Tomasetta began dancing at Jo Ann Warren Studio in Worcester, Massachusetts, at 2 years old. She grew up as a competition dancer, training in all styles, but took additional ballet lessons at Boston Ballet. In high school she switched studios to Elite Academy of Dance in Shrewsbury, MA, while also taking additional classes at Festival Ballet Providence in Rhode Island. After graduation, her instinct was to move to Los Angeles and lay the groundwork for a dance career, but her parents encouraged her to further her education and attend the University of Michigan, where she had received a scholarship. “I’m so grateful they suggested college, because it was the best decision I could have made,” Tomasetta says.

At 19, Tomasetta auditioned for Season 9 of “So You Think You Can Dance” and was featured as a top 15 female finalist. Weeks after her elimination from the show, she visited home and observed a dance convention Mia Michaels was teaching at. Tomasetta was so inspired by the choreography, that she couldn’t help but get up and join the other dancers in the room. “I danced in the back by myself amongst the bags and the dance moms,” Tomasetta says. “Mia saw me, then got on the mic and said, ‘You in the yellow shirt, come and see me after class.’ I was worried she was mad that I hadn’t paid or something.” Instead, the introduction led Michaels to hire Tomasetta as an assistant on multiple projects, including the very season of “SYTYCD” she had just been eliminated from. “Mia has been a great mentor,” Tomasetta says. “She really discovered me and gave me wings to fly in the industry.” 

After graduating from college, Tomasetta moved to New York City and booked commercial and television gigs like “America’s Got Talent” and “Saturday Night Live.” Having stayed in touch over the years, Michaels hired Tomasetta to assist her on projects for The Joffrey Ballet, and New York Spectacular featuring the Radio City Rockettes—before casting her as Peter Pan/the dance captain in the first national tour of Finding Neverland. Three months into (what would become) her two-year run, Michaels asked Tomasetta to be the associate choreographer. “I love facilitating the overall vision of other choreographers,” Tomasetta says of the opportunity. Since then, she has been an assistant choreographer for Heart of Rock and Roll (which recently closed on Broadway) and, now, the associate choreographer for the Broadway revival of The Who’s Tommy, where she is also in the company as a swing and dance captain. “It’s the dream job for me because I got to help create the show as well as perform in it.”

Here, she shares more about making her Broadway debut, her advice for aspiring associate choreographers, and more. 

On the journey to The Who’s Tommy: “My introduction to the show was in November 2022, when I did pre-pro with choreographer Lorin Latarro. I was just helping out with ideas while simultaneously dancing in the ensemble of Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular. When Radio City closed in January, I was officially brought in to audition for the Chicago out-of-town tryout. There were only so many tracks available, so I didn’t know what would happen. I went on vacation to the beach with my family, and while I was there I got a random text that said, ‘Hi Dee, I would love for you to be my associate choreographer on The Who’s Tommy at the Goodman Theater…’ I dropped my phone in the sand! Dancers and performers work so hard. We train and go to every audition, and it truly only takes that one moment where someone takes a chance on you and believes in you, for everything to change.

“Two months later we went to Chicago and built the show from the ground up. While there I became a swing, which was amazing. It had rave reviews and was sold out every single show. It won nine Jeff Awards, and I remember sitting in the audience, watching the crowd give a standing ovation and realizing we had created something magnificent. 

“When we came back [to New York], we knew people wanted our show to come to Broadway, but we had to wait for a theater to be available. Lorin then brought me on as her assistant as well as an ensemble member for the workshop of Heart of Rock and Roll, and I went back to Radio City. On my way to rehearsal one day I got a phone call telling me we got that theater, and that I was being offered the associate choreographer, swing, and dance captain positions for The Who’s Tommy. It was a performer’s dream.”

On making her Broadway debut “I was sitting next to the creative team and taking notes during our first week of previews—dressed up for a dinner we were going to after—when the stage manager tapped me on the shoulder. They said, ‘We need you to come back and go on right now.’ I got up and ran through the back alley with my boots clunking as I went. They threw a mic on me, and within minutes I was onstage. It was the most magical, insane moment. I remember the curtain coming down and the whole company cheering and screaming for me. I wouldn’t have changed it for anything. From 7-year-old Dee who wanted to dance, sing, and act on Broadway to having three major positions at once. It made the wait worth it. It had to happen like that.”

Her advice for aspiring associate choreographers “Never give up. If you truly love this, put in the work to be successful. Be the hardest worker in the room, and the kindest person in the room. Finally, networking is a big part of your journey. Throughout my career, I have developed friendships with colleagues, teachers, choreographers, and mentors. Who you meet and share your experiences with will play an important role in your career. Remember that.”

On her dreams for the future “We were nominated for best revival at the Tonys, so we all got to sing and dance at the Tony stage, which was a dream. I also want to be part of many more Broadway shows as a performer, an associate choreographer, and, I think one day, as a choreographer, too. I’d also love to get into TV and film a bit more. My arms are wide open to see what the next chapter is.”