she can. Dance has always been a form of therapy. It gives her a sense of freedom that can sometimes be hard to tap into during the day to day shuffle of life.

She has been trained in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, pointe, and hip-hop. Alyssa took her first heels class in 2019 at the Playground in LA and was on a search for something similar in the Boston area. Heels has become one of her favorite styles to take. It allows her to tap into a side of herself she’s always felt connected to but didn’t have an avenue to express it. Finding Seacoast in 2019 was everything she had been looking for. Since then, Alyssa has participated in several dance video programs and performed with Seacoast in March 2020 at the Raw Artist performance in Malden. Alyssa and Emily began collaborating in heels choreography before the Covid shutdown. During the shutdown, in May 2020, Alyssa taught her first class virtually for Seacoast and her first in person heels class the following September. From 2020-2022, she continued to teach heels and collaborations with other Seacoast Stilettos instructors.

Currently, she teaches Turn Up Dance fitness. A cardio dance class that is super fun and a great workout. Alyssa is constantly inspired by the humans of Seacoast community. She’s grateful for the growth love and support she has experienced. She hopes to have a positive impact on those she holds space for. Her goal is to help others find what it is that lights them up and makes people feel good in their body, both physically and mentally.

Follow Alyssa on Instagram @alyssa_moniz

Amanda started dancing at age 3, training in various styles of dance while competing until age 18. Amanda loves performing and has been in various shows including the 2013 Orange Bowl halftime performance, RAW Artists Boston showcase in 2020 with Seacoast Stilettos, Cult of Art, the Seacoast Stilettos Contemporary Showcase and currently performs as a gogo dancer in Boston. Outside of dancing, Amanda is a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant, certified FRC Mobility Specialist and Level 1 Kinstretch instructor. Amanda loves being able to apply her knowledge of anatomy and kinesiology into her dance training and teaching. Amanda teaches contemporary and heels with a goal to hold a safe space for students to express their creativity while developing strength and confidence through dancing.

Follow Amanda on Instagram @amanda_gunning

Growing up, Bella was technically trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, musical theatre, and tap. She attended intensives at the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC and Millenium in LA. Bella has worked with choreographers such as Kevin Maher and danced for artists such as New Kids on The Block. Bella found her way to Seacoast about a year ago and it was love at first sight. She finds the most fulfillment helping dancers feel confident and powerful in their bodies, and helping everyone recognize that they have a right to shine! Catch her teaching heels, contemporary and Heels & Heart Opening workshop with Emily.

Follow Bella on Instagram @bellaaa_rosaaa

Brynn started dancing at age 7. Starting as an Irish step dancer she continued to take and teach Irish step into her mid 20s. In middle school she was introduced to ballet, hip hop and contemporary and instantly fell in love. Continuing to grow into primarily a contemporary dancer and teacher she attended NECC as a dance major. Continuing on to choreograph musicals for theatres and high schools in MA and NH, she also teaches kids and teens in yearly and summer programs in MA. She came to seacoast in 2017 ) and after dancing with Seacoast as a student for a couple years Brynn began teaching in 2021. She feels so lucky to have found this community and a connection back to dance and her body and can’t wait to share her practice with you.

Follow Brynn on Instagram @brynnstory

Carolyn McCarthy is a dance educator and choreographer who has taught students of diverse ages, abilities, and experiences for 20 years. Her love for choreography blossomed during her time in the University of Vermont (UVM) Dance Department, which gave her the platform to present original work at the American College Dance Association (ACDA) New England Conference and Vermont College Dance Festival. She was a member and president of UVM’s Orchesis Dance Company and was recognized with the Senior Outstanding Performance and Choreography Award upon graduation in 2015. Carolyn earned a Master of System Dynamics at the University of Bergen, Norway in 2018, formalizing her intuition around the role of art education in systems change. She founded Emergence in 2022, dedicated to expanding access to high quality dance instruction and tools for building resonant community narratives. Carolyn is thrilled and grateful to be teaching contemporary and heels as a part of the Seacoast Stilettos community.

Boston-raised dancer with Jamaican ethnic background, Darnell “Snoopy” Brown has been dancing since the age of 14. What started out as a freestyle movement with Hip Hop, Dancehall, and Krump quickly turned into a Passion point and a Career. Dance has always been a way for “Snoopy” to express his feelings while at the same time, being an active channel for him to pass along positivity, knowledge, and experience to whoever crosses his path.

Snoopy” extended his training into more classical/ technical training by attending Dean College and studying Business & Performance Arts Management with Dance Minor.

As an artist, Darnell has taken the time to manifest his craft and style of dance to find his own Origin. Allowing himself to be open and honest. His energy reflects the type of character who is humble, determined, caring, and positive. Believing in himself and believing in others is a way to inspire and be inspired.

Follow Darnell on Instagram @society_jst_snoops

Emily Benson is a North Shore, MA native who has been dancing since the age of 3. She has trained in ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, and hip hop and danced competitively for many years. Emily attended UMass Amherst where she studied Psychology and was part of the UMass Dance Company. Later, Emily moved to Boston where she danced with and choreographed for DanceWorks Boston. She is also a certified yoga teacher and is currently in school to become a Physical Therapist Assistant.

Emily began teaching for Seacoast Stilettos in the spring of 2020. Since then, she has taught numerous contemporary, fusion, jazz, and heels classes, as well as a contemporary video program. Emily loves the energy of Seacoast classes and the supportive community. She strives to create a comfortable environment in her classes where students are free to express and dance for themselves!

Follow Emily on Instagram @emben_

Emily has a BA in dance from Dean College and studied under the Ailey School in New York City. She has danced & performed professionally in New York and Boston in modern, jazz, contemporary, heels dance and more. Emily is also a trauma informed, E-YRT and has led yoga retreats & movement workshops globally. Her work has been featured through Big Night Entertainment Group and on NBC Boston.

Emily is the founder of Seacoast Stilettos, her inclusive movement focused on helping people reclaim their power through dance. With her signature Seacoast Stilettos dance classes, Emily serves empowerment and community along with hype at her home studio in Peabody, Massachusetts, as well as studios, nightclubs, and other locales across the country.

Follow Emily on Instagram @emily__chandra

Kirstin has been training in several modalities of dance since an early age.

She has performed with many dance companies as an adult and has found her love for teaching through her dance career and journey.

Kirstin loves to connect movement and energy. Her passion lies in creating a space for the body and mind to move together and understand the muscle connections. This is what lead her to want to share knowledge and technique in a heels Fundamentals class.

You can find Kirstin teaching weekly Heels Fundamental classes. As well as, Heels Choreography, Contemporary and Sensual and Seen.

Follow Kirstin on Instagram @_sensually_sana_

Lea began training in dance in 2007, she has trained in various styles such as ballet, tap, contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop. She has danced competitively for over 7 years dancing at competitions like Daytonas National Competition, NDA, and competitions throughout New England. Lea has also studied dance at Dean College where she minored in Dance Education. In addition, Lea has over two years of teaching experience, her main styles are hip hop, jazz funk, and contemporary. She is also one of the videographers here at Seacoast!

Follow Lea on Instagram @_leatvs

MoMo Hobson is a professional dancer and heels instructor originally from Boston, MA. With classes fitting for all levels, body types and genders in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. MoMo Hobson has been in various commercials, music videos, concept videos and has choreographed for over ten local artists. Now being a member of LIV3LIHOOD SZN 6, who will be competing in World of Dance Finals in LA. MoMo proceeds to travel the nation, spreading her passion and knowledge for dance!

Follow Momo on Instagram at @momo_hobson

Richard started his dance journey 3 years ago on TikTok, where he fell in love with dance and continued to train and self study. Within these past 2 years he has taught HYPE & Heels classes which have not only grown his confidence but so many others! Richard has been featured on NBC10 News and has performed at Big Night Live, and headlined Pride in the Port. Catch him every Tuesday for HYPE, you don’t want to miss this energy!

Follow Richard XO on Instagram @richardxo_

Samantha Mendonca (they/she) is a Fat Queer Gender-Fluid Stoner Witch who’s mission as a sex educator, embodiment & empowerment coach, yoga teacher, sensual movement instructor, and tarot reader is to support you in coming home to your body, your pleasure, your joy, and your most authentic expression of who you really are- underneath it all. Samantha’s coaching asks you to always meet yourself where you’re at with compassion, while also pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone in the name of growth.

Follow Samantha on Instagram @samantha.not.sam

Sarah has been teaching movement to bodies of all ages, sizes and abilities for over 20 years. Her love affair with teaching began back in 2000, teaching young children's classes at A Dancer's Dream. From this space- the studio where SHE learned to love dance, Sarah created countless award winning competition pieces, choreography in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and acrobatics, and eventually took on the role of assistant studio director. In 2012, Sarah began her journey as the founding dance teacher of Brooke East Boston. In this role, she built a comprehensive K-8 curriculum from the ground up. One of her proudest accomplishments, this curriculum not only covered multiple genres and styles, but also educated her students in the history of these genres, gave her students tools that they could carry out of the studio to care for their bodies, and (most importantly) helped them develop their own unique "voice" in dance. Always looking for ways to grow and learn, Sarah embarked on her yoga teacher training journey in 2021, completing her 200 hour YTT with The Salty Buddha School of Yoga in December 2021. The joy she has found offering yoga classes has been unmatched.

Sarah believes that all movement is medicine and that movement is meant for every body. She strives to create inclusive and accessible spaces, whether in a dance or yoga setting, and to guide people to their own body autonomy through movement.

Follow Sarah on Instagram @_misscookie_

Vanessa began her dance journey in 2008 when she joined her first competitive hip hop dance team in her hometown of Fall River, MA. She is currently a member of Boston’s own Phunk Phenomenon Crew who has placed at both Prelude Dance Competitions they have traveled to this season. She has been featured in music videos, danced at a half time show for the Boston Celtics, danced in the ‘47 Brand Fashion Show, showcased at World of Dance, and much more.

She started her heels journey 3+ years ago and has loved the confidence it has given her and the support that comes from the community. Vanessa started teaching in early 2023 and hopes to help everyone in her classes also grow their confidence, uplift those around them and fall in love with their bad ass selves.

Follow Vanessa on Instagram @_vanessalynnn