Our Staff
Elise Gaudino, Director of Visions Dance Studio, has been teaching dance in the Rochester area for over 20 years. She has performed and traveled with the Walt Disney Co. and was a dance major at SUNY Brockport. She graduated with a BS in Psychology and pursued 2 years of graduate studies in school psychology. She designed a curriculum for her students based on appropriate physical, cognitive and social development. Her students have successfully performed throughout the US in competitions, charity events, theme parks and colleges.
Kate Bissinger has over 20 years of professional training and has studied with a variety of artists in and around the Rochester area such as Clyde Morgan, Kista Tucker and Jeanne Palmer-Fornarola. She has performed with Binkabi Dance (of Rochester), Kista Tucker’s “Facet V” and other touring/performance groups and most recently appeared in Kista Tucker’s “Snow” in Buffalo, NY (Summer 2009). Kate’s students have performed in various competitions where she earned a Choreography award at the WNY Dance Championships.
Shannon Cassidy has trained in the Rochester area for many years and continues to take classes locally to bring the best to her students. Shannon teaches hip hop, jazz, tap, ballet and preschool dance at Visions. Her popular hip hop classes are fun and creative at all levels and ages.
Sarah (Fischette) Ernisse-Sarah has been dancing since the age of 5 and has many years of training, including taking classes with NYCDA, SUNY Fredonia Dance Program, and Dance Rochester. She has won choreography awards for her hip hop and jazz classes. She has her BS in Education, and Masters in Literacy. She currently works for the Spencerport School District. Sarah is also the director and choreographer for the Town of Henrietta’s Drama Program. Sarah is dedicated to providing a great learning experience for each student, while still having fun.
Amanda Locke is a Visions Alumni. Amanda has a B.A. in dance, history and communication and an M.S. in Human Resource Development. During the day Amanda teaches dance at Eastridge High School in the department of Performing Arts. She has extensive performance and has studied with many artists from around the world. Amanda is also a dancer in the Kista Tucker Dance Company here in Rochester.
Megan Marnell recently graduated from Nazareth College with an MSEd in Literacy Education and holds a BSEd in Childhood and Special Education from SUNY Geneseo. While at Geneseo, she completed a dance concentration. Megan danced in and choreographed for two performing dance groups, Geneseo Dance Ensemble and Orchesis, which she also held an officer position in. Megan has New York State teaching certifications in Dance, Childhood Education, Students with Disabilities, Early Childhood Education, and Literacy.
Linda Goebel has been choreographing and teaching dance in the Rochester area for over 25 years. Known as the ” dance teachers’ teacher”, Linda instructs many local professionals as well as students of all ages and abilities. Linda is a AFAA personal trainer, is a certified PACE instructor for the Arthritis Foundation, and is also certified in ZUMBA. Linda is also a stained glass artist, www.goebelglass.com, exhibiting at various festivals and in retail stores throughtout the U.S.
Lauren Palmieri has performed, trained, and competed in many other areas of Western New York. She spent two a half years working on her BA in dance at the University at Buffalo and will finish her BFA in dance at SUNY Brockport. Lauren is a member of KistaTucker Dance Inc., and performed in New York City’s Performa09 at the Studio Museum Harlem by artist Saya Woolfalk in November of 2009. She participated in many student productions at UB such as Oscillations, The Brown Bag, and Dancer’s Workshop.
Kristin Freeman graduated with a BS in Human Resources Management. She has trained in Ballet, Lyrical, Tap, Jazz, Open, Modern and Contemporary for over 17 years in the Rochester area. She has been teaching students of all ages for the past 6 years. Kristin continues to find new opportunities to expand her knowledge in dance. She has participated and choreographed for numerous competitions within Rochester, and has recently been performing with Kista Tucker Dance Company Inc.
Meredith Curran has been studying dance for just over 20 years throughout western NY, Chicago, IL and through various conferences and conventions across the nation. Meredith began dance at a young age in Honeoye Falls studying ballet, tap and jazz, then moved onto studying in Henrietta, taking a wide range of styles including: ballet, pointe, lyrical, modern, hip hop, jazz and tap. She graduated in 2001 from the University of Buffalo with a bachelors in dance; completing residencies with various dance groups including Martha Graham Dance Company, Jose Limón Dance Company, Urban Bush Women, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, and the cast of Fosse. She has also attended several World Jazz Dance Conventions as well as studied at the Gus Giordano Dance Studio outside of Chicago, IL with members of Giordano’s Dance Company for a portion of 2009. Later that year became a returning member of Rochester’s own Raiderrette’s Dance Team for the Rochester Raiders (indoor football) and continues to dance and teach in the Rochester area.