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Dance To EvOLvE

Our Friendly Teachers

We take our mission seriously ‘to evolve our students through dance while creating heart-warming smiles!’ This means great, highly trained teachers.

Hello Parents and Dancers!

Our Friendly Dance Teachers

We take our mission seriously ‘to evolve our students through dance while creating heart-warming smiles!’ This means great, highly trained dance teachers.  I hand pick them based on their teaching background, dance experience, charisma, and professionalism.  New EvOLvE teachers must also complete teacher training before taking on their own dance classes and all are required to complete yearly Dance To EvOLvE professional development workshops.  This continuous training ensures that our teachers are always growing and improving, which is what I believe sets our company apart. 

Our teachers also follow the copyrighted EvOLvE curriculum which gives enough flexibility for the teacher to adapt to specific class needs while also utilizing their own teaching strengths. The curriculum also ensures that all classes are learning progressive, age appropriate movement and technique.  Although all our teachers follow the same class structure and format, they obviously have different personalities and teaching styles that will suit different dancers.  Please read the bios below and feel free to call us to help you find the right class and teacher for your dancer!

BRITTANY WHITE

EvOLvE Director

Brittany has over twenty years of teaching experience, a diverse dance background, and lived and danced in five countries.  Studying with acclaimed dance instructors, she attended Gus Giordano Jazz Chicago and was awarded a dance scholarship from the nationally recognized dance program at the University of Arizona.  She directed Ceroc Dance in London, the largest UK partner dance company.  Brittany was a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin, Africa and attended graduate school at Hawaii Pacific University to earn a Masters in Business Administration.

She has recently relocated to the Cleveland area with her husband after spending 14 years in San Diego, where Brittany started Dance To EvOLvE in 2008.  This included the unique Dance To EvOLvE program, a student-directed leadership dance program that develops dancers’ character, life-skills, and creativity through dance.  Brittany creates a positive and dynamic class, combined with heartfelt energy, excitement, and a love for teaching.  She teaches with a passion, realizing the direct impact dance has made on her character and professional career.  Brittany teaches a diverse range of classes including jazz, contemporary, tap, ballet, and hip-hop from tiny tots to adults.

Parent’s Corner:  “Miss B, you are just the best teacher. I feel like I have found Juilliard for my 4-year old. 🙂 I am telling all my friends as EvOLvE is the best program.”  -A Mom Of A 4-Year Old In Our Children’s Dance Classes

Laura Hankey Headshot

Laura H.

Coordinator

Originally from Pennsylvania, Laura Hankey began her dance training with the New Castle Regional Ballet Company at age 4. There, she performed in their yearly production of The Nutcracker as well as various Spring performances including Snow White, The Secret Garden and Cinderella. She continued her training throughout college when she began working as an instructor for Center Stage Dance Academy. 

She then moved to Ohio where she began teaching and performing with Cleveland Modern Ballet. Since then she has performed with multiple dance companies such as Ohio Dance Theatre, Verb Ballets, Cleveland Dance Project, and most recently, North Pointe Ballet. Laura has over a decade of teaching experience including a teacher training with The Dancing Wheels Company & School in physically integrated dance.  She is excited to bring her passion for dance and education to Dance To EvOLvE!

Parent’s Corner:   “Miss Laura is GREAT! 🙂  She is so patient with the girls.  Just watching them rehearse you realize how much they have learned.  Thank you!”  -A Mom Of A 5-Year Old Star Shiner

Julia H.

Teacher

Julia, a current BFA Dance Performance major at Kent State University is from Rochester, New York and has been dancing since the age of three.  She is trained in ballet, tap, hip hop, jazz, modern, and contemporary. She has also trained as a teaching assistant for six years at the Elite Studio of Dance in Fairport, New Yok. She is now a member of the Kent Dance Ensemble, the university’s pre-professional dance company. During her tenure at Kent, she has performed in faculty, student, guest artist pieces, and has had the opportunity to perform at Playhouse Square.

She has also had the opportunity to participate in Garth Fagan’s Summer Movement Intensive in Rochester, NY and The School of the Toronto Dance Theatre’s Summer Intensive. Julia is so excited to help little ones grow to be beautiful dancers and beautiful people through the classes and mission of Dance To EvOLvE!

 

Kate J.

Teacher

Kate is a native of the Youngstown area, and has been dancing for 30 years and has 17 years of teaching experience. She is trainedphoto in many facets of dance including: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical, and Production. Through the years she has attended classes at the Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway,Tremaine and New York City Dance Alliance workshops

She has competed in competitions around the country, and coached several Competition Teams throughout Northeast Ohio area. Her musical theater background has given her the opportunity to choreograph several musicals, plays, and productions. She was also a member of the Universal Dance Association where she would teach dance camps across the region. Her passion and love for the art is reflective in her teaching style. 

Elizabeth B.

Teacher

Elizabeth is continually finding the story she is given to express in her dancing. She has developed her skills as a dancing artist through training in Inlet Dance Theater’s ITAP program, dancing for North Pointe Ballet, and being in Benedictine College’s theaterdepartment performances where she graduated Magna cum Laude with her bachelors in Theater Arts and Theology.
Through her love of theater, Elizabeth loves to build the world of the play (or Ballet) inside each character she portrays in performance or creates in her own choreography for her students. Some of her favorite dance experiences are taking classes at the Kansas City Ballet, being able to share the stage with her sister professionally, and directing an original ballet for her senior project: Olga Nikolevna Romanova.

Ameeya S.

Teacher

Ameeya is a fourth-year undergraduate at Case Western Reserve University double majoring in dance and nutritional biochemistry and  metabolism. Prior to her undergraduate career, Ameeya studied various styles of dance, including the Cecchetti method of ballet, jazz, tap, acro, contemporary, and hip hop at All About Dance! by Kristen, located in Stow, Ohio. She also participated in competitive dance, giving her the opportunity to attend a multitude of conventions, competitions, and workshops with industry professionals and artists. At CWRU, Ameeya trains heavily in modern dance and ballet.

She is Co-President of Mather Dance Collective (MaDaCol) and has performed in several MFA thesis concerts and faculty/guest artist concerts with CWRU’s Department of Dance, dancing works by Tingting Zhou, Shannon Sterne, Karen Opper, Larry Keigwin, and Yizhen Hu. Most recently, she had the opportunity to train with Gibney Dance Company during their summer intensive in New York City. Ameeya is so excited to help her students grow as performers and humans through the wonderful art of dance!

Leah V.

Teacher

Leah is from Cleveland, Ohio where she began training in dance at a very young age. She studied under Artistic Director, Joanne Morscher at the Royal School of Ballet and then moved to Lisa Wilhem Academy of Dance where she performed many pieces of choreography by Artour Bajanov as a member of the Civic Ballet of Cleveland. Leah has danced in many roles in both the Nutcracker and Swan Lake in addition to performing in various ballet productions at Playhouse Square.

Leah went on to study Dietetics and Food and Environmental Nutrition at the University of Akron and graduated in 2012.  While she attended the University of Akron, Leah performed as a member of The University of Akron Dance Team. This was an amazing opportunity where she was able to perform during NCAA games in places such as Chicago and was even featured on ESPN.  

Currently, Leah works full time as a Marketing Account Manager for Marriott International and looks forward to spending Saturday mornings helping to create many wonderful experiences and cherished memories for her students.

Shaun F.

Teacher

Shaun is a sophomore at Case Western Reserve studying Marketing and Theater. He has been studying and teaching dance for years in both Cleveland and back in Houston. His most recent teaching experience was choregraphing two musicals for the CWRU Footlighters Theater Organization, She Loves Me and The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Before college, he spent years competing for the Houston Performing Arts Company even winning first place and second place at Starquest Nationals along with numerous other regional and national competitions. He is incredibly excited to return to his passion of teaching young students and instilling them with a love for the art of dance.

Coral O.

Teacher

Coral was a dancer at Seton Hill University Dance Academy throughout high school where she trained in: ballet, jazz, hip-hop, pointe, musical theatre, and modern. She continued her dance education at Slippery Rock University before transferring to Seton Hill University for her bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration. At Slippery Rock University, Coral joined the dance team, the Rocklettes, her freshman year as well as performing in the Senior Synthesis Concert and the annual 60×60 concert.

Once at Seton Hill University, Coral became a part of the SHU Cheer Squad as well as a member of the Dance Club. Coral has trained with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, BuildaBeast, and the Millennium Complex Los Angeles. She is a member of the Cleveland Dance Project, and with them has performed in various styles such as contemporary, hip-hop, and jazz.

Auto-Renewal & Registration Details Semester Option

10% DISCOUNT Semester Auto-Renewal Registration: (This option is only valid at the beginning of a semester as it is not prorated.) Dancers’ registration continues semester to semester until family requests to switch to monthly enrollment or to cancel. Cancellation notifications must be submitted to the EvOLvE office via email prior to the next semester as the credit card on file will be automatically charged prior to the next semester starting. Kid’s dance class cancellation requests cannot be submitted to teachers. NO REFUNDS after the payment has been processed.

Auto-Renewal & Registration Details Monthly Auto-Renewal Option

Monthly Auto-Renewal Registration: Dancers’ registration continues each month until family requests to switch to semester enrollment or to cancel. Minimum dance class enrollment is one month. Cancellation notifications must be submitted to the EvOLvE office via email prior to the 25th of the next month as the credit card on file will be automatically charged around the 28th of each month. Dance class cancellation requests cannot be submitted to teachers. NO REFUNDS after the payment has been processed. Billed monthly on the 28th of each month. Monthly charge will vary depending if it is a 3, 4 or 5-week month.

Registration Details for Kid's Dance Class

  • Although payment is organized in semesters or sessions, classes are designed to be progressive and ongoing throughout the year. Simply re-register session to session.
  • If paying at the front desk, credit cards, check or exact cash are accepted.
  • Please note that the City recreation center does not prorate if registering for the dance class late. Take advantage of our flexible make-up policy if you missed a class at the beginning of a session.
  • A dancer's spot in the dance class is only secured with payment as enrollment is first come, first served through the San Diego recreation center. No dancer can participate in a class without payment. You must re-register your dancer from session to session (or semester to semester) to secure their spot in the progressive dance class.
  • Q&A - Additional Dance Lesson Policies - Including Class Make-Up Policy

Auto-Renewal & Registration Details Semester Option

10% DISCOUNT Semester Auto-Renewal Registration: (This option is only valid at the beginning of a semester as it is not prorated.) Dancers’ registration continues semester to semester until family requests to switch to monthly enrollment or to cancel. Cancellation notifications must be submitted to the EvOLvE office via email prior to the next semester as the credit card on file will be automatically charged prior to the next semester starting. Kid’s dance class cancellation requests cannot be submitted to teachers. NO REFUNDS after the payment has been processed.

Auto-Renewal & Registration Details Monthly Auto-Renewal Option

Monthly Auto-Renewal Registration:

Dancers’ registration continues each month until family requests to switch to semester enrollment or to cancel. Minimum dance class enrollment is one month. Cancellation notifications must be submitted to the EvOLvE office via email prior to the 25th of the next month as the credit card on file will be automatically charged around the 28th of each month. Dance class cancellation requests cannot be submitted to teachers. NO REFUNDS after the payment has been processed. Billed monthly on the 28th of each month. Monthly charge will vary depending if it is a 3, 4 or 5-week month.

Registration Details for Kid's Dance Class

  • Although payment is organized in semesters or sessions, classes are designed to be progressive and ongoing throughout the year. Simply re-register session to session.
  • If paying at the front desk, credit cards, check or exact cash are accepted.
  • A dancer's spot in the dance class is only secured with payment as enrollment is first come, first served through the location. No dancer can participate in a class without payment. You must re-register your dancer from session to session (or semester to semester) to secure their spot in the progressive dance class.
  • Q&A - Additional Dance Lesson Policies - Including Class Make-Up Policy

Auto-Renewal & Registration Details Semester Option

10% DISCOUNT Semester Auto-Renewal Registration: (This option is only valid at the beginning of a semester as it is not prorated.) Dancers’ registration continues semester to semester until family requests to switch to monthly enrollment or to cancel. Cancellation notifications must be submitted to the EvOLvE office via email prior to the next semester as the credit card on file will be automatically charged prior to the next semester starting. Kid’s dance class cancellation requests cannot be submitted to teachers. NO REFUNDS after the payment has been processed.

Auto-Renewal & Registration Details Monthly Auto-Renewal Option

Monthly Auto-Renewal Registration: Dancers’ registration continues each month until family requests to switch to semester enrollment or to cancel. Minimum dance class enrollment is one month. Cancellation notifications must be submitted to the EvOLvE office via email prior to the 25th of the next month as the credit card on file will be automatically charged around the 28th of each month. Dance class cancellation requests cannot be submitted to teachers. NO REFUNDS after the payment has been processed. Billed monthly on the 28th of each month. Monthly charge will vary depending if it is a 3, 4 or 5-week month.