MEET OUR FACULTY

Click the name buttons for biographies
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Jenn Probola, Co-Owner
Co-Owner of Premier Performing Arts, Jenn began her education under the direction of Judy Brondon and Pamela Schickler . After graduating with a BA in dance from Point Park University, she became the assistant director of the dance department at Nazareth Academy in Rochester, New York.  She trained dancers at the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts for fifteen years and co-owned the school for eight years.

Jenn choreographed musicals for Valley High School, Central Catholic High School, and East End Productions. Her choreography for Godspell at Nazareth Academy earned her Rochester's "Stars of Tomorrow" award. Her other teaching credits include The Dance Company, Wilkins School of Dance, Gateway High School 's marching band and color guard, and the East End Kids . She worked with Kiski Area High School’s show choirs for ten years and was the choreographer of Franklin Regional High School’s dance team for fourteen years.  Her choreography has been featured in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and twice in the Tournament of Roses Parade.  Jenn is excited to bring her passion and experience to this new chapter.
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Mallory Merge-Chaffo. Co-Owner
Mallory began her dance training at the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts and continued it throughout college where she earned a degree in Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management and a minor in Dance from Point Park University. Mallory has performed in several dance and musical theater productions throughout Pittsburgh. After college, Mallory moved to New York City to work for a Broadway, television, and film talent agency and then a magazine where she had the opportunity to interview Misty Copeland, principal  dancer at American Ballet Theatre. She also studied ballet while living in New York. Mallory is thrilled to be back at Premier Performing Arts. ​
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Kim Meyers Merge, Co-Owner
Co-owner of Premier Performing Arts, Kim is a summa cum laude graduate of Point Park University and has been teaching dance for over 30 years.  She danced on Broadway in "The Tap Dance Kid" and with many touring companies, dinner theaters and summer stock shows across the United States.  Rob Marshall, Christian Slater, Ben Vereen, Alfonso Ribeiro and Lynn Swann are some of the celebrities with whom she has performed.  Locally, Kim has danced with the Pittsburgh CLO, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the Pittsburgh Opera.  Her energies are now directed toward teaching and choreographing.
 
In addition to teaching with Jenn Probola, Kim was partner in the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts in Monroeville for 27 years, taught at the CLO Academy for 10 years, the Ellis School and Centerstage in New Jersey.  She choreographed musicals at Gateway High School, West Allegheny High School, Riverview High School and Franklin Regional High School and Middle School.  Her choreography for Gateway's "The Boyfriend" won a Gene Kelly Award which honors excellence in high school musical theatre. ​
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Adrianna Amodei
Adrianna Amodei, a Bethlehem, PA native, is a recent Magna Cum Laude graduate from Point Park University, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance with a concentration in modern. Before attending Point Park, Adrianna attended the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts. During her time there, Adrianna had works she choreographed gain recognition to be chosen to be performed at both the National and the Regional High School Dance Festivals. As a dancer at Point Park, Adrianna had the opportunity to perform in Martha Graham's "Steps in the Street" as well as Doug Bentz's "Transmigration of Souls." She also spent time choreographing and performing in numerous student works during her college dance career. Following college, Adrianna taught contemporary for various workshops throughout the Lehigh Valley as well as taught jazz and tap for Lehigh University's Dancin' Club this past year. Currently, Adrianna has been performing with fireWALL Dance Theater in their most recent production, "Stroking Its Ego." Adrianna is eager to share what she has learned throughout her expansion dance experiences with new young dancers.
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Kate Berry
Enamored by dance since she was eight years old, Kate discovered her passion for ballet at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, where she spent years learning and performing in pieces like The Nutcracker. After her time at PBT, Kate continued and expanded her studies at Larry Cervi’s School of Performing Arts throughout high school. It was during this time she enjoyed being a member of the Franklin Regional dance team and dance captain for the school musicals. Kate grew in her love and passion for creative choreography, which she pursued into her undergraduate career at Grove City College. Kate earned a B.S. in Exercise Science as she performed, was the head choreographer for, and produced the school’s renowned dance production, Orchesis. Kate also choreographed for the student-led Spring Dance Company. She went on to produce some of the school’s most beloved and memorable dances that took influence from her creative love for the meaningful, the beautiful, and the entertaining. Kate couldn’t be more excited to contribute to the team and mission at Premier Performing Arts and is honored to help students grow in their technique, artistry, and to find their own reason to dance.
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Elizabeth Calvert
Elizabeth Calvert, originally from Northern New Jersey, began ballet at the age of 8 under Nancy Volpe.  She spent her summers studying at the Rock School, Nutmeg Conservatory, Orlando Ballet, and Boston Ballet.  
She went on to attend Point Park University, graduating with a degree in dance performance with a ballet concentration.  While at Point Park, Elizabeth studied with great teachers such as Nicolas Petrov, Peter Merz, Dana Arey, Tamar Rochelle, and Ron Tassone.  She also had the opportunity to perform in many works such as Nicolas Petrov’s Romeo and Juliet and Ron Tassone’s A Fosse Retrospective and be featured in George Balanchine’s Serenade.  
After graduating, Elizabeth danced with Ballet Theatre of Maryland for three seasons becoming a demi-soloist for the 2018/19 season.  She was featured in many ballets such as The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Romeo and Juliet.   While there, she taught ballet and jazz for Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s school.  She had the opportunity to teach many levels of ballet, but was able to focus on beginning and intermediate levels.  She also became certified in beginner and intermediate pilates mat through Power Pilates.  
Elizabeth is happy to be back in Pittsburgh and pursue her love of teaching ballet and pilates.
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Stephanie Cryor-Gorski
Stephanie holds a BA in Theater Studies from Temple University (class of 2010) and a MEd in Early Childhood Education from Carlow University (class of 2015). For the past 14 years she has taught acting and musical theater classes in the greater Pittsburgh area at local schools and continues to perform, teach, and direct at the Gemini Theater.  As a student actor she attended the Pittsburgh High School for Creative and Performing Arts in the dance and musical theater programs (class of 2007), CLO Academy, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Larry Cervi's School of Performing Arts, and was a performer with Cervi's East End Kids.
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Amy McDaniel
Amy is a private vocal instructor for Premier Performing Arts. She is also a vocal instructor and Artist in Residence at the Community College of Allegheny County, Boyce Campus, and she serves as the music director for Larry Cervi's East End Kids and various music ministries. A mezzo-soprano, Amy received most of her training at Duquesne University, where she studied vocal training with the late, world-renowned opera singer, Mija Novich, former head of the Vocal Department and Opera Workshop at Duquesne University
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Alexandra Swartz
Alex is thrilled to be joining the teaching staff at Premier Performing Arts as the musical theatre teacher. Alex holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Performing Arts (Acting) from Savannah College of Art and Design, where she studied acting with Craig Anton, Laurence Ballard, and John Prosky. She holds two Bachelor of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Therapy from Seton Hill University, where she studied voice with the incredible Daphne Alderson. Alex also teaches for the CLO Academy and maintains her own studio of private voice students and vocal classes. She has directed for the CLO Academy and vocal directed for The Penguin Project at Mon River Arts and the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh. Alex is also an active performer, working and auditioning in many areas of the industry, including musical theatre, theatre, music, film/television, and commercial work. Alex’s co-written/composed musical short film, Hold the Cheese, Please, is currently in post-production and will be entering the festival circuit soon. Alex was fortunate to first work with Kim Meyers Merge while a student at Franklin Regional High School and studied dance at Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts in her senior year and as an adult. It is very special to be back as a part of the teaching staff!
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Morgan Venditti
An alumna to the studio, Morgan began dancing at the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts at the age of three. In high school she led the Franklin Regional dance team the Pantherettes and played various roles in the FRHS musicals and at local theaters. Morgan trained at the Point Park University Summer Dance Intensives and studied voice and musical theatre privately. She also attended a US Performing Arts intensive at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. In college, Morgan was a member of the University of Dayton dance team and choreographed team performances. Morgan is thrilled to be back home at Premier Performing Arts to inspire and share her passion for dance and the arts with students.
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Jessica Vogt
Jessica began her classical training in Binghamton, NY at Ballet Arts Theater, under the direction of Tina Christina Price. She furthered her training at numerous summer intensive programs including Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet West, DanceAspen, and Point Park University. Jessica received a B.A. in Dance and Communications from Mercyhurst University where she was featured in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Puck and as a soloist in numerous contemporary works. She also performed in Balanchine’s Serenade, staged by Judith Fugate. Prior to moving to Pittsburgh, Jessica performed in all four of Walt Disney World’s theme parks in various parades and shows. She has danced professionally with Ohio Dance Theater and Chambersburg Ballet Theater, performing the title roles in both Cinderella and Snow White as well as lead roles in The Nutcracker and Firebird. Jessica later earned a M.A. in Corporate Communication from Duquesne University and a Project Management Professional certification which she uses in her “day job” at Carnegie Mellon University. She has continued her education in exercise science and anatomy through teaching certifications in Pilates and as a Lead Teacher at Pure Barre. It brings Jessica great pleasure to be able to share her passion and knowledge for the arts with all of her students.
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