Our Staff

Teachers

Kate Caffrey has been teaching theatre for 20 years.  She has worked with students from pre-school age to folks in their 80's.   In addition to teaching theatre, Kate is a professional director and has served as Artistic Director and/or Education Director of 3 local theatres. She is currently writing a textbook for beginning acting students. Kate holds a MA in theatre from Northwestern University.    When she isn't teaching, directing or writing, she enjoys having fun with her son and spouse.

Katie Dealy has taught dance and creative movement to children in the Boston/Cambridge area for many years.  She holds a Masters in Education from Simmons College and a Masters in Dance Education from George Washington University. In addition to teaching for CPP, Katie also teaches at Green Street Studios and several pre-schools. Katie likes to use props and create storydances in her energetic and imaginative classes.

Isabel Esquitin received her ballet training at Escuela Profesional de Danza Clasica in Mexico. She graduated from Universidad de las Americas-Puebla with a BSc in Actuarial Sciences and a minor in Dance. She was recipient of the Jenkins Scholarship and Telmex fellowship and performed with UDLA-danza, Sunny Savoy Dance Company and Ad-Libitum Dance Company. Isabel moved to Boston in June 2004. She has since performed with Kelly Donovan, Danny Swain, Jimena Bermejo, Caitlin Corbett, and worked for The Guidance Center and Topf Center for Dance Education.

Kara Johnson,began her training at Dance Arts in Westfield, MA and the Massachusetts Academy of Ballet in Holyoke, MA.  She continued with summer study at The Walnut Hill School, The Boston Conservatory, The Boston Ballet, and Jacob's Pillow.  Kara is a summa cum laude graduate from Mount Holyoke College, where she double-majored in Dance and English Literature. Kara's dance education work includes various ballet schools in the Boston/Cambridge area, including Jose Mateo's Ballet Theatre's Adult program and the Children's Division of the Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education.  In her second season as a dancer with Prometheus Dance Company in Cambridge, she was recently invited to be a street performer to promote Cirque du Soleil's Boston premiere of "Kooza."  Kara looks forward to another exciting, dance-filled year.

Chelsea Lembo is an actor, dancer, signer/musician in and around the Boston area.  She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Theater Studies with an emphasis in Acting and Creative Writing and a minor in Dance from Emerson College.  Chelsea has performed with professional companies in both New York and Boston including the Forte Point Theatre Channel, The Talent Co., Andard Dance, Rising Earth Productions, an the Emerson Stage.

Jafar Manselle, percussionist, has been teaching with CPP for over 10years. Jafar has played drums for most of the African dance teachers in the area. He especially enjoys his work with children.

Allison Stamiris has been studying percussion for 16 years abd is currently teaching in the Boston area.  Her primary focus is on the rhythms of West Africa and works with several master drummers in the local community.  She has traveled to Mali and Guinea on several occasions, and performs with Moussa Traore's drum troupe, Timinandi .

ToRenaWebb received her BS in Dance Performance and Choreography from the State University of New York at Brockport.  She did her last year studying Traditional Dance and Culture abroad in Jamaica at The Edna Manley School of Performing and Visual Arts. Currently, she teaches at educational urban outreach programs at the TOPF Center for Dance Education and Riverside Theatre Works. She is a local dancer member of Mosaic Dance Body.