Our staff…
All of our staff members began dancing at Gotta Dance as students when they were children. They’ve literally grown up at the studio, so they embody Gotta Dance’s philosophy of creating not just great dancers, but great people as well. Our staff continues to train and grow as dancers, teachers, and choreographers by attending Master Classes multiple times a year. They are the heart and soul of the studio, and we know you’ll love getting to know them as part of your dance family.
Christina Carlisi
Christina Carlisi is the Director of Gotta Dance and has been with the studio since it opened in 1997. She spent her childhood in a local children’s dance company landing lead roles in The Nutcracker, Coppelia and community dance shows. In addition to her extensive dance training, Ms. Christina spent many years acting, landing numerous roles in film and television. She continued training and performing in high school earning stage credits in productions like Bye Bye Birdie, Hamlet, Camelot, and A Christmas Carol, to name a few. She spent her senior year as the Thespian Society President and began her career in choreography. Following high school, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida, Class of 2004. In 2010, she added “mommy” to her resume with the birth of her daughter, Bailey.
Embarking on her 26th year in teaching at Gotta Dance, Ms. Christina is an award-winning choreographer at nationally recognized dance competitions including Dance Educators of America, NYCDA and Tremaine. With over 35 years of experience, Ms. Christina continues to teach all ages and levels at Gotta Dance. With the ever-changing styles in the world of dance, she makes it a priority to attend conventions with master teachers to continue her training.
Over the last 35 years, Ms. Christina has worked with and trained under companies and artists like Walt Disney World, Nabisco, Tag Team, The Jim Henson Company, Dance Educators of America, NYCDA, Tremaine, NUVO, Orange County Public Schools and many more. Most recently Ms. Christina worked with recording artists C-Note on their 25th Anniversary Reunion Shows and choreographed the debut performance for No Lonely Hearts at the House of Blues.
She looks forward to another dance-filled year and sharing her love of dance with her students!
Keriann Vlcek
Ms. Keriann has been with Gotta Dance for over 25 years. She grew up dancing at a local studio and performing around the city of Orlando at events and schools. After high school, she began her career in Entertainment at Universal Orlando. She graduated from UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management in 2008 focusing on Entertainment Management. She has worked her way from performing in seasonal parades such as Mardi Gras and Macy’s Holiday Parade to being a Senior Manager of Show Direction at Universal Orlando. Ms. Keriann has worked in multiple Entertainment areas around the Universal resort and has introduced multiple new Entertainment meet and greets and shows into the parks. She was also on the Opening team for the Superstar Parade.
Ms. Keriann is excited to begin her 27th season at Gotta Dance and her 21st year of teaching. In collaboration with our studio director, Ms. Keriann has shaped our recreational hip hop program to be both musically and technically age appropriate. She continues to stay relevant with current dance trends by attending dance conventions and master classes training under world renowned choreographers. She continues to share the joy and love of dance with kids of all ages through the gift of teaching.
Ashlyn Koromilas
Ms. Ashlyn is going into her 18th year at Gotta Dance. She started her first class when she was 2 1/2 in 2006. She realized her love for dance throughout the years and became a member of the Dynamite Dance Team in 2011. She has been to conventions such as Nuvo and Tremaine which only made her passion for dance grow stronger. She has been an assistant dance teacher at the studio as well as an office staff member and has learned everything she knows from the other teachers. Ms. Ashlyn was a part of her high school dance team and competed at different competitions and performed for many events. During her senior year, she became part of the leadership crew on the team as a spirit coordinator. She was also in the Dance Honor Society and helped choreograph the opening number for the showcase put on by the dance program. Ms. Ashlyn was a member of the Early Childhood Education program all 4 years of high school where she found her passion of working with children and earned her CDA her senior year. She graduated with honors in 2021.
Ms. Ashlyn is now attending the University of Central Florida working toward a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. Ms. Ashlyn has tirelessly spent the last few summers helping to shape our incredible summer camp program at Gotta Dance. Her dedication and commitment to our students completely shows! She is beginning her second year teaching at the studio and is excited to share her love of dance with all the children that become a part of Gotta Dance.
Haley Smith
Ms. Haley is celebrating her 20th recital this year! She began her dance journey at Gotta Dance in 2006 and joined the Dynamite Dance Company in 2009. From the very beginning, her love for dance quickly grew into a true passion for performing, creating lasting memories and friendships along the way.
As her experience expanded, Ms. Haley became an assistant teacher, learning directly from Gotta Dance’s talented staff. She also attended renowned conventions such as The Dance Awards, NUVO, and Tremaine, where she trained with world-class choreographers. During high school, she not only danced but also worked in the studio’s front office, later stepping into her dream role of teaching dance while in college.
Beyond dance, Ms. Haley was active in her high school’s Athletic Training and Vet Assisting programs. She went on to graduate from the University of Central Florida in 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a minor in Psychology, and she plans to further her education in the future. Alongside teaching dance, Ms. Haley is also a Registered Behavior Technician, where she finds great joy in making a positive impact in children’s lives. She has also played an important role in developing Gotta Dance’s summer camp program, showing her dedication and commitment to every student.
Now entering her fourth year of teaching at Gotta Dance, Ms. Haley is excited to continue sharing her love of dance and inspiring the next generation of performers!
Kaley Ramsay
Bio coming soon!
Jacki Kurtz
Jacki opened Gotta Dance in July, 1997, the same month she moved to Florida and got married. She comes from a family of entrepreneurs; her mother opened her own dance studio when she was just 16 years old, two of her sisters own dance studios in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and her 3 other siblings own various other businesses.
Jacki has won numerous performance and choreography awards through the years. She attended the #2 dance college in the county, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, as a modern dance major. She had an apprenticeship to Dance Alloy in Pittsburgh, PA, and to the Martha Graham school in NYC, a dance scholarship to Point Park University, and a dance scholarship to Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts. She was inducted into Dance Educators of America in 1998, and has continued her training by attending scores of conventions through the years.
Jacki has an extensive business background as well, helping to run her husband’s family fun centers and arcades. Though she has retired from teaching, she is still involved on a weekly basis, and helps to run all of the big performances.