Meet our Staff

 Allye Amorino has invested a lifetime studying the art of dance. Beginning at the young age of 3 years old, Allye grew up training in all the art forms but now primarily focuses on Jazz, Contemporary and Musical Theater. She believes in a continued education and enjoys spending her weekends at conventions and teacher workshops while striving to take classes at local studios, as well as in New York City, as often as possible.  Allye's accolades include dancing alongside the Somerset Bears, performing in numerous musicals as well as performing on the TLC network's hit show "Four Weddings".  Allye is no stranger to the dance community having modeled for dance catalogs, performing in character at private events and assisting choreographers at both regional and national conventions all while continuing to compete at various festivals.  Always eager to foster her love of the arts, she has recently become certified in both Yoga and Barre and is excited to continue her education to add additional certifications.  Allye is very proud of her unique approach to teaching as she is very passionate about instilling the love, art and commitment of dance in her students and she looks forward to watching her students grow each and every day. 

Felicia Catney-Martin hails from Rider University and graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors in May 2016. During her time at school she earned her BA in dance performance with a minor in music studies. Through the dance program at Rider University she was able to study ballet and many other styles at the Princeton Ballet School. Felicia was given the opportunity to audition for many dance showcases and productions during her time at Rider, this allowed her to perform, choreograph and grow as a young artist. She was also an active member of Alpha Psi Omega Theatre Honors Fraternity and served as a fine arts mentor and seminar leader for three years. In the summer of 2018 she was accepted into Broadway Dance Center’s Summer Intensive Program where she worked heavily with world-class teachers and choreographers. Felicia has choreographed and performed in festivals and showcases such as, the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Biomorphic Dance Festival NYC, Dance NJ’s Show Up and Dance, as well as two different Broadway Dance Center showcases. She has also been asked to perform in gala performances at Grounds For Sculpture and the Princeton Golf Club. Felicia has built herself up as a well-known teacher and choreographer in the NJ area since she graduated. She was also given the opportunity to choreograph for Ocean County Performing Arts High School’s dance department as a guest artist. As a young adult Felicia enjoyed playing dance and lead rolls in many school and community theater productions. She also plays guitar and sings! She enjoys pushing her students to their fullest potential and will meet every dancer where they are at to help them grow. Felicia is very excited to share her love of dance, performing, choreographing and teaching with the students at Standing Ovation! 

 Annette Lutz originally hails from Pittsburgh,PA where she grew up dancing at Foxtrot Dance Studio from age 3 to 18 years old. She got her start student teaching at Foxtrot when she was 15 years old and has loved teaching ever since.Annette went on to receive her Bachelor's in Journalism at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she was the chosen student speaker for her department's graduation ceremony. During her time at IUP, Annette was part of their student-run dance team, IUP Dance Explosion and was voted to be a council member for the team for both her junior and senior years. She also spent her college years teaching dance at a local studio, The Dance Academy. Following her college years, Annette became a staff member at a  Pittsburgh-based, all hip hop studio: Pittsburgh Heat.  In 2012, Annette began working with Groove National Dance Competition and, in 2013, she moved to New Jersey to work full-time for Groove. She has been with the company since and is now the VP of Client Relations with Groove.  Annette joined the teaching staff of Standing Ovation in 2015 as a hip hop instructor and is so grateful for her studio family!  

 Kristen Barnes started dancing at the age of 2. She studied tap, ballet, jazz and acro at a local studio in North Carolina. At the age of 9, Kristen was accepted to The North Carolina School of the Arts pre-professional program. She became a full time student in the 8th grade and continued ballet/modern education there throughout high school, all the while studying tap, jazz musical theater and lyrical at the local studio on weekends. Directly after graduation, she was hired by Celebrity Cruises for their inaugural run of the MV Mercury. After her contract, Kristen was hired by Jean Ann Ryan Productions to perform on the Japan Cruise Line, Pacific Venus. Her dreams then came true when she became a Radio City Rockette in the Detroit, MI cast for 2 seasons. When Kristen returned to New York, she performed on several episodes of Saturday Night Live, MTV Video Awards (featuring Kristen’s choreography) and A Night of Too Many Stars with Jon Stewart. She also appeared in national and international commercials for Coca-Cola, TV Land and Papa John’s Pizza, as well as industrials for companies including Bloomingdales, CMT, Paul Mitchell and Sam and Libby. Kristen has taught many master classes in ballet, musical theater, jazz, precision line, audition prep, creative movement and body conditioning in local studios and regional and national dance competitions. She is now beyond proud to be sharing her knowledge with today’s up and coming entertainers! Remember, dance is a journey, not a destination! 

Alyssa Colombo, a talented and determined dancer raised in ​Middletown, New Jersey, has studied a wide range of dance styles in both the concert and commercial dance world. Her passion for dance emerged at a young age and propelled her towards artistic excellence. Alyssa's natural talent, combined with her relentless determination and ambitious nature, sets her apart from her peers. She possesses an unwavering drive to succeed and continually pushes herself to new heights in pursuit of her dreams. After training on the east coast for over 15 years, Alyssa continued her dance education on the west coast by obtaining her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Dance with a concentration in Commercial Dance at ​AMDA Downtown Los Angeles. Additionally, she is pursuing a Bachelor's of Science degree in Entertainment Business at ​The Los Angeles Film School. Alyssa’s versatility has led her to train with some of the top names in TV commercials, conceptual creations, and the dance industry as a whole. Since moving to Los Angeles, she has worked with artists such as Tinashe and Sunday Scaries. Alyssa is not only a talented dancer but also a multifaceted professional. She has successfully blended her passion for dance with her skills in social media and marketing. By seamlessly integrating her dance career with digital marketing, Alyssa demonstrates her adaptability in the ever-evolving dance industry. She leverages her expertise in social media management and digital content creation to promote dance companies such as Dare to Dance in Public Film Festival, share behind-the-scenes content, and engage with audiences through captivating dance-related posts. Her dedication, discipline, and perseverance have shaped her into an impeccable professional who is constantly striving for growth and improvement. As she continues to pursue her dreams, Alyssa is sure to make a lasting impact in the world of dance and beyond. Alyssa has recently joined Eris Talent Agency as a Junior Agent to help artist’s see their dreams come to fruition!  

Erica Isakower earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Hofstra University and is currently a Master of Fine Arts in Dance candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is a multifaceted artist, serving as the artistic director, choreographer, and dancer for Chutzpah Dance. Erica's captivating work has been showcased in prominent cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Chicago, and various locations throughout New Jersey. Her choreographic eye has been recognized as she was invited as a guest artist to create commissioned pieces at Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania and in residence at Broward College in Florida.  Additionally, she was a featured dancer in Dorney Park's dance show for Halloween Haunt in 2019. Erica has also performed with Hanna Q Dance Company, Equilibrium Dance Company, and Allegory Dance Theatre, contributing her skills and passion to their projects. During her time at Hofstra University, she had the privilege of performing in works by Larry Keigwin, Anita Feldman, Luiza Karnas, and José Limón. Sharing her knowledge and nurturing the next generation of dancers is a vital part of Erica's artistic journey.  Erica's commitment to education extends beyond local boundaries, as she taught workshops abroad in Panama as part of the Movement Exchange Organization in 2019. Erica was recently awarded the South Jersey Artist & History Professional COVID Relief Grant award, recognizing her commitment as a choreographer, dancer, and dance educator within the community. Erica is very excited to become part of the Standing Ovation family!

Helen Centrella-Schmitz is from Brick Township and is 27 years old.  She has been dancing at Standing Ovation School of Dance since she was three years old starting with ballet. She was in advanced classes for ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop. She also traveled with Standing Ovation’s competitive edge to different competitions and conventions including Tremaine and Dancer’s Inc. Miss Helen

is now a Support Coordinator working with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Miss Helen taught ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip hop at Standing Ovation for 5 years. Miss Helen is happy to be back doing what she loves, teaching young children the art of dance! 

Alea began dancing when she was 5 years old. She joined her studio's competition team at 11 years old and competed at numerous competitions until she graduated high school. She then furthered her dance career at Rider University where she graduated in 2021 with a double major in Elementary Education and Dance with a minor in Special Education. She was also part of the Rider dance team for all 4 years of college and began choreographing for the team as a freshman. Alea was elected President for the dance team 2 years in a row. While at Rider, Alea trained at Princeton Ballet School where she was offered a job to be a hip hop teacher at a nearby studio. Alea has been a teacher at that studio since 2018. Alea creates an exciting and fun atmosphere in all her classes to enhance her students confidence and ensure they are comfortable performing in the studio and on stage.