Every Child Deserves To Learn The Art Of Dance
Has been teaching in various styles of dance for over 15 years, and dancing for over 25 years. Teaching ages from 3 Adult. Ali has a passion for working with children and helping them find their talents, expressing their emotions, pushing them to work hard all in a loving environment. Ali has trained dancers who danced for fun as well as helping students continue into a career. She has helped them apply for colleges, performing art schools, auditions, and encouraged them all the way through there journeys. Ali has trained extensively in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Hip-Hop, & Partnering. She has studied with Master Class teachers in Dance, Acting, & Musical Theater. Ali was the recipient of a 2006 Scholarship award, to attend the National Master Class Workshop in all styles of dance. She has received numerous 1st place & platinum awards at competitions both regionally & national. She has been awarded a Choreography award at the 2012 Nex-Star Competition. Ali has been a guest performer for many events including performing Off Broadway in N.Y.C. with the Beginnings Workshop. She has been a judge and assisted in casting for professional dance teams/companies. She has trained dancers to perform on cruises, performances, and prepare them for competitions. Ali has also choreographed for Church Musicals, Christmas Productions & Harrisburg Heat Professional Dance Team, and more. Most importantly Ali continues her education every year by taking classes with top of the line choreographers and dancer to ensure she is bringing the most current dance instructor to her students .
Kimberly has been dancing for over 20 years and has been a dance instructor for over 7 years. She teaches all ages from three to adult. When teaching, she is not only focused on the technique but also on the importance of having fun while dancing. Growing up, Kimberly's idol was Shirley Temple and that little girl never danced without a smile on her face. Seeing how happy and full of energy Shirley Temple was encouraged Kimberly to pursue tap, which is her passion. Besides tap, Kimberly also enjoys hip-hop and has performed other styles of dance such as jazz, lyrical, acrobatics, break dance, and ballet. Kimberly is full of enthusiasm for this dance year and cannot wait to share her passion of dance with her dance students.
Salem loves to share her passion for dance at B.O.D. by working as a dance instructor. When she is not at the studio, she works full-time with Tuscano Agency as their Marketing Promotions Coordinator. And, when she isn't working, she likes to cook with her husband, take walks on Penn Avenue, and buy her black cat Mabel sweaters. Throughout Salem's 21 years of dancing, she has always enjoyed watching and encouraging others to grow as dancers and people. During the past eight years as a teacher, she has wanted to make sure her students feel important and know they are capable of anything they set their minds to. Furthering her education in dance, Salem takes courses focused on pointe shoe readiness. In addition, she takes dance classes. She graduated from Kutztown University and earned her B.F.A. in Communication Design with a concentration in Advertising Design. While in college, she choreographed and performed with Performing Dance Portmanteau, Kutztown University's Dance Company, from 2015 to 2019. She was a very active member of the executive board and became president in her senior year. In addition, she taught dance camps during the summers and was a part of the Reading Royals Ice Angels Dance Team from 2019 to 2020. She has dance training in ballet, pointe, lyrical, tap, jazz, and modern and is always eager to further develop her knowledge in all styles.
Amy Baranoski graduated from the Pennsylvania Institute of Massage Therapy in 2008. She specializes in Myofascial Release & Orthopedic/Medical Massage. Amy has worked in a variety of Medical/Professional settings & is dedicated to bringing the best possible treatment to her clients. She has been working with Young Living Essential Oils since 2008 & Aromatherapy treatments can be added to any Massage. Amy has been practicing Yoga since 2007 & has been teaching Yoga since 2014. She holds a 200 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher Certificate & is a member of the Yoga Alliance.
Athena has dance experience that spans over 11 years. Athena was one of the first students to enroll at Branches of Dance. She can now be found working front desk, and teaching adult classes. Athena also enjoys being a substitute dance instructor. Starting off with Hip-Hop, Athena grew to love more styles such as Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, and Lyrical. Athena has competed in multiple dance competitions, local community events, and has performed multiple roles in The Nutcracker. Athena is attending racc majoring in business administration. She loves dancing and hopes to always have dance in her life.
Maliya has been dancing for over 14 years. Maliya student taught under Ms. Ali for 4 years. She enjoys working with children and sharing her passion, which is dancing. Maliya is currently going to RACC. She hopes to continue and receive a degree in dance. Maliya has attended multiple dance competitions both regionally and nationally. She enjoyed performing in local community events, and The Nutcracker remixed. Recently, Maliya has choreographed Reading Area Community College's first ever all campus musical.
Miss Cheyanne graduated from Muhlenberg College in 2020 with a BA in Dance and Theatre, receiving the Elizabeth A. Carlson Memorial Award for Creative Leadership in Dance. She was honored to attend the American College Dance Association annual conference for three years as an extension of her choreographic and performance education. Cheyanne currently teaches dance, theatre, and yoga throughout Eastern Pennsylvania, and continues to further her training through the National Dance Educators Association, and the Yoga Alliance. She is a 200hr Certified Yoga Teacher, a Pranayama certification candidate, and is also certifying in preschool fine arts programming. She has choreographed Seussical Jr. and The Little Mermaid Jr. at EPAC(2021,2022) , and Oley Valley High School’s The Wizard of Oz (2023). In February 2023, she was a dance competition judge in Allentown, PA. Cheyanne’s experience also includes performing at The Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, The Fulton Opera House, American Music Theatre, Muhlenberg College, and with Muhlenberg’s Summer Music Theatre professional company. She has worked in house and production management, arts administration, directing, special education, wellness, and STEM programming. Throughout her training and experience, her ultimate passion has been supporting students, asking them to work hard, be kind, ask questions, and know they are capable of amazing things.
Like branches on a tree we all grow in different directions, but our roots remain the same. At Branches of Dance we are instructing children on more than just great dancing. We are teaching them how to grow confidence, friendships, and self-expression. Our staff is dedicated to nurturing and guiding every child through the steps of dance to becoming the best person, and performer they can be.
At
Branches of Dance, we believe that every child deserves to learn the art of dance, from basic tumbling to professional modern dance. As such, our goal has always been to transform our combined decades of dance experience into a professional and safe
Reading studio where your child will feel at home learning about all forms of dance.
Ali Perzel
Director
From tots to teens and all points in between, our dancing students range in age from 3 to 18. Most are located directly in Reading but some even travel from nearby towns to experience the many advantages that our teachers bring to the table.
While we enjoy teaching kids of all ages both the basics and finer points of ballet, jazz, and acrobatics, our primary activities center on children between 3 and 7. By teaching proper techniques at an early age, we're able to build the all-important foundation from which all further dance learning will spring.
There may be other dance studios in the greater Reading area, but Branches of Dance provides an excellent option for a number of reasons:
Our dance classes are designed to be accessible, beneficial, and, above all, fun for your child. Sign up with Branches of Dance and you'll quickly understand what we mean by, “Rooted in passion, growing our dreams.”
