Edie Ollwerther, Director
Edie has been dancing all of her life and teaching since she was a teenager. She has taught in the Bergen County area for the last 30 years. She danced professionally and taught in New York City for Jack Stanley before getting married and raising a family. She has studied at many New York Studios and has performed with several touring groups throughout the east coast. She began teaching in the basement of her home in 1974 and opened the Dance Factory in 1991. A second studio in Secaucus was opened in 2004. As a teacher and director of Edie’s Dance Factory, Edie hopes her students will love dance as much as she does, and will benefit from the commitment, camaraderie and discipline that dance gives.

Marion Senzon – Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical
Marion grew up dancing at the Dance Factory. She now has her Master’s Degree in Reading Education from the College of St. Rose. She is a reading specialist for the Garfield school district. Marion has been dancing since she was 3 years old, has studied with various teachers in New York City and has been teaching dance for the past 10 years. She was part of our original competition team which started in 1992. She is also now choreographing some of our award winning competition dances.

Michelle Tolson – Tap, Jazz, Lyrical
Michelle was a Radio City Rockette for 6 years, was Miss New Hampshire in the 1996 Miss America Pageant, and has been teaching and choreographing for the past 14 years. She holds her B.A. in English from Notre Dame College and is currently an adjunct professor at Wagner College, Staten Island. Michelle teaches and choreographs competition dances, teaches at studios in the metropolitan area and was a winner of the Young Choreogropher of the Year award in 1998.

Genevieve Norell, Classical Ballet – Pointe
Genevieve has an extensive background in classical ballet, pointe and jazz. Genevieve has taught in many schools in New York City and the surrounding area. She is also a guest teacher at Ballet schools in Europe. She has performed with many ballet companies both in the United States and abroad and brings her love of ballet and dance to our students. Her ambition is that as a teacher she will help keep alive the unique knowledge of ballet inherited from the great line of ballet masters.

Janet Volpi
Janet grew up dancing at the Dance Factory.  She worked as a class demonstrator, assistant teacher and now is a member of our staff.  Janet is a third year student at the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, she is majoring in fashion merchandising and hopes to become a buyer.  She also works at a boutique in both Garden State Plaza and Palisades Mall and is manager at the Palisades store.  Janet was a member of our competition team, performed in several high school plays and continues to take classes in New York City when time permits.  We are very happy to have Janet as our newest faculty member.