Christine Callahan (Owner/Artistic Director of Edge Dance Center) was introduced to the dance world at the age of three.  She continued her training through High School and had the opportunity to participate in many Dance Competitions, Dance Seminars and Conventions, Showcases and Master Classes.  While developing her arts background, Christine was also a member of the Omni Competitive Roller Skating Club in Cherry Hill, NJ from 1983-1991.  Her dance training had allowed her to skate to victory and win many titles on the State, Regional and National level.  As her skating career came to an end due to college preparations, Christine knew that her first love was dance.  Over the summer of 1991, she attended a series of Summer Dance Camps and Auditions at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA.  After being awarded a scholarship to this amazing school, Christine decided to attend college for Dance.

Her choice was The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in Pomona where she majored in Dance Performance and Choreography for five years.  She was quickly accepted into The Stockton Dance Company and traveled across the country for performances at the American College Dance Festivals.  Having worked closely with the students in the Drama Program at Stockton, Christine developed an interest in the Theater and the professional side of the dance world.  Her recognizable dance pieces were showcased in the Stockton Choreoprojects and Christine was chosen to perform and take part in a number of Dance Concerts and Master Classes at some of today’s most popular dance venues under such Greats as: Christine Dakin of the Martha Graham Company, Stephen Welsh of the Verve Modern Dance Company, Luka Kito(Choreotectonics Dance Group) Nancy Lanier of the Lester Horton Dance Company, Henry VanKuiken(Associate Professor of Dance at Stockton College/toured with the Janet Soares Company through the United States and England) Christine Hurley of the Koresh Dance Company, Matthew Rose, John Meade, Tricia Morton, Ryan Gober(The Daniel Nagrin Technique) Neta Pulvermacher(Neta Pulvermacher and Dancers/Juilliard School) John Cwiakala(The Louis Falco Dance Company and The San Francisco Opera Ballet) Marjorie Folkman(Her works were commissioned by Boston’s Dance Umbrella in 1993) Marisa Kyle, Rebecca Stenn and Wendy Overly.   To broaden her dance experience, Christine also participated in classes at Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, Koresh, the Pennsylvania Ballet and many other renowned dance centers. Approaching graduation, Christine decided that it was time to enter the world of professional theater and dance auditions. 

After hard work and dedication, her luck paid off and she was asked to participate on “The Grind” dance show.  This would just be the beginning.  In 1997, Christine became a Dance Team Member for the USBL Atlantic City Seagulls Basketball Team.  Her love for dance and performing led her to dance camps and professional auditions for such teams as The Philadelphia Eagles, The Philadelphia 76ers and The Philadelphia Kixx, as well as auditions for Off-Broadway Shows and Community Theater.  After many years in the professional spotlight, Christine’s performing career came to a close and she decided to turn her focus to dance education.  Her goal is to promote excellence in the Performing Arts through her teaching by stressing Quality, Technical Ability and Performance Skills.

While teaching at the Ronnie McLaughlin Dance School in Merchantville from 1999-2005, Christine implemented an extensive dance curriculum in Creative Dance, Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Lyrical, Modern and Hip Hop.  She became a member of the International Teachers of Dance Inc. and plans to continue to participate in the yearly conventions and competitions of this wonderful organization.  Christine attends the Dance Masters of America Teacher’s Training Program in Buffalo, NY.  Presently, she is a member of Dance Masters of America, Chapter 25.  She continues to participate in dance seminars and conventions across the country, one of her favorites being The Monsters of Hip Hop Convention in East Brunswick.  Christine has choreographed for Magic Music Days in Walt Disney World and the Dance Showcase in Busch Gardens and plans to do so again in the near future with some of her new students.  Edge Dance Center will strive to bring the art of dance to many community events and Christine will continue to choreograph for many school play productions, musicals and talent shows.  Besides opening her first Dance Studio, Christine is a Teacher of Vocational Arts and has worked part time at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology. Currently, she has joined the faculty of Holy Cross High School in New Jersey and is the Director of the Dance Program and the HCHS Dance Team.  Christine is working towards a Master’s Degree in Dance Education as well as a membership with the Actor’s Equity Association.  “A DANCER’S WORK IS NEVER DONE!”

Christine loves to share the gift of dance with students of all ages!

Jacquelyn Dickinson started dancing at the age of 4 and never lost her appreciation for the dance arts. Jacque danced for 15 years at Ronnie McLaughlin Dance Studio studying Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Pointe, Irish and Hawaiian. She attended master classes in New York City, New Jersey and Pennsylvania through the studio and Dance Masters of America. She was a member of a competitive dance group that won many awards and recognitions through the years. She appeared on local television shows on ABC and danced in The Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.Jacque’s dance experiences were evenly matched with her cheerleading skills. She also cheered at the age of 4 and continued through college as a member of the St. Joseph’s University Cheer Squad. While in high school and college, she was also a member of the National Cheerleading Championship’s - East Coast Cheer Squad that traveled nationally for competition and camps. At St. Joseph’s University, Jacque earned her degree in Marketing, and minored in business management.

Years later, she returned to her first dance studio with her daughters and took on the challenge of building their dance team. As a parent volunteer and as a manager, she built their championship dance Ensemble that has been recognized in competitions throughout South Jersey. She has exposed those dancers to performance opportunities that include the Nutcracker with the Donetsk Ballet Company and the Garden State Dance Festival. She encourages young dancers to broaden their dance experience through workshops, master classes and competitions. Through her fundraising efforts and hard work – The Dance Ensemble has also performed in Disneyworld - Orlando, Florida, Busch Gardens - Williamsburg, Virginia, and Six Flags – Great Adventure in New Jersey. Travel and performance are very exciting features for dancers – EDC looks forward to offering them to their students.

Jacque is now fulfilling a lifelong dream – as Owner/Director of Edge Dance Center she can use all of her acquired skills in her own studio. Jacque brings a lot of enthusiasm and energy to Edge and hopes to use her strong organizational skills to benefit all of our new dancers. EDC will offer an exciting dance experience for the dedicated dancer and an enjoyable atmosphere for all. Communication is a building block of a strong relationship between the dancer, the parents and the studio. She feels strongly that dancers need strong technical skills and a greater opportunity in which to showcase their talents.