Dance Instructor | Choreographer

Tammy Rae Pettinicchi Gaynor was born and raised in Wolcott, Connecticut and currently resides in Mooresville, NC. She is the founding artistic director of Nutmeg Performing Arts Centre in Bristol, CT, which she owned and operated for 18 years. With over 30 years of experience in dance education, instruction, and performance, Tammy has trained with master teachers from New York to Los Angeles, including Frank Hatchett, Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, and Sheila Barker.

Tammy has served as a dance competition judge for numerous national competitions, and her choreography has earned multiple overall and high-score awards at both the regional and national levels. Her students have gone on to professional careers with organizations such as The Walt Disney Company and The Colorado Ballet. She has also served as choreographer for the Miss Connecticut Scholarship Pageant and was the director/choreographer of the Miss Connecticut Princess Program for many years. In addition, Tammy traveled on four overseas USO tours with The Liberty Misses, performing for American military personnel in Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, Bahrain, Korea, Iceland, and Macedonia.

At Lake Norman Dance Gallery, Tammy has played an important role in the success of the Mini/Petite Team, leading them to two consecutive National Championships at Showstopper Myrtle Beach in 2025 and 2026. She believes in providing professional dance education grounded in discipline, strong technique, and the development of confident, well-rounded dancers.