11150 Research Blvd., Suite 107  Austin, Texas 78759  512.349.7197
info@dancersworkshopaustin.com
The Faculty Most Dancers Workshop faculty members are CPR certified. Dawn Weiss - Owner Dawn Weiss has been the Owner of Dancers Workshop for 35 years. She was the Texas Association Teachers of Dance, Inc. President from 2001-2003, TATD board member for 18 years and a 27 year member. Dawn has a BA from the University of Texas in Elementary and Special Education. She was the founder and director of Third Coast Jazz. Dawn was also Director of the motivational program Something’s Afoot and the Artistic Director of Believe In Me from 1992-1996. Shannon Orosco - Studio Director Shannon’s dance education began at the age of 4 under Jackie Nutting-Ramon at the Academy of Dance Arts in Greenville, Texas. As a performing member of the North East Texas Dance Company, she danced competitively throughout her childhood, attended intensives, conventions and summer workshops. She is a former scholarship recipient at the Los Angeles Dance Force (LADF) and Dance Co. Conventions. Shannon graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance. While at UT she trained under Yakov Sharir, David Justin, Lyn Wiltshire, Andrea Beckham, Kent DeSpain, Andee Scott and Holly Williams. Her technical training includes Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Hip Hop, Modern, Pilates and Improvisation. Through college she attended classes and workshops by Alvin Alley Dance Company, Delfus Contemporary Dance Company, Jose Limon Dance Company and Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. Shannon has traveled to perform at American College Dance Festival to feature in the Gala. Currently, she is an active member of the Texas Association of Teachers of Dancing, Inc. After undergoing a 500 hour teacher training course supervised by Jackie Nutting-Ramon, Shannon’s passion for teaching was set in motion. Once Shannon moved to Austin she started teaching at several studios, but in 2003 she found a home at Dancers Workshop. In her free time Shannon enjoys spending time with her husband, Henry, and their crazy beagle. This fall Shannon will be entering her 8th consecutive year on staff at Dancers Workshop. She is currently an instructor, a Vision staff member, Children’s Curriculum Director and the Studio Director for Dancers Workshop. As the ‘right hand woman’, Shannon continues to learn endless amounts from Dawn Weiss, and is thrilled to be directing at such an incredible facility. Katie Beglau Katie Beglau has been a part of Dancers Workshop for 20 years, first as a student and now as a member of the teaching staff. Katie grew up in Austin and received her training at Dancers Workshop. She was trained by Kelly Morgan, Kristi Stere, Tammy Eli, Inga Loujerinko, and Allyson Wegehoft. Katie was a member of Austin Dance Works for 7 years, as well as a dance major in McCallum High School’s Fine Arts Academy. In 2004, Katie received the Merit Scholarship from Texas Association Teachers of Dancing (TATD). To further her dance training, Katie attended numerous dance conventions such as LADF, TATD, LA Dance Magic, Pulse, and Tremaine, and spent several summers training at Edge Performing Arts Center in LA, California. These opportunities allowed Katie to receive training from many dance teachers including Adam Parson, Scott Hislop, Mandy Moore, Leslie Scott, Dante, Edie Garcia, Maylaya, and many more. After graduating from high school Katie continued her dance training at California State University, Long Beach, as a dance major. While training at CSULB, she studied with the amazing faculty, including Keith Johnson, Andy Vaca, Sharon Kenny, Lorin Johnson, Sophie Monat, Susan McClain, and Karen Clipppinger. While at CSULB, Katie was honored by the dance department with the Gloria Newman Scholarship. After studying at CSULB, Katie returned home to be with her family at Dancers Workshop. She has spent the past three years working with and choreographing for ADW and Vision, as well as teaching all levels and styles of dance. Katie has been honored to choreograph for several middle schools and high schools in Austin and surrounding areas. She has also taught master classes for local high schools including Leander High School, Rouse High School, McCallum High School Fine Arts Academy, and Westwood High School. Katie is currently continuing her dance education at Texas State University in San Marcos. She studies dance history, choreography, production, music, anatomy, and rhythmic structures. She is also extremely excited to be a part of Merge, the performing modern company at Texas State University. Katie’s passion is to dance, and to teach dance, and she couldn’t be more excited to be doing what she loves every day! Addison Bull Addison was a student of Dancers Workshop for 15 years.  She participated in Ovation for several years, and was a member of the pre-professional performing dance company, Austin Dance Works, for 10 years.  After her Junior year in high school Addison was selected as one of seven dancers for the EDGE Performing Arts Center’s “Dance with the Force” summer scholarship program.  She has spent the last year teaching, assisting and subbing at Dancers Workshop.  Addison is currently a college student and is so excited to continue sharing her love of dance, while continuing her personal dance education this year at Dancers Workshop.  Julia Dzubinski Julia Duffy-Dzubinski started dancing at the age of three. At the age of seven she moved to Austin, Texas and studied under Eugene Slavin and Alexandria Nadal at their ballet school. She continued her training with them until graduating high school. During high school, she attended the Fine Arts Academy at McCallum High School and had the opportunity to study more disciplines, including jazz, modern, hip hop, latin, and broadway. As a senior in high school she had the opportunity to perform in the University of Texas Ears, Eyes, and Feet concert. In 2003 she attended the University of Texas to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts. While in working towards her degree she performed in Dance Repertory Theatre’s biannual performances and performed and choreographed with the student organization Dance Action. She had the honor of working with great artist such as Andrea Beckham, Mary Chase, Micheal Foley, Grace Holmes, David Justin, Ray Eliot Schwartz, Andee Scott, Yacov Shair, Kent De Spain, Holly Williams, and Lyn Wiltshire. Julia also traveled and performed at The Kennedy Center during the 2006 National College Dance Festival, at the World Congress on Dance in Athens, Greece, and throughout Austria for the Young Tanzsommer Festival. In her senior year, Julia choreographed and performed in the 2007 production of Ears, Eyes, and Feet. After graduating in 2007, Julia stayed in Austin and continued dancing, choreographing, and started teaching in the community. She has choreographed pieces for “10 Minutes Max” and performed in several pieces in Big Range Festival. She also had the opportunity to go back to her high school and choreograph two pieces for the students fall and spring shows. For the past 3 years she has taught ballet and modern classes at the Performing Arts Studio in Georgetown, Texas. In February of 2011 she produced "No Assurance" featuring 8 local choreographers in two sold out performances at the Blue Theatre in Austin, TX . Julia is looking forward to teaching at Dancers Workshop this fall. Alexis Elegado Alexis has been residing in Austin for six years by way of Houston, and is happy to call this city her home.  She graduated from Texas State University with a B.A. in English in 2010 and continues to be a lifelong learner through teaching. She practiced dance growing up, throughout high school, and maintained this passion through dance classes during college. She was Lieutenant (co-captain) of her dance team in high school and also placed third in a lyrical dance in an HTE dance competition. Having an educational approach as a childcare provider, she has extensive experience with early childhood development, as she has been a nanny for several families in the past four years. She also has experience teaching various grades, 8-12 (international students and at the high school level). She believes that dance is a form of communicating and showcasing your soul to the world; and that dance is a universal language spoken by all. She is excited and looking forward to applying her passion for dance and kids, and is certain that the passion for dance is infectious to everyone. Tammy Ely Tammy found her love for dance, teaching and choreography at an early age. She has a diverse background in many styles of dance and has enjoyed teaching beginning through advanced tap, jazz and hip hop over the years. She is a Lucille Murchison award recipient and graduate of the University of North Texas holding a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree in dance and rehabilitation.  She was a member of the Dance UNiT and the first chapter of Chi Tau Epsilon Honor Society for Dance at UNT.  This is Tammy's 16th year on the Dancers Workshop faculty, where she has been co-director and choreographer for Austin Dance Works, a pre-professional performing company.  Tammy has been a guest teacher at the American College Dance Festival, Texas Association Teachers of Dance, Inc., VIBE Dance Intensive, as well as other local dance workshops and clinics.  She has danced professionally with Ariel Dance Theater, Planet Funk Austin and Third Coast Jazz.  She is very proud of her past achievements with Dawn Weiss' program "Something's Afoot", a motivational arts program in public schools that utilized dance as a tool to teach excellence. Tammy is proud to be a member of such a talented faculty and for taking part in the growth and success of Dancers Workshop over the years. She loves watching her students “grow up in the studio” and she’s proud of their accomplishments both in the classroom and later in their professional careers. Tammy feels very blessed to have a wonderful husband and 7 year old son who show so much love, support and encouragement for her dance teacher lifestyle!       Megan Floreani Ms. Megan has been dancing for the past 20 years.  She moved to Austin two years ago from Chicago and has been teaching at Dancers Workshop ever since. She has extensive training in demonstrating and instructing students of all ages; ballet, pointe, contemporary, lyrical, and modern and she also loves choreographing movement.
Megan has received training as well as performed with The Miami City Ballet (Edward Villella), The Sarasota Ballet, and Alvin Ailey American DanceTheatre and Ailey II. Her technique is derived mostly from The Vaganova technique and  the Balanchine method. In Chicago she received professional technique training from Hubbard Street Dance of Chicago at the Lou Conte Dance Studio while working on her degree. Megan graduated in May 2008 with a B.A. in live performance management. Elizabeth (Lizzy) Gallea Elizabeth moved from her home town of Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2006 to pursue her love of rhythm tap dance and the tap community at Tapestry Dance Company.  She started her dance training at the age of three with Fishback Studio of the Dance under the direction of Katherine Fishback, Kathie Anthony, and Diane Gutierrez.   She continued her growth as a dancer with La Mesa Dance Academy under the direction of Cecelia Palladino- Jaramillo where she was a member of “Energy in Motion Dance Company” for five years. She developed a passion for tap dance while watching the Bill Evans Rhythm Tap Ensemble in 1998. Elizabeth has participated in tap dance festivals throughout the country for the last fourteen years, where she has developed her tap technique and teaching repertoire. In 2003, she proudly joined the Bill Evans Rhythm Tap Ensemble in performing with Bill Evans, Acia Gray, Brill Barrett, Brenna Kuhn, Nicole Hockenberry and Mark Yonally. Elizabeth has taught dance in New Mexico for Fishback Studio of the Dance, La Mesa Dance Academy, Kids Love to Dance and NDI. She has taught at Tapestry Dance Company for three years and was the tap choreographer for Cedar Park High School’s Musical White Christmas in 2009. In addition to teaching dance, she is a substitute teacher for Austin ISD.    Sarah Hinman Sarah was a scholarship student at Westside Ballet in Los Angeles, CA, studying with Yvonne Mounsey and Rosemary Valaire and also attended summer programs on scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet, The School of American Ballet, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. She was a principal dancer with The Sacramento Ballet for 8 years, performing in works by George Balanchine, Ron Cunningham, Agnes de Mille, Dwight Rhoden, and Trey McIntyre. She also worked with Suzanne Farrell and John Clifford before joining the First National Tour of the Billy Joel/Twyla Tharp musical "Movin' Out", touring the United States, Canada, and Japan for two years. 
Sarah has taught dance since she was 15 and was the Director of The Sacramento Ballet's Summer Intensive Program for two years. She has also acted as the dance captain and ballet mistress for multiple organizations and productions traveling to China and Europe as well as all over the United States. 
Sarah is currently a student at St. Edward's New College, working towards a B.A. in Dance and the Humanities. Kelley Hunter Kelley began dancing at an early age in Odessa, Tx where she grew up studying jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical, hip hop and musical theater. As a member of the Dance Elite performing group she had the opportunity to travel and compete at several conventions including LADF, Co. Dance, and Dance Magic. Her training was also enriched during the summers by attending classes at The Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles and studying under their top instructors. Kelley was a member of the Odessa High School Showgirls drill team and eventually became captain. With the Showgirls she had the opportunity of performing in the 2001 Rose Bowl Parade. She attended Oklahoma City University's Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management on scholarship. While she was there she performed with the American Spirit Dance Company, Liturgical Dance Company, and the OCU Pep Dancers. She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Dance Management and has a well rounded understanding of dance performance, technical theatre, non-profit organizations and the entertainment industry. Kelley is also a member of the Texas Association Teachersof Dancing, INC. and earned her teaching certification in Jazz in 2006. She is thrilled to be teaching in the Austin area and sharing her passion for dance. Magdalena Jarkowiec Magdalena Riley was born in Leszno, Poland and grew up in Baltimore, Md.  She began her dance training at the Anna Apicella School of Dance and went on to study ballet in the RAD curriculum at the Peabody Institute, and ballet and modern dance at the Baltimore School for the Arts.   While there she had the privilege of performing in the original works of Lisa De Rebiere, Jon Clifford, Ron Cunnigham, David Grenke, David Parsons, Hinton Battle, Gus Solomons Jr., and Anton Wilson.  She studied dance at the Tisch School of the Arts for one year, and ultimately earned a bachelor’s in philosophy from the New College of Florida.  She spent several years dancing in San Francisco, and had the pleasure of working professionally with Yannis Adoniou, Robert Moses, Arturo Fernandez, and Alonzo King.  Magdalena moved to Austin this year and is very excited to be sharing her expertise in and excitement for ballet through teaching.   Libby Lovejoy Ms. Lovejoy holds a BFA and MFA in Dance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. She has a diverse background of study in many dance idioms including classical ballet, jazz, modern, tap, character, musical theatre, ethnic, period movement, effort/shape techniques and Labanotation. Libby’s many years of classical ballet include study at the American Ballet Theatre School and the Royal Academy of Dancing in London. She grew up in southwest Louisiana where she trained with Lady Leah Hathaway and was a charter member of the Lake Civic Ballet. Ms. Lovejoy has taught on the dance faculties of many universities as well as private studios and professional academies. Her convention teaching includes Regional Dance America (southwest region), Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, Oklahoma Dance Masers Association, Texas Association Teachers of Dancing, Inc., State of the Art, and American College Dance Festival. With an avid interest in dance medicine, Libby is a member of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. She is a former Miss Louisiana and was 4th Runner-up to Miss America. Libby teaches full time for Dancers Workshop in Austin where she has been a faculty member of the teaching staff for 13 years. Inga Lujerenko Ms. Lujerenko is originally from the Ukraine and trained at the State Classical Ballet School of Byelorussia. She was a soloist with Donetsk’s State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet in the Ukraine, where she toured nationally and internationally. In 1991, Ms. Lujerenko performed at the Nervi International Festival in Italy with the Stars of Russian Ballet company. In 1992, she was a principal guest artist with New Jersey Ballet and in the fall of that year, joined Ballet Austin as a principal dancer. In 1994, she performed at the Cyprian International Festival of the Arts with Ballet Austin. Her repertoire includes over 50 principal and soloist roles in various ballets choreographed by Petipa, Fokine, Gorski, Vaganova, Balanchine, Lambrou and Mills. Awards: 1976-85 State’s Scholarship for excellence in academic achievements. In 2000 and 2006 she was named Best Female Dancer of the Year by Austin Critics Table. She has been a ballet instructor since 1989 and Ms. Lujerenko has been a faculty member of Dancers Workshop since 1993. Lauren Mayo Lauren started her love of dance in Killeen, TX where she was born and raised.  She later branched out and started training at Dancers Workshop, where she was apart of the pre-professional Austin Dance Works Company for several years. Conventions such as LADF, several competitions and The Joffery Ballet scholarship in New York City added to her training growing up. Lauren also can be seen featured in issues of Dance Spirit Magazine, Marcea, Meekelle, A Wish Come True and Leos Dancewear! Immediately following her senior year in 2008 she was selected as one of twenty dancers for the Edge Performing Arts Center yearlong scholarship program in Los Angeles, California.  She trained and studied all styles of dance and even gained skills in areas such as comedy improv and voice.  She was lucky enough to work with some of the most prestigious choreographers in California.  Her works include: Nickelodeon's new hit show "Victorious" as Jade's photo/body double, Nickelodeons "As the Bell Rings" featured dancer, Disney’s Camp Rock 2 national promotional commercial, featured film "Dance Freak", "Fame" promotional, "TV moves 2! Live", and many stage/live performances through out the Los Angeles area.  She feels so blessed to have gained the knowledge and skills she did over the last few years while living her dream in California. She truly enjoys teaching and sharing her love of dance with dancers of all ages. She is currently a member of the performing company known as Reverence Dance Project based out of Round Rock. Aside from her dance life, she is also working on her Registered Nursing Degree in Austin, TX. Kelly Morgan Kelly has been an instructor at Dancers Workshop for the past 18 years. She grew up in Austin receiving her ballet training from Alexandra Nadal and Eugene Slavin. She was a member of Ballet Austin’s junior academy performing in many productions including The Nutcracker for 3 years. Kelly’s jazz training came from Dawn Weiss at Dancers Workshop. After graduating high school, she attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. After graduating, she went on to continue to dance professionally performing in such productions as West Side Story with Bebe Newirth, and the National tours of A Chorus Line and Sugar Babies. Kelly has been a performer, choreographer, and instructor for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Aloha Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii. She has served on the board of the Texas Association Teachers of Dance, Inc., and is an artistic director of Austin Dance Works. The greatest joys in her life are her husband Greg and her 6 year old son Joshua. Lori Murillo Lori is originally from the Dallas area, where she grew up in the dance world with the joint experience of being trained in the studio as well as being a “drill team” girl. Not quite finished with her drill team experience, she went to Kilgore College after graduating from high school, where she became a member of the Kilgore College Rangerettes. Some of the more exciting events from those two years as a Rangerette are serving as Captain her sophomore year, being a featured performer in the 1994 World Cup halftime show, and performing in the famous “Festival of Lights” in Nice, France. After Kilgore, Lori moved to Austin to begin a career of studio teaching, dance team directing, and freelance choreography all over the nation. She was a Senior Instructor for Starmakers Dance and Drill Team Performance Company for 12 years and a charter instructor for Sheer Dance Conventions under Starmakers. From 2000-2007, Lori was Co-Choreographer for the Mike Miller and Associates Dance Company in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. She was also the Co-Choreographer for the AT&T Cotton Bowl Halftime Classic performance on New Year’s Day from 2002-2007. Lori first came to Dancers Workshop in 1997 and she fell in love! That year, she began teaching for Dawn Weiss both as a studio instructor and an instructor for Believe In Me, a character education and performance program where Dawn was Artistic Director. After 4 years with this program, Lori followed Dawn and became an instructor of Something’s Afoot, Dawn’s new children’s program at Pillow Elementary School. In 1999, Lori joined Marla Valk at Westwood High School as a dance instructor, a charter instructor of the RRISD Fine Arts Academy housed at Westwood, and Assistant Director of the Sun Dancers. In 2003, she left Austin for a new directing opportunity in the Dallas area. She returned to her alma mater, South Garland High School, alongside Allyson Wegehoft , and together they created a new dance program, directed the JV program, and were Co-Directors of the Southern Belles. But, after three years, they missed Austin and were blessed to be able to return to home! During that time that immediately followed coming home, Lori was a 2006 TDEA Convention dance instructor and returned the following year to the convention as a Co-Choreographer for the 2007 All-State production. For Lori, coming back to Austin meant coming back to Dancers Workshop as a full-time dance instructor! In the past three years, she has been teaching a range of classes here at the Workshop, is a choreographer/instructor for ADW, and the Director of Vision Competition Dance Company. In her “free time”, she does freelance choreography, master class teaching, motivational and leadership workshops, and adjudicates various dance contests all over the nation, as well as a three-year staff member for Encore Creative Productions. Lori is also a dancer for Restoration Dance, a Christian dance company directed by Monica Schraeder, and a mom to a beautiful Labrador, Laguna! Trevor Parmentier Trevor Parmentier is a southern California natives. Learning to walk in high tops, and raised within the walls of a studio, Trevor has consistently looked up to top choreographers in the industry for swag, style and reasons to grow. While living in California, Trevor worked with several dance organizations and companies individually, blessing him with the opportunity to teach and perform up and down the California coast.   Now living in Austin, Trevor shares his passion for life and dance all around Central Texas. Whether it is teaching at big events like conventions, or teaching a small class for kids after school, Trevor always has the same goal in mind, and that is to spread a positive light and influence in the dance industry where it is typically hard to find. His goal is to not only teach kids how to move, but to love dance and to let it be a part of who they are. Trevor hopes to continue training, teaching, choreographing and striving to personally improve their craft in order to take it outside of Texas so he can further share his love and talent with as many people as possible. Adriana Ray A native of San Antonio, Texas, Adriana Ray has studied at Pat Holbrook's Dance Center and later at Earle Cobb Dance Studio. At that time she also joined RPM Youth Tap Ensemble under the direction of Barbara Phillips. While a member of RPM, Adriana was able to attend master classes and workshops, including the world's largest tap and percussive dance festival Chicago Human Rhythm Project's Rhythm World. In 2007, Lane Alexander, Founder and Director of the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, presented world-renown tap dancers as well as some of the nation's youth tap ensembles in concert in Beijing, China at the 5th annual Beijing International Dance Festival. Adriana had the honor of being one of 4 to represent RPM for this event. Currently, Adriana is a student at the University of Texas at Austin. She is honored and excited for the opportunity to be teaching tap, and looks forward to passing along its traditions and her love of the art form. Robyn Riojas Robyn grew up dancing at Dancers Workshop and was blessed to have many opportunities to train and learn from the incredible staff, as well as to have taken master classes at the Edge Performance Arts Center in Los Angeles and many conventions. Robyn performed with both Austin Dance Works and Third Coast jazz, was on staff with Dancers Workshop from 1997-2006 teaching all ages in a variety of techniques, was a member of TATD, and on staff with Something’s Afoot, a very special motivational dance program led by Dawn Weiss. She was also an instructor and choreographer for Austin Dance Works. Robyn has enjoyed being a mom to two precious little ones, a preschool teacher at Redeemer, and performing with Restoration Dance, a dance company directed by Monica Schraeder. Robyn is so excited to be back at the studio sharing her joy and passion for dance and music with young children! Kristi Stere Originally from California, Kristi has been teaching at Dancers Workshop since 1995. She is a member of the Texas Association Teachers of Dancing, Inc., and has served on the organization’s board of directors. She received her professional training from the North Carolina School of the Arts, School of the Atlanta Ballet, and the Raleigh School of Ballet, where she also began teaching. She performed with the Raleigh Dance Theater (Carolina Ballet) under founder Ann Vorus. Kristi has also appeared with Kinesis Dancetheater, Ballet East, Third Coast Jazz, and as a guest principal with Mesquite Repertory Ballet. She received a merit scholarship to Ballet Austin where she apprenticed with costume designer Chip Siebert. She is now the costumer as well as co-director and choreographer for Ovation, the ballet company at Dancers Workshop. Thomas Wadelton Thomas grew up in Melbourne Australia beginning his tap education with former Tap Dog Chris Horsey and later with the artistic director of the Melbourne International Tap Festival Grant Swift. He has performed at major events and places throughout Australia such as 'The Falls Music and Arts Festival', the 2008 'Melbourne International Tap Festival', the 'Sydney Road Festival', 'Melbourne Summer Arts Festival', the 'Australian Construction Expo' along with appearances internationally at 'The Long Center for the Performing Arts', 'Peter Norton's Symphony Space', and Matt Shield's 'Tapestry on the Fringe'. When at home he plays regularly as a member of the prohibition inspired jazz band 'The Jelly Tub Rollers' with their synergistic mix of bouncing swing and driving bass. Thomas is currently a dancer for the Austin based 'Tapestry dance Company' under the artistic direction of Acia Gray. He will soon join the company for their 2011-2012 season, eager as ever to continue his learning journey. Lauren Wilson Lauren has been dancing since the age of 3.  She has studied ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and hip hop.  She was a part of S.M.S.D. dance company for 3 years and performed at many local events and competitions.  In High School, she began taking classes at Dancers Workshop and became a Sun Dancer at Westwood High School.  She was a member of their jazz company for all 3 years, Lieutenant her junior year, and Major her senior year.  After High School, she was a member and preformed with ADW, Third Coast Jazz, and Contagious Dance Force at Dancers Workshop.  Throughout her years of training, she has attended many conventions such as LADF, LA Dancer Magic, Pulse, Urban Jam, Tremaine, NUVO and TATD.  She has also spent summers in LA continuing her training at the Edge Performing Arts Center.  In 2001 she began teaching ballet, tap, jazz, and hip hop at Dancers Workshop.  She is a member of Texas Association Teachers of Dance Inc., has assisted Leslie Scott and Tymme Ritz at TATD, has also taught at TATD and other conventions such as Raising the Barre, Diversity and Vibe.  She is a current choreographer and Instructor for the Vision Competition Dance Team. She also has set choreography on drill teams, Great Hills Baptist Christmas Pageant, Austin Dance Works, and various other groups.  Lauren is a true lover of Dance and enjoys sharing her passion and knowledge with others Guest Faculty Scott Hislop Scott Hislop has been dancing since the age of 11. At 18 he relocated to Los Angeles from his hometown of Reno, Nevada to study on scholarship at EDGE Performing Arts Center. He has enjoyed a thriving career ever since. Some notable jobs on his long list of credits are: commercials for Sony Plasma TV, Cadillac Escalade and Wendy’s. Industrials for McDonalds, Acura, Honda and Disney. He has been featured in 15 films, some of which are: Not Another Teen Movie, She’s All That, Titanic, Jackass II, Charlie’s Angels, and The Wedding Planner. A huge highlight of his career thus far was working for Rob Marshall in last years TV special Tony Bennett, An American Classic. Scott fills most of his time now with studying acting, the desired field of where he’s heading. He’s recently had the honor of working alongside Tobey Maguire in the upcoming Spiderman 3 and the incomparable Cate Blanchett in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button as her dance partner. These are both very high profile films that are slated to be released the summer of 2007 and winter of 2008, respectively. Now armed with experience and something to say, he is committed to teaching at EDGE, on convention with LA Dance Force, and master classes all around the world. His unique method of reaching students is posed through questions and motives that force you not to only use your technical training but your own life experience as well. Scott tries wholeheartedly to convey the importance of keeping the body in shape through vigorous training and making authentic choices that color your dancing and sets you apart. Adam Parson Adam Parson studied in New York at Broadway Dance Center, Boston at Adrienne Hawkins Dance, Jeanette Neill Dance Center and the Boston Ballet before moving to Los Angeles to continue his studies. While in Los Angeles he received a summer scholarship at Moro Landis, and the coveted dance scholarship at EDGE Performing Arts Center. He has also studied Pilates and Body Awareness at the Center for Physical Health in Beverly Hills, CA. Adam has traveled all over the world and is currently teaching at EDGE. Credits: Performed worldwide as a Power Ranger; television and commercials include 3rd Rock From The Sun, and Pepsi; music videos for Monica and Tafkap; dance company founder, director and choreographer for C. Dance Company touring United States, and China in 2005; choreography for Alice In Wonderland in Korea.  Adam teaches with LADF International Workshop, Competition and Showcase. Gelsey Weiss Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Gelsey Weiss is currently performing in her 5th season as a Radio City Rockette at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. When she’s not performing on the Great Stage, Gelsey enjoys living in Los Angeles where she works commercially as a professional dancer in film and television. Her film credits include features Starsky and Hutch, Looney Tunes Back in Action, A Time For Dancing, Thank Heaven! and Angels, Baby. Television credits include Young and the Restless, Boston Public, MTV Movie Awards, and TV Land Awards. Her stage credits include the Finding Nemo Stage Show at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, Disney’s Steps in Time at the Hyperion Theater, and Pulse and Edge Time Stories at the LA Theater Center. She has appeared in commercials for ESPN, Pace Picante Sauce, and Cricket Cellular and in industrials for Disney, Microsoft, 7-Up, and the WNBA to name a few. Gelsey spent the past 7 years choreographing and teaching artists at Mosaic, a community of faith in Los Angeles and is thrilled to be a member of Word In Motion Dance Company. One of Gelsey’s greatest joys is being able to give back to her community through teaching master classes and encouraging dancers to pursue excellence in their lives.
Rene Michaels Photo & Design