One of SOA Dance’s biggest contributions to your dancer’s growth is our residency program. Each year, we have 4 guest artists in for high school, 4 for middle school. Here is a list of some of the amazing talent we have brought to the school:

Stephanie Martinez Over eleven years of award-winning works, Chicago-based choreographer Stephanie Martinez moves her audiences along a journey guided by the kinetic momentum of her work. With original creations for Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Charlotte Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Eugene Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Ballet Memphis, Kansas City Ballet, and National Choreographers Initiative among others, Martinez’s versatility expands the boundaries of contemporary ballet movement. Martinez has created over 60 ballets on companies and collegiate programs across the country.

Atlanta Chinese Dance Company ( Kerry Lee):     A native of Atlanta, Kerry Lee received her early dance training from the Atlanta Chinese Dance Company and Atlanta Ballet’s Pre-Professional Division.  While in high school, she was selected for a scholarship award at the Southeast Regional Ballet Association (SERBA) Festival. Kerry went on to graduate from Stanford University, where she majored in Management Science and Engineering and minored in Dance.  While at Stanford, she directed and co-founded Stanford Chinese Dance and was the recipient of a Major Grant from Stanford’s Undergraduate Research Programs for her independent research on the intertwining of Asian aesthetics, culture, and philosophy with Martha Graham dance – enabling her to train intensively at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York City.  In her final year she received the Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts, awarded to the most accomplished and promising senior in the field of dance at Stanford. After working as a Research Associate at a top ranked economic consulting firm upon graduation, Kerry followed her heart into the professional dance world in New York City.  A former member of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, H.T. Chen & Dancers, Dance China NY, and gloATL, she performed professionally throughout the US and the British Virgin Islands as a Chinese dance and modern/contemporary dance artist before returning home to co-direct the Atlanta Chinese Dance Company since 2010.  Among other honors, Kerry was the only Chinese dancer among the finalists who received a ticket on So You Think You Can Dance Season 11. Outside of dance, Kerry is very passionate about social justice, serving as Volunteer Co-Coordinator for the first ever meeting in the Southeast of the White House Initiative for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.  She currently works at the intersection of arts and activism on staff at Alternate ROOTS, a 40+ year old arts service organization for Southern artists and cultural organizers working to dismantle all forms of oppression.

Amanda Evans

Ashley Green SOA Alumni,   began her training at Columbia City Jazz, where she found her love for dance. She trained in a variety of styles including ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and hip-hop. In 2020, Ms. Green received her BFA in Dance from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA, under the direction of Garfield Lemonius. There, she performed works by Peter Chu, Aszure Barton, Kyle Abraham, and Darrell Grand Moultrie. After graduation Ms. Green joined Whim W’Him Seattle Contemporary Dance, directed by Princess Grace winner Olivier Wevers, where she was nominated for the Princess Grace Award. Ashley now is a dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.  

Abigail Axelrod

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater  The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is a
modern dance company based in New York

Angela Gallo Professor of Dance; Chair of the Department of Dance, Music and Theatre; Coordinator of the Dance Program Certified Pilates Instructor, Kane School of Core Integration, Core Grace Studios and Pilates Method Alliance

Ashley Padgett Perry Ashley was featured as a principal dancer and performed in their critically acclaimed shows “Ebb and Flow” and “Funktionslust”. In 2013 Ashley was selected to perform in the world renowned Spoleto Festival as a dancer in the Opera “Le Villi” . Ashley has since focused on her passion to create technically sound dancers and innovative movement and choreography through teaching in the Charleston area.

Ballet Hispanico Ballet Hispánico, America’s leading Latino dance organization, has been bringing individuals and communities together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures through dance for nearly 50 years.

Bret Shuford  He made his Broadway debut in the ensemble of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, followed by Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Amazing Grace. Most recently, he was seen on Broadway in Cirque du Soleil Paramour, and in the Martin Scorsese feature film The Wolf Of Wall Street.

Brian McGinnis  He attended and graduated with a BFA in Dance from The Juilliard School under the directorship of Benjamin Harkarvy, and thereafter NYC became his home. Brian immersed himself for many faithful years in the companies of Lar Lubovitch, Elisa Monte, David Parsons and Jacqueline Buglisi, and had the opportunity to perform at Jacob’s Pillow, Lincoln Center, The Cultural Center of the Philippines, The Bolshoi Theatre, American Dance Festival, The Joyce Theatre, NYC City Center, The Kennedy Center, Millenium Park, The Shubert Theatre, and The Spoleto Festival, Italy.

Brianna Campbell

Chrysoula Malgianni  Traditional Greek dance and Zumba instructor

Cici Kelly

CJ Anderson is a dance and aerial artist from Charleston, SC. and 2014 graduate of Charleston County School of the Arts. At Columbia College, she earned her bachelor’s degrees in Dance Education and Communication Studies in 2018 and regularly performed and presented her choreography in concerts. There, she also earned her aerial fabric teaching certifications, taught aerial courses and workshops at the college, held weekly recreation classes, and was a performing member of Soda City Cirque.  She has taught residencies in a number of public schools and workshops in multiple festivals. Presenting research and performing in conferences has also been important in her professional development and has included the National Collegiate Honors Council National Festival (2015), the Southern States Communication Association (2017), and the American College Dance Association Southeastern Regional Festival (2016, 2018). She is currently earning her Master of Fine Arts at Texas Woman’s University in Dance, working for the dance program, and teaching aerial arts at Twisted Bodies.

Crystal Wellman

Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Dayton Contemporary Dance Company was founded in 1968 to create performance opportunities for dancers of color. Five decades later, it remains rooted in the African American experience, committed to the development of diverse movement artists on the global stage.

Delany Shorb: Delaney spent a year dancing professionally with Ballet Austin, as a fellowship dancer, where she performed in Stephen Mills’ production of The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and as well as many fellowship performances for the community. She has also worked as a guest artist for Lake Erie Ballet and Baltimore Ballet. Delaney has attended many summer intensives on scholarship including: Pacific Northwest Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Ballet Austin and Charlotte Ballet.

Dennis Breedlove: Mr. Breedlove’s initial exposure to dance as a youth became the foundation for his professional dance and choreographic career. This exposure to dance led him to New York City, where he studied with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. His continued study and training would lead him to the University of the Arts’ School of Dance. Mr. Breedlove works with Florence School District 1 at South Florence High School Teacher of Dance Education and the Head Coach and Mentor for Bruin Elite Dance Squad. In addition, Mr. Breedlove has worked with Access Arts South Carolina mentoring students in dance with learning disabilities. In March of this year, Mr. Breedlove was inducted as member of the South Carolina Arts Commission Artist Roster. He is also Founder, Artistic Director, & CEO of DJB DANCE THEATER, INC

Dr Anuradha Murali   Traditional Indian dance Instructor. Artistic Director of Mrudani School of Performing Arts, had formal training in Bharathanatyam from Radha Srinivassan and Shanta and VP Dhananjayan (India) and Adyar K. Lakshman (India). She has also received formal training in Kuchipudi by P. Rajeshwari and Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam, Kuchipudi Art Academy, (India). As an Adjunct Professor of Dance, Anuradha has taught Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi at Columbia College

Dueninufay African Dance and drum Company Deninufay African Dance & Drum Co. is a dance co. that not only specializes in African dance but also in contemporary, stepping, Bohemian and praise dancing as well.

Eleni Hopes Traditional Greek dance: Eleni is originally from Chicago, Illinois, where she attended Roosevelt University’s Chicago Musical College and studied Classical Ballet and Spanish Dance. She has traveled throughout Greece studying and collecting information to share with her students and the Greek community. Eleni has studied with the Dora Stratou Dancers in Athens, Greece and the Nelly Demoglou Folklore Theater in Rhodes.

Emily Hart-Lopez  is a NYC-based professional performing artist/dance/fitness instructor/choreographer from Charleston, SC. She currently teaches and freelances in dance, dance film, and music videos while performing with Gotham Dance Theater, the interactive, immersive circus company Cirque du Nuit, along with dance fusion company, Reaction Dance Company NYC.

Erin Leigh

Erin Bailey

Emily Dail: SOA alumni, Marymount Manhattan dance program graduate. She had the privilege of studying under Elisabeth Motley, Catherine Cabeen, Jens Giersdorf, Andrea Miller, Adam Barruch, Tymberly Canale, and many other incredible professors. Emily has performed works by Peter Chu, Earl Mosley, Davalois Fearon and attended several intensives such as Gallim, Bates Dance Festival, and Trisha Brown Dance. Emily furthers her training at Movement Research, Peridance, Gibney, Broadway Dance Center and with Anneke Hansen. Her interests lie in process-based works, body-centered research, and inter/intrapersonal relationships. Currently Emily has the honor of performing in Bill T. Jones’s work entitled Deep Blue Sea at the Park Avenue Armory located in NYC!

Jamal Tisdale

Georgia Grace is the owner of Holy City Salsa Dance Studio in West Ashley. She is a self-proclaimed “ballerina gone wild,” transitioning into Latin dance after more than 15 years studying and performing ballet. She was a senior company member in Mobile Ballet and studied at Mobile Ballet, Alabama Ballet, Kaatsbaan Extreme Ballet (under Martine van Hamel), San Francisco Ballet School, and the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. She has performed extensively in the area in a variety of disciplines, including performances with the College of Charleston, Charleston Ballet Theatre, the Charleston Dance Project, Dancelab Charleston, and Estilo Seis. She choreographed and led dancers in multiple iterations of Robbi Kenney’s “Strings and Salsa” productions in Charleston and Columbia.

James Jiang  Over his 15 years of dance experience, James has won many local and national International Latin championships (Heritage, Atlanata Open, Ohio Star Ball) to name a few. James is specialized in Ballroom dancings in both International and American style. He taught locally at the former Elite Ballroom International studio and currently teaches at Ballroom Dance Club Charleston and Holy City Salsa. James has participated in the local Dancing with the ARK Stars as a professional over the last 3 years, winning the crown in 2016 with his star and coming in as 1st runner up in 2015.

James Robey Department head chair at Radford University.

Jessica Lighthart  trained with Boca Ballet Theatre under the direction of Dan Guin and Jane Tyree. While at Boca Ballet Theatre, Jessica danced in Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Les Sylphides, Coppelia, La Bayadere, and much more. She has also danced at North Carolina School of the Arts, University of Alabama, and with Ballet Memphis

Jenny Broe Dancer, instructor and choreographer extraordinaire, Jenny Broe, former Executive Director of Dancefx Charleston, is now the owner and Chief Mad Scientist of her new brand and studio Dance Lab

Jodi Caplea

Jordan Benton

Jeurell Lavatai Polynesian Fire dance

Jonathan Tabbert began his dance training at the Dayton Ballet School and The Harid Conservatory and received additional training at the School of the Hartford Ballet, Houston Ballet Academy and American Ballet Theatre. Other credits include guest teacher and/or choreographer for the Gem City Ballet, Victoria Ballet Theatre, Burklyn Ballet Theatre and The Charleston County School of the Arts. Tabbert is co-founder/director and resident choreographer of Ballet Evolution and its school, Charleston Dance Institute.
Julie Delizza-Clarke In 2012 she attended the American Dance Festival in Durham, NC and landed auditions to study intensively with dancers from Pilobolus and Bill T. Jones Dance Company and perform in the Hollins University MFA Final Concert. Julie is in her eighth season dancing with Annex Dance Company.

Kirk Sprinkles
Kenna Summer
Kristin Alexander is the founding Artistic Director of Annex Dance Company, which premiered in November 2007. For over fifteen years her choreography has been presented in festivals, concerts, dance theater, musical theatre and opera productions. During the 2006-2007 season, she worked with inFluxdance as an artistic collaborator, choreographer, and performer on ‘Found and Lost: Goals for 2002’, which toured to nine cities throughout North America. In addition to her own work, she has performed and collaborated with VT Dance, under the direction of Vincent E. Thomas.

Lauren Putty White  She has toured internationally with world –renowned companies Parsons and PHILADANCO. Lauren has choreographed on various companies and schools such as Ballet X, Grace Dance Theatre, Bryn Mawr College and Drexel University; as well as taught adjunct at University of the Arts, Stockton University and currently Temple University.

Lindy Fabyanik was born in Pittsburgh, PA, Lindy received the majority of her training on full scholarship at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet. At age 17, Lindy began her professional career with the San Francisco Ballet before joining The New York City Ballet, where she was regarded by critics as one of the hardest working dancers of her time.While at the New York City Ballet, Ms. Mandradjieff danced featured roles in David Allan’s Reunions; George Balanchine’s Coppélia (Waltz), George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (Marzipan and Dolls), Raymonda Variations, La Sonnambula, and Walpurgisnacht Ballet; Peter Martins’ Eight Easy Pieces, The Sleeping Beauty (Eloquence and Ruby), and Swan Lake (Pas de Trois and Pas de Quatre); Jerome Robbins’ Interplay; Richard Tanner’s Soirée; Helgi Tomasson’s Prism; and Christopher Wheeldon’s Mercurial Manoeuvres and Polyphonia. She also originated a featured role in Peter Martins’ Viva Verdi and corps roles in Melissa Barak’s Telemann Overture Suite in E Minor, Susan Stroman’s Double Feature, and Christopher Wheeldon’s Carnival of the Animals. In 2002, Ms. Mandradjieff appeared in the nationally televised Live From Lincoln Center broadcast New York City Ballet’s Diamond Project: Ten Years of New Choreography on PBS, dancing in Mercurial Manoeuvres.A dancer as well as a scholar of dance, Lindy graduated with a B.A. in Dance from St. Mary’s College in California and obtained a Public and Professional Writing Certificate from the University of Pittsburgh. She has nearly 15 years of teaching experience at the community and university level, including at the prestigious Point Park University. Ms. Mandradjieff was also the private ballet instructor for the dancers on the Lifetime’s hit show, “Dance Moms.” In addition to teaching, she has the rare privilege to stage works from both the George Balanchine Trust and the Peter Martins Trust. Her students have been accepted into the top training programs, universities, and professional companies in the country and internationally. Ms. Mandradjieff is married to Matt Fabyanic. Together they have three young boys, Mason, Parker and Hudson. As a mother herself, one of Lindy’s most important roles is as mentor to a whole new generation of dancers and arts enthusiasts

Martha Graham Dance Company the Company continues to foster Graham’s spirit of ingenuity. It is embracing a new programming vision that showcases masterpieces by Graham alongside newly commissioned works by contemporary artists inspired by Graham’s legacy.

Marylana Locklear She is recently completed her eighth season with Dayton Contemporay Dance Company (DCDC ) Marlayna was one of the founding members of The Milwaukee Dance Connection and has gone on to dance with Eleone Dance Theatre, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Dallas Black Dance Theatre II and DCDC. She has performed works by Christopher Huggins, Dwight Rhoden, Ron Brown, Donald Byrd, Diane McIntyre and Ray Mercer to name a few. She also has worked with members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Momix, Martha Graham Company, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Milwaukee Ballet, Philadanco, Koresh, Full Circle Dance Company and members of seasons 1 & 2 of So you think you can dance

McCree O’Kelley began his ballet training with Ann Brodie and the Carolina Ballet in Columbia, SC. At 16 he moved to New York City, accepting a full scholarship to the School of American Ballet. He furthered his dance training at the North Carolina School of the Arts studying with Duncan Noble, Melissa Hayden and Warren Conover. His versatile career as a professional dancer included performing with the Atlanta Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, and the Broadway National Tour of Cats as Mr. Mistoffelees. His vast repertoire includes Balanchine’s Serenade (Waltz Man), Allegro Brillante, Rubies, Who Cares, Stars and Stripes, Western Symphony, Lila York’s Celts (Green Man) and Gloria, Kevin O’Day’s Viola Alone¦ (with one exception), Lynne Taylor-Corbett’s Great Galloping Gottschalk (Men’s Duet), Twyla Tharp’s Deuce Coupe, Alan Hineline’s Twist and Thresholds, Martha Graham’s Diversion of Angels (Red Man), Val Caniparoli’s Open Veins, Lew Christensen’s Con Amore, Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland and Michael Pink’s Dracula and Hunchback of Notre Dame. As a choreographer, he has created works for the Pacific Symphony, American Academy of Ballet, Ballet Spartanburg, Carolina Ballet, Center Stage and Workshop Theater of South Carolina. Previously McCree was an assistant professor of dance at Converse College in Spartanburg, SC, where he was the artistic director of Dance Converse. He has served on the faculty of the American Academy of Ballet, the University of South Carolina Conservatory of Dance, the Atlanta Ballet Summer Program, Ballet Spartanburg and the University of California, Irvine. He holds a BA in Dance from the University of South Carolina and an MFA in Dance from the University of CA, Irvine.

Marcy Jo Yonkey-Clayton is dedicated to promoting access to the art of dance through joyful, mindful human expression and connectivity. With a compassionate tone, Marcy positions herself as a facilitator who constructs dance experiences bred from authentic collaboration among participants- those who consider themselves to be “dancers” and those who may not- in order to expand artistic possibilities and audience engagement. Her current work as a contemporary choreographer is provocative and conceptual supporting social justice themes in process and performance. Native of western PA, Marcy studied dance since the age of two in competitive studio dance, gymnastics and cheer while ensuring a perfect grade point average. Marcy graduated summa cum laude from Slippery Rock University as a member of the Honors Program with a BA in Dance and a minor in Philosophy, and she graduated top honor at Texas Woman’s University where she attended on scholarship. She joined the dance faculty at Columbia College in 2008, was awarded tenure in 2015, and was named Dean of Arts and Humanities in 2018. Currently, Marcy serves on the Boards of the American College Dance Association (2nd term), the SC Dance Organization, and the Power Company Collaborative while remaining enthusiastic as an educator, artist, and leader at Columbia College SC. Marcy Jo Yonkey-Clayton has been highlighted as a featured performer in TEDx Columbia, commissioned at the Columbia Museum of Art, was named the South Carolina Arts Commission Fellow in Dance Choreography in 2012 and Top 50 artists of 50 years of the South

Olga & Michael Wise: Mr. Wise was asked to train in Budapest as the Hungarian
representative in international ballet competitions. He then joined the Moscow Classical Ballet, and was then promoted to Principal Dancer – the only American to have held this position in a major Soviet ballet company. In 1990, the Russian government awarded him the Tchaikovsky Diploma for continuous high levels of Technique and Artistry. After Russia, Mr. Wise continued to perform internationally as a Principal Dancer. Olga Tchoub Wise is a native of Moscow, Russia. Mrs. Wise graduated from the Bolshoi Choreographic Institute with a Masters Degree in the Fine Arts. In 1990 she accepted an offer to join the Moscow Classical Ballet as a soloist. She went on to work as a Principal Dancer with internationally known dancers and companies.

Polly Guffin  Belly Dance instructor

Power Company

Ronald K Brown and Evidence Dance Company  Brown founded Evidence, A Dance
Company in1985. He has worked with Mary Anthony Dance Theater, Jennifer Muller/The Works and other choreographers and artists. Brown has set works on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Cleo Parker Robinson Ensemble, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Jennifer Muller/The Works, Jeune Ballet d’Afrique Noire, Ko-Thi Dance Company, Philadanco, Muntu Dance Theater of Chicago and Ballet Hispanico.

Sara Cart

Starla Wood

Steven Vaughn        was born in the Midwest and raised in Massachusetts. He graduated with Honors from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, earning a BFA in Modern Dance, focusing on choreography. As a senior at the University of the Arts, Steven began working with Parsons Dance as an apprentice, performing at the Joyce Theater with the company while finishing his BFA. At graduation, he was honored with the Stella Moore Prize for Four-Year Achievement and the Award for Excellence in Modern Dance. After graduating he joined Parsons Dance full time, under director David Parsons; touring and teaching with the company. He danced with Parsons both domestically and internationally, including Italy, China, Brazil, Russia, and more. This opportunity afforded him the opportunity to work with Monica Bill-Barnes, Kate Skarpetowska, and Robert Battle. Steven has taught throughout the United States including various dance college programs, Broadway Dance Center in NYC , University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University , as well as masterclasses in Italy and Israel. His choreography has been set on the Philadelphia based SHARP Dance Co. under director Diane Sharp- Nachsin. SHARP Dance Company commissioned several of Steve’s early choreographies and continues to tour his work nationally. Steven’s work was selected for the 2014 Emerging Choreographer Commission for Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, and Harvard University, among others. Steven is featured twice in Jordan Matter’s New York Times Bestseller, Dancers Among Us and TV and film experiences include Teddy Forance and Jon Arpino’s dance documentary Movement One, starring Stephen “tWitch” Boss, Operatic Heat: Parsons Dance presents ‘Remember Me’, All the Right Moves, the feature film Now You See Me and Law and Order: SVU. Steven earned a MFA in Dance from Hollins University in Roanoke, VA (2017). He served on Faculty at Georgian Court University in Lakewood, NJ, 2014-2019. In addition to academic pursuits and studies, Steven has been serving as a Judge and Mentor at various dance competitions across the United States at Regional and National events. Now, having retuned to his childhood home on the South Coast of Massachusetts, is co-owner and director of The Studio on Pope’s Island in New Bedford, MA.

Stephanie Burg

Terrence Henderson  Terrance’s work as a performer, choreographer and director has been showcased in theaters across the country. Having been the creative force behind Columbia’s Vibrations Dance Company serving as Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer for over ten years as well as serving as Long Term Artist in Residence at Logan Elementary in Richland School District One for almost twenty years, he is now pioneering new Arts in Education efforts, creating new original dance and theatre work, facilitating community outreach and activism, as well as Arts Organization Management consultation- all through his personal brand, T.O. Henderson Dance Incorporated or TOdanceInc. which seeks to use an interdisciplinary approach to performance and creation to inspire challenge and healing. Most recently and notably, Terrance was the recipient of the 2016 Steve G. Morrison Visionary Award