Our Team
Annemarie Macrina
Founder, Owner, Artistic Director and Instructor
Annemarie Macrina is the Founder, Owner, and Artistic Director of Macrina’s Academy of Dance. Annemarie brings a lifetime of passion for dance to Macrina’s Academy of Dance. Since the age of 3 Annemarie has expressed herself through dance by studying a variety of dance styles including ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, modern and acrobatics. She has performed on countless stages in the Pennsylvania area including The Philadelphia Fringe Festival, The Philadelphia Civic Ballet Company, and has performed in several roles in the Nutcracker including one with the Donetsk Ballet. She has also entertained audiences on a Carnival Cruise, Disney World and in Rome, Italy.
After graduating with honors from Beaver College (Arcadia University) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood/Elementary Education, Annemarie taught in the Perkiomen Valley, Methacton, and Springford School Districts, while continuing to cultivate her love of dance. In 1995 when she shifted her focus from dance student to dance teacher, she unleashed her passion for choreography. Over the years she has taught at several local studios including The Conservatory of Music and Dance (Eagleville, PA), Shannon Carney Dance Academy (Silverdale, Pa), and Morton’s Dance Center (Landisville, Pa). Her teaching credits range from ballet, jazz and contemporary to hip hop, musical theater, tumbling and tap and has taught ages 3 through adult. She has choreographed for countless recitals and competition teams, including grand line productions. Her work has been recognized by judges with coveted entertainment awards at regional and national competitions.
Annemarie is a devoted wife of 20 years and a loving mother of 4 children who are each growing up on the stage and finding their own passion for dance. Just as she has done with her own children, Annemarie has the unique ability to meet each and every dancer at their level and work with them to identify and achieve their full potential. She understands that dance is much more than stage performances; the culture of dance shapes individuals into confident young adults and competent leaders.
Annemarie would like to thank her family, especially her husband and children for all their help and support on this journey. Also to her friends that have been there to support her and make her dreams come true.
Instructor
Jess Afflerbach
Jessica Afflerbach is a dance educator, performer, choreographer and graduate of Muhlenberg College. She grew up, and is currently based in, the greater Philadelphia area where she teaches with Koresh Kids Dance. While in college she had the opportunity to work with, and perform works choreographed by, Trinette Singleton, Tiffany Mills, Heidi Cruz-Austin, and Cynthia Gutierrez-Garner. She is also currently a dancer with Ann Corrao and Co. She was trained to teach, and has worked under the direction of Teresa VanDenend Sorge and Megan Flynn using the Anne Green Gilbert Creative Dance Curriculum. She taught at the Muhlenberg Community Dance Center during her four years of college developing a somatic approach to teaching ballet technique.
Taylor Brown
Instructor
Taylor Brown is a passionate dancer, educator and choreographer. She began her training at the age of 5 in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, studying numerous styles including ballet, jazz and modern. While training at her home studio, she had the opportunity to travel to many competitions, classes, and summer intensives from New York City to Los Angeles. She furthered her dance and high school education by attending The Center for Performing and Fine Arts (CPFA) in West Chester, PA. Taylor graduated college from the University of the Arts in 2021, and received a BFA in Dance under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. While in college, she had the pleasure of training and performing works by Sidra Bell, Wayne David, and Gary Jeter. Taylor was a member of the Klassic Contemporary Ballet Company (KCBC) from 2020 to 2023, dancing in Philadelphia’s annual Fringe Festival and other company performances. She has had the privilege to judge nationally for National Dance Showcase Dance Competition and choreograph NDS’s All Star Champions closing number.
Taylor’s teaching journey started at the age of 13 as an assistant teacher and she is now sharing her passion and love for dance throughout studios in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She is a firm believer in the value of dance inside and outside the studio, and what it can do for a child’s self-esteem, confidence and creative abilities. Taylor’s approach to teaching is to instill confidence and grow the artist inside each of her students. She strives to be the role model that she once had through her dance teachers.
Courtney Byrne-Liacouras
Instructor
Courtney Byrne-Liacouras is excited to be teaching at Macrina Academy of Dance (MAD). Courtney holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in dance from West Chester University, and a Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from Salus University. While dancing with the West Chester University Dance Company, she had the opportunity to choreograph duets and large group pieces as well as serve on the officer board. Courtney’s senior year at West Chester, she was the President of the University Dance Company. She has danced with the company Aesthetic Precision in Philadelphia, PA. Courtney has continued to dance with the West Chester University Alumni Dance Chapter since 2017. Courtney teaches lyrical, ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip-hop and modern. When she is not dancing, she spends her time with her family and friends and working as a pediatric speech language pathologist.
Shannon Dingman
Instructor/ Front Desk
Shannon started dancing when she was 3 years old. She grew up dancing at various studios and competing in competitions. She went on to major in Dance at Muhlenberg College while teaching classes at the Conservatory of Music and Dance.
Post college, she moved to Chicago and taught at Yvonne's Dance Academy. Upon returning to the Philadelphia suburbs in 2014, she resumed teaching at the Conservatory of Music and Dance. She is trained in ballet, jazz, modern, and hip hop with some musical theater, tumbling, and basic tap background. After taking some time off teaching while she moved to Cincinnati and grew her young family, she came to teach and sub at Macrina Academy of Dance.
Shannon loves dance and all the joy it brings to people everywhere. She is married with 3 kids and a dog. She likes running, reading, and playing the guitar in her free time. You'll also see Shannon working at the studio desk- so don't hesitate to say hello!
Bobby Macrina
Instructor
Bobby Macrina started dancing at the age of 4. He has grown up dancing and competing with different studios including Conservatory of Music and Dance, Shannon Carney Dance Academy, Morton’s Dance Center, as well as Macrina Academy of Dance. Bobby Graduated from The Center for Performing and Fine Arts in 2023 and went on to study at Broadway Dance Center’s Professional Semester. He has since performed at Steps on Broadway: Industry Showcase, and currently dances with Nitrogen The Company. Along with these productions he also performs with On It Productions and KN Dance & Entertainment. His background in training includes Hip Hop, Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Modern, Tap, and Acro. You will see him teaching and subbing a variety of different classes at MAD.
Bobby’s passion and dedication to this craft carries over in his movement and teaching style. He cares very deeply about the development of young dancers and is eager to share his knowledge.
Brittani Terlecky
Instructor
Brittani Terlecky is an educator and dancer. She began dancing at the age of four, trained in ballet, jazz, modern, and tap, and danced competitively in middle and high school. Brittani received her Bachelors Degree in Secondary Education from Drexel University with a minor in Dance, and she later received a Masters in Education from West Chester University. During her time at Drexel, she was a member of the Drexel Dance Ensemble and performed in both professional and student-choreographed pieces. Some choreographers Brittani has worked with include Olive Prince, Jennifer Morley, Manfred Fischbeck, and Meredith Rainey. She also performed in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival with the company PhysiKal Bodies in 2015. After graduating from Drexel, she intermittently taught dance classes, most often ballet, for the Conservatory of Music and Dance. Brittani is currently a middle school ELA and Reading teacher in the North Penn School District.