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.

Ann Powell
Dance Instructor Specializing in Kids 'N' Motion and Mothers Day Out

Ann Powell began dancing at age two, learning hula while living in Hawaii. She went on to learn traditional western forms of dance, such as ballet, tap and jazz, after returning to Texas. She discovered Middle Eastern Dance as an adult, and began performing and teaching professionally.

Ann has been teaching children’s dance in the Austin area since 1998. She now teaches dance, theater, music and art and is known for her creative, fun and educational preschool and early elementary classes.

Watch out! She might show up for class dressed as a pirate, cowboy, or even a clown. Ann believes in treating all students, even the tiniest ones (or the most middle-aged), with respect, dignity, and patience.

Elizabeth Sterling
Dance Instructor Specializing in Ballet

Elizabeth Sterling started training in classical ballet at the age of 15 at the Faubourg School of Ballet in Hanover Park, IL. At the age of 17 she came under the mentorship of Patti Eylar and continued training on scholarship at Chicago Ballet Arts under Amy Rose, Calvin Kitten, and many other accomplished professionals.

In 2007-2008 she danced and toured with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago as a seasonal dancer for their production of "Giselle" and also was a company member with the Madison Ballet of Wisconsin.

This past year she has studied a variety of dance forms, such as modern and jazz along with ballet on scholarship at the Lou Conte Dance Studio of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. She moved to Texas recently to continue to pursue her dance career and to be with her fiancé. Elizabeth loves teaching all ages and is thrilled to have the opportunity to share her passion with her students!

Stephanie Patrick
Dance Instructor Specializing in Tap, Jazz, Ballet and Hip Hop

Stephanie is an Austin, Texas native! She began her dance training at age three, and added musical theatre to her skills list at age seven. From 1997–2003 she was a member of Austin Musical Theatre’s Junior Company, and performed in many of their professional musicals, including The Music Man, Oliver!, and the touring production of The Wizard of Oz. She majored in drama at the University of Oklahoma, where she continued her dance training and began teaching tap lessons.

Stephanie focused her college summers on dance, training in Austin and at Steps on Broadway in New York City under Derick Grant, Lynn Schwab, Barbara Duffy, Andrew Nemr and others. After graduating in December 2008, Stephanie moved to Los Angeles and continued her dance training at The Edge. Upon graduation, Stephanie continued her training in Los Angeles at The Edge for six months before moving to Austin and beginning her career as a dance teacher.

Trevor Parmentier
Dance Instructor Specializing in Hip Hop

Trevor Parmentier was born and raised in Orange County, California where he began dancing at the age of 10. Training and dancing along side many top choreographers in the industry, Trevor was blessed to take away valuable instruction from some of the best dancers and used it to translate it into his own expression of Hip-hop!

He has performed, choreographed and taught for several hip hop crews and studios like Velocity Dance Troupe, Future Shock Los Angeles, Urban Transit, Alisa's Dance Academy and Redefined Dance Company. We are excited to have Trevor on faculty at The Dance Spot now.

Jamie Schieve
Dance Instructor Specializing in Ballet

Jaimie Schieve received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from the University of North Texas in 2010 and was a member of the dance honors society Chi Tau Epsilon. She grew up in Austin and began dancing at the age of three at the Shirley McPhail School of Dance where she was a part of their performing company from 1996-2005. She also studied with Ballet Austin as a part of their summer intensive program in 2002 and was asked to return for the intensive in 2003.

While at North Texas, Jaimie had the opportunity to work with Edmond 'Angel' Giles of Dallas Black Dance Theatre when she was cast in his piece, "No More Dry Tears", in 2009. She performed in three adjudicated pieces at the American College Dance Festival (2007, 2009, and 2010) choreographed by Mary Lynn Babcock, Edmond ‘Angel’ Giles, and Shelley Cushman. She has also performed at both the Fort Worth and Dallas museums of modern art as well as several student and faculty choreographed concerts at UNT. Jaimie also attended the American Dance Festival January Intensive in New York City in 2010 where she had the opportunity to study under people such as Ishmael Houston-Jones, John Jasperse, and Bill Evans.

Since moving back to Austin from the DFW area in 2010, Jaimie has performed a solo work choreographed by Ellie Leonhardt at the Dougherty Arts Center for “An Evening of Modern Dance” hosted by the Armstrong-Bergeron Dance Company. Jaimie is currently a company member of Borealis Dance with founder and artistic director Danielle Ricci. She loves that her education as a dancer is never finished and strives to continue growing every day.

GUEST CHOREOGRAPHERS/TEACHERS

Katelyn Harris
Guest Choreographer/Teacher

Katelyn grew up in Dallas, TX and has trained in many forms of dance including tap, jazz, ballet, modern, and hip-hop. In addition to her Dallas education she has also trained with Michelle Latimer in Denver, NYC’S Broadway Dance Center and Steps, as well as Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles. She is currently a member of Tapestry Dance Company.

Through her work with Tapestry she has been very fortunate to learn from such masters as Jeni LeGon, Harold Cromer, Brenda Buffalino, Sarah Petronio, Arthur Duncan, Dianne Walker, and of course, Tapestry’s artistic director, Acia Gray. She is currently touring with the company in their production of The Souls of Our Feet which was selected for a grant by the NEA; American Masterpieces in Dance.

Jessica Hendricks
Guest Choreographer/Teacher

Jess Hendricks graduated from the University of Colorado with a BFA in Dance. Her training consisted of summers at Perry Mansfield School of the Performing Arts, American Dance Festival, Harvard Dance Festival, EDGE Scholarship, Gus Giordano and Hubbard Dance Street.

Her credits include commercials and industrials for Godiva, Loreal, Reebok, Toys R Us, Universal Studios, Volkswagon and Warner Brothers. Jess has worked on the tours of HAIR, Grease and Jesus Christ Superstar as Dance Captain, performed for the opening premiers of Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby and can be seen in such movies as Living Out Loud and Between The Sheets. She has danced in or been the assistant choreographer to the Elan Awards, Bob Fosse Awards, Ms. America Pageant, Carnival, Dance Break and Broadway Bares. Jess has choreographed the New York musicals “The Shaggs”, “The Book Of The Dun Cow” and “Dead City” as well as the movie musical “Free Fall” and the music video “Just A Dress” for the Berlin Film Festival.

Jess recently choreographed European artist Sofia Strati’s music video “Mia Agapi Fotia” in New York for eurovision. Jess has taught at universities and festivals throughout Costa Rica, Cyprus, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Norway and the United States. She has danced with “The Wes Veldink Movement”, co-created her own company “Two Peas & A Pod” and has recently moved from New York City to co-direct a performing arts center in Dallas, Texas..

Kate Jablonski
Guest Choreographer/Teacher

Kate Jablonski began her professional career training in New York City as a member of Broadway Dance Center's Professional Program. Under the direction of Wes Veldink, this scholarship program allowed Kate to work alongside some of the greatest teachers and choreographers on the east coast.

Kate is currently the owner and artistic director of Beyond Words Dance Company. She recently choreographed the 2009 All-State production of Hairspray, which debuted at the Krannert Center at the University of Illinois this past January. In 2007, Kate was honored with the Silver Choreography Award at Leo's Competitive Event through Jazz Dance World Congress.

Most recently, Kate was honored to be chosen as a finalist in the Capezio Ace Award for Choreographic Excellence. We are excited to have Kate come to Texas to work with RISE!

Adriana Ray
Guest Choreographer/Teacher

Adriana Ray began her dance training at the age of 2. A native of San Antonio, Texas, she studied at Pat Holbrook’s Dance Center and later at Earle Cobb Dance Studio. At this 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.

Adriana has also had the opportunity to learn choreography from legendary tap dancers. 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 dancing with Tapestry Dance Company and is a student at the University of Texas at Austin.

Emily Shock
Guest Choreographer/Teacher

Emily is a contemporary choreographer from Oklahoma. Her main goal as an educator is to help students use their voice to tell their most personal stories. She believes that dance is the most effective and natural way of self-expression.

Her teaching builds on that foundation of intimate honesty. Emily thinks the best dancing in the world takes place in the classroom, and that is where she spends all of her time.

Emily has her own studio dance studio Applause Studios and a new professional company, The Sparrow Dance Company.

Andrew Winghart
Guest Choreographer/Teacher

Andrew began dancing at the age of 6 at his local studio, and started seriously training at the age 9 with Accent on Dance Studios in Waukesha,Wisconsin. After training and competing at conventions nationwide throughout highs school, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a dance career while also studying at the University of Southern California on a full academic scholarship.

A faculty member on Adrenaline Dance Conventions, Andrew spends his weekends traveling with Justin Giles, Matt Cady, Chris Jacobsen, Marty Kudelka, Caroline Lewis-Jones, and Chris Dupre. Since moving to Los Angeles he has performed for Justin Giles in Carnival and Tessandra Chavez’s “Traffic”. Most recently, Andrew was lucky enough to debut his work on the Carnival stage in February to which the Industry Voice Newsletter described his work as “monumental, genius, technical, ridiculous, prodigious, gigantic, etc.” This summer you can find Andrew teaching at various dance intensives across the country as well as fulfilling his lifetime dream by joining Justin Giles’ SoulEscape! We are thrilled to have RISE work with Andrew.

OFFICE STAFF

Kara Martinez
Office Manager

Kara Martinez was born and raised in Killeen, Texas where she began her dancing career. While living in Killeen she danced for ten years at Dance Extreme‘s top company. She also participated as a member and officer on the Harker Heights High School Crimson Belles drill team.

After high school Kara received a dance scholarship to McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. While at McLennan she was able to compete at the highest level of collegiate dance, reaching second place at National Dance Alliance in 2005. Kara then transferred to the University of Texas at Austin. At UT Kara was a member of the UT dance team, as well as the executive director for the 2008-2009 school year. She graduated from UT with a BA in Theatre and Dance and a minor in Kinesiology with honors.

Kara now teaches at MA Dance Project in Cedar Park, the office manager at The Dance Spot in Round Rock and also works at Capezio. Kara has been immersed in dance for eighteen years and it is a passion of hers that she emulates in her teaching.