Our Teachers
Pam Rainey Rogers
A professional dancer and singer (National tour of "Cats", European Tour of "42nd St", Lead singer, Silver Cloud Cruise Ship). In between professional gigs, Pam always taught tap, jazz, ballet, ballroom, hip hop and musical theater at various dance studios in the tri-state area including Broadway Dance Center (NYC), Hoboken Children's Theater (NJ), Dance Arts Academy (NJ) and Miss Patty's School of Dance (NJ). Pam owned her own studio, "Pamdance" in South Orange, NJ, for six years before moving to Middletown, NJ, where she lives with her husband and two children. Currently, Pam teaches hip hop (age 5 to adult) with the Monmouth County Parks System at Fort Monmouth in Tinton Falls, NJ. Pam also teaches at Dance With Melody in her home town of Middletown. Pam is currently the president of the board of education in Middletown, NJ, and the lead singer of her pop/rock cover band, "The Skinny Dippers" skinnydippersband.com
Samantha Ventola
Samantha Ventola is a recent graduate of both the Musical Theatre and Music Industry programs at Monmouth University. A Jersey Shore native, Samantha began performing from a young age and has always dreamed of becoming a professional actor. As time went on, her passion for teaching grew. Sam has been working at GemPac since the studio opened in 2019. She has enjoyed every minute of singing, dancing, and acting with the little ones and cannot wait to do it all again this year!
Melody Blasenheim (Music Director)
Melody is thrilled to be joining the performing arts staff of Studio 295. She is an experienced voice and piano teacher, conductor, and musical theater director. Melody has a Bachelor of Music Degree from Mason Gross School of the Arts and a Master of Music Degree from Westminster Choir College. She was the owner of a music education business for 25 years and is a NJ State certified music educator. She lives in Manalapan with her husband Michael and her daughter Sarah.
Julie Asfendis grew up in Rockland County, New York and began her dance training at the age of 4. As a teenager, she spent her summers training at the Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, New York State Summer School for the Arts and Jacob’s Pillow. She received her BFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and performed with numerous artists and dance companies. Before moving to New Jersey, she taught Zumba to adults and hip-hop to children in Westchester County, New York. She is also a NSCA certified personal trainer (since 2001) and a Reiki practitioner (since 2007). She is thrilled to be joining the family at Gempac Studio 295!
