Our Instructors

Through the years, she has also had the opportunity to perform in Island Moving Co.'s Open for Dancing, set guest choreography for the URI Dance Company, and teach in school enrichment programs and dance schools throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Trish is an integral part of JPSD's competition teaching staff. She attends annual conventions, and always takes the opportunity to attend seminars and master classes led by industry professionals to continue to learn and bring back knowledge to share with her students. Her passion for her students can be seen through their dancing, and she is always proud to celebrate the successes of her former dancers who have gone on to perform at Disney World, college dance and theatre companies, and to pursue careers as both educators and performers through studying dance at a collegiate level.

When not at the studio, Trish can be found making memories with her husband, Adam, and their children, Ryan, Joshua and Lyla.

crew director and instructor

Jessica Gencarella Lowe

Jessica, a South County native, began her dance training at JPSD when she was just a young girl. She studied all genres of dance and began student teaching at a young age under the tutelage of Miss Jennifer. After several years, Jessica became one of the most integral parts of the teaching staff at JPSD.

Jessica is cross trained in all traditional genres of dance and has specialized her teaching in tap and hip hop. She attends several master classes and dance conventions every year to ensure she has nothing but the best dance technique to pass on to her students. Jessica is on the competition team teaching staff as our Crew Director, and is also a Registered Nurse. She resides in South County, Rhode Island with her husband and three young children.

Instructor

Meaghan Foy-Anderson

Originally from New York City, Meag’s dance journey began at the age of four when she stepped into her first jazz class and fell in love with the combination of movement and music. From that day forward, tap, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, and eventually pointe, would find their way into her life. Over time her journey evolved from recreational study into a more serious multi-level/multi-studio approach, and she began competing at a young age, continuing to do so throughout high school. Soon after, through natural progression and noted talent, she moved on to teaching and choreography, followed by studio administration as well.

Meag comes to JPSD with over ten years of teaching experience in New York City, Westchester, upstate New York, and Rhode Island. She loves sharing her passion for dance in both a recreational and competitive class setting, encouraging her students to always find the FUN in the beauty of dance, while helping them build self-confidence and positive body image.

Whether it is through professional workshops, master classes, or taking classes at Broadway Dance Center in New York, Meag believes that there is never an end to learning in the ever growing dance world. She strives to always expand her own knowledge so as to bring the best to her students when in the studio.

Meag holds a B.A. in Psychology and English Literature from Iona College in New Rochelle, New York and when not teaching, she can be found dancing around her kitchen with her own two children.

instructor

Ashley Andries

Ashley Andries began dancing at the age of 5 and received her early ballet training at the Eastern Connecticut Ballet. She attended several summer programs including Boston Ballet and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, as well as performing in the Youth America Grand Prix for 2 years.

Ashley completed her last three years of schooling with Festival Ballet in Providence, and soon after joined the company at age 17. She has performed in numerous productions, such as Balanchine's Rubies and Donazetti Variations, Antony Tudor's Leaving are Fading, danced the lead in Romeo and Juliet, and various soloist roles in the Nutcracker, including Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Other various works have included pieces by Viktor Plotnikov, Avichai Scher, and Mihailo Djuric. She also has danced as a guest artist for many schools and companies throughout New England.

Ashley's passion for the art of ballet has not only allowed her to perform, but has also led her to quite the career as an instructor. She shares her art at several schools in and around Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and she is always excited to train and influence her students in the wonderful world of ballet!

MUSICAL THEATRE DIRECTOR, INSTRUCTOR

Barbara-Jean Madeiros Mancini

Barbara-Jean has been dancing since she was five years old and started teaching dance as a teenager. She spent her early years training with Susan Moretti, Jean DeLuca and Elaine Colaneri (Modern Jazz Dance Company). She began her professional teaching career in Yuma, AZ where she taught English and Dance. She also taught for private studios, Arizona Western College and San Diego State University. She has choreographed numerous musical theater productions, and award winning performances. After living in other locations including: California, New York City and most notably working as an entertainer on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, she returned to Rhode Island in 1997 to teach English, Drama and Dance at South Kingstown High School. Since 2001, she has been teaching in the North Kingstown School Department, where she is currently a school counselor. She has spent the last 5 years singing in a band and is excited to return to teaching dance .She holds two BA’s from Rhode Island College: Secondary English and Theatre, a MFA in Musical Theatre from San Diego State University and a MA from Rhode Island College in School Counseling. She is a member of the Actor’s Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild/AFTRA.

INSTRUCTOR

Hadley St. Cyr

Welcome to our newest member of the JPSD teaching team! Miss Hadley St. Cyr! Hadley attends the University of Rhode Island, where she majors in Nutrition and Dietetics and minors in Kinesiology. Originally from Windham, NH, she studied dance and gymnastics for 7 years and cheered for 9 years. She now is a part of the national championship winning cheerleading team at URI. Hadley looks forward to bringing her earlier dance and gymnastics background as well as her cheerleading skill set to her classes! Hadley will be teaching all of our acro and cheer classes!

instructor

Grace Falvey

Grace started dancing at JPSD at age 10 and spent 8 amazing years studying ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary and pointe. Grace eventually joined our competitive dance competition team and became one of our leading assistant teachers. Grace was also our Team Captain in her senior year. She went on to study at Sacred Heart University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Health Services and a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy. Alongside her studies she was an active member of SHU’s Theatre Arts Program, performing in several plays and musicals as an actor and featured dancer while learning from some of Broadway and Hollywood’s finest. Grace also spent two summers as a Counselor and Director for the University of Southern Maine Theatre Academy for high school students. She now works as an Occupational Therapist at Kent Hospital in Warwick. She is thrilled to join the JPSD family once again, and is excited to bring her love for dance to the next generation of JPSD dancers.

INSTRUCTOR

Ellie Francoeur

Having studied dance at JPSD since a young girl, Ellie is now on the JPSD Teaching Staff! Ellie is a very well rounded dancer and assistant teacher as she has studied and excels all genres of dance. Ellie has assistant taught for our Director, Miss Jennifer, for many years and is well versed in the JPSD curriculum. From her super fast tapping feet to her incredible extensions and superb technical skills, she was destined to become a part of our teaching team. Ellie is on our Senior Dance Company and Crew Team. She has competed at the regional and national level and has won multiple high scoring awards in her solos, duos and trios. We can’t wait to have Ellie kick off our new season with us this fall! She will be teaching pre ballet and tap with our tiniest dancers.

Instructor

Samara Prairie

Samara came to JPSD as a student and a little child who immediately loved to dance. Her feet hit the dance floor and since then, never stopped dancing. She has been an amazing assistant to Miss Jennifer and other senior level instructors. Her excellent dance skill combined with her vivacious personality is the perfect recipe for teaching dance. Samara is now promoted to a full teacher, teaching some of our acro classes. Samara is on Senior Dance Company and Crew Team. She has won several high score awards in her solos and group dances. You will always find Samara assisting all of our dance students and greeting parents with her contagious smile and sunshine personality. We are very proud and excited to have Samara join our teaching staff and to call JPSD her second home.

instructor

Sandra Olson

Sandra’s passion for dance started at age 3, studying ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical at Jo-Ann’s Dance Studio in Riverside, RI. She graduated from the Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston training course in 1996. She continued her studies in dance at Roger Williams University, where she worked with many choreographers and artists from all over the world. While attending Roger Williams University, she was a member of their dance company that traveled throughout New England to perform in many productions and festivals. After college, Sandra went on to teach at her childhood dance studio teaching classes ranging from Creative Movement to the Senior Dance Company Competition Team. Sandra’s daughter, Lily has been dancing with us for several years and is on our Mini Dance Company following in her mother’s footsteps. Welcome to the team Miss Sandra!