Meet our instructors!

Joesph Simeone

Teacher & Choreographer

Joseph discovered his interest in art at a young age and continues to pursue his passion for creativity in a variety of outlets.
He was honored to have his first painting chosen to hang at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.; which lead to exhibitions at the John McEnroe Gallery in Soho, New York.  Mr. Simeone’s love for visual art grew with lessons from Fay Van Dyke and guidance from Robert Rauschenberg, whom he had the opportunity to know while dancing with Merce Cunningham.  In 2014, Joseph sold his work to The Getty Trust, L.A. and the Swissotel Buyuk Efes Izmir Hotel, in Izmir Turkey.
Having studied Dance and Music Composition, Joseph graduated from The Juilliard School in 2004.  He has danced professionally for: ABT, Merce Cunningham Co., Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp & with Broadway productions of A Bronx Tale, The Phantom of the Opera,  & West Side Story, as Riff: for this performance he won two Best Actor Awards and published acclaim from the story’s author, Arthur Laurents (in his last memoir “The Rest of the Story”, 2012). 
Currently, he can be seen on broadway in A Bronx Tale!  Recently seen in Hunchback of Notre Dame, at Paper Mill Playhouse; Little Dancer, at The Kennedy Center; Irma La Douce and Zorba, at City Center ENCORES!  Mr. Simeone is also composing music for a new 1930’s style musical and an opera adaptation of a famous Alfred Hitchcock property: by special arrangement with ICM and support from the Los Angeles Opera League.
Joseph’s direct exposure to the creative process and personal methodology of these masters mentioned has greatly affected his technique, insight, and mission: combining to create a truly unique artist.

Lucia Crete

Teacher & Choreographer

I have always found myself loving movement and passing that love on to younger dancers. I have training in contemporary, ballet, contemporary- ballet, pointe, modern, and classical ballet. I am dedicated when given the opportunity to teach and am always ready for a challenge and new experience. I also value and honor the responsibilities given to me and conduct myself in a very professional and respectful manner. At the age of three, I started dancing at Christian Academy of Dance which is now known as Ekklesia School of Ballet and I remained there until I graduated high school. In 2017 I joined the youth company at Ekklesia and was given amazing opportunities to travel to New York City, dance in Times Square, along with working with talented choreographers, some of whom are Steve Rooks and Kevin Jenkins. I also attended summer dance intensives since I was seven years old, at 13 I joined the pre-professional level and, when I was 16 I was asked to dance with the professional company at Ekklesia. In July 2020, I was given the opportunity to be part of Ekklesia’s professional company along with teaching ballet classes at the school. I graduated from high school and Ekklesia School of Ballet in the spring of 2022. I took a year off of dance to pursue my private pilot’s license at Goodspeed Flight Academy and obtained my pilot’s license in May of 2023. I look forward to being back in the studio and passing on my love of dance to other student dancers.

Marissa Behunaik

Teacher & Choreographer

Marissa Behuniak trained Pre-Professionally with New Haven Ballet, Nashville Ballet, and BalletMet. She then went on to train in NYC with Ajkun Ballet Theater as a trainee. Following her departure from the company she decided to continue her education at Branford Hall Career Institute and became licensed in Massage Therapy. Later, upon her acceptance to Broadway Dance center’s Professional Semester she trained with world class teachers, concentrating in Hip Hop and Musical Theatre. While in NYC she was selected to perform in Jacqulyn Buglisi’s ‘Table of Silence’ tribute to 9/11. Marissa has had the privilege of teaching and choreographing for STARSHIP DANCE STUDIO and THEATRE as well as other studio’s and theater groups around CT including Kidz Konnection, New Haven Ballet, Vista Life innovations and others. Marissa is currently a full time ‘Homeschool Mom of Three’ and is absolutely thrilled to resume her teaching role at Starship Dance Theatre!

Diana Dart Harris

Teacher

Education – M.S. in Exercise Science, Southern Connecticut State University, B.A. in Dance Education, Goucher College

About Diana

Diana’s passion for dance and her love for exercise science combine to create a unique approach to her teaching. Having technical training in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and musical theatre dance, her focus is on creating healthy dancers who have greater body awareness and helping her students discover that everyone is truly a dancer.