NEXTSTAGEDANCE.COM - Key Persons

Amanda Ortner began her dance education at the age of eleven in her hometown of Manahawkin, NJ, where she studied and competed in Tap, Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical and Contemporary. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rider University with a B.A. in Arts and Entertainment Management and a minor in Dance in December, 2020. She has extensive training in Modern technique, Pilates and Mind/Body connection through dance science with a COMBO certification. During her college years, she performed in the semi-annual Dance Department showcase and danced in and choreographed for the Rider Dance Ensemble. She continues to train at Koresh Dance Company and is a company dancer for Flair Dance Company. Additionally, she has experience working for several performing arts companies and in a member of the production team with Groove Dance Competition. Amanda strives to challenge her students to improve their technique while having fun in class and emphasizes for injury prevention training. She currently works full time at the University of Pennsylvania in addition to teaching a variety of dance styles in the South Jersey area.

Andrea Mychaels is returning to Next Stage Dance for season 15! Miss Andrea has been immersed in the theatre and live production business as an educator, choreographer, vocalist and dancer for more than 20 years. She earned her MFA at Texas Woman's University, Ed.M. in Dance Education at Rutgers University and B.A. in Dance at Stockton University. She has been an Adjunct Professor at several universities teaching Jazz, Tap, Modern and Ballet as well as directing and choreographing for Dance and Theater Department Productions. Mychaels has performed throughout the country as a dancer, vocalist, and choreographer in places such as Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, New York and Branson. She has worked with Shawn T. (Hip-Hop Abs/Insanity), International Award winning Neo-Burlesque Troop "The Peek-A-Boo Revue" (as seen on America's Got Talent, season 5), the New Jersey Nets Dance Team, Kathy Sledge, Taylor Dayne, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and The Trammps, and was the Director and Choreographer for the Philadelphia Soul (AFL) Dance Team in 2011. Mychaels is the recipient of three "Outstanding Choreography" awards for her Choreography at various East Coast Regional Theatres and ICCA, a National Acapella Competition. After being picked as a finalist in the 2012 Jazz Dance World Congress International Choreography Competition, she started her own dance company the Andrea Mychaels Dance Project in October, 2012. AMDP continues to be successful in providing performance opportunities for dancers and creating an entry point into the art of dance for a diverse population of youth through the company's Educational and Community Outreach programming.

Job Titles:

• Artistic Director
• Our Artistic Director

Miss Courtney is an alumnus of St. Joseph's University, received a masters degree from Immaculata University in 2003 and is a certified school psychologist specializing in child development and educational strategies. For over 18 years, Miss Courtney served as a professional educator at Paul VI High School, in addition to being appointed their Performing Arts Department Chairperson and Theatre Director and Choreographer. She has mentored countless students whose achievements are now seen performing on Broadway, The West End, The NFL and NBA and major network television and movie studios. In 2005, she initiated the resurrection of the Paul VI Dance Team. As the head coach of their Varsity and Competition Teams for over 15 years, Miss Courtney set and cultivated the team's standard of excellence, creating and maintaining the reputation of this award winning team. A former Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader and Head Coach of the St. Joseph's University Dance Team, Miss Courtney began her training at the Bowman School of Dance, later training at the University of the Arts, supplemented by an extensive choreography mentorship with Suzy Zucker. She has been performing and instructing for over 30 years, in addition to choreographing and directing over 50 productions for theatre companies and high schools such as Camden Catholic High School, The Broadway Theatre of Pitman, The Ritz Theatre, The Forrestburgh Playhouse in New York and The Prince Music Theatre in Philadelphia. Miss Courtney has appeared on ESPN and was also featured on ESPN's 2002 "The Year in Sports." Miss Courtney has won many awards for her choreography and direction and her work has been featured numerous times at the NJ Teen Arts Festival representing Camden County for Excellence in Musical Theatre and Drama. The Next Stage Dance Company, under her direction, has ranked first overall at many dance and talent competitions. Miss Courtney is proud to be the founder and artistic director of Project Dance, a dance festival celebrating the benefits of dance education in schools. In her most important role of being a parent herself, Miss Courtney truly understands and cherishes the honor of having the opportunity to pass on her passion for dance and its benefits to the children of our Next Stage Dance families. Our artistic director, Courtney Daniels, a former NFL cheerleader, Division 1 college dance team coach, experienced choreographer and reputable high school performing arts department chair/director and dance instructor for over 27 years. our staff consists of accredited educators and professional dancers and has included professional dancers from PA Ballet, Philadanco, the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders, 76ers and Wings and dancers who have appeared on FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance."

Maria DeFeo has been dancing since the age of three, studying at different schools in the South Jersey and Philadelphia areas before finding her home at Next Stage. She has trained in various dance styles and techniques including ballet, pointe, tap, hip hop, modern, and jazz. She graduated from Haddonfield Memorial High School in 2020 and spent a year training on the Saint Joesph's University Dance Team before finding her way to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she currently studies dance with plans to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2025. Maria has studied under a variety of professional performers, including former members of Pennsylvania Ballet, Complexions Ballet, LINES ballet, and Philadanco!, as well as current Broadway performers. Maria is thrilled to be a part of the Next Stage Staff, and is looking forward to helping her students learn and grow in their love of dance.