Meaghan Valego
Owner & Director
Meaghan has been dancing for over 30 years specializing in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Modern, Lyrical, Hip Hop,Theatre Dance and Ballroom Dancing. She pursued dance at Springfield College (SC) where she earned a degree in Dance Movement and Education. Throughout her time at SC, Meaghan became President of the Dance Club and Artistic Director of Pulse, the first spring dance concert at the college. In addition, she performed at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, and with the Best of Broadway Theater production at SC. After graduation, Meaghan went on to teach various styles of dance at numerous studios and facilities. In 2007, Meaghan worked at a fitness center for children, teaching Jazz, Creative Dance and Fitness classes. Working there made her realize the importance of fitness not only for adults, but for children as well. In 2008, Meaghan received her license as a Zumba® Instructor in the hopes of making exercise more fun for all. From 2008-2009, she participated in extensive training in Ballroom and Latin dancing while becoming certified in the Bronze Syllabus. Meaghan won her first professional competition in 2008 at the New England Colonial Classic and her second in the spring of 2009 at the New England DanceSport Championships. Meaghan opened Dance & Beyond in August of 2009 with the dream of educating young and old through the art of dance! Since then she has had a successful 14 years of being recognized at numerous competitions for her choreography, becoming a well known name in the community and sharing her passion for dance with students of all ages in the Wrentham community.
Kyriana Smith
assistant director &
Dance Instructor
Miss Kyriana graduated from Dean College where she earned her B.A. in Dance with a concentration in Studio Management. While in school, Kyriana completed an independent research study with the founder of the Dean College dance program, Joan Phelps Palladino. This led to the publication of her book “The Journey to my Goal”. Post graduating, Kyriana performed professionally with the Providence Ballet Theater. Kyriana joined the Dance and Beyond faculty 6 years ago during her sophomore year at Dean College. Kyriana takes pride in her ability to teach and share her love of dance to all ages. Most recently, Kyriana has enjoyed her new role as Assistant Director at D& B. Kyriana’s goal is to create strong dancers with proper technique while also providing an enjoyable, fun learning experience.
Jill Niro
dance instructor
Jill, “Miss Jill”, has been dancing since the age of 3. At the age of 19 she began teaching various styles of dance. This is when Jill fell in love with teaching and also grew to be very passionate about educating children in the art of dance and to give them life tools and lessons they will never forget. Jill feels there is always something more to learn when it comes to dance and she is finding herself evolving every day! Jill’s focus in dance are ballet, contemporary, tap and acro. Her unique teaching style with a focus on technique and a passion for the art of dance help grow confident, strong and passionate dancers. Outside of the studio Jill is currently working at Hospital for Behavioral Medicine.
Roselle Hiatt
Dance Instructor
Roselle, "Miss Roselle", earned a degree in dance education from Bridgewater State College, which is where she continued to grow an intense passion for the art of dance. She has over 30 years of experience in multiple disciplines, including jazz, hip hop, ballet, tap, lyrical, contemporary, modern, and traditional Israeli Dance. Her teachers include Brian Friedman, Dave Scott and Chris Judd, among other world renowned choreographers. Roselle founded and directs a local dance company called Intensity Dance Company. In 2009, Roselle was chosen to study in Israel for five months with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company. Her choreography has won numerous awards at various competitions. Roselle is a proud member of the Dance Teacher's Club of Boston. She also brings to her classes degrees in both Elementary Education and Special Education. Roselle prides herself on making her classes informative, high-energy and lots of fun for beginner and experienced dancers alike
Amanda Davis
Dance Instructor
Amanda began dancing at the age of 3. She studied ballet, pointe, lyrical, tap, jazz, and acro at Starline School of Dance. She received additional classical ballet training at The State Ballet of Rhode Island. She attended various dance conventions, competitions, and performed in semi-professional ballets including Coppelia and Giselle. Amanda is a registered nurse and currently works at Mass General Hospital and Beth Israel in the Cardiac Catheterization Labs. Her extensive dance training taught her discipline, focus, and confidence which has contributed to her success as a dancer and as a professional. Amanda passionately believes dance improves physical, cognitive, and emotional health for all ages. Miss Amanda is well known for her Acro skills and training at Dance & Beyond.
Lauren Berntson
Ballet & Pointe Instructor
Lauren’s passion for dance began at the age of 4, and she brings over 35 years of teaching experience across multiple disciplines, with a specialization in ballet and pointe. She trained extensively in classical ballet under Herci and Myles Marsden at the Brae Crest School of Ballet in Rhode Island, where she honed her skills in technique, pointe, character, and pas de deux.
At just 11 years old, Lauren became an apprentice member of the Rhode Island State Ballet Company and was promoted to a full Company member by age 12. During her time with the Company, she performed in numerous beloved ballets,
including Giselle, Coppélia, Sleeping Beauty, and Romeo and Juliet, among many others.
For Lauren, teaching dance is more than just sharing technique—it’s about helping students grow, build confidence, and develop life skills that extend far beyond the studio. She finds immense joy in watching her students flourish, knowing that the lessons they learn through dance will positively impact every aspect of their lives.
Amanda Dickson
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Amanda began dancing at the age of 4 at Medway Dance Authority where she took classes in Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Pointe and Lyrical. Over the years, she has had the opportunity to perform in Disney World with the original cast of Newsies as well as attend conventions and master classes from well-renowned teachers and choreographers. Amanda earned her degree in Psychology from Stonehill College where she was a member of both the competitive dance team and dance company. in 2015, The Stonehill College Dance Team received the opportunity to travel to Daytona Beach to perform at the National Cheer and Dance Alliance Collegiate Nationals where they placed 4th. Amanda also holds a Masters Degree in Severe Special Education and is very passionate about teaching children whether in the classroom or the dance studio.She strives to create an enthusiastic and positive learning environment in which students aren’t afraid to make mistakes and become stronger and more confident dancers. Amanda is very excited to be teaching with us this season!
Amy Provencher
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Miss Amy has been dancing since the age of 4 and has continued to become more passionate about dance every year since. She is a Dance & Beyond alumni and strives to provide young dancers an environment to grow in their skills, self-discipline, and love for dance, just as she did during her time at the studio. Miss Amy has attended countless performances, conventions, and competitions. She is proud to have received Dance & Beyond's "Most Accomplished Dancer" award in 2018 and also won a national title for her jazz solo at the 2019 Diva Dance Nationals competition. Miss Amy assisted in teaching many dance classes at the studio since the age of 13 and has loved watching students transform into beautiful dancers and people.
Gabrielle (Bella) Soderberg
Dance Instructor
Bella Soderberg resides in Wrentham, Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance Studies and Psychology from Roger Williams University. During her time there, she studied dance abroad in London, England, and performed in New York City.
Following her undergraduate studies, Bella pursued a graduate degree at Lesley University, specializing in Mental Health Counseling with a focus on Dance/Movement Therapy. While completing her graduate work, she was an active member of Impact Dance Company, continuing to train and perform. She also taught dance in Newton, MA, and served as a guest instructor at various studios across Massachusetts and upstate New York.
Bella is trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz, and modern dance. She also brings extensive experience in teaching preschool dance, creative movement, and adaptive movement.
Lisette Ayala
DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Lisette Ayala is currently a Senior Dance Major at Dean College. She has been dancing for over 19 years, 16 of those being in the competition dance world. Lisette has been assisting in Acro, Jazz, Lyrical, and Contemporary classes since she was 12, and in her Junior year of high school, she began choreographing pieces for school productions and dance competitions. In her years dancing, Lisette was part of the United States Acrobatics Team, where she traveled to do performances with them. She also traveled to Chicago to assist in a convention, Metamorphosis, where she was awarded to become their Brand Ambassador. Lisette has taught Master Classes and Intensives at dance studios and high schools. Most recently, she was chosen to assist in the United States Acrobatics Team Auditions. Dance has always played a prominent role in Lisette’s life, and she is eager to pass on knowledge to the younger generation of dancers.
Samantha Rovira
Dance Instructor
Samantha has been dancing for over 20 years and has been teaching for 8 years. She studied dance at Dean College where she graduated with a BA in dance with a concentration in dance pedagogy. While at Dean she had various performance opportunities and studied under mentors of all styles. She began teaching after college. Her specialties are Jazz, Modern, Lyrical, Ballet and Preschool dance. She has gone on to choreograph various pieces for competition, guest teach, as well as work for Beyond the Stars/Breakout Dance Competition. Outside of the studio Samantha is a full time school teacher. Her goal is to create a warm and welcoming environment where students of all ages are able to have fun and grow their love for dance while also building a strong foundation of technique/skills.
Deanna Hennessy
Substitute Dance Instructor
Miss Deanna began her dance journey at a young age, training at The Gold School under the direction of Rennie and Rhee Gold. She went on to study at the Toronto School of Cirque Arts in Canada and is also a certified instructor with Acrobatic Arts. At just six years old, she performed in the Pennsylvania Ballet’s Nutcracker and later appeared at the First Lady’s Easter Egg Roll at the White House.
By 2000, Miss Deanna was selected for the USA Tap Dance Team, where she earned a Gold Medal at the IDO World Championships in Germany. The following year, she took first place in the prestigious USA Solo Dance Challenge.
At 19, she launched her professional career with Disney Cruise Line, performing in both character and main-stage productions. Her years with Disney included appearances in commercials, television specials, and print ads. Afterward, she returned home to pursue higher education, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from Johnson & Wales University.
Now settled in Wrentham, Miss Deanna enjoys life with her husband, daughter, and their golden retriever puppy, Mango. She brings her passion, professional experience, and love of dance to every class she teaches—dedicated to inspiring the next generation of dancers with the same joy and discipline that shaped her own career.
Maggie Kopas
OFFICE MANAGER
Maggie has been dancing since the age of 5. She first started dancing at Wrentham Dance Workshop and then at Dance & Beyond, where she is an alumni. Maggie is a recipient of Dance & Beyond’s Most Accomplished Dancer Scholarship Award from 2011. After Maggie graduated she knew she wanted to continue at Dance & Beyond and still be part of the studio. That is when she started working at the desk and helping out at the studio anyway she could. Maggie is currently pursuing a degree in early Childhood Education. She is passionate about dance and helping students, families and the studio every way possible.