See Previous Guest Teachers | Alexa Luke is a Georgia native, currently living and working professionally in New York City. She received her early dance education at Roswell City Dance under the direction of Shannon Childers, and then went on to tour as an assistant with Intrigue Dance Convention. Alexa’s primary interests and passions lie in contemporary dance. She finds this vocabulary of movement particularly inspiring. She sees the possibilities as endless, and strives to develop new concepts and discoveries through moving and creating. Alexa currently teaches at multiple studios in the tristate area, as well as at Brickhouse NYC, Broadway Dance Center, and Peridance. She has presented work at shows including Sybarite NYC, Brickhouse Openhouse, and Uptown Rising. Alexa is extremely committed to her work, and finds genuine fulfillment in discovering new ways to reach people and create connection through movement. She hopes to be ever-growing and ever-learning, continuously spreading her love for dance with those around her. | .jpeg) | Michael Crawford July Master Teacher Faculty at Broadway Dance Center, STEPS on Broadway, AMDA College, PACE University, Marymount Manhattan College, and School of American Ballet. Michael Crawford is from Takoma Park, Maryland. He began dancing with prestigious schools,including the Maryland Youth Ballet and Kirov Academy, with summer intensives at The RockSchool and San Francisco Ballet on full scholarships. In his senior year, he was accepted into the
Kennedy Center’s Master Class Series, where he trained and performed with top international companies. Mr. Crawford then moved on to the Washington Ballet where, in their top training program, he performed with the company under the direction of Septime Webre. Upon graduation, he went on to study and perform in the Professional Division of The Pacific Northwest Ballet under the
direction of Kent Stowell and Francia Russell. After Pacific Northwest Ballet, he danced with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Jose Mateo Ballet, Ballet Memphis, American Repertory Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, and Oakland Ballet. At these
companies, he performed several ballets as a principal artist. He has been privileged to work alongside top productions, such as “Guys and Dolls," "West Side Story," "Show Boat," and other musical performances at The Kennedy Center, as well as touring many other international stages. He has also worked guestings with The Washington National Opera, Adam Miller Dance Project, Kinetic Dance Works, Brooklyn Ballet, and Ballet Neo. While signed with New York Model Management, Mr. Crawford had the honor to internationally campaign. He has walked in several seasons of NYC Fashion Week. He also appeared in the feature film "Step Up" and can be seen on television in ABC’s production of “Forever.”Michael is also an award-winning teacher and choreographer. He has been teaching and choreographing nationally and internationally for years. He has coached many prize-winning students for competitions, such as Youth America Grand Prix. Some of his students have gone on to Prestigious college programs, top dance companies, and leading broadway performers. Michael is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center, STEPS on Broadway, AMDA College, PACE University, Marymount Manhattan College, and School of American Ballet.
|  | Billy Griffin is a New York City-based choreographer and dance educator with a BFA from NYU/Tisch. Select choreography credits include the National Tour of "Friends! The Musical Parody", as well as work for the Hudson Valley Dance Festival featuring "So You Think You Can Dance" winner Ricky Ubeda, The Red Bucket Follies for BC/EFA, The Drama League Gala At The Plaza (honoring Steve Martin), Hershey Park, Issac Mizrahi for QVC, The Miss America Organization, The National YoungArts Foundation, New York Musical Festival (nomination for choreography), The Joffrey Ballet School, The Steps Conservatory, Fordham/Ailey, New York University and Pace University. As a performer, Billy was in the Broadway/National Tour Productions of "Mary Poppins", "White Christmas", and "Young Frankenstein". Associate/ Assistant credits include work with Sonya Tayeh, Josh Bergasse, Andy Blankenbuhler, and Al Blackstone. Billy teaches weekly at both Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center. Billy is also a proud Legacy Ambassador for lululemon. IG:@SillyBillyGriffin |  | Manny Castro is the Studio Director of DanceZone in Miami, Florida. His many television credits include; "America's Got Talent", "Dance Moms", "World of Dance", "Live to Dance", and many Spanish productions. Manny was toured with many popular recording artists such as; Paula Abdul, The Black Eyed Peas, Ricky Martin, and Shakira. He judges for many national dance competitions and teaches jazz, contemporary, and hip hop dance, but is mostly known for Latin ballroom and Latin fusion dance styles. |  | Akia Deyvon Hip Hop Master Class & Dance Company Choreographer Raised in Mt. Pocono, Pennsylvania, Akia did not have many creative outlets/options growing up. He gained most of his inspiration and initial training via the internet by studying popular industry choreographers, music videos from the greatest artists/entertainers of his time, and dance television shows such as So You Think You Can Dance & America's Best Dance Crew. He always dreamt of starting his own dance company to train others, perform, compete, and eventually tour worldwide and have the opportunity to book his dancers for professional gigs. He turned the dance crew into a company in 2017 following graduating with his Bachelors's degree in Mass Communications & Dance at Bloomsburg University. The company is currently an award-winning team that has also had the opportunity to open up for Pharrell Williams at the Something In The Water Festival 2019. Akia strives to remain innovative with his unique style choreography and creative visions. Every year the company elevates and reaches newer heights and bigger accomplishments. He has so much more in stores for the company and continuously aspires to inspire others. He has an immense passion for seeking growth in other talented individuals. With Akia's leadership qualities and commercial experience, the success of the company has continued to thrive throughout the years! Credits include; BET HipHop Awards, The Color Purple Musical Film, Praise This, BET Awards, Superbowl 56 Halftime Show and more! | | | | | | |  | |  | Emily Gilligan Guest Instructor West Chester University Dance Team/West Chester University Dance Company/Star Dance Alliance Power Pack Instructor Emily Gilligan lives in Media, Pennsylvania, and has studied dance for over 18 years. Her professional training includes jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, hip-hop, and tap. In addition to working toward her early-grades education degree, Emily is pursuing a dance minor at West Chester University, with formal studies in choreography and composition techniques, dance pedagogy and teaching techniques, improvisation, modern and jazz dance. As a dancer, Emily attended some of the most prestigious conventions, including NYCDA and ASH, earning numerous scholarships and awards. Her performances as a soloist and in group numbers at top dance competitions earned her several national titles and honors, including Starpower Talent’s Dancer of the Year. Emily is currently the captain of the West Chester University Dance Team (WCUDT), where she coaches and performs at an elite collegiate level. She achieved a Universal Dance Association (UDA) Hip-Hop National Championship with WCUDT in 2022. She is also a dancer and choreographer for the West Chester University Dance Company, where she regularly performs in several dance genres, including jazz, lyrical, and contemporary. Emily works as a professional dance teacher and choreographer for studios, professional training programs, and dance teams throughout the region. She also works for the Star Dance Alliance Power Pak Dance Intensive as a Team Leader.
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