FACULTY:

Jessica Wellington,

Owner/Artistic Director

• Began dancing at age 2 at The James Dance and Performing Arts Center (Warren, OH)
• Dancer on the SS Independence, Hawaii 
• The University of Akron Principal Dancer
• The University of Akron Dance Team member
• Dance Minor (University of Akron)
• Edge Performing Arts Center Scholarship, LA
• Studied at Millenium Dance Complex, LA
• Studied at Broadway Dance Center, NYC
• First ever awarded FUTURE STAR winner and featured in Dance Spirit magazine
• Accepted into and attended The American Academy of Ballet summer intensive program, Vassar College NY
• Danced and trained with many of the industry’s top dance professionals including: Jeff Shade, Seth Stewart, Jimmy Tate, Savion Glover, Bob Rizzo, and Gregory Hines
• Trained Vocalist 
• Regional and National choreography award winner 
• Royal Academy of Dance Teacher's Training, Wisconsin 
• Judge and Master Class Educator for Starquest Talent Competition
• Certified in Acrobatic Arts (Module 1) 
• First Aid and CPR Certified (American Red Cross)

Olivia Barner, Dance Educator

• Graduate from Slippery Rock University
• Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance with a concentration in Performance and Choreography
• Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science 
• Studied under the direction of Ursula Payne, Lindsay Viatori, Jennifer Keller, Jesse Factor, Nora Ambrosia, Cristy Funsch, Banning Bouldin, and Emma Morrison
• Performed works by Martha Graham, Lindsay Viatori, Jennifer Keller, Jaya Mani, Matthew Shaffer and many classmates at SRU in numerous dance concerts
• Presented or performed work at Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Series, the American College Dance Association conference, Koresh Come Together Dance Festival, Koresh Summer Series, PADEO Dance, and Ascendance Choreography Showcase
• Advocated for the arts at Slippery Rock University’s Research Symposiums for Undergraduate Research, Council of Trustees forums, and Professional Development Day
• Two-time recipient of the Student Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Grant from SRU
• Presented dance research titled “Improvisation Meets Choreography: The Channel Between Impulses and Identified Movement” at the National Council of Undergraduate Research (NCUR), and the Slippery Rock University Undergraduate Research Symposium
• Began training at Dance Center Studios and later danced competitively at The Pennsylvania Dance 
• Teacher at The Pennsylvania Dance Co. for 4, going on 5 years
• Specializes in the studies of Modern, Contemporary, Ballet, Jazz 
• CPR and AED Certified by the American Red Cross
• First Aid Certified by the American Red Cross

Irene Grabowski, Dance Educator

• B.A. Journalism & Communications Point Park College
• Owner DANCINnovations Studio 2008-2014
• Director of Dance for Rogers Elementary & Marzolf Elementary Dance Program, Shaler PA 2003-2008
• Dance Instructor Joyce’s School of Dance Whitehall, PA 2004-2014
• Dance Instructor Vella Dance Studio Bridgeville PA 2002-2003
• Certified Zumbini instructor since 2012
• Certified Zumba instructor since 2008
• Guest Instructor; Jazz, Hip Hop- Palm Beach Aruba, Occidental Hotel Dance Company, 2004
• Took class at Dance Masters of America, StarPower, Showstopper, Monsters of Hip Hop
• Trained at Dance Alloy (Kelly Strayhorn Theater), Point Park Conservatory, Monsters of Hip Hop, Arthur Murray Dance Studios, Point Park College, Vella Dance Studio, Rogers C.A.P.A., Joyce’s School of dance.
• Guest Instructor; Hip Hop- Pittsburgh Ballet Theater

Dagmar Stahl, Dance Educator

• Received early dance training from Ballet Western Reserve 
• Trained in classical Ballet forms, Modern, and Jazz 
• Performed as corp de ballet dancer and lead Arabian and Spanish soloist in several productions of The Nutcracker (Ballet Western Reserve) 
• Currently finishing degree in Dance Management from YSU (graduating in the fall of 2021) 
• Performed with the YSU Dance Ensemble in their yearly showcase for four years
• Served as treasurer of YSU Dance Ensemble for three years 
• Choreographed for the YSU Dance Ensembles showcase for three years 
• My work, Dance Macabre de Femmes was selected out of several student choreographed works to be adjudicated at the 2021 American College Dance Association Mid-Atlantic South conference festival at West Virginia University (this did not happen due to COVID) 
• Have performed work choreographed by Amy A. Wright at the 2019 American College Dance Association central conference in Springfield Missouri. 
• Constructed (and performed as a solo on myself) my capstone project Contemplations on a Journey based on my research into both traditional and modern Buddhist philosophies 
• Performed in and helped choreograph Road Home a dance film choreographed and directed by Amy A. Wright 
• Received certification in Bartenieff Fundamentals under the direction of Kista Tucker with The Kista Tucker Insights dance company 
• Two time recipient of the Kocinski Award and scholarship at YSU for recognition in leadership, artistry and creativity in dance. 
• Previous ballet and modern instructor at Ballet Western Reserve 
• Teaches for SMARTS (Students Motivated by the Arts), a non-profit community arts school that provides free arts education to the Youngstown community
• Have been trained through The John F. Kennedy Center of the performing arts and SMARTS in arts integration (the inclusion of both arts disciplines and traditional subject matters in the classroom. The goal of arts integration is to increase knowledge of a general subject area while concurrently fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the fine and performing arts).
• I have been practicing yoga for several years and plan to receive my 200 HR yoga teacher training following my graduation in the winter.

 

Kaitlyn Carson, Dance Educator

• Dancer for Austintown Fitch Cadets for 4 years and was Captain for two years
• Danced at Generation Dance Company
• Became Coach of the Austintown Fitch Cadets for 4 years
• Choreography has placed top 10 at OASSA Dance Competition in all of Ohio
• Taught at Escape Dance Academy for 4 years
• Graduated with a BA in Dance Management from Youngstown State university in 2020
• Choreographed 3 works for the YSU Dance Ensemble including “I’m Alive”, “mm.dd.yyyy”, and “I’m Just a Musical Prostitute, My Dear”
• Performed twice at the American College Dance Association, and took her own work titled “mm.dd.yyyy”
• Dancer for The Canton Players Guild Halloween Ball
• Favorite roles casted including “Victoria the White Cat” from Cats,“Dancer Laurie” from Oklahoma!, and “Sonja” from Godspell
• Choreographed over 10 musicals including: “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Rocky Horror Picture Show”, and “Singin in the Rain”
• Performed twice at the Festival Of New Works at Youngstown State University

Ben Brooks, Gymnastics Coach