Deb Meunier serves as artistic director and primary choreographer for Fusionworks Dance Company and Fusionworks Dance Academy. Her choreography has been produced at Jacob’s Pillow, Dance Services Network, ECA, The Mayfair Festival in PA, Artspace of New Haven, the Gowanis Outback Series, The Field, and the 92nd Street Y of NYC. Her work was chosen to represent RI at the New England Artist’s Congress and she has been invited to present her work two times at the prestigious 92nd Street Y in NYC. Companies throughout the Northeast including the Rhode Island College Modern Dance Company, Brown University Dance Extension, Providence College Dance Company, WORKS Contemporary Dance of Hartford, and Bridgewater State University have commissioned her works.
Deb is known for her spirit of collaboration and has worked with painters, musicians, sculptors, filmmakers and other choreographers and dancers throughout the years. She is a member of the Artists in Residence Educational Roster as well as the New England Foundation for the Arts Roster. Deb received a MALS and the Rulewater Prize from Wesleyan University for her work on an interdisciplinary choreography with the Rhode Island School for the Deaf. Ms. Meunier received the 2003 Individual Achievement Award from the Arts and Business Council of RI for her significant contributions to the arts in Rhode Island. She was also awarded a Meet the Composer Fellowship in 2006 and 2012 from the New England Foundation for the Arts for a project in collaboration with world percussionist Michael DeQuattro. In 2015 Deb received the prestigious RI Foundation Fellows Award for her contributions to the Arts in Rhode Island. She considers herself a life-long learner.
Deb is known for her spirit of collaboration and has worked with painters, musicians, sculptors, filmmakers and other choreographers and dancers throughout the years. She is a member of the Artists in Residence Educational Roster as well as the New England Foundation for the Arts Roster. Deb received a MALS and the Rulewater Prize from Wesleyan University for her work on an interdisciplinary choreography with the Rhode Island School for the Deaf. Ms. Meunier received the 2003 Individual Achievement Award from the Arts and Business Council of RI for her significant contributions to the arts in Rhode Island. She was also awarded a Meet the Composer Fellowship in 2006 and 2012 from the New England Foundation for the Arts for a project in collaboration with world percussionist Michael DeQuattro. In 2015 Deb received the prestigious RI Foundation Fellows Award for her contributions to the Arts in Rhode Island. She considers herself a life-long learner.
Amy Maria Burns graduated magna cum laude from Adelphi University with a BFA in dance. She had the honor of working and studying with Robert Christopher, Carmen DeLavallade, Gail Gilbert, Edisa Weeks and Rebecca Wright. Ms. Burns has danced in works by Robert Battle, Maria Bauman, Laura Bennett, Colin Connor, Danny Grossman, Deb Meunier, David Parsons, Pascal Rioult and Anna Sokolow. Amy currently dances with American Dance Legacy Initiative’s repertory company, Dancing Legacy, Fusionworks Dance Company and Marsha Parrilla/Danza Organica. She is a former member of Sokolow Now, dedicated to performing the works and preserving the legacy of choreographer Anna Sokolow. Amy is also a freelance teacher working most recently at Brown University and Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School. She is currently on faculty at Dancing Arts Center, Ballet Arts Worcester and is a Balanced Body certified Pilates instructor. When not dancing she spends most of her time with her three greatest accomplishments who go by the names Anthony, Eliana, and Marcus.
Melody Gamba has been dancing since she was able to walk, Melody received her early training from Carolyn Dutra. Melody was awarded a dance and academic scholarship to Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. While there she was a member of the Marymount College Dance Company and was assistant rehearsal director. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance and was awarded the “Silver M” for outstanding leadership in the Marymount College dance community. She was also invited to attend The Ailey School summer intensive on scholarship and taught in The Aliey School’s Jr. Training Division. She studied under and performed works by Milton Myers, Elizabeth Auclair, Merle Holloman, Deb Meunier, Laura Bennett, Julie Strandberg, Robert Battle, Andrea Woods, and Chris Elam. She was awarded jazz scholarships from Mia Michaels and Tom Ralabate. In 2006, Motif Magazine awarded Melody “Best Choreography” for her work on “A Christmas Carol, the Musical”. Melody is the Pilates Director at C.O.R.E. Pilates Mind/Body studio and has advance training in programs for cancer patients, golfers, pre-natal fitness, anatomy for movement and body conditioning, injury prevention, and rehabilitation. She was honored to be invited to perform with SOKOLOW NOW! Anna Sokolow Contemporary Dance Company and American Dancing Legacy. She recently joined the Dance Department staff as an adjunct dance professor at Salve Regina University.
Emily Kennard grew up in Dayton, Ohio, where she began her dance education with Joyce Dalton. In high school, Emily was a part of the Centerville Dance Company under the direction of Tenille Redmond. Continuing her dance education in college, she received a BA in Dance with a minor in Film from the Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. While at Slippery Rock, Emily was fortunate enough to perform works by Doug Varone, Kristin Hapke, Tara Madsen Robbins, Teena Marie Custer, and Jennifer Keller. Also during her time there, Emily was the Assistant Director of Rock Dance Company, the Vice President of Sigma Rho Delta, and the Co-Director of Dance Express. Working to infuse dance and film technology, Emily choreographed and produced Arthouse 13 in May 2013. The show included 7 original works in a cinema format. Upon graduation, Emily moved to New York City where she performed with Touch Theory Dance Company, under the direction of Jen Montoya. In 2014, Emily was a part of the Forza Malizia Dance Company, under the direction of Maria Malizia. With Forza, she was able to perform works in the styles of tap, contemporary, and West African. Emily moved to Rhode Island in early 2015, and she is currently teaching dance at The Talent Factory.
Sheramy Keegan-Turcotte was born and raised in Massachusetts. While living in New York City she had the pleasure of performing with Jana Hicks, Noemie LaFrance’s SENS Production, Isabel Gotskowsky and Dancers, Lexington Dance Collective, Avila/Weeks Dance, Cornfield Dance, Nina Buisson, Ko-Ryo Dance Theater and Silver Brown Dance among others. She has also performed nationally and internationally with the Next Stage Project and has performed in works by Kevin Wynn, Oliver Steele, Doug Elkins and Jane Franklin. She was awarded a Masters of Science in Dance Science with Merit from the Laban Centre for Dance in London, UK. She graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance from Shenandoah Conservatory and an AA in Dance from Dean College. Sheramy is a certified Pilates Instructor and has worked extensively as a dance researcher, grant writer and arts administrator. Sheramy joined Fusionworks in 2008.
Stephanie Stanford Shaw has been with Fusionworks since 1992. She serves as assistant to the director for the company and director and primary choreographer for Fusionworks II. In addition to serving as business manager for Fusionworks Stephanie also teaches at the Fusionworks Dance Academy and Dancin' Spirit Performing Arts. Stephanie is a member of the Fusionworks Educational Team and has presented programs in schools and community centers throughout the region. She is also a member of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Artist in Residence Educational Roster. Her work, “All You Need to Know”, was chosen to represent the Rhode Island dance scene as part of the 2002 National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) conference and in 2012 her dance “Turf Wars?” was performed at “Day of Dance” presented by Dance Alliance of Rhode Island and the Massachusetts Dance Education Organization. Stephanie danced for Fusionworks from 1992 to 2014 and before joining Fusionworks Stephanie was a principal dancer with the Cumberland Company for the Performing Arts. Stephanie has a BFA in dance from the Boston Conservatory.