Staff
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Deb Meunier, Artistic Director
(Ballet, Modern, Creative Movement) 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. In the spring of 2001 her choreography was chosen to represent Rhode Island performing artists in the New England Artist’s Congress and she was invited back to present her choreography at the prestigious 92nd Street Y in NYC in the spring of 2003. 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. Deb 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. |
Stephanie Stanford Shaw, Assistant Director
(Ballet, Modern, Jazz)
Stephanie has been with Fusionworks Dance Company since 1992 and serves as assistant to the director for the Dance Company and director and primary choreographer for the Junior Company, Fusionworks II. Stephanie retired from her professional dance career with Fusionworks in 2013 to concentrate more on teaching. She currently teaches at the Fusionworks Dance Academy and in public and private schools and studios throughout the area. Her formal study began with prima ballerina, Anamarie Sarazin at the Sarazin School of Dance, she then went on to perform as a principal dancer with Cumberland Company and received her BFA in dance from the Boston Conservatory. Stephanie is a member of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts' Artist in Residence Educational Roster.
(Ballet, Modern, Jazz)
Stephanie has been with Fusionworks Dance Company since 1992 and serves as assistant to the director for the Dance Company and director and primary choreographer for the Junior Company, Fusionworks II. Stephanie retired from her professional dance career with Fusionworks in 2013 to concentrate more on teaching. She currently teaches at the Fusionworks Dance Academy and in public and private schools and studios throughout the area. Her formal study began with prima ballerina, Anamarie Sarazin at the Sarazin School of Dance, she then went on to perform as a principal dancer with Cumberland Company and received her BFA in dance from the Boston Conservatory. Stephanie is a member of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts' Artist in Residence Educational Roster.
Michael Diaz
(Hip Hop)
Michael was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. At the age of 11 he was inspired by a video of Chris Brown, and hasn’t stopped dancing since. While in Jenks Jr. High School he was mentored by the notable teacher, Nikki Carrara, who introduced him to the professional dance world. While there he studied Jazz, Modern, Ballet and Tap. Wanting to expand his knowledge of dance and improve in his favorite style, hip-hop, he studied under the Hip-hop master teachers Kelvin Fabian and Nino Perez. Michael graduated from the JMW School for the Performing and Visual Arts as a dance major, where he was mentored by Tovah Bodner Muro. He is known for his ability to improvise, his musicality, and his body control in a wide range of urban styles including Popping and Housing. Having participated in the national convention, Masters of Hip-Hop in Freestyle battles, Michael won 3rd place overall in 2012 and 1st place overall in 2017. He was awarded scholarships to study at both the Alvin Ailey School, and Broadway Dance Center in NYC. Michael performed with the Hip-Hop dance crew “Empire” in World of Dance BOS15 presented by Paul Mitchell. He is currently a member of the Rhode Island urban dance crew “Livelihood”. He is excited to be a member of the Fusionworks Dance Academy staff.
(Hip Hop)
Michael was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. At the age of 11 he was inspired by a video of Chris Brown, and hasn’t stopped dancing since. While in Jenks Jr. High School he was mentored by the notable teacher, Nikki Carrara, who introduced him to the professional dance world. While there he studied Jazz, Modern, Ballet and Tap. Wanting to expand his knowledge of dance and improve in his favorite style, hip-hop, he studied under the Hip-hop master teachers Kelvin Fabian and Nino Perez. Michael graduated from the JMW School for the Performing and Visual Arts as a dance major, where he was mentored by Tovah Bodner Muro. He is known for his ability to improvise, his musicality, and his body control in a wide range of urban styles including Popping and Housing. Having participated in the national convention, Masters of Hip-Hop in Freestyle battles, Michael won 3rd place overall in 2012 and 1st place overall in 2017. He was awarded scholarships to study at both the Alvin Ailey School, and Broadway Dance Center in NYC. Michael performed with the Hip-Hop dance crew “Empire” in World of Dance BOS15 presented by Paul Mitchell. He is currently a member of the Rhode Island urban dance crew “Livelihood”. He is excited to be a member of the Fusionworks Dance Academy staff.
Kalyn Messier
(Tap, Jazz, Lyrical)
Kalyn started dancing when she was 3 years old in her mother's gymnastic and dance school Shake Rattle & Roll, located in North Attleboro MA. When she was five she continued her ballet training with her grandmother at the renowned Sarizan's School of Dance. At eighteen, she started teaching classes at the studio and increased her knowledge with studies in lyrical, jazz, tap and hip-hop. In 2014, after the passing of her grandmother, Kalyn became the owner of the studio and renamed it My Forever Stars Dance Studio! After a year, she realized that she would need to close down the school in order to pursue her own education and to better herself as a teacher. In addition to teaching at Fusionworks, Kalyn has taught at Inspire Dance Academy in Franklin, and has been coaching youth cheerleading for the last 6 years. She also works at a Robbins Childrens Programs, and is going to school full time at Rhode Island College. She is excited to be part of the Fusionworks family where she teaches a variety of forms including Tap, Jazz, Ballet, and Lyrical.
(Tap, Jazz, Lyrical)
Kalyn started dancing when she was 3 years old in her mother's gymnastic and dance school Shake Rattle & Roll, located in North Attleboro MA. When she was five she continued her ballet training with her grandmother at the renowned Sarizan's School of Dance. At eighteen, she started teaching classes at the studio and increased her knowledge with studies in lyrical, jazz, tap and hip-hop. In 2014, after the passing of her grandmother, Kalyn became the owner of the studio and renamed it My Forever Stars Dance Studio! After a year, she realized that she would need to close down the school in order to pursue her own education and to better herself as a teacher. In addition to teaching at Fusionworks, Kalyn has taught at Inspire Dance Academy in Franklin, and has been coaching youth cheerleading for the last 6 years. She also works at a Robbins Childrens Programs, and is going to school full time at Rhode Island College. She is excited to be part of the Fusionworks family where she teaches a variety of forms including Tap, Jazz, Ballet, and Lyrical.