About
Our Story
Dance.Laugh.Learn. was born out of the shared belief in the power of teaching and learning through the arts. Kerri Ford and Rylee Coppel have been colleagues and friends since 2009 when they were cast in a regional production of “Brooklyn Girls.” Kerri and Rylee share common ground in their training and development as artists and decided that combining their strengths would give them the blueprint for a successful educational program. Kerri and Rylee both have been performing and teaching in the NY/NJ area for many years and saw the need and market gap for a unique program that combines the elements of Musical Theatre, Dance, and Drama in a safe, imaginative, and educational environment for children.
Our Mission
Dance.Laugh.Learn. combines music, dance, and theatre with proven methods in childhood development aimed at sparking a child’s creativity and establishing an early love for the arts. We are constantly growing and incorporating our own continuing education into the program. Each program offers different and unique objectives that are achieved in a positive and nurturing learning environment. Dance.Laugh.Learn. programs are designed to give your children the opportunity to express creativity, expand the imagination, strengthen communication abilities, and cultivate social skills through the use of the performing arts. All Dance.Laugh.Learn classes are educational and process-based and will develop skills in your child that will stay with them throughout their lives.
Founders
Rylee Coppel
Artistic Director/ Teaching Artist
Rylee is a Pennsylvania native who followed her performing and teaching dreams to NYC. Rylee holds a B.A. in Music Performance from Ramapo College of NJ and an M.A in Integrated Arts and Education from the University of Montana. Rylee has performed regionally and locally with such companies as; Charleston Stage, Joey Casella Productions, Theatre Rehabilitation for Youth, Roxy Regional Theatre, RWS and Associates, and American Entertainment Productions. Alongside her performing, Rylee is certified in K-12 music and has been teaching Musical Theatre, Voice, Dance, and Acting in the NY/NJ, and SC areas for over 5 years.
CARI Background check; SLED Check, Certified Yoga Instructor, Aura Wellness Center; CPR/First Aid, American Red Cross; Trauma-Informed
Kerri Ford
Managing Director/ Teaching Artist
Kerri is a New York based performer who specializes in theatre for young audiences (TYA). She is an alumna of the educational theatre program at NYU where she graduated with a B.S. along with a certification to teach theatre in the state of NY (K-12). Kerri recently obtained her A.A. in Early Childhood Education and her Prekindergarten Associate License. As a 2021 graduate of the Teaching Artist Training Institute (TATI), Kerri received training from Marquis Studio in best practices for teaching arts to children of diverse cognitive and developmental needs. She has performed with a long roster of theatre companies who make it their mission to provide educational shows and assemblies to both children and adult audiences including: Winceyco, ArtsPower National Touring Theatre, Arithmitickles, and Periwinkle Theatre for Youth. Kerri is also professionally trained in movement and dance and teaches studio dance classes.
CARI background check; Certified Yoga Instructor, NYC/DOE fingerprinted; CPR/First Aid, American Red Cross; Kappa Delta Pi member; Trauma Informed
Advisors
Scott LePor D.O
Medical/Neuroscience advisor, TBRI Practitioner
Bio
Scott LePor is a family physician who resides outside of Atlanta and practices in Northwest Georgia. He is a husband, father, foster and adoptive parent. Through his experiences as a foster parent, Scott sought further training through Texas Christian University Institute of Child Development to help heal the life traumas of children from hard places with the evidence based neuroscience of Trust Based Relational Intervention. The principles have proved to be so life changing that Scott now shares this training through lectures and workshops to foster/adoptive parents as well as other health care professionals. These principles have also become the foundation for becoming Medical Director of Patient Experience and Physician Engagement at the hospital where he works through building a culture centered around meeting the needs of others through trust based relationships. Having a strong spiritual worldview has also been a driving force for his purpose and passion in helping those in need. Scott has also enjoyed sharing knowledge on various aspects of health in publications, podcasts, and social media. In his spare time, Scott enjoys spending time with his wife and three precious girls in daily routines as well as sharing life experiences together. Scott also enjoys promoting health through regular exercise and a whole food plant based diet which he also encourages with his patients.
Teaching Artists
NYC Metro/NJ
Erin Pulings
Bio
Erin Pulings is a professional performer and uses her active experience in the arts to inform her teaching. Over the years, Erin has performed professionally as a dancer, singer, and actress in Europe, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates. She is now working professionally in New York City.
Her artistic training includes the Royal Academy of Dance (ballet), the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music (voice, piano, guitar, music theory), and graduating from the Musical Theater Conservatory program at the American Music and Dramatic Academy.
She strives to create an environment where students feel safe and can therefore express themselves to the outermost corners of their imagination.
Her teachers have had such a strong and positive influence in shaping her life and career, and she holds it very dear to her heart to be able to be that figure for the next generation of artists.
Julia Brunelli
Bio
Julia Brunelli (she/they) is a California-grown and NYC-based artist, with a love and appreciation for all art forms. She received a BA in Drama from UC Irvine, and has been working in early education and enrichment for over ten years, sharing their passion for music and arts with students. Julia loves seeing little ones learn and create memories in the classroom, and she’s so grateful to be a part of the Dance.Laugh.Learn Team!
Kristen Grace Brown
Bio
Kristen has a strong passion for educating theatre and dance to all ages and all levels. She grew up in Connecticut where she trained as a competition dancer in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, and hip hop. Performance credits: National Tour: Elf On The Shelf: A Christmas Musical. Regional: Anything Goes (MUNY), Chasing Rainbows (Paper Mill Playhouse), Seussical (Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera), 42nd Street (Sacramento Music Circus), Elvis: A Musical Revolution (North Shore), White Christmas (Bucks County Playhouse), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Mary Poppins (Tuacahn), Little Women (Skyline Theater Company). BFA Syracuse University. KristenGraceBrown.com
Adina Paciello
Bio
Adina is a dedicated teaching artist specializing in young musical theatre and music education. With extensive experience performing in productions like Blippi The Musical on London’s West End and international tours of Shrek the Musical, she brings real-world stage expertise to her teaching. As a Dance Captain and performer, Adina combines her passion for music, movement, and storytelling to create engaging, fun, and imaginative learning experiences for children ages 3 months to 12 years. With a degree from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and a background in professional theatre, she inspires young students to explore their creativity and develop confidence through musical theatre and music.
Anna Waiter
Bio
Anna Waiter (she/her) is a teaching artist, playwright, composer/lyricist, and performer. She also teaches at Brooklyn Music School and The Play Group Theatre, and has worked extensively with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers as a manager at My Gym. She is thrilled to combine her passions for theatre education and early childhood programming at Dance Laugh Learn! Anna’s work as a theatre educator has inspired her to create great roles for young women, and in particular she hopes to publish her work for amateur rights. She continues to perform, predominantly in the development of new works. She holds a BFA in Music Theatre from The Hartt School.Adult and Pediatric CPR/First Aid/AED, American Red Cross
Jonathan Dunchie
Bio
Jonathan is a New York Transplant by way of Texas. He’s very excited about taking in all the culture of New York.
Jonathan loves working with children and has experience teaching and mentoring youth. He has held leadership positions as an assistant dean and a camp director, where he helped to train staff in youth development, conflict mediation, and positive reinforcement.
He’s also a very skilled pianist and cook!
Jessie Natusch
Bio
Jessie Natusch is a versatile dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist whose work in modern and contemporary dance explores the human experience. With Bachelor of Arts degrees in Dance Studies and Sustainable Development from Appalachian State University, Jessie’s practice is rooted in both artistic expression and the power of movement in fostering the mind-body connection and healing.
For over 26 years, Jessie has immersed herself in the transformative power of dance, performing with the Charleston Dance Project for three years and serving as the Director of the Charleston Modern Collective for an equal amount of time. Her choreography has graced stages such as the Queen Street Playhouse, South of Broadway, North Charleston Arts Festival, and Piccolo Spoleto, among others. Jessie has worked in diverse spaces, from theater performances to collaborations in local breweries, and her work continues to reflect her belief that movement is a gateway to understanding both self and community. She is the founder and artistic director of Jessie Natusch Dance Works, her newest creative endeavor dedicated to exploring the emotional landscape of human experience while fostering connection through accessible and community-centered performance.
As a seasoned teaching artist, Jessie has taught students of all ages since 2011. For the past three years, she has shared her expertise with The Dance Space and Annex Dance Company, guiding dancers through creative exploration and technical mastery. What Jessie loves most about dance is its ability to connect us—body, mind, and soul—allowing individuals to express their authentic selves through movement. She sees dance as a therapeutic language, one that unites us through our shared emotions, experiences, and stories.
Anna Lin
Bio
Moving to Charleston, SC in 2019, Anna was born and raised in Southern California. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in Human Development.
Anna’s experience in acting, improvisation, theatre and dance, along with her degree, set the perfect stage for teaching performance based arts to all ages! She has been a teaching artist for over a decade, using dance, acting, improv and singing to promote creativity, confidence, and self expression in others.
As a choreographer, she has choreographed to local youth shows including “Legally Blonde” (Fame Theatre), “Shrek The Musical”(South of Broadway Theatre), “The Rainbow Fish” (East Cooper Montessori), and “Godspell” (May River High School). She was the choreographer for the world premier of “Atwater” and for the Southeast premier of “Mlima’s Tale”(Pure Theater).
As a local actor, Anna has played Connie in “A Chorus Line”, Afong Moy in “A Chinese Lady”, Joan Watson in ” Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson- Apt 2b” and was most recently Keiko in “Eureka Day.”
Anna is also an improv instructor, teaching at independently at Park Circle Community and as part of the faculty of Theatre 99. She has founded several improv teams and has performed at the “New South Comedy Festival.” She also created and produced a monthly community indie improv night in Park Circle.
Anna has danced with the Charleston Modern Collective, Charleston Dance Project, Dynamics, and is currently a company member of Jessie Natusch Dance Works.
Lake Weiss
Bio
Lake Weiss (he/they) is an NYC native director, performer, and educator who is currently studying Directing at Northeastern NYC. Lake has worked teaching theatre, dance, and music to a wide range of ages at Actors Technique New York and as an assistant at Broadway Dance Center. Whether he’s working with infants or adults, Lake is passionate about creating a welcoming class environment where every person can show up as their authentic self. Lake previously studied neuroscience at Muhlenberg College and loves bringing their knowledge of brain development to early childhood education. Movement and music can be such powerful tools in teaching kids awareness and connection. Lake also works as a dramaturg, usher, and scenic painter in various places around NYC. He is so excited to work with Dance.Laugh.Learn to bring the joy of theatre and dance to New York’s cutest!
South Carolina
