Our Owner and Artistic Director, Sheena, grew up in Mashpee and danced at the Cape Cod Conservatory in Falmouth under the direction of Irene Merrill. Ms. Harper is a graduate of the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts. She has also received scholarships for summer programs at Milwaukee Ballet and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Her teachers include Jose Mateo, Virginia Zango, Joan Simone, Katrina Killian, Melissa Hayden, Fanchon Cordell, and Frank Smith.
Sheena danced professionally with Atlanta Festival Ballet, Kentucky Ballet Theater, Spindle City Ballet and with Pioneer Valley Ballet in Easthampton, Ma. Sheena decided to retired from performing professionally so she could focus on Harper Dance Center and her students.
Sheena has also taught at many different dance schools throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Georgia, Kentucky, and Virginia. Receiving many awards and scholarships at dance competitions throughout the United States, for her performances and choreography. Before opening HDC Sheena was the Director of Dance at the Cape Cod Conservatory in Falmouth for four years.
Sheena is also the proud mother of two beautiful girls!
Bryce Harper is a photographer, artist, teacher, and technology professinoal. He has photographed events, weddings, and sports professionally for more than twenty years. He has taught courses on the university level ranging from introductory photography to studio lighting and web design. His fine art has shown in solo and group exhibitions at The Tuska Gallery of Contemporary Art, The Barnhart Gallery, Plant Zero, Gallery 5, and The Anderson Gallery, among others. He has explored mediums ranging from hand-made and alternative processes to interactive virtual installations. He received a BFA from the University of Kentucky in Photography and Digital Imaging, and a MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in Photography and Filmmaking. He currently works full time as Executive Director of Technology for Barnstable Public Schools.
Lilly Kallinich grew up in Falmouth and started dance at Harper Dance Center at age 9. She attended the American Academy Ballet summer of 2017. Lilly graduated from Cape Cod Academy in 2018 and went to Hawaii Pacific University where she joined the dance team. Since then she has graduated from Salem State University with a B.S. in Criminology: Investigation and Profiling. We are so excited to have Lilly back at HDC!
Alexis Grew up in Falmouth MA, where she began her ballet training with Irene Merrill at the Cape Cod Conservatory. She then continued her dance and art education at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where she received a BFA in Fine Arts and a certificate in Dance. She studied under prestigious dance teachers and choreographers such as Roni Koresh with Koresh Dance Company, Kim Bears-Bailey with Philadanco, and Brian Sanders with Momix. After graduating she opened a children's art and dance center where she taught and directed, called Palmer Pond Art Center in Fishtown, Philadelphia. Recently, Alexis has moved back to Falmouth to raise her daughter Lilou in her hometown, where she now studies at Harper Dance Center going on her 3rd year. Alexis is so happy to be back on Cape Cod and to get back in the studio dancing and teaching with Sheena again!
Professionally, Brent Tracy is an ASL interpreter and professional development expert with over 25 years of experience.
For the past 10 years, he has given ASL interpretation performances on some of the biggest stages in Boston including Citizens Bank Opera House, Emerson Colonial Theatre, and the Huntington Theatre.
Off the clock, he is an artist. Musically, he is a trained singer, D.J., and bboy. His breaking journey started in his teens. The combination of artistry, power, technicality, and improvisation moved him to want to invest even more in the artform and train with a professional. During his training, his bboy mentor instilled in him the fundamentals and honoring the rich history of breakdancing. Brent is excited to share this knowledge with the next generation!
Chapel Fancher grew up in Mashpee and is an HDC Alumni. Chapel danced at HDC for 10 years on the Gray Competition Team. She attended the American Academy of Ballet Summer Intensive. After graduating from Mashpee High School, she attended UMass Amherst where she joined UMass Pulse Dance Company and was a Captain for 2 years. She graduated in 2024 with a B.S. in Speech-Language and Hearing Sciences.
Stacey grew up on Cape Cod and began her dance training under the direction of Sandra Baker. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Dance from Dean College, where she was also a member of the Tap Dance Company. Following her time at Dean, Stacey furthered her studies at the Ailey School in New York City. Stacey served as Artistic Director of the Dance Zone and continues to share her talents throughout the Cape Cod community. She is frequently involved in local school musical theater productions, contributing both choreography and costume coordination. In addition to her dance work, Stacey is a professional photographer and the owner of Stacey Lynne Photography, specializing in capturing memorable moments for local families.
With a journey that began at the tender age of three, Nanci has dedicated her life to the art of movement and the rhythm of the stage. For 12 years, she has served as the Owner, Artistic Director, and Lead Choreographer of Absolute Dance School in Marlboro, MA, turning her lifelong passion into a thriving community pillar. Nanci's philosophy is rooted in the belief that dance is a universal language capable of transforming lives. Her expertise spans a vast generational range, as she finds equal joy in guiding three-year-olds through their first creative movements as she does in pushing adult dancers to refine their technique and confidence. Nanci believes that creating an environment where every student, regardless of age or skill level, feels the spark of inspiration and the joy of performance. She holds high expectations of all students by providing them high-caliber choreography that challenges students and showcases their unique strengths.
Shaela began dancing at just two years old on Cape Cod, where she quickly developed a deep love for movement and performance. She trained extensively and competed for six years, building a strong technical foundation across multiple styles. Her passion led her to pursue dance at the collegiate level as a dance major before an injury redirected her path. Today, Shaela brings that same passion and dedication into the classroom, teaching ballet, jazz, hip hop, and tap to preschool and early elementary students. She is committed to creating a fun, nurturing, and engaging environment where young dancers can build confidence, coordination, and a love for the arts. In addition to her work in dance, Shaela holds a degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from University of Massachusetts Amherst and works as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA). She is currently continuing her education at Emerson College, where she is pursuing her master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Abigail Skena is a Boston-based dance instructor and choreographer with training in hip hop, jazz, ballet, heels, and contemporary styles. Originally trained in Dallas and Orlando competitive dance programs, she has performed nationally, represented Florida as Teen Miss Dance of Florida, and trained with renowned industry professionals throughout her career. Abigail has taught dance professionally for eight years, working with studios and dance teams across Florida and Massachusetts. She specializes in high-energy choreography classes that focus on confidence, musicality, performance quality, and creating a supportive, empowering environment for dancers of all levels. Outside of dance, Abigail is a full-time Marine Biology researcher and graduated from Boston University with a degree in Environmental Science, where she also choreographed and directed the hip hop dance crew, Vibes. She is so excited to join the Cape Cod dance community at HDC!
Kayli is an HDC alumni who grew up in Barnstable, MA. She started dancing at 2 years old, and joined HDC in 2021. Since graduating from Sturgis East Charter School in 2023 she has been on the Suffolk University Dance Company as a dancer and choreographer, and has come back to HDC to help out backstage and with classes! While currently attending Berklee College of Music for songwriting, she is super excited to be dancing again!
Piper grew up on Cape Cod, and is an HDC alumni. She has been exploring the art of dance for the past 14 years, and has trained in ballet, lyrical, hip hop, modern, and jazz. In high school, Piper discovered her biggest passion, Vaganova ballet, under the training of Sheena Harper. Piper is currently finishing her bachelor’s degree at Bridgewater State University, where she is studying communications & marketing, and has been a member of the BSU competition dance team. In 2023 for her senior project, Piper created and led “Passing Down the Art of Dance,” a year-long community dance program providing free dance classes to children in lower-income families. Her goal was to make dance more accessible, while sharing her lifelong passion and the joys of dance for all. Piper is a second-year teacher at HDC, and is so excited for another great year!