Our Instructors
HAYLEY SAMPERI, Studio Director, has been dancing since she was three years old. She danced at Acton-Boxborough Dance Center, under the direction of her mother, Melinda C. Samperi, from its founding year in 1994 through her senior year of high school in 2006. During that time, she was not only an enthusiastic tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop student, but also was a student assistant for five years. Hayley graduated from Indiana University in 2010 with a B.A. in History and Psychology and a minor in Gender Studies. Throughout her time at IU, she continued studying dance, and branched into writing, directing, performing, and choreographing in Indiana University Student Foundations “IU Sing,” the school's longest-standing tradition. In “IU Sing’s” 77th annual production, Hayley’s debut piece won an all-around first place award, as well as the award for Outstanding Choreography. Hayley is very excited to be back and involved in her mother’s Acton-Boxborough Dance Center dream.
BRITTANY KLASH, Assisting Instructor, a Massachusetts native, has had more than 18 years of performance and competitive dance experience. She began training at the Dance Arts Centre in Fitchburg under the direction of Jim Cassie and Melissa Luoma. As a member of the dance team at a young age, she had the opportunity to study dance and perform throughout the U.S. and abroad. Brittany now holds a B.A. degree in Dance from Dean College, where she studied choreography and pedagogy, and was a member of the Dean College Dance Company. While attending Dean, she had the opportunity to study modern dance with artists from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.
Upon graduating in 2008, she began teaching dance and became a member of the Boston Dance Alliance and Perceptions Contemporary Dance Company, performing throughout New England and in New York City. She currently dances with the Boston Tap Company, performing at Fenway Park, the Bean Town Tap Festival, the Wang Theatre, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival on the Inside/Out stage. Along with performing, Brittany continues to love teaching and looks forward to another exciting year at ABDC!
Melanie Najarian, Assisting Instructor, started teaching at ABDC in the fall of 2002. Her love of dance began when she was seven years old at the former Belmont School of Ballet, where she studied the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus under director Jean Rolston. In high school, Melanie was in several instrumental ensembles, playing flute and piccolo, and was thrilled with the chance to play at both Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall. She earned her B.A. in Music from Clark University — and spent her free time dancing. She co-directed and was a member of the Variant Dance Troupe, a performance-based, student-run dance organization. Variant focused on ballet, jazz, tap, and hip hop. Melanie taught ballet technique classes, choreographed large and small group pieces, and managed the production process for the troupe’s performances.
Melanie danced with the SRO Dance Troupe in Lowell and participated in Boston Ballet’s Adult Summer Dance Program before teaching at ABDC. Teaching at ABDC inspired her to further her dance education: she earned her A.A. in Dance from Dean College, where she studied ballet, jazz, tap, modern, pedagogy, dance history, and choreography.
When time permits, Melanie enjoys taking classes at Boston Ballet, Jeannette Neill Dance Studio, and The Dance Inn. When she is not teaching, however (or nannying or baking cakes), Melanie can be found working at Dance This Way in West Concord.
EDEN ROESSEL, Assisting Instructor, is an ABDC alum, having danced at the studio from 1998–2004 and serving as a student assistant for four of those years. In her senior year of high school, she cofounded the ABDC scholarship fund that continues today. Eden went on to graduate from Skidmore College in 2008 with a B.S. with Honors in Dance. At Skidmore, Eden studied ballet, modern, jazz, and tap, performed in many faculty- and student-choreographed shows, and produced her own choreography. She was a member of the Terpsichore dance group, and the tap group Stompin’ Soles for all four years. She also had the chance to work with guest artists from Doug Varone and Dancers and American Ballet Theatre, among others, and performed in works choreographed by Isadora Duncan, Doris Humphrey, Donald McKayle, and Robert Battle. Eden also completed an internship with the National Dance Education Organization, and studied with the Martha Graham Dance Company during their summer residency at Skidmore.
Since graduation, Eden has continued her study of dance at The Studio of Performing Arts and The Dance Complex, and has danced with the Mill City Dancers and The Adagio Big Band dancers. Eden was thrilled to return to ABDC in 2008, teaching all styles and levels, and is entering her 4th year of teaching. She is so happy to be able to share the love of dance she learned from Melinda and the rest of her teachers with future generations of ABDC dancers!
JESSICA LUDLUM WRIGHT, Assisting Instructor, is entering her fourth year of teaching at ABDC. Jessica began her studies in ballet, character dance, pointe, and free movement at Ballet Arts by Delia Foley, now the Ballet Arts of Central New York. She was instructed under the Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus and passed examinations up through Grade 7. She appeared in many performances of The Nutcracker as well as numerous annual spring productions, including Giselle, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Beauty and the Beast. Her first opportunity to choreograph was Ballet Arts’ Tiny Tots productions — short, narrated ballets performed for pre-schoolers and kindergarteners. She attended numerous summer dance intensives, including Boston Conservatory’s Summer Dance. Jessica graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a B.A. in Dance in 2006. While there, she choreographed pieces for the student spring productions and appeared in faculty pieces, including “Come To Me, Bend To Me” from Brigadoon, restaged by noted Agnes de Mille protege Gemze de Lappe. Jessica continually feeds her interest in dance history with books, documentaries, and lively discussion, and attends performances whenever possible. She absolutely loves teaching and choreographing ballet, pointe, and modern dance, and always looks forward to being surprised by her students.
