The Studio at Mariner Square
140 Point Judith RD #36
Narragansett, RI 02882

CALL TODAY (401)865-9821
Or email: thestudioct@yahoo.com


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ABOUT US



Owner and Artistic Director



Marilyn Smayda



Marilyn Smayda studied ballet with Lydia Pettine. She danced professionally with American Festival Ballet in Augsburg, Germany and toured Europe with the group. While in college she performed with the Modern Dance Company of URI and taught ballet in Kingston. She has studied in New York with David Howard and Finis Jung and at Jacob's Pillow and Mary Mount College in Pennsylvania.



Adult Ballet Teacher



Debra Deslandes



Debra started ballet at the age of 5 with Madalyn Sarazin of North Attleboro, MA, and studied with her daughter Annamarie Sarazin, principle dancer with Boston Ballet for many years. At age 19 she was teacher trained and taught and choreographed at Mrs. Sarazin's studio. Debra has also studied with guest teachers from Festival Ballet and Boston Ballet and performed many different variations of Classic Ballets. Debra has studied the Vaganova method and continues to take advanced ballet classes. Debra has also studied Yoga and became Pilates mat certified in early 2000.



Teen/Adult Ballet Teacher



Chelsea Kearns Richardson



Chelsea started her dance training at Michelle's L'ecole de Dance in Westerly, RI. She studied Ballet, Jazz, Modern and Lyrical. After graduation she enrolled at The Studio in Narragansett, RI, where her focus shifted to Classical Ballet with Marilyn Smayda. Chelsea studied the Vaganova syllabus with John White and Rose Marie Flachs in Pennsylvania and attended a Finis Jhung Teacher's Workshop in 2018. Chelsea's enthusiasm with Ballet makes her a favorite with beginner dancers and dancers returning to the barre.



Teen/Adult Ballet Teacher



Heather McCusker



At the age of eight her parents enrolled her at The Studio, A Dance and Performing Arts Center in Narragansett, where one of her many teachers was RDC owner, Miss. Chamoni. Heather went on to study dance at the college level at Slippery Rock University, graduating in May 2012 with a BA in Dance. While at college she both performed and choreographed for SRUDT, the Jazz/Tap concert, and the Senior Synthesis concerts. She stayed in Pittsburgh and began teaching at Richelle Lyn School of Dance, where she was able to teach many different styles, ages, and levels.



Tap Teacher/Choreographer



Brian Jones



Tap Teacher, Choreographer Tap Dancer Brian Jones has been performing since 1975. Known for his Rhode Island dance company (The All-Tap Revue) and his song-and-dance team with Susan Boyce (Jones & Boyce), and his street performances with Donald Suthard (Street Tap), Brian has toured as a modern-day vaudevillian from Hawaii to Europe. 
 
He has shared the bill with The Persuasions, Wally Rose, Robert Goulet, Ethel Merman, Savion Glover and The Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. 

A musical populist, Jones improvises with live musicians, or synchronizes to classic recordings of ragtime, jazz, swing, Latin, country, classical, Broadway, even techno. 

“Rhode Island's premiere tap dancer is a rhythmic force of nature.”
— Festival of the Arts, Mohonk Mountain House




CALL TODAY: 401-865-9821 or email - thestudioct@yahoo.com

the studio a dance & performing arts center



140 point judith rd, #36, Narragansett, ri 02882