Staff

Faculty

Melissa Rapone
Director/Owner
Miss Melissa has a bachelor of arts in political science with a minor in dance from Mercyhurst College located in Erie, PA. Upon graduating, Melissa returned to New York and began teaching dance full-time. Melissa began teaching at Elite in the fall of 2009 and soon became a manager of the studio and the competition teams. While at Elite, she began an acro program as well as contributed to the studio's syllabus in other dance forms. Melissa is a certified gymnastics instructor through USAG and looks forward to developing our acro student's skills. She was also Safe Sport certified in 2017. She enjoys much success working with Elite's competition teams. This past dance year, she was awarded "Entertainment Awards" as well as "Choreography Awards" for her competition dances. Her solo and duet choreography has been awarded many overall awards as well. She continues her dance education by regularly attending conventions and workshops, including the Dance Life Teacher’s Conference and NYC Dance Teacher’s Summit. She has a Masters in Secondary Education. Miss Melissa is looking forward to another year of dance sharing her passion with all of Elite's students.

Michelle Fanelli
Studio Manager & Studio Instructor
Michelle started her love for dance at the age of two and has been dancing ever since! Michelle danced at Elite Dance Studio since opening year and won many awards as a soloist and group member of the competition team. She chose to focus further on her dance training and was selected as Dance Performance major at Towson University. There she was trained in ballet, modern, jazz, choreography, and aerial. Michelle had the opportunity to work with many well-known choreographers from various companies throughout her years at Towson, and got the chance to perform at the American College Dance Association in Greensboro, North Carolina. She continued to choreograph pieces for the EDS competition team while attending college. Michelle was awarded the Choreographer Award by the Towson University Dance Department. She graduated from Towson in 2015 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and received her 200hr Yoga Certification with Charm City Yoga. This past year Michelle has worked with Elite's Competition Team and was awarded a "Choreography Award". Her soloists/duets and group pieces have also won many awards. Michelle is excited for another fantastic year at Elite and is looking forward to sharing her love for dance with all of Elite's students.

Shelby Davis
Preschool Program Director
Shelby is excited to continue teach and inspire the younger dancers at Elite. She began her dancing career at Elite and has loved being surrounded by dance ever since their opening. Shelby graduated from Blake High School where she was also a member of the Blake High School Dance Company. She graduated with a Bachelors degree in English from Towson University. She just recently graduated from Towson with her Master's Degree. Shelby has a special connection with toddlers and preschoolers and a great understanding of the balance between fun and learning in a dance class. She's looking forward to introducing all the dancers about the joy and wonder that dance can bring them for many years to come!

Cameron Bennett
Hip Hop Instructor
Cameron began dancing in 2009 as student at the University of Maryland, College Park. As a new member of Dynamic Dance Team, Cameron first began learning, performing, as well as creating his own choreography. In the 2011-2012 academic year, Cameron became the artistic director of Dynamic and lead the team to perform and compete at venues up and down the east coast. In 2012, Cameron became a member of Culture Shock DC, the Washington D.C. chapter of an internationally known dance organization. Culture Shock has challenged Cameron to push himself both physically and mentally as he was exposed to urban hip hop styles of dance while being pushed to further develop his skills as a choreographer. As a member of Culture Shock, Cameron has been given the opportunity to travel across the nation as an ambassador of hip hop, sharing his love of dance with diverse communities. Upon graduation in December of 2012 from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Information Systems and a minor in Spanish, Cameron helped to found the UpperClassMen, an all-male hip hop dance crew who perform and compete both nationally and internationally. Cameron continues his dance education by taking weekly classes in Washington, DC studios and by attending hip hop dance conventions such as Monsters and the ML Tour annually. Cameron is looking forward to passing on his love of hip hop to his students at Elite!

Lauren Cacho
Studio Instructor
Lauren, a life long dancer, received the majority of her training at Elite Dance Studio. She was a member the prestigious competition company, winning many awards. She also was a member of the Blake High School dance company and poms squad. Lauren apprenticed under Miss Michelle in 2022-2023, developing her teaching and classroom management skills for dancers ages 8-12 years old. She also was on staff as a substitute teacher.
Lauren is currently working toward her nursing degree.
Lauren looks forward to sharing her love of dance with Elite's Students.

Lisa Swenton-Eppard
Tap Instructor
Raised in her mother's dance studio, Lisa Swenton-Eppard has spent a lifetime in the arts. In addition to founding and directing Capitol Tap and District Tap, Lisa is currently programming director for Knock On Wood Tap Studio and on faculty at Studio Dans and the City of Rockville (MD). She was quoted in Dance Magazine (December 2018), Dance Studio Life magazine (December 2015), featured in Dance Teacher Magazine (May 2015), selected as the "Teacher in the Spotlight" for Dance Studio Life magazine (March/April 2013), and a recipient of Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County grants (2007, 2009, 2020, 2022, 2023). With over 30 years teaching experience, Lisa additionally produces events, including being tapped by the Kennedy Center in 2017 for a special program connected to their annual Honors.
Lisa's credits include adjunct professor at Bowie State University (2013-2021), DC TapFest faculty (2013-2020), Maryland Council For Dance instructor and adjudicator (2016-2019), assistant director of Tappers With Attitude Youth Ensemble (2002-2010), Chloe and Maud Productions Summer Tap Boot Camp faculty (2010), BlackRock Center for the Arts faculty (2002-2009), and Step Aside Tap Company member (2001-2006).
Lisa holds a B.S. in Psychology from Frostburg State University.
Photo Credit: Stephanie Vadala

Jamie Kemper
Acro Instructor
Jamie Kemper graduated from Towson University with a Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education. She earned her Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction and is currently an elementary school teacher in MCPS.
Jamie excelled in a variety of sports that led her to instructing acro. She competed as a level 8 USA gymnast for Frederick Gymnastics Club, trained and competed as a diver for Montgomery Dive Club, and was a cheerleader and competitive diver in high school, as well as, at Towson University. She coached gymnastics and cheerleading in Montgomery County high schools and provided excellent guidance to those who wished to push their boundaries.
Jamie is a certified USAG instructor. She is also pursuing her Acro Arts Certification. Jamie is Safe Sport Certified.
She is excited to pass on her passion for acrobatics, tumbling and dancing to the students at Elite.

Kymm Stevens
Ballet, Pointe Instructor
Miss Kymm, born and raised in Washington, DC, began her love for dance at the early age of 5. Her mother saw an inward excitement that needed to be released. So she enrolled her in Ballet and Tap at Jones Haywood School of Dance. At the age of 11, after extensive training in ballet, Kymm went to Rosella Hightower School of Ballet in Cannes, France. She furthered her training from age 13 to 18 in ballet and modern at Washington School of Ballet. She was also a member of their Young Dancers Company. On the weekends, she was an original member of the Dance Theater of Harlem/Kennedy Center Residency Program. After graduating from high school, she became a corps member of Dance Theatre of Harlem in Harlem, NY from 1997-2000. While there she traveled to various countries such as Greece, France, Spain, Italy, and Australia performing various roles for large audiences. She became a principle dancer with American Repertory Ballet in Princeton, NJ from 2000-2003. After spending many years involved in ballet she decided to take a chance at Broadway and was a ROCKETTE in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular from 2003-2005. She has enjoyed teaching Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Mini Hip Hop to her students at Elite since 2008. Kymm began a Pointe program here at Elite for our advanced ballet students, and she is looking forward to expanding it to include two classes this fall. Her work with EDS soloists and competition teams have helped them earn many overall awards. She would like to thank her husband, Daniel, for all his love & support. They have two wonderful sons, Clayton & Justin, who share in her energy and love of life. She is looking forward to another year filled with fun, smiles, and the LOVE of DANCE! One of her favorite quotes is "Those who say sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain."