Residencies-Middle School

6th grade Bret Shuford, December 10, 11, 13, 17, 18

bretsBret Shuford has dedicated his life to creating theatre and helping others do the same. 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.

He has continued to work regionally, and globally, self-producing his solo shows, and YouTube channel. As the Broadway Life Coach, Bret helps actors get more auditions, book more work, and find their self-confidence. For more on his acting, visit bretshuford.com.

 

7th grade Jessica Lighthart, Feb. 4-8

IMG_2585Jessica Lighthart is from Boca Raton, FL, where she 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. Jessica, a graduate from the College of Charleston, has been teaching ballet for over twenty years. This is her eleventh year teaching at the Ballet Academy of Charleston! Over the course of three summers, she has completed the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet Academy Teacher Certification Program in New York City, and is certified to teach levels A, B, and C. Jessica lives in James Island with her husband and three children.

8th grade Marlayna Locklear, Jan. 7-11

After school rehearsal Jan 8 & 9th, 3:45-5:45pm

FullSizeRenderMarlayna Locklear hails from Milwaukee,WI. She began her training at the age of 12 at city ballet theatre and went on to graduate from Milwaukee High School of the Arts and University of the Arts In Philadelphia, PA with a BFA in  Ballet and Jazz. 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 , Deeply Rooted Dance theatre and Dayton Contemporary Dance company where she served as the company jazz and contemporary instructor as well as resident choreographer for DCDC II.

She has performed works by Christopher Huggins, Dwight Rhoden, Ron Brown, Donald Byrd, Ronen Koresh, Diane McIntyre and Ray Mercer to name a few.

Marlayna is a freelance artist and teaches and choreographs at Universities around the nation. She is also the founder and director of Indurance Dance Intensive. She most recently finished filming the James Franco Film “Blood Heist”,studying abroad in Italy with VIVO Ballet,working with South African choreographer Fana Tshabalala  on the INDUMBA project In Bulgaria  and dancing with Owen Cox Dance Group.

Male Choreography for Departmental, Dennis Breedlove  Dec. 19

“I have known for a long time that dance and theater performance was my gift of service to humanity for those in need of an outlet and to those who are unable to find peace within themselves as well as in society. Reflecting on the importance of “DANCE” is relatively my life. From birth until now, my purpose and gift in life is to dance. It is my service and my calling.”

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. He earned a BFA in Dance with an AA in education and dance/theater and voice for the stage form Miami-Dade College. His experiences in university stage productions included grant writing that lead him to train and study at Bates Dance Festival in Lewiston, Main it also included other experiences featured dance performances, set and lighting design and choreography. Mr. Breedlove was a member of Momentum Dance Company in Miami, where he choreographed and danced. He was the male lead in the Philadelphia-based Prism Dance Theater Company. Mr. Breedlove has worked with Community Theater groups such as the School House Children’s Theater, and The Coconut Grove Children’s Theater. He has appeared in Community Art Projects’ production of The Chocolate Nutcracker. Mr. Breedlove. He was the Founding Dance Teacher and Head Varsity Coach of Ransom Everglades Upper School & Middle School dance program, form 2000-2005 and that is ranked #1 in the Nation for a Private/Parochial School in the dance categories of lyrical, jazz, & modern dance. Mr. Breedlove has worked with Miami-Dade County
Public Schools as Teacher Substitute, Teacher and Consultant to the Performing Arts for Dance & Dance Theater. He has worked as a teaching artist with VSA Arts South Florida, teaching artist in residency working with students and adults of special needs. In 2011, Mr. Breedlove was an Adjunct-Professor at Coker College Dance and Theater Program were he choreographed four new works. Measure of Peace, Inspired by the Last Samurai, Intensity, inspired by the creative madness of a black-man’s reality. Lost Civilization, inspired by the book of Eli and The Pageantry of Dance, inspired by the Blues Brothers Two. 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. He is an active member of SCEA. The South Carolina Education Association and Regional Dance Coordinator of Pee Dee.

 

Note: All MS dancers take class from each MS guest artist