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Born in Brazil on Christmas Day she danced from the time she discovered her legs. At age 6 she began her formal training in all forms of dance. Since then, her pursuit of Excellence has taken her throughout South America as a performer and student. In the US she studied at the Alvin Ailey school. At 17 she began to work as a teacher at SOGIPA, the largest organization of dance, sports, and gymnastics in Brazil. Her work there continued for 16 years, and she became the head of the dance department, creating award-winning choreography and producing one of the most well-known dance festivals in Brazil, Premio SOGIPA Para Dança, drawing dancers from all over South America. Looking for new challenges she has made the US her new home and hopes to add something special to her great love of the dance. Shortly after opening her dance studio in New Jersey, she discovered something else that gives her great challenges and joy. Painting! She has been extremely fortunate to have had her paintings in several galleries in the USA and Brazil and in the Orlando Museum of Art in Florida. She is proud to call New Berlin her home and has now added artisanal bread baking to her list of achievements.
Andreia Keller
DIRECTOR TEACHER/CHOREOGRAPHER
Jeff Keller
PRODUCTION
Jeff is one of the original cast members of “Phantom of the Opera” and the first American to play “The Phantom” on Broadway. He began his career in Harold Prince’s “Candide”, played Perchik opposite Zero Mostel in the Broadway revival of “Fiddler On The Roof”, was directed by Carl Reiner in Gary Marshall’s comedy “The Roast”. A favorite role was Johnny Cantone the Sinatra-like crooner in “The 1940’s Radio Hour”, for which he received a Drama Desk nomination. Jeff was in the award winning Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday In The Park With George”. He went on to play George in the West Coast premiere of the show and won the San Francisco Bay Area Theater Critics Circle award. Other Broadway credits include “On The Twentieth Century, Jule Stein’s “One Night Stand”, and Alan Jay Lerner’s “Dance A Little Closer”. Jeff took a leave from “Phantom” to create the character of Marley’s Ghost in Alan Menken’s musical version of “A Christmas Carol”. Off Broadway he starred as the villain Barnaby in “Charlotte Sweet”, created the role of Sam in the hit musical “Personals”. He has appeared in concert with Leonard Bernstein and has performed in numerous Repertory Theaters around the country. On TV he played Peter Prescott on “Loving”. He became known in Brazil on October 10, 1998 when, during his marriage ceremony to the ballerina Andréia Romana Simm, he sang the love song, “El Dia Que Me Quieres” to his bride. Because of the tremendous wave of publicity that was generated by Jeff and Andréia, TV coverage of their wedding was carried live and his singing was heard all over Brazil. Since then he has continued to perform in Brazil in numerous concert appearances. Jeff has performed with Broadway star Judy Kaye and the Princeton Symphony, Arkansas Symphony, and Albany Symphony. Jeff was inducted into the Freehold High School Hall Of Fame, an honor he shares with Bruce Springsteen.
Born in Northern Japan Ryoko is a certified Sivananda yoga, Hatha yoga and chair yoga teacher. She has been teaching Yoga in New Berlin NY continuously since 2008. She has had a class on ZOOM since 2020. At the Cultural Center, her class is very slow movement for all ages.
Ryoko Iida Lewis
YOGA
Joseph Gaston
Joe Gaston, dharma name seitoku shinkon, ordained in May 2023 and in his 22nd year of practice. Primarily trained in the San Francisco Zen Center Soto tradition, he also spent over 7 years as a layperson between a Rinzai center and monastery. His teacher is Karen DeCotís, dharma transmission from Sojun Mel Weitsman, who leads the Bozeman Zen Group.
Joe earned a B.S. in English Education at BGSU and two master's degrees in Systematic Theology, Th.M. and MA, from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He spends his days caring for his cat Sylvester, writing, maintaining an old home, and living with his partner Marcy.
Originally from Connecticut, Tony moved to New Berlin with his wife, Maryellen, in 2014, after retiring from 35 years of teaching all levels of high school
Biology and Chemistry at Fairfield College Preparatory School in Fairfield, Connecticut, and adjunct professor teaching Biology at Fairfield University.
He now spends his time cooking, singing, walking his dog and working on the Village loan committee and St.Theresa's parish council.
Tony Canuel
SCIENCE
Dee lives in Pittsfield with her husband Paul and two children Montgomery and Montana. They moved here in 2010 a few years after Paul retired from the FDNY. They have a small homestead farm and enjoy homeschooling Montana and Montgomery. In her free time Dee enjoys sewing and quilting, mostly items for the home and as gifts for family and friends. Dee says “Sewing is such a great creative outlet and just like other forms of art, it lets one express themselves in their own unique way. It’s also very relaxing. Once you have the basic skills down and the tools you need, the sky's the limit with endless possibilities.” Dee is excited to join the cultural center and is looking forward to connecting to our community's youth through creativity.
Dee Stein
SEWING/QUILTING
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“Monti” Stein is 13 years old. Monti enjoys art and all things where he can be creative. On any given day he has some new project or idea that he is working on. He likes to read, play chess, ride his bike, play soccer, hang out with friends, and he LOVES to cook and bake. Monti said to his mom at the age of 3, “Mom, when I grow up I want to be a chef.” He has his sights set on attending ICE (Institute of Culinary Education) in NYC and would like to own a restaurant someday. Monti will be joining the cultural center and is excited to share his love of cooking to others and have a lot of fun while making new friends.
Monti Stein
BAKING/COOKING
Montana Stein
ASSISTANT
Montana is 15 years old. Her interests include reading and writing (her favorite subject in school is language arts). She also enjoys music, playing the piano, drawing, and anything that involves learning something new. Montana has a love for animals and spends a lot of time with her pets. (She has 4 ducks, a cat and a dog). Montana is thrilled and eager to help at the cultural center in any way possible, from assisting in classes, to event planning and set up, or anything in between.