Dance Class Owners

Cheri Atkinson - Cheri has been an owner of Dance Class since 1988. Before purchasing Dance Class she was a teacher at the studio for five years. At the age of 6 Cheri was a member of the Pamela Christo Dance Company and for 10 years preformed throughout the North Shore and Boston. Cheri taught at Pamela Christo’s Dance studio for 7 years as well attending Dance Olympus in both Boston and New York. She attended Mount Ida College and earned an associate degree in business and minor in dance. She has taught preschool dance in Marblehead and Swampscott as well as dance club for Salem schools. Since becoming an owner at Dance Class Cheri enjoys seeing her students perform at heritage days in Salem, local nursing homes at Christmas, the Boston Celtics and Disney world.

Sabrina DelloRusso - Sabrina has been studying dance for 22 years primarily in Ballet, Tap, Jazz,& Lyrical. She has competed regionally and nationally holding many titles and awards for dance & modeling along with performing for many civic functions and charity events over the years. She’s a graduate of the John Robert Powers Modeling & Talent Agency and a former model for the Boston Camera Club. As a certified teacher from the Dance Teacher’s Club of Boston’s Training Course, she received the Margaret Rogers Tap Scholarship. Sabrina also studied Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Modern Dance, Creative Movement, and Dance History with the Dean College’s Performing Arts program for two years and earned a Summer Intensive scholarship to Alvin Aily American Dance Center in New York City. As a teacher for 12 years, she’s had the pleasure to share her love for dance with children of all ages and levels. This is Sabrina's 10th year as a member of the Dance Class faculty. She resides in East Boston with her husband Billy and daughters Jeana and Sophia.

Lisa Williamson – Lisa grew up and began her dancing career at Dance Class at the age of three. Growing up she studied Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Pointe, Lyrical and Modern Dance. Lisa was a member of The Dance Class Company that performed at various nursing homes, hospitals, parades and several venues in Salem as well as our end of the year show. Lisa has competed in many competitions with PDTA, Dance Olympus, Stars of Tomorrow and Dance Ovations. Through her school years she performed in the Marblehead production of “Anything Goes”, competed in cheerleading competitions, acting workshops and voice lesson. In 1997 Lisa performed with Dance Class at Disney’s Magic Music Day. She has been teaching at Dance Class since 1996 and has recently been certified as an aerobics instructor.

Sallee Slagle -Sallee Slagle has been teaching, performing and choreographing professionally for over 25 years. Since receiving her BFA from the Boston Conservatory of Music she has performed throughout New England, the Caribbean and abroad performing with a variety of dance companies as well as her own works. She has taught at colleges and studios throughout the area and at Dance Class since 1980. Sallee Slagle is also the founder and director of Dance Dimensions, a dance and fitness studio serving Nahant, Lynn and Swampscott since 1985. She also founded Forty Steps Dance modern dance troupe in 1992 to fulfill her artistic dreams and increase the visibility of dance in our society. The troupe has performed throughout the Boston area and abroad presented by the Culture Connection, Dance North Alliance, Windhover Performing Arts Center, Majestic Cruise Lines and the Saint Hill European Arts Festival in England.