Our Staff
Holly
Holly Legare is an award-winning teacher, performer and choreographer with over 20 years of teaching experience. Holly received her primary dance training at Florida Dance Workshop under Michelle Labousier Mandile at age 4 and was proud to become the studio owner in 2016. In 2022 Holly began to perform professionally and was featured in Cirque Du Voix, the Summer Circus Spectacular, and the Kids Beating Cancer event. In addition to her training with FDW, Holly continued her performance education at Florida Atlantic University, the Houston Metropolitan Dance Center, Cirque La Vie Company, and the Circus Arts Conservatory. Holly holds a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and holds certificates from the National Strength & Conditioning Association and the American College of Sports Medicine. Holly is board certified by test to teach Ballet, Jazz, Acrobatics, and Tap from the prestigious Dance Masters of America and has completed the Teachers Training School training program. Holly loves continuing the legacy and traditions from the first Dance Workshop in 1978.
Class: Strength & Conditioning Coaching ● Intermediate Tap ● Advanced Tap ● Ovations Competition Team ● Advanced Turns & Leaps ● Intermediate Ballet II ● Aerial Silks
Michelle
Michelle is an award-winning choreographer, teacher, and competition judge with 32 years of industry experience. Michelle grew up in her mother’s dance studio, Franklin Dance Workshop, in Boston. She has trained thousands of dancers, many of whom have embarked on professional dance careers on Broadway, Cruise Ships, Professional Sports Teams, Movies, and Television. Her students have won numerous competition Titles at the Regional and National levels and college dance scholarships. The National Foundation for the Arts has recognized her choreography, and she was the official choreographer for the Miss Teen USA Florida pageant two years in a row. Michelle is certified by test to teach in all dance styles by the prestigious Dance Masters of America and received injury prevention and dance training through the Dance Teacher’s Club of Boston. She continues the legacy of over 50 years of dance passed on through her mother and Florida Dance Workshop’s founder and professional dancer, Susan Labousier Kickbush.
Class: Advanced Contemporary Lyrical II ● Advanced Ballet II ● Pointe II ● Ovations Competition Team
Andréa
Andréa is an award-winning teacher with over 20 years of teaching experience. While growing up in Florida Dance Workshop, training under Michelle Labousier Mandile, Andréa earned numerous top scores as a performer, including 1st Place Overall Highest Score of the day as a soloist, held lead roles in the Nutcracker and other productions, including performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and has led FDW students in the same direction. Her choreography has been recognized and granted numerous Judges Awards throughout Florida. Andréa was the recipient of a full Dance Scholarship to Franklin Pearce University, is a board-certified member of Dance Master’s of America, is proud to be the only Acrobatic Arts Certified Teacher in our area. She has been a teacher with FDW for 20 years and the proud mother of 4 beautiful children.
Class: Intermediate I Acro ● Advanced Jazz II ● Kinder Acro Jazz ● Kinderdance ● Beginner Acro Jazz ● Intermediate Turns & Leaps ● Advanced Acro ● Advanced Ballet I ● Pre Pointe/ Pointe I
Alicia
Alicia is an award-winning dancer, teacher, and choreographer with over 15 years of experience. Alicia grew up in Florida Dance Workshop, training under Michelle Labousier Mandile. During her dance years of training, she won many Overall Top Score Awards and Scholarship Awards. Alicia was named “Best in Show” out of all other entries at the I Love Dance International Competition. She competed throughout the country, including in New York City, where she spent summers taking classes at the Broadway Dance Center. Alicia continued her dance education at the University of Central Florida and holds Bachelor’s and Masters degrees in Criminal Justice. While in college, Alicia auditioned and was accepted to be part of the traveling hip hop crew “Rukus” performing throughout the state. Alicia has completed 2 years of the Teachers Training School in Buffalo, New York with the prestigious Dance Masters of America. She has been teaching and choreographing for the Florida Dance Workshop for over ten years, and her choreography has received many Judges Awards for solos, duo/trios and group dances. Alicia is very passionate about teaching and loves to inspire the nest generation of dancers.
Class: Beginner Ballet/Jazz ● Intermediate Contemporary Lyrical II ● Advanced Jazz II ● Ovations Competition Team ● Advanced Contemporary Lyrical I ● Kinderdance ● Advanced Jazz I ● Florida Dance Company ● Ovations Teen
Kate
Kate is an award-winning teacher and choreographer with 5 years of teaching experience. She began dancing at 4 with Florida Dance Workshop training in all dance styles. She was an award-winning member of our Ovations Competition Team and Florida Dance Company, performing for community and charitable events such as the Mistletoe Ball, The Veterans Parade, Charlotte County Christmas Parade, and Relay for Life. In addition to dance, Miss Chalone was also an active member of the Charlotte Players' summer programs and performed in musicals such as “The Lion King”, “Singing in the Rain”, “High School Musical” and “Anything Goes”. Kate spent many of her formative years as a class demonstrator. Since graduating high school, Kate has studied as a teaching apprentice at Florida Dance Workshop and began rigorous training with Dance Masters of America’s Teacher Training School’s 3-year program. Kate loves working with students of all ages and enjoys teaching beginning and intermediate levels and finding her niche as a small-group choreographer.
Class: Kinderdance ● Intermediate I Acro ● Kinder Acro Jazz ● Beginner Ballet/Tap ● Intermediate Ballet I ● Ovations Competition Team ● Intermediate Jazz I ● Intermediate Jazz II ● Beginner Acro Jazz ● Intermediate Contemporary Lyrical ● Kinder Acro Jazz
Samantha
Samantha DiRienzo is a Dancer/Choreographer. She graduated Cum Laude from Dean College in Franklin, MA where she received her BFA in dance with a Choreography concentration. During her time in school Samantha was involved with multiple dance teams including Pom Team, The Collective, and was the President of Synergy, the college’s hip hop team. She also choreographed and performed multiple dance pieces in shows presented on and off campus throughout all 4 years. Samantha’s professional performance credits include RWS Entertainment Group and Femmes & Follies Burlesque. She currently works as a dance teacher/choreographer at local dance studios, Hip Hop Faculty at Exhale Dance Convention, and judge for Headliners Dance Championship and Nexstar National Dance Competition.
