Staff

Brieanna (Tellier) Pariseau

Lyrical, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre

Brieanna is a jazz, tap, acro, lyrical, and hip hop teacher as well as the choreographer for J-DAPA’s musical productions. She has been dancing for over 25 years. Brieanna began as a dance teacher’s assistant around the age of 8 before moving on to take over her own classes around age 14. Brieanna is a graduate of Johnston Senior High School and holds a bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College in Elementary and Special Education. When she isn’t teaching or performing with J-DAPA you can find Brieanna working as a first grade teacher in Johnston, RI.

Holly Crider

Ballet, My Grown-Up and Me, Pre-Peewee Combo

Holly has been dancing for over 30 years, and teaching for over 20.   She has studied several styles of dance including Ballet technique, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical, Ballroom, Tap, and Acrobats, as well as Aerial. She has performed semi-professionally on a variety of cruise ships, Disney, and various places around the country including Las Vegas.  Holly has also performed professionally with the Edwards Twins, as well as Eddie’s solo endeavor of Diva’s.

Aubrey Dion

Acting

Aubrey is an acting teacher and director at J-DAPA! She is a proud Graduate of both Providence College and The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where she earned her BA and MFA in Acting respectively. Aubrey has performed across New England, in NYC, and in several J-DAPA productions, including Matilda and Radiant Vermin. In addition, she has co-directed The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong, Radiant Vermin, and The Bugs with her husband, Dave Sackal. Her favorite types of performance are interactive and children’s theater.

Jennifer Tilley Freeman

Acro, Lyrical, Jazz, Tap

Jennifer is a Rhode Island native, currently working as a dance educator and musical theatre director with various organizations. She began her dance training as a young child and grew up performing in showcases and competitions. Since completing the Dance Teachers’ Club of Boston’s Dance Education Training Course in 2003, Jen has had the pleasure of teaching hundreds of students. She continued her training at Rhode Island College and was fortunate to work with talented artists and choreographers while performing with the college’s dance company and in musical theatre productions. Professional performances include Providence’s Modern Movement Festival, “Up to Speed” choreographed by Nathan Andary, Open for Dancing’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” choreographed by John-Mark Owen and “In Full Flight” with Heather Ahern’s Aerplaye. “Parasite/gHost,” a collaborative project that combined body prosthetics, music, dance, and video, was performed in 2016. Jen is a veteran dance instructor with experience teaching all ages at schools and studios in RI and MA, including Dance with Energy, Riverside Dance Center, the Portsmouth Abbey School, Rocky Hill School, St. Philomena’s School, Just Dance!, Twinkle Toes Dance Studio, and RI Dance Alliance’s Chance to Dance. Since 2013 she has been part of the creative team at Arts Alive! Barrington. She has had the pleasure of directing and choreographing many shows including Lion King, Seussical, Willy Wonka, Wizard of Oz, Aladdin, Shrek, and Pinocchio. In 2014 she was a dance artist in residence at Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts. She has received awards for her jazz, contemporary, and tap choreography. Jen is passionate about her craft and is fortunate to share it with young performers.

Danielle Grilli-Marzan

Voice, Music Director

Danielle is a Rhode Island native and graduate of the University of Rhode Island where she obtained her Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance. Danielle has performed full operatic roles such as Josephine in HMS Pinafore, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus,  Gianetta in The Gondoliers, and The First Lady in The Magic Flute and has performed many operatic scenes with roles such as Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore, Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Marie in Daughter of the Regiment. She has performed with the Warwick Symphony Orchestra as the soprano soloist in the Schubert’s Magnificat and Handel’s Messiah Part I. She has also performed as the soprano soloist for Faure’s Requiem, Haydn’s Missa Brevis, Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Sparrow Mass, PDQ Bach’s The Seasonings and Rutter’s Magnificat in various choirs. When Danielle is not on stage, she is the music director for both J-DAPA and Arts Alive’s musical theater programs. She also teaches group voice classes and private voice lessons through J-DAPA.

Serena Roy

Acting

Serena is an alumna of Smithfield High School and a graduate of Hofstra University with a BA in Criminology. She has been performing since she was 4 years old with community theaters around Rhode Island. Some of her favorite roles include Rosalie in School of Rock (J-DAPA) and Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls (Smithfield High School). She also has experience writing, directing, teaching, and stage managing with Kat’s Dance Centre and Performing Arts and J-DAPA. Serena currently teaches acting classes at J-DAPA and is excited to share her passion for performing with others!

Dave Sackal

Acting

Dave is thrilled to be back teaching acting at J-DAPA! He has performed in theaters around Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Florida, and New York. Dave starred in many of J-DAPA’s early productions and returned to the J-DAPA stage in 2022 in Matilda. Since then, he has appeared in The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong, School of Rock, and Radiant Vermin, as well as co-directing The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong, Radiant Vermin, and The Bugs alongside his wife, Aubrey Dion. Dave is a graduate of Rhode Island College with a Bachelor of Arts degree specializing in Theatre Performance.

Kyle Weaver

Hip Hop

Kyle is a graduate of Rhode Island College with a degree in Music. He has been teaching hip hop professionally throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts since 2004. Over the years he has coached hundreds of students that have gone to regional and national competitions, and Kyle’s choreography and his dancers have won many top awards including the Young Choreography award in 2005 at ADA, as well as numerous 1st and 2nd place highest overall score awards regionally and nationally. Kyle enjoys guest teaching master classes and dance intensives and is currently teaching hip hop at several studios where he shares his passion, unique perspective and intricate style with many aspiring dancers, teachers, and choreographers.

Matthew Eisemann

Technical Director

Matt is a Rhode Island College graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Computer Science. He has worked both on and offstage with J-DAPA since 2015, performing in several productions as well as serving as a lighting designer (Beauty and the Beast, Shrek, Matilda, Elf JR, The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong, School of Rock, Radiant Vermin) and stage manager (Elf JR, School of Rock, Radiant Vermin). Matt also oversees the technical aspects of all of our theatrical performances and recitals and works alongside Aubrey to develop and maintain this website!

When he’s not working with J-DAPA, Matt works as a Digital Producer for AAA Northeast and as a freelance lighting designer for organizations around Rhode Island, as well as performing with various organizations (including J-DAPA!).

Alexis Guglielmo

Social Media Director

Alexis has a BA in Mass Media & Communication, and a BA in Science Secondary Education. Alexis works as a science teacher at Davies Career and Technical High School teaching biology, general sciences, and chemistry. Her dance education began at TLCPA at 2 years old and she began to dance with Donna Tellier at 13. With J-DAPA, Alexis has worked as a dance teacher, makeup artist, and set designer, as well as performed with the company in countless recitals and productions. Alexis is currently in charge of content creation as well as running J-DAPA’s social media accounts alongside Aubrey. Fun fact: Alexis is the artist that painted the giant murals in our studio!

Marla Tellier

Mascot

Marla is J-DAPA’s doggy mascot! She is a Standard Poodle who was born on March 29th, 2011. When she isn’t spending time at J-DAPA’s studio, Marla loves playing fetch with her tennis balls and frisbee!