Our Team

Emily Knauer

About our CEO & Founder:

Founded by Emily Knauer, Creativities Studio brings interactive, engaging children’s classes to your living room, backyard, or a studio near you. Emily has 16 years of teaching experience with an innate love for educating and enhancing the minds of children across the USA.

Creativities Studio offers the following for ages 1-14:

Dance lessons
Private tutoring
Culinary courses
Art courses
Summer camps
Birthday parties

Located in NY, CT, NJ, FL, & MA, the CS team includes a variety of enthusiastic professional dancers & educators. Each class is upbeat, encouraging, inclusive, and fun, ensuring your children learn with a smile.

Ally
*NYC, Dance Instructor*
Originally from the Greater Philadelphia area, Miss Ally Peter began dancing when she was 3 years old and has never looked back. Ally received her B.A. in Communications and Dance from Marymount Manhattan College and continues to train at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, where she assists multiple faculty members. She is a devout member of the NYC dance and theatre communities and loves to collaborate with other artists on independent projects. She has also had the privilege to perform both in NYC and regionally. Favorite credits include: A Chorus Line, Footloose, Will Roger’s Follies, and “Truth” at Ailey Citigroup Theater. Ally has been teaching since high school, where she first developed her love for it after student teaching for many years. As a teacher, she loves helping young dancers explore their artistic voices and strives to bring passion and fun to her classes.

Camryn
*NYC, Dance Instructor*
Camryn Graves is an NYC based actor, dancer, singer and educator from Laguna Niguel, CA. She began dancing at the age of three and never stopped. Throughout her formative years, she trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary and musical theatre dance before moving to New York to pursue a career in theatre performance. She graduated from Hofstra University with a BFA in Theatre Arts: Performance and a minor in Musical Theatre. Since then, Camryn has performed with PMT Dance Company, Six Flags Great Adventure, and appeared in a halftime show for the WNBA while also acting in various independent theatre projects in the city. Camryn is currently on faculty at PMT House of Dance and is committed to her passion of dance education teaching both youth and adult classes.

Christina

*NYC, Dance Instructor*
Christina Morrison is an NYC based dancer, choreographer and teacher. During her early dancing years as a competition kid in Massachusetts, she discovered an appreciation for all styles, including ballet, jazz, pointe, modern, contemporary, tap and hip hop! She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance Performance from Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Christina has spent the beginning of her professional career in Chicago, training diverse student populations, dancing in modern companies and choreographing commissioned work for stadium spaces, outdoor venues, and concert stages. Christina's work with young children is especially notable, strengthened by her emphasis in Dance Pedagogy during undergrad as well as extensive experience working in creative dance spaces. She has over 10 years of teaching experience and hopes to never stop!

Anna

*Greenwich & Westchester, Dance Instructor*
Anna Wroclawski is a dance, Pilates and movement instructor that has taught from the preschool up through the college level throughout Westchester County, New York City and Connecticut. Growing up she attended the Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts in Natick, Massachusetts and later performed with the Ballet Theater of Boston and the Boston Ballet. Anna earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts at The Boston Conservatory where she majored in Dance and studied classical ballet and modern dance forms. She has enjoyed being a director of Westchester Circus Art’s Summer Camp which was held at the Shames JCC in Tarrytown. There she taught introduction to acrobatics, juggling, Lyra (hoop) and wire walking. Anna has taught ballet, modern and hip hop dance styles to students young, old and to all abilities. When not dancing, Anna can be found playing Gridiron Partners female flag football or playing WPGDA women’s disc golf on the local Westchester courses.

Nicole (Nikki)

NYC, Dance Instructor

Nicole Carroll is a native from Jupiter Florida who started her training at Florida School for Dance Education and went to high school at Dreyfoos School of the Arts. She then furthered her training at Point Park University where she earned her BFA in Dance and performed works by Rocker Verastique, Martha Graham, and Crystal Frazier. After graduating she moved to New York where she worked with multiple artists and also taught dance at various studios ranging from ages 2-13. Recently in 2023 she achieved her dream of becoming a Radio City Rockette and performed in the latest season of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular!

Nicole

EA to CEO & Customer Success

Meet Nicole, our dedicated Executive Assistant and Customer Success expert, who brings her experience in administrative roles and research. With a passion for delivering exceptional service, Nicole starts every interaction with genuine care and enthusiasm. With her background in administration, Nicole ensures that every experience at Creativities Studio is not just seamless but also filled with joy and creativity. With her communication and public relations skills and education from Marist College, she is dedicated to supporting our mission. As an aunt to nieces and nephews, Nicole knows from experience how important it is to encourage creativity and support the growth of young children. She loved dancing as a child, and in her free time, she indulges her own creativity by making beaded jewelry. Nicole's dedication to Creativities Studio goes beyond her professional role; it's driven by her deeply held belief that everything the company stands for aligns with her values. Nicole is family-oriented, cherishing her loved ones and valuing time spent together. Originally from the vibrant state of New Jersey and now proudly calling Tuckahoe home, Nicole is absolutely thrilled about her upcoming wedding and can't get enough of spending time with her fiancé, who will soon become her husband!

Michaela

Greenwich & Westchester, Dance & Culinary Instructor

Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Michaela began her formal training at The Alvin Ailey School. She continued her studies at Walnut Hill School for the Arts. There, on scholarship, she majored in Dance. Upon completion, Michaela attended Indiana University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet and an Outside Field in Kinesiology. At Indiana University, Michaela performed in works by Justin Peck, Michael Vernon, and Gianna Reisen. She also studied under ballet masters Michael Vernon, Kyra Nicholas, Christian Claessens, and Carla Korbes. Upon completion at Indiana University, Michaela joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Within Michaela’s first season at Dance Theatre of Harlem, she performed in works by Robert Garland and George Balanchine. She also appeared in 'Witchy' by Kaytranada and Childish Gambino.

Marissa

*NYC, Dance & Art Instructor*
Marissa’s love for dance started when she was 3 years old and has only continued to grow since. She is a New York City based dancer and educator who grew up dancing in Connecticut, where she competed in her school’s competition team and danced in many local productions. She went to Dean College to further her education and graduated with her BA in Dance with a minor in Psychology. Just after graduation, she performed in Gregory King’s modern dance piece “The Strange Invisible Perfume” at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Since moving to New York, Marissa’s performed various works throughout the country with dance companies including The Rogue Dancers, Wandering Movers, and Aries in Flight. Also a lover of musical theater, Marissa has performed in musicals at various regional theaters. Some favorite stage credits include Chicago (Mona), Singin in the Rain (Lady in Green), Anything Goes (Purity), and Cabaret (Kit Kat Girl). In her free time, Marissa loves taking class at Steps on Broadway, reading, learning Italian, and traveling the world with her husband. Marissa feels fortunate to bring her love for the arts to the students at Creativities Studio!

Gates

*Boston, Culinary Instructor*
Gaitskell Cleghorn Jr. (aka Gates) is the owner of his own multifaceted food business which is home to five different services. He is passionate about sharing his culinary experience and expertise with the community and especially youth. He has served as a culinary educator in Boston high schools, colleges, universities, and local restaurants. Chef Gates’s unique teaching philosophy is what drives his success with the youth in his community. As a ninth grader at Madison Park High School in Roxbury, Chef Gates recalls walking into the culinary department where “the air smelled like fresh baked goods.” That is where his love for culinary arts was born. Shortly thereafter, the young Chef Gates began working in the restaurant industry where he refined his skills that eventually granted him his title. Among many other talents (dance and playing piano to name a few), Chef Gates’s leadership and experience starting and running organizations enabled him to continue to change lives as a Culinary Educator and Culinary Director. Working with Creativities Studio will allow Chef Gates to continue developing and honing his skills as an educator.

Rivers

*Boston, Dance Instructor*
Rivers Pokraka is a young actress, choreographer, and teaching artist with a deep passion for telling truthful stories through acting and movement. Rivers has taught and choreographed at several studios in the past six years such as The Gold School, Salgado Productions in New York, Duval Dance and Music Academy, and Spotlight Academy. She was also awarded America’s National Young Choreographer of the Year in 2021 at the American Dance Awards. Rivers received her BFA in Drama at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. She has trained for two years at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and two years at Stonestreet Studios. She has starred in a multitude of short films and worked on commercials with brands such as Hasbro and TJMaxx. Rivers believes solely in creating art that reflects and represents all kinds of stories from different groups of people. Everyone deserves to have their story told, and Rivers wants to support that through her teaching. Rivers is extremely excited to work with Creativities Studio and to encourage the students to play, create, and fuel their imaginations!

Jeremy

*NYC, Culinary Instructor*
Jeremy—a farm-to-table chef and culinary instructor—grew up on a small, self-sustaining farm in rural Kazakhstan. His grandparents raised livestock and cultivated a variety of produce, nurturing his early passion for cooking and seasonal ingredients. At 19, Jeremy immigrated to the United States, eager to pursue his culinary aspirations. A graduate of Natural Gourmet Institute (a health-supportive, plant-based, alternative-ingredient school in New York City), Jeremy honed his skills under Suzanne Cupps, a renowned chef known for her vegetable-forward cuisine (Lola’s, Untitled, Gramercy Tavern). Jeremy's culinary journey continued to expand over the next decade. Today, he juggles a variety of roles, from catering and executing multi-course tasting menus to teaching cooking classes to adults and children, and he is thrilled to join Creativities Studio as an instructor. When he's not in the kitchen, he enjoys jogging, hiking, writing, food photography, creating book covers, and traveling the world with his husband.

Abby

*Greenwich & Westchester, Dance & Art Instructor*
Abby has loved dance her whole life. She started her Tap and Ballet training at just two years old! From there, she began to take more classes until she was dancing competitively in a range of styles. With time, she started to get involved in Musical Theatre. She used to teach dance in California, but just moved and is so excited to be starting a new chapter with Creativites! Abby recently graduated from Ithaca College with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Since then she has worked professionally as both an actor and choreographer! She is excited to share her passion and knowledge in a supportive and welcoming way.

Tara

*Weston & Boca, FL, Dance Instructor*
Born and raised in New York City, Tara discovered her love for dance at the age of three, taking her first ballet lessons in the heart of Manhattan. Immersed in the city's vibrant cultural scene, Tara's passion for movement grew quickly, leading her to be accepted into the prestigious School of American Ballet by the age of 10. Under the mentorship of the legendary Peter Martins, Tara honed her technique and discipline, performing in high-profile productions such as *Mozartiana*, George Balanchine’s *Farewell Salute to Suzanne Farrell*, and Mikhail Baryshnikov’s *La Sylphide* with the American Ballet Theatre. Recognized early for her talent, Tara was profiled as an "up-and-coming star" in *Vanity Fair* in 1987. She continued her dance education at the North Carolina School of the Arts, working toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. To deepen her understanding of movement’s therapeutic benefits, Tara pursued studies in movement therapy at the Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado. In 2002, Tara opened her own dance studio, *To Dance For*, in Southampton, New York. As both director and instructor, she shared her passion for choreography, teaching, and performance with countless students, while balancing her professional and family life. Tara remains committed to advancing her education, regularly attending master classes, workshops, and conventions. With decades of experience in dance, Tara’s dedication to her craft continues to inspire new generations of dancers. She blends classical ballet technique with a deep appreciation for the healing power of movement, creating a nurturing environment for her students to thrive.

Caroline

*Boston, MA, Dance & Art Instructor*
Caroline Gardner began dancing at the age of 3 and grew up dancing at the Dance Studio of Braintree, where she trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, musical theatre, and pointe. As a member of the Braintree Ballet Company, she performed in productions like Coppélia, Cinderella, and The Nutcracker, portraying roles such as Dew Drop Fairy and Swanhilda’s Friend. In high school, she was the choreographer and dance captain for the Braintree High School Show Choir. After graduating, she studied dance professionally in New York City majoring in Musical Theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, where she served as dance captain throughout her studies. With experience teaching dancers of all ages and abilities, Caroline is passionate about sharing her love of dance and is excited to be a part of Creativities Studio!

Brianna

*Greenwich & NYC, Dance Instructor*
Brianna Abruzzo is a NYC native actor, singer, dancer who spent her formative years training at The School Of American Ballet and studying at Professional Children's School. Upon graduating, her love for dance led her to join Miami City Ballet. After achieving her goals of becoming a professional ballerina, she decided to pursue other talents. She expanded her dance career by joining LA Dance Project as a guest artist on their European Tour and performing/choreographing in numerous commercials and music videos. Brianna developed her vocal and acting abilities by booking her first musical theater opportunity as Graziella in West Side Story at Asolo Repertory Theater. From then, she worked on Broadway's developmental lab for the revival of Carousel, joined the first national tour of An American in Paris, and originated in the national tour of Anastasia. Brianna acted and danced in her first film, West Side Story, directed by Steven Spielberg and choreographed by Justin Peck, took on the role of Louise Bigelow in Carousel at Broadway Sacramento, and starred in An American In Paris as Lise Dassin at The Phoenix Theatre Company. You can see her on screen in Lifetime's Secrets Between Sisters and Tubi Original Killer Nurses. Brianna offers private classes as well as choreography and mentorship services to young dancers. In her free time she knits chunky blankets for her etsy shop and runs her content creation company, My Day Of, for weddings and events!

Olivia

*Boston, MA, Dance Instructor*
Olivia Schrantz has been dancing for the past 15 years doing everything from ballet to musical theater to ballroom dance. She is currently an international competitive ballroom dancer and has danced her way across the country, performing with various contemporary groups. Olivia has danced with Paula Higa Dance and Opera Company of Middlebury. She is currently a ballroom dance coach at Tufts University and Harvard University, and was a former coach at the University of Vermont and Brandeis University. Olivia has taught classes at 802 Westie Collective, Lines Vermont, USA Dance, and Burlington Westie.

Elise

Boston, MA, Dance Instructor

Elise Nakahara is a dance instructor currently studying Health Science at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Originally from Westchester, NY, Elise has been passionate about dance since she was 10 years old, with training across multiple styles including ballet, jazz, hip-hop, modern, and contemporary. Throughout her high school years, she was part of the Elite Company at Artistry Dance Project in Pleasantville, NY, where she honed her skills and competed in the Tri-State Area. Additionally, Elise participated in the studio's Ambassador Program, which gave her hands-on experience choreographing and teaching younger dancers. Her dance education extends beyond her home studio; Elise has also trained with renowned organizations such as Steps on Broadway and New York City Dance Alliance. Now, she’s eager to share her love and passion for dance with her students with Creativities Studio!

Gianna

*Westchester & Connecticut, Dance Instructor*
Originally from New York, Gianna began dancing at the age of 2. She grew up training in many different styles, and taking class from top choreographers at dance conventions around the country. She's learned from the Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, and has been mentored by some of Broadway's finest. She's performed in many half time shows as a part of the Mount Saint Mary College Dance Team, and was a member of the Mid-Hudson Ballet Company, where she performed in The Nutcracker with the Moscow Ballet Company. Upon graduating college, she was a cast member at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida! Gianna has been on the teaching staff at many studios in New York and New Jersey, and is now teaching master classes and setting competition choreography for studios and dance teams along the East Coast. Growing up in the competition world, she found a love for the industry very quickly. Gianna stage managed and emceed for 3 leading competitions, and now works alongside her brother Rocco, as a co-founder of Industry Dance Challenge. She loves sharing her passion for dance with all of the students she encounters in her travels, and is so excited to be teaching for Creativities Studio!

Diane

Boston, MA, Art Instructor

With a diverse background and multi-dimensional skill set, Diane brings over 40 years of experience in marketing materials design, web-sites, and UI/UX Design spanning business-to-business, consumer, and government sectors. Her true passion is in the visual arts and includes drawing, painting, pottery, and printmaking. Diane enjoys working with children, fostering their creativity, and inspiring and developing their innovative problem-solving skills. She has had the pleasure of teaching visual arts at Mount Saint Charles Academy, Heartworks Art Studio, CoachArt, and DPSArtStudio. I am now part of the Creativities Studio team and look forward to providing creative art instruction to local after-school art enrichment programs.