Tami Palmiter, Director of Full Circle Dance Studio, has loved dance since she was a child, taking lessons until the age of ten, when the studio she attended closed. Two decades later, she rediscovered her love of dance, and believes it’s never too late to follow your dreams or to have FUN! She is very enthusiastic about sharing with others the joy and healing she has experienced through dance.
She has trained with teachers from New York, Boston and Portland. She has worked with children of all ages for over 15 years as both a therapist and an educator. She teaches dance to ages 3 to adult. She has taught at various locations all over Midcoast Maine, and is available for workshops and private lessons. In 2002 she founded Gemini Dance Company and co-founded Soul to Sole, an adult dance company. Tami is also an LCSW, LADC and is trained in Dance and Movement therapy.
This past spring and summer, Tami began teaching classes in creative dance and hip hop to adults and children with MR and Autism. She is very excited to combine her love of teaching with her skills as a dance and movement therapist. She is available for private lessons as well. Email her directly: Tami alternate email ptami@hotmail.com
Buffie McLaskey moved to Maine in October 2004 from New York to fulfill a dream. That dream is to bring culture and education in the form of Hip-Hop to Maine. She has been teaching since the age of 13 and has been dancing Hip-Hop for over 15 yrs. She has belonged in over 5 dance companies and has performed at hundreds of entertainment venues throughout New England.
Buffie teaches a style of Hip-Hop that she created called B style; it's fresh, unique, and fun! Her classes range from Basic to professional level. In her Hip Hop/Lyrical classes She likes combining the strength and street of Break dancing with the beauty and femininity of being a girl. Her Hip Hop/breakin classes add the foot work of break-dance & “whacking” (a term used for fast arm movements from the west coast). Her goal is to supply a positive outlet for anyone who needs it so that they can achieve their dreams.
Barbara Charles, a Maine native and retired nurse, has been dancing most of her life. Starting with tap and ballet as a child, about age 4, for a number of years. As a teen, she taught informally, friends and classmates, the latest dances. After raising a family, she decided it was time to return to her passion, dancing. She has been training with Sergie Slussky and Polina Kirillova, of the American Ballroom Dance Academy in Portland. She has competed in many competitions, in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Montreal, and Quebec, and has attended many workshops in these areas.
She has been teaching in the Portland studio for about 8 years. She directs and teaches at the Augusta, Brunswick and Lewiston satellite studios. She has also taught at the Lewiston Multipurpose Center, and the YMCA in Augusta. FMI contact her directly at barbcme@aol.com
Bethany Field fell in love with dance at the age of three. This bloomed into a life long quest to explore innovative movement, the human body and inspired creative expression. She studied with Elizabeth Hansen in Auburn, ME, joined Portland Ballet's CORPS program in 2000, and trained at Goucher College in Baltimore, MD, where she also earned her B.A. in Psychology. She has also attended various summer programs including The South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory, The Joffrey Ballet Training Intensive and Bates Dance Festival. She is a member of the Collective Motion Dance Company and enjoys sharing her love of dance through teaching.
Antonio (Tony) Garreton: Growing up in Latin America, dancing was an integral part of Antonio’s everyday celebration of life. Today, the Peruvian native is living his dream as a Certified Zumba Instructor in Mid Coast Maine… Tony follows his passion everyday by teaching people to be fit and have Fun. Tony’s infectious sense of fun and love for dance makes every class a FIESTA!
William Gonzalez Jr. is Cuban and was born in Jersey City, New Jersey where he lived until the age of 12, when he moved from Jersey to Miami. He has spent most of his life traveling between New York City, Miami and Chicago spending time absorbing the unique styles of dance from each state and taking the best from each location. At the age of 17 he danced for the state of Florida's dance team where they have been national champions every year. He has also traveled internationally to Italy, Rome, Spain, Greece to name a few. As an all around artist, he is also a fashion photographer, music producer, video director and has his own online news show. His exposure to different cultures, styles of dance and the range of artisitic experiences influenced Will into developing a unique style of dance which he loves to teach to others. In his video dance class you will experience Hip-Hop, Modern, Jazz, African & Hawaiian all in one!
Jamileh Jeanne Handy, who is of Lebanese decent, grew up with belly dance. She began performance and in depth study in 1993 with Josie Conte of New York City and Portland, and has been teaching different forms of movement for over fifteen years. She currently teaches in Portland, Maine at The Center for Cultural Exchange, Full Circle Synergy School and Portland Yoga Studio, and in Brunswick, Maine at Bowdoin College and Full Circle Dance Studio. Performance venues include The American Arabic Benevolent Association’s 25th Anniversary Gala, The37th National Melkite Convention, The 66th National Folk Festival with Sharq Arabic Music Ensemble and locally Merrill Auditorium in “The Vagina Monologues”, The Festival of Cultural Exchange and The Center for Cultural Exchange in “Kef North”. Jamileh is honored to be the resident dancer with the Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian Middle Eastern Ensemble. Audiences have described her shows as “elegant”, “breathtaking” and “authentically Arabic”. For more information, please contact her by email
Marita Kennedy-Castro began studying West African dance in VT in 1999,
with teachers from Guinea, Ghana and Ivory Coast. She instantly fell in
love with the energy and grace of the style, and she continued her studies
in dance when moving to AZ, where she performed with Ashe West African
Drum and Dance Ensemble. Marita is very excited to bring this invigorating
style of dance to communities in Maine and to share her enthusiasm for
broadening multi-cultural awareness and appreciation through dance.
Brigitte Ndikum-Nyada was born in Cameroon, a West African Nation. As a college student in Paris, France, she socialized with other Africans and learned dances from Nigeria, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’ Ivoire and the Congo. Moved to Augusta in December 1990 from Amherst, Massachusetts. Her passion and love for her native, traditional and contemporary African dances was formed and cultivated at the age 4. Her father owned, managed and operated a community cultural activity center where life music and excellent musicians played daily. As an African dance performer and dance teacher in the States of Maine, Massachusetts, Minneapolis, California and even in France, she has received rave reviews. Brigitte is also an African Njembe drummer and instructor.
Here are a few of what her students, employers, friends, fans have to say:
“Brigitte creates an electrifying atmosphere as she begins her performances. Her participants willingly stretch themselves to do as she instructs. Her enthusiasm and interest in each member of her audience is evident. She is an energetic, extremely competent and enthusiastic ambassador for African dance. I love watching her interact with children.”
Sue L.
“Brigitte is a performer who invites the audience to participate as a vital link in the total experience of the dance and music. Her approach to the beat of drums and sounds of music is wholistic and whole body, putting everyone at ease to become their best selves in expressing their creativity through dance.”Wells S.
“Brigitte is a vision of beauty and grace. Her character is striking; both in her outpouring of love and kindness, and her deeply grounded connection to her culture. To watch her dance is sure to bring joy to anyone as she just glows with the essence of her beautiful spirit.” Marita.
“When you watch Brigitte, you can see the music and feel the beat in her dance. Her energy, passion, masks and musical instruments speak a universally understandable – and captivating -- language.” Mary M.
“Fireball of spirit, heart & sheer energy.” Janice E.
“Brigitte Ndikum-Nyada is a beautiful spirit filled with light. Her dance takes you on a journey.”Nancy S.
“I love Brigitte’s energy and spirit and sense of community. I am in great admiration of how she works! She is wicked cool.” Liana H.
“If you dance with Brigitte, you will have the opportunity to get one of the best workouts you'll ever get, and have lots of fun while dancing. Brigitte's dynamic personality and her wealth of music and knowledge of African dance is a rare treasure here in the state of Maine!” Carolyn P.R.
“A warm, generous, energy-giving dancer and teacher, Brigitte instantly makes friends with her students, laughing with them and praising them, as she moves to the beat of the drums.” Bev G.
Joseph Richard has been dancing hip hop since the early 1980's. As a teacher he combines B-Dance, Poppin’ & Hip Hop and encourages students to diversify their own individual style. By focusing on proper form and technique, his students learn how strength and muscle control play a factor in all dance styles. He exemplifies a positive attitude towards dance and all aspects of life. He encourages others to push through self imposed barriers in their dancing and in everyday life.
Ashley Steeves trained in ballet when she was 3-5 years old, and again when she was ten. In 2003, when she was fifteen, a friend told her about The Ballet School in Topsham, and she's been dancing there ever since.
In 2004 Ashley started assistant teaching children's ballet classes in exchange for a scholarship. In 2006 she started assistant teaching classes with the studio owner to prepare to teach her own classes. She has been teaching children's classes at Full Circle Dance Studio since it opened in 2006.
Eliza Tilbor is teacher intern at Full Circle Dance Studio working with children from the ages of 7-14. She has been dancing in Gemini Dance Co. since 2003. Her focus is hip-hop and she enjoys creating small numbers for public view. Eliza attends Hyde School in Bath and is a member of the Senior class of 2008. She plans to attend Manhattanville College next year and will pursue dance as a minor.
Bruce Tracy: A Major element in Hip Hop culture, Urban Dance forms (Breakin', Poppin', Lockin', Step, House & those incredible routines on MTV) are surfacing everywhere. Bruce has immersed himself in the "streets" self taught atmosphere and has been teaching them to others for over 10 years. His choreography has won awards in New Jersey, Boston and New York City. He has trained with some amazing people including Luam Keflezgy, Bev Brown, Leslie Feliciano, Brian Green, Jazzy Jay, Quickstep, Rocafella, Doug Elkins, Sasha Soreff and Michelle Asaf to name a few.
As a less formal dance form, training in hip hop dancing is done frequently in practice sessions in which an individual will enter a circle of peers and work on making that dance theirs. Bruce has shared the circle with some of the best in the world and frequently embarks on these personal journeys with his crew Maineventz and with the people of the Slaughterhouse in Boston. He would like to recognize Shallow, Tron, Jedinice, the Katalist, and Jerz-one.
When not teaching, Bruce can be seen performing as a local DJ. He's worked in many nightclubs and has opened for names like Bad Boy Bill, Eminem and MTV's DJ Scribbles. He spent a few years performing vocals and turntablism for the band Miravie, and even produced 2 tracks for their sophomore cd "Just a taste." Bruce also pioneered the first hip hop mix show on mainstream radio in Maine for 95.9WRED called the "5 o'clock mixdown" hosted by Zach Thomas and Buzz Bradley.
Bruce's motto for class: "If you can't find your right foot, feel free to bring both of your lefts."