Meet the Staff
"Miss Sandra"
Rucsandra Maniaci
Owner
Miss Sandra is a professional dance teacher and choreographer from Bucharest, Romania.
At the age of 4, she was chosen to attend “Triumph” Sports Club gymnastics program where she was trained by coaches responsible for the National Junior Olympic team. Following the strict regimes and disciplines, Sandra progressed into classical ballet at the age of 9 and studied at The National Opera House in the junior program.
In 1985, she was accepted in the State Ballet School in Bucharest. Here, she studied classical ballet, in the Russian Vaganova method as well as contemporary, modern and folk dance, to name a few. Piano study was also a part of the school’s program. During this time she also participated in ballet recitals, competitions and performed in many of the classic ballets. She graduated in 1994 as a Professional Ballerina with a degree recognized worldwide and her attention to technique became her focal point.
After moving to the United States, Miss Sandra resumed her dancing career and has worked closely with the Arts of The Dance Centre since 2009, bringing her knowledge, discipline & expertise.
As of 2016, Miss Sandra’s lifelong dream has become a reality. She was honored to take over ownership of The Arts of the Dance Centre. She runs the Recreational and Pre-professional Ballet Program.
Some of Miss Sandra’s credits include: Conducting classes, workshops and private sessions to teach technique, pointe, variations, stretching and conditioning. She has managed summer dance programs having as guests, internationally recognized dance teachers and popular local artists.
Miss Sandra continues to attend dance workshops and master classes and she enjoys performing in the yearly Recital.
She is very honored to be a certified and licensed “Progressing Ballet Technique” teacher.
She is also an authorized Gaynor Minden pointe shoe fitter and retailer.
Other certifications: Zumba Fitness instructor, CPR
Miss Sandra is deeply committed to educate students in the artistry of dance by promoting a safe dance education. She believes this is the only way students can reach their personal best, whether they pursue a career in dance or not. She will continue her mission to encourage all students to progress in dance while avoiding injury and remaining physically and emotionally healthy.
Adele Harwas Executive/Artistic Director
Miss Adele, the daughter of Miss Von, grew up dancing at The Arts of the Dance Centre. Along with her two sisters Helen and Veronika she also traveled to Philadelphia, New York and Florida studying with masters such as Luigi, Frank Hatchett and Charles Kelly as well as many tap masters.
Miss Adele attended Dance Masters of America workshops several times each year and in 1986 graduated from its Teachers Training Seminar (TTS). She has attended TTS as a post graduate numerous times and participated in their Master Teacher program.
To prepare her students for the dance world after graduation, Miss Adele began studying and incorporating modern dance in the studio curriculum in 1990. She took classes in the Lester Horton technique with Carol Willson and also at the Alvin Ailey School of Dance. Miss Adele attended numerous workshops with Florida Dance Masters, completed its Intensive Teaching Seminar, has judged their Rising Star Competition and taught acrobatics for the organization.
Miss Adele performed with her sister’s jazz company, Dancezone Inc. for four years. She has choreographed for the Miss Vineland and Miss Cumberland County Pageants, taught for the Cumberland County Teen Arts Festival and for multiple dance organizations
Miss Adele began teaching for the family business in 1984, became the artistic director in 1991 and the owner in 2012. Because of circumstances and in order to devote more time to volunteer Bible education, she stepped down as the studio owner in July 2016 but continues as its artistic and executive director as well as a teacher and choreographer.
Desiring to stay up to date with the latest teaching methods in order to impart them to her students, Miss Adele continues to attend dance workshops and master classes throughout the year.
Jennifer Banks
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Miss Jen has been dancing at The Arts of the Dance Centre ever since she was a young girl and she is a former member of the ADC Performing Company.
She is a 2002 graduate of the Richard Stockton State College of N.J. with a B.S. degree in Social Work. She works full time at the Atlantic County Special Service School District.
Miss Jen has completed the fourth year level of Dance Master of America Teachers Training Seminar testing in the ballet and tap portion of her certification and she has been licensed in teaching "Acrobatic Arts" by attending the workshop in 2017.
Miss Jen has been teaching acrobatics, ballet, jazz, tap as well as the Adult Tap Program. She is leading the Special Needs Dance Class at the recommendation of Miss Rhonda Shutter-Denelsbeck, who introduced this program to our studio. Her
love for dance and an extensive knowledge, from working during the day within the Special Service School District, makes Miss Jen, the perfect fit for this class.
Miss Jen is CPR certified.
Cadhla Mackenzie
Miss Cadhla began her early dance training at The Arts of the Dance Centre. Here she has gained experience in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Lyrical, Acrobatics, Hula, Musical Theatre, Bollywood, Latin, Ballroom & Hip Hop.
She continued her dance education by taking class with many celebrities including Wade Robson, Sonia Tayeh, Lauriann Gibson, Mia Michaels, Dave Scott, Jason Samuel Smith & Chris Judd, to name a few.
She has also trained with Peter Sklar in Princeton, NJ and London, England, taking workshops with many Broadway and TV coaches.
In addition to our year-end Revue and Recital shows, Miss Cadhla has also directed private classes and workshops She has performed for the local community as well as in Disney World, Philadelphia & New York City.
Miss Cadhla is a recipient of a Broadway Dance Center of NYC Scholarship
She is certified through Dance Masters of America.
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Kali Malench
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Kali Malench is a life long dance student who studied ballet, tap, jazz, musical theater, hula, acrobatics, modern, and more.
She was part of the performance group “Perform Dance” which participated in community events and competitions. She served as the dance captain in her high school musical Damn Yankees and has transferred her performing experience by stepping into an assistant director role for children’s productions at the Landis Theater and teaching local workshops.
Miss Kali attended Teacher’s Training School in Buffalo New York for one year and currently attends workshops in New York and Philadelphia to continue her learning process. She has also completed her 3rd year at Dance Masters Teachers Training School.
Miss Kali's teaching expertise has been requested numerous times for private sessions. She has also managed and conducted rehearsals for students invited to perform at local thatres and schools.
Kelly Perez
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Miss Kelly has been on the teaching panel at The Arts of the Dance Centre since 1992. She has completed a three year intensive training seminar in Orlando, Florida with Florida Dance Masters.
Miss Kelly has had numerous performance opportunities and has participated in ITDI dance competitions. She is a former member of the ADC Performance Company. Additionally, Miss Kelly has entertained at the Teen Arts Festival, Miss Vineland and Miss Cumberland County Scholarship pageants, Walt Disney World and various nursing and group home shows.
Kelly has a B.S. degree in Environmental studies from Richard Stockton College of N.J. and a Masters degree in Environmental Science from NJIT.
Aside from sharing her passion for tap dance, Miss Kelly is the appointed classical ballet teacher to our Level A&B students.
She is licensed in Progressing Ballet Technique and CPR certified.
Saadiqa Elizabeth Smart
Miss Elizabeth has started dancing at the age of seven with The Arts of the Dance Centre and began assisting as a teacher in 2005.
She attended Gloucester County Institute of Technology for high school, where she continued her dance education throughout the school day.
In 2017, she attended Dance Masters of America’s, Teacher’s Training School in Buffalo, NY for her fourth year, which included testing in ballet, tap, modern, and jazz to attain the Dance Masters of America Certification. She passed all practice and theory tests, with flying colors, scoring a 95.25 mark and earning praises from the DMA faculty. She joins the ranks of many of our wonderful DMA certified teachers at ADC.
Aside from teaching, Miss Elizabeth enjoys performing in our year-end recitals and special events.
Miss Elizabeth is a student of Rowan University with a major in Elementary Education and American Studies. Alongside her dance career, Miss Elizabeth plans to become an elementary school teacher.
Early childhood education is Miss Elizabeth’s truly passion as she strives to share the love of learning and dancing with all of her students. She has developed a unique pre-school and early childhood dance curriculum, focused on physical, communication and social/emotional development through movement, music and performing arts.
She also received certification in Progressing Ballet Technique and CPR.
Katie Bateman
Tammy Hall
Miss Tammy is the director and owner of The Turning Pointe Dance studio In Cape May Court House.
She has been teaching for several other schools and studios in the South Jersey area.
Tammy earned her BFA in dance from Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg Virginia.
Miss Tammy has joined The Arts of the Dance Centre's teaching panel during the Summer of 2019.
She is sharing with our students, her knowledge in early childhood dance education as well as her passion for Lyrical contemporary Dance.
Sarah Layton
Miss Sarah has studied dance for over 15 years. She has trained in Ballet, Tap, Irish Tap, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Acrobatics, Hula, Musical Theatre & Hip Hop.
She performed in our year-end Revue and Recital shows and continues her dance training as a selected member of our Elite Program.
During her years of assisting teachers for our Revue and Recital classes, she discovered her passion for teaching.
After completing her senior year, Miss Sarah was invited to join our "Teachers in Training" Program, substituting multiple classes.
As of June, 2019, Miss Sarah joined the ADC faculty.
To further her education in teaching, Miss Sarah will attend the Teachers Training Seminar (TTS) and will work closely with Miss Sandra, sharing the same passion for promoting a safe dance education.
On July 13th, 2018 Miss Sarah graduated from Penn Foster Online, a year earlier than expected. She is also Miss Vineland 2018 and enjoys volunteering, photography, and reading.
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Marlene Von Reuter Harwas
Founder
Miss Von began her education with Ida Hughes and Phil Nutt at his “Studio”. She attended the Ned Wayburn School and then studied with Bobs Whitman, Charles and Norma Tesseri, and Frank DuMont all here in the Vineland area. For twenty years, she was under the tutelage of the Philadelphia Ballet Master, Pete Conlow.
Miss Von studied with Mary Sisom and graduated with distinction from the Classical Ballet Royal Academy Method, and Dance Master of America Teachers Training Workshop at Kent State University.
Miss Von started teaching for the Fred Astaire Studio and then the Arthur Murray Studios.
She was a member of Dance Masters of America for over 30 years.