Dance101

Classes: Intro to Lyrical Hip Hop & Intro to Afro Beats
@dasias

Dasia Satchell was born and raised in Dayton, OH. She began her training with the Impressions Dance Studio at the age 14, where she had the desire to be a dancer that was overly strong in all styles of dance. As she grew as an artist she wanted to share her passion with others in the form of teaching. She helped train and choreograph for many dancers and studios in the Dayton, OH area for years, but wanted to broaden her horizons. So she enrolled into the University of the Arts, where she graduated with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts in 2017. While attending the University she was trained in african, contemporary, hip hop (house, locking, popping, and waacking), modern, ballet, jazz, tap, and aerial.

Classes: Music Videography, Heel & Now

Born and raised in New Jersey, Kimmie Gee always loved to perform. From high school musicals to winning local talents shows she decided to pursue dance professionally. Her passion led her to the NBA for three seasons as a Philadelphia 76ers Dancer. She moved to Atlanta with hopes of furthering her career in the entertainment industry. In 2009 Kimmie auditioned for Beyonce’s I Am World Tour and has been touring alongside Bey ever since. 

Classes: Tap (beginner & intermediate levels)

Barry Thomas received his B.A. in dance at the prestigious Butler University. Several seasons in summer stock found him with his first job in New York and the world famous Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. After numerous shows in and around New York, Michael Bennett cast Mr. Thomas in the role of Don Kerr for the Broadway and International Company of A Chorus Line. He performed with the company for a year, where they eventually headed for Atlanta.

Class: Hip Hop Underground
@naomi.james_

Born in Fort Bragg, NC to a British mother and an American father; Naomi is a Choreographer, Fitness Professional, Creative, Teacher and Coach. In 2008, Naomi graduated from Bodywork Company Dance Studios, Cambridge, UK with a Level 6 (Bachelor Degree) in Dance. After working in London, she moved to Atlanta in 2010 to continue her professional career in dance. Naomi is known for her exuberant spirit and fun loving personality.

Classes: Dance Fitness & Barre Intensity
@katiebrittdance

Katie Britt has a Bachelors in Musical Theatre and is an ACE® certified Group Fitness Instructor and Functional Movement Specialist.  Before all the degrees and titles though, Katie grew up dancing - first at a classical ballet company through age fourteen, then expanding horizons with forays into ballroom, jazz, and even Irish step dance.  

Classes: Hip Hop Fit, Latin Fiesta & Fuego!

D. Norris is a native of Atlanta, GA. He obtained a degree in Business Management from Alabama State Univ. He started choreographing in high school. D. has choreographed and danced for numerous theater and stage performances across the globe, including Miami, San Diego, Montreal and Mexico. He has worked with various artists, including Mary Mary and Dirk Chaney (R.I.P.). Culture Shock Atlanta, Infinite Movement Dance, CHOSEN and Contagious Entertainment are among the dance companies he’s been affiliated.

Class: Whine It Up
@whineupfit

Evelyn "Queenie" Brown has been on the dancehall scene as a professional dancers for more than a decade. With a need to move, she initiated a dance team at her high school and hasn't stopped since. 

Queenie has performed with reggae and dancehall artists like Elephant Man, Sotto Blessed and local Atlanta artists. She is constantly featured at local festivals, carnival and fetes. Wherever there is a dancehall song with a good groove playing - she's there!

Classes: Jazz Roulette, Burlesque Jazz, Lyrical Jazz and Turns, Jumps & Leaps
@caitlingraycreative

Born in NYC, Caitlin Gray's diverse background, which includes dance, gymnastics and circus arts, has made her a much sought-after teacher and choreographer. She believes that teaching is an integral part of giving back to the dance community and has taught master classes all over the U.S. and abroad, including South Africa, United Kingdom, U.A.E., Turkey, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada and Australia. 

Class: MADD-X Fitness (dance fitness)

Kevin is an established fitness instructor, originator of MADD-X Fitness, Hip Hop choreographer, founder and Executive Director of Culture Shock® Atlanta (a nationally recognized professional hip-hip dance organization that, among other things, produced some of Dance 101's most popular dance teachers: Elaina Whitehead, Kevin Tyson, D Norris and Jeremy McShan). Kevin is considered the most influential pioneer of Dance Fitness in Atlanta, being one of the first trained dance professionals to cross over into fitness.

Class: JazzWerks & Lyrical
@cassandrasprings

Cassandra Pappy Springs is a business owner, choreographer,  and dance educator from Charlotte, North Carolina. Her breadth of dance experience has given her the opportunity to train and work with teachers, choreographers, dance teams, and studios across the nation. She received her early dance training from a competitive dance studio in North Carolina and went on to pursue a dance education degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. 

Class: Contemporary Expressions
@mmperry1

Meghan is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University, where she earned her B.A. in Musical Theatre. She has danced professionally at The Lost Colony and as a street performer at Hard Rock Theme Park. She has attended the University of South Carolina’s Summer Dance Conservatory as well as training at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Since moving back down south Meghan has taught various dance styles in her home state of South Carolina and is excited to continue her teaching and dance career at Dance101. 

Classes: On Broadway, Latin Jazz & Jukebox

Ricardo is a professional director and choreographer for theater, industrials, and televised specials. Most recent theater credits include: Kiss of the Spider Woman (Actors Express), Ain't Misbehavin' (Atlanta Lyric Theatre), The Buddy Holly Story (Georgia Ensemble), Altar Boyz (Horizon Theatre), How I Became a Pirate (Theatre in the Square), Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer (Center For Puppetry Arts), Kiss me, Kate, Annie Get Your Gun, The Dinosaur Musical, (Aurora Theatre),

Class: Tap Repertoire
@slaytuhn

Christina is originally from Charleston, SC and is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. After 10 years of being based in Brooklyn, NY, she has made her way back down south, this time to Atlanta! With a passion for Musical Theatre and Immersive Arts, her classes focus on technique and musicality, all while exploring one’s inner connection and personal style.

Classes: Dancer's Stretch & Conditioning, Jazz It Up & The Dance Fundamentals Workshop

Though a passion for dance has been with her since childhood, it wasn't until the age of 34 (in 1991), after the birth of her second child, that Ofelia de La Valette found her second calling through dance. After 10 years of intensive training in jazz, hip hop, ballet and modern, she was asked to teach an adult beginner jazz class at Emory University. Having learned to dance so late in life, Ofelia developed a unique method of teaching dance to adults in accordance with how adults process and apply information (very differently than how kids learn). 

Classes: King of Hearts (int. hip hop) & J-Roc (beg. hip hop)
@jrocliving_

Jared was born April 1, 1990. Inspired by street dancers and poppers he started dancing at the age of 11, and that’s when Jared and his brother came up with the crew name Royal Flush. Throughout the years he continued to grow as a dancer and choreographer, despite the negative comments from his parents and his high school basketball coach. Now Jared has danced and choreographed for singing groups and danced in many videos.

Class: Intro to Ballet Barre
@lara_dances

Lara Davis has danced professionally with The Georgia Ballet, Watershed Dance Theatre, Dance Canvas, and Refuge Dance Company. She trained at the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance in Roswell, Georgia where she was a member of the student company, Roswell Dance Theatre (RDT), for 8 years. As a member of RDT, she received training in ballet, pointe, Horton and Graham modern, jazz, and contemporary. During the summers, she trained with American Ballet Theatre, The Rock School, Joffrey Ballet NYC, Joffrey Ballet South, Dance Canvas, METdance Houston, Point Park University, Colorado Conservatory of Dance, the National Choreography Intensive, and the 2012 Georgia Governor’s Honors Program as a Dance Major.

Class: Q It Up (hip hop)
@qharper1

Q Harper, known for his diversity and footwork, has amazed crowds while preforming with Royal Flush. He showed off his wide range of styles, while performing on MTV's Americas Best Dance Crew. His combination of B-Boying, hip- hop choreography, and original tricks, has given him the opportunity to work with many artist such as T-Pain. He has performed on multiple TV programs, and taught at some of the top studios across the US. His down to earth charm, versatility, and experiences, have molded him into the well rounded creative he is today.

Class: Serpentine (bellydance)
@erinrichardson76

Erin first fell in love with Bellydancing watching the famous Bidasha Twins perform at a wedding. Captivated by this mesmerizing, sexy, snake-like dance, she began her Turkish Egyptian training at Nazeem Allal Studio here in Atlanta. Over the years, she has found a love for the American Tribal Style, which has a blend of Traditional, Greek, Latin, Gypsy, West African, Asian and Bolly. Her musical journey takes you from Middle-Eastern, Flamenco, Reggae, Dub, to Trap, Hip Hop and Elecrtronica.

Class: AfroBeats 
@__nia_nicole

Dancing has always been second nature for Nia Nicole. While Raised in Orlando, Florida. Nia Nicole tapped in many outlets. From sports, cheer and mainly dance. She began teaching Hip Hop in high school. Proceeding as an adult, Nia Nicole has taught a wide range from kids to adults over the years. She has professionally trained and performed with Culture Shock San Diego dance company. While on tour with Worldwide Afrobeat choreographer Sayquon Keys, she grew a love and passion for sharing AfroBeats with others.

Classes: Hip Hop 101 & Hip Hop 201
@johnjamesdancexfit

John James is a native of Atlanta, GA whose life has centered around music and dance.

Since birth, John has been surrounded by vocalists, producers, and musicians which naturally helped him develop both a love and understanding for the entertainment industry. At a young age he studied instrumentation and music performance from some of the best directors in the southeastern United States. After becoming a singer/artist at age 16, John realized that his truelove lie in dance.

Classes: Ballet Center, Ballet Fundamentals & Pure Ballet

Tara began her training at age 3 in Enola, PA, later dancing with the pre-professional Cumberland Dance Company and studying at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. At 15, she was invited to study on full scholarship at the School of American Ballet in New York City, where she danced principal roles in Allegro Brillante, Concerto Barocco, and Flower Festival for the school’s workshop performances, as well as principal roles in Symphonie Concertante and Serenade for the New York City Ballet’s 1993 Balanchine Celebration.

Class: This is Soca!
@chantalmauricedotcome

Dancing to the beat of her own drum. Chantal's passion for dance started at an early age. Throughout college, she taught dance and was a backup dancer for local music artists in South Carolina. After college, she moved to NYC and began training in multiple Afro/Caribbean dance styles.

In her journey to connect more with her Haitian Roots, she fell in love with the Caribbean Culture & SOCA music. Her SOCA dance classes provide a Caribbean Carnival experience through choreography & cardio.

Classes: Reb3l Groove & Reb3l Strength 
@reb3l_ashleigh

Ashleigh does not come from a dance background but discovered it only by trying to "lose the baby weight". She went to a dance fitness class back in 2009 after her second son was born and became hooked! The baby weight started to melt off and it was a release, it was fitness and it was fun! She continued to go to that class until she moved to Colorado in 2011 where she became a certified fitness instructor herself.

Classes: E-Mote & Intro to Hip Hop
@mo_nobledanz

Originally from Augusta, GA, Monica "Mo" Noble began training in modern and ballet at John S. Davidson Fine Arts School. After moving to Atlanta to attend Georgia State University, she was introduced to hip hop while dancing on Dancers On Point Dance Team. She choreographed several of DOP's dance pieces and also performed at some of Atlanta's hottest venues and events. Mo has choreographed and performed for the UniverSoul Circus tour, danced for David Banner on Ludacris' "Chicken and Beer Tour," co-choreographed the "Crank It Up" David Banner video, and performed in two of international artist K’Naan’s videos.

Class: Reb3l Strength
@reb3l_ilene

Ilene born and raised in Northern Virginia. She has been acting since sixth grade and has always enjoyed dancing. After attending NYU and UGA with a focus in theatre, she moved from DC to Chicago and had a bit of a break from the stage and the dance floor. After moving back to Georgia to start her family, Ilene once again found the stage. Through the Atlanta Community Theater community, she met an amazing gentleman who introduced her to Reb3l. One class and she was absolutely hooked. A little over a year after that first class she became a certified Reb3l Instructor and she is so excited to be a part of the Reb3L crew at Dance 101!

Classes: Ballet Barre Fit, Inside Out and Ballet Fit
@laurenbanks05

Lauren Banks graduated from Kennesaw State University suma cum laude with a B.S. in Communication and a Minor in dance. Upon graduating, Lauren began performing with Young Audiences at the Woodruff Arts Center and later the Atlanta-based contemporary dance companies Gathering Wild and Ellisorous Rex and the Dance Machine. She is a featured dancer/actress in a Home Depot and Lifetime Original Series Devious Maids commercial and has worked as a freelance dancer for a number of prominent Atlanta choreographers (Bubba Carr, Emily Christianson, Corian Ellisor, and Jerylann Warner) for over 10 years.

Class: Ballerobica

Bryn has been dancing since she was 3 years old. She trained in a number of different styles including ballet, jazz, modern, character, and flamenco with the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education. As a teenager and a pre-professional with the Atlanta Ballet, Bryn was given the opportunity to perform roles with the professional company in ballets such as "The Nutcracker" and Michael Pink's world premiere of "Romeo and Juliet". Also during high school, Bryn attended many Summer dance intensives including a program in Beijing, China to train with the Beijing Ballet Academy.