Staff
Dance Instructors
Aprille Falletti Owner/Founder/Director/Instructor
Aprille has been dancing since she was two years old, and has successfully owned and ran Aprille’s Danceprints, LLC for over 35 years. From the ages of 9-15, Aprille studied gymnastics under the tutelage of Patti Dunn and at the age of 18, she acquired her Dance Certification in New York City. Her first year as a coach for the Rockville High School Dance Team, Aprille took her team all the way to the NDA Competition at Madison Square Garden where they placed third. Aprille also was the Rockville High School Color Guard choreographer for many years. After being a coach for Rockville High School, Aprille later became the coach for the Ellington High School Dance Team, where she coached for many years. Her competition teams over the years have won numerous awards such as Best Choreography, Best Precision, and overall 1st places. In early 2013, Aprille’s Danceprints, LLC was one of four dance studios selected in the state chosen to be apart 100 Years of Broadway that was held at The Bushnell. Aprille has had students go on to dance on Broadway, become captains of college dance teams, studio owners and has even had one student become a New England Patriots cheerleader.
In 1982 with the help of her mother, Judi, she founded Aprille’s Danceprints, LLC and began her career as the studio director and dance instructor. Aprille's passion for teaching quickly began to flourish with every dancer that walked through her doors. As her and Judi began to establish the studio more, the "family-like" atmosphere that surround Aprille's Danceprints, LLC grew stronger. She has taught thousands of children of all ages and enjoys watching them develop as individuals while they progress in their dancing. As each year passes, Aprille is also proud to see her alumni return, even enroll their children in dance classes at the studio and is always welcoming new dancers with open arms.
Aprille currently teaches Pre Tap, Tap and Jazz classes. Her favorite thing about being an instructor is watching her students grow, have fun and gain self-confidence.
Aprille has been dancing since she was two years old, and has successfully owned and ran Aprille’s Danceprints, LLC for over 35 years. From the ages of 9-15, Aprille studied gymnastics under the tutelage of Patti Dunn and at the age of 18, she acquired her Dance Certification in New York City. Her first year as a coach for the Rockville High School Dance Team, Aprille took her team all the way to the NDA Competition at Madison Square Garden where they placed third. Aprille also was the Rockville High School Color Guard choreographer for many years. After being a coach for Rockville High School, Aprille later became the coach for the Ellington High School Dance Team, where she coached for many years. Her competition teams over the years have won numerous awards such as Best Choreography, Best Precision, and overall 1st places. In early 2013, Aprille’s Danceprints, LLC was one of four dance studios selected in the state chosen to be apart 100 Years of Broadway that was held at The Bushnell. Aprille has had students go on to dance on Broadway, become captains of college dance teams, studio owners and has even had one student become a New England Patriots cheerleader.
In 1982 with the help of her mother, Judi, she founded Aprille’s Danceprints, LLC and began her career as the studio director and dance instructor. Aprille's passion for teaching quickly began to flourish with every dancer that walked through her doors. As her and Judi began to establish the studio more, the "family-like" atmosphere that surround Aprille's Danceprints, LLC grew stronger. She has taught thousands of children of all ages and enjoys watching them develop as individuals while they progress in their dancing. As each year passes, Aprille is also proud to see her alumni return, even enroll their children in dance classes at the studio and is always welcoming new dancers with open arms.
Aprille currently teaches Pre Tap, Tap and Jazz classes. Her favorite thing about being an instructor is watching her students grow, have fun and gain self-confidence.
Melissa Basch Instructor
Melissa, or Basch as we’ve all come to know her by, is a studio alumnae that has been dancing at Aprille’s Danceprints, LLC for 28 years. In her earlier years of her dance career, Basch danced on the Ellington High School Dance Team, when it was first starting out as a club sport. With the support of her team, she helped establish the dance team as a varsity sport. While at college, she studied some dance, and even performed at Nationals in Daytona, FL with her college’s dance team. This will be Basch’s ninth year teaching at the studio, specializing in Acrobatics. Inspired to teach and have her dancers excel in her classes, she has spent the past two years under the tutelage of the American Karate Centers, located in Ellington, CT, improving her skills and acquiring a whole new level of intensity to her teaching.
Melissa, or Basch as we’ve all come to know her by, is a studio alumnae that has been dancing at Aprille’s Danceprints, LLC for 28 years. In her earlier years of her dance career, Basch danced on the Ellington High School Dance Team, when it was first starting out as a club sport. With the support of her team, she helped establish the dance team as a varsity sport. While at college, she studied some dance, and even performed at Nationals in Daytona, FL with her college’s dance team. This will be Basch’s ninth year teaching at the studio, specializing in Acrobatics. Inspired to teach and have her dancers excel in her classes, she has spent the past two years under the tutelage of the American Karate Centers, located in Ellington, CT, improving her skills and acquiring a whole new level of intensity to her teaching.
Ara Wilnas Instructor
Ara began her ballet training over 30 years ago with Northern CT Ballet. Her training included school years with CT Concert Ballet, a pre-professional ballet training school, and summers at programs such as Hartford Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet where she learned many forms of dance including modern and jazz. Training was provided by many renowned instructors including Franco DeVita, one of the designers of ABT's National Training Curriculum, Alla Osipenko, and Rolando Yanes. In her early twenties she danced professionally as a guest artist with CT Concert Ballet and Northern CT Ballet, as well as performing in the corps with Tim Martin Choreographies of New York. Ara has been featured as The Evil Queen in Snow White, Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and the lead role in a contemporary version of The Red Shoes. These were some of her favorites because they combined challenging technique as well as character acting. She has also been trained in Lindy Hop and East Coast Swing by globally celebrated dancers such as Frankie Manning, the leading authority on Lindy while he was alive.
After Ara's performance career ended due to injury she has maintained her love of dancing for the last 15 years by teaching and choreographing all over the state. She is currently a ballet instructor for ACT Performing Arts Magnet High School in Willimantic CT. Ara has experience with the classical ballet techniques and training methods of Vaganova, Cecchetti, and American Ballet Theater. Her philosophy is to give her students the personal attention and encouragement they need to find their creativity and a love for music and movement while learning the important technical and artistic skills needed to pursue the level of dance they desire. Ara would like to show her students that everyone can dance. When not teaching, she enjoys hiking with her two kids, writing, and photography.
Ara joined the staff in 2018 and currently teaches Ballet, Pointe,and Pre-Pointe classes for our recreational and competitive dancers.
Ara began her ballet training over 30 years ago with Northern CT Ballet. Her training included school years with CT Concert Ballet, a pre-professional ballet training school, and summers at programs such as Hartford Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet where she learned many forms of dance including modern and jazz. Training was provided by many renowned instructors including Franco DeVita, one of the designers of ABT's National Training Curriculum, Alla Osipenko, and Rolando Yanes. In her early twenties she danced professionally as a guest artist with CT Concert Ballet and Northern CT Ballet, as well as performing in the corps with Tim Martin Choreographies of New York. Ara has been featured as The Evil Queen in Snow White, Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and the lead role in a contemporary version of The Red Shoes. These were some of her favorites because they combined challenging technique as well as character acting. She has also been trained in Lindy Hop and East Coast Swing by globally celebrated dancers such as Frankie Manning, the leading authority on Lindy while he was alive.
After Ara's performance career ended due to injury she has maintained her love of dancing for the last 15 years by teaching and choreographing all over the state. She is currently a ballet instructor for ACT Performing Arts Magnet High School in Willimantic CT. Ara has experience with the classical ballet techniques and training methods of Vaganova, Cecchetti, and American Ballet Theater. Her philosophy is to give her students the personal attention and encouragement they need to find their creativity and a love for music and movement while learning the important technical and artistic skills needed to pursue the level of dance they desire. Ara would like to show her students that everyone can dance. When not teaching, she enjoys hiking with her two kids, writing, and photography.
Ara joined the staff in 2018 and currently teaches Ballet, Pointe,and Pre-Pointe classes for our recreational and competitive dancers.
Amanda Jacques-Snow Instructor
Amanda has been dancing for 30 years; she began dancing as a student in her hometown of Fairfield, ME at The Dance Connection. She progressed through competition teams in Contemporary, Jazz and Tap on a local and National level. While at The Dance Connection, Amanda taught classes in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Acrobatics. When Amanda moved to Ellington 9 years ago, she enrolled her oldest daughter at Aprille's Danceprints, LLC which lead to her first position, teaching Pre-Dance. Over the last nine years, Amanda has added to her weekly teaching schedule, as well as adding to her family. Amanda and her husband now have 3 children, who you will often see around the studio with her. During her daytime hours, Amanda is a Kindergarten aide at Center School where she gets to see many of her dancers throughout the school day.
Amanda is starting her eighth year instructing some of Aprille's youngest dancers, and encouraging good dance habits and a general love of dance. Amanda currently teaches our Pre-dance, Pre-ballet, Beginner Ballet, and Music and Movement classes. .
Amanda has been dancing for 30 years; she began dancing as a student in her hometown of Fairfield, ME at The Dance Connection. She progressed through competition teams in Contemporary, Jazz and Tap on a local and National level. While at The Dance Connection, Amanda taught classes in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Acrobatics. When Amanda moved to Ellington 9 years ago, she enrolled her oldest daughter at Aprille's Danceprints, LLC which lead to her first position, teaching Pre-Dance. Over the last nine years, Amanda has added to her weekly teaching schedule, as well as adding to her family. Amanda and her husband now have 3 children, who you will often see around the studio with her. During her daytime hours, Amanda is a Kindergarten aide at Center School where she gets to see many of her dancers throughout the school day.
Amanda is starting her eighth year instructing some of Aprille's youngest dancers, and encouraging good dance habits and a general love of dance. Amanda currently teaches our Pre-dance, Pre-ballet, Beginner Ballet, and Music and Movement classes. .
Danielle DelPiano Instructor
Danielle is an alumni from Aprille’s and has been dancing for nearly 20 years. Danielle was a part of our studio's competition team growing up, and during her high school years taught and choreographed for the intermediate competition and recreational classes. During this time, Danielle was awarded young choreographer for her first competition routine, and has been contributing to competitive tap routines ever since. During our 2021 season Danielle choreographed our National Award winning junior duet routine. Danielle attended Uconn and was a member, president and practice coordinator for the Uconn Tap team. She graduated in '21 with her degree in Chemical Engineering and is currently working with an aerospace firm in East Longmeadow. Danielle will be working with our advanced and junior tap classes as well as continuing to choreograph for our competitive tap program this season.
Danielle is an alumni from Aprille’s and has been dancing for nearly 20 years. Danielle was a part of our studio's competition team growing up, and during her high school years taught and choreographed for the intermediate competition and recreational classes. During this time, Danielle was awarded young choreographer for her first competition routine, and has been contributing to competitive tap routines ever since. During our 2021 season Danielle choreographed our National Award winning junior duet routine. Danielle attended Uconn and was a member, president and practice coordinator for the Uconn Tap team. She graduated in '21 with her degree in Chemical Engineering and is currently working with an aerospace firm in East Longmeadow. Danielle will be working with our advanced and junior tap classes as well as continuing to choreograph for our competitive tap program this season.
Andrew "Savion" Parker Guest Instructor/Choreographer
Andrew is an alumni of Aprille's Danceprints and began dancing at the studio when he was three years old. Andrew studied accounting at UCONN and continued tapping with the UCONN Tap team and served as Practice Coordinator and currently as their competition team choreographer.
During his time at UCONN, Andrew continued to teach and inspire tap dancers at Aprille's Danceprints teaching our advanced tap class in addition to choreographing competitive tap routines. Andrew is currently employed as a CPA, and continues to influence our studio's tap program. Our dancers love to have him in the studio whenever his schedule allows.
Andrew is an alumni of Aprille's Danceprints and began dancing at the studio when he was three years old. Andrew studied accounting at UCONN and continued tapping with the UCONN Tap team and served as Practice Coordinator and currently as their competition team choreographer.
During his time at UCONN, Andrew continued to teach and inspire tap dancers at Aprille's Danceprints teaching our advanced tap class in addition to choreographing competitive tap routines. Andrew is currently employed as a CPA, and continues to influence our studio's tap program. Our dancers love to have him in the studio whenever his schedule allows.
Support Staff
Stacey DelPiano Studio Manager/Director of Special Events/Head of Merchandising & Advertising
Stacey DelPiano Studio Manager/Director of Special Events/Head of Merchandising & Advertising