Judges For The

Kammie is so excited to be joining Starpower this season! Having moved to NYC at 14, Kammie trained at the Joffrey Ballet School and The Institute for American Musical Theater. During her sophomore and junior year of high school she competed with Team USA where she was able to compete all over the world including Germany, Poland, and Italy while becoming a 2x World Champion. Since then she had the honor of being in the Original Broadway Cast of The Music Man starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, as well as being the Head of Tap at The Institute for American Musical Theatre. She can’t wait to watch the next generation as they learn and grow!

Maddie (she/her) is a performer and choreographer based out of NYC. She most recently danced with the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center and was featured as a dancer in Vanessa Williams’ new single, “Legs.” She is excited to make her feature film acting and choreo debut in the upcoming “Queens of the Dead” film by Tina Romero. National/International Tours: Finding Neverland Broadway (as Peter Pan), and Parsons Dance Company. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from NYU Tisch.

Michael Pesko, a New Jersey native, has been dancing since the age of six. Michael has performed both theatrically and commercially and has been teaching at studios across the globe. Most recently, Michael performed in the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall! Additional credits include “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” Season 3 and the newly released Season 4 on Amazon Prime, The ABC Upfronts starring Priyanka Chopra, West Side Story, An American in Paris, Oklahoma!, Guys and Dolls, Adidas, Wella Hair and more! Look for Michael on the new series “Roar” starring Nicole Kidman on Apple TV Plus!

Resa is a New York based dancer, actor, singer, and gymnast. She is a proud native of
Yokohama, Japan, and spent her childhood years in Japan and Singapore. She started
competing as a gymnast when she was 8 and placed in several national and international
competitions including placing 6th on floor at the All Japan Junior Gymnastics Championships
and 1st all-round for Kanagawa Prefecture High School Gymnastics Meet. She graduated
Summa Cum Laude from Rider University with a BFA in musical theatre. In 2022 she made her
national tour debut with How the Grinch Stole Christmas the Musical. Other professional theatre
credits include Ivy Watkins in the World Premiere of John Proctor is the Villain and Ruki Minami
in the US premiere of White Pearl at Studio Theatre, Connie in A Chorus Line at The Wick
Theatre, A Christmas Carol at North Shore Music Theatre, The Prom at Pioneer Theatre
Company, Holiday Inn at The Fireside Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dreamat Connecticut
Shakespeare Festival, and A Chorus Line, Cinderella, Annie, 9 to 5, The Music Man at Flat
Rock Playhouse. Resa was a featured dancer on Netflix’s Wednesday float at the Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade and danced in Tuan Malinowski’s piece for Night of Life at Sony Hall.
Most recently, Resa was the English dub voice of Lady Mariko in the Emmy Award winning
series SHŌGUN on FX/Hulu.

Matt hails from Syracuse, NY where he received training under Tawn LaFrance and Tami Zerillo. As a competitive dancer he won several national titles, both as a soloist and with his team. After moving to New York City in 2006, Matt studied dance at NYUs Tisch school of the Arts. Matt has appeared in works by names such as Deborah Jowett, Complexions Ballet, and Larry Keigwins Keigwin + Company.

Taylor Fields is a Jersey Girl who started to move and groove at the age of three. She has extensive dance, acting, and vocal training from credible institutions such as the New Jersey School of Ballet, Performance Theatre Workshop, and the Alvin Ailey School/Fordham University in NYC, where she earned her BFA Degree in Dance. From cruise ships to commercial and theatre to television, Taylor has done it all! As a proud SAG AFTRA member, Taylor has TV & Film appearances on MTV, NBC, FOX NEWS, NETFLIX, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO, and HBO MAX to name a few. In fact, Taylor was recently featured in the new season 3 of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Stories on HULU. For live stage, she has performed with star artists such as NEYO and FLO RIDA. She’s even performed on the high seas with the inaugural partnership between Holland America Line cruises and the Emmy-award winning powerhouse company, RWS Entertainment Group. Additionally, Taylor is a proud Actors Equity Association Member! Favorite stage & theatre credits include: Off Broadway & Radio City Music Hall in NYC and regional houses across the country such as Ogunquit Playhouse, Walnut Street Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, and many more! Accustomed to a heavy dance competitive upbringing, Taylor loves to return the favor as a dance judge to the next generation of stars whenever she’s not on set shooting or on stage. Her philosophy: to encourage that special passion for the arts in all, just like her teachers did for her!

Lisa White is excited to be judging for Starpower and the SDA. Lisa received her training in Chicago with Gus Giordano and has taught for Lou Conte, home of Hubbard Street Dance Company, River North Dance Studio and Studio 34 in Las Vegas. Lisa has performed as a Rockette with the Radio City Rockettes in “The Great Radio City Spectacular” at the Flamingo Hilton in Las Vegas and “The Radio City Christmas Spectacular” in Branson, MO. She has performed in numerous musicals which include “Sophisticated Ladies”, “Guys and Dolls”, “West Side Story”, “Sweet Charity”, “Funny Girl” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”. Some of her favorite roles include the Tango dancer in “Evita” and Cyd Charisse in “Singin’ in the Rain”. Lisa toured nationally and Internationally with “The Magic of Davis Copperfield ” making television appearances on his CBS specials, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show and The Arsenio Hall Show. She has appeared in the motion pictures “Red Heat” with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Belushi and “The Babe” with John Goodman. Lisa has appeared in national commercials for McDonalds, Kraft, and Las Vegas hotels Luxor, Caesar’s Palace and Treasure Island. Encouraging young dancers to pursue their dreams has been a privilege and watching the evolution of dance has been so inspiring. Lisa currently resides in Las Vegas teaching master classes and choreographing in the trade show industry.

Nicole Athill is a multi-faceted performer and educator hailing from San Diego, California. Nicole is currently based in New York City and was most recently seen in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway. Favorite credits include: Tuacahn Center for the Arts (The Little Mermaid, The Sound of Music, When You Wish, Elf), Moonlight Stage Productions (Chicago, The Little Mermaid). TV: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Manifest (NBC), Murder Among Friends (Discovery Channel ID). Film: God Incorporated. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from the Ray Bolger Musical Theatre Program at UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film & Television. She has choreographed for numerous dance concerts in New York City, including a performance at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, and has conducted masterclasses for students nationwide. Nicole is deeply thankful for the opportunity to serve as a judge for SDA!

Jessica Olinik boasts over four decades in dance, a journey marked by remarkable achievements and contributions. Her dedication began at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts as a contemporary major, continuing at the University of the Arts with world-renowned instructors. A former member of the 76ers All-Star Dance Team, Jessica has performed alongside Pink, appeared at the NBA’s All-Star Game & Events, participated in Reading Across America, and toured with the USO to entertain global audiences. Her performance career includes starring in the musical “Grease” and being a principal dancer for ContempraDance Theatre and Opus One Dance companies. Jessica’s expertise was enhanced through her work as an assistant to Lucille DiCampli. She was also a featured dancer in the Degas exhibit at the Philadelphia Art Museum, showcasing her versatility as a performer. Jessica’s award-winning choreography has graced national stages and TV screens alike. For over a decade, Jessica has served as head judge for prestigious dance competitions across the nation and internationally. As a valued member of the Impact Dance Adjudicators Judging roster, she’s shared her insights on podcasts and blogs. As Artistic Director of an award-winning company, Jessica’s teaching spans over two decades, with alumni now performing in dance companies, theatres, on TV, in commercials, and at stadiums. She has worked with top institutions like The Rock School for Dance Education, Millennium Dance Complex-Philadelphia, and Epic Dance Convention. Currently, Jessica is the Performance Company Manager and on faculty at The Rock School for Dance Education-West Chester/Philadelphia. Beyond dance, her talent for costume design has been featured in catalogs. In 2015, she launched the “Inspire2Inspire” program, connecting dancers from different studios to foster support and inspiration & gives out an annual scholarship at her local high school. A devoted wife and mother of two, Jessica continues her inspiring dance journey. Follow her dance journey @jwodance.

Shane Stitely, originally from Fairfield, Pennsylvania, is a dancer, master teacher, choreographer and costumer who resides in the New York City area. He has been working professionally in the world of dance for the past 24 years. He is a graduate of Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Dance degree, with a concentration in Jazz. He has trained with and performed for famed choreographers Robert Battle, Kevin O’Day, Margo Sappington, Linda Haberman, Alberto Arias, Daniel Ezralow, Lynn Taylor Corbett, Tiger Martina, Tony Stevens, Dan Molina, Ann Reinking, and Mark Esposito. Some performance credits include: the national and international tours of Fosse (principal/dance captain), The Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall (11 consecutive seasons) (rehearsal/choreography assistant), Tokyo Disneyland, The Full Monty, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Who’s Tommy, Carousel, The Pirates of Penzance, ABC Daytime Salutes BCEFA, Pittsburgh CLO, Gateway Playhouse, and several industrials for companies such as Rite Aid and State Farm. Shane has performed in television, commercials, and film with Jennifer Hudson, Susan Lucci, Jim Carrey, Jessica Simpson, Kristine W, Martha and the Vandellas, and Jason Mraz. While on tour with Fosse, Shane was the master instructor of the Fosse technique at studios and colleges around the United States as well as internationally. Shane now serves as the Assistant Wardrobe Supervisor for the Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes at the iconic Radio City Music Hall. As a costumer, he has worked with and along side artists Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Ariana Grande, Pitbull, Lil Nas X, Trixie Mattel, Katya, Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, among many others. Shane invites all the artists he has the honor of adjudicating this season to believe in the strength, promise, and vibrancy of the internal light each of them possess!

Camren Hilyer is a dancer & choreographer residing in New York City. Originally from
Alabama, Camren begun his dance training at the age of 6 when he enrolled in his first
dance class. A couple of years later he was cast in his first theatre production at the
local community theatre where his love for performing grew. After a successful high
school career in dance & theatre, Camren studied dance at the University of Alabama
under the artistic direction of Cornelius Carter and later Lawrence Jackson. While at UA,
Camren had many great opportunities to travel the country & study with some of the
best in the industry from LA to Chicago to New York City. Since being in NYC, Camren has danced at the Hammerstein ballroom with Broadway Cares, performed backup for artists at Sony Hall, helped workshop off-Broadway shows, and can be seen dancing in a few commercials.
He is excited to continue shaping the future generations of dance in the art form that
has brought so much happiness and opportunity to his life!

As a professional ballet dancer, Ted worked with Smuin Ballet of San Francisco, The Sacramento Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and The National Choreographers Initiative. His repertory spans from classical to contemporary and includes works by George Balanchine, August Bournonville, Marius Petipa, Jiri Kylian, John Butler, Michael Smuin, Amy Seiwert, Val Caniparoli, Ma Cong, Peter Quanz, Parrish Maynard, and Ann Marie DeAngelo, among others. After moving to NYC and switching focus to musical theater, he performed all over the United States and Canada in national tours of The Phantom of the Opera (Solo Dancer) and Fidder on the Roof, as well as regionally in Young Frankenstein at the Ogunquit and Gateway Playhouses. Other highlight performances include BCEFA fundraisers Broadway Backwards and Broadway Bares, and assisting with choreography for the Career Transition for Dancers Silver Jubilee Gala at City Center. While he proudly continues to teach ballet and Pilates at The Institute for American Musical Theatre, his own artistic focus is now on acting and is a recent graduate of the William Esper Studio two year Meisner program.

Dre DiLorenzo is in her 3rd season as a Miami Dolphins Cheerleader currently serving as Co-Captain. As an MDC she leads the Junior Dolphins Cheer and Ballet Clinics and has performed in halftime routines with Trina, Trick Daddy, and Uncle Luke. She was named Veteran of the Year for the 2023-2024 season and had an article published by Business Insider about her unique entry into the NFL Cheer space.

Her professional career began at the age of 11 as Clara in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. She studied with New Jersey Ballet as a member of their Junior Company and spent her summers training in NYC with American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey, and Juilliard. With New Jersey Ballet she toured throughout the state performing in numerous ballets, with her favorite role performing as the lead role of Clara in the Nutcracker with full orchestra at Papermill Playhouse, the State Theatre of New Jersey, for 3 years.

Dre has also performed in the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium and Formula 1 Grand Prix in Miami. She was a print model for A Wish Come True Costume Catalogue and has been featured in Dance Spirit, Pointe Magazine, and Bloomingdale’s catalogues.

She received her BS in Kinesiology and BA in Communication from University of Maryland and now teaches privates and master classes.

Rosemary has danced on Broadway, National, and International tours. Her Broadway and national credits are The Music Man, Can Can, Hello Dolly, 42nd Street, A Chorus Line, The Rockettes, The King and I, and Pippin. She has performed in many industrials and commercials and had the opportunity to dance for The King of Morocco. Rosemary has directed many middle and high school theatre productions in the NJ area and has taught dance all around the country. She is a Pilates instructor and is so happy to be back at Starpower as a judge!

Chelsea has been blessed to perform nationally and internationally on various stages in many productions. She was a Knicks City Dancer where she performed at Madison Square Garden night after night at the world’s most famous arena. She shared the stage with Former First Lady Michelle Obama on The Ellen Show as well as with Harry Connick Jr on The Harry Show. She’s danced with Jennifer Lopez, Run DMC, Cee Lo Green, Ian Eastwood, Brian Friedman, and Valentin Chmerkovskiy. Regionally, she has performed in The Prom, Memphis: The Musical, Elf, and was a featured vocalist in The Legendary Ladies of Music. With Norwegian Cruise Line, Chelsea performed work by Patti Wilcox while traveling throughout Europe. Chelsea’s love for fitness has grown and propelled her into the world of modeling! You can see Chelsea on various fitness platforms such as Nike, Fabletics, Beachbody, Asana Rebel, and Xtend Barre where she worked closely with it’s founder, Andrea Rogers. @iamchelseafreeman

Ben Lanham is a NYC based professional dancer and choreographer. He is currently touring with the Broadway Musical, “Back to the Future,” as a cast member and dance captain. He could also be seen on Broadway in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Bad Cinderella,” and as Phil Davis in Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” at Tuacahn Amphitheater. Ben has been on Amazon Prime’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and “Making A Scene” with James Franco. He has traveled extensively with 6 First National, Broadway Tours both nationally and internationally. Tours include “Hello, Dolly!” “An American in Paris,” “Cinderella,” “West Side Story,”“Anastasia,” and “Back to the Future.” He has also been seen dancing alongside the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall as well as in “The Tap Dance Kid,” at NY City Center. In addition to Broadway/National Tours, Ben has been seen in over 30 regional productions across the country as well as the Inaugural Lincoln Center Honors in NYC. He is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association and a dance graduate of Oklahoma City University. Teaching and Judging are other passions for Ben and he is on faculty for several competitions and conventions. His choreography has won awards at both the Regional and National levels and many of his students have gone on to pursue professional careers of their own. Ben is ecstatic to experience the talents of all the Starpower Dancers across the country