Our Friendly 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 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
Kate J.
Teacher
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
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 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.
