Amanda is the director and owner of Dance Fusion. Amanda earned her bachelor's degree in physical education, with a concentration in dance from Baldwin-Wallace College in 2001. She was captain and choreographer of her college dance team. She went on to dance professionally for three different professional sports teams including the Cleveland Cavaliers, The Cleveland Barons and the Cleveland Force. Amanda has over 25 years of dance experience and has studied with several top instructors including, but not limited to, Dee Hillier, Sonja Kraljevic, Nancy Arcury and Marguerite Duncan. She has traveled to New York, California, Chicago, Virginia, Phoenix and Cincinnati to continue her training and update her field of study. Concurrently, Miss Amanda is returning to Revere High School for her 6th season as head coach of the Revere Varsity Dance Team.

Additionally, Amanda is a highly trained and certified Pilates instructor. She has been studying Pilates since 2001 and became certified in 2006 through the prestigous Core Dynamics organization - a 450 hour comprehensive program. Her certification process included mentoring, observing, assisting, supervised practice teaching, apprentice hours, a written test and physical practical. She has worked with students with knee replacements, hip replacements, back pain, scoliosis, and breast cancer. She is a pink ribbon post rehabilitative breast cancer specialist, trained to assist breast cancer survivors. 

Rachael studied under scholarship at Cleveland City Dance with Paul Wilson and Linda Adolphi of the Cleveland Ballet. Upon graduation from high school, she began her performing career by touring as Dance Captain/Choreographer with such production shows as The Future of Magic, The Illusion Corps, and The Magic of Adam Williams at The Magic Castle. Rachael also choreographed many local productions such as Amherst High School Pop Show, TRW, Tower City’s Holiday Magical Spectacular, Workshop Players, and The Beck Center. After becoming Director of Midwest School of Ballet, she returned to the University of Akron, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance in the Spring of 2007. Rachael has been teaching dance for over 15 years, and we are proud to welcome her back for her third season at Dance Fusion. Rachael is the director of the Dance Fusion Competition Teams.

Elaine Dowling was a principal dancer with North Coast Ballet Theatre, and has presented her own choreography in showcases and festivals. She studied with reknowned Cleveland ballet teachers Marguerite Duncan and Nancy Arcury, and currently trains with Sonja Kraljevic at The Ballet School. She has also studied modern dance at Antaeus, a Hawkins-based company in Cleveland. Elaine regularly performs at Case Western Reserve University, working with international choreographers through the school's dance program. She has also been privileged to perform the works of the legendary dancer and choreographer Martha Graham. Elaine was the choreographer for Academy Dreams, the first production of the Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Academy, a two-year college-accredited program, and for The Music Man at Huntington Theatre. She has taught ballet and pointe throughout Northeast Ohio and has been at Dance Fusion for two years. A native Clevelander, Elaine holds a BA in communications from Case Western Reserve University, where she has also taught ballet in the Department of Theater and Dance. This fall she will be teaching ballet at Kent State University. Elaine has also worked as both a broadcast and print journalist, and is a painter. Prints of her watercolors and acrylics are available at galleries throughout Cleveland, with a portion of sales donated to cancer research.

Kristen is originally from Erie, PA where she danced for 15 years at the Little Dance Studio. She studied tap, ballet, and jazz, and was a member of the “Jazz Kids” dance company for many years. Kristen also taught beginner tap and ballet for 6 years at Little’s. She was a member of her high school’s Center of Performing Arts program, and participated in several musicals and dance performances. Kristen danced for John Carroll University's Dance Team, where she graduated with a degree in psychology. She then went on to receive her masters degree in social administration with a specialization in child and adolescent mental health. She currently works as a school social worker, and also is very active as a volunteer with her church's youth ministry program.  Kristen has been with Dance Fusion for four years.

Kathie Nejman is very excited to share her passion for dance with the Dance Fusion family this year!  Although Kathie teaches many dance styles, she specializes in tap and musical theater/character jazz.  Kathie has taught and choreographed for many dance studios and competition teams throughout Northeast Ohio, as well as high school musicals, show choirs, and dance teams.  Her competition numbers have earned numerous platinum, double platinum and first overall awards, including 7 State Champ titles. Kathie is also a choreographer and stager for Norwegian Cruise Lines.  She has choreographed numerous numbers for the cruise line and her numbers can be seen throughout their fleet!

Kathie has grown up taking dance classes, performing in musicals and has been privileged to study with renowned teacher/choreographer Dee Hillier for the past 25 years.  She was also a member of the Dee Hillier Dance Company, where she performed in showcases, the televised Christmas lighting of Cleveland’s Public Square - “Tis The Season”, the opening of the Allen Theatre, industrials and more.

Kathie’s dance training also extends into the ballroom world.  She was a professional ballroom dancer/instructor, where she competed in the professional division, as well as the pro/am division with her students. Kathie still teaches ballroom classes throughout the Cleveland area.

To ensure that her dance education stays up-to-date with the latest styles and techniques, Kathie travels to New York City annually to take classes with nationally renowned teachers and choreographers at the Broadway Dance Center.  She has also attends national dance conventions to take classes with instructors from both New York and Los Angeles.  Some of the teachers Kathie has taken classes from over the years include:  Frank Hatchett, Sheila Barker, Michelle Barber, Jill Hillier, Shea Sullivan, Savion Glover, Germaine Salsberg, Charles Kelley, Mandy Moore, Michele Assaf, Jimmy Tate, Gregg Russell, Johnnie Smith, Joe Lanteri, Jean-Marc Genereux, France Mousseau, Gil Stroming, Mike Minery, Barry Youngblood, and more.

 Kathie is most proud of being a founder of “Dancing For A Miracle”, an annual performance that invites area dance studios to perform in a benefit for a local child afflicted with serious illness.  The money raised is donated to the child and his/her family to help offset the many expenses associated with the disease.  Since its inception in 2006, “Dancing For A Miracle” has raised over $40,000, and has helped lighten the burden for some very special families. 

Maggie Baraona is 24 years old from Richfield Ohio. After attending Revere High School she continued her education at Kent State University with a degree in Communication and a minor in Conflict Management. For the past 3 years she has been the assistant dance team coach for the Revere High School Dance Team. She was also a member of the Revere Dance Team from 2000-2004 under Katie (Kibler) Kowza. As the captain, the team placed first at a cheer and dance competition held at Akron University her Senior year. Maggie's dancing strengths include Hip Hop and Jazz dancing. For the dance team she choreographed the Hip Hop try out routines. Outside of dance, Maggie works as an office manager for The Fussy Cleaners and is also proudly involved in the Kylie Jane Long Foundation which enhances the lives of local pediatric patients and their families.