Director

Debi Kineavy

Debi Kineavy became the sole owner of Touch of Class Dance Studio in the Fall of 2023. Before becoming the sole owner, Debi was a Co-Director/Co-Owner of the business for 30 years, from 1993-2023. She is a graduate from West Chester University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. Debi received her early dance training under the direction of Debbie Apalucci, and quickly became a part of the senior teaching staff. During her years at the studio Debi taught, competed, ran, and directed many dance programs. Due to her evident love for the art, she wanted to open her own dance studio. Since TOCD was truly Debi’s second home and family, it only made sense for her to jump on board and become Business Partners with Debbie Apalucci.

By immersing herself in the dance community, Debi strives to provide her students with a broad range of movement spanning from “old school jazz” to current day “contemporary jazz”. One of her other passions is teaching tap. Debi loves mixing complex rhythms, musicality and fun. Aside from teaching classes in both the Broomall and Downingtown locations, Debi directed the studio’s community service program, “Dancertainers”, and the TOCD Performance Team. Currently, she is directing the TOCD Competitive Company where they compete regionally and nationally across the United States. Her background in both dance and education has allowed Debi to become an extremely accomplished teacher in Delaware and Chester County.

Debi choreographed for the award-winning South Philadelphia String Band, the Junior 76ers Dance Team, and the TOCD Competition Company where her work has been nationally recognized at major dance competitions by receiving Platinum, Best Overall, and High Scoring awards. Another major accomplishment includes when Debi, along with the other TOCD directors, received the “Educator of the Year” Award for their dedication and excellence in successfully training of many young talented dancers. Debi lives in Downingtown with her husband who has always been in there and backstage supporting her career. Her daughter, Jenny Rose, attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia as a Dance Major and Creative Writing Minor and is currently working at the studio. Her son, Marty, graduated from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City as a Dance Major with a concentration in Modern and Choreography and is currently still dancing but working as a flight attendant for Jet Blue.

Faculty

Alicia Leahy

Alicia Leahy is a graduate of Cabrini College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Internet Computing. She is a full time employee at SAP as a Project Manager but still finds time on nights and weekends to teach at Touch of Class. Her dance training and teacher training courses were completed at Touch of Class under the direction of Debbie Apalucci. While in college, Alicia directed and choreographed the Cabrini dance team. She continued her passion for dance after college and was the coach and choreographer for the Junior Sixers Dance Team for 6 years.

Alicia has choreographed for the competition teams that compete in Regional and National competitions and her pieces have won Platinum’s, High Score Awards, and the Judge’s Showcase Awards. In 2010, her hip-hop group auditioned for Paula Abdul’s dance reality show, Live to Dance, where they made it all the way through to the New York finals. Alicia is a busy mother to two daughters, who both started dancing at TOCD!

Christine Wallace

Christine has been a part of Touch of Class Dance Studio since its inaugural year in 1978! She studied ballet, jazz and tap under the direction of Debbie Apalucci and was one of her first instructors. During her dancing days at TOCD, she was an award winner at regional and national competitions. After graduating from high school, she left the studio for a few years to follow her dream of dancing professionally. She performed in many industrial and professional shows while working with The Hot Foot Agency. She was chosen as a member of the Philadelphia Sixers Dance Team and was the captain for the three years she was on the team. Her favorite moments as a Sixer Dancer were performing in various music videos and appearing in the 1997 NBA play station video game. Even after retiring from the team as a dancer, she continued to work as a director and teacher at the Sixers Dance Camps in the Delaware Valley. Always interested in business, she also worked as a project administrator for Proconex, Inc. where she provided administrative support for pharmaceutical companies. When the Downingtown studio opened in September 2008, she returned to TOCD as a full-time employee and combined her amazing dancing and business skills as an instructor and office manager.

Christine remains an integral part of the TOCD staff. She wears many hats at the studio including that of the accounts receivable manager for both studios, tumbling instructor, customer service guru, and facilities manager. She has three amazing children: Matthew, Kirsten, and Michael, and enjoys spending her free time at home with her family.

Heather Lacey

Heather Lacey started dancing at Touch of Class Dance Studio at the age of 4. She continued studying ballet at Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet and was accepted into the Society with Margarita de Saa and John White. Heather also received a scholarship to study with David Howard in New York City. Heather’s professional career began at age 19 with Colorado Ballet, dancing soloist and lead roles in various classical works, including Serenade and Swan Lake. In 2001, she returned to the area and began teaching and performing with PAB and First State Ballet Theatre. Heather continues as a guest artist in various roles, which include Sugar Plum for Christopher Fleming and PAB, as well as performances throughout the region, country, and world. She has also completed the teaching certification for the Vaganova Syllabus. For the last eight seasons, Heather has returned to TOCD to teach and is excited to return to the studio where she first experienced her love of dance. She looks forward to giving her students the same opportunities she received when she first started at TOCD.

Kimberly DiBiasi

Kimberly, more commonly known as Miss Kimmie, started dancing at Touch of Class Dance when she was three years old. Over the years, she has developed friendships that will last a lifetime at TOCD, her home away from home. As a dancer, she participated in Dancertainers, The Nutcracker, Competition Company, completed the TOCD Teacher Training Program and began teaching classes. A graduate of Cabrini College with a BS in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Kimberly has been an educator all of her adult life. She also received her Masters of Education and Reading Specialist Certification from Cabrini, and teaches fourth grade at Sabold Elementary School in Springfield.

As the director of the Preschool Program, Kimmie loves teaching TOCD’s youngest students, because she can share her love of dance with them. She wants them to enjoy class, gain confidence, and learn the foundations of jazz, ballet and tap. She hopes that dance will give them the same enjoyment that it has brought her over the years. This year, she is thrilled to have her daughter join and fall in love with the TOCD family. Miss Kimmie was awarded “Teacher of the Year” for 2016 TOCD season.

Mackenzie Rattigan

Mackenzie Rattigan was born and raised in South Jersey where she has been dancing for 17 years, studying all mediums, but most notably, tap. She worked alongside Robin Passmore for 15 years, performing at multiple events together, recording professional videos together, and learning everything she needed to know. Additionally, she attended many Chloe and Maud Arnold workshops as well as Broadway Underground shows where she was inspired and able to learn from some of the best tap dancers in modern time. Mackenzie spent most of her life as a competitive dancer, singer, and actress in musical theater programs. As she grew up, she began to assist her teachers until she eventually taught her own classes at many studios including her current employers, Touch of Class Dance Studio and Dance! By Debra Dinote. As Mackenzie continues to grow in the dance world, she is also studying Exercise Science at the University of Delaware’s Honors College, with hopes of getting into their Physical Therapy Doctorate program one day.

Robin Passmore

Robin Passmore has devoted her life to the art of tap dancing. Her love for performing has led her to perform in New York City, and Las Vegas, where she was dance captain for the closing act of Opium, at the Cosmopolitan. She is the dance captain of Chloe Arnold’s Apartment 33 and she has performed with Chloe Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies, on stage and in a Ted Talk. In 2018, she performed and taught at the UK Tapfest in London. Robin was a cast member of Jared Grimes’ Broadway Underground. Robin has performed at the Lincoln Center, for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Gala, and Summer at the Lincoln Center. She participated in preproduction workshops for the new 42nd Street. She was featured with Jared Grimes in the April 2015 editionm of Dance Teacher magazine. She has also appeared in several Sesame Street segments and on Good Morning, America. Robin travels the East Coast and Canada teaching master classes and setting choreography.

Todd Munoz

Todd became entranced with the hip-hop scene at the age of 19. He devoted the majority of his time to training under Andreas Johnson and Versatile Entertainment. While pursuing a degree in Physics and Mathematics Education at the University of Delaware, Todd discovered the opportunity to combine his passion for education with his love for dance.

Todd continues to enjoy a life of performing and choreographing. He has worked on projects such as Silver Linings Playbook, BET 106 & Park, MTV’s PromPosal, University Dance Teams, as well as local and international education building and performances. Todd is currently the Owner and Director of Beat Addikts United and the founder of the DelAWAREness Charity Showcase, benefitting Autism Delaware.

Alyssa Sand

Alyssa Sand has a B.S. in Physical Education from Illinois State University. She is a member of USA Gymnastics with Safety and Instructor Certifications. In Jacksonville, NC, Alyssa coached gymnastics for 3 years at Step Ahead Gymnastics and Dance. She was a lead instructor for several beginning/intermediate classes, and an assistant coach in specialty and advanced classes. Alyssa was a Marine Corps spouse for 18 years. During those years she spent most of her time taking care of her family. Additionally, she volunteered with Marine Corps families as a Key Volunteer and worked for the Department of Defense Education Activity school system as an educational aide and substitute teacher.

Alyssa worked as a Physical Education teacher in Virginia Beach, VA and Lawton, OK and also coached tumbling. Upon her husband’s retirement from the Marine Corps, she and her family moved to Pennsylvania to be closer to their family. Alyssa is currently a literacy aide at Uwchlan Hills Elementary School in Downingtown. Alyssa has been married for 20 years and has 4 children: Jourdan, Isabella, Ainsley, and Jack.

Gabby Montgomery

Bio coming soon!

Jenny Rose Kineavy

Jenny Rose Kineavy is a graduate from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she received her BFA in Dance and a minor in Creative Writing. During her time at UARTS, Jenny had the opportunity to perform works directed by Mark Morris, Sidra Bell, Helen Simoneau, Douglas Becker, Beth Gill, and Zoey Scofield. These pieces were premiered on stages such as the Merriam Theater, as well as, in festivales such as FringeArts. Additionally, she has performed with the 76ers Pre Pro Dream Team, Opus 2 Contemporary Dance Project, and Opus 1 Contemporary Dance Company. Apart from stage performances, Jenny has appeared as a featured dancer in two movies, “Standing Ovation” and “Christmas Dreams”. Over the years, Jenny has trained at intensives such as Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, Academy of International Ballet, and BalletFleming. She has been dancing since the age of two, and trained at Touch of Class Dance Studio, in both Downingtown and Broomall PA. Here, she competed with the TOCD Company, participated in Dancetainers, Nutcracker, and completed the Teacher Training Program. Her passion for teaching and spreading her love of dance has brought Jenny back home to Touch of Class Dance Studio where she is a current Senior Teacher, as well as, Office Staff member.

Lina McMenamin

Lina McMenamin has been a teacher/choreographer in the Tri State area for the past twenty-five years, and the ballet/modern director at TOCD. Her mission is to motivate students through technique and performance quality. Lina studied the Vaganova Syllabus with Margarita De Saa and John White of the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet. She studied Modern and Contemporary Movement with Betty Jones, Pat Brown, Donald McKayle, Shimon Braun, Susan Hess and Terry Beck. During her career as a dancer, Lina performed nationally and internationally with groups such as Terry Beck Troupe, Philadanco, Humphrey Dance Ensemble, Waves Jazz Dance Company, Philadelphia Civic Ballet, and the Pennsylvania Ballet Society. Lina is also the artistic director and founder of Opus 1 Contemporary Dance. She believes when you enter a space with your students, there’s instantly a give and take atmosphere that begins. She creates a class where in addition to the technical portion, imagination and freedom of movement occur. In addition to TOCD, Lina has taught ballet, jazz, and modern dance for the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, Brandywine Ballet, Bryn Mawr College, Drexel University, Temple University, West Chester University, and The University of Pennsylvania.

Olivia Mianulli

Olivia began dancing at two years old and joined Touch of Class at seven years old. As a member of TOCD’s competition and performance teams for a combined 11 years, Olivia grew up and spent most of her free time at the studio before graduating in 2018. She graduated from Temple University in 2022 with a BA in Public Relations, a Minor in Dance, and was part of student-run clubs like DanceWorks and Reflections Dance Company throughout college. Olivia is an Account Executive at Gregory FCA, a top five real estate PR firm, but she is thrilled to rejoin the faculty and share her passion with TOC’s youngest students!

Roderick Phifer Roderick Phifer is a Charlotte NC native whose artistic passion is realized through choreography, dance education and performance. His experience ranges from commercial and concert dance training, which heavily influences his personal style in movement. He received early training from the North Carolina Dance Theatre under the direction of Jean Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia Mcbride, Dance Productions under the direction of Lori Oxendine, and mentorship of the late Denise Britz-Clark. As a young queer artist, expanding and exploring the language of dance outside of his home was always a major priority, which led to him training at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He continued his education and earned his BFA from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Shortly after, he transitioned and joined Philadelphia's contemporary company BalletX as a company artist for 5 seasons.

During the pandemic, he shifted roles by joining Philadelphia’s Chocolate Ballerina Company as their rehearsal director, where he was also a part of creating and choreographing for Philadelphia's first all-black cast of the Nutcracker. Roderick is currently a freelance company artist with BIGKIDS dance, founded by Mark Caserta(2020), company artist and rehearsal director with Waheed Works, founded by Tommie Waheed Evans(2021). Dance Educator at The Rock School West for Dance Education, and Company Assistant Director at Touch of Class Dance Studio(2023). He has most recently joined as a faculty member with the National Heat Dance Convention in (2023).

Roderick has earned the opportunity to teach and perform on an international level, while also pouring his knowledge and passion back into the new generation of rising dance artists.

Andrei Ustniov

Bio coming soon!

Gina Romanelli

Gina has been a member of the TOCD family for the last 30 years: first as a student and then a teacher. Growing up, Gina participated in the Dancertainer Program, the Nutcracker performances and traveled with the Competition team. Gina participated in teacher training program at TOCD and her passion for teaching has never waivered. Gina received a BS in Education from Cabrini College, a Master of Education from Cabrini College and a Master of Instructional Media from Wilkes University. Gina is currently teaching at Sabold Elementary School is Springfield, Delaware County. Gina’s goal as a dance instructor is for students to have fun in a structured environment, learn the basics of dance and gain confidence in their performance. She is a valuable member of the faculty along with being a wonderful wife and the mother to two adorable children.

Kenneth Hudson

Bio coming soon!

Lyssa Shopa

Lyssa Shopa has been dancing since she was 3 years old and has been at TOCD since she was 4 years old. She grew up at the dance studio and learned many valuable lessons from her teachers. She was a member of the Performance Team and involved in many of the productions TOCD put on. Although Lyssa graduated high school, she returned to Touch of Class to continue to teach hip hop, tap, and jazz. She is currently a full-time student at Saint Joseph’s University studying Actuarial Science. Lyssa’s goal for her students is not only to expand their knowledge and technique, but to help them grow and become confident both outside and inside the dance studio.

Reggie Oliver

Bio coming soon!

Tim Early

Tim currently shares duties as co-director of the Philadelphia based modern company Opus I Contemporary. In addition to working with many choreographers including Roni Koresh, Matthew Neenan, Scott Jovovich, Charles Anderson, Eva Gholson, Terry Beck, and Christopher Flemming, he continues to perform with the Brandywine Ballet and Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet.

He has been on faculty at Mount Holyoke College, Lafayette College, Moravian College, West Chester University, and currently Temple University. Since 1999, Tim Early has headed the dance department at the Performing Arts Institute in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Tim is trained in ballet, modern and jazz and enjoys a full-time teaching schedule. Tim and his wife Christine have two beautiful daughters and in his spare time he is an avid photographer and loves riding his bike.