Meet Our Team
At Elevate Dance Center, our faculty isn’t just experienced—they’ve lived the journey. As former dancers and coaches from the nationally ranked Rutgers University Dance Team, our instructors bring a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in both the studio and the collegiate dance world. Each member of our team is passionate about mentorship, technical growth, and building confidence from the inside out.
From private coaching to team leadership, we’ve been in your shoes—and now we’re here to help you rise.
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Elevate Dance Center Founder & Director of the Rutgers Spirit ProgramChristine began dancing and cheering at the age of 5, going on to become a member of nationally ranked high school teams in both the U.S. and in London. She was on the first Rutgers Dance Team invited to compete at the UCA & UDA National College Cheerleading and Dance Team Championship in 1993, and led the team as captain to a seventh place finish the following year. Upon graduation, Christine became an Assistant Coach for the Cheerleading and Dance Teams. She was named Head Coach in 1998, which proved to be a great year for the program, ending in the first National Championship won by the Dance Team. While Christine continues to oversee the entire Spirit Program including Coed Cheer, the Dance Team, and the mascots, she works on a daily basis with the nationally ranked Dance Team. In 2018 and 2019 she was the head coach for the US National Pom Team when Rutgers represented USA at the ICU World Championships, the team won gold in 2018 and silver in 2019. As the current head coach of the Rutgers Spirit Program she works closely with Marketing and Fan experience for football and basketball. She is a graduate of Rutgers University, receiving both a BA and an MBA. She is married and has two beautiful sons.
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Senior Instructor
Junior Spirit CoachChristine “Rizzo” DeMartin has been studying, performing, and teaching dance for over 20 years, including competing, teaching and coaching atthe regional and national levels. Throughout the years she studied ballet, jazz, lyrical, tap, hip hop, and pom. Christine graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Sociology. During her time at Rutgers, she was also a four year letter winner and captain of the nationally ranked Rutgers University Dance Team. After graduation, she became a certified UDA instructor with Varsity brands, and created and coached a nationally ranked high school dance team in NJ. Christine works in marketing full time at the Rutgers University Foundation and enjoys continuing to share her passion for dance by consulting with and teaching dance teams and being a dance team advocate.
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Senior InstructorBorn and raised in New Jersey, Caley Scheuing is a passionate dancer, coach, and mentor with a deep-rooted love for performance and leadership. She began her athletic journey exploring various sports before fully committing to dance at 14 years old. Her training spans a wide range of styles—including ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, musical theater, and acrobatics—and she spent her competitive years training at En Pointe Dance and Acrobatics, where she also began teaching and assisting classes.
Caley earned a spot on the Matawan Regional High School Varsity Dance Team as a freshman and served as captain for the 2019–2020 season. She was later recruited to the Rutgers University Dance Team, where over four years, she competed nationally in the D1A Pom and Jazz divisions at UDA College Nationals. She was honored to serve as team captain for her senior year, helping to lead the team to a top ten finish in Division IA Jazz.
In addition to her dance accolades, Caley works professionally in collegiate athletics as a marketing, game presentation, and fan experience coordinator. She brings a unique dual perspective to her teaching—combining technical training, real-world performance experience, and a deep understanding of sports entertainment. With over ten years of competitive dance and leadership experience, Caley is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of dancers with energy, insight, and heart.
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Elevate Instructor
Justin Stillwagon is a third year member and captain of the Rutgers Dance team. He trained at Studio L Dance Company where he was captain for three years and learned various styles of dance such as jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, hip-hop, pom, and tap. Justin has worked with well-known industry professionals such as Rudy Abreu, Manny Castro, Zach Hudson, Janelle Ginestra, and many more. He also has an extensive professional background working in the dance industry. Justin has toured with Mariah Carey as a backup dancer in her “All I Want For Christmas Is You” concert in both New York and Las Vegas. He has also appeared in season one of Nickelodeon’s “Lip Sync Battle: Shorties” as well as performed on Broadway in Nickelodeon’s Upfront event. Justin has received many individual awards including 4 national titles, 1 world title, and multiple national and regional first place awards. His freshman year on the Rutgers Dance Team, he was awarded Rookie of the Year by his teammates and coaches as well as being recognized as a member of the All Big Ten Dance First Team. In just his sophomore year, Justin was awarded as Veteran of the Year and once again recognized as a member of the All Big Ten Dance First Team. Justin was recently hired as a UDA Staff Member where he teaches and consults teams across the US at an elite level. In the future, he hopes to pursue a career in dance, continuing his love for performing and choreography. Justin is known for his passion, determination, and hard work ethic which pushes him to be the best dancer, teammate, and leader he can be.
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Elevate Instructor
Junior Spirit CoachLauren Sahu is a student-athlete pursuing a B.A. in Health & Wellness Communication with a minor in Health & Society Sociology at Rutgers University, where she is one of four captains for the Rutgers University Dance Team. In addition to balancing academics and athletics, she brings creativity and energy to her role as a marketing intern with Rutgers Athletics, where she develops engaging content and supports game day promotions. Passionate about wellness, media, and entertainment, she is also a trained singer and has performed the national anthem at major athletic events. Lauren’s experience also includes, sales and teaching dance and tumbling to youth. She looks forward to spreading her love for dance and Rutgers with the Junior Spirit Program!
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Elevate Instructor
Trained in all styles of dance since the age of 2 at Star Struck Dance Studio. Has over six years of teaching experience, including group classes, private lessons, and social media promotion for the studio. Performed with the Knicks City Kids at a young age and earned top convention titles such as Power Pak Apprentice and Wild Dance Intensive apprentice. Currently a third-year member of the Rutgers University Dance Team, performing at Division 1 athletic events and national competitions, including a Top Ten finish at UDA Nationals in Jazz and Pom. Passionate about teaching, choreography, and inspiring the next generation of dancers.
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Elevate Instructor
Chandra Joy, originally from Southern California, is a third year member of the Rutgers University Dance Team. Chandra's determination and focus to elevate her dancing earned her Most Improved Dancer of the Year this past season.
Prior to Rutgers, she was a competitive dancer for 13 years on the Elite Team at The Dance Factory, where she developed a strong foundation and training in all styles of dance including jazz, contemporary, hip hop, lyrical, ballet and tap. Chandra also gained four years of teaching experience, working with dancers of all ages, levels and styles. While competing in dance, Chandra was a member of her high school Dance Team at Palos Verdes High School where she specialized in pom and gameday routines.
Currently, she is a veteran dance instructor of two years with The Spirit Consultants (TSC), working with diverse teams of all levels to build technical skill, confidence, and team unity. Chandra works in high-energy settings providing personalized instruction, as well as leading material sessions, technique classes, and performance workshops. Her role as a veteran TSC Dance Instructor has strengthened her leadership, choreography, and teaching skills while helping athletes grow on and off the field.
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Elevate Instructor
Elinore is a highly passionate and dedicated dancer who has 12 years of technical training in ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, and jazz. She trained at Studio L Dance Company where she was a strong and integral member of the UDA Varsity All-Star Team. Elinore played a crucial role in securing multiple national titles and achieving a world title. In addition to her extensive technical training, Elinore has taught dance for the past 5 years to a wide variety of ages. Elinore's dance experience extends into film and television, with notable credits such as Netflix's "Happy Gilmore 2," Nickelodeon's "Lip Sync Battle Shorties," The Knocks and Wyclef Jean's "Kiss the Sky" music video, and The Harlem Globetrotters Halftime Show. These experiences highlight her adaptability and professional presence in diverse performance settings.
Currently, Elinore is a sophomore at Rutgers University where she is pursuing a business degree and a minor in psychology. She is going into her second year on the Rutgers University Dance Team and during her freshman year she received Rookie of the Year and the All-Big Ten Dance Rookie Team. Elinore was recently hired as a UDA staff member, giving her the opportunity to work with a multitude of teams across the country. Known for her passion, dedication, leadership, and lighthearted personality, Elinore is a wonderful teacher and mentor that brings a positive experience to her students!
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Elevate Instructor
Mia Ciociano has been a dedicated competitive dancer for over 15 years. Throughout her dance career, she has earned numerous first-place awards, along with many regional and national titles, and has been recognized multiple times for her outstanding technique. As a young child, Mia was cast on Dance Moms (Season 6 – “The Minis”) and appeared on the show as part of the mini team. Most recently, she performed as a dancer in the movie Happy Gilmore 2.
Currently, Mia is teaching and working with various teams as a UDA staff member while also proudly representing the nationally ranked Division IA Rutgers University Dance Team. At Rutgers, she continues to train, perform, and compete at an elite level. In her freshman year on the team, Mia was honored as the All-Big Ten Dance Rookie Team, followed by being awarded the All-Big Ten Dance Second Team in her sophomore year.
Known for her dedication, hard work, and passion, Mia brings a positive and motivating energy to everyone she works with, always uplifting her teammates and students. After college, she hopes to pursue a professional career in dance, continuing to perform, teach, and share her love of the art form with others.
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Elevate Instructor
Yeri began dancing at the age of four, initially training at Showbiz Kids Dance Center for five years before relocating to East Brunswick, New Jersey. She continued her training at Central Jersey Dance and Gymnastics, where she developed a strong technical foundation across multiple styles. Over the years, Yeri has grown into a versatile and passionate performer, earning three national championship titles with her dance team. Her favorite styles are jazz and pom, which highlight her precision and performance energy.
Currently, Yeri is a sophomore at Rutgers University, studying Business while being a proud member of the Division IA Rutgers University Dance Team. Passionate about teaching, she has led numerous drop-in classes and private lessons over the years. Most recently, she worked as a UDA staff member, teaching at various camps throughout the region during the summer.
Outside of dance, Yeri enjoys baking and loves traveling to Disney World.
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Elevate Instructor
Olivia Musanti has taught dance and acro skills for over 10 years. At 3 years old she attended her first dance class at Chez Renee in Middlesex, NJ and never looked back. At Chez Renee she was a competitive dancer for 12 years and student taught throughout her highschool career.
Realizing how much she loved the work it took to get dancers on stage, she began teaching her own classes at the studio while earning her American Studies degree from Rutgers University. The fall after graduation she began as a teaching artist for “Dance Power”, a long running non-profit dance program offered to 3rd graders in New Brunswick Public Schools through American Repertory Ballet. She continues to work with multiple studios and programs, gaining more expertise with each year!
Alongside dance, Olivia is also a Yoga Teacher who applies many strengthening/stretching techniques to her acro and technical training. She enjoys helping students conquer challenges and proudly celebrates their success. She believes in teaching dancers how to trust themselves while creating a safe environment for them to learn new skills!