Our Team
Meet the passionate team behind Strut Your Stuff Performing Arts Center!
Our dedicated instructors bring experience, creativity, and a love of dance to inspire every student who walks through our doors.
Miss Julie
Owner/Director/Choreographer
With a career rooted in a lifelong passion for dance, Miss Julie has dedicated herself to the art of movement, choreography, performance, and, most importantly, teaching. Her dance education began with acrobatics and grew to encompass ballet, jazz, tap, and a wide range of performance styles.
As a teenager, Miss Julie had the privilege of studying in New York City with some of the industry’s most respected teachers, including renowned Broadway instructors Phil Black, Eddie Wright, Star Danias, and others. Her commitment to continued growth has remained a cornerstone of her career, with extensive training through conventions, workshops, and professional opportunities, as well as her studies as a Theater and Dance major at Queens College.
Following graduation, she founded her own dance studio, creating a place where dancers could develop their technique, discover their individuality, build confidence, and experience the joy of performing.
Over the years, Miss Julie has expanded her professional career as a guest choreographer and judge for talent competitions throughout the United States. Her teaching experience has also included after-school dance programs at HANC and the dance program at St. Agnes High School.
Beyond dance training, Miss J believes in teaching her students the value of dedication, teamwork, confidence, and giving back. Through SYS Dance’s community involvement, including Dance for Diabetes and support of the American Cancer Society, students have the opportunity to use their talents to make a difference beyond the studio.
For Miss Julie, teaching is more than a profession—it is a privilege to guide, encourage, and inspire each dancer as they discover their own potential. Her greatest accomplishment is watching her students grow not only as dancers and performers, but as confident, compassionate, and capable young people.
Miss Kayla
Choreograper
Kayla has been a Strut Your Stuff dancer since she first began taking classes at 3 years old. She was a member of the competition team for numerous years, receiving many high scoring awards for both group dances as well as a soloist including a 1st place and "excellent emotional execution" award. She has also been given the opportunity to dance with her team at the World Dance Championship in New Jersey and Walt Disney World in Orlando. Kayla has trained in many genres of dance including tap, jazz, lyrical, ballet, hip hop and acrobatics. Her passion and dedicatio for dance is unmistakable, whether in the classroom or on stage. She is a 2016 graduate from Island Trees HS and is currently enrolled in St. Joseph's College as an education major. Miss Kayla enjoys sharing her positive energy and love for dance with her SYS students and is excited for the new season!
Miss Jess
Choreographer
Jessica Walters began her dance journey at age 3, following in her mother’s footsteps and falling in love with dance from her very first recital. After moving from Brooklyn to Long Island at age 7, she danced recreationally before pursuing competitive dance, training in jazz, musical theater, tap, and more. Following a knee injury and surgery, Jessica was determined to push herself and work her way onto the competition team, where she danced competitively for four years and earned numerous awards, including special judges’ awards for her solos. Jessica went on to earn her BFA in Dance Studies from LIU Post, performing and choreographing with the Post Concert Dance Company. During her time at LIU, she trained and worked with professional dancers from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Martha Graham Dance Company, Diavolo Dance, MOMIX, and more. Her studies included dance history, kinesiology, contemporary dance in New York City, Paul Taylor technique, African dance, Broadway jazz, ballet, and tap. Since beginning her teaching career in 2018, Jessica has earned numerous accolades, including “Best Choreography and Entertainment,” and specializes in jazz, lyrical, musical theater, contemporary, ballet, and technique. She is passionate about helping students grow as dancers and achieve their goals while creating an inclusive, positive learning environment, and is thrilled to be joining the team at Strut Your Stuff!
Miss Cassie
Choreographer
Cassandra Perrotta began dancing at Strut Your Stuff at age 5, growing up in the studio and developing a lifelong passion for dance. She went on to attend Sacred Heart University, where she studied Finance and Economics while performing with the SHU Dance Company and continuing her dance training. Cassandra later earned her Master’s in Data Analytics, all while simultaneously pursuing her dance career. Today, she works in investment banking in Midtown Manhattan while continuing to teach, choreograph, and train as a dancer. She currently trains and competes in Latin Ballroom, specializing in ChaCha, Rumba, and Samba. Cassandra is excited to be back at Strut Your Stuff, sharing her passion and experience with the next generation of dancers.
Miss Dani
Choreographer
Danielle born and raised in Holbrook, New York, grew up in the world of competitive dance. She began dancing at the age of three training in a variety of styles including Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical Contemporary, Hip Hop and Musical Theater. Danielle had the opportunity to train with credited choreographers from around the country. She traveled for national competitionas and conventions earning numrous scholarships and both local and national titles. One of her fave locations to dance is Las Vegas! In addition to her studio experience, she competed for her HS dance team, the Sachem East Varsity Arrowettes, where she performed at Scholastic Competitions, and NDA Nationals in Orlando. Miss Danielle continued her dance journey as part of the nationally ranked Division 1 Dance Team at Sacred Heart University. Her duties there included choreography, public appearances and multiple performances. She became a member of the competitive team and competed at NDA Collegiate Nationals in Daytona Florida. Now, Miss Danielle is sharing her love of dance teaching her favorite styles to her students.