Instructors

Instructors:

Sherry Federan: Artistic Director

I began my dance training at the age of eight and have never wanted to stop. I’ve trained in all areas of dance, competed both regionally and nationally for twelve years and taught and choreographed for the past 22 years. In 1988, I started Center Stage Dance Studio after completing my BA at the University of Akron. My extensive training has been through Kent State University as well as the University of Akron. I’ve been tested to teach through Dance Masters of America and Dance Educators of America. I am a member of D.M.A., D.M.O. and the Better Business Bureau. The studio has grown a lot through the years, and several of our students have gone on to professional careers in theatre, television and Broadway as well as to college to major in dance. Many have received dance scholarships and invitations to perform throughout the world. I’ve also had the opportunity to choreograph not only for our incredible students but also for dance pageants and television, as well as being asked to judge at several dance competitions. Currently, I live with my husband and two wonderful sons in Solon.

Stacey Kopec:

I have been teaching dance for the past 15 years and I am currently Assistant Director at Center Stage Dance Studio. I received my Bachelors Degree in Dance from the University of Akron. I have performed with "The Repertory Dance Company" in a jazz piece and was a tap soloist from 1993-1995. I also choreographed and performed with "The Touring Ensemble" from 1995-1997. Many of my students have been very successful in the competition field, winning several scholarships, national titles, and overall group awards. Three of my students have performed on Broadway. I have been awarded numerous choreography awards in tap, jazz, and acrobatics. I have also done choreography for a television pilot and a promotional group for STOMP. I am a national dance judge and I travel all over the United States evaluating kids in all different fields of dance.

Mitchel Federan:

My mom taught my first tap class at Center Stage when I was two years old. I now take classes in jazz, lyrical, ballet, hip hop, acro, tap, and contemporary. I started competing for Center Stage at the age of 5. But at age 7, I stopped competing and started a professional career as an actor, dancer, and singer in the Radio City Rockette Christmas Spectacular. Since then, my stage credits have included the National Tour of Annie Get Your Gun, The Music Man on Broadway, and The Boy From Oz on Broadway. I also had a recurring role on ABC’s All My Children. For the past 3 years I’ve been concentrating on my teaching and choreography, as well as rejoining our competitive groups. I’ve had the tremendous experience of winning numerous regional and national titles, and will continue to enjoy competing through this next year. Currently, I’m 16, and living with my family in Solon. I teach recreational and competitive classes for all age levels, along with teaching the boy’s classes. This year I have also been hired to choreograph for other studios and students who live too far to attend our studio. I plan on graduating high school this year, and would then like to move to LA to continue pursuing my dance and choreography career. But I will never be too far from home, as I want to come back every year and continue to help choreograph dances for, what I consider, the best dance studio there is! Visit my website for more information: www.MitchelFederan.com

Sarah Porinchak:

I began taking dance lessons at the age of three and have been dancing at Center Stage since it opened in 1988. I also competed on the competition team for ten years and loved every minute of it. After graduating from high school in 2002, I began teaching at the studio the following summer. My specialty is in lyrical, but I teach all types of classes. I graduated in fall of 2006 from the University of Akron. Now I’m teaching dance while working on a master's degree in Chemistry. While in college I have taken both ballet and jazz classes through the University's dance program as well as participating in dance conventions to keep up with the latest dance styles. I love teaching dance and spending time with the students. Being a teacher is an extremely rewarding job; to watch each student achieve and surpass their own goals is something that I love being a part of.