Teachers
Sharon Parillo (Owner/Co-Director)
Sharon has been the owner and director of the MFM Dance Studio since 2000. She took over as director when her mom Mary Flynn Murphy retired after owning and running the studio for over 40 years. Sharon has over 25 years of experience teaching children to dance. She started dancing at the age of 3 right here at the MFM dance studio. As a young dancer she studied for several years with the Boston School of Ballet. She also studied with Harriett Hoctor, Gene Murry, and Madame Rojue. Sharon performed for several years
with Boston Ballets Nutcracker. Sharon was also chosen to dance with the Bolshoi Ballet when they brought their version of Ballet School to the United States.
Sharon’s students have won numerous awards on bot h the national and regional level. She has also been
recognized for her outstanding choreography with children. Sharon’s students have gone on to be successful dance teachers, open their own dance studio, perform abroad, and dance on cruise ships. Many have also gone on to prestigious dance colleges on dance scholarships.
Danielle McCabe (Co-Director/Business Manager)
Danielle, granddaughter of Mary Murphy, has studied intensively with Kathy Kozul, Sharon Parillo, Deidre Mahoney, Barbara Marks, and Mary Flynn Murphy. Danielle is the third-generation female to teach here at the MFM Dance Studio. She started dancing at the age of 2 with her mother Sharon Parillo. As a dancer, she won several high scoring medals in both group and solo performances. She also won several overall medals as well as being awarded Performer of The Year in a national dance competition. Danielle was a member of the New England Repertory Dancers, a local dance company under the direction of Kathy Kozul for several years. She greatly enjoyed performed in their annual production of the “Nutcracker”.
Danielle has been teaching here at the MFM Dance Studio for over 12 years. She teaches both the recreational level as well as the competition level. She specializes in teaching the 12 & under program. Her choreography has won several high scoring medals on both the national and regional level. She has also been awarded many special awards for outstanding choreography as well as her students being picked to perform at a special concert at Merrimack College, where she graduated from in 2004. Danielle greatly enjoys sharing her love of dance with boys and girls of all ages. She hopes to be a positive influence on all the students she teaches.
Michelle Andrade Bonos
Michelle started teaching Open tumbling classes at MFM in 2008. She received her dance training at Dance/Arts Studios Dance & Gymnastics Center in Somerville where she studied Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Tap and Tumbling. She was a member and captain of the Horizons Unlimited Dance Company. Michelle has been teaching all forms of dance and tumbling for over 20 years. She has coached competitive dance teams to several regional and national competitions throughout New England. Michelle has continued to share her love of dance by teaching Acrobatic Tumbling to children of all ages. Michelle started teaching the competitive Junior and Senior Jazz classes at MFM in 2014. She continues her dance education by attending Dance Teacher Intensive Programs.
Michelle is a Certified Acrobatic Arts Instructor; Professional Curriculum for Acrobatic Dance in both Modules One and Two (Levels Primary through Pre-Professional 3). Dancers who train through Acrobatic Arts have balance development, are stronger, flexible and fearless. Michelle’s objective is to provide a safe, confidence-building, and FUN experience for every student.
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Alyssa Yenowskas
Alyssa began dancing at the age of 4 and continued her dance education until she graduated in 2016. Alyssa studied under Sharon Parillo, Danielle McCabe, Charlene Oliva, Stephanie Hurley, Michelle Bonos, and many more. She started dancing competitively at the age of 7 where she participated in many high scoring and award-winning dances. Alyssa was also chosen to dance for the Mayor of Somerville where she and her teammates performed their award-winning tap routine, 'Sister Act'. In 2015 Alyssa and her senior team won the Xcalibur award for their tap routine, 'Seventh Inning Stretch'. This award is for the highest scoring routine in the entire competition. Ms. Alyssa has been training alongside Sharon Parillo and Danielle McCabe since the age of 12. During our 2016 dance season Alyssa excelled in her first year long teach experience.
While Alyssa has achieved great things in the world of dance, she has also achieved great things in all aspects of her life. Alyssa was both Senior Class President as well as National Honor Society President. She was coach of the Elementary School Pep Squad for three year and was captain of the cheering team for five years. After graduating valedictorian of her senior class, Alyssa will be pursuing a career as Doctor of Pharmacy at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences University in the fall. Alyssa has always considered MFM to be her second home and feel privileged to be part of our teaching staff. She aspires to be the type of teacher her students can look up to as she has looked up to her own!
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Katie Madden
Starting at a young age, dance has always played a significant role in her life. Katie trained at Nancy Chippendale’s Dance Studio in North Andover, MA, where she had the opportunity to perform and compete nationally and internationally. She competed at the IDO’s World Tap Dance Championships in Riesa, Germany in 2004, during which her team was awarded both gold and silver medals. Katie has performed in Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida as a member of the Nancy Chippendale Dance Company, and in Valetta, Malta as part of the Tap Reloaded 2 Tour in 2011. Katie received a degree in Communication with minors in Spanish and Dance from the University of New Hampshire and was a member of the UNH Dance Company from 2008-2012. During her time at UNH, Katie studied a variety of styles and techniques, including ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and aerial dance. Upon graduating from UNH, Katie moved to Boston to pursue a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Northeastern University. She is currently working as a speech-language pathologist at the elementary level and continuing to pursue her love of dance through teaching and attending classes. More recently, Katie has taught and choreographed for Artbarn Community Theater’s summer program, Summer at the Barn, in Brookline, MA. She has also taught classes at the Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, MA, and choreographed for the Arts in Reach TheatreWorks program in Portsmouth, NH. Katie is overjoyed to be able to share her passion and love for dance with her students.
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Tracy Martocchio
Tracy is a Boston native with a passion to move. A graduate from Dean College earning her BA in Dance and Performing Arts In 2014. After graduating college Tracy moved to Miami, FL where she joined the faculty at ‘In Motion’ where she specialized in teaching Ballet to children ages 3-6 years old. Currently she’s teaching in and around the Boston area to youth and Adults alike in genres such as; Ballet, Hip-Hip, Jazz and Contemporary. Tracy is a member of Boston’s own Rainbow Tribe Dance Company since 2017 as well as a backup dancer for Material World, a traveling Madonna cover band. Tracy is an award-winning choreographer; she choreographs and performs in the Boston area regularly. Her passion for teaching is matched by a focus on safe and technical training for all her students.
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Jen Brody
Jen began dancing at the age of 3 and studied under Kerry Smith at the Academy of Dance Arts in Norwood, MA. Performing on TV shows such as Community Auditions, Ready to Go, and Dave Maynard’s Talent Showcase, to name a few, was a sign at an early age that the stage was where she loved to be. Jen went on to perform in Disney World and locally at Boston’s Opera House. Her favorite performance included tap dancing on stage with Gregory Hines at the Apollo Theater in NYC in the “New Tap Generation” choreographed by Savion Glover (the man behind the “feet” in the movie Happy Feet). A former New England Patriots Cheerleader, Jen performed at Gillette Stadium, Fort Hood in Texas, on the JFK Aircraft Carrier in the Arabian Sea and at Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans. Jen has always loved to perform and passes on her love of dance and performance to all her students.
Over the years, Jen has received numerous 1st place awards at local and national competitions for her dancing/performing and for her choreography. Jen loves teaching students of all ages in a variety of different styles of dance. She encourages her students to embrace their talent and build confidence as they learn and find their greatest potential. She inspires her students to believe in themselves and never give up. Dance is an art that can be interpreted in so many different ways, and with Jen’s guidance and leadership the students learn to find within themselves their own personal expression and their own true desire to be the best they can be.
Sophie Reynolds
Sophie Reynolds is a Boston-based dancer and creative, originally from Alberta, Canada. She is currently earning her BFA in Commercial Dance at the Boston Conservatory. With extensive training since the age of 10, Sophie was apart of a competition team as well as a student at a classical dance conservatory all throughout high school. Sophie now is on the Boston Celtics Dance Team and has been showcased in various Berklee productions throughout her time at Boston Conservatory. Most recently, she performed with an artist at Boston Calling, her first large musical festival. Her work spans commercial and contemporary dance, music videos, concept films, and print campaigns. Sophie is dedicated to refining her technique and expanding her repertoire, striving to inspire others through her artistry.
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Caitlin Lewis
​Originally hailing from Wadsworth, Ohio, Caitlin Lewis is a graduate student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She was a graduate of Vassar College (2021), earning bachelor degrees in Cognitive Science and Drama. While in school, she also was a member of Vassar Repertory Dance Theater (VRDT), allowing her to gain pre- professional company experience in modern, jazz, and ballet alongside her other academic studies. After college, she moved to St. Louis to work with the Big Muddy Dance Company as a trainee, where she performed in various works including A Carol for the Holidays (2021) and Lemp Legends (2022). Caitlin also danced as a company member with Ballet 314 in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. She’s performed both contemporary and classical ballet works, including Ragtime (2023) and the Nutcracker and the World’s Fair (2022, 2023). She also toured with Headliners Dance Competition as a judge for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. She is so excited to get to work with the students at Mary Flynn Murphy!
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Jennifer Kuhnberg
​Jennifer Kuhnberg is a dance educator, choreographer, producer and performer based in Malden, Massachusetts.
Jen is the founder and director of OnStage Dance Company, a performance group for adult dancers and emerging choreographers. Her evening-length productions [What Is Love?; Selichot; Heartbeat: A Modern Dance Rock Concert] debuted in various venues in the Boston area, and her short form work has been featured in Dance For World Community, the Providence Movement Festival, Southern Vermont Dance Festival, NACHMO Boston & NYC Showcases, and more. Jen’s dance films were selected for the International Fine Arts Film Festival, From This Earth Film Festival, and Film Fest by Rogue Dancer. Her dance film “Strange” was awarded Audience Choice at the 2023 Boston Dance Film Festival. Jen is passionate about providing outlets for creativity and collaboration - producing performances, dance festivals and showcases, such as OnStage 360° and the Annual Dance Class Marathon in the Greater Boston area. She is also a board member of the Malden Cultural Council. A dance educator with over 15 years of teaching experience throughout the New England area, she is thrilled to be joining the Mary Flynn Murphy Dance Studio!
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Shay Sales
Born and raised in Boston, MA. Shay began dancing at the age of 9 training in styles such as Hip Hop, Jazz, Ballet, Modern, and more. Shay graduated from “Boston Arts Academy” and began her journey began with the help of her family to dance in the Boston community. Shay was soon under the influence of Isaiah “MoveLikeZay” Beasley, Jerome Johnson, and Joshua Greene from Status Quo Crew who was on TV Hit Show “Americas Best Dance Crew”. Shay started choreographing at the age 15 and her love of dance has continue to develop and grow.
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