Instructors/Dance Mentors

Kelly McDermott, Director

Kelly has been teaching dance and choreographing performances for over 25 years. She graduated from the Somerset  County Gifted and Talented Dance Program with Honors and is trained in Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Hip-hop, and Modern. In  2002, Kelly opened The Dance Factory in Skillman, NJ. As the Artistic Director and Producer at The Dance Factory, Kelly  directs hundreds of students each year in wonderful, Broadway-style productions held at Patriots Theater at the War  Memorial in Trenton, NJ.

She believes strongly in giving back to the community. In summer 2007 Kelly created The Dance Factory Tour Team, which includes a Summer Team and a Holiday Team. After teaching exciting routines to her dancers, Kelly and the team travel to the Senior Centers, Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Centers throughout Somerset County and Mercer County to spend time with and perform for residents. The Summer Tour Team also performs at the Somerset Patriots pre-game activities during the summer months.

Kelly also has a passion for and extensive experience in the theater.  Her choreography credits include "Seussical", "Willy Wonka", "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", "Footloose", and "Shrek" with the Sourland Hills Actors Guild (SHAG); "All Shook Up" with the MHS Players; and "Annie", "The Music Man", "My Son Pinocchio", "Alice in Wonderland", "The Little Mermaid", "Bye, Bye Birdie", “The Lion King”, “Anything Goes”, "The Magical Wish", "Honk" and "Matilda" with the Montgomery LMS.

Kelly is fiercely passionate about dance and her students. She prides herself on running a comprehensive, multi-level dance program that is fun, inclusive, and educational for each and every student. In her twenty-plus years as an instructor and director at The Dance Factory, Kelly has had the pleasure of cultivating a tight-knit studio atmosphere that feels like a family. She finds joy in connecting with her dancers and their families and is especially honored to have watched so many dancers grow up at her studio -- from pre-school through high-school ages and beyond. Several Dance Factory alumni have also returned as instructors, office staff, and guest artists. Kelly is beyond grateful for her DF family and is proud that many alumni have remained connected to each other and to the studio long after graduation, whether it is through the alumni summer dance classes or helping during the year-end recital. 

Anna Fredeen

Anna Fredeen (B.A. Dance Science, Rider University) has trained with multiple dance studios in Connecticut and New Jersey where she trained in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, musical theater, choreography, modern, and leaps and turns. Before attending Rider University, she studied at Texas Christian University for two years in the School of Classical and Contemporary Dance.

Anna has attended residential dance intensives in New York City and performed with dance companies at venues such as The Joyce Theater, Peridance, Disney World, and The Orange Bowl, where she had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Tyler Gilstrap, Sidra Bell, and Chris Judd. Fredeen has participated in American Dance Festival and the National Choreography Intensive, and made an appearance as a satellite member of the modern dance company Luminarium, based out of Boston, MA.

She has received awards from various institutions, including Rider University and the National Choreography Intensive, for her choreography and involvement in the dance community, and continues to set various pieces that have been performed in places such as New York City and Montgomery, AL.

Anna currently teaches dance at local studios and works with many studios over the summer as a guest artist. As a committed dancer, teacher, and choreographer, Anna strives to pass down her knowledge and experience to students, using Dance Science to bring awareness to the physicality required of dancers to ensure a safe environment for all, while allowing them to explore their passion for the art.

Danica Sharpley

Danica began her dance training at Wendi Sue Porter School of Dance at 8 years old. With a passion for dance, she learned Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern and Hip Hop. She competed in dance competitions and workshops throughout the tri-state area with her first professional experience in 2005 with Rutgers University's African Dance Ensemble under the choreographer Pascal. While attending Montclair State University as a biology major and dance minor, Danica danced at Six Flags Great Adventure and throughout the country with Silver Tree Productions in 2006-2008 in the pop-fusion, "STOMP" type show, "Industrial Movement". Danica joined a local Hip-Hop group, "Fast FWD", and performed in venues throughout the state. In 2010, she became a NJ Nets dancer, performing at NBA basketball games and charity events. Danica has also performed and danced in a Michael Jackson Charity Tribute Performance in south Jersey.

Danica has years of experience teaching dance to students age 3 to adult in all dance genres and experience levels. She has choreographed many routines from solo performances to small ensembles to large scale numbers.

Sara Borden

Sara is a recent graduate of Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University with a BFA in Dance Performance. While growing up, she received her training at Dance Dynamics in Blandon, PA and Horizons Dance Conservatory in Leesport, PA. She has extensive training in ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, improvisation, and choreography. She has worked with choreographers including Donielle Bailey Horst, Olivia Mode-Carter, Aaron Ramos, Kimberly Elliot, John Evans, and Michelle Manzanales. In addition, she was a Summer Intern at Parsons Dance Company during the Summer of 2022. She has also taught and choreographed at various dance studios in New Jersey. Recently, she collaborated and performed at Camping Dance Festival in Paris, France in June 2023. Sara is, currently, staying on the Northeast to pursue a performance dance career, then later on in the future, pursuing her own dance company.

 Julia Kazmierczak

Julia danced at The Dance Factory from 2007 until she graduated form Montgomery High School in 2019, training in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, contemporary, and lyrical. She was very involved in the Intensive Program, Showstopper Dance Company, Summer/Winter Tour Teams, and assisting classes. She worked remotely as the Operations Manager for The Dance Factory from 2020 to 2022 and continues to help out at end-of-year recitals and Tour Team Programs. Julia recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ithaca College in May of 2023 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Applied Psychology. While in college, Julia spent four years dancing, teaching, and on the Executive Board of Ithaca College’s Defy Dance Company. Post-graduation, Julia is back in the Montgomery area and working in Princeton University’s Chemistry Department as a Faculty and Grant Assistant. 

Lacey Okamura

Lacey trained at The Dance Factory for 16 years in a number of styles including ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, modern, lyrical, contemporary, and funk. For over 10 years, Lacey was an active member in the Intensive Program, Showstopper Dance Company, and Summer and Winter Tour Teams. In 2019, she became a Dance Factory assistant, and has happily been a part of the team ever since. Lacey is a recent graduate of Notre Dame High School, where she served as dance captain of the musical and the Dance Performance class, and had the opportunity to showcase some of her choreography in the shows. Currently, Lacey is studying Political Science at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) on a Pre-Law track. Lacey is also a member of the nationally ranked TCNJ Dance Team, which competes at UDA Nationals every year.