Holy City Dance Center Faculty

Hayley Zammuto is originally from the greater Boston area and took her first hip hop class at the age of nine. Her passion for dance was immediate, leading her to expand the following year by taking numerous dance classes in various styles and joining her home studio’s competition team. Throughout her competitive dance years, Hayley had the privilege of taking classes with industry leaders such as Mia Michaels, Teddy Forance, Stephen “TWitch” Boss, Gaby Diaz, Allison Holker, Alex Wong, and more. Competition judges frequently recognized her for her emotion and musicality in performances. During her teen years, Hayley broadened her dance experience beyond her local studio, participating in ballet intensive courses at the Hanover Theater and, at age 16, traveling to Boston to apprentice for The Boston Community Dance Project, a professional dance company. Hayley later attended Dean College, majoring in Arts and Entertainment Management with a concentration in Dance. While at Dean, she was granted numerous performance opportunities, including dancing on an award-winning Dance Team and performing with Flo Rida in front of 60,000 people at the Patriots Opening Game after winning the Super Bowl in 2017. However, she quickly discovered that her unique niche academically was centered around balancing business logistics within the creative atmosphere of the arts, which led her to focus much of her energy backstage and in the classroom. It was during this time that Hayley recognized her love for teaching. She began working as an assistant dance teacher at age 13 and started teaching her own classes at 17. This hobby turned into a true passion during her college years, as she continued to teach dance classes across Central Massachusetts and the Greater Boston area until moving to Charleston in 2020. Hayley thrives on watching her students grow and excel at something that has meant so much to her throughout her life. Observing students dedicate their time and energy to the art of dance, which has added immense value to her own life, is something she considers priceless. Hayley is excited to continue her dance journey with the formation of Holy City Dance Center, where she aims to create an environment for her students to express themselves freely through dance. As part of the Holy City Dance Center faculty, she is committed to ensuring that her students know that as long as they are willing to work hard, she will tirelessly support them in becoming the most talented and well-rounded dancers they can be.

Izzy Byers, originally from Greenville, SC, has been living and dancing in Charleston for four years now. She began her journey in dance classes at the age of six, quickly advancing to a competitive level and discovering her passion for contemporary and hip hop styles. Alongside these favorites, she also trained in the classical forms of Modern and Ballet, and participated in musicals at the local professional theatre during high school. The College of Charleston provided her with the opportunity to major in Dance, where she performed and presented choreography in main stage shows and at the American College Dance Association annual conference. Recently, Izzy showcased her Capstone work from her undergraduate studies at the Alumni Concert held during the Spoleto Festival. As her performance chapter comes to a close, Izzy has developed a true passion for teaching over the last three years at various local dance studios. Her mission as one of the dedicated dance instructors is to help kids build their confidence, passion, and artistry through dance. Izzy is thrilled to join the Holy City Dance Center faculty and eagerly anticipates watching her students shine!

Maya Everett-Wilson is originally from Boston, Massachusetts. She has been dancing since the age of two in a variety of styles, including ballet, contemporary, jazz, and ballroom. Currently, Maya is a senior dance major at the College of Charleston, focusing on performance and choreography while also minoring in women and gender studies. She began teaching dance classes at the age of 14 and recently showcased her choreography in CofC’s spring show. Actively involved with several dance companies, she is deeply immersed in the Charleston dance scene and is thrilled to join the Holy City Dance Center faculty!

Morgan Bennett is originally from Boston and has been a part of the dance world since she was 2 years old. She discovered her passion for dance through her aunt, who owns a studio in the Boston area. Her love for competitive dance ignited at the age of 7, and the thrill of competition captivated her from day one. She performed her first tap solo at the age of 8. As she continued to embrace the competition experience, she also fully engaged in the competitive cheer world during her teenage years, competing both locally and across the country. This helped her build confidence on stage in front of thousands of spectators. Ultimately, she returned to her roots during her senior year in high school, focusing solely on competitive dance. Morgan attended Dean College, where she earned her BA in Dance and her AA in Sports Fitness/Exercise Science. Her training at Dean included ballet, modern, contemporary, tap, and jazz. While her time there solidified her passion for dance, she discovered a newfound interest in working alongside the athletic trainer of the dance program. This experience allowed her to learn how to help each dancer improve and build strength for the demanding schedule of a college dance major. Morgan has always been intrigued by how the body moves, especially for those in the arts. She is currently pursuing her Personal Trainer certification and aims to attend graduate school for Physical Therapy. Throughout her time at Dean, she was a member of the performance team for Sophisticated Productions, performed with the Impact Dance Company, and joined the Boston Tap Company. Although she never envisioned herself as a teacher, her experiences with the Boston Tap Company inspired her to explore this path. After graduating, she taught master classes and discovered her passion for teaching. Prior to moving to Charleston in 2020, she had the pleasure of teaching dance classes at various studios in the greater Boston area. Now, she is part of the local tap company, Holy City Hotfoot, and is thrilled to be included in the Holy City Dance Center faculty. Morgan's favorite aspect of teaching is witnessing her students succeed and seeing her choreography come to life on stage.

Ashley Gargani is originally from Long Island, New York. With 12 years of dancing experience and 8 years of competition under her belt, she has excelled in various styles including hip hop, jazz, contemporary, ballet, lyrical, and musical theatre. Currently a Sophomore at the College of Charleston, Ashley is majoring in dance with a concentration in performance and choreography, alongside a communications major. She began teaching dance classes at her local studio at the age of 15 and has been actively choreographing and performing at school events. Recently, she showcased her talent in the CofC spring concert and is eager to explore new Charleston dance opportunities. Ashley is thrilled to join the Holy City Dance Center faculty and looks forward to being part of a vibrant dance family, where she can inspire her students to shine.

Harper is originally from Wichita, Kansas, where she began taking dance classes at three years old and danced competitively through high school, training in jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, and tap. She completed one year as a dance major at Wichita State University, focusing on jazz, modern, and ballet. After stepping away from dance to pursue a career in science, Harper earned her PhD in entomology from The Ohio State University, studying honey bee health. With extensive experience working with both recreational and competitive dancers, she has eight years of experience teaching and choreographing in ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and tap as part of the Holy City Dance Center faculty.

Emily Falcone began dancing at the age of two in Rhode Island and has been performing competitively since she was twelve. She holds a B.A. in Dance with a concentration in Performance and Choreography and a B.A. in Psychology, graduating cum laude from the College of Charleston. While at CofC, Emily performed in and choreographed numerous mainstage productions, with her work selected for restaging in faculty concerts and showcased alongside distinguished guest artists. Trained extensively in ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, acro, and tap, Emily has also studied at prestigious intensives including Root Theory / Staib Dance Intensive, Ailey Extension, Joffrey Ballet School, Broadway Dance Center, and the Ground Grooves Workshop. As a professional company member of Collective SC, she has performed in local productions such as Piccolo Spoleto. In addition to her performance career, Emily has been teaching dance classes and offering regular dance instruction since high school, working with students of all ages, including competition teams and adaptive dance programs. She is also part of the Holy City Dance Center faculty, where her choreography has earned multiple awards. Emily continues to teach and perform professionally in Charleston, sharing her passion for dance with both students and audiences alike.

Melanie Hall has been dancing since the age of four, training in tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, and acro-dance. From ages nine through eighteen, she competed extensively, earning numerous awards and developing a strong technical and performance foundation. In addition to her extensive background in dance, Melanie is a full-time preschool teacher at Daniel Island Academy, where she has spent the past four years deepening her knowledge of early childhood development. As one of the dedicated dance instructors at Holy City Dance Center, she thoughtfully applies her expertise in the dance classroom, using age-appropriate techniques that support coordination, confidence, and a love of movement. Melanie is passionate about creating fun, engaging dance classes that build strong foundations while allowing young dancers to learn, grow, and enjoy every step of the journey.