THE 2017 FACULTY Tentative - subject to change based on professional obligations Ade Obayomi Ade is best known for his work on So You Think You Can Dance Season, op Dance Family (2017), A Diva's Christ - orksh mas Carol (2000) and his early tour W with Les Grands Ballet Canadiens de MarEDGEcus Payne Montreal. He began dancing at the age Marcus was born in Lincoln, NE and gradu - of 6. After graduating from Corona Del ated from the University of Nebraska Lin - Sol High School, he earned a scholar - coln with a degree in communications. He ship to Chapman University in South - began his dance career at the age of 18 and ern California, where in addition to dance, he studied sound has worked with top choreographers in engineering. Early on in his dance career, competed in con - Denver, Chicago and Los Angeles, from such temporary, jazz and African dance competitions nationwide. choreographers as Nappy Tabs, Wildabeast, He is also trained in ballet, tap, and hip hop. Ade has contin - Ian Eastwood, Brain Friedman and more. ued to earn spots as a dancer for Beyonce and Alicia Keys. He Through his experience Marcus has been teaching workshops participated in the SYTYCD National Tour and Alicia Keys' and competition pieces all over the world. Marcus was World Tour and can be seen currently in Rihanna's "Hard" awarded the Millennium Dance Complex scholarship at the music video. Monsters of Hip Hop convention. He works as the hip-hop choreographer for the National Talent Showcase, as well as Hall of Fame Dance Challenge. Marcus had the privilege of training Ben Chung of the Jabbawockeez and Brandon Harrell of IAMMe crew, both past winners of Americas Best Dance Bridget Wilson Crew. As a performer, Marcus has opened for female pop Bridget is a versatile dancer, who is techni - group the OMG Girls, as well as preforming for the Special cally trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, mod - Olympics opening ceremony. He thrives on bringing the new ern, hip hop, and Bollywood. As a youth, and fresh styles of hip-hop he learns in Los Angeles to his she trained in a demanding 40 hour per classes. week environment to compete with the na - tionally renowned Priscilla and Dana’s School of Dance. She has trained with the likes of Sonya Tayeh, Brooke Pierotti, Chris Judd, Chuck Maldonado, Sakinah LeStage, Joni Hall, To - Kentrell Newton varis Wilson, Andi Abernathy, and many more. Bridget has Originally from Greensboro, NC, Kentrell performed in the renowned Carnival dance showcase in Cali - discovered dance at a young age while fornia, been a featured dancer on numerous television shows, watching videos of Michael Jackson and and worked with Chris Judd at the Pulse Convention. She has Usher. In college he was introduced to B- taught for the Dance Conservatory of Pasadena, and is cur - Boying by friends and soon after joined a rently a teacher at Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in Holly - college dance team called Couture Produc - wood, CA. tions and a local team called 102 Jamz dancers. During his time with those teams, he performed and helped choreograph numerous events including NC A&T State University homecoming and Super Jam Concerts. Kentrell has performed his hip hop styles from Atlanta, to Los Angeles, and internationally in Shanghai, China. During his professional ca - reer he joined Swagger Crew, which were on Season 5 of Mercedes Bolden MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew, while teaching at Dancers Born and raised in NC, Mercedes is trained Edge in North Carolina. He moved to Hollywood, CA to work in Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyri - professionally in film and television, and travels the nation cal, Musical Theatre, and Cecchetti Ballet. doing choreography and teaching master classes and conven - She began her professional career with tions. He has worked as a dancer and choreographer with var - Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. She then moved to LA to work ious artists including T-Pain, Roscoe Dash, B5(AUDIO), Fivel professionally, touring with the likes of Bobby Newberry and Stewart, Cody Longo and Tyrone Emanuel. He currently JUMP. She is back in NC and sharing her unique style and en - teaches at the world famous Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in thusiasm, which make her a favorite in the classroom! Hollywood, CA and at Dance Studio 84 in Valencia, CA. THE 2017 FACULTY Tentative - subject to change based on professional obligations Kelsey Rose Kelsey is a performer, teacher and chore - ographer based in Detroit, Michigan. She is kshop on faculty with Showstopper conventions, Wor Fuzion dance camp, and Motor City Tap Dres Reid Fest, and is the director and lead choreog - EDGE Born in Fort Walton Beach, FL and rapher for the pre-professional tap com - raised in Charlotte, NC, Dres Reid pany – Detroit Tap Repertory, as well as a member of Shelby has twenty years of professional dance Kaufman’s tap company, G.L.Y.D.E., and Detroit’s Jordan Mac experience. His impressive resume in - hip hop crew. In 2015, she was a contestant on the FOX Net - cludes work in the music videos “So Ex - work's So You Think You Can Dance - Season 12. She has had cited” with Janet Jackson, “Candyman” the privilege of studying under and performing alongside with Christina Aguilera, “Push” with many of today’s most respected tap dancers and legends in - Enrique Iglesias, and “Pocketful of Sunshine” with Natasha cluding Arthur Duncan, Ardie Bryant, Bill Irwin, Gregg Russell, Bedingfield. He has toured with industry giants including Chloe Arnold, Sarah Reich, Chris Broughton, Jenefer Miller, Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin, Vanessa Hudgins, Keyshia and Suzy Guarino. As a choreographer, she creates a style that Cole, and Whitney Houston. Dres was hired to be a back-up is intricate, gritty, passionate, and entertaining. Kelsey is a dancer for Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” member of Cecchetti Council of America and is branching out Tour and was in the movie by the same name. He can also be into the ballroom arena completing her first season of ama - seen, along with Travis Payne and and Daniel Celebre, as one teur competition. She is currently working as a competitive of the lead dancers in the now viral "dancing inmates" video tap instructor at two Metro Detroit studios and works inde - tribute to Michael Jackson. Dres is a force in the LA dance pendently as a choreographer for students throughout Michi - world and professional dance scene and his unique teaching gan. Over the years, Kelsey has worked with the Jonas style and choreography have put him in demand at top stu - Brothers, Debbie Gibson, and Radio Disney and has per - dios across the country. formed in the Macy’s and Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parades, at the Detroit Jazz Festival, and at TedX Detroit. Lia Malcolm Lori Crump Originally from Great Britain’s Royal Lori Crump grew up in the dance Ballet, Lia Malcolm went on to have world, training and competing at a a 30 year, globe spanning profes - local studio. She is a graduate of East sional performing career. After ar - Carolina University with a BFA in riving in America, she was the Dance Education. While at East Car - principal dancer for Les Folies Bergere in Las Vegas. While in olina, Lori received scholarships Las Vegas she was Guest Ballet Mistress to Cirque du Soleil’s from the ECU Friends of Dance and Mystere, and appeared as Guest Artist with Cirque du Soleil at her choreography was selected to The House of Blues Mandalay Bay. Other credits include an represent ECU School of Dance at adagio act for the New Year’s Eve production at Caesar’s the 2012 ACFDA Mid-Atlantic Conference. Lori has 20 years of Palace as well as a soloist for Risque at the Paris Hotel and dance experience including extensive training in Modern, Jazz Casino. She later joined the cast of Midnight Fantasy at the and Ballet from artists like Galina Panova, Tommi Galaska, Teal Luxor and was featured in Dick Foster’s production of Spell - Darkenwald, Mark Haim, John Dixon and many others. Lori bound at Harrah’s casino in both Atlantic City and Lake Tahoe. has taught dancers of every age in both a dance studio and Before coming to America, Lia enjoyed an extensive profes - public education settings. She currently teaches dance at sional career in Great Britain, Europe and Asia. She was a reg - Davie High School, where she is also over the school’s per - ular special guest artist on a weekly, nationally televised BBC formance dance team. Recently, Lori was one of a select variety show in Great Britain as well as guest starring along - group of dance educators to be certified by the Ultra Barre side and partnered by some very famous names such as creator/designer. It is a fusion of ballet barre, dance condi - Wayne Eagling - Principal of The Royal Ballet, Director of The tioning and Pilates designed to lengthen and tone muscles Dutch National Ballet, Director Of The English National Ballet; and create stronger core, better balance, joint stabilization Stephen Beagley Principal of The Royal Ballet; Matz Skoog - and alignment, muscular strength, and an overall more toned Principal/Director of The English National Ballet; Jay Jolley - body. Principal of The Royal Ballet, Principal of The Royal Winnipeg Ballet to name but a few. THE 2017 FACULTY Tentative - subject to change based on professional obligations Sam Jones Sam Jones is master of technique special - izing in jazz, musical theatre and acro… and is equally well-versed in lyrical, con - temporary, and many other dance styles. shop Immediately after high school, Sam Work worked as a performer on Carnival Cruise Lines. Sam has traveled the world over VictEDGEoria Brown and performed professionally in over 21 shows including “Kids Victoria has over 15 years of training in of the Kingdon” at Walt Disney World in Orlando as Peter Pan, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, and ballet. and as Prince Phillip at Tokyo Disneyland (Japan). He per - She holds a BA in Dance with a Minor in formed in “IMAGINE…A Theatrical Odyssey” and “Les Folies Business from San Jose State University, Bergere” in Las Vegas. Sam also worked as both a principal and she also graduated from the Broadway dancer and Assistant Choreographer at Myrtle Beach’s Dance Center Internship program and The renowned Alabama Theatre. He has trained and choreo - Historic Jacobs Pillow Summer Dance Intensive. She was in graphed for many of the best dance studios in the Nation. Bow Wow’s video feat. Omarion “Girlfriend”, Nelly feat. Fergie “Party People”, just to name a few. She is currently Co-Artist Ashley Rogers Director of MashUp Contemporary Dance Company in LA. Ashley Rogers was a student of Dancers Edge for a number of Drew Davis years, where she was on our Drew started dancing at the age of award-winning competition nine, with a focus on ballet, tap and teams for several years. Soon modern. He danced competitively for after graduating from the Univer - several years, winning many overall sity of North Carolina School of awards. He studied the University of the Arts, Ashley moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream as North Carolina School of the Arts, a dancer and to gain experience working with some of the where he danced in many ballets in - best choreographers, producers and directors in the business. cluding Sleeping Beauty, Stars & Stripes, Paquita, and Don Before long, she was signed by the renowned Bloc Talent Quixote, to name a few. He performed many roles such as Agency. Ashley appeared on the hit show “Make It or Break Snow King, Arabian, Lead Russian, and Toy Soldier in more It,” became a principal dancer for the Mash Up Contemporary than 100 performances of The Nutcracker over his eight years Dance Company, and gained valuable experience in both at NCSA. Drew spent two summers with the Boston Ballet and movies and national commercials. Ashley recently returned to performed professionally with the Schrader Youth Ballet, The North Carolina to pursue her love of dance as a full time Charleston Ballet, and most recently with Ballet Austin in teacher and choreographer at Dancers Edge. Texas. He has modeled for Curtain Call Costumes and was fea - tured in Pointe Magazine. Robert Poe Robert Poe began dancing at Crosby’s School of Dance in Aiken, SC and later fur - Harrison Culbreth thers his studies at the South Carolina Harrison Culbreth is a performer, Governor’s School for the Arts and Hu - teacher, choreographer, entrepreneur, manities. Professionally, he has dances producer, and director based out of with classical companies including the Co - Charlotte, NC. He is a highly accom - lumbia City Ballet, the Nashville Ballet, plished tap artist who has quickly de - and Missouri Ballet Theatre. He has also veloped his own up-beat, energetic, danced with contemporary companies like Cedar Lake II and and distinctive tap style. With a unique The Big Muddy Theatre and has performed with the Nashville blend of heart, drive and admiration for the art, Harrison has Opera. Robert’s choreography has been seen on the Nashville become a highly qualified tap instructor throughout the coun - Ballet, Missouri Ballet Theatre, The Big Muddy Dance Company, try. He has taught and choreographed top scoring routines at Texture Contemporary Ballet and multiple dance studios across several of the nation’s Top 50 studios. Most recently, Harrison the country. Robert has performed with the Big Muddy for five joined the Applause Talent staff. He travels the south-eastern seasons now, and is a member of the Senior Outreach Commit - part of the country co-directing, announcing, teaching and tee and serves as the Rehearsal Assistant to the company. creating choreography for the events.