Ballet Classes | Severna Park, MD

FACULTY
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ~ KELSEY KOCUR Kelsey's career in the arts takes her from professional dancer to recognized choreographer and beloved master teacher. Kelsey has spent the majority of her life developing and honing her craft in all areas. After years of intense training in ballet, tap, jazz , contemporary, modern, hip hop, and pointe, Kelsey auditioned and was selected as a backup dancer for Pop artist Crystal Silva and R & B artist Eric Arceneaux. Known for her stength, flexibility and stage presence, Kelsey is living out her
lifelong dream of dancing professionally with the artists as they peform on their Dream Tour 2010. Additionally, Kelsey directs and performs with the travelling professional dance company Essenza, MPAC'S resident company. Kelsey's choreography has earned her numerous top awards for solo work, as well as for numbers she choreographed for her East Coast Dance Company. She has earned state recongition for pieces she created for the Boradneck High School Dance Company and the Anne Arundel County Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Melissa O'Neil. Even now, Kelsey continues to choreograph throughout the Anne Arundel County School system. As a dance teacher, the beloved 'Miss Kelsey' continues to pursue professional level certification, finishing her fourth year with Dance Masters of America and pursuing her degree in dance education. In addition, her vocal training with the Peabody Conservatory and with renowned vocal coach Eric Arceneaux have more then prepared her to lead young voices to their future on stage. As Director and Head Teacher for MPAC, Kelsey plays a vital role in the creative and artistic process of the Center. In addition, Kelsey has received her certification in ZUMBA® and now offers several classes at MPAC.

ERIC ARCENEAUX- DIRECTOR OF THE VOCAL DEPARTMENT ~ CELEBRITY VOCAL COACH Take the soulful intensity of authentic New Orleans' Blues, and couple it with the refinement and technique of an opera singer. Add a dash of the conviction earned from numerous Sundays spent in a gospel choir, and filter all of this through a passionate appreciation of rock, pop, and R&B. The result? A world-class vocalist. Eric Arceneaux has become something of a legend within today's music industry. The Hurricane Katrina survivor turned down two major label record deals, in order to do things his way… And it worked! With millions of hits online and thousands of CD's sold worldwide, Eric Arceneaux is a force to be reckoned with.
Youtube Channel www.Youtube.com/EricArceneaux Website (Vocal Coach Info) www.AApproach.com "To know Eric Arceneaux is to know one of the most charismatic, articulate, gifted, young men you will probably ever meet. And that articulation and talent extends beyond his magnetic personality, and into his music." -Quote-Unquote Magazine In the summer of 2005, life as he knew it came to a screeching halt, when Hurricane Katrina decimated the city of New Orleans. Eric Arceneaux found himself trapped in an attic for 3 days, enduring temperatures of over one hundred degrees. He survived, rescued from his rooftop by a Coast Guard helicopter, although he watched as other members of his family were not so lucky. He began a new life in Washington, DC. Depressed and homesick, Eric turned to music for emotional release and healing. He wrote songs about his experiences and recorded a demo. Seeking an opportunity for exposure, Eric shared his music on the internet. Within months, his downloads and hits began totaling in the millions. Barely 21 years old, his talent for singing and for unlocking the vocal potential in others turned him into a music industry legend. His fans referred to him as the "Vocal Guru," amazed by his remarkable vocal ability and insights into training the voice. Through his popular Youtube channel (nearly 15Million hits to date), Eric's fans witnessed his journey into becoming a full fledged recording artist. In 2007, his debut album earned him a 5 star rating on iTunes, as well as the honor of being one of Youtube.com's "Top 100 most popular musicians of all time" (recently awarded "top 50" honors); he subsequently accepted an offer to sign with Youtube as a partner. "Eric's singing is the perfect combination of technical skill and artistic interpretation. He's a true artist." - Brett Manning (celebrity vocal coach: Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Hayley Williams) Eric Arceneaux has performed with recording artists Lisa Lavie, Junior Marvin (of "Bob Marley and the Wailers"), and David Choi. In 2009, director Tim O. was so impressed by Eric's music that he rewrote his stage play "Conversations About Her" - in the middle of its run - to include two of Eric's original songs. Then, in 2010, Eric was invited to perform at the French Embassy in Washington, DC. As an opera singer, Eric has sung the roles of Marco in "Gianni Schicchi", Ned in "Treemonisha", and the lead - Uberto - in "La Serva Padrona". As a vocal coach, Eric has been featured in USA Today, Singing Success Online Magazine, and Broadway Talk Radio. Eric Arceneaux is carving out a place for himself in music history - Redefining the term "Independent Artist" for a new generation. Performers who use Eric's "Arceneaux Approach" method: Lawrence Stallings: Hair (broadway), The Book Of Mormon (broadway) Troye Sivan: "Young Wolverine" in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (movie) Bryan Terrell Clark: Meet The Browns (TV), CSI (TV), The Broadway Boys Christian Ragin - Model/singer signed of Red Model Management NY Louise Robinson - Grammy Nominee 2007, "FELA!" (broadway), "Little Shop of Horrors" (broadway) Monty Wells - signed to major label Island/ Def Jam Kristin Dowtin - "Young Nala" in The Lion King (broadway) Kameko Hebron - "The Scarecrow" in The Wiz (broadway)

SARAH WATSON - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/ MUSICAL THEATER PROGRAM DIRECTOR Sarah began her dance training at a young age at New West Ballet School in San Marcos, CA. She continued her studies with Boston Ballet, Burklyn Ballet Theatre, and American Academy of Ballet in addition to performing all over the United States. In 2004, she performed the title role in Cinderella and the Flower Fairies at the Fringe Festival in Scotland. Most recently, she performed and taught at Ballet Theatre of Maryland for two seasons dancing the roles of Beth in Little Women, and a Cygnet in Swan Lake.
In addition to studying ballet, Sarah also studied tap, jazz, and musical theatre. As a child, she performed extensively with Christian Youth Theatre, and later became one of the company's choreographers and teachers. She later performed featured roles with Christian Community Theatre in shows like The King and I, and Oklahoma! Professionally she has appeared as Dream Maria in West Side Story, Charity in Anything Goes, Dream Laurey in Oklahoma!, ensemble in Singin’ in the Rain and assistant dance captain for Hello, Dolly! with the Welk Resort Theatre and Limon Carr Productions. Having recently completed her degree in Kinesiological Sciences as University of Maryland, College Park, Sarah is living her dream of working in the performance industry here at MPAC. She heads the Musical Theater department while working with dance students, the ECDC, and as a company member of Essenza. In addition, Sarah has received her certification in ZUMBA® and now offers several classes at MPAC LINDSEY WARNER- ALL LEVELS & GENRES KRISTY HOUSE - ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTORS ~ BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED JAZZ/MODERN HILARY DE VOS - BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED BALLET REBECCA HOUSEKNECHT - BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED BALLET & ALL GENRES ANDRE HINDS - INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED CLASSES ~ ALL GENRES STACY LYNCH - BEGINNER/ LEVEL 1,2, & 3 JANEY DIKE - BEGINNER /LEVEL 1, 2, & 3 HEATHER SCHEELER - ACTING COACH ~ ALL LEVELS

MICHAEL W. BRYANT - ASSISTANT VOCAL DIRECTOR Michael W. Bryant is an American singer and a vocal coach. Bryant’s vocal prowess has been captured on multiple albums as a prominent tenor, and his smooth and dynamic vocal ability is demonstrated through his original music. Bryant has appeared twice as a singer the national music television series 'Bobby Jones Gospel', has performed in Riverside Theater’s Dreamgirls, and landed the lead acting role in recording artist Andrae Alexander’s “Forgive” video. Bryant also
trains vocal clients worldwide, helping to expand the influence of the Arceneaux Approach, the dominant vocal program on Youtube. Bryant is an alliance member of The Collective, a movement of talented performers ushering in a new era of artistry, led by singer (and creator of the Arceneaux Approach), Eric Arceneaux. Michael is also a member of an emerging singing group, D.E.M. (alongside Dierre and Eric Arceneaux). Refusing to sing at an early age, Bryant did not begin developing his vocal talent until post adolescence. Joining a local choir, Bryant began to mature as a singer, traveling with a recording group. In 2006, Bryant relocated to the Washington DC area, linking up with prominent vocal coach guru, Eric Arceneaux. Having trained obsessively with Arceneaux, Bryant’s vocal ability was molded to professional soloistic quality within eleven months. Inspired by singers spanning various genres, Bryant credits his vocal influence and development to Eric Arceneaux, Daryl Coley, Whitney Houston, Tisha Campbell Martin, Jesse Campbell, and others. Noticing his unique and strategic teaching ability, Arceneaux convinced Bryant to explore vocal coaching alongside his vocal performing. With success, Bryant has helped numerous singers “find their voice” and embark on recording careers. Through the popularity of the Arceneaux AApproach, Bryant met DeMarcus Bolds, a lead musical theatre performer and vocalist, who introduced Bryant to the emotional world of performing that combines song, dance, and spoken dialogue. Gripped with the passion to convey love, faith, fun, and inspiration with music, Michael W. Bryant shares his voice and acting skills for the pleasure of anticipating listeners and viewers.

TINA B - ASSISTANT VOCAL DIRECTOR If you do not know TinaB., here's a little Q&A. TinaB. is not new on the music scene, her roots starting in The Chocolate City. TinaB. always knew she was going to be a singer as she was bitten by "the bug" at age 4. But it was after she performed at the infamous Black Lilly in 2002, that TinaB.'s life changed and she fell in love the stage. In 2007, she was hired as a background vocalist for a DC singer/ songwriter/ producer. TinaB. joined other background singers Billy Winn and LeMaitre, and together formed Auteur. Mastering the art of balancing the demands of the music industry and everyday life, TinaB. hit the ground running and the group gained a strong following performing at DC staples, Twins Jazz and Busboys & Poets.
In 2010, Auteur disbanded and TinaB. took a leap of faith and followed her inner pull towards a solo career. She immediately got to work, molding her jazz infused soul-bodied blues vocals. Now armed with what is sure to be one of the break out albums of this era, TinaB's debut EP tells a story of lives where there are no rules. In August 2011, the PRETTY MONSTER was awakened. The album was welcomed with open arms as Grammy award-winning soul singer Jill Scott called TinaB's debut single, Cold World "...gangsta!!!" TinaB. was featured not only in the October 2011 issue of Moe Heat Magazine but also in The Heroes And Legends Awards annual publication which corresponds with its annual banquet honoring the greats of music, television and movies held in Hollywood. TinaB's other musical credits include performing weekly at Swingers Night Club, Cape Town, South Africa in 2008; recording live with Cape Towns own hip hop MC Mingus Xand Mprvs of the L.A. based The Breezy Love Joy Band in 2008 and providing background vocals on Eric Arceneaux's 2010 highly anticipated sophomore album, Apartment 203. After being selected in 2009, TinaB. is currently on the vocal teaching staff of Eric Arceneaux's world renowned Arceneaux Approach. CHRISTI BLEAKLY - BALLET DEPARTMENT HEAD ~ INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED BALLET & POINTE Picture and bio coming soon! LAURA GARZA - INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED BALLET & POINTE Originally from Denver, Colorado, Laura joined the dance department at Anne Arundel Community College in the fall of 2001 and continues to teach all of their ballet courses. In 2007 she won the prestigious “Outstanding Teaching in Exellence” award . Laura studied ballet at Brigham Young University, where she performed as a soloist for the university’s Theatre Ballet Company. After earning her Bachelors of Arts degree in ballet with honors from BYU, Laura began her professional career as a principal dancer with the Rocky Mountain Ballet Company in Utah. Her overall accomplishments in Utah earned her the Governors Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Performing Arts. After moving to Maryland, Laura danced as a soloist with the Ballet Theatre of Maryland, and danced in performances for the Baltimore Opera. Laura has studied with some of the world’s most renowned dancers, such as Galina Mezentseva of the Kirov Ballet, and such notable Directors as Bruce Marks formerly of the Boston Ballet. Her talent has been showcased as a principle dancer in acclaimed performances in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.During her professional career, she has performed in virtually all of the classical ballets including Odette in “Swan Lake.” She has been featured on television in performances of “The Nutcracker.”

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