Louise has been teaching dance for 45 years. In 1974, at the age of 18, she began Kasak Sisters Dance Studio with her sisters Linda and Lorrie. Louise’s passion for teaching dance began at the age of eight. She started her dance career at Dolly’s Dance Studio with baton twirling, adding Ballet the next year, followed by Tap, Jazz and Acrobat. At age 11, Louise and her sisters went on to study dance with Carol Barker for seven years. During that time, the three sisters competed in various dance competitions in New York City. Louise is a graduate of Dance Educators of America, and studied under many dance legends like Frank Hatchett, Charles Kelly, Roni Mahler and Joseph Levinoff. She is an active member of NADAA (National Association of Dance and Affiliated Artists), and continues to study at various workshops throughout the year. Louise is a graduate of Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga, and has added chair yoga classes to her repertoire.

Ashley Cormier started dancing here at Louise Kasak's Dance Academy (Formerly Kasak's) at the age of 3 and has never left! She is trained in acrobat, tap, ballet, jazz, pointe, hip hop and contemporary. Ashley has worked her way though the ranks from a student to a teacher. She began assistant teaching at the age of 14 and now spent the last 3 years teaching her own classes. Ashley has continued her dance training by attending many master classes and dance conventions. She has taken classes from dancers such as Twitch, Nappytabs, Joshua Allen, Fik-Shun, Aaron Turner, and more. She is currently attending Westfield State University pursuing a degree in Public and Corporate Communications. Ashley loves being able to share her passion for dance with others and hopes to inspire young dancers to follow their dreams!

Brie began dancing at the age of 4 and hasn't stopped since! She took lessons in tap, jazz, ballet and pointe right here at Kasak's and became an assistant teacher. Her dance education has also included conventions and master classes in various styles of dance. Throughout high school and college Brie choreographed numerous musicals for local community theaters, as well as having performed roles in many of them. She graduated from Westfield State with a degree in Mass Communication and immediately set out to pursue a career in the Hospitality Industry. Brie went on to manage restaurants and bars both locally and throughout the country, spending many years most notably as a Restaurant Guest Service Manager for The Walt Disney World Resort. However, no matter where she was living she always found time to take class and further her dance education. Brie found her way back to the studio in 2010 again as an assistant teacher and began teaching her own classes in 2015. She is thrilled to be able to share her love for dance with her students, as well as watch her daughter, Eliza, begin her own dance journey!

Meghan Jolivet started dancing when she was two. At the age of five Meghan began taking classes here at LKDA and hasn’t left since. Meghan began assistant teaching in high school, and began teaching her own classes at 20 years old. To further her dance education, Meghan also attends many conventions and master classes. Meghan is currently a junior in the nursing program at Elms College where she is the president of Student Nurses Association, and is in the Student Nurse Apprenticeship Program at Baystate Medical Center. After taking a few months off from dance for the start of college, Meghan realized that she couldn’t live without her true home, the studio. Meghan is so excited to share her love of dancing with the next generation of dancers.

Melanie Grabiec is excited to be entering her first year as a teacher with Louise Kasak’s Dance Academy.  She started dancing at the studio at the age of three and stayed for the next 20 years, studying many forms of dance including ballet, jazz, tap, pointe, and lyrical.  As a student at Mount Holyoke College, she also trained in modern and contemporary. Melanie began assistant teaching for the studio in 2002-2004 and again last year.  A barre class enthusiast, she also practices yoga and Pilates.  Above all, Melanie is grateful for the opportunity to share her passion for dance with her students.