2019-2020 High School:
Note: all HS dancers take class from each HS guest artist
9th grade Guest Artist: Abbey Wood Jan 6-10, 2020
Abbey, a born Texan, grew up in Augusta GA. She began dancing at age 6 and became one of the first four champion dancers in the region. In 1996 after qualifying at the Eastern Region Oireachtas in NY, she became the first girl from the South to qualify and compete at the World Championships in Dublin, Ireland. After reaching her goal of the “Worlds”, Abbey then turned her focus on teaching. While most of her dancing friends continued competing or performing in shows, Abbey opened the Glor nah’Eireann (Pride of Ireland) School of Irish Dance. She became the first certified instructor (Teagascóir Choimisiúin le Rinci Gaelacha – Commission Certified Irish Dance Teacher) from the Southern Region. Abbey has produced her own award winning material, and her dancers have performed wtih lead dancers from Lord of the Dance, Magic of the Dance, Riverdance, Cherish the Ladies, The Chieftains, Lehey, Seven Nations, Eileen Ivers, and Celtic Crossroads. Abbey possesses an intense work ethic, professional teaching style mixed with an infectious love of Irish Culture that continually produces Champions and motivates all of her dancers to reach their personal goals!
10th Grade Guest Artist: Christina Slaton. Feb 3-7th 2020
Originally from Charleston, SC, Christina is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and is now based out of Brooklyn, NY. Professional credits include: Jill Eathorne Bahr’s “Peter Pan” and George Balanchine’s “Serenade” with Charleston Ballet Theatre. She’s performed regionally in “Anything Goes” and “42nd Street” with the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, internationally dancing on Holland America Line Cruises and most recently has traveled the country with Broadway’s 42nd Street National Tour.
11th Grade Guest Artist: Angie Cirnigliaro Nov 18th-22nd 2019
Angie is a masterful and enthusiastic dance instructor bringing over two decades of experience teaching all ages, and three decades of intense study in all styles. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Arts Management (College of Charleston 1998), is a certified advanced instructor of tap and ballet, and has exemplary qualifications for teaching musical theater, improvisation, and preschool dance, among many other styles. Having sold her successful dance studio in 2017, she now carries her talent into classrooms across the Charleston area and throughout the state. Her students have countless accolades in the competition industry, including choreography awards, dance titles, and judges’ recognition in tap and musical theater, and her studio was awarded the Association of Dance Competitions and Conventions’ 2015 “Studio of Excellence”. She has been hosted as a master instructor by SC Dance Association, DanceMasters of America, Columbia Conservatory (school of Columbia City Ballet), Wando High School, and more.
Angie also teaches non-traditional classes through her organization, FEELanthropi Integrative Arts, for specially-abled dancers, those with movement and memory challenges, and developmental youth programs. She enjoys ongoing education through such prestigious training as the Dance Teacher Summit NYC, Dance Life Retreat Center, Rhythm DanceWorks, Dance with Parkinson’s, and instructor/business classes at industry conventions. She is always excited to share her passion and extensive knowledge with students of the dance community.
12th Grade Guest Artist: Kenichi Kasamatsu March 2-6th 2020
My name is Kenichi Kasamatsu and I am a dancer and choreographer currently based in New York City. I currently teach regularly at Peridance Capeizo Center and am a guest faculty at Broadway Dance Center. I also travel the nation to teach for Intrigue Dance Convention and Soul de Soul. For the past 6 years of living here in New York, I’ve met and worked with some amazing mentors and choreographers. I’ve worked on live stage performances for artists such as Jennifer Lopez, NE-YO, and Daddy Yankee with some of the world’s most renowned choreographers including Nappytabs, Kyle Hanagami, and Tanisha Scott. My music video credits include Mark Ronson’s “I Can’t Lose” choreographed by Keone Madrid, and The Band Perry’s “Stay in the Dark” which was choreographed by Calvit Hodge Jr.I currently also direct a dance team, aKompany. We aim to create and share content that aKompanies YOU on your journey so that you can be the best you can be and hope that you can join us in aKompanying us on our journey as well.
