Welcome visitors to your site with a short, engaging introduction. Double click to edit and add your own text.
Welcome
to Our Site
The Pennsylvania Academy of Dance has been a cherished and irreplaceable part of the Sewickley Village community for over 14 years. Known for its dedication to excellence in training and its nurturing environment, the studio has inspired countless dancers to discover their passion for the art of dance. As a longstanding cornerstone in Sewickley, it continues to provide high-quality instruction while fostering creativity, discipline, and confidence in every student who walks through its doors.
Our Family
Samantha Melo
Founder/Owner/Director
Born and raised in New York, Samantha began her training at the age of five with Roya Curie, former prima ballerina of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. After Curie’s passing, Samantha continued her studies with Peter and Lisa Newman of New York City Ballet and Valerie Feit of Alvin Ailey. Throughout her childhood Samantha was accepted to and attended many schools such as the Joffrey Ballet School, Alvin Ailey and the American Academy of Ballet. In 2002, Samantha attended the University of Hartford’s Hartt Conservatory on scholarship. In 2004, she was awarded a scholarship to attend Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Dance Performance and Dance Pedagogy in 2006. Upon Graduation, Samantha became a faculty member for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Pittsburgh Youth Ballet and began her professional dancing career. After moving to Los Angeles, she danced principal roles with companies such as California Contemporary Ballet, Creations Dance Theatre, Media City Ballet, and Louise Reichlan’s Los Angeles Choreographers and Dancers. She was represented by both Trio and Bloch talent agencies where she booked many jobs in the entertainment business. As for teaching, Samantha taught for many different prestigious studios throughout Los Angeles as well as for the LA Unified School District. In 2011, Samantha returned to Pittsburgh where she opened The Pennsylvania Academy of Dance and accumulated over 200 students just within the first year. Samantha has held the prestigious title of the Dean of the Early Bird program at Debbie Allen Dance Academy and is the founder and owner of The Dance Conservatory of Los Angeles. In 2024, she launched “Dance with Miss Samantha”, a free online dance education platform that reaches people of all ages and levels; all over the world. She most recently has partnered with The Ronald Mcdonald House of Los Angeles to help families in need. Samantha has been an educator and leader for 100’s of schools and organizations all over the country and continues to spread a strong dance education and love for the arts, all over the world.
Kelly Penz
Manager
Kelly Penz is a Pittsburgh based artist who began studying in her early youth and furthered instruction through college at The Maryland Institute and College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. She has had success with winning art shown in the New York Artists Equity Association Gallery. She was featured Artist of the Month in 2022 for the local art and nature series, as well as multiple pieces commissioned for private collections. She currently works as a freelance artist illustrating for published authors such as Virginia Corbett, LPC. Her passion is art and she adores sharing it with children. She volunteered in the early 2000s with the Traveling Art Gallery (TAG) to bring artworks of the masters into elementary schools, as well as offering private art lessons in her home for levels K-4. Through all of her Art adventures she has avidly pursued and practiced Yoga. For 24 years she has happily considered herself a learning yogini and is excited to incorporate this practice into her youth art learning curriculum!
Baylee Sullivan
Ballet Mistress/Instructor
Baylee Sullivan, originally from Racine, Wisconsin, began her training at a local studio under Marc Darling and Linda Bennett. After graduating high school, she trained with the Ruth Page Center for the Arts Civic Ballet in Chicago for the next year. She then went on to dance with Richmond Ballet as a trainee. Following two years in the trainee program, Baylee was accepted into Richmond Ballet’s second company where she had the pleasure of performing in various contemporary works and ballets such as Romeo & Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, A Midsummer Nights Dream, La Bayadère and The Nutcracker. In September of 2019, Baylee moved to New York City to dance with New York Theatre Ballet for one season before being accepted into Confluence Ballet for their inaugural season in Pittsburgh, PA. Baylee had the opportunity and pleasure to move to Orlando, Florida for a couple months during the 2022 Christmas season to dance in Universal Orlando’s Holiday Parade. After her time in Florida, Baylee joined Texture Contemporary Ballet and is excited to continue her career in Pittsburgh, PA.
Bethany Dreste
Instructor
Bethany completed her training at Cornerstone Academy for the Performing Arts, and subsequently danced as a company trainee with Central Illinois Ballet under the direction of Rebekah von Rathonyi. During her time at Central Illinois Ballet, she performed in many productions including The Nutcracker, Dracula, Little Red Riding Hood, and Anne Frank. Bethany discovered her passion for teaching at ART Inc, where she developed and taught a beginning ballet curriculum for K-12 after-school students. She has taught children and adults of all ages and levels in both Pennsylvania and Illinois, and is particularly inspired by watching her beginning students fall in love with dance for the first time. Currently, Bethany dances with Confluence Ballet Co. She loves her students at PA academy of dance and is enjoying connecting with the broader dance community in the city!
Gigi Kokai
Instructor/Director of Marketing
Gigi Kokai is a dynamic and passionate musical theatre educator with a rich background in performance, arts management, and education. At just 23 years old, Gigi brings a wealth of experience in fostering inclusive environments, inspiring students, and creating memorable productions that celebrate creativity and collaboration. As a performer, Gigi has taken on iconic roles, including Kira in Xanadu at Robert Morris University and Marmee in Little Women at Olde Towne Hall Theatre, showcasing her versatility and dedication to storytelling through music and movement. Her stage presence and commitment to her craft inspire students to embrace their unique talents and strive for artistic excellence. Beyond performance, Gigi's professional journey reflects her commitment to arts education and management. She has led high school theatre programs, increasing participation and engagement by tripling student involvement and growing budgets by 500%. Gigi excels in creating comprehensive production plans, coaching students in acting, vocal performance, and choreography, and fostering a supportive environment that encourages exploration and growth. Gigi holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on management, a human resource minor, a sales certificate and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a certificate in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility from Robert Morris University. This unique blend of artistic and business expertise equips her to design and lead innovative musical theatre programs while emphasizing inclusivity and community building. Whether on stage or in the classroom, Gigi Kokai's mission is to inspire the next generation of performers to find their voices, celebrate their individuality, and create art that resonates with audiences and communities alike.
Ida Reilsono
Instructor
Ida Reilsono was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She started her dance journey at just three years old, and has been dancing ever since. She graduated from Quaker Valley High School in 2019, and went to the University of Pittsburgh. While at Pitt, Ida was in the University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band, where she was a member of the Color Guard for four years, and captain for two. In 2023, she graduated from Pitt with a Bachelor’s of Psychology and minors in Dance, Italian, and Criminal Justice. In December, Ida will graduate with her Master’s in School Counseling. She also serves as Montour High School’s Color Guard Coach! Ida’s favorite styles of dance are Hip-Hop and Tap, and she is excited to be teaching at PA Academy of Dance!
Annie Montefiore
Instructor
Annie started her dance career at Marguerite’s Academy of dance located in Erie, PA at age 3. She studied various genres of dance with strong passions in tap, jazz and ballet. In college, Annie participated in the University of Dayton’s dance team for three years where she performed at collegiate basketball games and campus events. She was also the Vice President of Life Itself Dance, a student run dance club where she taught and choreographed pieces in multiple performances. Annie recently graduated with her Doctorate in Occupational therapy from the University of Pittsburgh. She is a now a licensed Occupational Therapist working in the Pittsburgh area for Early Intervention Specialists, providing services to families with children ages 0-3. Annie has always been passionate about teaching dance and looks forward to teaching at PA Academy of Dance.
Cherie Cox Habian
Instructor
Cherie Cox Habian began her dance training at the age of 3 years old. She grew up dancing in the recreational and competitive programs in her small hometown studio of Vandergrift, PA for 15 years training in various dance styles such as, Ballet/Pointe, Tap, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Acro/Tumbling and her favorite styles being Jazz and Musical Theatre. Before earning her Dance Teacher Certification from Dance Educators of America, Cherie danced in college for the Penn State New Kensington Lady Nittany Lions Dance Team where she served as co-choreographer for 2 seasons and then joined Pittsburgh based dance company Evolve Productions where she was not just a dancer but served as an assistant to the Director while also having the opportunity to fine tune her teaching and choreography skills by learning from some of the best dancers and teachers Pittsburgh has to offer. Cherie currently owns and operates Dance Center 3 located in Natrona Heights, PA where she continues to teach dance to students of all ages recreationally, competitively and produce dance stage shows such as, “A Night at the Circus” and “A Night in Wonderland”. Cherie is excited to be joining the PA Dance Academy this season to continue to grow as a teacher and person. My favorite saying, “Dance is what I do.”