Linda Francica Laraqui began her performing arts training at 7 years-old. She studied many dance forms, earned the lead in her elementary school musicals, played the piano, sang solos with the chorus, and choreographed for various school events. Linda continued her studies at Manhattanville College, majoring in Dance and Theatre. She performed in the realm of renowned choreographers, created several pieces of her own, and was president of the college’s student dance organization. During this time, Linda danced on MTV’s Direct Effect, studied voice, and appeared in a TV commercial. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, departmental and porfolio honors. Through the years, Linda has been awarded for her achievements in the performing arts. Before opening Magical Movements, Linda worked with children at studios, pre-schools, and artistic programs across Westchester County. With a childhood dream and the guidance of her entrepreneurial dad, she opened Magical Movements School of Dance in September 2003. Linda directs the studio, teaches on and off-site, and entertains at birthday parties. Linda founded The Shooting Stars, Magical Movements’ preteen-teen performance company.

Julia Di Lorenzo has been studying dance since she was three years old. Alongside training in ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary dance, she studied the performing arts at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where she just received her BFA in Drama. While at NYU, Julia studied Method Acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, and went on to teach ballet, tap, jazz, musical theatre, and Method Acting classes at the Young Actors at Strasberg program. During her time in college, she also danced with the Grant Chang Dance Company. Julia is so excited to be a part of the Magical Movements team, where once took class as a child!

Miss Lori-Ann Fordunski has been a dance instructor in Queens for the past six years. She has been dancing since she was three years-old. She participated on the award-winning Moves and Motions, New York, competitive dance team for over ten years. She attended the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, where she majored in a pre-conservatory dance program. She graduated with an Arts endorsed diploma in 2012. Lori attended the University at Albany, and graduated in 2016 with a Business degree in Management and Marketing. While at UAlbany, she participated in an organization called Dance Council. She choreographed and performed in many numbers. Lori ran for the Executive Board of Dance Council during her junior year, and was elected President during her senior year. Lori has performed at venues such as Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera House. She loves sharing her joy and passion for dance with her students. Lori is very excited to be teaching at Magical Movements!

Taylor Graustein began dancing at age 3 in her hometown of Harrison, NY. From Pre-K through high school, she studied all genres of dance, including ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, and musical theater. She trained with Danse Elite Senior Company in ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, and performed in yearly competitions and shows. Taylor has always been very involved with her dance community. She substitute taught children’s classes, and was a counselor and instructor at summer dance camps. In Harrison’s High School’s Performing Arts program, Taylor served as dance company president, along with dance captain, and had various roles in Harrison’s Metro Award Nominated Performances of A Chorus Line, Damn Yankees, and Guys & Dolls.
Taylor attended Wake Forest University, and trained with the university’s dance team during her freshman year. She performed at ACC football and basketball games throughout the 2016-2017 season. Throughout the rest of her college career, Taylor took ballet and jazz classes in Wake Forest’s Department of Theater and Dance with their acclaimed faculty. She graduated in May of 2020 with a Bachelors Degree in Communication and minors in Entrepreneurship and Psychology. Since graduation, she has been building her business — Benefiscent Candle Co. Taylor is excited to continue her passion for dance by teaching at Magical Movements!

Alison LeMoigne has been dancing since the age 4 and has not stopped since! She began her dance training at New York Dance, where she studied ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical/contemporary, hip hop, and theatrical styles. In high school, she danced competitively with the Performers Edge Dance Academy competition team, performing solo, duet, and group routines at regional and national competitions throughout the tri-state area. Alison is a graduate of Providence College, where she spent four years as a member of the varsity dance team. She performed jazz, hip hop, and pom routines at nationally televised Big East Basketball games, most notably at the annual Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Alison and her dance team had the opportunity to attend NDA College Nationals in Daytona Beach, FL, where they competed in the Division 1 Jazz and Hip Hop categories, breaking the top 15 three years in a row. Alison can be seen as a backup dancer in Bracha Jaffe’s music video “Stronger All As One”, and has done various appearances with the artist. In 2021, she began working on film sets as a background actress for productions such as “And Just Like That” (HBO Max), “Three Sisters” (Showtime), and “Chang Can Dunk” (Disney+). Alison is honored to be the coach and choreographer of Magical Movements’ dance company, the Shooting Stars!

Anna Nitardy is from Martha’s Vineyard, where she trained at Rise Vineyard Performing Arts for 10 years. At Rise, Anna studied ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, acro, and hip hop dance. During her time at Rise she won many awards including American Dance Awards Dancer of the Year. Anna continued her time at Rise as a teacher of contemporary, jazz, and conditioning. She also studied at Walnut Hill School of the Arts, American Dance Festival, and Boston Conservatory. After graduating high school, Anna moved to New York and continued her dance training at the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance. After her first year at Purchase, she became a concentration in ballet, but continues to choreograph, teach, and train in all styles of dance. 

Jennifer Silverman, a Westchester County native, has been dancing for most of her life. Aside from studying jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, and modern, Jennifer also studied the performing arts at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, The Juilliard School, and The University of Miami. She has traveled from coast to coast, performing in such shows as Chicago (Velma Kelly), A Chorus Line (Sheila), In The Heights (Carla), Rent (Maureen), and Cirque Dreams (The Songstress). She has also performed on Celebrity Cruise Lines and at Woodloch Pines Resort as a principal singer/dancer. Jennifer has taught at various studios throughout Westchester County, and continues to perform and choreograph locally.

Gianna Vasquez Bartolini grew up in the DC Metro area to an Italian-American father and a Salvadoran mother. When she wasn’t reading, she was dancing, singing, and performing around the house, the neighborhood, and later on, in community and school productions.
After receiving a BFA in Dance Performance from the SUNY at Purchase College Conservatory of Dance, she went on to study at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, specializing in Integrated Musical Theatre.
Since 2015, Gianna has been based in NYC, performing and creating dance theatre works. She has also taught dance in various schools in the NYC Metro Area.