Nancina began her dance career at Jersey Cape Dance and Gymnastics Academy, training in all disciplines. She continued her dance education studying under former Rockette, Eleanore Ryder, where she had her first experience as a teaching assistant and co-choreographer.  At age 19, while attending Rutgers University, Nancina was offered and accepted a position as a Dance Instructor where her love of Dance continued to grow, and her work as a Competitive Dance Choreographer began to flourish. During her time at Rutgers, Nancina was also an active member/choreographer for Rutgers Performing Dance Company. 

Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Master of Education Degree, Nancina began pursuing a teaching career while continuing to train in Dance, choreograph, and instruct dancers in studios in New Jersey.  Nancina auditioned for and was accepted into Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Semester Program where she was cast in Musical Theater and Latin Jazz pieces under the direction of award-winning choreographer and BDC faculty advisor, Jim Cooney, and original top four contestant of So You Think You Can Dance, Ashlé Dawson. Nancina also had the opportunity to perform at Symphony Space in New York City and work The Pulse Dance Convention, NYC. During this time, Nancina became a member of Associated Dance Teachers of New Jersey after passing their board certified dance exam. 

Additionally, Nancina danced for a season with a modern dance company based out of New York City, before accepting a full time position as an English teacher. Her work in the classroom has positively influenced and helped to shape her teaching philosophy in the studio, working with many different types of learners and understanding the various teaching methods needed to foster confidence and success in all of her students. While teaching both English and Dance, Nancina was also the Cheerleading Coach for Columbia Middle School and Choreographer for Governor Livingston High School’s Musical Theatre Program. 

As an Instructor and Choreographer, Nancina has received numerous accolades and awards at both Regional and National Dance Competitions for Top Choreography and Excellence in the field. In 2018, her students performed at Symphony Space, NYC,  and her collaborative work received both the Technique Award and Best Choreography Award from acclaimed choreographers, Bo Park and Kelly Peters. Nancina was also honored to receive the top techer award, choreography excellence awards, and Industry Dance Awards Nominations at regional and national events. Most recently, her collaborative pieces ‘Above the Clouds’ and ‘At the Table’ were named Industry Dance Award Finalists in 2022 and 2025, earning recognition at the IDA Awards in Hollywood.

With several years of experience as a Dance Instructor, Educator, Coach, and Choreographer, Nancina is eager to continue using her background to cultivate both a positive and competitive learning environment for her students at SDNJ.

In high school, Scott earned 12 Varsity letters, including 2 gold letters at Governor Livingston High School. He broke records in the 100m and 200m races as well as the 4x100m relay.

Scott made the switch to football in his senior year and was a starting receiver, cornerback, and kicker. He was first team all conference, first team all county, and was a division 1 AA recruit.

Scott holds a Bachelors Degree in Finance from The University of Kansas and an MBA in Global Business and Real Estate at the Rutgers University School of Business. In addition to being our Strength and Conditioning Coach and Assistant Director, Scott works for the Hedge Fund desk at an asset manager.

Scott attended the Rutgers Strength and Conditioning Clinic, bringing his knowledge to our Competitive Dance Company. Coach Scott believes that competitive dance is both a sport and an art. He looks forward to continuing to train our company members this season and helping them gain the strength and confidence to reach their fullest potential as competitive athletes.

Gina Montalto is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher based out of New York City but with New Jersey roots. She began her technical training at New Jersey School of Ballet and the American Academy of Ballet, auditioning for and participating in the Intensive Program as well as annual productions of NJB’s The Nutcracker at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn. She attended Livingston High School and grew as a performer in their Theater Program as a dance soloist and captain.

      At Rutgers University, Gina was an active member of the Rutgers Performing Dance Company where she widened her vocabulary to other styles including hip hop, jazz and contemporary, while also taking ballet and modern classes at Mason Gross School of the Arts. She earned her BA and MAT in Italian Language and Literature, and she decided to continue her education in dance at County College of Morris where she completed her Associates in Fine Arts. At CCM her student work was selected to be performed and adjudicated at the American College Dance Festival in upstate New York. While working towards her degree, Gina also auditioned for and participated in Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Semester Program where she was cast in musical theater and latin jazz pieces under the direction of Ashle Dawson and Ricky Hinds. During this training program Gina also had the opportunity to work The Pulse Dance Convention NYC.

       Gina has danced for several dance companies including a season with Artsy-e, a modern company based out of New York City, Introspective Movement Project- a contemporary jazz company based out of Philadelphia, and most currently with Impact Movement Collective where she is in her second season and has performed in many festivals in New York. Gina is also a freelance choreographer in New York City and her work has been shown at many dance festivals including: Chen Dance Center’s NewSteps New Series, Artists in Flight, The Moving Beauty Series, Sans Limites Fall and Spring Festivals, Kodafe in NYC, Translate (Voices of Dance) by the JChen Project, Dancers Unlimited Legacy Showcases and many more. Gina has also choreographed musicals at Livingston High School and Millburn High School for the past 6 years and has guest taught at several dance studios around New Jersey.

      Gina is a certified ballet instructor and active member of the Associated Dance Teachers of New Jersey, and she attends their teacher training workshops and conventions annually. Gina is also the Starstruck Chapter Advisor for National Honor Society of Dance Arts. This will be Gina’s seventh season with Starstruck as an instructor and choreographer for their Competitive Dance Company. She hopes to continue to instill technical excellence, artistry and a passion for dance in each and every one of her students!

Andrew Burleson, a North Carolina native, is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, with a BFA in dance with a concentration in choreography and a minor in Business Administration. He has been dancing since the age of 3 training in various forms including ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, tap, modern and dance composition. Andrew has toured nationally with a dance convention, where he was given the opportunity to assist top choreographers from So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Best Dance Crew, Disney’s Shake It Up, Step Up 2 and Britney Spears. Andrew works as a teacher, guest teacher and choreographer for over twenty dance studios across the United States, and has worked for several dance competitions both as a judge and event director. He enjoys being able to empower the future generation of dancers, and has an innate ability of encouraging and bringing out the best in his students. In 2019, he began and is the Creative Director of Coalition Dance Project, LLC, a traveling teaching and choreographic company that focuses on providing a positive and empowering environment to teach and choreograph in. Andrew is continually encouraged by those he teaches when he sees their passion for dance. 

Andrew has been a guest choreographer for our competitive company for multiple seasons, and we are thrilled to welcome him to our teaching staff! We're excited for the expertise and creativity he brings as he helps our dancers grow as both athletes and artists, while pushing towards their competitive, collegiate, and professional dance goals. 

Emma Giordano is a dance performer, educator, and choreographer based in the New York Metropolitan area. She began her dance training at the age of 3, under Starstruck’s founder Monica Struck. Emma went on to train competitively at Starstruck Dance New Jersey and danced in the program from the studio’s opening through senior year of high school, studying ballet, tap, jazz, musical theatre, hip-hop, contemporary, lyrical, and pointe.

A recent graduate of Muhlenberg College, Emma holds a B.A. in Dance Education and Performance, as well as a B.A. in Theatre Acting. At Muhlenberg, Emma continued her dance education in ballet, jazz, and tap, as well as training in modern, street jazz funk, and aerial acrobatics. She had the opportunity to perform in many faculty and student choreographed works and theatre productions, along with choreographing her own student work and a student directed musical. She also taught creative movement to kindergarteners-third graders at Muhlenberg Elementary school, as well as creative movement, jazz, and modern to 2.5-7 year olds at Muhlenberg Community Dance Center for multiple years. During her time at Muhlenberg, Emma served as a Zoom Monitor for the Steps on Broadway Youth Program in the Fall of 2020, working closely with their teachers to run Zoom class meetings and handle any faculty or student technical needs. In addition, she interned with The 52nd Street Project in Hell’s Kitchen, New York, where she worked closely with students ages 9-18 on acting, improvisation, play writing, and fine arts. 

Emma has been a teacher and assistant teacher for Starstruck’s summer class program since 2019 and we are thrilled to have Miss Emma on our SDNJ teaching team, working with both our recital class program and our competitive company. Her choreography has earned numerous accolades, with her lyrical small group recently taking first place national championships. She is thrilled to be teaching this season, as she is passionate about sharing the strength, focus, artistry, and dedication that Starstruck taught her to have. She hopes to instill a love of dance and the knowledge that, through hard work, every dancer has the power to reach their full potential in all of her students. 

Rachel Fiedler is a dancer and choreographer based in the New York tristate area. She began her dance journey at various studios, studying styles such as Ballet, Hip-Hop, and Jazz. She further honed her craft at Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, where she participated in both practical training and theory classes, gaining a comprehensive understanding of dance techniques and choreography. During high school, she trained with Ballet Theater Company and performed with Exit 12 Dance Company. She was also a second company member of DancEnlight Modern Chinese Dance Company.

Following high school, Rachel spent 10 months in the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company’s Dance Journey Program, where she studied ballet, modern, and contemporary dance, alongside Pilates. During this period, she choreographed original works, performed company repertoire, and contributed to the creation of new pieces by company members.

She then pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Dance at Rutgers University, where she furthered her studies in dance technique and theory. Under the guidance of esteemed instructors, she deepened her understanding of various dance forms and honed her technical skills. Additionally, she earned her 200-hour Vinyasa Flow Yoga Teacher certification, integrating yoga’s principles into her dance practice and teaching. Her college years included significant work with Ballez Company, Alexandra Bellar and more, enhancing her artistic vision.

In addition to her performance and choreographic work, Rachel has taught at various studios in New Jersey. Her work at Starstruck has earned a number of accolades at competitive events, and we are thrilled to have her on our teaching team where she leads classes in various styles including ballet, contemporary, lyrical, acro, and more. Her teaching focuses on technical excellence with artistic exploration, emphasizing disciplined practice and personal growth. She strives to create a supportive environment where students build strong technique, gain confidence, and develop their unique artistic voices. 

Sarina has been dancing since the young age of 3. She studied and competed in various types, such as rhythmic tap, soft shoe tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, modern, and musical theatre.

Sarina has trained at many prestigious programs and schools, such as Joffrey Ballet School and The Boston Conservatory. Additionally, Sarina is an alumna of the Rockette Summer Intensive. Sarina has received her A.F.A degree in the fine arts and is now a professional dancer in New York City. She is dance captain for Flying Metals Tap troupe and a company member in Aries in Flight. She also does free-lance work with other choreographers and appears in many shows throughout the year.  

Besides performing, Sarina, has been teaching since she was 16 years old. Her works for Starstruck have received numerous awards and accolades, including choreography awards, Industry Dance Award Nominations, a 1st place National high score in the tap solo division. Sarina’s love, passion, and knowledge for the art of dance is passed on to her students, which makes her job even more enjoyable! We are thrilled to have Miss Sarina as an instructor for a variety of styles, specializing in Tap and Musical Theatre for our Competitive Dance Company. 

Growing up in Central New Jersey, Ondi has made dance and art her passion and priority. She began her training at Starstruck Dance New Jersey, learning from another Montclair State Alumna and others. One thing that stuck with her through this training is that dance isn't about what it looks like or the awards that may come with it, but rather the expression and soul behind it. At this studio, she also learned the importance of community and a sense of worthiness in the arts; this is something she has grown to love and incorporate into her own created environments. 

Starting her college career at Marymount Manhattan College, she trained directly with Nancy Lushington, Tito del Saz, Francois Pender, and Jan Dijkwel. After Transferring to Montclair State University the spring semester of her first year, Ondi met the lovely staff that would soon become her next family. Throughout her time there, she has trained with Stefanie Batten Bland, Christian Von Howard, Jesse DiMauro Marks, Cameron McKinney, Maxine Steinman, Karen Gayle, Leah Wilks, Lauren Grant, and more. 

Ondi is proficient in improvisation, choreography, contemporary, floor-work, physical theatre, ballet, tap, hip hop, and different genres of modern (Horton, O'donnel, Limon). 

During her time at Montclair, Ondi began to dive deeper into her understanding for choreography and art creation. She sparked an interest in movement research and curiosity, specifically in gaga style movement, with notes of physical theater and acting. With many future projects in mind, she hopes to continue learning about what choreography means to her as well as her audiences, whoever that might be. 

Miss Ondi taught classes in Starstruck’s summer program while in college, and we are thrilled to welcome her back this season as a staff member. She brings her artistry, talent, and infectious passion to elevate our company dancers in ballet, technique, and choreography. As a proud alum, Miss Ondi inspires growth and excitment in each class, sharing her love of dance with both our competitive team and recital program students.

Miss Vanessa has had a passion for dance since she put on her first pair of tap shoes. For nearly 20 years, she has spent countless hours in dance classes, including Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, Tap and Hip-Hop.

She continued her love of dance throughout college, graduating with a BFA in Dance from Montclair State University. While at Montclair State, she had the privilege of performing in works choreographed by Jessica DiMauro, Jay T. Jenkins, Earl Mosley, Twyla Tharpe, Charles Weidman, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar (Urban Bush Women).

Miss Vanessa's competitive pieces have received numerous accolades at both regional and National events. She works predominantly with our company dancers, specializing in Tap, Jazz, and Musical Theatre. We are very pleased to have Vanessa on our staff of teaching artists, and look forward to another great season!

Caia Rossi began her dance journey at the age of 3 when Miss Monica first founded Starstruck Dance. She was introduced to ballet and tap before expanding her training to jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip-hop, and musical theatre. She continued in Starstruck’s Competitive Company Program, where her passion for dance grew as it became a way for her to connect with others on a deeper level and express emotion through movement. Caia began serving as a teaching assistant in 2017 and trained at Starstruck through her high school graduation in 2021, looking back on her time dancing there with love for her former teammates and teachers and immense gratitude for her training.

Caia attended Northeastern University, where she trained, performed, and competed with the Northeastern University Dance Team all four years—an accomplishment her training at Starstruck prepared her to achieve. In her senior year, Caia was elected Captain by her teammates and coaches. In this role, she led technique training, taught gameday choreography, and played a key role in cleaning competition routines. Caia continuously upheld the team’s core values of unity, respect, professionalism, passion, and dedication, leading NUDT to their very first national championship in Division I Team Performance at 2025 NDA Nationals. Caia also had the opportunity to choreograph a section of a piece performed by NUDT in front of over 50,000 people at Northeastern’s 2025 graduation ceremonies in Fenway Park. Caia recently graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience and plans to pursue a career in either veterinary medicine or physical therapy while continuing to dance and teach. 

Caia taught classes during Starstruck's summer program throughout her time in college and is so grateful to be rejoining her Starstruck family as a teacher for the upcoming season. She looks forward to working with Starstruck’s staff to facilitate community and connection within the Starstruck family and encourage young dancers to follow their passions and dreams. 

We are thrilled to welcome Miss Caia back to Starstruck as a staff member, where she brings her athleticism, precision focus, and high-energy choreography to push our company dancers to the next level. As a proud alum, she also shares her love of dance with both our competitive team and recital program students, inspiring growth and passion in every class.

Natalia Baxter began her intensive dance training at Joy of Motion and The Dance Institution of Washington. Her training includes: Hip Hop, Contemporary, Modern, Ballet, Jazz and Puerto Rican Folklore. She received a B.A. in Dance with a minor in Professional Writing from Columbia College Chicago. 

Natalia has had the pleasure of performing at numerous events including: Koresh Come Together Festival, Brooklyn Dance Festival, Dance Diversity Tour, TLA: RawArtists Showcase, KYL/D 23rd InHale Performance Series, NJ Amistad Commission and Chicago’s Carnival Choreographers Ball. She has trained and/or performed with Philadanco II (The Apprentice Company), Roger Lee Dance Company and Introspective Movement Project. 

Natalia has danced at the Celebration of Freedom with Matthew Schuler from The Voice, the City Hall Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, ABC 6 Dunkin Donuts’ Thanksgiving Day Parade and Wawa Welcome America Festival within Philadelphia. Choreographic works include: “Allure” (2014), “Transitions: Rap the Ballet” (2012), and “El Yunque” (2011). Teaching credentials include: UPenn Recreations, Musicopia Outreach Program, Artist in Motion and master class teacher at National Dance Showcase. 

Miss Natalia continues to share her passion throughout several cities including, but not limited to New Jersey, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. 

Bria Walton has been dancing for over 20 years and is trained in all styles of dance! After growing up a competitive dancer, Bria continued her training at Academy of Phresh in Philadelphia while 

at studying at Temple University. Bria’s professional credits include Good Morning America, Pharrell Williams Sephora Fragrance 

Launch, and she was a featured dancer in Todrick Hall’s music video for his visual album. Bria has completed two seasons with Introspective Movement Project, under the direction of Sonia Pennington, where she was able to perform at the Wawa Welcome to America Festival and the Philly Fringe Festival. 

Bria is a diverse choreographer and educator; she has had the privilege of choreographing for many dance studios and dance teams across the country. Her choreography has been seen anywhere 

from Squad 76, the Philadelphia 76ers dance team to dancers competing at Youth America Grand Prix and everything in between. She loves to create a safe environment where dancers feel can be pushed and reach their maximum potential. Her true passion is traveling around the country to teach, judge and choreograph for the next generation of dancers!