Guest Artists
The Dance Centre offers multiple opportunities throughout the year for all of our students to experience a variety of dance classes and teachers. Contact us to learn more. Here are just some of the faculty that have joined us at TDC in South Toms River, NJ…
Shannon Atkins moved to New York four years ago from Australia, and since then her talent and passion for dance has led her to travel throughout the US, UK, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and Australia regularly judging and setting award-winning choreography and company repertoire. Most recently, Shannon taught at the Victorian Dance Festival in Melbourne, Australia alongside Travis Wall as the US representatives.She is a coach for the USA Dance Team/American Dance Company, who represent their country in the International Dance Organization’s annual Jazz/Modern competition in Poland. She is also a judge for the World Dance Championships and has appeared on Lifetime TV’s Dance Moms.
Shannon loves to share her knowledge and experience as a regular panel speaker and advisor at Star Dance Alliance seminars. She is best at offering guidance to international dancers wanting to make the transition to the US. Prior to her worldwide career, Shannon was a successful Australian performer appearing in musicals such as 42nd Street and Oklahoma, where she also took on the role of dance captain. She is also an established choreographer, having created many musicals including the ever popular High School Musical 2. She effectively directed and owned Dance Technique which is a leading performing arts school on the Gold Coast that has seen numerous students secure sought after roles on Broadway and in reputable schools and companies such as The Juilliard School and The English National Ballet. She was also a founding dance professor at the prestigious Queensland Conservatorium in Brisbane, Australia.
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Keenan Cooks has had the privilege to choreograph a BET commercial, A Gap commercial, and he was the on-site choreographer/movement coach for an episode of “Blindspot” (Season 2). Keenan was Cardi B’s first choreographer and choreographed her first tour “The Underestimated Tour”. He has also choreographed her first two award show performances on the MTV VMA’s and the BET Awards After show. Keenan has also choreographed for David Guetta, J Balvin, Bebe Rexha, Meek Mill, Yo Gotti, and many more. He’s been the assistant choreographer on projects for Kelly Rowland and Lizzo. His choreography can be seen on Dance 100, Barclays Center (Brooklynettes), Lizzo’s made in America Performance, as well as her Performance on Saturday Night Live and more!
Ginger Cox is on faculty at Pace University, and has been on faculty at BDC for over 15 years. featured in Dancetrain Magazine for her dynamic teaching style and contributions to dance education, Ginger has taught master classes in Mexico, Italy, Paris, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Japan, at Danse Encore festival in Quebec, the Earl Mosley Summer Institute, the Joffrey Texas, and throughout the States. Ginger holds a Masters in Kinesiology, a BFA in Dance, and the creator of the Dancing Anatomy Workshop. She is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Corrective Exercise Specialist and Personal Trainer, and was recently a featured article in Dance Informa about teaching anatomy in dance. Ginger has presented seminars at the Dance Science and Somatics conference, the Bill Evans 6th Annual Somatic Conference, and the Dance Educators Training Institute.
Her versatile choreography is described by the Jazz Dance E-news as ‘absorbing and inventive, with amusing creativity. The greatest exploration of the choreographic voice within jazz dance was seen in the work of Ginger Cox.” She’s choreographer for Nike, the NJ Nets Dancers, recording artist Lijie, Japan’s Hanayashiki Show, the Élan Awards, honoring Mr. Lar Lubavich, the Brooklyn Dance Festival, Dancing Wheels Company, Collaborative Movement Dance Company, Wise Fruit, Giving Tree Series, WaxWorks, Dancers Responding to Aids, the Queens Fringe Festival, Independent films, industrials, and the NuDance Festival, where the NY Times quoted “the selection of choreographers was unusually good.”
Ginger is on the Faculty Advisory Board at BDC, the board for the Young Choreographers Dance Festival, and has contributed to articles in Dance Teacher Magazine and Dance Spirit. Some of her many performance highlights include Saturday Night Live with Molly Shannon and Jimmy Falon, Radio City Music Hall with Lou Bega, industrials and dance concerts.
Kristen Gorski was immersed in a world of dance and theater from a very young age, growing up 20 minutes and training from the age of 8 in NYC and a veteran in the professional world. At the age of 5, Kristen started in print work, filming national television commercials and films and recording voice overs that lead to voice and acting lessons that sparked her passion for Broadway. At the age of 8, she was accepted into the School of American Ballet where she trained for 8 years and performed with the NYCB in many productions. She competed at a national level training under Donna Farinella at Dance World Academy in New Jersey from the age of 10 through High School where she was recognized for her well rounded and versatile abilities and learned the importance of detail and style in choreographers work. Kristen continued her education at Syracuse University as a Musical Theater major and while still attending college she began her 16 year career on Broadway when she was cast in the original company of FOOTLOOSE as a featured dancer and understudying the role of Wendy-Jo. It was during this time that she started assisting and working under Ray Leeper on off-broadway shows, music videos and film workshops, as well as, master classes around the country.Kristen completed a 10 year run as an Original Cast Member of WICKED the Musical where she had the opportunity to be Dance Captain, play the role of the Witch’s Mother, and was Associate Choreographer to Wayne Cilento for the 1st National Tour which is still on the road. Through this time she continued her commercial and voice over career, has performed on The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and The Tony Awards.
Kristen is on the faculty of NUVO Dance Convention and has taught master classes in Musical Theater all over the country. Her focus in her teaching is performance, intention, energy, detail and musicality!
Shelly Hutchinson is a choreographer, instructor, dancer, actress and producer in New York City. She has been a Contemporary and Musical Theater choreographer for “So You Think You Can Dance” Ukraine for the last four seasons, also on the creative teams and performed in operas such as Candide, Samson and Delilah, and Aida as associate choreographer and assistant director. Choreographer for adapted for stage version of Disney’s High School Musical. TV appearances include MTV, CBS Morning Show, ABC, Saturday Night Live, Law & Order, Lipstick Jungle, Ugly Betty, Kings, HBO Miniseries “Mildred Pierce”, The Today Show, David Letterman, The Learning Channel, dancer for Wyclef Jean and in Lou Bega’s “Mambo #5”. Performing credits include Radio City Music Hall, Warner Brothers Films, Disney, Off- Broadway and Regional Theatre, Broadway Bares, International Arts Festival in Italy, Care Wave Japan, National and European Tours including “Fame, the Musical”, Bye Bye Birdie, Irene, and West Side Story, assistant choreographer for “Falco”, a multi- media show in Vienna, Austria based on the late 80’s pop star.Her work has recently been seen at City Center, Symphony Space, Merce Cunningham, Manhattan Movement Arts Center, and Salvatore Capezio Theater. With 17 years of deep and diverse teaching experience with all levels and ages, she has taught at various studios in the US, Germany, Italy, Austria, Prague, Argentina, Japan, Costa Rica, Cirque Du Soleil, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, Joffrey Ballet School, The Pulse, and Peridance in New York. Choreographer for “Nix” and “Occasion for Sin” as part of Planet Connections Theater Festivity in NYC.
She is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center and Peridance Capezio Center, and currently producing a series of concerts to benefit various national charities. She is the Director of UNCOVERED CHOREOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS, a series of intensives based in New York City to help young dancers find their identities as choreographers.
Mitchell Jackson grew up training in Ontario Canada in jazz, ballet, hip-hop, contemporary, and musical theatre. Within two years as a competitive dancer, he had won multiple awards. He then went on to train in Toronto, New York and Los Angeles. As a dancer, he has appeared in multiple television shows and music videos by leading artists. In Los Angeles, he taught at the Millennium Dance Complex. His students have gone on to perform with music stars like Carly Rae Jepsen and Justin Bieber and appear on So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Mitchell continues to work with dance studios and competitions across North America as a choreographer, teacher, and adjudicator. He has also created his own dance competition OTF – The Ultimate Dance Experience and is the director of Intrepid Dance Company. Mitchell works closely with Briar Nolet and even choreographed for her on World of Dance and when she toured with Jennifer Lopez.
Miles Keeney is a New York City based professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher. He’s represented by MSA talent agency, and has worked commercially in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta and internationally. His choreography credits include lead choreographer and creative director for Peloton’s dance series, the NBA Brooklyn Nets, HBO’s Wigstock, Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Burju Shoes, Bacardi Rum Shakers, Peppermint, Life Ball Vienna, Dolby Labs, Nikki Tino, Choreographer’s Carnival, Leg Up On Life, and for countless universities and dance studios throughout the U.S. and abroad. His dance credits include dancing for Adam Lambert, Usher, Jason Derulo, Pedró Capó, Thalia, Yennis, Silentó, Calvin Chen, Todrick Hall, NFL, Nordstrom, and many more.
Miles graduated from Connecticut College with a B.A. double majoring in Dance and Developmental Psychology. He has taught as an adjunct professor at Pace University’s Commercial Dance BFA program teaching Street Jazz to undergraduates, as well as tours the country teaching with Revel Dance Convention. He’s had the opportunity to train under the most revered names in the industry and has been noted for his power, ferocity, and versatility.
A powerhouse teacher, Miles teaches consistently in New York City as well as at various studios nationally and internationally in China, Singapore, Morocco, New Zealand, Greece, Thailand, Spain, and Canada.
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Madison Kennedy is a 3rd generation dancer who began dancing at the age of 3 at her grandmother’s studio in Norco, Ca. After her grandma’s retirement, her mom took her straight to “Just Plain Dancin” in Riverside Ca. Just Plain Dancin is rated in the top ten studios in the country. She began her journey as a competitive dancer at JPD and was trained by her mentors Mandy Rogers and Terry Schulke from the age of 5 until she graduated at 18. During that time, she was part of an award-winning team for 12 seasons on the competitive circuit. She won many high point awards with her team and as a soloist. Her last year as a soloist, she was awarded Ms. Starpower in Las Vegas NV. Although competitive dance was a large part of her dance career, she also was able to participate as a company dancer in POV (Points of View) led by Ms. Terry Schulke, performed at the Dance Awards in Los Angeles and was an advocate for Dancers with Cancer. You can also spot her at age 10 in Meghan Trainor’s music video as little Meghan in “Dear Future Husband”. During her time at Just Plain Dancin, she was also given the opportunity to travel and assist her choreographers across the country and began teaching beginning level dancers from ages 5-16. She currently substitutes teaches at studios in her hometown and is attending college to follow her dreams to be a dentist. While working on her degree, she enjoys training as a dancer and keeping active in the dance community.
Tash Marconi is a proud Uruguayan Artist, born in Australia and now living & working across LA & NYC. Tash Marconi is a highly sought out & devoted performer, creator & educator who has blazed her own trail for 17 years across the industry & worldwide. She thrives off her versatility which has allowed her to span all areas of the industry working with artists, in tv, film and musical theatre. Tash has toured nationally with the Broadway productions of Wicked in Australia, and West End productions of Grease & Dirty Dancing in Australia & Singapore. Tash has also performed in A Chorus Line (Darlinghurst theatre) and the Sydney Opera House season of In The Heights where she was associate choreographer as well as ensemble, dance captain & understudied the role of Carla.Tash has had the pleasure of working with many Internationally acclaimed artists such as Taylor Swift, J LO, Kylie Minogue, Meghan Trainor, Kelly Clarkson and Ricky Martin. Though her longest running relationship has been with the jazz queen herself miss Paula Abdul who Tash toured North America & Canada with as well as performing in her Vegas Residency & Tv performances as Dancer, Dance Captain & associate choreographer. Tash Marconi has appeared in major motion captures such as Baz Lurhmann’s Elivs & Great Gatsby as a featured Dancer and performed in multiple tv performances at the AMA’s, VMAs, Billboard Music Awards, Dance Academy (seasons 1-4), Ravens Home, Associate choreographer on Netflix & Paramount’s Paperdolls and was a resident dancer on the X Factor for multiple seasons & the Voice.
Tash has recently relocated to NYC after spending 2 months in Tokyo working on the World Premiere of Itaewon Class as associate choreographer with Kyle Hanagami and she looks forward to achieving her Broadway dream. Tash adores getting to share all her knowledge of the stage with her classroom and loves incorporating mindset into the choices that we make in the room to help us evolve into artists who defy the odds, blaze their own trails and show up unapologetically. She is so excited to be joining the BDC family!
