CDC STAFF

Kelsey Crum: 
Co-Founder, Executive Director, and Dance Educator
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Originally from Rock Hill, South Carolina, Kelsey studied under the direction of Anne Blackwell with York County Ballet Company as well as technique and repertory under Susan Anderson, Thaddeus Davis, Kyra Strasberg, and Stacey Calvert while at the University of South Carolina. She has attended Ballet Magnificat and Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensives and has performed and studied repertory by David Parsons, Thaddeus Davis, Twyla Tharp, Nathan Trice, Saza Dimmick, and Donald McKayle as well as George Balanchine. She was a member of Columbia’s Jazz and Contemporary Company, “Unbound” and is now a member of Naina Dewan Company where she performs a variety of modern work. Kelsey’s first experience of dance education led her to form a dance program with Westminster Academy of the Arts in Rock Hill. Kelsey has choreographed many theme‐specific contemporary pieces and has worked with numerous public middle and high school dance programs, specifically completing her student teaching at Dreher High School and Hopkins Middle School. Kelsey graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education as well as Performance and Choreography. Kelsey served as the Director of Carolina Ballet Theatre’s Outreach and Community Engagement Program for 2 years prior to starting Carolina Dance Collaborative. She loves sharing her passion in arts integration and hopes to bring exposure, education, and involvement in dance throughout the different communities in the Carolinas.
Alyson Amato: 
Co-Founder, Director of Education, 
& Dance Educator
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Originally from Massachusetts, Alyson started dancing ballet at a young age. She studied under the direction of Jessica Wilson at Ballet Workshop for New England and MetroWest Ballet, and supplemented her training at Boston Ballet, Jose Mateo Ballet Theater and Burklyn Ballet Theater. Alyson received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education with K-12 certification from USC in 2013. At USC Alyson performed in Giselle, Celia Rowlson Hall's Cinderella at the Ball, Susan Anderson's Gams Jam, various works by Bill Evan's and many student showcases. In addition she taught and choreographed in local school districts and after-school programs. Upon graduation, Alyson went to study at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London where she received a Postgraduate Diploma in Community Dance. Whilst in London Alyson worked with Corali Dance Company and the Ovalhouse Theatre where she taught and assisted dance classes for disabled adults and children. She also performed in Marina Collard's work Either one way or another. Alyson looks forward to watching the future of dance in Greenville grow through CDC's impact in the community.
Sara Lane:
Program Coordinator and Dance Educator
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Sara graduated cum laude from Oklahoma City University with a Bachelors of Science in Dance Management. She performed with Oklahoma City University’s American Spirit Dance Company and has been involved in the production of the American Spirit Dance Company’s performances. Sarah has been teaching dance since 2007 for various dance studios such as the Community Dance Center at Oklahoma City University. She was awarded with pedagogy accomplishments as a student at OCU and has worked as an assistant dance and cheer coach at Neosho County Community College. Sarah was the former head dance and cheer coach at Newman University in Wichita, Kansas and worked as the Program Director for dance, cheer, and gymnastics for the Greater Wichita YMCA in El Dorado, KS. She recently moved to Greenville, SC and looks forward to the opportunity to continue sharing her love of the performing arts with others.
Regina Gilstrap
Dance Educator

At the young age of two a love of dance was sparked in Regina Gilstrap, this spark quickly turned to passion. Regina loves to share her passion for dance with others. She is a natural teacher with over 19 years of teaching experience. She has taught master classes and seminars all over the southeast.  She is a member of Dance Master’s of America & holds a certification in tap.  Some of Regina’s choreography has been featured on television and also radio marketing; other choreography credits include Disney's Aladdin Jr., The Addams Family, and Sisters of Swing. She has served as an audition consultant for Centre Stage in Greenville, SC. Currently, Regina is the Administrative Director for Project Dance's Greenville event. She is excited to teach dance in a wide range of sites through Carolina Dance Collaborative and looks forward to changing lives through her impact of dance. ​
Brandyn Bishop
Dance Educator
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​Brandyn, a native of Greenville, starting dancing at Le Chateau de Danse at the age of two. Her love of dance continued throughout her elementary and middle school years and went on to attend the Fine Arts Center in high school. Brandyn’s affection of dance grew stronger, specifically her passion for ballet. After graduation she spent time teaching at her local studio where she found her calling as a dance instructor and therefore, went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Columbia College.  While attending Columbia College, Brandyn was a dance instructor with a program called M.O.V.E.S (movement opportunities for very exceptional students). Brandyn is eager to contribute to the Carolina Dance Collaborative team through her desire to teach students of all ages the joy of movement.

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Virginia Green
​Dance Educator

Virginia Green received a BA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of South Carolina. While at the University of South Carolina, she trained under Susan Anderson, Stacey Calvert, Tanya Wideman-Davis, and Thaddeus Davis among others. She performed in numerous faculty and guest works, including Alwin Nikolai’s Tensile Involvement, George Balanchine’s Serenade, Walpurgisnacht, Stars and Stripes, and Western Symphony, and Frederick Ashton’s Sylvia among others. After graduating she taught dance at Southern Performing Arts Academy and Peachtree Ridge High School and performed professionally with Zoetic Dance Ensemble, Asheville Ballet, and United States International Ballet. Virginia is happy to be back in South Carolina teaching with Carolina Dance Collaborative once more

Megan Hannon
Dance Educator

Megan started dancing at the age of three and studied at the Fine Arts Center under Jan Woodward when her family relocated to Greenville her senior year of high school. Megan attended The University of the Arts and graduated with a BFA in dance. While in school, Megan performed in several works by Jesse Zaritt, Katie Swords-Thurman, Sidra Bell, Roni Koresh and more. She spent time choreographing her own work and working in collaboration with different artists. Following graduation Megan decided to move back to South Carolina to live closer to family and expand herself within the arts community. Since being in Greenville Megan has worked with a variety of dance schools and art related organizations. She also presents and performs work in Columbia SC. Megan is excited to grow and continue to share her love of dance with students of CDC and the community around her.

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Paige Maxwell
Dance Educator & Adaptive Programming Consultant

From Charlotte, NC Paige received a Bachelors of Arts, Magna Cum Laude, in Contemporary Dance Performance and Choreography and minor in Psychology from the University of South Carolina. She attended USC on dance scholarship, where she studied contemporary, ballet, improvisation, dance history and choreography techniques under the direction of her professors, Susan Anderson, Tanya Wideman, Thaddeus Davis, Stacey Calvert and Kyra Strasberg.  Paige also had the privilege of working with guest artists such as Hannah Lagerway, Celia Rowlson-Hall, Helen Pickett, and Twyla Tharp.  Paige’s senior semester was spent as an apprentice with Wideman-Davis Dance, the University’s company in residency.  
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Upon graduation, Paige became a freelance dance artist and moved to Orlando, Florida working with Red Right Return, PRT of Orlando, and Theatre Downtown that allowed her to perform in the 2013 and 2015 Orlando FRINGE Festivals as well as debuted her choreography at FRINGE 2016.  Paige has also worked with choreographer Caitlin McCormack in a variety of projects. 

Paige is also a 200-hr RYT Certified Yoga Instructor, received her Grant Writing Certificate, and was an Educator at the Orlando Science Center.  Additionally, she received her Masters in Exceptional Student Education in May 2017.  

She has hopes to combine her love of movement and working with children with disabilities in an educational, artistic and therapeutic environment.    ​

Jerrica Anderson 
Dance Educator 

Jerrica is a recent graduate of Valdosta State University where she earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance, and was a recipient of the Eric Nielsen family Scholarship. During her time at VSU she studied ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz and improvisation as well as Choreography, Kinesiology, Pedagogy, Conditioning for Dancers, and much more. She believes that understanding these kinesthetic methods make you a stronger, healthier dancer and helps you become more aware of your body’s ability to move. She has performed in numerous concerts with VSU as well as performed in an adjudicated concert with the American College Dance Association at Emory University in the spring of 2016. While in Valdosta Jerrica coached gymnastics and also taught advanced Modern and Jazz as well as acrobats at A Time to Dance Performing Arts Studio. Her choreography has been performed at VSU’s Emerging Artist Showcase, Project Dance Orlando, and Colquitt Dance Festival. Jerrica enjoys sharing her passion with her students in hopes that they will develop a love for dance as she has.
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Myra Gooding:
Dance Educator
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Myra has been dancing since the age of 3, studying ballet, tap, jazz, and pointe. Myra trained at: The Dance Academy, Central Maryland Youth Ballet, Maryland Youth Ballet and The Washington Ballet. She was selected to attend summer dance programs such as: Central Pennsylvania Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet and Joffrey Ballet. Myra began dancing professionally at the age of 18 where she joined Pennsylvania Ballet Academy before moving to NYC to be a soloist with companies that include: Long Island Ballet, Daniel Catanach Ballet, Staten Island Ballet, Joan Miller Dance Company, and Flower Hujur Dance Company.  Myra continued her love of dance when she began teaching at her mother's dance school as well as other schools in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and South Carolina. Myra has dance education experience in many different settings including , but not limited to, public schools, churches, and community centers. After settling in Greenville, Myra spent a few years performing at the Peace Center with the International Ballet. She is excited to continue her impact in the lives of students she teaches while working with the Carolina Dance Collaborative.
Brooke Perkins:
Dance Educator
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Beginning at age three Brooke spent most of her free time in the ballet studio.  She studied classical ballet, pointe, and modern with Ron Jones at the Ron Jones School of Ballet. There she was a founding member of the Columbia County Ballet Performing Company.  She enjoyed master classes with Peter Powlus, Ferneasa Cutno, and many more through the Southeastern Regional Ballet Association. In college she went on to study fine arts at Augusta State University. She is grateful for the loving, supportive environment that she experienced in the ballet studio during her formative years and desires to create that same atmosphere for her students within Carolina Dance Collaborative.   
​​Loren Clark:
Dance Educator
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Charity Jon "Loren" Clark began her journey in the arts at the age of three here in her hometown of South Carolina. Loren's many years of dance experience involve tap, jazz, ballet, modern, contemporary and hip-hop. She has trained under master teachers who include Suzanne and Allen McCalla at Greenville Little Theatre, Kimberly Ferreira,  Karlee Ferreia at Upstate Carolina Dance, Betsy Bisson and Traysie Amick at South Carolina Children's Theatre, Cristi Williams founder of Shading the Limelight and Jan Smith Studios in Atlanta. Loren's involvement in the performing arts reaches beyond dance into her love for musical theatre where she played numerous roles in The Hobbit, Irving Berlin's Anne Get Your Gun, Jesus Christ Superstar, All Shook Up, The Nutcracker, Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella and Oklahoma! Loren plans to continue her education in the performing arts, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and/or Theatre. Loren is passionate about giving opportunities of dance education to all ages and is excited to teach and inspire her students through Carolina Dance Collaborative.                            
Alexandra Berthiaume:
Dance Educator

Alexandra, originally from Maryland, first pursued her love of dance with the Maryland Youth Ballet. She continued her dance education throughout grade school and into college, becoming the Artistic Director of her student dance company, UC Dancers. Alexandra recently received her BA in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, where she also studied pre-medical coursework. Although she will attend medical school in Maryland next year, she is completing a year of national service with AmeriCorps this year in Greenville and is beyond excited to share her passion for dance with CDC and her newfound community here in South Carolina.



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Stephanie Cureton:
Dance Educator

Stephanie's passion for dance was sparked at the age of 3 in Fort Knox, KY. After moving back to Greenville, SC she started her training with Barbara English at English Theatre Arts. She graduated from the South Carolina Governor's School for Arts and Humanities in the dance pre-professional program.  While there she studied ballet, pointe, and modern under the direction of Llyod Whitmore, Irina Ushakova, and Stanislav Issaev. She then went on to receive her BA in dance/psychology from Agnes Scott College. While there she studied Ballet, Martha Graham Modern Technique, Jazz, and Labanotation under Bridget Roosa.  Not only did she perform in Studio Dance Theatre, the school's dance company, she also choreographed several pieces for the company. She has choreographed and performed for local projects both in Atlanta and Greenville. Currently. She teaches in a variety of places throughout Greenville county while also being a freelance performer and choreographer. In the future she plans to pursue Graduate school with a masters in dance and physical therapy and is excited to be on board with Carolina Dance Collaborative.
Davia Bunch:
Dance Educator
(Currently on leave until 2019, pursing Miss America Pageant as the 2018-2019 crowned Miss South Carolina)

Davia is a student at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. At the age of eleven she began her classical training in ballet and contemporary at the International Ballet Academy in Greer, South Carolina. She since leaving IBA Davia has had the chance to dance with the University of South Carolina’s Dance Department in many of their productions. Davia has also danced with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy overseas in Moscow for a summer intensive. Now she continues her love of dance and the arts by working with Carolina Dance Collaborative. 
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