Teaching Staff
Ms. Angela
Miss Angela Bates Majewski started dancing at the age of five at the Anna Marie Dance Studio in Wilmington, Delaware. She was trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, tap, and musical theatre. She continued her dance education with The Young Americans in CA while touring with them around the US for 2 years. She has also worked with Ann Reinking and the Broadway Theatre Project in FL. She received her B.A. in Elementary Education with a minor in Music and Mathematics from West Chester University. She has been performing all over the area in many musicals, and has also done some industrial work including performances at Radio City Music Hall with the Rockettes. Favorite roles include Lola in “Damn Yankees”, Judy Turner in “A Chorus Line”, Babette in “Beauty and the Beast”, Mazepa in “Gypsy”, June in “Chicago”, Kit Kat Girl in “Cabaret”, DeLee in “Smokey Joe’s Café”, Phyllis and Annie in “42nd Street”, and many others. She has also had the privilege to choreograph “The Full Monty”, “Footloose” and “Black Patent Leather Shoes” at the New Candlelight Theatre, “West Side Story” at Three Little Bakers, “The Wiz”, “Seussical”, and “Urinetown” at the Wilmington Drama League, and many other musical at local high schools. She currently teaches all styles of dance for different levels and ages all over the Delaware Valley and has been for the past 24 years. She has received prestigious awards for her choreography at many national dance competitions. In June of 2016, she opened the Angela Bates Dance Academy in Newtown Square, PA. In August of 2020, she became the new owner of Kicks Academy of Dance in Glen Mills, PA. When she is not teaching, choreographing, or performing, she is being a mommy to her two boys, Charlie and Max, and little girl, Claire, while owning and running two separate dance studios of her own. She LOVES her job! The support from her family and husband Mike is like no other. Angela is extremely grateful and blessed. Kindness, Positivity, and Resilience always wins.
Ms. Alexa
Miss Alexa Chambers originally from Media, Pennsylvania began dancing at the age of three. She studied at the Academy of Notre Dame’s performing arts program and continued her training at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA where she obtained her BFA with honors in Jazz Dance Performance in 2013. Throughout her college dance career, she has been privileged to work with top choreographers such as Roni Koresh, Brian Sanders, Helen Simoneau and Forsythe legend, Douglas Becker. Formerly a dancer under Xhale Dance Company, Alexa performed throughout Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and for Synthesis Dance Project in New York City. Alexa began her professional career in Chicago dancing for Giordano Dance Chicago, working with Chicago’s best-known instructors and choreographers including Nan Giordano and Homer Bryant. In addition, she was on faculty at Joffrey Ballet. After returning to the east coast, Alexa performed with Michael Susten & Company in New York City followed by four seasons with Philadelphia’s Project Moshen, a female Jazz dance company set out to revive the style of Jazz. Her passion to create and teach inspires her to work with dancers throughout the Philadelphia area. Alongside teaching dance, she is also a certified Barre Instructor. She recently returned to her alma mater on faculty, The Academy of Notre Dame in Villanova, PA to expand the Dance Department. When Alexa is not dancing or teaching she proudly holds the title of Mommy to two busy little boys, Jack and Cors, who continue to keep her on her toes!
Ms. Anne
Miss Anne Bates has been a proud dance mom for over 35 years. She also owns Arasapha Farm and The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride in Glen Mills. She has 6 children and 18 grandchildren. She has a nursing degree from Widener University. Her positive, loving, and nurturing nature is a bright shining light to all who enter Kicks Academy of Dance. She is happy to help anyone who calls or enters the studio.
Ms. Ashley
Ashley Hillis started dancing when she was two years old and has been a competitive dancer for sixteen years. Her professional training includes; jazz, lyrical, ballet, tap, contemporary, hip hop, acrobatics, and musical theatre. She is going into her senior year at West Chester University studying Dance and Nutrition. This is her second year as the captain of the West Chester University Dance Team which is a student run organization. She has been chosen to be a student choreographer for the University Dance Company for three semesters. She performed on national television with Colbie Caillat and Wyclef Jean in “Nickelodeon’s Mega Music Fest” and also performed as a dancing cartoon character in “Dora’s Explorer Girls.” Ashley made several appearances in movies and commercials. She has performed at The Academy of Music in Philadelphia, The Joyce Theater and The Schimmel Center in New York City, and The Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Ashley danced as a backup dancer with Lacey Schwimmer (former dancer on Dancing With the Stars) on a live broadcast. She has been able to share her passion with dance to all ages by teaching master classes and holding clinics for all students interested in collegiate dancing. Ashley is excited to bring her passion and love for dance to Kicks!
*Ms. Ashley is certified in Child & Adult CPR and Emergency First Aid.
Ms. Bethanne
Bethanne Margies has over 20 years of experience teaching dance and choreographing for students of various ages and levels. She teaches students as young as 2 years old, as well as teens, adults, and every age in between. She teaches many disciplines of dance, such as ballet, lyrical, jazz, theater dance, improvisation, tap, and hip hop. She also taught yoga at the Ridley Sports Club for six years. Bethanne grew up on Long Island, NY, and moved to PA in 2005. She taught at many studios all over Long Island (Northport School of Dance, Tappin’ Feet, Center Stage); and PA (KMC, Dance Zone, Koresh School of Dance). Bethanne currently teaches at the Conservatory of Music and Dance (Eagleville and Worcester), and has been an instructor at Kicks for 17 years. Bethanne’s career includes experience as a choreographer for musical theater. As an employee of the Plainview-Old Bethpage school district in NY, she choreographed the middle school musical productions for 10 years. Bethanne also choreographed two shows for the Best of Broadway Summer Theater Troupe in Hewlett, NY. She is currently the choreographer for Mother of Providence Regional School in Wallingford. Bethanne has a wide variety of performance experience. She has performed in New York City at such venues as Danspace, Construction Company, and Lincoln Center. She has been in two Greek plays, The Bacchae (Loft Theater, Oakdale, NY) and Electra (City University of NY). Other favorite shows include Camelot, Godspell (St Francis Summer Repertory, NY), An Act of the Imagination, and Extremities (Molloy College, NY). Additionally, as a member of Nassau Dance Theatre Troupe for 6 years, she performed all over Long Island and regionally, including Jones Beach, Hershey Park and Disney World. Bethanne earned her Bachelor Degree in Dance from City University of New York (Queens College campus). She has continued her dance education by attending various workshops and conventions, including the Rhythm Works Integrative Dance certification. In addition to teaching and choreographing, Miss Bethanne is also the busy mom to her son and daughter, Alex and
Elizabeth!
Ms. Katie
Katie Feidler began her dance training in Delaware at 3 yrs. old and later attended the School of First State Ballet and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. She graduated magna cum laude from Towson University with a B.S. in Dance Management and participated in professional training programs throughout the country including the Broadway Dance Center internship program and Boulder Jazz Dance Festival. She enjoys being a jazz faculty member and judge for the International Teachers of Dance Inc. convention, as well as teaching throughout the area. Katie continues to build her skills as a teacher, recently becoming a certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructor. She is also a certified instructor through Rhythm Works Integrative Dance; a program for students with individual learning differences and other special needs. Katie is a dynamic and specific teacher building strong technical and determined dancers. As a result, her students have found great success competitively with her choreography receiving numerous high scores and judges awards. Katie is filled with pride to see many of her students now pursuing their own successful dance careers. Outside of the studio she loves to spend time with her husband, Matt, and son, Sammy!
* Ms. Katie is certified in Child & Adult CPR and Emergency First Aid. She is also a certified Rhythm Works Integrated Dance instructor.
Ms. Diana
Diana Bates Knight started dancing at the age of 6 at Anna Marie’s Dance Studio. Diana fell in love with the art watching her big sister, Angela, dance and was inspired to follow in her footsteps. She continued to dance throughout high school at Paul Klocke’s Studio of Dance studying all styles of dance, participating in their competition group, and performing in many shows. She is trained in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and musical theatre. Diana began teaching a variety of dance classes while she was enrolled at West Chester University where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition & Dietetics.
Diana is currently a barre instructor at Barre Balanced in Glen Mills and general manager of the family business, Bates Motel Acquisitions. She has three beautiful children that make her heart full and keep her very busy when she is not working.
Miss Holly
Holly McMenamin started dancing when she was two years old and has been a competitive dancer for 15 years. Her professional training includes; ballet, pointe, lyrical, jazz, tap, hip hop, contemporary, modern, and acrobatics. She is going into her junior year at West Chester University majoring in Early Childhood Education with minors in Dance and American Sign Language. Currently she is the captain of the West Chester University Dance Team which recently received the title of National Open Hip Hop Division Champions. Also, she has been chosen as a student choreographer for the University Dance Company. She has loved sharing her passion of dance with all ages through many different classes, collegiate clinics, and performances.
Ms. Katrina
Katrina DiDomenicis-Hall journey as a dance educator began in 1998 at her home studio in Delaware County, Pa. where she enrolled in a 3-year dance pedagogy training course, which combined hands-on student teaching experience, as well as a dance educator theory course, which she completed in 2001. During that time, she was also a member of the Parkside Performing Arts Company, where she performed many roles both as a soloist and in the corps de ballet in: Giselle, Coppélia, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. Upon graduation, she went on to teach at local studios and pre-schools in her community. In 2004, she relocated to Tampa, Florida to study dance as a minor at the University of South Florida, under Gretchen Ward Warren, Merry Lynn Morris and many other master teachers, while also majoring in early childhood education. During that time, she was also a member of the Hillsborough Dance Ensemble. In 2008, she returned to the Delaware Valley area and has been teaching at local studios and pre-schools ever since! Katrina is thrilled to be back for her 5th season with KICKS! She also teaches at various studios in the tri-state area, including on faculty at DanceWorks! -an outreach program in conjunction with The First State Ballet Theatre & The Grand Opera House bringing the joy of dance to school children in the Wilmington, De area. She is also the director of a mobile program serving pre-schools and daycares in Chester & Delaware Counties in Pa. Katrina is most passionate about her love for teaching ballet (to all levels/abilities) as well as early childhood dance. However, she also enjoys teaching jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical, musical theatre, Bollywood and Greek folk dance to various ages and levels. She is a certified Rhythm Works Integrated Dance instructor, which enables her to teach children with learning differences. She invests in her professional development multiple times a year, in which she travels all over the country to multiple conferences, retreats, and even continues her professional development on a bi-weekly basis via virtually. When she is not teaching, Katrina has two elementary aged children of her own to keep her busy! She and her husband enjoy taking the family on many camping trips and traveling all over the US with their RV.
Ms. Kayla
Kayla Babicki has been dancing since she was 3 years old. She received her training here at KICKS Academy of Dance. Progressing through KICKS’ Company Program afforded her many opportunities to hone her craft including student teaching and choreography training & implementation, while providing exposure to various master teachers and touring Broadway dancers through the annual regional workshops & intensives she attended. Kayla earned a BA in Journalism from Temple University, while remaining active as a dancer, choreographer and instructor. She has performed in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival twice, and worked as an assistant to the choreographer on a production of Young Frankenstein at The Ritz Theatre in New Jersey. Kayla choreographed for Philadelphia Dance Day, a non-profit dance organization that aims to bring dance to everyone by offering a day annually of free dance classes that concludes with an evening performance by local dancers. Most recently, she was featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philly.com for her work on a choreography project with local dancer Danielle Bourgeon. Kayla has gained extra experience working with young children through jobs both at the Siegel JCC and the Lansdowne YMCA in their preschool centers. She teaches classes in all dance styles, for both children and adults, throughout the Philadelphia area and we are thrilled to have her as part of our KICKS’ staff this season.
* Ms. Kayla is certified in Child & Adult CPR and Emergency First Aid. She is also a certified Rhythm Works Integrated Dance instructor.
Ms. Kristin (MK)
Kristin Hackney has been dancing since the age of three and has been teaching for over 20 years. While her foundation was received locally, Kristin has trained extensively in Philadelphia and New York and has had the privilege of apprenticing with Tap Team II & Co. Kristin has choreographed and taught for many studios throughout the tri-state area and has showcased her work at Walt Disney World. In addition, Kristin has choreographed for various high schools, theater groups and dance teams, and has led many competitive teams to victory. Kristin is a member of the International Tap Association and has been a longtime Board member of International Teachers of Dance, Inc. where she currently serves as President. Kristin has been sharing her talents with our KICKS students since 2012.
*Ms. K is certified in Child & Adult CPR and Emergency First Aid. She is also a certified Rhythm Works Integrated Dance instructor.
Ms. Mary
Mary Weese grew up dancing at KICKS in the pre-professional Company Program. During that time she competed and performed regionally, attended dance conventions, and gained experience in student teaching and choreography. In 2017, she graduated summa cum laude from West Chester University, earning a B.S. in Mathematics and a minor in Dance. While at WCU, Mary was heavily involved with their University Dance Company, serving as both Vice President and Secretary. Mary was also a student choreographer many times for the company and was able to showcase her choreography twice at the prestigious American College Dance Association conference. While studying dance in college, Mary won multiple scholarships including the WCU Student Research and Creative Activities Award, the Barbara J. Lappano Dance Scholarship, and the Alumni Dance Chapter Choreography Award. This is Ms. Mary’s fifth year teaching at KICKS! Her pieces that she has choreographed for the company have won numerous overall high scores and choreography awards at dance competitions. Teaching the students at KICKS is her greatest passion in life. Ms. Mary feels as though she is living her dream job teaching the next generation of dancers at her home studio!
* Ms. Mary is certified in Child & Adult CPR and Emergency First Aid. She is also a certified Rhythm Works Integrated Dance instructor.
Ms. Sarah
Sarah Terry received her M.Ed. in Counseling and Human Services in 2007 from Lehigh University. She received her early dance training in New Jersey from notable instructors including Larissa Shevaldina, Paul Sutherland, Brunhilda Ruiz, and Rose Yamout. In addition, she has studied with various programs including The American Academy of Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. As a scholarship member of the SUNY Purchase Dance Corps, Sarah had the opportunity to perform with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre Studio Company in original works by Stanton Welch and Robert Hill. Sarah has been instructing students of all ages in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania areas for over ten years. Her choreography has received numerous overall high scores at competition and has been recognized at both the regional and national level. In 2015, she received the “Excellence in Choreography” award at the National Finals of Dance Xplosion talent competition. When not in the classroom, Ms. Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband Justin and her sons, John and Will. She is very excited to be returning for her second year teaching at KICKS.
*Ms. Sarah T. is certified in Child & Adult CPR and Emergency First Aid. She is also a certified Rhythm Works Integrated Dance instructor.
Interested in teaching
at KICKS Academy?
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