Our Faculty
Who We Are
Christina Soto
Creative Director & Owner
Miss Christina graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.
At Marymount, under the direction of Katie Langan, she had the pleasure to work and perform with many artists including Robert Battle, David Parsons, Kate Weare, Merce Cunningham among others. She trained extensively with the pre-professional company New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble from the ages of 9 to 18.
NJDTE offered her wonderful opportunities such as to dance at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center with the Kirov Ballet in their revival of Sleeping Beauty. She was a participant in the debut of Movement Invention Project under the direction of Alexandra Wells, Springboard Montreal and The Arts Umbrella in Vancouver. She is also a former member of Roschman Dance Company and of Bryn Cohn and Artists, former apprentice with Parsons Dance Company.
Christina has been a teacher at several studios around the Metropolitan area, is the former Assistant Director of Bodies in Motion Dance Centre, has earned multiple awards for her choreography, and is a former adjudicator for Starbound National Talent Competition. She is thrilled to be fulfilling her dreams of being the Owner and Artistic Director of Artistry Through Movement Dance Academy and to be sharing her love and passion for the art of dance through her teachings.
Maureen Dicker
Dance Instructor
Maureen Dicker is a graduate of Rutgers University, with a BA in dance. She was the owner and director of Maureen's Danceworks, with locations in Old Bridge and Sayreville NJ for 20 years.
During this period, Maureen created the Par Excellence Dance Competition Team, who performed at the Orange and Citrus Bowls, Magic Music Days in Disney World, and won numerous competitions titles in solo and group categories in tap, jazz, lyrical, ballet, and contemporary styles. Her students also performed at Swing 46 tap club in NYC. In addition to Rutgers, Maureen has studied at the University of Florida dance enrichment program, at Woodpeckers in NYC with Brenda Bufalino, Gregory Hines and Barbara Duffy. She Participated in the Royal Academy of Dance teachers training program in Ballet, studied with Savion Glover at the NJPAC summer intensive, and with Jacques D'Ambrois in the National Dance Institute Teacher Training program. Maureen holds Level 1 and 2 Tap Teacher Certifications in rhythm tap from the American Tap Dance Foundation in NYC. Maureen is currently a choreographer for competitive dancers in New Jersey, and has won numerous technique, entertainment, and artistry awards for her work.
Kailani Urena
Dance Instructor
Kailani Urena is a second-year BFA Dance Major at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross of the Arts under the direction of Gerald Casel and John Evan’s.
She has been dancing since she was 13, training in contemporary, Hip Hop, Ballet, Modern, Jazz, and Improvisation. She has trained in multiple dance styles and techniques including Kathrine Dunham, Yorcha, Pilates, African Diasporic movement, and many more. She has had the honor to learn under Pam Tanowitz, DeAngelo Blanchard, Melanie George, Alessandra Williams and Barbara Angeline. She is also currently serving in the USAF as a guardsman.