Meet the Faculty
Regina Boudwin
Owner/artistic director
Regina Boudwin, Owner/Artistic Director, has been dancing since the age of 5. What originally began as a practice in gross motor skills to combat the clumziness of a young child slowly evolved into a passion for the art and steady training for the athleticism of dance.
Training for years locally in classical dance forms of ballet and tap, Regina was exposed to jazz and hip-hop in her teenage years through her high school dance team. This rapidly increased her awareness and interest in a variety of dance forms and she began to dabble in choreography for everything from local musicals to competitive dance teams.
While persuing a Bachelor's and Master's degree in psychology, Regina joined her own collegiate dance team while working for the Universal Dance Association as a head instructor, traveling throughout the country teaching dance technique and routines, while also helping coaches learn how to best support their athletes. At the same time, Regina continued to teach at several studios in New Jersey. Regina's passion for being on stage and shifted to a passion for teaching young dancers to lose themselves in music and find themselves on stage.
She continues to coach and choreograph to high school and college dance teams throughout the tri-State area, but has found her home here at SOTA. After teaching here for 7 years and acquiring certification in Progressive Ballet Technique, Regina is excited to take this next step in her artistic journey as owner and director of SOTA. She looks forward to integrating her love of dance with her psychology background to create a safe space for young artists. Above all the championships and technique, Regina hopes to instill her her students the most valuable lessons dance has taught her: hard work, discipline, pursuing passion, and finding joy.
Diane Gressing-Rice started dancing at age 3 and has not stopped since. Her early dance years were spent at a local dance school in Edison, NJ under the direction of Gertrude Weinberg. Prior to her 10th birthday, she auditioned for and was accepted into the NJ Dance Theater Guild under the direction of Alfredo Corvino.
After graduating high school, Diane choreographed and performed professionally in a number of musicals. In addition to her professional dance career, she also sang professionally on children's albums as well as on radio commercials. During this time, she continued her dance education in NYC studying all facets of dance.
In 1986, Diane stopped performing professionally and channeled her energies into her true passion, educating children in the art of dance. Her belief that 'Children are God's gift' makes School of the Arts Dance Education Center truly unique and is the inspiration for the overall philosophy of the school. Diane's school is known for its warm and nurturing environment and caring 'hugs'.
Diane Gressing-Rice
early childhood coordinator
Miss Mackenzie
Contemporary/ballet/lyrical
Miss Mackenzie trained as a student with School of the Arts Dance Education Center under Diane Gressing-Rice and New Jersey Dance Theatre. She began her dance training at the age of two and trained in a versatile of styles such as ballet, modern, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, tap, and pom.
Miss Mackenzie has performed from ballet company performances, competitions, to UDA nationals and participated is serval summer NJDTE intensives and the summer intensive at The Juilliard school.
Miss Mackenzie has always enjoyed teaching and choreographing. She has been honored as a nationally ranked choreographer and is well known for her emotionally impactful pieces.
Miss Mackenzie loves having the opportunity to work with all creative & passionate young dancers and is excited for another year as a faulty member of School of the Arts.
Christina began her dance training at the age of three at a local dance studio in Franklin Park, NJ where she spent several years training in various styles of dance as a competitive dancer. Throughout her childhood, her love for dance and performing flourished.
In high school, Christina continued her dance training as a member of the South Brunswick High School Dance Team and a student at American Repertory Ballet’s, Princeton Ballet School. During her time at Princeton Ballet, Christina gained a love for ballet technique and the importance it played in being a strong, well-rounded dancer.
In college, Christina continued to pursue her passion for dance as a dance major at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, where she earned her B.F.A in dance in 2017. During her time at Mason Gross, she studied mainly in Ballet, Modern and Contemporary, honing her own style and artistry in improvisation and choreography classes.
After undergrad, Christina then went on to earn her master’s degree in education from the Graduate School of Education, also at Rutgers, in 2018. She is currently a New Jersey State Certified Educator, holding a New Jersey teaching certificate with an endorsement in dance. Christina has been teaching Ballet at School of the Arts since 2015.
In her classes, she focuses on developing students’ understanding and execution of proper technique and alignment, as well as their artistry. In addition to teaching at School of the Arts, Christina is a full-time middle school dance teacher in Trenton, NJ, as well as the assistant coach for the South Brunswick High School Dance Team.
Christina loves being able to share her passion and knowledge for dance with all the students she teaches and takes pride in watching them grow and develop as artist.
Miss Christina
Ballet
Kelly recently graduated from The College of New Jersey, where she was on the TCNJ Dance Team for four years. She held the positions of Co-Captain/Vice President her Junior year and Captain/President her senior year.
Kelly is also a Universal Dance Association Staff Instructor, where travels around the country, teaches technique classes, choreographs, and judges routines for various UDA summer camps.
She is a proud SOTA alum, and cannot wait to continue her journey here at School of the Arts!
Miss kelly
jazz/ballet/pom
Miss Amelia
Acro
Miss Amelia is a current student at TCNJ studying Secondary Education Mathematics and minoring in Theater Studies. She a third year member and the current treasurer of the TCNJ Dance Team!
Miss Amelia previously danced for the Rancocas Valley Regional High School dance team and was a competitive gymnast for 14 years!
In her spare time, Miss Amelia choreographs for community theater companies!