The Conservatory School for the Performing Arts
dance studios for children in MA

FACULTY

The Conservatory's staff of trained dance and performing arts professionals truly cares about every student, and makes sure each student is properly placed and is reaching their full potential.

Take a few minutes to get acquainted with our wonderful faculty:

 

Erika Frank
OWNER | ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Erika Frank Cooney

ERIKA FRANK 

Erika is the Owner and Artistic Director of The Conservatory School for the Performing Arts, located in Stoughton Massachusetts. Established in 2014, Miss Frank built her business from scratch and grew it into a nationally recognized performing arts center. Erika was named one of the South Shore's Stars Top 40 Under 40 for her excellence in leadership, community development, and entrepreneurial skills. Her Pre-Professional Dance and Musical Theatre students have booked professional jobs on Broadway, Film, Television, and Commercials. In just 8 years of owning her school she has successfully placed students with top talent agencies and managers such as; CTG, DDO, Carson Adler, and KTM. Most recently her pre-professional musical theatre student, originated the role of Young Anna in FROZEN’s first National Broadway Tour. Miss Frank has a 100% college placement rate, where all of her alumni have been accepted into top dance and musical theatre college programs on scholarships, and have made names for themselves as performers, choreographers, and teachers in the dance community.

A native of Stoughton, MA Miss Frank started her dance career at the age of eleven dancing in The Ballet Theatre of Boston’s production of The Nutcracker. Miss Frank has worked on major motion films and on television including, The Teen Nick Halo Award Show, Taking Woodstock, Going the Distance, and The Forger starring John Travolta. Erika is a graduate of Dean College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance, and is also a graduate of the Dance Teachers Club of Boston’s Teachers Training Program. She is a degreed active member in good standing with Dance Masters of America (certified to teach ballet, modern, jazz and tap), and is a professional member of the National Dance Educators Organization. Erika has worked as a judge and master class teacher for the On Point National Dance Competition where she adjudicates performers in all dance genres/levels, and has taught musical theatre convention classes for competitive dancers.

Miss Frank has over a decade of teaching experience working with children in diverse ages, levels, and genres. Her choreography has won numerous awards at both regional and national dance competitions, and her students have been recognized in the competitive circa through high adjudications and as top scoring soloists. Erika has worked as a choreographer in the musical theatre community for over ten years choreographing musicals such as CHICAGO, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, and LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL.

Erika is very thankful and humbled by the opportunity to give back to the upcoming generation of performers!

 

Amy Spanger
VOCAL INSTRUCTOR | INTENSIVE | PRE-PROFESSIONAL

Amy

Amy Spanger is a Drama Desk-nominated Broadway star, television and film actress, solo artist, musical theater teacher, and vocal coach. Broadway credits include Sunset Boulevard, Chicago, Kiss Me Kate, The Wedding Singer (Drama Desk Nomination), Rock of Ages, Elf: The Musical, Urinetown, and Matilda. She also created the role of Susan in Jonathan Larson's tick, tick... Boom off-Broadway and play Maureen in the first national tour of Rent. She played Gwendoly in The Importance of Being Earnest at Williamstown directed by David Hyde Pierce. Television and film credits include Six Feet Under, Bored To Death, Royal Pains, Law & Order: SVU, The Blacklist, Chicago Med, Synecdoche, NY and Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical. She has performed her solo shows at 54 Below, Birdland and Joe's Pub in NYC. She is a singing/acting coach and musical theater teacher. She lives in NYC with her husband, actor Brian Shepard.

 

 

Nick Silva
LYRICAL/CONTEMPORARY | HIP HOP | ACROBATICS | RECREATIONAL | PRE-PROFESSIONAL

Nick

NICK SILVA is a Boston born, dancer and performer currently living between NYC and Boston. At a very young age Nick found a drive and passion for dance that took him to places he couldn’t even imagine. Nick has trained extensively with some of today’s most sought after choreographers such as Dana Foglia, Rhapsody James and more in Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Ballet. Nick can be seen performing in a number of TV shows and films such as, Glee, America’s Got Talent, Big Brother, Good Morning America, The Wendy Williams Show, and Annie to name a few. He has danced behind artists such as Demi Lovato, Lindsey Stirling, Jennifer Hudson, and Halsey. As well Nick has performed broadway style and burlesque shows internationally in India, Dubai, Singapore, and Mexico. Most recently Nick had the amazing opportunity to be a featured dancer in Halsey‘s, “You Should Be Sad” music video. Follow Nick on Instagram @NickBasilSilva to keep up with what he’s up to these days!

 

Angela Cole


INTENSIVE & PRE-PROFESSIONAL BALLET, LYRICAL/CONTEMPORARY, COMPETITIVE REHEARSAL INSTRUCTOR
Angela

Angela is a dance artist, choreographer, and teacher based in the Providence and Boston areas. After training in classical ballet as a student, she went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Roger Williams University, where she was the recipient of the Kelli Wicke Davis Outstanding Achievement in Dance Award. Upon graduating, Angela was a 2017 Young Artist in Residence at Bearnstow, Maine, and then went on to perform as a freelance artist and teacher throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. She has danced for Natalie Johnson Dance in Cambridge, MA and is co-founder of ProviDANCE Project, a contemporary dance collaborative with her artistic partner, Ellen Oliver. Angela continues to create and share her choreography in various spaces throughout New England, striving to use movement as a medium to portray the human spirit and stories of people who have inspired her. She is on faculty teaching creative movement at The Croft School and Montessori Children’s House in Providence, RI, in addition to teaching ballet, pointe, and contemporary in dance schools throughout Massachusetts. Angela is passionate about inspiring students to find joy and their own individual voice in dancing, and is very excited to meet the students at the CSPA!

 

Jocelyn Padilla


ACTING AND MODELING INSTRUCTOR
Jocelyn

Miss Jocelyn has a degree in Theater Education with an emphasis on Acting and Directing from Emerson College, and is a Stoughton native. Miss Jocelyn focuses on creating a nurturing and positive energy in all her classes and as part of her constitution. Her mission is to mentor and guide her students to help them grow their skills, make better, informed professional decisions, prepare for real-world experiences and gain new perspectives on their life and career by connecting to their true, authentic uniqueness. Jocelyn has been called to share her resources with 10+years of film and stage acting, audition techniques, and modeling expertise with the students of CSPA. She provides a warm and safe space to empower her students to grow and align themselves to a life of creativity, self-confidence, success, positivity, and community impact. She is excited to be a part of CSPA 2023! 

 

Olga Marchenko


RECREATIONAL, INTENSIVE, PRE-PROFESSIONAL BALLET INSTRUCTOR
Olga

Olga is originally from Russia where she began her dancing education at the age of nine. Taught the Vaganova method, she acquired the best academic traditions of classical Russian ballet. After graduating from Saratov Ballet Academy at the top of her class, she joined her hometown ballet theater. Three years later Olga moved to Moscow to join the Moscow City Ballet of Smirnov-Golovanov with which she toured the world for four years, performing as a corps-de-ballet and soloist dancer. Once in Boston, she continued dancing professionally and began her teaching career in 2008. Working with children of all ages, Olga has been involved with staging and choreographing recitals during the past 14 years at different studios and in public school settings throughout the greater Boston area. Her professional teaching engagements include Boston University, Tony Williams Dance Center, BalletRox, North End Music Performance Center among others. Olga is excited to share with children her experience and love of dancing.

 

Madison Hollen


MUSICAL THEATRE | TAP | PRIVATE VOCAL INSTRUCTOR | RECREATIONAL | INTENSIVE | PRE-PROFESSIONAL
Madison

Madison Hollen is a "triple threat" from Portsmouth, Rhode Island. She is a recent graduate of Roger Williams University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a concentration in Theater. Madison has played lead roles in the theater community, including Cha Cha in "Grease" RI, and has played numerous parts in shows throughout New England. She is a trained dancer in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, modern, and contemporary. While at RWU, Madison had the opportunity to perform and choreograph student pieces. Madison has spent over a decade training in acting, voice, and dance and is excited to share her knowledge to help mold the next generation of artists at the Conservatory School.

 

 

Erla Haxhiaj

HIP HOP INSTRUCTOR - RECREATIONAL | INTENSIVE | PRE-PROFESSIONAL
Erla

My name is Erla Haxhiaj, I go by the name Air! I've been dancing for 19 years, living and telling my story through it all. My training is based in ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical, African, popping, tap, free-styling/improv, modern, Afro-beat, and heels, burlesque, musical theater, belling dancing and street-jazz. I've been in multiple music/concept videos, trained in choir & acting as well. With this acting I have done musicals in high school & was in Hubbies Halloween filmed in MA. I've taught at Zello Dance Studio and do pop-up classes through out the year. This year I also had the opportunity to join Liv3lihood dance crew out in Providence, Rhode Island at a studio called Thr3e Live Dance Complex. Also, performing for NKTOB, being in concept videos, and tutorials for other choreographers.

 

Justin


VOCAL TECHNIQUE & PERFORMANCE INSTRUCTOR | RECREATIONAL | INTENSIVE | PRE-PROFESSIONAL
Justin

Justin Parish is an American composer, baritone, and educator living on Massachusetts' South Shore. His musical philosophy is rooted in the idea that humans can accomplish more when creating together. During his time in Massachusetts, he has had the pleasure of helping students of all ages and backgrounds reach their musical goals. His specialties include vocal health/maintenance, body awareness, audition preparedness, theory lessons, and songwriting/composition. Ultimately, Justin seeks to encourage confidence and independence in each student's individual pursuits, whether in musical theater, classical music, or contemporary music of any genre. He received his BM in Music Composition and Vocal Performance from Indiana University where he studied with Patricia Stiles, Aaron Travers, and Don Freund among others. Justin enjoys life in Plymouth with his partner, Michael, and dog, Sunny.