Ms. Chrissy

Christine Callahan-Levenson (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, Master Classes and Teacher Training Programs.  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 and Regional level which in turn qualified her to participate in National Competitions.  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.

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Her choice was The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in Pomona (now Stockton University) where she majored in Dance Performance and Choreography for five years.  Christine studied a variety of courses, some being: Costume Design, Stage Management, Art History, Dance History, Music Theory and Composition, Improvisation, Theatre and Acting, Rhythmic Analysis, Anatomy and Nutrition.  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.  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.  To maintain her dance training, Christine has participated in classes at Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, Koresh and the Pennsylvania Ballet. She participates in many teacher workshops locally and across the country and likes to stay current in the dance field by going to as many dance conventions as she can, some being:  Monsters Of Hip Hop, Radix, Artists Simply Human, Titans of Dance, Pulse and Dance Master of America Chapter Workshops.

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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 is a graduate of the Dance Masters of America Teacher’s Training Program in Buffalo, NY and is currently a proud member and Vice President of Dance Masters of America Chapter 25.   

Today Christine wears many hats in the dance world.  Besides opening her first Dance Studio, Christine was the Director of the Dance Program at Holy Cross High School in Delran for almost 5 years.  She has been invited to do choreography work for dance schools and Performing Arts Groups across the Tri-state area. Christine has served as a judge on many Performing Arts Competition Panels and has been an Adjudicator and Teacher for the Teen Arts Festival in Burlington County.  She incorporates many studies into her teaching such as Anatomy, Nutrition, Kinesiology, Yoga, Pilates and Dance Wellness. Her unique approach to teaching has captured the attention of many academic groups in New Jersey. Christine has presented her work to many area schools and Pre-School centers over the past 20 years.  Her long career has earned her quite a few awards: Choreography Awards, High Score Awards, Ballet Awards and Technique Awards from many different dance groups and competitions. Her extensive performing arts background combined with her unique teaching methods has enabled some of her students to go on to study in great dance programs such as Stockton University, University of the Arts, Montclair State University, NYU, The Rock School of Dance and the Alvin Ailey School, to name a few.  

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