FUSIONWORKS
DANCE ACADEMY
861 Lower River Road
Lincoln, RI

Deb Meunier, Artistic Director
(Ballet, Modern, Creative Movement) 
Deb serves as artistic director and primary choreographer for Fusionworks Dance Company and Fusionworks Dance Academy. She is a member of the Artists in Residence Educational Roster as well as the New England Foundation for the Arts Roster. In both 1992 and 1993 Deb received the Cirino Fellowship for her work in arts education in Rhode Island. She received a MALS and the Rulewater Prize from Wesleyan University for her work on an interdisciplinary choreographic residency with the Rhode Island School for the Deaf. Deb  received the 2003 Individual Achievement Award from the Arts and Business Council of RI for her significant contributions to the arts in Rhode Island.

Stephanie Stanford Shaw, Assistant Director
(Ballet, Modern, Jazz) 
Stephanie has been with Fusionworks Dance Company since 1992 and now serves as assistant to the director for the dance company and director and primary choreographer for Fusionworks II. Stephanie currently teaches at the Fusionworks Dance Academy and in public and private schools and studios throughout the area. Her formal study began with prima ballerina, Anamarie Sarazin at the Sarazin School of Dance, she then went on to perform as a principal dancer with Cumberland Company and receive her BFA in dance from the Boston Conservatory.

Nikki Carrara
(Tap, Ballet, Modern)
Nikki has a BA Dance and has studied tap and jazz dance for over 20 years. Through Elaine Colaneri, she has learned the stylings and techniques of Dr. Henry Letang (tap), Luigi, and Matt Mattox (jazz). Nikki is a member of the National Dance Educators Organization, and is trained to evaluate the Dance Proficiency Portfolios of graduating high school seniors in RI. Nikki continues to study many forms of dance, including Modern and Classical Ballet. She performs regularly with Daniel McCusker Dance Projects (Cambridge) and also presents her own choreography throughout the region.  

Shauna Edson
(Creative Movement, Modern) 
Shauna grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and began taking dance classes at age 3. While at Brown University she studied modern dance with Julie Strandberg, Carol Abizaid, Michelle Bach-Colibay, Anna Maura Silverblatt, and Deb Meunier in the styles of Graham, Limon, Horton, Taylor, and Dunham.  She graduated from Brown in 2005 with an Sc.B in Geology. In her spare time Shauna designs and creates costumes and beaded jewelry. Shauna joined Fusionworks in 2007.

Brooke Young
(Hip Hop, Jazz)
Brooke has been dancing for 22 years.  She began her dance training under the instruction of Jean DeLuca at Jean DeLuca Performing Arts Studio, where she studied tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, hip-hop, and gymnastics.  From there Brooke moved on to the Rhode Island College Dance Company where she studied modern dance under the instruction of Dante DelGuidice, Deb Meunier, and Melody Ruffin Ward.  While dancing for the company for 5 years, Brooke became a part of the hip-hop troupe Dance Planet, which later transformed into Phaze II.  Today, Brooke continues to share her love of dance with the students that she teaches at Fusionworks Dance Academy.  She has been teaching at Fusionworks for the past four years.  She is also a  Special Education teacher and is working towards her Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling through Providence College.