Jolene Perry

Actor’s Equity Association (AEA)

Advancing Dance Education in the Arts (NDEO) 

Upon her high school graduation, Jolene Perry was immediately hired as a Principle Dancer by the Alaska Contemporary Dance Company (ACDC). She soon relocated to New York City, where she studied under some of the best and brightest dance masters including Luigi, Phil Black, Bill Hastings, Chet Walker, Tony Stevens, David Howard, Finis Young, Alvin Ailey, and Lynn Simonson. Ms. Perry also trained intensively at the world renowned Paul Taylor and Martha Graham schools. 

Ms. Perry also began vocal training under the direction of Doug Houston and Jim Canton and others in addition to acting and commercial classes at Weist Barron Studios in NYC. It was there where she discovered her acting mentor, Jeffery Dunn. Mr. Dunn was the catalyst in starting her musical theater career. Her extensive musical theater experience includes the national tour of Funny Girl, which began her 8 year run of continuous tours nationally and internationally, including five tours of West Side Story in the role of “Anybodys”,  Oklahoma, Peter Pan (as Peter Pan), Pippin, The Robber Bridegroom, Chorus Line (as Val) and Sugar Babies.

After a long run of tours, Ms. Perry was offered the opportunity to dance with the Phoenix Dance Ensemble in AZ. After 2 years with the company, she returned to NYC where she was offered an apprenticeship with the Paul Taylor Company, learning classic pieces from their repertoire. Soon after, she was accepted into the company.

Though performing was a strong passion for Jolene, she always had a love and passion for teaching and children. Ms. Perry started assisting at the age of 17 and started teaching children at 19 with her own classes. Jolene always knew that she would someday have her own Dance Studio after she finished her performance career. She had always dreamt of this and talked to her father about it often. She still has the original sketch of her dream studio that her father helped her design (which is hanging in her studio office).

Ms. Perry’s teaching credits include, The Conservatory of Dance in Anchorage Alaska, Manhattan Dance Theater NYC, Studio Maestro NYC, Broadway Dance Center in NYC. Ms Perry also taught at Progressive Dance Studio in Englewood NJ where after 6 years took over ownership. 

Ms Perry has developed curriculums for dance classes for all ages and levels based on a child’s emotional and anatomical readiness. Jolene started her first dance studio in NYC (Manhattan Dance Theater) in 1999, simultaneously teaching in NJ. She took over Progressive Dance Studio in NJ in 2000. Under her direction, Progressive Dance Studio has not only grown to more than 5 times its initial student enrollment, but it has also evolved into a more diverse school by offering both the traditional and commercial training styles.

In 2002, Ms. Perry founded the Synergy Dance Company, a 501 (c) (3) community-based pre-professional dance company. The Synergy Dance Company’s purpose is to foster excellence in dance training and give the opportunity for the dancers to perform through out the community as well as competitions and conventions.