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TINA YOUMANS – began her training in Atlanta with the Dan & Company Studios and the Atlanta Jazz Theatre. While in Atlanta, she danced in numberous industrial shows, fashion shows, and the Miss Georgia Pageant. Tina performed at Walt Disney World for three years where she was a featured Explosion Dancer at “Pleasure Island”. While in Orlando, Tina was assistant choreographer for many National industrial shows, including Karastan and the Headress Ball. Since returning to Atlanta, she continues teaching and focusing on choreography, most recently for Walt Disney World Audition tour and the Disney/Spellman Theatre project for the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta. Tina teaches master classes and workshops throughout the Southeast
KATHY RICARDO – has performed professionally for 25 years. A former member of The National Ballet of Canada Toronto, she trained with the schools associated with Ney York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Joffrey Ballet. Her numerous Broadway and off-Broadway credits span 15 years and include “No, No, Nanette”, “Grease”, Bob Fosse’s “Dancin”, and Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors”. In 1991, Kathy and Broadway veteran husband Michael Ricardo decided to focus their energy on teaching, and opened Dance Pro’s, Inc. in New Jersey. After 9 successful years, job opportunities knocked and the Ricardo’s moved to Atlanta. Kathy has choreographed for the Atlanta Jazz Theatre and is thrilled to be on faculty at Dan & Co.
BECKI GALATAS – began her dance training at Dan & Co. Studios at the age of three and has been a member of the Atlanta Jazz Theatre for 13 years. She has studied with nationally known choreographers Kenneth Green and Robbie Mackey, and in New York with Frank Hatchett and Sheila Barker. She has just returned to Dan & Co. as an instructor after a superb run in Las Vegas performing in various shows and conventions along the famous Las Vegas strip. Becki is an assistant Director of AJT.
SEAN STEIGERWALD – Growing up in Marietta, Georgia, Sean-Tristan Steigerwald trained at the Academy Dance Company and Roswell Dance Theatre. He has received scholarships to and attended summer dance intensives; including International Ballet Competition, Nutmeg Conservatory, Houston Ballet, and Orlando Ballet. Additionally, he participated in the Southeastern Regional Ballet Association’s festival from 2002-2005. Sean has especially enjoyed his roles in Copellia, Giselle, Raymonda, Rodeo, Cinderella, Tarantella and West Side Story. It has been an enormous opporunity and pleasure to work with world-renowned artisits Fernando Bejones, Melissa Hayden, Laura Alonza, and Gerald Freedman. Sean has recently graduated with a B.F.A. from University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He thoroughly looks forward to his second year teaching with Dan and Company!
SHAWNA WAGNER CRITELLI i- began her dance training at Dan & Co. Studios at the age of six and has been a member of the Atlanta Jazz Theatre for nine years. She has studied in Atlanta with nationally known choreographers Kenneth Green and Robbie Mackey and in Alabama with Cornelius Carter and Edie Barnes. Every summer she trained with the Oakland Ballet under the direction of Ron Guidi. Upon experience, she began choreographing her own works. Shawna has performed in various shows and conventions around Atlanta. She was given a dance scholarship to the University of Alabama and danced with Dance Alabama. Shawna then went on to study dance and child and family development/marriage and family therapy at the University of Georgia. Since her return to Atlanta she has taught for Tinker-Belles, Smyrna School of Ballet, Academy of Ballet, and at Dan and Co.
DEWAYNE BARRETT – is an accomplished Director, Choreographer, Dancer, Singer and Actor. He was a member of the Atlanta Jazz Theatre Professional Ensemble from 1985- 1991. He also was a choreographer for AJT and taught for Dan & Co. As a performer he has toured and performed across the Country in leading roles such as Rum Tum Tugger in Cats, Bobby Child in Crazy for You, Rooster in Annie, Bobby in A Chorus Line just to name a few. He has performed around the world on Cruise ships, directed and choreographed over 30 broadway show for dinner theatres and national tours, and is resident choreographer for the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre in Sarasota. Dewayne recently worked with David De Silva, creator of Fame, on a new musical called Fame Forever. He is also working with Philip Micheal Thomas, from Miami Vice, on a musical called Sacha on Broadway, heading to Broadway in the future. We are so excited to have Dewayne back on our Dan & Company staff this year!
SHARI BASKIN – Shari’s dance training, albeit brief, began when 3 years old in Brooklyn, New York and was delayed when she was 11. She resumed her training at Gotta Dance Atlanta after graduating from the University of Georgia. She began to choreograph hip hop, Latin, and Afro-Caribbean dance pieces in high school and did so as a student at UGA with Pamoja Dance Company and other campus Organizations. Shari has performed in numerous showcases, community and corporate events, fashion shows, and dance congresses. In college, she formed Sensación Latina, a Latin dance group and has won several student hip hop and Latin dance competitions. She is an active member of the Atlanta-based theatrical hip hop dance crew Darlin’ Nikki, PASOFino’s Mambo Training Team, choreographer and co-director of PASOFino’s Ladies Latin Styling Team Dangerous Curves, and an alternate in the Purple Elephant Society, Atlanta’s first hip hop dance company. Shari instructs a unique brand of Hip Hop influenced by Latin, world, and raw street styles. Her passion for global culture sets her apart from many choreographers, and she hopes to become proficient in many dance styles including Latin, Belly dance, and Bollywood. She is the artistic director and founder of D’Cipher Arts, LLC., a company which explores social issues and cultural preservation through dance. Shari is also a Zumba Fitness instructor and lends her experience and love for dance to her exciting, high-impact cardio classes. Shari is eager to embark on her second year as a dance instructor at Dan & Co.
KENNITH GREEN – is a native of California and first came to Atlanta to work with the Atlanta Jazz Theatre in 1984. Since then, Kenneth has moved to Atlanta and is currently head of the Dance Department at Spelman College. He has performed with such notables as Stephanie Mills, Bob Hope, and Donna Summers, to name a few. In addition to his full time duties at Spelman, he is also Choreographer for Pebblebrook High School of Performing Arts, and teaches Master Classes throughout the United States. Kenneth is a Staff Choreographer for Walt Disney World, and travels the U. S. giving Audition Seminars. He is currently producing the show unveiling of the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington DC this August.
JULIA PAPANIKOLAS – began dancing at the age of nine with The Sawnee Ballet in Cumming,Georgia and then furthered her training at North Atlanta Dance Academy in Johns Creek performing several leading roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy and the role of “Passion” in “Fire -Water- Passion” with the company’s Artistic Director, Michael Garrison as her partner. At 16 Julia was offered a scholarship to study with the Atlanta Ballet Centre For Dance Education in Midtown , while at the Atlanta Ballet she perfomed the leading role of Marya (Clara) in John McFall’s production of The Nutcracker and attended SERBA and spent summers studying with the Joffrey Ballet in New York, American Ballet Theatre, South Carolina’s Summer Dance Conservatory in Columbia, SC and Pavel Rotaru. At the age of 17 Julia began her professional career with the Georgia Ballet and has performed with the Columbia City Ballet and Montgomery Ballet companies in leading roles and soloist roles in the Nutcracker and original ballets Her teaching experience includes The University Of South Carolina’s dance department and school, camp counselor for South Carolina’s Summer Dance Conservatory and help set pieces for their summer performances Off Broadway Dance Center,To The Pointe Creative Dance, ALL STARS Performing Arts, Cumming Dance Academy, RISPA Dance Center in Alpharetta, Academy of Ballet in Norcross and currently performs and teaches for Dan and Company Studios and ALL STARS performing Arts, She also owns her own business, “Julia’s Dancers” that offers instruction in dance for all ages.
