About our dds family

“My name is Emma Cardoso and I am the owner/director of Duxbury Dance Shoppe. As the owner and director, my role is to set the vision and goals of the studio, lead its operations, manage staff and instructors, nurture student and instructor relationships, oversee marketing and community engagement efforts, ensure legal compliance and safety, and continuously improve the quality of instruction and overall studio experience.

I am a proud alumni of Duxbury Dance Shoppe. I joined the DDS family at 10 years old, having just recently moved from a different town. Through Miss. Nikki’s leadership, I grew not only as a dancer but a teammate, leader, and person. I was a part of the recreational jazz, tap, hip hop, and lyrical classes as well as a member of the Intermediate and Senior Dance Team. I met lifelong friends and continued my love for dance into college.

I attended Stonehill College and received a BA in Visual & Performing Arts with a Dance concentration as well as Special Education. At Stonehill, I was a proud member of the Stonehill College Dance Team. There, I competed in local and national competitions. Stonehill became Division 1 at the start of my senior year. Becoming a brand new entry in D1, we won 1st place at the College Classic National Championship for Hip Hop. The feeling I had from that win was one I want to share with as many inspiring dancers as possible.

My love for dance didn’t stop at SCDT, I was also a member of the Stoneworks Dance Company. The company puts on 1 recital at the end of each semester. I worked as the stage manager for my first two years at the company to learn the behind the scenes of what goes into a dance production. My junior year, I tried out to become a dancer for the company. Being a part of Stoneworks broadened my horizons about the ins and outs of what you see on and off stage. After graduating from Stonehill, I became the proud new owner/director of Duxbury Dance Shoppe as well as a Special Education teacher in Plymouth.

At DDS, I want to spread my love and passion for dance to my students. I have so many plans and ambitions for Duxbury Dance Shoppe that I cannot wait to implement. Becoming the new owner/director is an honor that I do not want to live down. I will continue to do absolutely everything I can to make DDS a fun and inspiring place for my students to come and share a passion for dance. I would like to thank all the parents and dancers for sharing my love for dance and allowing myself to carry on this amazing legacy that Nicole Zapolski so gracefully began.”

Ashley Reed has been a dancer since the age of three where she was trained in styles such as: Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Tap, Musical Theater and Hip Hop. Ashley holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Entertainment Management and Dance from Dean College. She now works in the Admissions Office at Dean and serves as the primary recruiter for the Joan Phelps Palladino Dance Program. Over the past three years, Ashley has also had the pleasure of being the advisor to the Dean College Pom Team. As a graduate of Duxbury Dance Shoppe in 2013, Ashley is thrilled to be back and working with the next generation of dancers.