Our Staff

Director, Kiirsten Flanders started dancing at the age of four and continued on through high school. She started as an assistant teacher at the age of 14 and later began teaching her own classes. For the past several years, she has been attending Teachers Training School held at the State University of New York at Buffalo and Ball State University in Indiana through Dance Masters of America. She is currently certified through test to teach Tap, Jazz, and Ballet. She is also currently a member in good standing with Dance Masters of New England, Chapter 5. Her choreography has won numerous awards including Divisional Champions at many regional and national dance competitions. Kiirsten is certified to teach Zumba Basic 1, Zumba Basic 2, Zumba Gold, and PulsePointe Barre. She also has a degree in Business Management. Kiirsten opened Pirouette Dance Academy in September 2008 and hopes to pass her love of dance on to all that attend her school.

Assistant Director, Jocelyn Vander Kaaden began her dance training at a young age and became a teacher’s assistant at 15 years old. In 2006, she began teaching her own classes and for the past several years, she has been a student of the Dance Masters of America: Teachers Training School held at the State University of New York at Buffalo and Ball State University in Indiana. Through Dance Masters of America, she is nationally certified by test to teach Ballet, Tap, and Jazz, and is currently a member in good standing with Dance Masters of New England, Chapter 5. She is also a certified member through the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) which qualifies her to teach various pom and acrobatic classes here at Pirouette Dance Academy. Her choreography has won numerous awards including Divisional Champions at several regional and national dance competitions. She has also choreographed for collegiate dance teams in the area. In addition, Jocelyn is certified to teach Zumba Basic 1, Zumba Basic 2, Zumba Gold, PulsePointe Barre, and holds a Doctorate in Education. She joined the Pirouette team when they first opened back in 2008 and truly enjoys educating all of her beloved dancers.

Instructor, Taylor Burns has studied the art of dance for over 15 years. She was also a former student of Pirouette Dance Academy while growing up. Taylor has had the opportunity to broaden her dance education through participating in seminars such as the Dance Masters of America Convention, Dance Teachers Club of Boston Convention, East Coast Edge Dance Convention, and the Disney Performing Arts Workshop in Orlando, FL. Taylor has also danced in numerous dance competitions at both the regional and national levels for several years. As a dancer, her routines have been awarded many Overall 1st Placements, High Score awards, Specialty awards, National dance off selections, and Scholarship prizes. In 2013, Taylor was also one of the Pirouette dancers that performed in Walt Disney World for the Disney Performing Arts On Stage Showcase! She has successfully completed the Dance Masters of America: Teachers Training School held at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Through Dance Masters of America, she is nationally certified by test to teach Tap and Jazz. Her competition choreography has also won several awards including First Overall placements. Taylor now hopes to carry on the Pirouette tradition of teaching young children the art of dance through fun and age-appropriate learning.

Instructor, Sydnie Cabral has studied dance for over 12 years. She started her dance career at Pirouette Dance Academy at just six years old. With eight years of competitive dance experience, Sydnie has compiled numerous achievements on both the regional and national levels. Some of these include earning many Overall 1st placements, High Score Awards, National Dance Off selections, Specialty awards, and Scholarship prizes. Sydnie has had many prestigious dance opportunities such as dancing through Disney Performing Arts, attending Dance Masters of New England conventions where she received 1st and 2nd place scholarships, and taking an abundance of dance master classes. She has always loved to share her passion for dance as she was an assistant teacher here for many years. Currently she is a member of DanceWorks Boston, the largest adult dance company in Boston. Through Dance Masters of America, she has successfully completed Grade 2 of the DMA Teacher’s Training School program held at Ball State University in Indiana. Sydnie wishes to instill and uphold the values of Pirouette Dance Academy by teaching children the art of dance through her own passion and love for it.

Choreographer, Chelsea Cousineau is a Massachusetts native who’s childhood love of dance turned into a passion and career. After years of training and performance in Southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, she received a BA in Dance Education from Bridgewater State University. While at BSU, Chelsea had the opportunity to work with Anna Sokolow’s “Sokolow Now!,” as well as serve as President of the dance company. It was during her years there, while learning to create and perform in a new way, that Chelsea began to base her education style on the belief that “dance is for every body and everybody.” After University, Chelsea spent the next decade and a half as a dance educator in different capacities in New England in both competitive and recreational studio environments, youth and community theaters, competitive show choirs, dance counselor for international dance students and a guest choreographer for Emerson College in Boston. For the past decade, Chelsea has been a member and choreographer for Kinetic Synergy Dance Company and a full time Dance Specialist at the Boston Renaissance Charter Public School for the past six years. She has continued her dance education story here at Pirouette since 2016. Chelsea currently resides and teaches in California but travels to the studio to set competition choreography for our team.

Instructor, Faith Faria began dancing when she was just four years old. As a student of Pirouette Dance Academy she competed with our competition team for 10 years and assisted for five of those years. Through her competition experience, she has been awarded many Overall 1st placements, Convention scholarships, Dance off selections, and Specialty awards. She has also been presented solo recognition awards on a regional and national level from competitions including the Key to Success and CDLS Spirit award twice. Through her dance career she has had many esteemed performance opportunities including dancing at Dance Masters of New England conventions, The MPower dance intensive in New York City, and the Disney Performing Arts stage twice. She has assisted numerous master classes and has begun teaching her own workshops. Through Dance Masters of America, she has successfully completed Grade 1 of the DMA Teacher’s Training School program held at Ball State University in Indiana. She is also certified to teach Zumba. Faith is excited for her teaching journey and feels lucky to be able to pass her love of dance to the upcoming generations.

Instructor, Holly Pereira began cheerleading at the age of three and started gymnastics shortly thereafter. She began competing for both sports in elementary school and continued throughout high school. Holly was the captain of the Yale Cheerleading team, a collegiate cheer team supporting both the football and men’s and women’s basketball teams at Yale University, where she pursued a BS in Neuroscience and pre-medical studies. She was a coach for the Seekonk Junior Warrior’s cheerleading team from 2009-2013. In 2015, Holly tried out to become a staff member for the Universal Cheerleading Association and was selected to join the team. She was trained at the University of Scranton by veteran UCA staff and management, and she has since traveled throughout the Northeast teaching cheers, dances, and stunting skills and technique at different UCA cheer camps. Holly is certified through the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) and has loved working as an instructor for acro and pom classes here at Pirouette since 2014. Her competition choreography has won numerous awards including Divisional Champions at both the regional and national levels. In addition to the studio, Dr. Holly Pereira is also a Pediatric Resident Physician at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Rhode Island.

Lead Receptionist, Jensen Riley, began dancing at age three and grew up dancing here at Pirouette through middle and high school. She was also a teacher’s assistant in her high school years at Pirouette. Jensen has performed in numerous dance competitions at the regional and national level. As a dancer, her routines have been awarded with Overall 1st placements, High Score Awards, National Dance Off selections, Specialty awards, and Scholarship prizes. Under Pirouette Dance Academy, Jensen has been fortunate enough to perform in Walt Disney World for the Disney Performing Arts On Stage Showcase as well as at the TD Garden for the Boston Celtics and the Providence Bruins. She currently holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is currently completing her Master’s degree at Bridgewater State University. Jensen dedicates her time in our office, ensuring all classes are running smoothly and that our clients receive the best possible customer service.

Instructor, Meghan Soares began dancing when she was five years old. She is a former Pirouette Dance Academy student who grew up dancing here all the way through high school. Meghan was on the competition team for many years. She performed in several dance competitions at the regional and national level. Her training experience primarily consists of ballet, tap, jazz, and hip hop. In addition, she performed at Walt Disney World for the Disney Performing Arts Showcase in 2013. After high school, Meghan continued her love for dance at Bridgewater State University by joining the competitive hip hop team “Kinetic Edge.” Meghan served as an E-board member on the team for three years. She was the Vice President for one year and the President for her last two years. In 2017 and 2019, Meghan attended NDA Nationals with her dance team in Daytona Beach, FL. She competed at the collegiate level in the genre of hip hop. Meghan has furthered her dance education by attending Dance Masters of America: Teachers Training School held at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Through Dance Masters of America, she is nationally certified by test to teach Ballet, Tap, and Jazz. She is also currently a member in good standing with Dance Masters of New England, Chapter 5. Her competition choreography has also won several awards including First Overall placements. Teaching is something that Meghan finds truly rewarding. In addition to the studio, Meghan is an Elementary School teacher. She is excited to teach her own classes at the same place where she gained her passion for dance. Meghan hopes to pass on her passion to all of her students here at Pirouette.