About AbunDance
Dance Studio in Westfield, NJ
Our Values
Inspiring Movement & Community Through Dance
AbunDance is a dance studio in Westfield, NJ that is more than steps—it’s a way to grow as artists, individuals, and community members. Our teaching is guided by five core values:
- Cultural Resonance – Honoring the roots of every dance style and emphasizing the context in which we study, train, and evolve within the styles over time.
- Resilience – Fostering perseverance, determination, and confidence in every student.
- Community – Creating a safe, inclusive, and encouraging “third space” beyond home and school.
- Excellence – Providing high-quality training that prepares dancers for opportunities in higher education, professional careers, and lifelong artistry.
These values are at the heart of everything we do, shaping AbunDance into one of the most trusted dance studios in New Jersey for families and adult dancers alike.
The AbunDance Story
AbunDance, located in Westfield, NJ, was born from a legacy of artistry, mentorship, and community. Founded in 2001 by Ms. Jay Skeete-Lee as Rahway Dance Theatre, the school began in a church basement with just three students. With the dedication of families and the passion of young dancers, it quickly became a cultural hub in Union County.
In 2020, longtime student and mentee Ms. Armanii stepped into the role of Artistic Director, carrying forward the traditions of excellence while guiding the studio into a new era as AbunDance. With a BA in Anthropology and Dance from Rutgers University and a background in both professional performance and special education, she brings a unique vision that blends artistry, cultural depth, and inclusivity. Today, AbunDance offers dance classes in Rahway, NJ for children, teens, and adults in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, afro-modern, contemporary, pointe, and more.
Where Movement Meets Meaning
Meet the AbunDance Team
Armanii Shults
Artistic Director
Armanii Shults is the Artistic Director and owner of AbunDance. A former student of founder Jay Skeete-Lee and a Rutgers graduate in Anthropology and Dance, she combines her performance experience and background in education to continue the studio’s legacy of providing culturally rooted, high-quality training that empowers every dancer.
Kristine Leslie
Admin/Communications Director
Ms. Kristine, Administration and Communications Director at AbunDance, is a Union County native with a strong background in arts, culture, and education. A graduate of Union County College and Kean University, she has worked in dance, teaching, community advocacy, and arts administration with organizations such as Carolyn Dorfman Dance, Nimbus Dance, and ARTS By The People. Passionate about accessibility and cultural equity, she brings her expertise in communications, advocacy, and the performing arts to support AbunDance’s mission of artistry, community, and belonging.
Meet Our Dance Teachers
at our Dance Studio in Westfield, NJ
Jean'ette Bailey
Early Childhood Dance Teacher
Ms. Jean’ette brings over 15 years of experience working with young children in daycare and preschool dance, and now teaches our Pre-Dance I class at AbunDance. A Rahway native and former RDT dancer, she is passionate about nurturing confidence and joy in our youngest movers.
Alonzo Hall
Middle School Dance Teacher
Alonzo Hall brings professional experience as a performer with artists and companies including Ronald K. Brown, Savion Glover, George Faison, and the NJ Symphony Orchestra. A BFA graduate of Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers, he now teaches ballet, modern, jazz, and tap at AbunDance, sharing his passion and performance expertise with the next generation of dancers.
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Alonzo Hall began his dance training at a young age in his home city’s local dance studio in Plainfield, NJ. He later received his BFA in dance performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. While there he was a member of their pre-professional dance company where he performed works of Benwoit Swan Pouffer of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet company, and Randy James of Ten Hairy legs dance company. Hall has also performed in works by Ronald K. Brown of Evidence Dance, Savion Glover, George Fasion and toured as a guest dancer alongside the NJ Symphony Orchestra. Hall has performed in musical productions of Plays in the Park’s “Aida”, and NJYT’s “Oklahoma. As a dance educator Hall has trained many young dancers at all levels in ballet, modern, jazz and tap. He is honored and delighted to be a member of the faculty with Rahway Dance Theatre.
Katrina Isaac
Elementary School Dance Teacher
Ms. Katrina began her training at Dance Theatre of Harlem and went on to earn degrees from Spelman College and New York University in psychology and dance education. She now teaches both in schools and at AbunDance, where she brings joy, expertise, and a passion for helping students grow with confidence.
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Born and raised in New York, Ms. Katrina started her dance training at the Dance Theatre of Harlem when she was 9 years old. Her ballet teacher, Ms. Iris Cloud, asked her to assist with the younger students every Saturday morning. She didn’t know how that experience would pave the way for her future career as a dance educator. Ms. Katrina continued to dance throughout high school and college where she received her B.A. in Psychology from Spelman College. She later received her M.A. in Dance Education from New York University and currently teaches dance at an elementary school in the Bronx. She resides in Rahway with her husband, son, and daughter who started dancing at RDT when she was 4. Ms. Katrina enjoys sharing her love of dance with all of the students at RDT and can’t contain her smile when they shine bright in class and onstage!
Sandi Rivera
Teaching Artist
Ms. Sandi Rivera is a Puerto Rican dancer and choreographer with a BFA in Modern Dance from Marymount Manhattan College and performance credits ranging from 10 Hairy Legs to ImmaBeast in Los Angeles. With extensive experience teaching and choreographing contemporary, ballet, and hip hop across the tri-state area and beyond, she now shares her artistry with AbunDance students.
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Sandi Rivera is a Puerto-Rican dancer and choreographer based in the NY/NJ. Ms. Sandi received her BFA in Modern, BA in Teaching Arts, and Minor in Business in 2020 from Marymount Manhattan College where she performed work by Nancy Lushington, Anthony Morgeriato, 10 Hairy Legs, and more. Starting in 2019, she worked with ImmaBeast/ImmaBreathe, a commercial hip-hop and contemporary company in Los Angeles, California under the direction of Janelle Ginestra, MaryAnn Chavez, and Monika Felice Smith and continues to freelance in NY. Her teaching and choreography career began in 2016, interning at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Step’s Pre-Professional Showcase Program, and teaching contemporary, ballet, dance conditioning, and commercial styles within the tri-state area, and beyond. She continues to choreograph both regionally and nationally recognized contemporary, contemporary ballet, and commercial works for pre-professional dancers, companies, and studios across the country. In the 2023/2024 season, she is currently teaching hip-hop, ballet, and/or contemporary with Rahway Dance Theatre, Moderne Academie of Fine Arts, and Evolution Dance Center.
Anneliese Burns Wilson
Teaching Artist
Ms. Anneliese Burns Wilson brings over 40 years of international teaching and performance experience, spanning ballet, modern, ballroom, and dance education on six continents. A certified instructor and respected leader in dance curriculum and injury prevention, she is passionate about fostering lifelong appreciation for the arts and helping students grow with creativity, discipline, and self-expression.
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Anneliese Burns Wilson has been teaching for 40 years. Ms. Anneliese’s career has allowed her to travel and work on 6 continents and in 40 of the 50 states (and counting). Her performance career included regional ballet companies, music videos, film, tv and regional theatre as well as being an internationally ranked competitive ballroom dancer. Her early training was at the School of the Garden State Ballet, The Ailey School, and with top teachers in Ballet, Modern, Musical Theatre, and Jazz, both in the US and abroad who continue to influence how she teaches today. She continues to travel as a guest teacher working with Man in Motion and the 360 Dance Experience. Outside of the studio she spent several years designing dance and wellness programs for senior living facilities, and was a teaching artist for Dancing Classrooms North Texas. She has been teaching academic school teachers how to integrate dance into their classrooms since 1998.
Ms. Anneliese is certified to teach through the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance in London and the Pan American Teachers of Dance. She has been a long time member of the National Dance Council of America and the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science and was the ViceChairman of National Dance Foundation 9 years, where she remains an Honorary Board Member. Her company, ABC for Dance, has been writing curriculum and teaching material and training teachers in dance related subjects since 1999. Her materials are now in use in over 1800 schools and studios worldwide. Dance Teacher Magazine, Dance Magazine and many teaching organizations use her as an expert in the field of dance education and injury prevention. In addition to her dance teaching credentials she is a fully certified pilates instructor (with 15 years experience as an Instructor Trainer) and has been trained in Muscle Activation Technique, Fascial Fitness, Movement for Neurological Conditions, Myofascial release, Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement, and Hypopressive Technique. She loves anatomy and has been lucky enough to work with Deborah Vogel, Irene Dowd and the amazing doctors at Icahn School of Medicine’s anatomy and orthopedic departments.
Anneliese believes that good dance education provides students with more than just the option to pursue a career in dance. It fosters a lifelong appreciation of the arts; improves creativity and problem solving abilities, self discipline, time management and self efficacy; and a safe place for people to explore their self expression.
Maurice Chestnut
Teaching Artist
Maurice Chestnut, a Newark native and internationally acclaimed tap dancer, began his professional career at age nine with the New Jersey Tap Ensemble and went on to tour with Savion Glover in Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk. Known for blending tradition with urban culture, he has performed worldwide with top jazz musicians and continues to inspire audiences with his powerful, soulful style.
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Newark, New Jersey native Maurice Chestnut began dancing at the age of five, under the direction of Mr. Alfred Gallman. He became a professional dancer at the age of nine as an original member of the New Jersey Tap Ensemble under the direction of Ms. Deborah Mitchell. As one of tap’s brightest young stars, he was featured on The Sally Jesse Raphael Show in the “My Kid’s A Star” segment, where he proudly proclaimed that he loved to dance and would keep doing it “until I die”. He was a gold medalist in the NAACP Act-So competition and was crowned “Top Dog Performer” at The Apollo Theater. At the age of fourteen, the Newark Star-Ledger’s arts reviewers named Maurice, “one of the twenty New Jersey faces to watch for in the new millennium”. In 2003, Maurice was recruited by tap master Savion Glover to join the national touring company of the Tony Award winning Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk. Maurice received critical favor in that role. He has continued to work with Savion as a member of his Improvography and Bare Soundz tours, as well as performing in productions such as Classical Savion, Tappin’ Into Monk, Invitation To The Dancer and on ABC-TV’s Dancing With The Stars. Off-Broadway credits include Shades of Harlem, The Wiz, Bubbling Brown Sugar directed by George Faison at Atlanta’s Fox Theater and Can I Hit That. Maurice has developed an impressive list of credits. In addition to performing with his own band, he is often invited to perform or tour as a special guest with such prominent jazz musicians as Christian McBride, Cyrus Chestnut and Thelonius Monk III. His high profile engagements have included the JVC Jazz Festival, the Playboy Jazz Festival, The Apollo Theater and Birdland, as well as appearances at Carnegie Hall and throughout Europe with the Geri Allen Trio. As a featured soloist and choreographer, Maurice skillfully uses these venues to further develop his signature style of “playing tap” as a “live instrument”. He seamlessly weaves complex dance steps to interplay with musical notes, creating a powerful and distinctive energy that resonates with his audiences. Inspired by such hoofing greats as the Nicholas Brothers and Jimmy Slyde, yet equally influenced by and connected to urban culture, Maurice Chestnut dances with truth, soul and power. As his appearance on BET’s 106th and Park demonstrated, watching him dance is like walking through Harlem in the 1940s…while bumping a hip-hop beat.
Shante Randle
Teaching Artist
Coming soon!
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Victor Marshall
Teaching Artist
He studied West African drumming and culture under Steven Lloyd in Long Island, New York. Marshall also played drums and percussion in local groups throughout high school.
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Marshall later met Jose Rendon who taught him Afro Cuban drumming. At twenty, he went on tour with M.C.A artist Gary Toms . Victor continued his musical study at SUNY-Old Westbury with master percussionists Warren Smith and the late Andre Strobert . In 1980, Marshall formed the Jazz Fusion group Febop and had the opportunity to open for jazz greats such as Grover Washington Jr. and Herbie Mann. Victor went back to study West African drumming under Master drummers YaYa Diallo , Mimo Camara and Abdou Kounta to broaden his musical experiences and technique. In between touring and studio work, Victor is a resident percussionist for NJPAC as well as a master teacher for a weekly class he runs at the Neighborhood House, Plainfield, NJ.
