Meet Our Staff

We have an incredibly dedicated and talented staff at Positions Dance Studio. Each instructor is highly skilled and educated in their field and has extensive experience working with a variety of age groups. The entire staff takes great care in creating age-appropriate classes where each student receives individualized instruction and attention. Read more about our staff teaching staff below.

Miss Kelly, Studio Owner & Director

Kelly Peckholdt is the proud owner and director of Positions Dance Studio, where she began dancing at age three. Leading the studio she grew up in is especially meaningful to her. Kelly holds a BA in History Education from Siena College and an MA in Education from Hofstra University. She is a New York State–certified teacher for grades 5–12, as well as a certified group fitness and Pilates Reformer instructor. In 2023, she expanded her passion for movement by opening Babylon Barre in Lindenhurst, offering Barre, Pilates, and Yoga. With a strong foundation in ballet and modern dance, Kelly trained at Albany Berkshire Ballet and with Ellen Sinopoli of the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company. She continues her own training and incorporates anatomy and Pilates into her ballet classes, helping students develop into strong, well-rounded dancers. Kelly is passionate about sharing the joy of movement with students of all ages.

Miss Dominique, Director

Miss Dominique has been dancing since before she could walk, and her passion for movement has only continued to grow! She studied Kinesiology and Dance at Temple University, where she deepened her understanding of movement and its connection to dance. Throughout her career, Dominique has taught and performed across the East Coast, with credits including national commercials, music and fitness videos, and local advertisements.

In addition to dance, Dominique is an experienced personal trainer, certified in Piloxing and Zumba, and a master fitness and wellness coach. At Positions, she proudly serves as the Director of our Performance Team, sharing her experience, energy, and passion with the next generation of dancers.

Miss Sarabeth, Dance Instructor

Sarabeth is excited to spend another season with the Positions dance family! She has been dancing since the age of two and earned her BFA in Musical Theatre with a minor in Music from Long Island University. At Positions, she brings her love of theater and dance together as a Broadway Jazz teacher and the director of our Broadway Bound program. In addition to teaching at Positions, Sarabeth is a preschool teacher and a Teacher Fellow with the Tilles Center in Brookville, New York.

Miss Emily, Dance Instructor

Miss Emily has been dancing since she could walk and as a child forced many family members to watch made-up scenes and shows in front of the fireplace. She graduated from St. John's University and later the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) with a concentration in theatre dance. Emily also completed Broadway Dance Center's Professional Semester program. Emily's favorite roles include Catherine (Pippin), Hope Cladwell (Urinetown), and In the Heights (Woman #4) and her best and current role as a high school teacher. She is so excited to join the Position's Broadway Bound program!

Miss Isabella, Dance Instructor

Miss Isabella has been part of the Positions family since she was just two years old and has proudly stepped into the role of Production Manager for our Broadway Bound program this season! Throughout her years at Positions, she has trained in a variety of dance styles, discovering a special love for jazz and musical theater. She has performed in numerous Broadway Bound musicals, as well as Positions’ production of The Nutcracker. Miss Isabella currently attends St. Joseph’s University, where she is studying History Education.

Miss Meredith, Dance Instructor

Her lifelong career included studies with Andre Eglevsky at the Long-Island-based Eglevsky School of Ballet, Christine Neubert at The Children’s Ballet Theatre at Carnegie Hall, The American Ballet Theatre Company’s open division, and with Colin Worth of The National Ballet of Canada. After receiving her B.A. from Hamilton College (double major in Dance and English Literature), Miss Meredith was awarded an 18-month teaching fellowship at George Watson’s College in Edinburgh, Scotland she worked to establish a comprehensive theater arts program for the prestigious primary/secondary school. Her daughter’s interest in learning to dance brought Miss Meredith to Positions Dance Studio more than 23 years ago.

Miss Naomi, Dance Instructor

Miss Naomi trained and performed with LADM’s company for four years before continuing her professional training at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Teaching since 2021, she specializes in dance and acrobatics and currently teaches at Broadway Dance Center’s Children & Teen Program and Positions Dance Studio.

Miss Ashley, Dance Instructor

Miss Ashley began dancing at age three and spent four years with LADM. She earned her teaching certification through Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Program in New York City and has taught at its Children & Teen Program and GGSOD in Savannah. Specializing in hip-hop, contemporary, jazz, musical theater, and improv, she is passionate about inspiring young dancers while continuing to grow as a performer and educator.

Miss Amy, Dance Instructor

A lifelong ballet student and longtime Positions dance mom, Miss Amy is excited to share her love of dance with the studio’s youngest dancers. Her warm, patient, and encouraging approach creates a fun environment where children can explore movement, build confidence, and develop a strong foundation in ballet.

Miss Emily, Dance Instructor

Miss Emily began dancing at Positions at age three, training in ballet, pointe, tap, lyrical, and jazz. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SUNY Geneseo, where she performed Bhangra, and is now a certified second-grade teacher. Miss Emily also advises Positions’ National Honor Society for Dance Arts chapter and loves continuing to teach and dance at the studio!

Miss Samantha, Dance Instructor

Miss Sam has danced at Positions since age four, training in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, modern, jazz, musical theater, tap, and hip-hop. She has performed at college football games and Disney and has experience assisting and choreographing. A St. Joseph’s University graduate, she is certified in general and special education (Birth–6th grade). Miss Sam loves sharing her passion for dance and watching her students grow at the studio she has always called home.

Miss Carly, Dance Instructor

Carly is a dancer with 22 years of experience who holds a BFA in Dance and a BA in Psychology from Adelphi University. She has trained extensively in Ballet, Modern techniques, & Pointe, and has worked with several professional choreographers. Carly is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) Levels 1 & 2 and has taught PBT for over three years. She is also a certified Mat & Reformer Pilates instructor with four years of fitness teaching experience. Carly is passionate about combining proper technique and strength training with dance to help students reach their full potential.

Miss Gabby, Dance Instructor

Miss Gabby began dancing at age three in West Babylon, New York, and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Studies from Long Island University. A versatile performer, choreographer, and educator, she performed for four seasons with the Brooklyn Royals Dance Team before becoming Co-Director. Her career has included performances throughout Long Island and Manhattan, two appearances at the South by Southwest Music Festival, and a tour of China with the Chinahoops Organization. Gabrielle has taught dance since 2015 & also works at a local daycare. She is passionate about sharing her love of dance and creating meaningful experiences for her students!

Miss Ally, Substitute Instructor

Miss Ally began dancing at Positions when she was only 18 months old and could never get enough of it since day one! Throughout the years, she has taken classes in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, musical theater and modern. She has also had the wonderful opportunity to learn classical ballet variations which she performed during the Long Island Ballet Competition. Thanks to Positions, she also had many amazing experiences dancing in the Sugar Bowl, Walt Disney World, and in the Liberty Bowl. In high school, Miss Ally was a student teacher at Positions and was a member of the West Islip Varsity Kickline team. She also had the honor of performing in local ballets including Giselle, Coppelia, and even had the amazing opportunity to star as Clara and the Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker. Currently, she is a graduate student at Adelphi University working on receiving her MA in Mental Health Counseling. Miss Ally is very excited to continue to fulfill, and more importantly, share her love of dance with others! 

Miss Jillian, Substitute Instructor

Miss Jillian holds an MA in Educational Theatre from New York University, an MA in Communications from Hofstra University and a BFA in Theater Arts Performance with minors in Dance and English from Hofstra. Additionally, Jillian holds certifications from American Ballet Theatre’s National Teacher Training Curriculum as well as Yoga and Zumba certifications from multiple fitness organizations. Jillian has taught and performed across the world, including venues in Italy, Austria, and Walt Disney World. She continues to work in television, film, theater, and radio as an actor, dancer, host, and educator. She has been seen on networks like NBC, USA, Cartoon Network, Starz, Oxygen and Discovery ID and heard on radio stations like 106.1 BLI and 102.3 WBAB. 

Miss Kaya, Wedding Dance Instructor