Teachers

Rebecca Laird
Director, Core Class Teacher

Rebecca is an woman after God's heart who seeks to bless and minister to others through everything she does.  She is a graduate of Elim Bible Institute (1994), and holds credentials with Elim Fellowship as a Licensed Minister.  

Growing up, Rebecca studied piano, voice, and gymnastics, and participated in her school marching band in Canada, twirling flags in the colour guard.  She always dreamed of studying ballet or figure skating, but didn't have the opportunity.  As a young adult, the Lord began training her as a dancer for Him which opened doors for her to dance in worship, participate in the praise dance team at Harvest Christian Church in Detroit, MI, and eventually choreograph a Christmas show at Shiloh in Cumberland, VA.  


Here in Arcade, she first developed the Worship Dance ministry team at P.C.F. and led workshops and dance teams for seven years before God called her and her husband to begin Grace School of Dance (with the help of Melinda Adams) in 2008.  They have brought excellence in technical training to the tri-county area, and continue to expand by forming the new non-profit organization, Grace Worship Arts, Inc, offering music, theater and arts training of all kinds. 

Rebecca has studied classical ballet under professional and semi-professional teachers, such as Sarah Badger and Alexis Gaetano.  She continues to expand her training whenever possible, and always seeks out master classes with Christian professionals such as Ballet Magnificat and P.U.S.H. Physical Theater.  She also studies pointe under Carolyn Fisher. 

She lives in the country near Delevan with her husband, Pastor Scott (Pioneer Christian Fellowship
), and her three sons, who often lend their talents to serve the Grace Worship Arts ministry.  She enjoys photography, music, gardening, her pets (including her egg-laying hens), and making homemade bread.  



Carolyn Fisher
Core Class Teacher

Carolyn lives in Franklinville, NY with her husband Jeff.  Her hobbies include: dancing, singing, sailing, gardening, playing games, and enjoying her bunny Bennington.

Carolyn began her training at Terry Fyke Dance Studio at the age of five, and continued there through high school, and also taught there. During this time, she studied ballet (including pointe), jazz, hip-hop, creative worship, modern, lyrical, tap, and Irish dancing. She taught ballet, tap, and jazz. She was also a member of the Senior and Earthen Vessels dance teams.


In college, she studied ballet and pointe for two years at Sandy Charles Pointe by Pointe studio, worked as a sub, cleaned and taught a jazz/hip-hop class.


At Houghton Movement and Arts Center, during her senior college year, she continued to study ballet and pointe while teaching Dance Fitness, Ballet I/II, and Jazz/Hip-hop I/II.  She has also taught college classes with Houghton College in Beginning Ballet and Beginning Jazz for physical education requirements.  In all the classes she has taught, she developed her own curriculum and choreographed combinations and dances.


Recently, Miss Carolyn has also danced with two companies - In His Steps, the resident ballet company of Seneca School of Performing Arts, and Genesee Dance Theatre, led by Sarah Badger (H.M.A.C. and Neglia Ballet), and continues her dance education and teaching at STEPS Studio: Houghton.


Carolyn is a gifted and highly trained dancer who has taught with Grace for several years. This year she is acting as a Core Class Teacher, helping to develop curriculum and oversee the technical training of Sapphire (Mondays) and Emerald students, as well as teaching our Praise Jam (Jazz/Hip-hop) and Intermediate/Advanced Tap classes.  Carolyn is available for Private Lessons.


Cindy Zeis
Worship Ministry Leader

Cindy is a beautiful person whose intimate relationship with the Lord is shown though her dance.  

As a child and teenager Cindy twirled Baton with the Twin-Tonettes in Tonawanda, NY and with Clarence Central School Jr. and Sr. High marching band.  Her experience with baton twirling led her to twirling flags in worship at her home church, My Father’s House, in Elma, NY.  Cindy holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and has worked at various Pre-Schools and Daycare Centers in the WNY area.  Also, she ran a Family Day Care in her home for 7 yrs.  She enjoys teaching children and has been a Sunday School Teacher for over 20 years. 


She has studied worship and Hebrew dance under Janene Staffone at Healing Waters Dance in Buffalo, and continues to be a part of the performing arts ministries there as a member of The Great Sea Dance Network.  Cindy also leads the dance ministry at her church which has members from 8 yrs. old to adults.


She has danced in our Spring Performances for the past two years; in 2014 with Healing Waters and in 2015 with the Ladies worship Dance team from Pioneer Christian Fellowship.


Cindy serves on our teaching team to help with the Worship facet of our program, teaching the children to connect with the Lord through the art of dance.  She will lead prayer times, choreograph Scripture in Motion pieces for our Amethysts, and oversee a student-led group prayer / worship / Bible study group time with our Sapphire (teen) students.  She is a wife and mother of 2 beautiful daughters, one of which dances with Grace Worship Arts.  She enjoys music and sings on the Worship Team at My Father’s House. 


ABSENCES:  Please remember to contact your child’s teacher if they will be absent or late to class.   Consistent attendance is required.  We aim for no more than 3 absences for the entire year in order to keep up with what is being taught.  If classes are missed, students are welcome to make up for that class by attending a similar class the same month.  Ex: If class is cancelled or a student needs to miss class due to a school concert on a Friday, they are welcome to attend a Wednesday class instead.

Teacher Contact Numbers:  
Emily Smith (Diamonds): 716-986-2395 cell, 716-942-3072 hm, chevylovinggirl101@gmail.com
Samantha Salzler (Tap) -- 716-689-5853 cell, 585-4925-2983 hm, sasalzler@gmail.com
Janene Staffone (Wed: Rubies/Amethysts, Praise Jam) -- 716-604-4711, js2timothy@msn.com
Cindy Zeis (Wednesdays/Fridays) -- 716-997-5757, cindy_zeis@yahoo.com
Carolyn Fisher (Tu/Fri:Emeralds,Ameth/Sapph/Pearls, APJ) 585-315-8245, carolyn.varner12@houghton.edu

Rebecca Laird (Teaching Director) 716-640-5702 cell, 716-492-2789 hm,  rebecca.gracedance@gmail.com

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