OUR TEAM
Amanda Cacciotti
OWNER/ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Amanda began taking dance lessons at the age of 4. She has been sharing her passion of dance and mentor-ship with her students for over 20 years. She has been technically trained in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Acro, Contemporary, Lyrical and has competed locally and on the national level for many years. She holds certifications in Building Blocks of Dance through level 3, Level 1 of iTap online teacher certification, Alixa Flexibility level 1 and is Acrobatic Arts AAC1 certified. She also has completed Teacher Training through More Than Just Great Dancing™. She continues to study dance education with famous choreographers and educators as she attends dance seminars and workshops across the country every year. She is certified through Youth Protection Advocates in Dance, and is CPR and AAD certified. As a graduate of the Dance Masters of America’s Teacher’s Training School held at the University of Buffalo, she is certified to teach by Dance Master’s of America and is a member of chapter #8.
Nicole McDonald
TAP, JAZZ, HIP HOP, LYRICAL
Hannah Dodge
PRESCHOOL, TAP, JAZZ, BALLET, ACRO
Hannah is a Western New York native who has been dancing since the age of three. Throughout her dance education Hannah has studied and taught Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Modern, Contemporary and Musical Theater. Hannah graduated from Eastern Michigan University with her Bachelors Degree in Public Relations and minor in Dance. After college she moved to North Carolina where she started her family and continued to teach dance for 10 years. Hannah returned to the Buffalo area in 2019 and started working with Roy Hart High School to choreograph and co-produce their annual musical. Hannah found Celebrity Dance in 2020 when looking for a dance studio for her daughters and fell in love with the quality of dance education and feeling of community CDE provided. She is thrilled to now not only be a CDE dance mom, but a Celebrity Dance team member as well!
Madison Heburn
PRESCHOOL, TAP, JAZZ
Madison is a graduate of Niagara University with a degree in Biology. She is currently attending LeMoyne College for her Masters in Physician Assistant Studies. She has been dancing since she was 3 and was a student at Celebrity Dance Emporium since the age of 6. She has trained in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Musical Theater, and Modern including dancing competitively in Tap for many years. Madison is a graduate of Celebrity’s Assistant Teacher Mentor Program and taught at the studio for two years after graduating high school. Madison is grateful to be able to continue to work for her childhood studio and is excited to watch the studio grow!
Maria Judge
TAP, JAZZ, BALLET, ACRO
Maria has been dancing at CDE since the age of 3 and has trained in Tap, Jazz, Acro, Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Hip Hop. She also danced competitively as a member of the Intensive Team for 9 years. Maria has assisted classes at the studio since the age of 12 and completed Celebrity’s Assistant Teacher Mentor Program. She also spent 3 years working the front desk and serving as a junior staff member. Maria is currently attending Buffalo State University where she is majoring in Early Childhood/Childhood Education. At Buffalo State, she is an athlete on the Acrobatics & Tumbling team. Maria is thrilled to continue being a part of the CDE community and looks forward to sharing her love of dance with her students!
Amelia Heick
ADMINISTRATIVE, SOCIAL MEDIA
Amelia has been dancing at Celebrity from the age of 3 to 18. She has trained in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Acro, Pointe, and Contemporary. She also danced competitively as a member of the Intensive Team for 5 years. Amelia has assisted classes at the studio since the age of 12 and recently completed Celebrity’s Assistant Teacher Mentor Program. She also worked at the front desk for 2 years. She is currently attending SUNY Cortland, majoring in Exercise Science. Amelia is continuing her dance journey in college as a member of the Cortland dance team, DanceWorks. She is so excited to be running the studio social media this year! Amelia is so grateful for the opportunities and memories Celebrity has given her, and she is excited to continue as part of the team!
Kennedy Warthling
FRONT DESK
Naomi Gulotta
BALLET, LYRICAL
Miss Naomi started dancing at age 3 training in ballet, jazz, pom, lyrical, tap, pointe, and Irish dance. She was active on the studio's NY Majestics Dance Team, which placed several years in a row in the pom + jazz categories at the UDA National Championships in Orlando, FL. Miss Naomi earned her BA in English & Graphic Design from Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. She continued her education in Galway, Ireland, where she lived for a year to study for her Master's Degree in Literature & Publishing at the University of Galway. Miss Naomi focuses on both competitive and recreational classes in styles including ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, pointe, and musical theater, and is excited to join the Celebrity Dance team for the upcoming season. She loves sharing her education and passion for dance with her students and watching them grow into great dancers and even better humans.
Rebecca Pickering
HIP HOP
Becca Pickering is a dancer, choreographer and educator who grew up training at Studio 19 Dance Company in Rochester, NY. In 2023, she graduated from SUNY Brockport Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance. While at brockport she worked as captain and choreographer of the Brockport dance team, leading the team to compete at UDA regionals and worked as artistic director for several student-led shows. Since graduating Becca has had the privilege of performing with several companies and choreographers such as Tetra Dance Company, Grassroots Dance Company, Catalyst Danceworks, Sankofa Dance and Drum Ensemble, Ballaro Dance and other freelance artists. She is excited to join the staff at Celebrity Dance Emporium and looks forward to the upcoming year!