VP Dance Academy

Mr. Louie Perez

Mr. Louie is the owner of VP Dance Academy and he also runs our performance group. "I promised myself if one day I was successful at whatever path I chose in life, I would inspire and motivate children and adults to do the same. I believe that you can accomplish anything that you set your mind to. I am on a mission to motivate and inspire anyone and everyone that comes my way. Lets use our talents to the fullest and become the person we are born to be. When I look into the eyes of the children I come across day-in and day-out, I definitely see what dance does for them. D- Dedication. A- Action. N- Never Giving Up, C- Creativity. E- Excellence. We all have the potential to make a difference in someone else’s life. I believe that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things. Always follow your goals and always follow your dreams."

Ms. Francine Perez

Francine is co-owner of VP Dance Academy and has been dancing since she could walk. In addition to teaching, she continues to take classes in NYC and LA. "Dance is my soul, my purpose, my way of expression. Dance is what led me to the love of my life, Louie, and its brought me the desire to pass on the love of dance to my students. Dance is always evolving and its important to keep learning. I balance that along with the classics that should never be lost, to give my all to the next generation of dancers. There is always a place for dance, young, old, expert, and beginner. You have to keep taking class, keep working on your craft, and Never Give Up. I believe with a little bit of imagination, we can create a masterpiece."

Ms. Danielle Lee

Ms. Danielle is very happy to be a part of the VP Family. "I have loved dance since childhood. As a former student of Mr. Louie, Ms. Francine, and Ms. Dawn, I'm honored they chose me to follow in their footsteps and teach at VP Dance Academy. Their love for me as a student now carries over to how I feel about our dancers. Watching each and every one of them succeed brings a smile to my face. Knowing that I have been a part of their love for dance, makes each day that much better. Not only do I get the chance to be a role model for young dancers; this job has also given me the experience and drive to want to continue to work with children for the rest of my life. To my students; To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak. Dance is the expression of your emotions. Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. Dance is the rhythm of your life, one beat at a time."

Mr. Jimmy Lyles

Mr. Jimmy is our studio DJ and is in charge of all of the studio’s technical aspects (and he even DJ's most of our dancer's Sweet Sixteen's, too!) From editing music to creating videos, from coordinating “Coast 2 Coast: Dance Across America” to helping produce our annual recital, Jimmy is an asset to our team! “My dance studio family is my second family and I’m blessed to be able to watch children grow into young adults each and every day and really truly see what dance does for their lives. Always follow your heart and remember to love what you do, because if you love what you do, you will never feel like you’re working a day in your life.” Visit him online at www.JimmyLyles.com or you can listen to him on the radio on Westchester and the Hudson Valley's Music Station, 100.7 WHUD and Today's Hit Music, K104.7!

Ms. Jamie Lee

Ms. Jamie is our Combo Teacher and she is very excited to teach our youngest generation of VP Dancers! "Teaching our little ones is so great because of the excitement they bring to the studio. I love watching them grow from eager 3 year old's to beautiful young dancers and seeing how much they accomplish in one year. My favorite part of teaching is being there for them as not only their dance teacher (some even their very first dance teacher) but also as a role model and someone they can look up to. It's so special to see a young dancer come into the studio with the biggest smile on their face because they put their ballet shoes on all by themselves without help from Mommy and Daddy. It reminds me that what we do truly has such a positive impact on these children!"

Ms. Cynthia Alonzo

Ms. Cynthia is delighted to be back at VP Dance Academy. "I walked into my first dance class at the age of 3 and the rest is history. My very first teacher was Ms. Francine and I feel privileged to be able to teach along side of her now. After high school I went on to college, where I earned my degree in dance, as well as completed Broadway Dance Center's Professional Semester. I have been able to train with some of the best in the business and have performed at such venues as Madison Square Garden, New York City Center, Walt Disney World, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. My choreography has been featured during pre-game and half-time for the New York Knicks, New York Liberty and Brooklyn Nets. Dancing has always been my passion, but teaching and choreographing has stolen my heart. I'm so excited to come back and share what I've learned with the next generation of VP dancers!"

Ms. ToniAnn Ruffolo

Ms. ToniAnn is thrilled to be a part of the VP Dance Academy staff. She is currently teaching hip hop to students of all ages. ToniAnn began dancing at VP at the age of 8 and fell in love with the studio environment. Since then, she has been given many performance, teaching, and choreography opportunities and owes it all to both Mr. Louie and Ms. Francine. She has trained in a variety of styles including hip hop, jazz, tap, ballet, and lyrical. Along with her rigorous dance training, she has been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend the Broadway Dance Center’s Dance Teacher Workshop where she trained under industry professionals. Her goal as a teacher is to offer her students a safe learning environment where they are able to explore movement and use dance as an outlet to express themselves. Whether you are new to dance, an accomplished dancer, or anywhere in between, Ms. ToniAnn seeks to provide her knowledge and love for dance to help guide her students through their dance journey.

Ms. Aria Mandile

Check back soon for Ms. Aria's Super Star Bio!