Meet the Amazing Teachers at Studio Move!
Becca Gargiulo (she/her) is a dance artist based in Durham, NC. In May 2022, she graduated summa cum laude with her BFA in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University and received her teaching certification for Scott Putman’s Elemental Body Alignment System shortly thereafter. Since returning home to NC, Becca has reconnected with the local dance community in a variety of ways. She loves to teach and aims to cultivate a welcoming environment in her classes where each student has space to grow. She also continues her personal training and performs regularly with Footnotes Tap Ensemble and Nine Movement Collective. Outside of the dance studio, Becca loves to go thrifting and spend time with her cat, Lucky!
Maeve Corcoran (she/her) is a Research Coordinator at the TEACCH Autism Program under the UNC School of Medicine. She grew up practicing and competing in several styles, including ballet/pointe, jazz, lyrical, and modern. She then continued dancing as a member of Gamut Dance Company at Davidson College, where she managed the company her senior year. Maeve graduated with degrees in both Psychology and English in 2024 and now enjoys spending her time outside of work (and the dance studio) trying local Chapel Hill coffee shops, listening to True Crime podcasts, and cuddling with her cat, Emma. She is so excited to join Studio Move and to support dance opportunities for kids of all abilities!
Isabella Ruel (she/her) is a doctoral student studying Applied Developmental Science at UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Education. Her love for dance began in Massachusetts where she danced a variety of styles including ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary. She continued dancing in styles such as lyrical, modern, and tap as a member of the Holy Cross Dance Ensemble at the College of the Holy Cross where she was president of the company for two years, and she also performed as a member of the Holy Cross Dance Team in jazz, pom, and hip hop styles for several years. Isabella loves combining her knowledge of educational psychology with her passion for dance, and she believes in making dance a supportive, confidence boosting, and fun experience for all. She is so excited to be a part of Studio Move!
Jill Amber Chafin has danced her way from the University of Arizona to New Zealand’s Wellington Performing Arts Centre. She ran her own dance studio and semi-professional company in New Zealand before catching the circus bug. She traded in her ballet shoes for silks and trapezes, training at the New England Center for Circus Arts to master the art of defying gravity.
When she's not upside down practicing handstands or spinning through the air, you’ll find Jill crafting her next novel, exploring hiking trails, getting lost in a good book, or chasing after her two kids (who definitely inherited her love of flipping around). She’s excited to bring the magic of circus arts to Studio Move, teaching students to tumble, juggle, hula hoop, and create amazing human pyramids!
Brenna Montgomery (she/her) is a master’s student in Occupational Therapy at the UNC School of Medicine. She began her dance journey as a toddler at Carmela’s Dance Studio, where she trained in ballet, pointe, lyrical, modern, jazz, musical theatre, and hip hop .After graduating high school, Brenna attended The George Washington University (GW), earning a B.A. in Psychology. While at GW, she served as President of Balance: The GW Dance Group, the university’s largest dance organization. During her time with Balance, she choreographed and staged five pieces in contemporary, lyrical, and modern. As a teacher, Brenna strives to create a safe, welcoming environment that fosters both physical and mental growth through dance for children of all abilities and backgrounds. Outside the studio, she enjoys hiking with her dog, exploring new coffee shops, and practicing yoga. As she transitions to life in North Carolina, Brenna is thrilled to join the Studio Move family!
Morgan Cohan began dancing in Charlotte, NC in 2011 where she trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical, musical theatre, pointe, and acrobatics. She practiced pom as a member of her high school dance team and went on to dance for the University of South Carolina in 2018. She proudly represented the South Carolina Gamecocks as a member of the Carolina Coquettes dance team for all four years of college. She served as one of the choreography chairs her senior year.
Outside of the dance studio, Morgan loves line dancing, hiking, camping, and exploring new coffee shops in the area. She is so excited to bring acro to Studio Move!