2023-2024 Staff
Nicole Sweeney, 36, started dancing at the age of 3 and her passion for the art quickly grew, leading to 29 years of performance experience and 20 years of teaching. She was a competitive dancer for over 10 years, winning numerous high scores and future star awards while also being featured as Dancer of the Year in Dance Spirit Magazine.
Throughout the years, Nicole has continued her dance education, taking both technique and choreography classes with many globally known choreographers such as Napoleon and Tabitha, Lori Johnson, Brenda Buffalino and Wade Robson. She also discovered a passion for ballroom, competing in local competitions and placing in the top 3 for various styles.
After graduating high school, she auditioned with Best New Talents and was one of 20 to be picked nationwide to go to LA and perform. Despite numerous follow up offers that would allow her to continue dancing professionally, Nicole decided that the lifestyle of performing in LA wasn’t for her; instead realizing that she wanted to raise a family and share her love and joy of dance with others through instruction.
This led to her opening Get Up N Dance, which is now going on its 15th year of operations. During this time, she has won numerous choreography awards for her routines at competitions while nurturing hundreds of students, many having no dance experience before joining, helping them grow into beautiful dancers and strong, confident young adults. Nicole commits both herself and the amazing Get Up N Dance teachers to not only develop students into excellent dancers, but to be an instrumental part of their journey into adult-hood, acting as teachers, mentors, support systems, and friends.
Now married with 2 daughters and 1 son, Nicole is excited to have them grow up with the studio, exposed to countless role model “big sisters”. This aligns perfectly with her goal for Get Up N Dance, which is to have every student and parent make the studio what it is, not just a dance education center, but a giant extended family.
Kennedy started dancing at the age of 3, and began competing at the age of 7. Dance has always been a passion for Kennedy, and she always knew she wanted to share this passion with those around her. She began as a junior assistant at the age of 12 and moved her way up to a student teacher. Seven years ago she officially began her teaching career, proving this to be her true love with having several classes & solos placing in the top 10 and winning a choreography award and several special awards. Kennedy teaches ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop at both the competitive and recreational level. Kennedy loves teaching her students and helping them grow and reach their potential . Kennedy recently became a licensed Zumba instructor; combining her two favorite things dance and fitness. She is currently working towards her degree to become an ultrasound technologist. As well as getting married next fall.
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Aliza started dancing at the age of 8, and hasn't stopped since! She graduated from New York University's Tisch School of Arts with a BFA in Drama. While there, her focus was Musical Theater at CAP21. She has been teaching dance in Connecticut since 2005, and has also choreographed for local schools and theater companies, including Madhatters Theater Company and Ivoryton Playhouse. When she's not in the dance studio, Aliza keeps busy as a licensed REALTOR with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. During her years with GUND she has won numerous awards with her dances at competitions as well as taken our technique classes to a higher level. Aliza also runs our Musical Theater classes making it fun for students of all ages.
Mallory found her love for gymnastics at the age of 3, and began competing shortly after at the age 8. While her original focus was always gymnastics, she decided to also begin dancing at 5 years old and spent many years doing this recreationally before she took her dancing career to the competitive level. Upon graduating high school, Mallory began hairdressing school and became a full-time hairdresser, but knew she didn't want to give up her love for dance and gymnastics. Mallory spent 7 years assisting many classes under the direction of Nicole Sweeney and began Get Up N Dance’s Acro program 14 years ago, where she has taken many students from the beginner level with little or no dance or gymnastics experience to the competitive level. Along with teaching Acro she has jazz and tap classes.
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Stephanie started cheerleading at the age of 10, and competed on an all-star cheerleading team for 9 years. In that time, she became a 6 time national champion and was named an All-American cheerleader twice. Stephanie’s major highlight of her cheerleading career was when she performed at the half time show at the 2007 NFL Pro-Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii. In the later years as a cheerleader, Stephanie became a coach, specializing in tumbling, stretching and conditioning. After graduating high school, Stephanie went on to coach multiple all-star competitive cheerleading teams with athletes ranging in age from 5 to 19 years old. While attending college, Stephanie was a member of the dance club and participated in multiple performances. Now, Stephanie is a teacher for students with severe special needs. Stephanie has been teaching for GUND for 5 years and teaches parks and recreation classes through the town of Bristol.
2022-2023 Assistants
We at Get Up N Dance believe having teacher assistants are important in running a class. Having teacher assistants allow for more 1:1 interaction. Our assistants are hand picked based on dance experience, leadership skills, and most importantly the ability to be a good role model.