Our Staff
Carol Still has been the owner and artistic director of Carol's Academy of Dance for the past 30 years. She is a graduate of William Penn High School (Harrisburg, PA) and Central Pennsylvania Business College (Harrisburg, PA). Carol studied at Jane's School of Dance in Harrisburg during her childhood with such great dance professionals as Jane Miller Smith, Jack Stanley, Joseph Levinoff, Jack Potteiger and Marcia Dale Weary. After college, Carol studied with many dance professionals from New York and L.A. such as Joe Tremaine, Doug Caldwell, Frank Hatchett, Desiree Robbins and Joelle Martinec. Her students have performed nationally and internationally through the years. Many of her students have gone on to be great dance educators and performers across the country. She also choreographs for local theatres, high school musicals and show choirs. The competitive teams have won national and regional competitions through the years, and we have been voted one of the best studios in Lancaster County.
Melissa Verano Graybill, a native of Lancaster, has studied in Los Angeles, CA, New York City, and at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia with numerous teachers over her dance career. She grew up training and competing with Carol's Academy and was an award-winning competitor and scholarship winner. She has performed with the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, The Actor's Company of Lancaster, Kings Productions, as well as with Louise and Irlene Mandrell. She continues to educate as well as choreograph regional and national award-winning routines for our Competition Teams. Many of her students have gone on professionally and can be seen with the Rockettes, on Cruise Lines, at Walt Disney World and much more. "I am proud to be a role model for children and enjoy sharing my talent and passion for dance with all ages."
Terry Finch danced for 14 years with Stewart-Johnson Dance Academy in Hamilton Square, NJ, where she was a member of the Junior and Senior Jazz Companies and Senior Ballet Company, and was an assistant teacher for 5 years. With SJDA, Terry competed in solos and group performances at DMA, DEA, Showstoppers, Starbound, Starpower and West Coast Dance Explosion, and won the title of "Miss Premier" at Premier 2000. She also took classes at Steps and Broadway Dance Center in NYC and conventions throughout the Mid-Atlantic area. Terry served as choreographer and instructor for the summer performing arts camp at Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, NJ, and for the E-Motion dance club at Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, PA. Terry has been teaching at CAD since 2007. She is certified in CPR/AED and First Aid through the American Red Cross, and is a licensed Zumba instructor.
Lauren Sobon is proud to be a part of the Carol's Academy of Dance staff. She teaches Musical Theater, ballet, tap and jazz. Previously, Lauren has toured nationally as well as internationally with various musical theatre touring companies. She is blessed with a baby girl, Piper, and husband, Dean.
Dean Sobon, Musical Theater
Kaci Buckett, a former student of Carol's, studied dance in college as well as studying at a prestigious studio in Los Angeles, CA. She has had the honor to perform numerous award-winning pieces of choreography as well as receive several scholarships from dance competitions around the country. Since she has been dancing she has met and taken class from well-known choreographers across the US. Kaci has performed at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre. One of her most accomplished and exciting dance moments was when she became a dancer/promotional model for Moxie Entertainment in Atlantic City, NJ. Kaci is delighted to be teaching at Carol's Academy of Dance and feels honored to be part of such an accomplished and talented staff.
April Breeden is a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia with a BFA in dance. She has received training with Finis Jhung in New York and Koresh in Philadelphia. Her choreography was recently featured in a performance by the Governor's School in Philadelphia, and she was an assistant choreographer in the Mount Gretna Theatre's production of "Cabaret". A dancer since the age of seven, April has had the privilege of performing both in the states and in Europe. She has enjoyed sharing her love of dance with her students for the past eight years and looks forward to doing so for a lifetime.
Wendy Schroeder graduated from Conestoga Valley High School and attended Millersville University. She danced with Carol from 1974 to 1987. She has been assisting and teaching at Carol's since 1999. She is married to Steve, and they live in East Petersburg with their 5 children. During the summer, she spends her time volunteering at a camp for teens and adults that are mentally challenged.
Samantha Wagaman has taken 15 years of classes at Carol's Academy of Dance. She started when she was three years old and attended until she graduated. She loves all types of dance but her favorite is tap. She teaches Preschool and Level 1 and 2 classes at Carol's and loves every minute of it. Her favorite thing about teaching is watching her students mature throughout the year and become better dancers and become more self-confident. Other than dancing, Sami enjoys taking photos. She is currently attending college with a dual major in Photography and Business Management. Sami is very excited to be working with the staff at Carol's Academy and is looking forward to a great year!
Michelina Piazza graduated from The Boston Conservatory with a BFA in Dance as a Modern Dance and Choreography Emphasis. She is the Artistic Director of Dance Envoy with which she has performed her original works throughout Italy, in NY and PA. She has performed with Neville Dance Theatre, The Roxanne-Lola Movement Machine, Truth Dance, and Ecclectix Dance Company in NY, as well as Windhover Dance Company in MA. Michelina started dancing at the age of 3 and studied RAD in NJ before moving to Lancaster when she was 9. Since then she has studied under the mentoring of Judy Williams Henry of Movement Laboratory, joining the Youth Ensemble and performing Good Will Thru Dance in NY, PA, and throughout Europe. Michelina is currently teaching, choreographing and performing in and around Lancaster, PA.
Meghan Young is proud to be part of the Carol's Academy of Dance staff. The studio is truly her second home. Meghan started dancing at Carol's at the age of 2 and continued through graduation. She was part of Company for 7 years. While dancing and competing around the nation, Meghan had the opportunity to meet and take class from several well-known choreographers, whose work is now frequently seen on shows like "So You Think You Can Dance." Even though Meghan has studied all styles of dance since she was small, her true passions are Tap and Hip Hop. She absolutely loves the challenge of finding new rhythms and beats in music, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to share that passion with young dancers. Meghan hopes to instill the values and passion for dance in her young dancers, as her teachers at Carol's did when she was growing up.
Ashley Rabatin began her training at the age of three with the School of Music & Dance in Hanover, PA, where she was quickly accepted into the Nebula Performing Company. She has performed in the Nutcracker and Snow White at the Eichelberger Performing Arts Center and in shows at the Music Box Theater, Hershey Park. Ashley furthered her training by taking classes at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Pennsylvania Regional Ballet, Broadway Dance Center, and Steps on Broadway. She has attended NYCDA, LA Dance Force, and Tremaine conventions. She has gone on to dance in the Boscov's Thanksgiving Parade with American Idol contestant, Ace Young. She currently dances on the Millersville Dance Team and recently attended NDA in Daytona, Florida. Additionally, she has coached competitive cheerleading and modeled for Curtain Call, Alpha Factor, and Spirit. She enjoys sharing her love of dance with the students of CAD!
Kristin Barnett began dancing at the tender age of 4 with tap at Carol's Academy of Dance in Lancaster. She soon added ballet, jazz, lyrical and tumbling to her resume and continued to study at Carol's until 1994. An original member of Dance Inc., Kristin competed for many years earning numerous regional and national awards for groups and solos alike. She continued her training at a Performing Arts studio in Berwyn, PA, where she competed and performed. In 1995, Kristin started teaching all techniques. Shortly after that, she formed a dance company of 60 amazingly talented dancers. Her choreography and technique classes have taken her competition students to win national titles, and many awards including the Tap Excellence Award and top group awards at both the regional and national levels. Kristin has furthered her education with classes at Broadway Dance Center, and numerous conventions including Manhattan Dance Project, Wild, Tremaine Dance Conventions, NYC Dance Alliance, West Coast Dance Explosion, Dance Olympus, and Dance Power Express. She has had the pleasure of training with tap masters Jason Janus, Danny Wallace, and Gregory Hines. Kristin is a graduate of Conestoga Valley High School and Millersville University with a BS in Speech Communication and International Studies. Her career ventures have landed her at Willow Valley Resort as the Marketing Manager.
Bobbie Layton has been at Carol's Academy for the past 18 years, where she takes great pleasure in assisting Carol, our teachers, students and parents in her capacity as Office Manager. Keeping everyone up to date on need-to-know information at the studio is a challenge she enjoys.
Jodi Charles came to Carol's 8 years ago and has been a great asset to our studio. Her smile greets everyone as they come through our door. Besides her unbelievable memory, her competency and attention to detail make her a great source of information for our students and parents.
