JILL LYNCH - Owner |  | In 2006, Jill Lynch returned to the Sarasota area, after living in New York City for eight years. She graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City where she studied musical theater, dance, and acting from some of the top directors and choreographers in the country. She worked on Broadway productions such as "Night Must Fall" starring Matthew Broderick and had parts in several movies including "People I Know" starring Al Pacino and Kim Basinger. While living in New York City, Jill also managed a 16-million-dollar-a-year restaurant located in the heart of Times Square. She learned how to manage a staff of over 300 people, deal in public relations, as well as budgeting. Jill is a graduate of the pre-professional program, as well as the Children's Dance Project Teachers Training Program, including 120 hours of lectures, exams, skills test, and a 40-hour internship. She toured the country to assist in teaching Master Classes in Creative Movement. She has appeared in the dance educational Kiddance, Volume 2 DVD that is sold internationally. Her students have gone on to star in Broadway shows, television, and film. Jill has attended the Broadway Dance Center teacher convention for the past three past summers and has worked with choreographers such as Mia Michaels, Brian Friedman, Wade Robson, Chris Judd, Laurie Ann Gibson, and Dave Scott. She is accredited by the Broadway Dance Center and Dance Teacher Magazine. | | JENNIFER DUNLAP |  | Jennifer Dunlap's passion for dance is evident from the moment you meet her through watching one of her high energy ballet classes. She has been dancing since she was a lanky and athletic 5 year old, and her dancing career has many dimensions. From her love of classical leads such as Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker to local performances to give back to the community she was raised in. Jennifer's captivating repertory includes: Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow Queen, Dew Drop Fairy, Ballerina and Harlequin Dolls, Arabian Coffee, Russian Trepak, and Chinese Tea among others in her many performances in The Nutcracker. She was a founding member of a local civic Ballet Company and assisted in Guest Residencies at Jacksonville University. Whether leading performances as a dancer to Rehearsal Mistress or Ballet Director, Jennifer's ability to lead and mold young dancers has developed into a strong talent and passion over her 16 year teaching career. Jennifer has taken from legendary teacher David Howard, Isabel Garcia-Rose, Juan Sanchez, Joey Lynn Mann and many others. Jennifer inspires a whole body kinesthetic approach to an art form and strives to instill the same passion and enthusiasm in her students in every class. Legendary teachers Mark and Ginny Hendry are just some of the teachers who recognize Jennifer's teaching as inspiring. Jennifer received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida in Health Science. This background in science helps her teach her classes with an understanding of the body and how it works to extract the absolute best from her students. | | GEENA RAVELLA |  | Geena Ravella is originally from Schenectady, New York, where she began dancing in her family-owned dance studio, Danceworks Unlimited. She has been studying a wide variety of dance disciplines for twenty years, and began teaching and choreographing at the age of 14. She has choreographed numerous recital and competition numbers, several of which have received choreography awards and overall high score awards. After graduating from high school in 2002, she attended Bay Path College in Massachusetts, where she obtained her BA with honors in Legal Studies. While at Bay Path, Geena headed up the Dance Company during her entire college career, choreographed for the college’s annual Performing Arts Concert, taught the dance classes offered by the college under the direction of the Director of Performing Arts, Li Ciaglo, and also played many major roles in numerous college and community musical theatre productions in Northampton and Ludlow, Massachusetts. Some of these productions include: How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, Call Me Madam, Wonderful Town, Guys and Dolls, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Bells are Ringing. Geena was also the choreographer for Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. After graduating from Bay Path College in 2006, Geena moved to NYC where she was accepted into the MFA program at The New School for Drama, amongst 28 other students from around the world. While in New York City, she studied under many choreographers and movement teachers such as Lynn Schwab, Charles Goddertz, and Jay T. Geena has also studied Alan Wayne Movement with Brendan McCall, and Alexander Technique with Judith Grodowitz. She has also had a major role in the independent film Karma, and recently appeared on The Guiding Light. Geena is happy to be a part of the Stage Door family! | | THOMAS DEWAYNE BARRETT |  | Thomas Dewayne Barrett is an accomplished director, choreographer, dancer, singer and actor. As a performer he has toured all across the country in leading roles such as Rum Tum Tugger in "Cats," Bobby Child in "Crazy For You," Rooster in "Annie," Bobby in "A Chorus Line," Pharoah in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," Harry Beaton in "Brigadoon," Riff in "West Side Story," Hanna in "la Cage Aux Folles," Kenickie in "Grease," Eddie in "Damn Yankees," Lucky in "Dames at Sea," and Pat Gilbert in "State Fair." He has also performed around the world on cruise ships. Dewayne was a soloist and company member for both the Georgia Ballet Company and Atlanta Jazz Theatre. He has directed and choreographed "West Side Story," "Oliver," "Grease," "Damn Yankees," "Brigadoon," "A Chorus Line," "Annie," "Nunsense 1 and 2," "Annie Get Your Gun," "Dames at Sea" and "Joseph/Dreamcoat." Dewayne has choreographed for Six Flags in Georgia, Georgia Ballet, Atlanta Jazz Theatre, Niagara University, Georgia Tech University, Cumberland Summer Theatre, Golden Apple Dinner Theatre, Players Theatre, Fort Salem Theatre, Musicana Candelwood International, Silver Seas, Cunard, Royal Viking line, Seabourne, and NYK Cruises. He most recently choreographed "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Annie" in our local community, as well as "Lil' Abner" at the Golden Apple Dinner Theater. | | COURTNEY SMITH |  | Courtney Smith has been dancing for years unending, and wouldn’t have it any other way! Her passion and persistence lies in the world of modern dance and she is determined to perpetuate its existence, via her 5'2" frame, through performing, teaching and choreographing. A graduate of Booker High School, she received her BFA in Dance from the University of Florida in 2005. Throughout her career, she has performed the repertory works of Mark Haim, Pamela Pietro, Paul Matteson, Gerri Houlihan, Bill Doolin, Nicholas Leichter, Elsa Valbuena, Amy O’Neal, Cheng-Chieh Yu, and Peter Sciscioli. She has also performed with such companies as Moving Current Dance Collective, Michael Foley Dance, Fuzion Dance and Gaudere Danza. She is a teacher of various dance styles, all of which highlight the technical and efficient movement of the body within the artistry of individualism and self-expression. You can catch one of Courtney’s classes at various studios, high schools and colleges around southwest Florida. In 2006, she decided to put her vision of dance into action and created her own company Moving Ethos. Under the artistic direction of Courtney Smith and Leah Verier-Dunn, Moving Ethos has been designed to reflect the underlying sentiment of our culture through education, community outreach, and performances. With their style described as "very physical, cool, athletic, 3D movement" with a "prickly, emotional context" that combines the technical with the unexpected, this company continues to perform locally and nationally. Check it out on the web: Moving Ethos Dance Company. Courtney is delighted to have a footprint within this illustrious art form...even if it is mere a size 7. | | CELIA TORTELLI |  | Celia Mae Tortelli is an international instructor, teaching master classes in Italy and the United States. She graduated from Florida State University in 2006 where she was Executive and Co-Artistic Director of Phlava Hip Hop Dance Company that performed throughout Florida. Celia attended the Northern Westchester Center for the Arts in New York. She is trained in ballet, tap, and jazz and specializes in hip hop. Throughout her career, Celia has been involved in several musicals as a choreographer, dance captain and performer. She also was co-founder and choreographer of the John Jay Dance Squad. While living in New York, Celia trained at Broadway Dance in NYC and attended the Tremaine Dance Convention numerous times. She was also selected to perform audition choreography for the production of an off-Broadway musical in New York City. Celia taught hip hop classes at the Dance Palace in Sarasota, Florida where she was the founder and Artistic Director of HIPnotic Dance Company. The company performs regionally and Celia has received award recognition for her choreography. Now a faculty member at Stage Door Studios in Sarasota, Celia teaches hip hop classes to all ages. She is also an adjunct instructor at IMG Academies in Bradenton where she teaches hip hop to trained athletes. This past summer, Celia continued her training by attending the Pulse Teacher Convention in New York City and is accredited by Broadway Dance Center and Dance Teacher Magazine. | | JOLYN STEVENS |  | Jolyn Stevens started dancing at Northland School of Dance at the age of 3. Since then, she has studied jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical/contemporary, hip hop, acting and musical theatre. She continues to study and has attended workshops including NYCDA, JUMP, Dance Olympus, WCDE, Tappin' in the Twin Cities with Savion Glover, and studied at Broadway Dance Center in NYC. She has studied under many amazing teachers including Teresa Rolf, Corrie Rolf, Linda Purdy, Joe Lanteri, Suzie Taylor, Dan Karraty, Mia Michaels, Dee Caspary, and many more. Jolyn's performance experience includes productions of Buddy Holly, Wizard of Oz, Jekyll and Hyde, Les Miserables, and countless competitions and performances around the United States. Her dance group was also exclusively invited and performed at the Olympic Venues in Sydney, Australia at the 2000 Summer Olympics. Jolyn began her teaching career as an assistant teacher at the age of 13. She also toured with Dance Olympus as an assistant teacher for Corrie Rolf. Jolyn has had successful teaching positions at various studios throughout Utah, Minnesota, and Florida. She has received many awards for her own performances, as well as her students' successes. Jolyn and her husband moved to Florida 4 years ago and have two children. She is so happy to be a part of the Stage Door family and to teach all of these wonderful students. | | | NICOLE CALABRESE |  | Nicole Calabrese is originally from Long Island, New York, where her passion for dance started at the age of three. Since the age of 14, Nicole has taught numerous classes including ballet, competitive dance, funk, hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, modern, musical theatre, pointe, and specialized styles of tap. She has also had dancing roles in several musicals, performances, and she has won awards at both Regional and National Competitions, where Nicole was chosen, amongst 300 contestants, as top soloist at age 13 to tour around the country. Nicole has taken many classes with profound artists and choreographers such as Chebar Williams, Nick Lazzarini, Ryan Lohoff, and Wade Robson to name a few. She continues her dance training at Conventions and at out of state studios. Through her leadership as a teacher and choreographer, Nicole's students have earned PLATINUM awards as well as outstanding achievements such as Highest Overall Score, Broadway Bound, Creative Concept, Innovative Style, Awesome Isolations and Timing, and Best Choreography! Nicole has toured around Japan as a background dancer and choreographer for an upcoming pop duo. You can catch her working with them as well as other artists, such as Bubba Sparks on the E! channel, MTV, and My Super Sweet 16. Nicole has taught dance at local Kindergarten schools, as well as worked with children who have both physical and developmental disabilities; teaching them the fundamentals of dance and movement. Nicole is a certified teacher and Assistant Director of an after-school poms, cheer, and dance program throughout Sarasota County Schools. Now, as a faculty member of both Stage Door Studios and Stage Door Preschool, Nicole teaches cheer, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, poms, tap, and tumbling. Nicole believes that in life and dancing, you cannot take yourself too seriously, but instead have fun and enjoy the small victories. | | | KARI HEMBERGER |  | Kari Hemberger has been in love with dance her whole life. She's been dancing since the age of 3. When her family moved here from St. Pete Florida she continued training in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop, and acro-gymnastics. Throughout high school she continued dancing along with being on the Varsity Cheerleading and Dance teams. Her teams won many awards taking them as far as Mexico for a international title. After graduation, Kari began coaching cheerleading for the award winning Venice Pop Warner association. Kari also has her Child Development Associates Degree and worked at the YMCA in their VPA Program along with coaching her own All Star Cheerleading team through the YMCA. She continues to dance now with the HIPnotic Dance Crew here at Stage Door Studios and is also a teacher at Stage Door Preschool of the arts! Kari is very excited to be part of the Stage Door family! | | | JAYDE HOWARD |  | Jayde Howard is an internationally recognized dance figure as a master teacher, choreographer and performer. Active in the commercial field, he has worked with such celebrities as: Taylor Dayne, The CoverGirls, Indecent Xposure, the LA Laker Girls and European singing sensation Kristine W. He has also taught and choreographed for award-winning dance teams, professional dance companies and numerous pageants including finalists for the Miss Florida and Miss America scholarship pageants. Mr. Howard has received many accolades for his choreography including the prestigious DIAMOND award at the Spotlight Dance Cup. As an actor/singer/dancer, Mr. Howard has appeared in theater, cabaret, Las Vegas , cruise ships, theme parks and television. His Broadway and London credits include: Cats (Mr. Mistoffles), Fosse (lead dancer), Chicago, Chorus Line (Paul) and 42nd Street. He was also featured in performances of the Boston Ballet and a member of BOP; a London based jazz dance company and RiverNorth in Chicago. He has been a faculty member and guest artist at prestigious conventions, schools and other institutions throughout the United States, the Caribbean and Europe. Mr. Howard is also a member of Actor's Equity Association (NYC) and Dance Masters of Florida. Mr. Howard is proud of the many students who have received numerous scholarships and awards to world- renowned Broadway Dance Center (NYC), The Edge (LA), The Joffrey, Miami City Ballet, Orlando Ballet and others. His students have pursued careers in professional ballet and jazz companies, theme parks, theater, Las Vegas, cruise lines, music videos, commercials industrials, and television. | | JUSTINE COULON |  | As a "teacher of teachers," Justine Coulon is known throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico as well as Europe and Australia as a Master Teacher; knowledgeable in the areas of pedagogy, choreography, methodology, anatomy, and
kinesiology, She is also well educated in all facets of dance including classical ballet, pointe, tap, lyrical dance and jazz. During her professional career, Ms. Coulon danced with the Circle Ballet, Connecticut Ballet Company, With Timbrel and Dance, Gus Giordano's Jazz Dance Chicago and created her own tap/jazz company the Coulon Dance Consortium. As the owner and Artistic Director of Centre Danse Academie, she influenced many students who went on to careers in performing and choreography in such places as the Argentina Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, New Haven Ballet, Boston Ballet, and the University of Oklahoma. Ms. Coulon has also taught for many organizations including the Dance Masters of America, National Association of Dance and Affiliated Artists, New Jersey Commission on the Arts, Trinity College, Spirit of Tap, and many others. Known for bringing the "fun" back into dance classes, her outstanding teaching talents have been recognized as well as her choreographic artistry. Ms. Coulon has also adjudicated many scholarship auditions and competitions and has been a positive influence on many young lives. Expanding into other artistic areas, she has written a syllabus The Coulon Concepts combining well-known techniques with her own ideas concerning dance curriculum and she is the CEO of Coulon Creations where she designs and executes innovative dance costumes for use here at Stage Door Studios. | | | JULIE HAMILTON |  | Bio coming soon! |
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