Dancers through the years.

Teresa was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and grew up in Stoneham, MA after a short stint in Lugano, Switzerland. She began training at a young age at Sandra Marie’s School of Ballet in Melrose, MA which operates today as the Northeast School of Ballet in Reading, MA. During that time she had the opportunity to train with Minneapolis Dance Theatre under Gloria Govrin (who trained under George Balanchine) and also with the Boston Ballet School in Boston’s Back Bay. She performed various works including The Nutcracker, Peter and the Wolf, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, and an original work with the Boston Musica Viva based off the tales of the Brothers Grimm.  She earned a BS in Psychology from Fordham College at Lincoln Center and had the opportunity to perform with some of Bushwick’s most avant-garde movement artists in the 2016 production, “Authority Figure” choreographed by Monica Mirabile (FLUCT) and Sarah Kinlaw. Since returning to Boston she has been an active member of Nozama Dance Collective and has participated in the Salem Arts Festival, Dance for World Community, and various other local festivals and events. She teaches ballet and tap at A Dancer’s Dream in Marblehead, MA and has been a member of 40 Steps Dance since December 2018.

Samantha Wilson has been an active member of the Boston dance community for over 17 years. She has performed with Forty Steps Dance for over ten years. Additionally, Samantha has danced with Kelley Donovan & Dancers, Disco Brats, teXtmoVescollaborative, Rozann Kraus, Jenny Oliver, Caitlin Corbett Dance Company, Perceptions Contemporary Dance Company, Weber Dance and more. She has performed in Dance for World Community, 12 Dancers Dancers, Charles River Dance Festival, Salem Arts Festival, Across the Ages, etc. When Samantha is not dancing, she is educating youth in mathematics. Samantha joined in 2009 as a dancer and was Director for our most recent season 2023-24. (2009-2024)

Chelsea Zawadzki grew up in Bangor, ME, where she trained at the School of the Robinson Ballet and danced with the Robinson Ballet Company for eight years, performing throughout Maine and New Hampshire in their annual “Nutcracker” and Spring Concerts. Chelsea received her B.A. in dance at Dean College in 2012, where she graduated with the Trustees’ Prize for the Joan Phelps Palladino School of Dance. At Dean, she was a member of the Dean College Dance Company and performed in faculty and student productions. Chelsea began dancing professionally in 2011 with the Adagio Big Band, a jazz band based in Lowell, MA performing at dinner theaters, sporting events, and the annual Merrimack Valley Jazz Festival. December 2012 and 2013 she performed in Tony Williams’ production of the Urban Nutcracker in Boston. When Chelsea isn’t dancing, she can be found at Center for the Performing Arts in North Andover where she teaches dance and is Studio Manager. Chelsea joined Forty Steps Dance in 2013 as a dancer and was Assistant Director for a time. (2013-2023)

Rachel hails from Edmond, Oklahoma where she trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, and Modern. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Master of Education in Adult in Higher Education from the University of Central Oklahoma. She danced with RACE Dance Company under the direction of Hui Cha Poos, the first jazz, hip hop, and contemporary dance company in Oklahoma before moving to Boston. She has trained and performed works nationally & internationally by Robert Reed, Bill Evans, Heidi Henderson, Malaya Ho, Patrick Debenham, Cheyla Clawson, Adam Parson, Chip Abbott, Jill Priest, TOKYO, Glyn Gray, Jeremy Duvall, Leah Roman, and John Ariete. Currently, she is also dancing with Embrace of Tribe, Inc. When not dancing, Rachel serves as the Manager of the Dance Division for the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.

Deanna Beattie-Gallant has studied dance for over 25 years. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance and Philosophy from Plymouth State College. She has performed and choreographed in several venues across the country, collaborated with Kee Chin of the Dance Complex, and studied with Jody Weber of Weber Dance in Cambridge, and continues to perform and choreograph in the Boston area. While living in San Francisco, Deanna also performed with the Natasha Carlitz Dance Ensemble. She previously performed with Forty Steps Dance in Lux Aeterna in 2009, and is happy to be back for the 25th anniversary season! Deanna joined Forty Steps Dance in 2009 and returned in 2018.

Alysen is from Florence, Oregon where she took ballet and danced in local productions. In college, she danced with the student-run company Penn Ballet for four years. Since relocating to the Boston area, she has performed in various productions including Across the Ages Dance Project, Tiny & Short: A drop in the Bucket, The Festival of You, Us, We, and Them, and OnStage Dance Company’s Season 13 performance. In addition to performing, Alysen was also selected as a resident choreographer for OnStage Dance Company in January 2017. During her residency, Alysen choreographed a disco-era piece.

When not dancing, Alysen works in business operations and enjoys yoga, reading, and spending time with friends and family. Alysen joined Forty Steps Dance in 2017.

Amanda Scott grew up dancing with LaPierre School of Dance and performed in Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker. She later rebooted her love of dance, pursuing adult ballet studies at The Brookline Ballet School. Today Amanda frequents the school at Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre and The Dance Complex. She has performed in summer workshops with Claire Bletz of The Brookline Ballet School and Molly Wheat of Ballet with Molly. Amanda performs regularly with Backattitude Dance Company under Catherine Lenard Gerberding and proudly makes her debut this year with Forty Steps Dance. When not dancing, Amanda wishes she were dancing while working as a pharmacist in clinical trial biotech drug supply. Amanda joined Forty Steps Dance in 2018.

Michael is from Winchester MA and is currently enrolled in a certificate program at Middlesex Community College in Lowell. He started learning ballet five years ago to help recover from an injury that occurred during his other main athletic passion, Brazilian jujitsu. He holds a purple belt in jujitsu, and has been training in that discipline for nearly seven years. Returning for his third season with the company, Michael enjoys improving his technique and learning new elements of dance and creative expression. Michael has previously appeared in productions of the Nutcracker with the Winchester Ballet Conservatory, and in various youth productions both the cast and part of the pit playing the violin. Outside of dance, Michael is also passionate about history, film, and jurisprudence. Michael joined Forty Steps Dance in 2016.