Our Dance Instructors

Our staff of dedicated dance professionals is what makes BDC special. If you are an experienced dance educator and interested in joining our team, please contact us at info@buffalodancecenter.com.

Stacey Wawrzyniec

Stacey Wawrzyniec

Director

Stacey began studying dance at Little Red Dancing School in Rochester, NY. There she trained extensively in tap, jazz, ballet and modern disciplines and competed and placed nationally for outstanding tap and jazz performances. Stacey’s experience also includes varsity and collegiate cheerleading, being recognized as an UCA All-Star. She has worked as a junior varsity cheer coach and founded the Nazareth College Dance Team where she provided training and choreography for the team’s dancers.

Stacey has successfully completed Level I and II in the Dance Masters Teacher Training Program at the University of Buffalo and continues her dance education by participating in classes and conventions throughout the year in NYC and Toronto. She is certified to teach by Acrobatic Arts and is a Yoga Alliance RYT 200 having graduated Pavones Yoga Center’s 200-hour certified yoga instructor program. In 2016 she completed courses from Mindful Schools in Mindfulness Fundamentals and Mindful Educator Essentials. She has received the Star Systems Dance Competition Regional Champion Teacher Award in 2015, 2016 and 2017 for her excellence in instruction and choreography. Her intention for Buffalo Dance Center is to create a holistic dance education experience for her students by integrating the principals of mindfulness and yoga into her dance curriculum to train her dancers in mind, body and spirit.


Justine Bessinger

Justine Bessinger

Justine graduated from Buffalo State College where she was a sociology/psychology major and dance minor. She has trained for over 15 years and has danced in 11 productions of American Academy of Ballet’s Nutcracker. Other accomplishments include being a previous member of the Amherst Youth Ballet, performing in a production with the prestigious John Lehrer Dance Company and participation in the Disney World Ears for Arts program. Justine was also accepted into the Syracuse University and Cincinnati Ballet summer intensive programs where she continued her dance training at an advanced level. Our dancers will certainly notice Justine’s enthusiasm and passion for dance.


Amanda Klimek

Amanda Klimek

Amanda began dancing at eight years old, studying ballet, modern, and later pointe. She came to Buffalo Dance Center in 2013 to expand her training to include jazz, lyrical, contemporary, tap, and hip hop. With Buffalo Dance Center, Amanda also started assisting and discovered her love of teaching dance. Amanda attended the University at Buffalo and graduated in 2019 with a B.A. in Dance and Education Minor.

While at UB, Amanda continued her training in ballet, modern, jazz, and tap, and worked with many master teachers and guest choreographers, like Tom Ralabate, the Garth Fagan Dance Company, Rioult Dance NY, Koresh Dance Company, and Dorrance Dance. Amanda was an undergraduate TA for Laban Movement Analysis, Dancing DNA, and Modern I. She also received the Martha J. Palmer Dance Education Award Scholarship for her work with the Bridging Communities Through Dance outreach program at the Build Academy in downtown Buffalo. Amanda is currently continuing her studies at UB, working to earn a Master’s Degree in Education with a K-12 Certification in Dance.

​Amanda has performed in Classical Ballet’s productions of the Nutcracker, and is a Star Systems Regional Champion. She has performed and choreographed at UB in productions like Emerging Choreographers Showcase and Dancer’s Workshop. She loves to attend dance teacher conventions in the summer to continue growing as a dancer and teacher, and has received certifications in Module I and Module II to teach acro levels primary – pre-professional by Acrobatic Arts. She has also attended Acrobatic Arts’ Aerial and Back Handspring Workshop, and won a scholarship to attend their 2nd A.C.T. workshop for levels 4-6.  Amanda is excited to be a member of the Buffalo Dance Center staff and can’t wait to help her amazing students grow, flip, turn, leap, and learn! ​


Molly Derkovitz

Molly Derkovitz

Molly began dancing at the age of 4 and hasn’t stopped since. She recently graduated with her BFA in Dance and a Double Minor in Dance Studio Administration and Theatre from SUNY Fredonia. While at Fredonia, she worked closely with Jon Lehrer, the Artistic Director of LehrerDance, as well as Ruth Andrian the Artistic Director of the Paul Taylor 2 Dance Company. She has performed in the Dance Days of Buffalo and for three seasons as a Buffalo Bandette. She also performed for two seasons with Radatz Magical Productions at Darien Lake.  Molly looks forward to teaching at Buffalo Dance Center and hopes to share her passion, love, and knowledge of dance with her students.


Alexandra Bielli

Alexandra Bielli

​Alex began dancing at age 3, focusing on tap and jazz, and is now nearing 18 years of training in all aspects of dance.  She was a member  of the St. Mary’s High School dance team and performed in their annual show, “An Evening of Fine Arts” in addition to performing at numerous elementary schools and nursing homes throughout the community. Alex has also performed several times in Disney World, as part of a studio-based Disney performance team.  Alex came to Buffalo Dance Center in 2014 as a freshman in high school to expand her training. Since that time she has assisted with Twirl and Tumble classes and has discovered her love for watching the little ballerinas grow. She is a graduate of Buffalo State College with a degree in Criminal Justice and minors in Psychology and Dance. She is excited to share her love and knowledge for such a beautiful art form with all dancers with a dream like hers.


Katrina Bierk

Katrina Bierk

Mrs. Katrina trained at the renowned Ruth Page Center for the Arts, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Milwaukee Ballet School, and University of the Performing Arts. She received a full fellowship to the Joffrey Ballet School and was invited to join Nevada Dance Theater, beginning her over 20 year professional career at age 19. After several seasons with NDT, Katrina received a scholarship to attend Northern Illinois University, graduating with a BFA in Theater & Dance, Dance Performance Emphasis, and a BA in Art History. After college, she returned to professional dancing as a Principal Dancer with several companies including American Festival Ballet, Lexington Ballet and Ballet Arkansas.  Her teaching experience includes work from the recreational to conservatory level, and positions as a Co-Artistic Dir., Assoc. School Dir. and Adjunct Professor of Dance. She has staged, choreographed and directed numerous productions, most recently choreographing “Carmen” for the Buffalo Opera Unlimited. 


Abhishek Sharma

Abhishek Sharma

Hailing from India, Mr. Abhi is equipped with 20+ years of performing experience. Before leaving India in 2013, he appeared as a contestant and winner in 4 Indian television dance shows and has worked as a backup dancer in multiple Panjabi music videos. He has performed with a Canadian Bollywood crew for NBA Raptors Half-Time show in 2013 and has conducted dance workshops in Canada, India & USA. Currently he teaches HipHop, Bhangra & Bollywood in Buffalo, NY, and runs a dance entertainment and education YouTube channel : @abhi-shake