Sheri Towner-Gabrelcik, Artistic Director

Sheri has trained students for over 30 years. A dancer since the age of eight, she studied extensively in New York City and Chicago with numerous Master Teachers. Sheri also trained in jazz with Gus Giordano of Chicago, author of Anthology of American Jazz.

Her diversified dance training enables her to offer classes in creative movement, jazz, tap, ballet, stretch, middle-eastern dance, and musical theater. Sheri choreographed for local musical theater programs and served as a grant reviewer for the Delaware Arts Council. 

Catherine Samardza, Director of the Ballet Program

Catherine is a Delaware-trained dancer who spent 15 years in New York City as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer before returning to Delaware in 1991.

In 1993, Catherine formed Itinerant Dance Theater, a company of performers touring throughout the region presenting original, contemporary modern dance. Her choreography has won national, regional, and state awards and has been performed in Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park in New York City and on the White House lawn.

Joyce Sterling

Joyce received her BA from Cedarville University in Ohio and pursued her love of music and education by becoming a trained and licensed educator for Kindermusik International, the world's leading music and movement program for children from the ages of newborn to seven. She has studied classical piano, performed with several choirs. and played trombone at both the high school and and college levels and with a community band. Joyce is the director of Sterling Music Studio in Lincoln, offering Kindermusik, private piano lessons, and Do-Re-Me & You products.

Leslie Washam

Leslie comes to us from Oklahoma via Dover Air Force Base. She began her teaching career in South Carolina and has taught and choreographed professionally for the past nine years. Her competitive hip hop routines win awards in junior through senior divisions. Leslie's experience in building a progressive hip hop program allows The Dance Factory to offer hip hop classes for youth 9 years old and up.

Guest Teachers

Regina Cooper-Conley

Regina Cooper-Conley has over 32 years of experience choreographing, performing, and teaching dance. She has been affiliated with Delaware State University and the Sankofa African Dancers and Drummers and served on the Delaware Arts Council's grant review panel for dance and theater and the Board of Directors for Ecarté Dance Theater.

In addition, Regina is a Teaching Artist for the Delaware institute for the Arts in Education, is an ex-officio member of its board and its committee for Southern Delaware. She currently serves on the Education Committee for the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts in Dover.

The Dance Factory 422 South Governor's Avenue | Dover, Delaware Phone: (302) 678-1964 | Fax: (302) 678-1970

Office Hours: Monday-Friday from 4 to 8 PM Saturday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM