Miss Bryanna - Owner / Director

Bryanna has been a dedicated part of Dance Theatre at Wellington since it's doors first opened in 2008. Together, with her husband Howie, they are committed to maintaining a family-centered environment where warmth, creativity, and connection are top priorities - and where every student and parent truly feels like part of the Dance Theatre family. Bryanna studied Business and Management at Palm Beach State College when she moved to Florida with her family in 1989 from Upstate New York. Outside the studio, she’s the proud mom of Jesse, Tayler, and Jordan, and is happily married for 32 years to her creative partner in life, Mr. Howie.

Miss Sam - DTX Team Director

Samantha Ricciardi (Miss Sam) is a seasoned dance teacher and choreographer with over 16 years of experience. Miss Sam has been honing her craft since she was 3 years old, getting her earlier training from the premier studio in Long Island, NY, taught by Tina Ciardullo, and eventually working with professionals from all over the US. Miss Sam began competitively dancing at the age of 7 and has always had a passion for choreography and working with kids. Miss Sam continued her training in Jazz, Musical Theatre, Hip hop, and burlesque while living in LA. She's worked at a few of the larger studios in the area, and once she found her home with the Dance Theater family, she hasn’t looked back.

Miss Brittany - DTX Team Director

Miss Brittany was born and raised in New Jersey where she cultivated her early dance education and formed her passion for the art form. Her education began at The Dance Stop Dance Educational Center under the direction of Gina Forcella. During her training she had the opportunity to study under Gina Forcella, Sara Pyun, Ann Marie Felber, Mike Minery, Al Blackstone, Thang Doa, and Rosemary Sabovick-Bleich. Before relocating to Florida, Miss Brittany attended the Fine Performing Arts Academy at Howell High School under the direction of Lisa Twamely. Upon relocating Miss Brittany graduated from Dreyfoos School of the Arts in Dance and began to make the shift from performer to teacher. She began teaching and choreographing for multiple locations across Palm Beach County, before taking over the Wellington High School Dance Team as head coach in 2011. Under her direction, The Royals Dance Team achieved numerous State Title Placements in Pom, Jazz and soloists, national placements in Pom and Jazz and soloists, and an invitation to perform at the Sugar Bowl in 2013. Miss Brittany transitioned to faculty staff at Dance Theatre at Wellington in 2019, with a main focuses in contemporary, lyrical, and technical training. Over the years Miss Brittany has choreographed numerous pieces for the DTX Team, landing top judicial marks, placements, titles, special awards and choreography awards. Known for her hands-on tough-love approach to teaching and mentoring, you can find Miss Brittany working with our DTX team developing them into athletically strong dancers and well as mindful and productive young artists.

Miss Kat - DTC Team Director

Kat Lane began dancing when she was three years old and began dancing competitively when she was nine. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, acro, musical theater, and pointe.

In 2017, Kat began working as an assistant dance teacher and has worked under nine dance teachers since that time. Kat is very grateful for the years she spent assisting because she learned a wide variety of classroom management techniques that she regularly uses today. Kat teaches with an emphasis on safe stretching.

Kat was the DTX Team Captain for the 2024-2025 season. She is currently the Director/Coach of the performance team... DTC (Dance Theatre Company). She looks forward to helping her fellow dancers reach their goals and attain personal growth both inside and outside of the studio.

Kat aspires to be a studio owner one day.

Miss Giuliana

Giuliana has been dancing for over 19 years. She is a Dance Theatre alumni where she competed on the DTX team. During her time with Dance Theatre she performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Giuliana is a graduate from the University of Florida where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Advertising and a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. While studying at UF she participated in numerous faculty works as well as student and guest artists in residency works. She was hand selected to be a part of a Dance Company titled MOD under the direction of Trent D. Williams. She was chosen to be a part of the University Scholars Program where she was able to participate in undergraduate research. She studied the phenomenon of overthinking and its effects on dancers, which was coupled with a choreographic work titled, "The More I Think About It." This fall she will be studying for her Master's in Mass Communications with a specialization in Digital Strategy at UF. She is excited to be back home and have the opportunity to teach the next generation of dancers.

Miss Ria

Ria is a professional dancer as well as a choreographer and teacher. Her dance training began at the age of 4. She has trained in numerous styles such as jazz, ballet, hip hop, contemporary, ballroom, and pointe. Sam has been in movies, music videos, & has worked with artists such as Pitbul, Amara La Negra, Prince Royce, DJ Khaled, Venus & Serena Williams, and Farruko. She has extensive knowledge and experience in the industry, which she loves to bring to her classroom and share with her students. She brings a fun and energetic atmosphere to her classes and rehearsals. Her pieces have won outstanding performance awards.

Miss Danielle

Danielle Ramos was born in NY and moved to Fl when she was 18 yrs old. Danielle started competitive gymnastics at the age of 5. She was a level 10 gymnast, one step below elite, and went on to compete in the Jr. olympics at the age of 17. Danielle has won many 1st place medals and trophies. In addition, Danielle was the vault and floor champion in the state of NY in 1988. The same year Danielle competed in the Empire State Games in Canada, Danielle took home the gold medal in the all around. Danielle loves teaching acro classes of all ages and levels. Danielle is also mom to Jaiden.

Miss Gigi

Giovanna Costa started dancing at the age of 10. She immediately fell in love with the art of dance. She began taking on the dance world at a young age by participating in competitions, shows, performances and conventions. Currently Giovanna is a member of the Hoodlums Company Crew, an award winning hip hop troupe. In 2022, they had the honor of performing at World of Dance in Los Angeles.

Giovanna has performed in the Nutcracker as well as Alice in Wonderland where she played the role of the Red Queen. Giovanna has also performed at many local events in our community.

Giovanna loves to share her passion for dance with her students. Giovanna appreciates all styles of dance and is excited to work with her students to achieve their dance goals.

Miss Kayla

Kayla Grammerstorf is a dance performer, choreographer, and educator originally from the Philadelphia region. She is a recent graduate of Muhlenberg College where she pursued degrees in Dance Performance and Accounting. Kayla has been trained in Classical and Contemporary Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Pointe, Tap, and Hip-Hop. She was involved in a tap company based in Philadelphia called Footwerx and had the opportunity to perform at the Wilma Theater, Arts Bank Theater, and Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. At Muhlenberg College, Kayla had the chance to work with artists Heidi Cruz-Austin, Karen Dearborn, Natalie Gotter, Randall Anthony Smith, guest artist Melanie George, and several student choreographers. Kayla has choreographed five musicals for the Phoenixville Area Middle School and multiple dance pieces for studios in the Philadelphia area. As a choreographer and educator, she strives to create an environment for dancers to grow and find their voice in her movement.

Miss Cassie

Cassie is a proud alumna of Dance Theatre, having joined at the age of 11. She quickly became a dedicated member of the DTX competition team. One of her most memorable experiences was performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with her fellow team members. Since then, Cassie has remained deeply involved with Dance Theatre. She began teaching summer campers during her senior year of high school and has continued every summer since. Now, as she finishes her final semester of college online, Cassie is excited to join the Dance Theatre team as an instructor. She is currently pursuing a degree in Exercise Science at the University of South Florida, which she skillfully integrates into her dance instruction. Certified in Barre and Pilates, Cassie is eager to introduce these disciplines to her classes. With a strong foundation in fitness, she is committed to enhancing dancers' strength and overall performance in the classroom.

Miss Mileyka

Born into a Puerto Rican family, Mileyka Mateo began her early ballet studies at the age of 3. As a young dancer, she was the first prize winner at many prestigious dance competitions including the Regional winner at the "Youth America Grand Prix" Competition for both the Classical Ballet and Contemporary divisions in North Carolina and was a finalist in the New York City Finals before her dance career even took off. She has trained on full scholarships year round at The School of American Ballet Theatre & Miami City Ballet. A casting director from New York City spotted Mateo in a youtube video and shortly after flew her to New York City and casted her in Arthur Laurent's Revival of West Side Story on Broadway as a shark girl role of "Bebecita" on Broadway. She has also danced for many artists such as Rick Ross, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, J Balvin Daddy Yankee. Mileyka has also appeared on Regis & Kelly, Dancing With the Stars, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tony Awards, Good Morning America, The Disney Channel and other hit Television shows. Mileyka was casted as a principal dancer in Univision's latin version of Dancing With The Stars, "Mira Quien Baila." That year she also joined the Ballet/Contemporary Company of "Ballet Hispanico" located in New York City for a few seasons. Mileyka made her debut in Radio City's Christmas Spectacular's Rockettes Holiday show as a featured ensemble dancer in New York City. She has also been spotted in Stephen Spielberg's hot new Television series "SMASH" as a principal dancer.

She has had the pleasure of being a model of So Danca's Model Ambassador Campaign for dance wear. Mileyka's NBA credits include dancing for the Orlando Magic NBA Team. She has also enjoyed performing at Walt Disney World as an equity performer. Her most favorite career highlight has been being able to perform with Shakira & Jennifer Lopez in Miami's Super Bowl LIV in 2020. She is currently a dancer worldwide for Latin sensation Natti Natasha. Her most recent credit was performing in the Formula 1 opening ceremony with Jbalvin in Las Vegas.

Mileyka continues looking forward to what the future holds as she continues to strive forward in her dance career.

Miss Jordan

Jordan began dancing when Dance Theatre opened its doors in Wellington in 2008. During her 13 years at Dance Theatre, she was trained in Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop, Ballet, Lyrical, and Musical Theatre. She competed on the DTX team, where she performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2016. While in high school, Jordan was captain of her dance team at Wellington High School, leading her team through the season, teaching 20+ Pom dances, and implementing conditioning sessions. Jordan continued her dance education in Gainesville, FL, where she continued taking classes in Contemporary, Ballet, Musical Theatre, and Heels at Gainesville Movement Studio. While in Gainesville, she competed in multiple inter-fraternity dance competitions with her sorority, and choreographed routines in Hip Hop, Jazz, and Musical Theatre.

In 2025, Jordan graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, and extensive knowledge regarding exercise science and how the body reacts to movement. Jordan received her Barre fitness certification in 2022, which she uses alongside her degree to focus on proper strength training and injury prevention techniques with her dancers. She aims to one day get her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree, continuing to focus on injury prevention and rehabilitation in dancers.

Miss Amy

Amy is originally from NJ where she began her dance training at an early age. She spent many years competing before graduating High School. While in college she began teaching dance and earned her bachelors degree in psychology. She has experience teaching preschool - High School classes and spent 5 years choreographing award winning competition pieces before moving to Florida. Since moving to Florida she has earned her CDA, as well as her 40 hour child care training certification, allowing her to become a pre-school teacher. She has continued teaching dance with a focus on pre-school and in 2015 opened her own company, First Steps Dance & Tumbling. First Steps started in preschools and can now be found in Country Clubs, Summer Camps and other kid friendly locations. Over the last few years, Amy created a Mommy And Me class and began teaching Pop Up classes throughout Palm Beach County. Most recently, Amy put her passion for barre class to good use and in 2023 became a certified instructor.

It has been quite a journey, shifting from children's classes to adult classes, but well worth it. Amy is currently working on her AcroDance pre-school certification and is excited to bring all her new knowledge to Dance Theatre at Wellington!

Miss Siobhan

Siobhan was born and raised in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, where her passion for both dance and gymnastics began at an early age. A highly accomplished competitive gymnast, she became a Level 10 Junior Olympic National All-Around Champion by the age of 16.

Siobhan received her dance training at the Berkshire Dance Theatre, where she studied ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and acrobatics. She is classically trained and holds the highest-level certification in Acrobatic Arts, a discipline in which she specializes.

Siobhan earned a partial scholarship to Dean College School of Dance, where she graduated with a BFA in Performing Arts. During her senior year, she was accepted into the prestigious Alvin Ailey Independent Study program in New York City. After graduation, she moved to the Bay Area of California to pursue a professional career in dance and acrobatics.

Her professional credits include training with Alonzo King LINES Ballet and Cirque du Soleil. She performed with the Stacey Prince Company from 2008–2011 and was an acrobatic arts soloist with the SF Union from 2012–2015. Siobhan also performed as the Russian dancer in The Nutcracker with Peninsula Ballet Theatre and appeared as an acrobatic dancer with Cirque du Soleil across the Bay Area and throughout California.

In addition to her performance career, Siobhan brings over 15 years of teaching experience to the studio. She is passionate about helping young dancers grow in strength, confidence, and artistry, and is thrilled to be a part of the Dance Theatre at Wellington faculty.

Miss Melanie

Melanie is a professional dancer, choreographer, and educator with over 10 years of teaching experience inspiring dancers of all ages and skill levels. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Dance from SUNY Brockport and is a graduate of the Long Island High School for the Arts. She also completed the prestigious Broadway Dance Center Professional Semester Internship Program in New York City.

As a professional performer, Melanie has appeared in multiple regional theater productions, as well as parades/show performances at Walt Disney World, bringing years of stage experience into every class she teaches. Her passion for storytelling through movement and performance has shaped her teaching philosophy, encouraging students to develop strong technique, confidence, artistry, and a genuine love for dance.

In addition to her performance career, Melanie is a BroadwayWorld Central Florida Award nominee for Best Choreography, recognized for her creative vision and dynamic staging. Whether working with recreational dancers or aspiring professionals, she is dedicated to creating a positive, challenging, and supportive environment where every student can grow both technically and artistically.

Melanie is excited to share her passion for dance and help each student discover their unique potential both in and out of the studio.

Miss Danika

Danika Butler was truly born into the world of performance. Her parents met while performing on cruise ships, where they created and performed production shows together. After settling in South Florida to raise a family, Danika's mother went on to own dance studios in Palm Beach County for 20 years, allowing Danika to grow up immersed in the studio environment from an early age.

Danika began dancing at the age of three and competing by age eight. She trained at BAK Middle School of the Arts and was part of Wellington High School's Dance Company, where she was inducted into the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA). She has also trained at renowned studios including Millennium Dance Complex, Broadway Dance Center, BASE Dance Studios, and Pineapple Dance Studios. Her performance experience includes Miami Heat games, the Miami Dolphins New Year's Halftime Show, and numerous theatrical productions.

With 12 years of teaching experience, Danika has taught dancers of all ages and levels in ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, tap, musical theatre, and acro. She has choreographed recital performances and award-winning competition routines while working with both recreational and competitive dancers. Throughout her career, she served as Competition Company Director and later as Performance Team Director. Her experience as an au pair in London and years of working with children have further strengthened her ability to connect with students in a positive, encouraging, and supportive way.

Danika loves sharing her passion for dance and helping every student grow in confidence, technique, and artistry.

Miss Marissa

Marissa Camper, originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is dedicated to igniting a passion for dance in today's youth and sharing her love for the art form with the next generation. She grew up in The Lady Hoofers Tap Youth Ensemble, later joining the Apprentice company, and was also a member of Uniting Colleges Through Tap. Marissa participated in the University of the Arts Summer Institute, to which she was awarded a scholarship. While studying at Muhlenberg College, she had the honor of training with Shelley Oliver, a founding member of Manhattan Tap. As an active member of the arts community, Marissa attended the Jazz Philadelphia Summit and the Association of Arts Administration Educators Conference. Marissa holds a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from Florida Atlantic University.

Marissa's performance credits include the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, The Tapcracker, Tap Ties National Tap Dance Day, and Muhlenberg mainstage productions. She has performed numerous pieces of traditional choreography, such as Buster Brown's "Laura" and "Fascinatin' Rhythm," Dianne Walker's "Cute," the Cookie Cook Soft Shoe, Bill Robinson's "Doin' The New Low Down," and Eddie Brown's BS Chorus. Marissa has also had the opportunity to share the stage with Jill Kenney, a faculty member at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. She has attended tap festivals around the country, including The Big Apple Tap Festival (NYC), Rhythm World (Chicago), Tap Ties Festival (Allentown, PA), So Flo Tap Festival (Lake Worth, FL), Third Coast Rhythm Project (Austin, TX), Art Beat Tap Festival (Austin, TX), and most recently, Riff (Dallas, TX).

In the summer of 2024, Marissa participated in a choreographic residency with Dianne Walker at the North Carolina Rhythm Tap Festival. Additionally, Marissa expanded her training internationally, taking classes with master teacher Sarah Reich in Florence, Italy. Marissa teaches dancers of all ages and assists with marketing at studios across Palm Beach and Broward counties. She recently received her Acrobatic Arts Certification in the summer of 2026 and continues to grow as a performer, choreographer, and educator.

Mr. Carlos

Carlos de Barros earned his BFA in Dance, with honors, through the University of Florida/New World School of the Arts collaborative dance performance program. He furthered his training by attending nationally recognized workshops, including The Pulse, The Jazz Dance World Congress, and Broadway Dance Center. Carlos also holds certifications in Zumba, PiYo, children's yoga, and a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in Vinyasa and Yin. He continues to expand his expertise through certifications in personal training, sports nutrition, and CPR.

As a professional dancer, Carlos has performed with several Florida-based companies, including American Dance Theatre, Freddick Bratcher & Company, Palm Beach Festival Ballet, and Demetrius Klein Dance Company. His performance experience includes appearances throughout Florida and Georgia, international performances in Taiwan with the New World Dancers, commercial work, music videos, and numerous guest artist engagements.

Carlos spent 15 years as a faculty member at the renowned Bak Middle School of the Arts, where he taught all levels of dance, repertory, and choreography. Throughout his career, he has also guest taught and choreographed for Miami City Ballet, Palm Beach Atlantic University, New World School of the Arts, public and private schools, dance festivals, and summer intensives across the country. He is a sought-after master teacher, choreographer, and adjudicator for dance studios, conventions, and competitions nationwide.

Carlos is excited to join the faculty at Dance Theatre at Wellington, where he looks forward to sharing his extensive professional experience, passion for dance, and commitment to excellence with the next generation of artists. He is dedicated to helping every dancer build strong technique, confidence, artistry, and a lifelong love of dance.

Miss Ava

Ava was born and raised in South Florida and has been a trained dancer since the age of three, with experience in Ballet, Tap, Lyrical, Jazz, Hip Hop, and more. She is also a competitive cheerleader, which has helped her develop a strong foundation in discipline, teamwork, confidence, and performance.

Ava brings her love of dance and passion for working with children to Dance Theatre at Wellington, where she strives to bring out the best in every dancer. With seven years of experience working with children in classroom settings and numerous summer camps, she understands the importance of creating an environment where students feel encouraged, supported, and excited to learn.

Ava has a genuine passion for being a positive role model for her students. She loves watching dancers grow in their technique and confidence while helping them discover their own love for dance. Her goal is to be a leader her students can look up to, learn from, and feel inspired by.