EMILIE LAROSA, Owner/Creative Director aka "Ms. Emilie"
Emilie received a BA in Dance Management from the acclaimed Oklahoma City University’s School of Dance and Arts Management. Upon receiving her degree, she moved to New York where she studied at Broadway Dance Center. She danced with several companies including Peggy Spina Tap Company, Tap Fusion, and the New Jersey Tap Ensemble where she served as managing director. She is a founding member of Cincinnati Taps, Inc, a non profit dance company.
EMILY KINKER, Jazz and Dance Team Coach
Emily Kinker graduated with honors from the University of Cincinnati, June 2007, with a Bachelor of Arts. She was a 4-year varsity member on the UC Dance Team, winning 3 National NCAA Titles. After graduation Emily joined Royal Caribbean Productions, performing in various Las Vegas-style production song, dance and aerial shows. Since then she performed in the Broadway Musical Hairspray and performed the role of Brenda, live at sea, at the 2012 telecast of the 66th Annual Tony Awards. She has danced professionally for the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Theater, Cincinnati Children’s Theater and Paramount’s Kings Island. Emily primarily studied at Dawn Meyer’s School of Dance (currently JOB) in Cincinnati. She furthered her training with legends Dee Caspary of SYTYCD, Andy Blankenbuehler and Barry Youngblood. She has trained at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City, at the EDGE in Los Angeles and at The Rock Center for Dance in Las Vegas. Emily has taught all areas of dance since the age of 16, the majority locally. She choreographed for the Anderson High School Dance Team and is a national, award-winning solo, duet, group choreographer. While working with Royal Caribbean Emily taught Swing, Salsa and Hip Hop. Emily is a member of Dance Masters of Ohio/America.
KASEY WHALEN, Jazz and Dance Team Coach
Kasey has been dancing since she could walk, but started training in tap, jazz, and ballet when she was 5 years old. She competed regionally and nationally with a local competitive team for 10 years, winning High Point, Most Entertaining and Technical Achievement awards. She has trained in LA and NYC with artists such as Travis Wall, Wildabeast, Luam, Sheryl Murakami and more. She has been teaching dance to all ages since 2007. Her choreography has won many of the same awards that she won as a performer - High Point, Most Entertaining, and Costume Awards. From 2014-2016, Kasey was a cheerleader and Fitness Leader for the Cincinnati Ben-Gals. She is so excited to bring her passion to the families at Broadway Bound!
LEXI TAYLOR, Hip Hop Instructor
Lexi started her dance career at Broadway Bound in 2003 and has been with Emilie ever since. Lexi is versed in all styles of dance and currently teaches the hip hop classes at Broadway Bound to dancers of all ages. She danced competitively for 8 years and won many overall and judges choice awards for both her solos and group dances. Lexi was assisting at BBDA well before she became an instructor. Before she puts her dance shoes on, you may see her at the front desk serving as a business assistant to Ms. Emilie! Outside of the studio she received her Bachelors in Special Education and Masters in Behavior Analysis from the University of Cincinnati. She is currently and Intervention Specialist in a Multiple Disabilities unit at a local high school and loves every second of her many jobs!
KELLY WHITAKER, Ballet Instructor
Ballet is a big part of Kelly Whitaker's life, and she is excited to bring her experience to Broadway Bound. She danced competitively growing up, trained with Cincinnati Ballet, and proceeded into a professional career with Columbia City Ballet in South Carolina for eight years. She attended many well respected summer dance programs including those at American Ballet Theatre (New York), Boston Ballet School, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Ms. Whitaker danced corps and soloist roles with Columbia City Ballet and her favorite roles include "The Snow Queen" from The Nutcracker and "Summer Fairy" from Cinderella. During her career, Ms. Whitaker discovered an even deeper passion for teaching dance. She has taught ballet for 15 years and is also certified by NESTA as a personal trainer. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge, experience, and mind-set required for professional dance.
KATE DELON, Ballet Instructor
Kate DeLon started training from a young age with the Dayton Ballet School in Dayton, Ohio. While at Dayton Ballet, she participated in their junior and senior pre-professional dance programs and performed with the professional company in many ballets like The Nutcracker, Peter Pan, Cinderella, and Romeo and Juliet. Kate has also attended and trained with multiple summer intensives through Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Richmond Ballet, ARB at Princeton, and the Orlando Ballet. She went on to get her BFA in Dance from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and graduated in the spring of 2020. While at CCM, Kate performed demi-soloist and soloist roles in Le Corsaire, Don Quixote, Cinderella and other pieces choreographed by CCM faculty. While at CCM, she was also hired as a guest artist to perform with Dayton Ballet and danced professionally for De La Dance Company. She is now working on getting her Masters in Education at UC. Kate is so excited to share her passion for dance with all of her students this year!
Ms. CAROL, Young Dancer Program
Carol is a native of Cincinnati and began dancing at the age of five with Beverly Harpenau as her instructor.
She went on to study ballet, jazz and pointe with Bonnie Williams Dance Studio. She started teaching at
Broadway Bound in 2004. Ms. Carol teaches Broadway Babies, Combo 3-4 years and Combo 5-6 years of age.
KELLY STACEY, Acro Teacher
Most of my life has been dedicated to the sport of gymnastics where I competed at the elite level. Attended Morehead State University (MSU), degree: business management. Was hired to teach gymnastics at MSU. Started a business teaching tumbling in 2002 which led to having several competition teams competing in studio dance. Later expanded business to all-star cheer and hip hop which competed and won titles at local, regional, and world levels. Retired the gym in 2015 and currently teaches gymnastics and cheer at various levels locally where she continues to share her love and passion of tumbling and cheer with all who want to learn.
HANNAH RIESTER, Tap Teacher
Hannah has grown up with a passion for dance. She particularly has a strong love for tap dancing. Through attending residencies/intensives and performing in professional shows across the country, Hannah has trained with the most recognizable names in the tap industry. She is mentored in Los Angeles by Melinda Sullivan, a current member of the "Syncopated Ladies". Hannah has won numerous scholarships and awards, but above all, strives to connect and share her passion with her students.
GEMA DIAZ, Guest Ballet Instructor
Gema Diaz, born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba and raised in Havana, discovered her passion for dance at a tender age of three. Diaz honed her skills through rigorous training at The National Ballet School in Havana and The Vocational Ballet School in Santa Clara, immersing herself in the rich traditions of Cuban ballet.
Diaz soon found herself dancing with the prestigious Ballet Nacional de Cuba for three transformative years. In 1999, she earned a well-deserved silver medal in the renowned International Ballet Competition of Cuba, solidifying her status as an accomplished artist.
In 2005, Diaz took a momentous leap in her career and joined the esteemed Cincinnati Ballet. She dedicated ten remarkable years to Cincinnati Ballet, leaving an indelible mark before her retirement in 2015. Diaz shared her expertise and love for ballet through teaching engagements at notable institutions such as The Cincinnati Ballet Company and Academy, The School of Creative and Performing Arts, The University of Cincinnati (CCM), Ballet Tech Ohio, Broadway Bound Dance Academy, Kentucky Ballet Theatre, TU Dance, AVO Ballet, Harmony Healing Arts, Le Jeune Dance, and many others.
SAMANTHA SCHUERMANN, Guest Ballet Teacher
Samantha Schuermann is from Fort Knox, Kentucky, but grew up in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. She began her dance training at Cincinnati Ballet before transferring to de la Dance Center (de la) when she was 7 years old. She trained at de la for 11 years and spent summers training at Boston Ballet (2016), Next Generation Ballet (2017), American Ballet Theatre (2018-2019), and Atlanta Ballet (2020 - 2021). Samantha attended an open audition for Atlanta Ballet in early 2020 in New York, where she was fortunate enough to have earned a position with Atlanta Ballet 2. During her time in Atlanta, she performed in numerous ballets such as Giselle, Yuri Possokhov’s The Nutcracker and Don Quixote, Bruce Wells’ Snow White and Beauty and the Beast.
BRYLAN ENSCOE, Guest Ballet & Jazz Teacher
Braylan is currently a rising sophomore at Chapman University double majoring in BFA Dance and BA
Psychology. Since taking her first Ballet class at the age of 3, she has fallen in love with all forms of
dance. Braylan has won numerous competition awards including NUVO Breakout Artist, NYCDA
Outstanding Dancer, Teen Miss Dance of Ohio 2019, Miss Dance of Ohio 2021, Miss Dance of America
2021 and Cincinnati Arts Overture Dance Award Winner 2021. She has also received several scholarship
awards including the NYCDAF College Scholarship, the Chapman Celebrates Artistic Scholarship and the
Chapman Dean’s Scholarship. Braylan performs regularly at school as a member of the Chapman Dance
Alliance and the Chapman Stilettos. This summer, she will attend a 3-week immersive program for
concert and commercial dance presented by Steps on Broadway in New York City. Braylan is happy and
excited to share her passion for dance with the students.
ASSISTANT TEACHERS
Lauren Fritzsche
Ella Kiel