Poquoson Dance Academy

our STAFF:

Erin Button

Kinetic Energy Dance Company Instructor

Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Creative Movement Instructor

Erin took her first dance class at the age of 3. She fell in love with dance, especially tap, and continued to grow her passion for it throughout the next 15 years. Erin has studied ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, and pointe. She began competing at 10 years old with City Arts Dance Company as a team member and soloist. In 2020, she joined Poquoson Dance Academy as a member of the Kinetic Energy Dance Company. During her time competing, she has earned numerous high score, overall, and judge's awards for her tap solos. Erin has been an active student teacher at Poquoson Dance Academy since joining in 2020, and is excited to begin her journey on the teaching staff. She is eager to share her love of dance with dancers of all ages and hopes to inspire them to grow as performers!


Abby Topping

Kinetic Energy Dance Company Director

Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Acro Instructor

Abby grew up in Poquoson, VA where she began her dancing career. She was a student at Poquoson Dance Academy when it first opened in 2000 when she was 4. Abby started with a class of beginning tap and ballet and eventually trained in all styles of dance including ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and contemporary.  Abby was an active member of the Kinetic Energy Dance Company for 5 years. Abby graduated from Christopher Newport University in 2018 and received her B.S. in Biology with a minor in Spanish.  She has had the opportunity to take classes from well known choreographers and organizations including the Joffery Ballet, Derrick Schrader, and Tony Bellissimo. Abby is now a teacher and choreographer for the company and other classes at the studio. As a choreographer, she has received choreography, high-score, and judge's awards for her work over the years. She is also certified in Acrobatic Arts and holds a tap certificate with the iTap Teacher Certificate Program. Abby loves to encourage her students and see how they improve as dancers!

Zoe Gauthier

Kinetic Energy Dance Company Instructor

Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Creative Movement, Dance With Me, Modern, and Acro Instructor

Zoe began dancing at the age of nine at Poquoson Dance Academy, and has continued her training ever since. She has trained in ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap, hip-hop, pointe, modern, and contemporary. Zoe was a member of the Kinetic Energy Dance Company for seven years. Over the years of competing, she received multiple scholarships and invitations to dance workshops. In addition to this, she has also choreographed her own solos to compete as a student, which received high overall placements. She has also performed at Starlets of Dance, a breast cancer awareness and fundraising event. Zoe is the founder of our Dance With Me program for dancers ages 18 months to 2.5 years old. This program gives young dancers the opportunity to explore movement, dance, and music in a social environment with a parent/guardian. She is also certified in Acrobatic Arts and DiscoverDance Early Childhood Dance Education. Zoe is passionate about helping children find a love for dance early in their lives!

Laura Bransford

Kinetic Energy Dance Company Director

Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Contemporary, Acro, and Technique Instructor

Laura began her dance training at 3 years old at Margie Williams Studio of Dance and fell in love with it immediately. When she was 5, she began dancing at Poquoson Dance Academy as one of its original students. Over the next thirteen years, she trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, and tap. She was a member of Poquoson Dance Academy’s competition team for six years and has been teaching for the studio and its company ever since. Additionally, she was a member of the York County School of the Arts (SOA) for four years. Laura had the amazing opportunity to dance in the Orange Bowl halftime show with country singer, Jake Owen. She received her B.A. in Communication Studies with a minor in Dance and Writing from Christopher Newport University in 2017. At CNU, Laura actively participated in the dance department’s annual dance concert, “A Delicate Balance,” as both a dancer and choreographer. Since she began teaching, Laura has received numerous high-scores and awards for her choreography. Laura is currently a judge and adjudicator for StarLand Productions. She is also certified in Acrobatic Arts and holds a tap certificate with the iTap Teacher Certificate Program. Laura is passionate about inspiring others to love dance as much as she does and loves to see the "ah-ha" moments when a student finally masters a skill.