Liv2Dance Studio

Liv2DanceStudio

Instructor Biographies

Kari Williams
(Owner/Artistic Director/Instructor)

Ms. Williams was trained extensively in ballet, jazz, hip hop and contemporary dance at the world-renowned Broadway Dance Center in New York City and SUNY @ Brockport. She was a working assistant to the "jazz master of the world," Mr. Frank Hatchett, at Broadway Dance Center and at various national dance conventions all over the country. She has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Dance. She received her dance teaching certifications in Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Tap, and Acrobatics through Dance Educators of America. She is also a certified Pilates instructor through the National Endurance Sports Training Association. She has taught and assisted workshops for such national conventions as; National Association of Dance and Affiliated Artists, Dance Educators of America, Dance Makers of America, and New Jersey Associated Dance Teachers. Her professional credits as a dancer and choreographer include; audition and competition judge, MTV, Dance Teams, Sporting Events, Halftime Shows, background dancer for recording artist, hip hop dance team coach, professional wrestling event pre-show, as well as various other venues throughout the north and southeast. Ms. Williams has served as the director of the dance department at Moore Catholic High School Performing Arts Institute since 2005. She has been the owner and artistic director of Liv2Dance Studio since 2007.

Matthew Westerby (Contemporary Dance and Company Choreographer) is originally from the UK and trained at Laban, London, graduating in 2000 with a BA (Hons) in Dance Theatre, spending a further year with the Laban graduate performance company, Transitions. Since moving to New York in 2005, Matthew has worked with Nai-Ni Chen, Risa Jaroslow, Dusan Tynek, Bronwen Macarthur, Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn, Peter Kyle, Kenny Larson, and performed with Roland Gebhardt’s The Only Tribe at the 3LD Arts Center. Westerby works as a freelance choreographer, and has previously shown work in venues in the UK, in Poland, in Connecticut, and in New York at Dance New Amsterdam, Movement Research (at Dance Theater Workshop), Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn and at the Gene Frankel Theater. Most recently, his duet Slow Fall was presented by BAX (the Upstart Festival, co-curated by Shannon Hummel and Monica Bill Barnes) The Evolve Festival (Tarrytown, NY) and at DNA’s 25th birthday celebration. Teaching credits include Laban, the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance, and Silesian Dance Theatre (Poland), as well as working throughout the New York City metro area with all ages in public schools, studio, community and professional settings.

Ann Mackey
(Ballet and Pointe) Ann began her dance training on Staten Island with Wendy Barker. After training with Ms. Barker for several years she knew that she wanted to pursue a career as a professional ballet dancer. She went on to study privately with Lisa Lockwood, formerly of American Ballet Theatre to refine her technique and artistry. Ann was soon hired by several professional ballet companies, including the Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Montgomery Ballet, and the Nevada Ballet Theatre. She has always had a desire to share her passion for dance with others and began teaching ballet, in addition to Pilates and Gyrotonic.

Tamara M. Saari
(Ballet, Modern, Childrens Classes) Tamara began dancing almost twenty years ago in the Detroit Metropolitan Area, and since then she has studied and performed in Ohio, Arizona, Nevada, California, New York, and Mexico. Her love began with jazz and ballet, and later she discovered the life of modern and contemporary dance. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in dance at San Diego State University where she was awarded Outstanding Graduate of the Year in 2003. She has worked with various artists on both east and west coasts including Allyson Green Dance, Inclusion, Patricia Sandback and Dancers, San Diego Alumni Dance Group, and Beth Soll and Dancers. She has successfully produced evening-length works in Southern California and New York City. Currently she is choreographing and teaching in New York and Connecticut.

Erica Mattera (Tap) Erica's passion for teaching and love of music have guided her career as a public school teacher, administrator, and professional teaching artist. She has been a dance educator for 17 years, specializing in tap, hip hop, and musical theater. Her many accomplishments include; award winning choreography at national talent competitions, special judges awards, artistic directorship, and community involvement. She has coordinated events for Breast Cancer Awareness, the Alzheimer Foundation, nursing homes, and Community Team Works (sponsored by Goldman Sachs). As Principal of Public School 11, Ms. Mattera has advocated for the arts. She has initiated a dance program, drama club, and school wide enrichment. Her students, as a classroom teacher, were involved in the creation of an original opera, in partnership with the Metropolitan Opera Guild.

Kristin Holzhauer
(Tap, and Childrens Classes) Kristin has been training extensively in all styles of dance for 17 years. She has attended and won awards at various national dance competitions over the past ten years. She is a graduate of Moore Catholic High School's Performing Arts Institute as a dance major. She has served as a student choreographer in the dance production titled "LOVE STORIES" at Moore Catholic. As a dancer, she has performed as a soloist and ensemble member in musicals, dance concerts, jazz concerts, Christmas shows, dinner theaters, parades, a commercial, and many charity events such as Breast Cancer Awareness walks and at various nursing homes on Staten Island. Kristin is currently attending college full time and continuing her dance education and teacher training.

Valerie Lodescar
(Hip Hop) Valerie began her dance training at the age of five in Brooklyn, NY. This was the beginning of a passion that would then evolve into something great. At the age of twelve she moved on to dance in Manhattan at Broadway Dance Center where she studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern and hip-hop. Throughout the course of the years she continued to carry over her love of dance to participate in the dance club at the College Of Staten Island and was nominated vice president. She has choreographed and danced in numerous pieces that were oriented from the style of hip-hop with some modern and African adjuncts. Valerie was also a repertoire student for Mixed Bag and Company in Brooklyn where different styles of dance were portrayed. In the summer of 2005 she appeared in an off-Broadway play called Miyorka as an exuberant dancer entertaining the kingdom.

Shyrelle Kalilikane (Hip Hop)
Shyrelle was born and raised on the beautiful island of Mililani, Hawaii. There she trained extensively in ballet, jazz, theater, and hula, and later branched out into Hip-Hop, latin, and modern. At age 17 she moved to NYC to pursue her passion for the arts. Shyrelle has studied dance at Manhattanville College and was also an Intern at Broadway Dance Center. Now, at the young and vibrant age of 23, she has had the opportunity to choreograph for Janet Jackson’s “Discipline” Album Release at the Virgin Megastore, as well as numerous live performances for Givenchy and Guerlain Paris. She has been seen on The View, Trading Lives, The Electric Company, WB11 Morning News, and the NY1, along with numerous print ads for KD Dance, Dance Spirit, Cellfish Media, DEX NY, and The Pulse. She has also been recently nominated for the Capezio A.C.E. Awards of 2009. She has also showcased her works most recently at Carnival NYC, Sirens After Dark, Sybarite, Dancinfused, and LICK.

Call (718) 702-2861

Liv2Dance Studio
2110 Richmond Road
(entrance on Lincoln Avenue)
Staten Island NY 10306
mswilliamsdance@yahoo.com

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