OUR TEACHERS
Meet our Teachers, Choreographers, Creatives & Dreamers.
These are the people who create the magic at dance 101. Today they are names on a screen but soon some of these extraordinary people will become very important to you.
*To read their full bios, click on faculty’s name
SPENCER TEGNER
Find me: @itsspencerlee
Spencer Lee started training in jazz, ballet, and hip hop when she was seven years old in Albany, OR at Albany Dance Academy. She quickly made her way up through beginner to advanced level classes competing at a high school level at just 11 years old and began teaching shortly after at 13. She went […]
JESSICA FLORES
Find me: @j.gudaflores
As an Atlanta native, Jessica learned her love for dance at a small interdisciplinary dance studio in Cartersville. During high school she transitioned to the Atlanta Ballet where she eventually danced in the second company for three years. While there, she performed work by various world-renowned artists including James Kudelka, Lila York, Bruce Wells, Michael […]
LEAH STERNBERG
Leah is an Atlanta transplant originally from Chicago. From the age of 3, Leah has been building her dance skills and career. With a background in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, and Irish dancing, she pursued a dance minor at Illinois Wesleyan University while getting her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. While at IWU, […]
JENA BROOKS
Find me: @jenacbrooks
Jena was born and raised in Iowa City, IA where she began her dance training at the age of 3. She has that Midwestern charm and her subtle Iowan accent stays under the radar! She moved to South Carolina and trained at The School of Carolina Ballet Theatre (now called DanceArts Greenville) with the professional […]
QUINCY LAMAR
Find me: @_quincylamar
Quincy Lamar, affectionately known as “Q”, is a native of Dallas Texas, and a natural born lover of dance and music. Quincy has a diversified career ranging between music videos, stage, screen, and television. After moving to Atlanta, Quincy landed his first performance with R&B artist Evelyn “Champagne” King. He has also appeared in […]
BRYN CHAFIN
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 […]
GRACE CARTER
Find me: @move.with.grace__
With her mother and aunt being dance teachers, Grace was born and bred into the world of dance. She started her training at the age of 3, delving into any and every style she could sink her teeth into, eventually coming to love jazz and hip-hop most. Grace furthered her training at the CAP21 Musical […]
TARA MCCURLEY
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 […]
OFELIA DE LA VALETTE
Though a passion for dance has been with her since childhood, it wasn’t until the age of 34 that former insurance executive Ofelia de La Valette dedicated herself to her true calling. For 10 years in pursuit of her passion, she navigated her corporate career, being a mother to two, and intensive training in jazz, […]
JARED JAMES
Find me: @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 […]
STEPHANIE KIRKSEY
Find me: @strutwithsteph_
Stephanie was born in Buffalo, NY (GO BILLS!) and grew up overseas. It was in Germany that she discovered her love for dance and developed her foundational skills in ballet. Throughout high school and college, Stephanie had numerous opportunities to perform with Paramount’s Kings Dominion, Richmond Speed Arena Football League Dance Team, a full dance […]
KATIE BRITT
Find me: @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. After earning […]
KEVIN K’SMOOVE MADDOX
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 […]
CHANTAL MAURICE
Find me: @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 […]
LARA MCGEE
Find me: @lara_dances
Lara McGee 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 […]
SUSIE PAYNE
Find me: @susieqz85
Susanne Payne was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio where she danced professionally with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s touring company, performing works by such noted choreographers as Eleo Pomare, Donald Byrd, Rennie Harris, and Ron K. Brown. She has also danced with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company in New York City as well as Deeply Rooted […]
BARRY THOMAS
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 […]
KEVIN TYSON
Find me: @kjtx3
Kevin Tyson discovered his passion for dance as a Drum Major with his high school band in Decatur Georgia. Shortly after entering college in 1997, his exceptional dance ability earned him a spot on the Georgia State University Hip Hop dance team performing at halftime shows. In 2001, he was recruited to join Culture Shock […]
LAUREN MICHELLE
Find me: @lauren_mibelle
Lauren Michelle is a freelance movement artist and teacher in Atlanta. She has performed in soloist and ensemble roles throughout the U.S. with Fuerta Dance Company, The Esthete Collective, Chicago Repertory Ballet, the Portland Opera, and in other movement art projects. Her training has included artistic scholarships under Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, NW Dance Project, […]
PETER POULOS
Find me: @petedrinkswine
Peter Poulos has been an established instructor and choreographer in the Atlanta dance scene for over 20 years and on faculty at dance 101 for 9 years. His signature high energy jazz choreography regularly packs out classes at dance 101 and is popular among dance team celebrities needing to stay in shape in between seasons. […]
ASHLEIGH HUGHES
Find me: @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 […]
KHALIL JOHNSON
Find me: @specialkdancer
Caribbean in blood but born in California, Khalil Has Been Dancing Since the age of 8. He Has trained in various styles as seen in his style Of choreography that he calls “Special K Style.’ He has danced and worked with artists like Monica And TLC!