Director, Jennifer Cote (AKA Mrs. Jen), graduated from Dean College in 2008, receiving her BA in dance. After graduating from college she studied with several renowned institutions and companies such as The Ailey School and Parsons Dance. She feels blessed to have met and be mentored by numerous leaders in the dance industry including Joan Phelps Palladino, Denise Jefferson, Thelma Goldberg, Nailah Randall-Bellinger, David Connolly, Jill Silverman, and Margot Parsons. Jennifer continues to attend dance workshops and classes, because, as her mentors taught her, dance education is a life-long process. Her mission is to instill this life-long-love for moving and learning in her students.
Faculty member, Shannen Kelley (AKA Miss Shannen), studied dance under the tutelage of Jennifer Cote at The Studio of Performing Arts in Canton MA. There she gained a love for dance that followed her into adulthood. She continued studying dance in college and received her Masters in Education from Lesley University. This love for dance and education are the perfect ingredients for an exceptional dance teacher. Jen is honored to have Shannen lead the tap program at Exhale. She is excited to continue to watch Shannen grow and flourish throughout the years.
Faculty member, Adrienne Matthews, began dancing at the Studio of Performing Arts in Canton, MA under the direction of David Connolly, Renae Maccioli McLeod and Jennifer Cote! Jennifer introduced Adrienne to the Horton technique which quickly became her favorite style of dance. Adrienne competed in dance for years, however found her true passion for performance at the Boston Arts Academy, where she had opportunities to dance across the country. Following a dance related injury, and a nagging curiosity as to why it happened, she decided to pursue Physical Therapy following high school to help future dancers train without having preventable injuries. She recently graduated from Plymouth State University’s inaugural DPT program with a degree in Physical Therapy. Adrienne was fortunate as a young dancer to have a role model like Jennifer as she was always so focused, kind, and dedicated to the art which radiates in her love for teaching! Adrienne loves dancing with Jennifer and Shannen again! It feels like home!
Faculty members er, Melissa Campbell, has been a dancer since the age of 2. She has lived in Norfolk her whole life and is currently majoring in dance at Dean College. She danced at Patti Eisenhauer Dance Center where she studied tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, lyrical and hip hop. She has also been an instructor/choreographer for several years as well. Melissa absolutely adores working with young dancers and she could not be more excited to join the Exhale family! Her goal is to share her love and passion with as many students as she can and hopes to inspire dancers the same way she was inspired by her teachers.
Guest Faculty Member, Kaeley Cahill, was born and raised in Denver, Colorado and has had a passion for dance her entire life. Kaeley is a soon to be graduate from Dean College. She will be leaving Dean with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance, with a concentration in Dance Pedagogy and a Minor in Psychology. Through her time at Dean, she has had incredible opportunities throughout her coursework taking courses in Creative Movement, Pedagogy, Composition and psychology courses devoted to working with diverse learners. She has recently completed an internship working with students a part of the Dean Arch Learning Community, a program designated for students with diagnosed learning disabilities, where she has discovered her passion for teaching and assisting young students with disabilities. Kaeley, post-grad will be pursuing her Masters degree in Somatic Counseling with a concentration in Movement Therapy. Kaeley aspires to one day create a safe and welcoming space for children to learn and grow and she is just hoping to change the world one dance step at a time.
The talented Jen Oliver wears many hats at the dance studio including billing and account manager, jack-of-all-trades, and (her most important job) Dance Mom! Jen has a passion for the arts, community, and childhood development. These passions allow her to be an asset to the dance studio. Jennifer Cote is thrilled that Jen has decided to join the Exhale team and looks forward to working with her for many more years to come!
Office Manager, Kristin Cobb, graduated from Plymouth State University in 2011 with a BS in Business and Dance. She went on to study Movement Therapy at Lesley University to work with children with special needs. Kristin met Jen Cote at The Dance Inn, where she taught recreational dance classes, adaptive dance classes, and managed the studio for seven great years before relocating to her hometown in Connecticut. Now she spends her days with her husband and two beautiful daughters. Jennifer Cote is excited to have Kristin’s expertise and experience on the Exhale team and looks forward to working with her again!