My story...

I began dancing when I was five years old at the local dance studio in Caldwell, NJ called "Skip Randall Dance Center." My mom enrolled me in dance class because I was clumsy and she thought dance would make me graceful. Spoiler alert: still kinda clumsy even after all that training!

There was something about my very first class that sparked my passion for dance, and little did my mother know what she had started. On that very day, in my first dance class with Miss Martha, I knew I wanted to be a dance teacher when I grew up.

Being raised by a single mom taught me a lot about work ethic and family values. I learned early on that I was in charge of my destiny and had to work hard to achieve my goals. Mom always worked overtime to have a little extra spending money to do something nice for my brother and me. Most memorably, she was there for me every time I stepped onto a stage, never missing a single performance.

When I was younger, Mom could only afford one dance class a week. In high school, my amazing teacher/mentor/role model, Sandra Coyte, let me assist in exchange for dance classes. I'll never forget the gifts she gave me and still gives me today with her gentle reminders that I'm on the right path and making my mom proud as she watches over us.

After high school, I spent six years at Montclair State University, funded by grants, scholarships, and loans. I took nothing for granted—except maybe the cafeteria food. Two bachelor’s degrees and 190 credits later, I graduated with a BFA in Dance and a BS in Therapeutic Recreation.

As a dance teacher now, I strive every day to inspire my dancers, push them, and teach them values like perseverance, honesty, loyalty, humility, integrity, and faith. You don’t have to be the best dancer in the world; at the end of the day, the number of pirouettes you can do matters very little. That skill is only temporary. What inspires me is the dancer who steps on stage and gives it everything, with passion oozing from every cell. Passion is a lifelong gift.

I love all my dancers, from the little two-year-old it took me six weeks to win over to the hip-hopper who swore, "I will never take ballet" (you should see her now in her leotard and tights!). From the dancer who's stuck with me through thick and thin and makes me cry every time I watch her dance to the teenage boy with autism who works so hard in his tap classes to get those sounds clean and calls me Mom.

I strive every day to be a better teacher than I was the day before. I attend dance teacher and studio owner conferences to learn from the industry's greats. I’m a proud member of IDEA (International Dance Entrepreneurs Association), Maricopa Chamber of Commerce & Dance Masters of America (Chapter 36). I encourage all my teachers to be continual learners and evolve as educators because to teach is to learn twice.

I believe in allowing children to remain children, without revealing costumes or dancing to songs beyond their maturity level. I emphasize balanced dance training with equal performance opportunities, competitions, and conventions. Tricks don't make a dancer great; above all, I aspire to develop a relationship with my dancers built on respect, admiration, and loyalty. Oh, and hugs—lots and lots of big, squeezy hugs!

I am the dance teacher/mentor/role model you’ve been looking for. I invite you to get to know our dance family—you’ll be glad you did!

Sincerely,

Ceylan Gentilella

Founder/Artistic Director