At Gold Coast Arts, we are grateful to be surrounded by a team of wonderful and talented instructors, who are dedicated to teaching children of all ages, backgrounds and abilities in an encouraging and positive environment. We show our appreciation to our talented faculty by giving you the opportunity to see all their accomplishments and successful experiences, and for their contribution to the arts and education.
The Teacher Spotlight is chosen monthly by the Gold Coast Arts School for the Arts, to a teacher who embodies our mission of promoting & supporting the visual & performing arts through education, exhibition, performance & outreach.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT – September & October 2023
Meet Amanda Montoni – FOA Director/Staff Writer
Previously a dance/theatre teacher here at GCAC, Amanda is the Director of our Festival of the Arts Dance Recital. She is an award-winning Director, Choreographer, and Actress. Montoni is a co-founder and board member of the Royal Star Theatre company in Queens, where you can catch her most recent Directorial work in their production of All Shook Up. She has choreographed and directed for over 10 years in Queens and Long Island, and is a published author. She will be reading her most recent work, Bella the Buck-Toothed Ballerina at our Art Explosion Family Fun Day on Oct 15th! She is ecstatic to have found Gold Coast Arts Center, a place where camaraderie, community, and creation blooms.
To Learn more about Amanda and to purchase tickets to ALL SHOOK UP, visit onthestage.tickets
Meet DARYA GAUTHIER – Art/Theatre Teacher
As a Gold Coast Arts instructor since 2015, Darya Gauthier teaches Art and Theatre. She currently works as a freelance artist creating paintings, graphic design projects, and murals for commission. She is a set designer for various theatrical productions on Long Island, and a member of a Brooklyn-based theatre company (GF&CO), where she assistant directs original performance works. Darya loves working with children and unlocking their creative potential through the arts!
Get to know Darya:
Q: You’re a very diverse and talented artist. When did you decide you wanted to teach art?
A: My mother began teaching private art lessons when I was seven and I was one of her first students. By age 16, I took over teaching her youngest students, so teaching art is something I always enjoyed.
Q: What do you want your students to take away from your classes / workshops?
A: The most important thing I want people to take away from my classes and workshops is that art is magical and that anyone, no matter their level of experience, can create something wonderful. Art is for everyone and everyone’s creativity is unique to them. I want my students to gain confidence in their skills and to enjoy the process of making art.
Q: What do you love about Gold Coast Arts?
A: Gold Coast Arts is very special in that it provides opportunities to students of all ages in so many different forms of art. I love working here and seeing the joy GCA instills in all the students who come here. Students and teachers have a real artistic home in GCA.
Previously featured Teachers in Spotlight:
August 2023: Meet Sharon Bernstein – Music Teacher / Cello
Ms. Bernstein has performed with many stars of Broadway, television and American musical icons including Kelli O’Hara, Tony Danza, and more. She has performed with several professional orchestras, including Nassau Pops, the South Shore Symphony Orchestra, and is a part of the Global Cello Project. She finds great joy in teaching cello to children of all ages. As a Great Neck resident and Mom of 3, Ms. Bernstein feels it is important to be able to teach to the students’ learning style and create a love for playing the cello.
Sharon is constantly working on her craft and performing. She has numerous events coming up soon. If you would like to see Sharon perform live, check out these links:
South Shore Symphony: http://www.sssymphony.org
Nassau Pops: https://npso.org/
Global Cello Project: https://globalcelloproject.com/
Performances: