The Dance Spot - Faculty

Quinton Weathers
Owner/Artistic Director
Specializing in Jazz, Lyrical and Hip Hop

Quinton Weathers started dancing at the age of eight. He studied in jazz, tap, ballet, hip-hop, lyrical, musical theater and gymnastics. Each summer he trained in Los Angeles on a scholarship at Edge Performing Arts Center and in New York at Broadway Dance Center and Steps.

After graduating from high school, Quinton lived in Los Angeles for five years and is still currently represented by Bloc Talent Agency. He has worked with the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Angie Stone, Snoop Dogg, Kylie Minogue, Anastasia, Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard, Solange Knowles, Yasmeen, Parker Posey and Chris Katan.

Quinton's TV and film credits include Nickelodeon’s “All That” and “Taina,” “2002 Olympics,” “Trading Spaces,” “Next”, “Varsity Blues,” “Honey,” “Adam and Steve” and Paramount Pictures’ recently released movie “Dream Girls”. He has done commercials, industrials and print for Fox Network's “So You Think You Can Dance,” I-pod, Motorola, Smashbox Cosmetics, Nintendo, Diesel Jeans, Levi Jeans, Nike,
7-up and Pepsi. Quinton was also a dancer traveling all over the U.S. and Canada on the American Idol 2 Tour.

Quinton has taught Master classes all over the United States, Japan and Korea. For four years he taught lyrical, jazz and hip-hop at Simi Dance Center, in Simi Valley, California. His students have won numerous scholarships and awards in and around California and have gone on to work as professional dancers. This past year, Quinton returned to Texas and has opened his own studio, The Dance Spot, in Austin. He is looking forward to working with many new talents in the years to come.

Cheryl Copeland
Dance Instructor Specializing in Ballet and Technique

Cheryl graduated with a BFA in Dance from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Cheryl's fresh, unique style and approach to dance have made her in demand and given her notoriety across the United States. Having studied and performed extensively in Florida, New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, her training and technical expertise is reflected in her classes and choreography.

Her professional work includes Tap Kids, Between Lines, Superbowl, Disney, MTV, as well as several industrials. She has worked under such notable choreographers as Mia Michaels, Milton Myers, Lisa Hopkins and Winifred R. Harris. As a teacher, her students have received countless awards, scholarships, and gone on to dance with artists such as Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Aaron Carter, and can be seen in Target , Gap , and Old Navy commercials. Some of her students are even pursuing degrees at the notorious Juilliard. As a choreographer, she has won countless awards including a Choreography Under the Stars finalist cash award, A young choreographers award from NYCDA, and several outstanding choreography awards from various regional and national dance competitions.

After touring with Tap Kids as assistant to well-known tap choreographer Lisa Hopkins, and serving as resident choreographer for Teen Dance Company of the Bay Area, Cheryl relocated to Los Angeles where she can be found teaching at Edge Performing Arts Center and Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio. She can also be found teaching Master classes, workshops, and residencies all around the country, (her most recent being in Austin, Texas at Tapestry Dance Academy and The Dance Spot). She is currently in the process of founding her own modern dance company, BHumn Dance Productions. Cheryl's ballet classes combine classical technique with a contemporary flare. Her contemporary jazz classes encourage students to move organically and connect emotionally while still utilizing their technical foundation.

Aminya Houston
Dance Instructor Specializing in Jazz, Tap, Triple-Threat and Kids ‘N’ Motion

Aminya Houston started dancing at the early age of three at Joyce Willett School of Dance. She is trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip-hop and musical theater. She had the opportunity to compete and perform with the award winning dance company Body Talk, directed by Kim Willett. While in Body Talk she performed at the 1999 Texas Inauguration and also appeared on FOX News.

Aminya received dance scholarships from L.A. DANCEFORCE, Tremaine and L.A. Dance Magic. She enjoys training in Los Angeles at the Edge Performing Arts Center with Bill Prudich, Adam Parsons, Mandy Moore, Dee Caspary, Doug Caldwell, Tovaris, Roger Lee and Tabitha & Napoleon to name a few. In 2005 after graduating from Westwood High School, she received a scholarship from Tapestry Dance Academy.

Aminya loves working with kids and is studying to be an elementary school teacher. She is Quinton’s little sister, and also assists him with Rise Dance Company.

Dane Burch
Dance Instructor Specializing in Jazz/Technique

Dane was raised in northwest Oregon where he started dancing at the age of 10. After graduating high school he moved to Los Angeles on a scholarship to Edge Performing Arts Center. There he trained for a year, preparing him for the dance industry.

Dane has worked with many choreographers such as Michelle Johnson, Alex Magno, Malaya, JT Horenstein, Terri Best and many more. He has done work on the MTV Network, danced on the NBC show "American Dreams" and has performed and choreographed numerous live shows around the L.A. area. He just ended his 5 year run working with Tremaine Dance Conventions. For the past 2 years he has traveled California judging for Showstopper American Dance Championships. Dane is now teaching dance and choreographing for private studios. With a love for film, he is expanding his knowledge in the field of dance on film.

Dane now resides in Texas where he is dancing with the BHumn Dance Company, teaching, and seeing what is next in life.

Matt Shields
Dance Instructor Specializing in Tap

Matthew Ryan Shields has been among the dance world for over a decade. He has traveled to such places as New York, New Orleans, Orlando, Germany, Edmonton and Calgary to explore their dance scenes. Originally from the Toronto area, he is still eager to explore more of the globe, to share and add to his knowledge of the art form.

Matt has spent recent months in Calgary where he could be found training and performing with Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, and MADD Rhythms Canada, and teaching at local studios in the area. Matt has represented Canada at the national levels and has been recognized as one of the top three male performers in the world. He has spent time training privately with Heather Cornell, artistic director of the Manhattan Tap Company, and has volunteered at many dance showcases such as Calgary Cares 2004, Lilac Festival 2004, Christmas Baskets 2002 and Tribute to a Tragedy (9/11).

Matt is constantly looking for something new in the dance world to explore and learn and is a member of Tapestry Dance Academy. Matt is excited to join the faculty at The Dance Spot and is looking forward to a great first year.

Chris Barfield
Guest Teacher

Chris Barfield has been dancing since the age of 10. Starting off at Stephanie’s Dance Studio One in Katy, Texas, he moved to Austin and started dancing at Joyce Willet’s School of Dance. He has been dancing under the direction of Quinton Weathers and Cheryl Copeland, at The Dance Spot for the last two years and was a member of Rise Dance Company.

Chris graduated from Westwood High School where he was in the dance academy. He is formally trained in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop and salsa. Chris has received scholarships from Tremaine Dance Convention and was in the highest scoring senior group dance at Hall of Fame Challenge in Austin in 2008. At the age of 12, he was asked by Arletta Howard-Logan to play the part of Mowgli in the ballet version of “The Jungle Book” as well as a featured dancer in Randal Marks’ “Jazz and Tango” a few years later. Chris spent two weeks in Mexico in 2006 attending the Ballet de Monterrey for a very prestigious training. He has also been active in the musical theatre department at his school, performing in musicals such as “Seussical,” “Les Miserables,” and “The Boyfriend.” Some of his acting skills have been put to use in plays such as “The Fisherman and the Mermaid,” “Pinocchio,” and “Teen Drama,” the latter being a special new play for UT Connections.

Chris’ favorite style of dance is tap. He has two younger sisters, Caitlin and Michelle, who are both passionately involved in dance at The Dance Spot. As well as dancing and teaching, Chris would also like to pursue acting and singing on a professional level. We are proud to now have Chris as a part of our faculty!

Stacy Bratten
Guest Teacher

Stacy specializes in hip hop, break dance, jazz, and modern dance but is trained in all forms of dancing. She is originally from Kansas City, Kansas where she received most of her training as a kids at The Academy of Arts. She has also trained at Southlake Dance Academy in Southlake, Texas and Honolulu Dance Studio in Honolulu, HI.

Stacy moved to San Marcos, Texas at the age of 19, to continue her college education at Texas State University where she is a dance major and sociology minor, studying the modern dance technique of Erik Hawkins. Stacy is looking to graduate this December 2008.

Stacy participated in Harambee Dance Group Inc, holding office as President in 2007. Stacy was a member of the Born Ready Rockers, first all girl break dance crew in Texas. They place second in an All-styles free style battle at The Battle of the Alamo Jam in San Antonio in September 2007. She currently dances with Urban Transit Cru, located out of Austin, Texas, the only girl in a crew of 7 members. Stacy is very excited to be working with the staff and hard working dancers here at The Dance Spot.

Natalie Reid
Guest Choreographer

Natalie Reid was born and raised in Seattle, Washington where she trained at Turning Pointe Dance Centre. She recently graduated from Chapman University in Orange, California, with a degree in Public Relations and Advertising.

Her most recent credits include assisting Mia Michaels and Mandy Moore on the hit TV show So You Think You Can Dance. She is a member of Justin Giles' Soul Escape Dance Company and Mark Meismer's Evolution Dance Company. She trained with Anaheim Ballet during their 2007-2008 season performing Nutcracker and Serenade. She has also had the amazing opportunity to perform Dee Caspary's work at the New York City Elan Awards. She currently trains under Mandy Moore at Edge Performing Arts Center and has also performed her work at a variety of venues.

Damian "Dmoe" Gomez
Guest Choreographer

Damian "Dmoe" Gomez originated from the San Francisco bay area and started training with the dance group, "gen 2". After high school, he moved to pursue dance as a career in Los Angeles at the age of 18. Since then he has not only been able to pay his electric bills through dance, but also make a name for himself.

He has worked with various artist like Janet Jackson, Black Eyed Peas, Cheetah Girls, and Jessica Simpson. Aspiring to be a choreographer himself, he picked up his stuff in early 2007 and backpacked Europe teaching in almost every country he could. He was an assistant choreographer for Tabitha and Napoleon on a SYTYCD episode, co-choreographer for a "NLT" music video, and has his work showcased with Hannah Montana's "Mitchel Musso" (Oliver) for live performances. He is currently working on The Cheetah Girls "One World" Tour for the fall and winter of 2008.