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Our enthusiastic, passionate and dedicated staff are thrilled to be a part of your family’s dance journey!
We are truly looking forward to growing together to mold this generation of skilled, confident, genuine and unique performers.
Sara Newman
Owner Centre Stompers Director I began my dance journey with the Centre of Performing Arts at the young age of 3. I took dance classes in various dance styles, before finding my love for clogging. I had the opportunity to be a competitive dancer through middle and high school. I began teaching at the studio in 2006 and currently teach recreational classes as well as direct our Centre Stompers competitive clogging team. Becoming an owner of COPA was truly a dream come true. My desire is to continue to build a dance program that supports high-quality dance instruction as well as foster our students’ mental and emotional skills outside of the dance studio. I work full time serving as an Integrated Academic and Behavior Systems (IABS) Regional Consultant for the Department of Public Instruction. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master of Education in Special Education from Elon University.
Lauren Yerby Bolick
Owner Centre Stars Team Director Instructor Lauren is a 2002 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in Economics and Political Science. She opened To The Pointe Dance & Arts Academy in Hillsborough in July 2003. Beginning her dance training at the age of five and dancing competitively at eleven, she has studied all forms of dance with an emphasis on Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Lyrical and Modern. In addition to studying at various dance studios, Lauren spent a summer at the highly selective North Carolina Governor’s School intensively studying dance. She also continues to take classes on the convention circuit to keep up with the new styles. Some of her favorite master class teachers include: Dave Scott, Tabitha & Napoleon D’Umo, and Joey Dowling. While a student at UNC, Lauren danced with Carolina Style Dance Company. During her tenure with Carolina Style, she founded the Ballet Company, served as the company’s Special Publicity Chair, Treasurer for two years, Ballet Director, and President. Under her direction, Carolina Style had its most successful year to date including the Company’s first performance at UNC’s largest performance venue, Memorial Hall. After graduation, Lauren took a job as a Branch Manager at First Union but continued to take dance classes and worked with the dance team at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Mrs. Lauren is the mom to three beautiful kids! Her 11 year old daughter Blair loves to dance and be on stage. Her 8 year old identical twin boys, Braxton and Barrett (Bear), also love to dance, but not for an audience!
Mollie Vaughan
Office & Accounts Director I am so excited to join the leadership team at the Centre of Performing Arts. I have been a part of the COPA family for my whole life. I knew when my daughter expressed interest in dancing that this would be her home too. I am married with two children who are both active in the fine arts and you’ll see my daughter at COPA most nights. I work full time at St Mark's Church and have worked at COPA for the past 6 years in front desk roles. I have loved getting to know our staff and dance families and I look forward to continuing to take care of our COPA families needs as we move into the New Year.
Kelly Fogleman
Centre Stars Team Director Instructor Kelly began dancing at the age of 4 years old right here at the Centre of Performing Arts! She became a competitive dancer at age 8 and remained a part of the competition team until she graduated high school. After high school, Kelly continued her dance education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she received her Bachelor of Arts with K-12 Teaching Licensure. She was also on the UNCG Dance Team for two years, GO Spartans! She is now the Dance Educator at Graham High School and loves every minute of it! She became a part of the COPA Staff in 2018! Her passion for dance has grown tremendously since becoming a teacher and she hopes to spill that same love for dance onto our students! Each of them has such a special place in her heart and she can't wait to see the lives they will touch with their amazing talent!
Caroline Link
Instructor
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Caroline Etheridge began dancing at the age of 2 and later joined the Centre of Performing Arts at the age of 5. She joined the competition team three years later, where she explored various dance styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, pointe, hip-hop, acrobatics, and musical theatre. She had the opportunity to learn under multiple professional teachers, attend dance conventions/workshops, and even compete for Teen Miss Dance of North Carolina. Caroline was also a part of the Western Alamance High School Varsity Dance Team all four years of high school and became captain her senior year. She competed in dance at COPA until she graduated high school in 2022. After high school, Caroline attended Belmont Abbey College, where she participated in multiple dance performances, showcases, and the musical Guys and Dolls as a HotBox girl. After a year away from home, Caroline has decided to move back home, where she will attend the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She will be majoring in elementary education and continuing to pursue her dance career by minoring in dance. Caroline is excited to join the Centre of Performing Arts staff and can’t wait to see what the future holds!
Ciara Henderson
Instructor
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Ciara began her dance education at Centre of Performing Arts, where she trained in Ballet and Acro. Additionally, she cheered through middle and high school where she was able to integrate performance with skills. In 2017, Ciara was able to take her love for Acro and gymnastics to the next level when she started teaching both recreational and competitive gymnastics. She recently graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Phoenix. She enjoys spending time with her family and girls Avery and Aspen.
Cara Marlow
Instructor
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I grew up down the road in Hillsborough and moved to Burlington in 2005. I started dancing around the age of 4 at Hillsborough School of Dance with Mrs. Orpah Hamlett.
After falling in love with tap dancing I joined Gene Medler in Chapel Hill. Under his direction I became a member of his first tap company TCTC which later became NCYTE. Between Mrs. Hamlett and Gene Medler I had the opportunities to take classes from some of the tap world’s greats including Brenda Bufalino, Gregory Hines, Dianne Walker, Henry LeTang, Debbi Dee and many others. After graduating from East Carolina University with a BS in Dance Education I taught dance in Hillsborough for 10 years.
I took a break from dance for a few years as my family transitioned to Burlington. During this break I became a dance mom and remained a dance mom until my daughters graduated high school. Jules shares my love of tap and Camryn branched off and fell in love with clogging.
I became a member of the COPA family when my daughters were taking classes at COPA. Millicent asked me to help with a few tap steps and my teaching at COPA began. It has been 11 years and I have enjoyed every moment. At COPA I can share my love of tap and I’ve been inspired by the talented teachers and dancers that I have had the pleasure of working with over the years.
Lindsey Keiper
Plie Pals Director,
Instructor
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Lindsay started dancing at the age of 5 and learned early on that her true passion was teaching dance. She was born and raised in northern Virginia and trained in many styles of dance including tap, jazz, ballet/pointe, and lyrical. She danced competitively from elementary through high school and took many master classes for tap. When she was 15, Lindsay started assisting and apprenticing in many different classes. She learned from some of the best and has been teaching ever since. She attended Elon University, where she continued taking dance classes every semester and earned degrees in Special and Elementary Education. She currently teaches Special Education in Alamance County. She has been working at COPA for over 10 years, and loves teaching students of all ages and abilities. She currently co-directs COPA’s Ballet Workshop program and works with the competition teams; choreographing, and teaching technique classes for tap and ballet. She loves working with the younger dancers, including creative movement and beginner classes for tap and ballet. Last year, she began teaching dance classes for students with disabilities. Lindsay believes that everyone can dance, as long as they have heart and passion. Dance is a huge part of her life, but in her spare time, you can find her making props, listening to music, attending competitions/conventions, cheering on her students, or dancing around in her kitchen at home.
Eleni Vetsopoulos
Instructor
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My name is Miss Eleni and I am 36 years young. I have danced, cheered and done gymnastics my ENTIRE LIFE since the age of 2.5! I have been teaching all kinds of tumbling (acro, cheer, gymnastics) for 22 years! I have come to find that acrobatics is my VERY FAVORITE! I was an employee of COPA for about 8 years in the past. I left COPA for a few years and in the meantime, got my accreditation in Certified Medical Assisting as well as becoming certified in Herbalism. I have continued teaching acro, cheer and stretch/condition privates/classes at Carolina Elite in Gibsonville and I do this 5-6 days per week; it's the best job ever! I am extremely excited to come back on the COPA Competition staff for a brand new year with some amazing adventures, lots of acro and lots of conditioning!!! Let's do this!!!
Sarah Salmons
Ballet Workshop Director,
Instructor
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Dance has always been a part of my life, and I am proud to be a part of the Copa staff. I have experience in many areas of dance, but ballet has been my love for as long as I can remember. I danced with the professional company, The Richmond Ballet, in Richmond VA. for eleven years, and received my Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education with a minor in Business Administration from Meredith College. After that, I taught dance and theatre arts at Plymouth High School in Washington County before deciding to teach on a studio level. I have taught in many studios including managing one in High Point for 5 years, and have started many performing groups including a musical theatre ensemble, a liturgical group and many ballet companies, as well as the ballet workshop group currently at Copa. Also, I have judged several regional dance competitions as well as had girls compete in different styles of dance over the years. Although I have taught for over 30 years, Copa is by far my favorite place I have ever taught. I am excited for what is to come and look forward to teaching many more students here in the future.
Cherie Bower
Instructor
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Cherie Bower holds a BFA from the North Carolina School of the Arts (currently known as UNCSA) and an MFA from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Her professional performance credits include the Agnes de Mille Heritage Dance Theater, New York City’s Broadway revival of Brigadoon, the Off Broadway production of Eternal Love, and various other works choreographed by Agnes de Mille, Miguel Godreau, and Ron Forella. As a dance educator and choreographer, Ms. Bower’s credits include Finis Jhung Studio (NYC), Broadway Dance Center (NYC), Marymount Manhattan College (NYC), University of North Carolina at Greensboro (NC), Greensboro College (NC), and currently Elon University (NC). Past professional affiliations and master class presentations include the North Carolina Dance Alliance and American College Dance Festival Association. Sharing positive experiences during her dance profession, understandings of dance as an expressive art form, and knowledge of dance technique with students in both college and studio settings is a passion with dedication to quality. It is a sincere pleasure to be with the COPA students and a part of the COPA teaching staff.