ABOUT US
THE STUDIOS
Art in Motion Dance Company has two beautiful spacious studios on a two thousand square foot floor plan, a large comfortable waiting area with plush modern seating for our families, and a private dressing area with individual personal storage for our students. The larger studio has a viewing window with two way mirror for parents to observe children. Our entire facility is air conditioned.
DIRECTOR
Kerri A. Peterson, Artistic Director/ Sole Proprietor
Kerri has a BA in Dance Performance from Rhode Island College. For over 15 years she has been educating, inspiring and encouraging students through dance skills that may be transferred into their every day lives.
In 2008, Kerri was awarded the Dance Educator of the year through RIAHPERD
In addition to Art in Motion Dance Company, she currently is the Administrative Director and Dance educator for Chance to Dance, a state-wide, non-profit, in school dance program, and is also Financial Manager for RI Dance Alliance. She has previously taught for Modern Jazz Dance Company, the Rhode Island School of Design, and has facilitated literacy instruction through creative movement in the Providence school system. She is a certified teaching coach and evaluator for students who would like to use Dance to meet the RI proficiency standards in one of the four art forms. Kerri is a member of Rhode Island Dance Alliance, UNITY,RIAHPERD, which she is a presenter at professional development workshops for Physical Education teachers, and the National Dance Education Organization, where she is the State Affiliate representative and has been a presenter at the National Dance Education Conferences. She is affiliated with the Andrea Rizzo Foundation and encourages her students to give of themselves for others in need. Kerri enjoys the creative process of expressing emotion through her movement and choreography and loves to educate her students in learning the art and craft of dance. She takes great pleasure working with new ideas and bodies, always willing to explore a creative adventure, and allowing others to experience the freedom of art through ones mind, body, and soul. She truly believes if you can breathe you can dance.
DANCE EDUCATORS
The Dance Educators of Art in Motion Dance Company are professional dancers, authors, and/or have college degrees in dance, education, and special education. Also, are members of National Dance Education Organization, RIAHPERD, UNITY, Dance Teachers club of Boston, AAHPERD, and National Dance Association.
Lauren Coyne: Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Competition Company
Lauren is a recent graduate of Dean College Franklin, MA receiving a BA in Dance. While attending Dean, Lauren was found working with the Theatre department in each year's musical performances and taking voice lessons. She was a member of the Dean College Dance Team as well as a member of the Dance Company. Lauren has been a member of Phi Theta Kappa, International Honor Society with the role of Recording Secretary. She has been honored with two dance and performance scholarship awards, and was named to the Dean's List for each semester. Throughout her dance career Lauren has trained in Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Modern and Musical Theater.
In 2002, Lauren began training with Dance Teachers Club of Boston as well as assistant teaching with Legein Dance Academy of Performing Arts. In 2004 she graduated from Dance Teachers Club of Boston training school. Recently Lauren has worked with The Dance Shop in Holbrook, MA as an assistant teacher. This is Lauren's second season with Art in Motion Dance Company. She began teaching during the 2008 High School Musical II Summer Dance Camp and continued teaching several classes throughout the year.
Lauren has had the opportunity to train with teachers and choreographers including Dudley Williams, Jill Silverman, Joan Palledino, Nailah Bellinger, Kelly Peters, Frank Hatchet, Savion Glover, Michael Minery, Jay T. Jenkins, Diane Gudot, Michelle DaSilva-Ball, Tommy Ralibate and Bob E. Thomas.
Casey Harkness: Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Competition Company
Casey Harkness is a native of Rhode Island. She received her B.A. in dance performance from Rhode Island College. During her studies, Casey trained and performed with exceptional choreographers such as Clay Talifaro, Mark Taylor, Sean Curran, Angelica Vessella, and Deb Mernier. She also worked with Danny Buraceski in the re-creation of the Jack Cole piece entitled Happy Ending Every Time, which included the collaborative efforts of Brown University, Roger Williams University, and Providence College. After graduating, Casey continued to work with various choreographers as she participated in the Boston Summer Dance Festival.
Over the past few years Casey has delved into various performance opportunities working with many talented local artists that have taken her from Boston to New York. While an Andary Dance Company member she had the wonderful experience of performing at the Cunningham School in New York City, the Dance Complex in Boston and various venues in the Providence area. Casey also participated in the 2007 Bright Night Providence as a dancer in the Guilday Magic Show performed at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. The show later traveled to New York for an encore performance. Caseys other performance credits include works of Stephanie Harris and Paul Zunno, Michael Owen, Sherry Zuncker, and Tovah Bodner of Robins Egg.
Most recently Casey can be found teaching, choreographing, and learning. She has proudly seen students off to college to continue their studies in dance and has choreographed for young dancers who have received awards of excellence at various competitions. Although known for her contemporary style, Casey currently teaches jazz, ballet, tap, and hip hop at several private schools across the state of Rhode Island.
Miranda Amitrano: Creative Movement Teacher, Teacher Assistant and Receptionist
Bethany Peterson: Teacher Assistant
Hope Johnson: Teacher Assistant
