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 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.
Blake McGrath has shared the stage with Madonna, Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, and Beyonce. He has even been fortunate enough to perform alongside the King of Pop Michael Jackson for his 30th anniversary special on CBS. Blake is widely regarded as one of the best dancers of his generation; these skills became apparent on the premiere season of the famed US dance competition-reality series, So You Think You Can Dance. After making it to the finals of the show, Blake quickly became the “it” dancer in Los Angeles. Immediately following SYTYCD Blake was cast in Jennifer Lopez’s MTV Dance life, a reality series that chronicled Chorographers in LA. Immediately after that he returned to Canada to Judge and choreograph 4 seasons of SYTYCD Canada!McGrath produced a soulful, vocally gifted debut recording. Licensing his debut album “Time To Move” to music industry power house Universal Music. The critically acclaimed album included his radio hit song “Relax”. The album was released in November of 2010. Blake’s creative collaboration with Emmy Award Winning Choreographer Mia Michaels (Madonna, Celine Dion, Prince) produced a provocatively haunting video for “Relax”, which garnered an MMVA in June 2011. The Pop/R&B album features the radio hit songs “The Night” “Stage Fright” and “Relax”. It was the accompanying videos that clearly demonstrated Blake’s talent as a musician and his natural ability to dance, as well as his passion for movement and creativity. In the spring of 2011 Blake’s “Stage Fright Tour” headlined at 50 venues in North America. His most recent EP “I Am Blake McGrath” hit top 10 albums on ITunes worldwide including his smash hit “Missing You”. Blake’s has recently been seen guest choreographing and performing on Hit shows including ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” and Life Times “Dance Moms”. Blake has also choreographed and appeared extensively in high profile commercials and advertisements for various Gap campaigns alongside Sarah Jessica Parker and Old Navy, as well as Pepsi, Hummer and iPod. His film credits which include Academy Award-winning films, Chicago and the musical, Rent.
Ryan Miller was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, he was always exposed to music and the arts, but grew up playing sports. In an effort to stay in shape in college, he discovered dance and quickly fell in love. At age 20, he began to train and hone his craft in hip-hop and street jazz styles. He studied under Torey Nelson and Luam and developed himself as an artist through Rhapsody’s Motivating Excellence program. He then began choreographing for UDA (Urban Dance Alliance). Since then he’s been blessed to work with various artists and brands including Nike, Moncler, Adidas, Travis Scott, Rihanna, and Madonna.
Derek has taught master classes all over the world including NIKE BLAST 2013 in Sweden, Argentina, France, Ecuador, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Japan, Italy, Austria, South Africa, Israel, The Ukraine, Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos and Canada. He has taught for many acclaimed dance conventions including The Pulse, MOVE NY (TOKYO The Company), Dance Olympus, Dance Masters of America, MOTIV8, Thunderstruck, Headliners, NADAA and for Dean College. His classes and choreography have been featured on Britneyspears.com, THE A-LIST, CBS, VH1, NY1 News, W Magazine, Piers Morgan, CNN, Good Day NY, The Today Show, TV Guide, Elle, Time Out, U.S. News and World Report, Women’s Wear Daily and Crunch magazine
Aaron Parkhurst has almost two decades of tap dance experience under his belt. He received dance training in his hometown of Albany, NY. Working in NYC professionally for the past 10 years, he now calls the city his home.Aaron is a guest instructor for Shuffles NYC, Dance Masters of America, as well as SLIDE, a week long tap intensive directed by Mike Minery. He also teaches private lessons in NYC and travels to choreograph and instruct master classes throughout the country. He enjoys teaching and passing on his love for dance to younger generations. Aaron has also enjoyed a career in concert dance, working as a soloist and collaborator in NYC and in LA. He was a company member and soloist for AM Dance Project in New York City under artistic director Anthony Morigerato.
Aaron has performed at NY City Center in the 125th anniversary show for Capezio. He performed in Tap the Show choreographed by Mike Minery for 4 years including a national tour with the show, traveling to almost all 50 states. He was an associate choreographer and dance captain while on tour. Aaron has danced, choreographed, and entertained for corporations such as FedEx, Hershey Entertainment, and Gaylord Opry Entertainment among others. Favorite theatre credits: 42 nd Street, White Christmas, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and My One and Only.
LaVon Patterson- Originally from Philadelphia, PA, started his journey with dance at Broadway Dance Center in Manhattan, NY. To further his skills and education he attended the Creative & Performing Arts High School in Philadelphia and went on to receive a BFA in Jazz Dance Performance from the University of The Arts.LaVon had the honor of being assistant choreographer to Brian Thomas for Michael Jackson’s 30th Anniversary Special in 2001 at Madison Square Garden and he’s worked with major music artists such as Usher, Destiny’s Child. *N-Sync, J-Lo, Michael Jackson and many more! LaVon is the creative director of “JustMove” and an adjunct faculty member of Lehigh University.
Derek Piquette began dancing at the young age of 10 in his hometown of Chicopee, MA. One of the most exciting experiences in his young career took place in 2015, when he competed on Season 12 of So You Think You Can Dance, finishing among the top 4 “Stage” dancers. He followed up his appearance on the show with the So You Think You Can Dance Live Tour, performing in 70 cities across USA and Canada. In early 2017, Derek performed the lead role in Cirque Du Soleil’s KOOZA as the “Trickster” traveling under Big Top in Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Singapore and China. One of Derek’s most recent endeavors included competing as a finalist on NBC’s World Of Dance Season 3 featuring Jennifer Lopez.
In 2019, Derek choreographed and was featured as a principle dancer in a new Netflix film “Work It” produced by Alicia Keys, as well as, worked as a principle dancer on another Netflix series directed by Kenny Ortega “Julie and the Phantoms”. Alongside his partner Mitchell Jackson, they choreographed solos on Briar Nolet for Jennifer Lopez’s “It’s My Party” Tour. Most recently, Derek filmed an Apple+ TV limited series entitled “Schmigadoon”. Derek was cast as a chorus performer/ core dancer and was also brought on as an assistant choreographer to the legendary Christopher Gattelli for one of the episodes. Later in 2020, he was part of the creation process and danced on camera for a new Netflix series “Scaredy Cats” choreographed by Tori Caro.
As a teacher and choreographer, Derek has worked for various dance organizations including On the Floor, Hit the Floor, CLI Studios, Mather Dance Company Online, Acrobatic Arts, Top Ten Dance Challenge where he has judged, taught, and assisted top choreographers in the industry. His career has taken him to destinations throughout the United States, Canada, England, Central America, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, China and Singapore where he has taught at over 200 competitive and professional dance studios/companies. Since 2014, Derek choreographed more than 450 award winning pieces, including pieces for stars on Dance Moms, Disney’s Backstage, World of Dance, Netflix, Family Channel’s The Next Step and So You Think You Can Dance.
Neil “Dradle” Schwartz has been dancing since the age of seven. After graduating from the University of Maryland and moving to NYC, he has had the privilege to work with Rhapsody James, Luam, Lisette, Chonique, Eric Jenkins, and more. He has choreographed for artists such as ASTR, Bosco, Wynter Gordon, Rome Fortune, Mateo, PUSH PLAY, TT the Artist, Oyinda, RIVRS, and more. He has also had the opportunity to work with Luam as assistant choreographer for Icona Pop on America’s Got Talent and David Letterman.Neil was hand selected to choreograph the launch of Pharrell Williams fragrance girl for Sephora. He was also an assistant choreographer with Lisette Bustamante on Girl Generation Hikkup. He was also hand selected to work with actor Channing Tatum as a contributing choreographer for the flashmob seen on The Today Show in promotion for Warner Brothers Magic Mike. He has traveled to Hawaii,Peru, Mexico, Brazil, Croatia, Sweden, Switzerland, Vienna, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Israel, and Italy teaching workshops and was a recipient at the Young Choreographers Festival in 2010 and as a returning guest artist in 2011.
Neil now teaches at Broadway Dance Center in NY as well as guest teaches at Millennium Dance Complex and Movement Lifestyle in LA. His choreography can be seen on The Today Show, Good morning America, NBC Live, PBS, World of Dance, Carnival Choreographers Ball (NY/LA), Rhapsody James presents Sirens After Dark, and more.
Katy Spreadbury received her early professional training from Kathy Kozul, Carol Somers, Sherri Moore-Nikitas, and Terri Gordon. Katy was a member of the Burncoat Fine Arts Magnet Program throughout her middle and high school years. She spent her summers training and performing with Ballet Workshop of New England under the direction of Jacqueline Cronsberg.As a youth, Katy received numerous accolades and awards for outstanding achievements in dance. She was named Capezio’s Future Star, a featured artist in Dance Magazine, and a cover model for Dance Spirit. Upon moving to NYC, Katy began her professional career performing alongside legends Ben Vereen and Karen Ziemba.
Katy has found great success as a commercial dancer in NYC. She is sought after as a guest artist, and was recently featured as a soloist at the International Film Festival in Dubai. In addition to dancing, Katy has been working as an educator for over 10 years. She’s taught for dance schools, colleges and ballet programs all over the country. She’s assisted Emmy Award nominated choreographer, Mandy Moore in setting new work for Los Angeles Ballet, been a longstanding faculty member of The Dance Teacher Summit here in NYC, and featured on the cover of Dance Teacher Magazine in 2012.