Episode 89: Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts

In this week's episode we speak with someone who has been, almost, an institution in Montclair for more than 25 years.  Sharron Miller is the Founder/Director of Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts (SMAPA) located on Park Street.  Sharron was always passionate about dance from a young age and attended The Juilliard School and soon after, found a position with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater as a soloist. She is also the veteran of seven Broadway shows and has appeared on television, film, and hundreds of radio and television commercials.

As she settled into family life here in Montclair, she found commuting to be a burden and looked to practice her art closer to home. Sharron became committed to enriching the lives of young people, through teaching dance and performance arts right here in Montclair.  SMAPA’s holistic philosophy inspires students to believe they can achieve, nurturing the potential within each student by encouraging creativity, building skills, fostering self-discipline, and bolstering self-esteem

She previously served on the faculty of Renaissance Middle School for 13 years where SMAPA provided the dance and drama program for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students during the school day. Ms. Miller has also served on the faculty of Montclair Kimberley Academy, Far Brook School, and has been affiliated with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center as an arts-in-education consultant/partner. At SMAPA, she not only continues to train hundreds of students yearly, but also continues to develop her arts enrichment programs and community outreach. Ms. Miller resides in Montclair, New Jersey with her daughter, Jaimie.