Sunshine Webster-Latshaw began her training with Anna Schaeffer near Baltimore and continued serious ballet training at DDC. She also trained at the School of the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet School and Burklyn Ballet Theatre, working with such notable teachers as Lupe Serrano, Trinette Singleton and Cherie Noble. She was honored to be chosen for a Special Workshop with the late Margot Fonteyn while training at The Joffrey Ballet.

Ms. Latshaw joined The Maryland Ballet and later attended the University of the Arts, receiving a BFA in Fine Arts with a concentration in Dance Education. While attending the University, Ms. Latshaw worked with local modern companies including Archetype Dance and Koresh Dance Company, and developed a passion for modern and contemporary forms of dance. She returned to DDC in 1993 as a faculty member and Ballet Mistress of the Company, before becoming the Artistic Director in 1999.

As an educator, Ms. Latshaw has drawn on years of experience to develop her own unique style of modern dance, focusing on a fluid and expressive style of movement. Her modern choreography is visually engaging to the audience and, though physically demanding, still natural and satisfying to the dancer. She is also a distinguished ballet choreographer and her work is featured in all DDC productions, including The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Tales from the Enchanted Forest, Peter and the Wolf and Other Forest Fables, Carnival of the Animals as well as all spring Galas. She taught dance at Cecil College and is currently on the faculty for the Dance Minor at the University of Delaware. She is a certified Jazzercise instructor. In 2017, at the Regional Dance America National Festival, which Ms. Latshaw attended along with sixteen of her Company dancers, she became certified in Progressing Ballet Technique and is excited to teach these methods at DDC. Ms. Latshaw also serves on National Board of Regional Dance America as the Coordinator for the Northeast Region.

Ms. Latshaw is dedicated to providing a broad spectrum of dance forms and learning opportunities to DDC and the community, and works to instill in her students an appreciation and passion for the art of dance.

Mary Roth, Business Manager,  has been involved with Delaware Dance Company since 1995.  She has served on the Board of Trustees with terms both as Secretary and President and coordinated the volunteer committees for the annual Nutcracker for over a decade. With a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute for Technology, she has worked in the chemistry departments at the University of Chicago and Swarthmore College.  In 2006, she was hired by the Board of Trustees to oversee the business management of Delaware Dance Company.  Both of her daughters, Miranda Liu and Elaine Liu, danced with the Performing Company and taught classes and camp while living in the area.  Mary remains dedicated to ensuring that her extended dance family has the best possible experience during their years at DDC.

Allyson Cohen-Sherlock has trained at Delaware Dance Company since she was four years old. She joined the Performing Company in 1985 and rose through the ranks to Principal dancer. Her many and varied roles include “Princess Aurora” in Sleeping Beauty and the “Sugar Plum Fairy” in the annual production of The Nutcracker. Miss Allyson has also studied at the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet, Burklyn Ballet Theatre in Vermont, University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Boston Ballet School and the Hartford Ballet School. In addition to her teaching and dancing duties for DDC, Miss Allyson has also contributed as a choreographer for the Performing Company with a jazz ballet “Swingin’ and Jumpin”, a classical ballet “Vivaldi”, a solo piece, “Waterfall”, in the contemporary ballet Elemental Rhythms that was performed at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in August 2002, and “On the Frontline” for Homecoming: an Alumni Gala in 2011. She is also a Rehearsal Director for DDC’s Nutcracker. Miss Allyson teaches high school dance at Cab Calloway School of the Arts in Wilmington. She has directed and choreographed her own annual high school spring dance shows at Cab Calloway and has choreographed many of their musicals, including Footloose, Hairspray, Aida and Fiddler On the Roof. She has continued her professional development in dance by completing the certification to teach the ABT® National Curriculum for Primary to Level 7. She graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a certification in Special Education. She and her husband, Adam are the proud parents of Hayden and Ava Rose.

Beth Marshall began her dance training in New Jersey. Growing up, she studied at the American Repertory Ballet/Princeton Ballet School and Kathleen Academy of Dance. Her tap mentors include Kathleen Cirioli (NJ) and Bettye Morrow (NY). As a member of the NJ based tap company, “Kids on Tap”, Beth performed multiple times at the New York City Tap Festival, TapCity, The Chicago Human Rhythm Project, and throughout NJ. She has also performed throughout NJ with “Dance for the Cure”, a dance company that provides breast cancer education through the art of dance. A dance teacher since 1999, she has taught tap, jazz, and ballet for studios and a college in NJ, NY and GA. Also, as a member of Dance Masters of America, she is a Certified Tap Teacher. While not currently practicing, Beth is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Beth, her husband, Tom, and their son, Steve, reside in Newark, DE.

Brittany Slanac has been dancing since age 3. She studied primarily as a member of the pre- professional program at Ballet Westmoreland Academy, under the direction of Marsha Kulik and Nicolas Petrov. She completed her undergraduate work in International Studies at The Johns Hopkins University, where she served as president of the school’s Modern Dance Company for four years, received a Certificate in Modern Dance and was awarded the President’s Commendation for Achievement in the Arts. While in college, Brittany worked closely

with Marilyn K. Byers and had the opportunity to study intensively with Alberto del Saz, director of the Nikolais- Louis Foundation for Dance in New York. Brittany has taught dance at various studios, including The Dance Dimension, a semi-professional teenage modern dance company in Columbia, MD, and is a Registered Yoga Teacher (200-hour level). She has served as the Director of the School of Dance at the Jewish Community Center in

Austin, TX, and the Coordinator of the School of Dance at the Western Family YMCA in Newark, DE, where she currently leads their Performing Company. She and her husband, Dan, live in Pennsylvania with their daughter and dog. Brittany is looking forward to her fifth year teaching at DDC!

Christina Lawless Delaware where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with minors in Dance and Voice. While at UD, she performed with and choreographed for both the University's Dance Minor Concert and the Delaware Repertory Dance Company. Christina also sang with the University of Delaware University Singers for 4 years, including a performance at ACDA in 2014. She has choreographed many local musical theater productions, including Secret Garden (2009), Annie (2010, 2018, 2018), Thoroughly Modern Millie (2011),Cinderella (2012), You're a Good Man Charlie Brown (2013), Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat(2015), The Wizard of Oz (2016), Cats (2016), and Seussical! (2017), to name a few. Miss Christina teaches at several other studios in the area, and came to DDC in 2017 to work with the Youth Dance Ensemble and Musical Theater Camp. She is thrilled to be joining this studio for the upcoming season!

Heather Reynolds grew up in Elkton, Maryland where she began dancing at the young age of two and a half. At age eight, she continued her dance training by joining Delaware Dance Company. Miss Heather spent over fifteen years performing with DDC in numerous productions including The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Hansel & Gretel, and Peter Rabbit and Other Tails, to name a few. For seven years Miss Heather served as Act 1 Rehearsal Assistant for DDC’s annual Nutcracker performances, and in 2014 became an Act 1 Rehearsal Director. Miss Heather is an honors graduate from Wilmington University where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and a Masters degree in Elementary School Counseling. Miss Heather has been on the teaching staff at DDC since 2000 and served as co-director for DDC’s Youth Dance Ensemble for five years. She also teaches at Delaware Arts Conservatory in Bear, DE.

Jamie Meyer began studying Vaganova ballet at First State Ballet Theatre under the direction of Kristina and Pasha Kambalov in 2001. She became a part of the First State Ballet Theatre company at eighteen and has been a returning member since. Additionally, she has attended summer intensives at Kirov Academy of Ballet and American Ballet Theater. Miss Jamie is excited to begin her fourth year teaching at DDC!

Kathleen Gallant joined the DDC faculty in 1992 and was also Dance Coordinator of the Western Family YMCA School of Dance for many years. Since her early dance training was incomplete, her mission is to make sure that young dancers develop and nurture a love of dance while getting the correct preparation to continue successfully. Although classical ballet is her first love, she believes in a well-rounded dance education and is an advocate for many other forms of dance, especially tap. Miss Kathleen has worked extensively with children and adults in summer camps, after school programs, and community theater groups. She holds a B.A. from Skidmore College and an M.A. in Literature and Pedagogy from the University of Delaware. Because of her affinity for all things French and her love of ballet history and vocabulary, she received the French Advocate of the Year Award from the faculty of the University of Delaware. Miss Kathleen and her husband John reside in Old New Castle and love to travel.

Kelly Millar Raised in Elmer, NJ, Kelly started her dance training at the age of nine and was a soloist member of the Vineland Regional Dance Company from 1992-1997, a guest artist for numerous years, and danced lead roles in the Nutcracker Ballet and Sleeping Beauty. She attended Burklyn Ballet Theatre and the Juilliard School Summer Dance Programs. She was the Ballet Mistress for the Vineland Regional Dance Company for ten years and spent six years as Ballet Mistress for the Delaware Ballet. Presently, she is an instructor for Maxine’s Studio of Dance, the Dance Academy teacher at A. P. Schalick High School, and is entering her sixth year as a staff member at the Delaware Dance Company. Kelly is a 2002 graduate of the University of Delaware with a B.S. in Human Services, Education, and Public Policy. Kelly has worked with numerous organizations and taught master classes at various dance studios and companies such as the School of First State Ballet Theatre, Houston Dance Theatre, and the University of Delaware Dance Team and Dance Minor program. As a choreographer, ten of her works have been selected through an adjudication process and shown at the RDA/NE Festivals. She has also worked with the professionals of the First State Ballet Theatre where she set two original works that premièred in 2015 and 2016. Since 2007, Ms. Millar has been the proud director of the annual Delaware Dance Festival. Kelly has been married to her very supportive husband, Jason, for thirteen years and they have two children, Owen and Alicia. She truly enjoys sharing her love for dance with others.

Maggie Kamholz is a senior honors student at The Tome School in North East, MD, and has been dancing since the age of three. As a part of DDC, she has performed in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Peter and the Wolf & Other Forest Fables, and Carnival of the Animals, as well as Galas and recitals. Maggie has supplemented her DDC training by attending regional festivals as well as summer programs at DDC, The Louisville Ballet, and Point Park University. She has assisted various classes and summer camps since 2015 and is very excited to share her love of dance to young students this year!

Melissa Rivera graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance education, concentration in modern dance. She danced professionally with Philadelphia modern based company, the Anna Marie Mulgrew Dancers and Company. As a company member, she performed at Martha’s

Vineyard and the Painted Bride Theater in Philadelphia. Miss Melissa was involved in outreach/education programs for schools in New Jersey and Philadelphia. She has choreographed several modern pieces for DDC's various Spring Gala's, most recently reworking the modern version of “Little Red Riding Hood” for Peter and the Wolf & Other Forest Fables. Miss Melissa has also been working as a Director of the Youth Dance Ensemble. She has been teaching, choreographing, and attending local dance festivals and outreach performances with the dancers. This will be her seventh year with YDE. She and her husband, Adolfo, reside in Newark with their five children.

Nichole Masters is a graduate of Cape Town University Ballet School, where she studied Ballet, Modern, Spanish Dance, Choreography, Choreology, and Teaching Method. She taught with the Western Cape Education department for nine years, specializing in ballet and creative dance. During those years she also organized RAD examinations and staged and choreographed student performances. In 1999, she moved to the USA and joined the faculty of the Shore Ballet School, Island Heights, New Jersey. Ms. Masters has been examined successfully in RAD and Cecchetti methods and holds the Royal Academy of Dance’s Teacher’s diploma and is also a certified Group

Fitness instructor. She is a member of the American Academy of Ballet and Royal Academy of Dance. Since relocating to Delaware in 2010, Ms. Masters has been teaching ballet at DDC and Creative Dance enrichment programs at area pre-schools. At the 2017 Regional Dance America National Festival in Arizona, she became certified in Progressing Ballet Technique and looks forward to opportunities to share her knowledge. She was honored to work alongside Miss Sunshine, Co-directing “Carnival of the Animals” this past spring. She is excited to start her 8th year at DDC and is pleased to continue as the Performing Company Ballet Mistress. As one of the directors of DDCs annual Nutcracker, she is looking forward to another amazing production.

Samantha Gartley began her training at DDC at the age of 4 and was a member of the Performing Company from 2006-2012. She graduated from Cab Calloway School for the Arts where she majored in Dance and is a 2015 graduate of the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and a minor in Dance. She worked as a teaching assistant and camp assistant for many years and in 2009 became a junior member of the Faculty. Samantha has performed in the annual Nutcracker ballet as well as numerous other DDC performances including Peter Rabbit and Other Tales, Tales from the Enchanted Forest, Cinderella and several spring Galas. She supplemented her training by attending summer programs and workshops at DDC, at the Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Theater and regional festivals. While at UD she was in the first four annual dance minor concerts, a TA for multiple dance classes, President of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts, and was awarded a grant for a choreography research project as part of the UD Scholar in Arts program. Currently she is a Graduate Research Assistant at UD studying Microbial Food Safety and is a member of the modern dance company, “ignite: A Company of Dancing Artists”. Samantha enjoys sharing her love of dance with young dancers and looks forward to her classes this year.

Shannon Lynch rained in ballet with the Greenwich Ballet School (Greenwich, CT) and The Lorna London School of Ballet (Larchmont, NY). Miss Shannon is pleased to begin her 16th year with DDC. She has performed at Longwood Gardens with The Brandywiners as a featured dancer in Kiss Me Kate and at Milburn Stone Theatre in Legally Blonde, The Musical. Miss Shannon co-founded Waterglass Arts, a nonprofit to support the arts in the community, and serves as Creative Director. She is a certified Barre instructor and is excited to be teaching Barre at DDC this year. She enjoys spending time with her husband Nathan and children, Isla, Tessa, Finnian & Everett.

Sherry Hiott has been teaching and coaching classical ballet dancers for thirty years. She studied with Jaqueline Longchamps of the Boston Conservatory of Music School and attended Boston Ballet School under the direction of E. Virginia Williams. She was awarded full scholarship at Harkness House for Ballet Arts NY under the direction of David Howard. She was invited to join the Niagara Frontier Ballet/Festival Ballet of New York under the direction of Kathleen Crofton who she also studied with for many years. She studied at the school of the Houston Ballet at the professional level for 4 years. She studied at and performed with Mercury Ballet Company, Ithaca Ballet Company, Dance Circle, Festival Ballet of New York, Galveston Ballet and Corpus Christi Ballet Company. Ms. Hiott also served as Ballet Mistress for both the Galveston Ballet Company and the Corpus Christi Ballet Company for 8 years where she set ballets, including a full length Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, and Don Quixote. She has choreographed for numerous school productions, including for Galas, Nutcracker and Cinderella at DDC. She was Assistant to the Director at Munro Ballet Studios. She has also taught for the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Rock School West. She has trained to teach in the Russian method with Kirov/Gitis, trained ballet masters Janina Cunova, Constantin Russo and former American Ballet Theater ballet master Jurgen Schneider. Ms. Hiott has also attended the David Howard Teacher Training Workshop at the University of North Carolina, the teacher’s workshop at Julliard in NY by invitation, and the Teacher-Training Course at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in Carlisle, PA . She is a certified teacher of Revolutionary Principles of Movement (RPM), movement motivation based on anatomy and kinesiology for all body types and is becoming certified in Progressing Ballet Technique by Marie Walton-Mahon. She has coached dancers for the Youth America Grand Prix Ballet Competition, some of whom have successfully scored in the top 12 in both classical and contemporary dance categories.

Tamoya Taylor currently lives in Wilmington, DE and has studied dance for almost 25 years. After her high school graduation, she attended the University of Arts in Philadelphia. She graduated in 2012 with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in modern dance. She has studied under dance greats like Kim Bears-Bailey (Former principal dancer of Philadanco), Zane Booker, Christine Cox (Creator of BalletX), and Curt Haworth. Throughout high school, under the direction of Christiana Pierangeli, she was very active in her school dance ensemble, serving as co-captain. She has also performed in the Garden State Dance Festival under the direction of Suzy Zuker and Rochelle Haynes. Since the age of 8, Tamoya has been competing individually and in groups numbers at dance competitions, where she's earned numerous awards and received platinum rating almost every time. She has garnered "Most Entertaining" and won "Title" at Ticket to Broadway twice. Tamoya has also traveled with her competition teams across the country to perform at various venues in Las Vegas, New York and Virginia Beach. She has also performed on-board the Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Lines. She has choreographed for music videos and live performances. Tamoya teaches at the University of Delaware and coaches cheer for Archmere Academy as well as being a member of the local modern company Pieces of a Dream. Miss Tamoya loves each student she comes in contact with and is happy to be a part of their growth and development.

Zane Winders is from Levelland, Texas, and began his formal training at Ballet Lubbock in 2009. In 2011, he was accepted to the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. Upon graduating he joined Ballet Arizona's Studio Company where he spent two years performing with the school and company. Currently acompany member at First State Ballet Theatre, Zane’s repertoire with them includes principle and soloist roles inThe Nutcracker, Paquita, Giselle, Alex Buckners’ A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Viktor Plotnikovs’ Romeo and Juliet. Zane has made guest appearances with Ballet Lubbock, the Yen-Li Chen Ballet School, Colorado Conservatory of Dance, and Delaware Dance Company. In addition to performing, Zane has also taught at Ballet Lubbock, Delaware Dance Company, and the School of First State Ballet Theatre.