Faculty

Faculty

Tassia Hooks, Dance Director:

Former Associate Artistic Director of Wealthy Theatre

Contemporary Ballet. She

began her dance training with the Jane Stamps School of Dance and

continued her training on scholarship at the

prestigious San Francisco Ballet School. In 1984,

Mrs.

Hooks-Johnson joined The Dance Theatre of Harlem where

she performed feature roles in

ffery

Holder’s, Douglas, Valerie Bettis’s A Street Car Named Desire, Billy Wilson’s

Concerto

F, Ron

Cunningham’s, Etosha, John Tyrus’s, Fire Bird, Alvin Ailey’s, The River, Robert Garland’

Joplin

Dances, Alonzo King’s, Signs and Wonders, The Nutcracker and George Balanchine’s,

The Four

Temperaments. As a

choreographer she has produce

many dance pieces from the

dramatic to the

abstract that cross all styles and

disciplines ranging from ballet to jazz to

contemporary lyrical and

modern. She has produce pieces for the Dance

Institute of

Washington,

including their production

of A Soulful Christmas which was performed at the world

famous

Kennedy Center, the Grand Rapids Symphony, School of Grand Rapids Ballet, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey,
and many other dance studios. Her ballet Belinda–O was a winner in the New York City based New choreographers
on Point competition and was performed at the Lincoln Center in 1995. In addition to her accomplishments as a
dancer and choreographer she is also know for her great teaching experience. As a teacher and mentor, she has
worked with many dance organizations and schools such as the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey, T-3’s Dance
Elite, CARE and Dance Dimensions. She continues to be in demand and has been commissioned to do
choreography for competitions and performances. The Flint Youth Ballet requested Tassia to be a part of their Color
Line Project in 2003, which explored racism past and present called “Episodes at the Mall”. It was a huge hit with the
PRESS, the dancers at the school and the audience. Her works have always been well received and have won many
awards. Presently she is teaching for Christian High School, Hearts In Step Dance Academy and is co owner of PT
Arts, LLC. Performing Arts Consultants.

Patrick Johnson, Managing Director:

Born in Nassau, Bahamas Mr. Johnson as a performer

and

teacher, has reached

hundreds of thousands of people of all ages, from inner-city youth to

world-renowned

political leaders. His dance studies

include work with the critically acclaim Alvin

Ailey American Dance

Theatre, New York Conservatory, Broadway Dance Center,

Steps on

Broadway and the world famous

Dance Theater of Harlem. In 1988, Mr. Johnson joined the

Dance Theatre of

Harlem’s professional

company, quickly becoming one of its leading dancers.

He has worked with internationally renowned

choreographers such as Agnes de Mille, Glen

Tetley, Michael Smuin, Billy Wilson, Louis Johnson, Garth

Fagan and Alonzo

King, and performed

works by George Balanchine, Alvin Ailey, Valerie Bettis, John

McFall and Robert North. Mr.

Johnson has

given command performances for Nelson Mandela, Vice

President Al Gore, Her

Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II, and the

late Princess Diana. He has also

appeared as a

guest artist with numerous dance companies, across the United States. Mr. Johnson has been held in the highest
regard by dance critics of major news papers and magazines such as The New York Times, New York Daily News,
The New York Post, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, Dance Magazine, Back
Stage and other publications around the world. His television credits include Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Creole
Giselle, Basketball/Dance for Sports Illustrated, the PBS-Children’s Television Workshop’s Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood
and Sesame Street, as well as many television commercials. Mr. Johnson’s Broadway credits include The
Metropolitan Opera production of Porgy and Bess and the Joseph Papp/Shubert Organization’s A Celebration of
Paul Robeson. Mr. Johnson has been the recipient of many grants and awards including two Grand Awards for
choreography in 2001 and 2004. By special invitation, he has been a guest lecturer at both Columbia University in
New York and Grand Valley State University in Michigan. In addition to being co owner of PT Arts Consulting Mr.
Johnson serves as a faculty member at Grand Rapids Community College, Theatre Department and is the founder of
the West Michigan Flight Academy. He also works with local public schools in Grand Rapids and Muskegon helping to
find new ways to educate through the arts. He maintains a busy schedule with theatre groups in the Grand Rapids
area, making it possible to further his mission of bringing the arts to as many people in the West Michigan community
as possible.

Laura Armenta

Conditioning, Jazz, Hip-Hop

Modern

and Choreography

A native of Mexico City,

Mexico. Ms.

Armenta began her dance training with Miguel Añorve, a prestigious teacher and dancer

from

Ballet

National de Mexico in Mexico City. Ms.

Armenta holds a bachelors degree in Arts and

Humanities,

with a

Dance Specialty as well as diplomas for modern dance and choreography from Mexico’

s National

Institute

of Fine Arts.

She performed professionally with one of Mexico’s best modern dance

companies,

Ballet

Teatro del Espacio under the guidance of French director Michele Descombey.

varied performing

career has afforded Miss Armenta the opportunity to work with renowned dance

masters such as Anna

Sokolow, Rudolf Nureyev, and Daniel Nagrin to mention some.

Laura’s

choreographic and teaching work

flow, from her roots in Pre-Hispanic and Latin dance. All the way to a

vast repertoire of dance styles that

go from Ballet, Modern, Jazz, as well as ethnic dances from around

the world, like; Middle Eastern,

African, and Baratanatyum Indian dance. She has been guest choreographer for local companies in Grand Rapids,
Michigan as well as for Independent Mexican Companies, like Athos Dance Company and Utopia. Currently her
choreographic work is mainly focused on Ad Libitum Dance Company (modern Dance company) created in 1993 and The At-
Neemrah Dancers (bellydancing company) created in 2004. Ms. Armenta has taught at the School of the Grand Rapids
Ballet Company guiding hundreds of children in the art of dance from the Grand Rapids school system. She is an active
faculty member at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and has been artist in residency at the Grandville Avenue Academy for the Arts
working on the outreach program sponsored by the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs. Her other
accomplishments include the creation of OLLIN YOGA; a style of yoga, combining disciplines like dance, Feldenkrais and
martial arts, with traditional yoga philosophy. Laura Armenta has been featured on Ashtanga Yoga “Primary Series” YGuide
yoga software for Chakra Productions. Ms. Armenta is a certified yoga instructor from the White Lotus Foundation, a
Yoga/Thai Medical Massage Therapist from the LUMA Center in Michigan, an American Fitness Professional and Associates
certified personal trainer, and Kickboxing instructor. In 2003 Laura Armenta open The Armenta Studio, a venue for holistic
disciplines, specialized yoga, dance and fitness classes as well as a great gallery and performance space. Belly Dancing Ms.
Armenta has also taken classes with teachers like Badia Star in Toronto, Canada, Karim Nagi, from Turbo Tabla, Belly Twin
Veena, as well as workshops with instructors like Sonia from Arabesque in Chicago, Amaya and more. She has performed
before HRH Prince Firas Raad and HRH Princess Dana Firas Raad of Jordan for the Petra- City of Stone Exhibit Premiere at
Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI in April 2005. She is the producer of Belly Dancing Nights a continous performance on a
weekly basis at MEZZE Café and Cabaret in Grand Rapids, MI. and has been a guest at Juliana’s in Chicago.

Lucia Martin

: Ballet and Lyrical

born Lucia Hutchins, a native of St. Petersburg, Florida,

began

her relationship

with

dance in her hometown at The Academy of Ballet Arts under the

direction of

Suzanne

Pomerantzeff.

Her God given talent was quickly noticed. She was spotted

by well-known

artists,

Edward Villella and

Violette Verdy, whom praised her at the early age of

ten. Mrs. Martin

decided then and there that

she was going to be a dance artist. She has

trained with well

known

teachers from around the world

and has worked and performed with

many of America

and Europe’s

leading choreographers and

dance companies. She is a

versatile artist, being at

home in both

classical and contemporary roles.

Critics describe her as

having crystal clear lines

and impeccable

technique (Stuttgarter Zeitung). As

a teacher, it has

been said that Mrs. Martin

is a must for every

faculty. She has a wonderful way with

students of

all ages, regardless of

their handicaps. She is a

real people lover.

Melissa Williams: Hip-Hop, Jazz, Kick Line, Lyrical, Conditioning and Choreography

is a

Michigan State University

graduate with a BS in Kinesiology with a

specialization in dance. She

also

studied and

performed in Los Angeles, Las Vegas,

Chicago

and New

York.

Melissa's

experience

include

industrials

for BMW, Beezil and Mrs. Field's Cookies. In addition she has appeared with the

Christian

rock artist Tammy Trent and R

B artist Tony .P. Her off Broadway

debut

was in the

musical

"Slide". Melissa has also performed with

the Grand Rapids Ballet

Company

, Michigan State

dance

Repertory

Company and

the Rage dance team,

from the

Arena Football team, the Grand

Rapids

Rampage.

She has also toured Denmark, the former Soviet Union and the

Caribbean

. As a

choreographer she has won many

awards

from the UDA College Nationals to many

regional

competitions

James Martin:

Conditioning, Jazz, Modern and Choreography

Mr. Martin began his association

with dance in his hometown – Grand Rapids,

Michigan and later went on to perform as a member of the

Civic Ballet Company under the directorship

of Sally Seven, Former Soloist with the Ballet Russe De

Monte Carlo.

Desiring to further his dance

training and career, be moved to New York and was given full

scholarship to study at the renowned

Dance Theater of Harlem – Arthur Mitchell, Artistic Director.

He has

had the fortune to train with such

great teachers as: Karel Shook, Rosella Hightower, Tanaquil Leclerg,

Melissa Hayden, Zena Rommett,

Francesca Corkle – Ballet. Mary Hinkson, Mary Barnett (Graham

technique), Milton Myers (Horten

technique) – Modern Fred Benjamin, Alfred Gallman, Abdel Salaam –

Jazz

Charles Moore – Ethnic.

has been a member of the Linea Dance Company, Gallman’s Newark

Dance Theater, Charles Moore

Dance Theater, The Forces of Nature

Dance

Company, The Fred

Benjamin Dance Company, Dance Art Stuttgart, Boulder Ballet and has performed on Broadway with well-known artists. In
1985, Mr. Martin and five other members of the Forces of Nature Dance Company were invited to perform in Moscow,
Russia, as the cultural exchange delegation of the United States. During this ten-day event, he had the privilege of being
part of a private workshop between members of the Bolshoi Ballet and members of the Forces of Nature Dance Company.
He has taught and choreographed works for dance companies, theater productions, as well as fashion shows in America
and Europe. He was resident choreographer for the Gaby Singer Dance Company and Artistic Director of Annjola Dance
Rejuvenation, as well as creating his own well fitness program – Divine Body Definition Dance Fitness. In 1995, Mr. Martin
and Hitomi Asakawa Haas started The Dance Art Stuttgart Contemporary Dance Company.

Diane C. Sales: Modern, Jazz, lyrical, Ballet and Choreography

A native New Yorker began her

dance training at the

age of 10 on scholarship with the Joffrey Ballet School. She received a full merit

scholarship to study at the Alvin Ailey

American Dance Center while attending the High School of

Performing Arts the noted "Fame" school. Diane attended The

North Carolina School of The Arts

majoring in ballet and performed with the North Carolina Dance Theatre in Coppelia.

She started her

professional career with the Alvin Ailey II Company touring the United States and Caribbean working

with

renowned choreographers Alvin Ailey, Talley Beatty, Ulysses Dove, George Faison, Kathryn

Posin, Louis Johnson, and

Kevin Wynn under the artistic direction of Sylvia Waters. She has assisted

choreographers Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane in

creating new works for the Alvin Ailey American

DanceTheatre. She was an original member of Atlanta based Ballethnic

Dance Company. She then

joined Donald Byrd/The Group to dance original works and develop as a choreographer, touring extensively in the United
States, Europe, Canada, and South Africa. Diane is currently choreographing and teaching ballet and modern dance on
faculty at the Atlanta Ballet Center for Dance Education, Tri-Cities High School, and Price Performing Arts Center.

Ms. Jay Burch

: Jazz,

Ballet,

Modern and Choreography

s a native of West

Michigan and received her early ballet

training in

the Cecchetti and Royal

Academy ballet techniques. As a performer she

worked

with Colorado Ballet ,

Colorado State Ballet and The Cleo Parker Robinson

dance

ensemble. While a

student at Western Michigan University, she received

her

teacher training in the

Vaganova syllabus under Jurgen Schneider. Her

teaching

credits include work in

European Music and Montessori schools. She

partnered in

business at Dance Arts

Accademy in Traverse City and has

instructed for the

School of the Grand Rapids

Ballet, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

and Wealthy

Theatre. She continues to

outreach in various programs in the

public, private and

charter schools.

Roscoe L. Sales, Jr., Jazz, Hip-Hop, Modern, Ballet and Conditioning Choreography.

A native of Winston Salem, North Carolina where he earned his BFA on scholarship from the

North Carolina School for the Arts. He has also studied at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center

and Dance Theatre of Harlem. He has performed with the Dance Theatre of Harlem in the

Metropolitan Opera Company’s production of Porgy and Bess, the Greensboro Ballet and the

North Carolina dance Theatre. In 1999 Rosco made his debut as a choreographer with his

version of Othello for Carolina Ballet. He is on faculty at the Atlanta Ballet Center for Dance

Education, Tri-Cities High School and guest teaches throughout Georgia, Michigan and the

Carolina’s. He is currently a guest artist with The Atlanta Ballet, Ballethnic Dance Company and

The Point Ballet in North Carolina.

Ramona Smith, Hip- Hop, Jazz, Poms, Ballet and Choreography.

California native, brings over 25 years of dance experience to Bahamas Dance International.

Ms. Smith trained

and toured internationally with the Dance Theatre of Harlem for over 10 years.

She has toured as a dancer with

“The Queen of Soul”, Aretha Franklin, performing at Radio City

Music Hall in New York City, the Fox Theatre in

Detroit, and the Kennedy Center for the

Performing Arts in D.C. Ms. Smith has also danced in “Porgy and Bess” at

the Metropolitan Opera

House at Lincoln Center in New York City. Ms. Smith teaches ballet, tap, creative

ovement,

and

career coaching. Her experience includes instruction at the University of California at Davis,

Dance Theatre of

Harlem, Ailey Camp, Harlem School of the Arts, and Berkeley City Ballet. Ms.

Smith received her BA in Business

Economics and her MBA from Mills College in Oakland,

California. She currently works as a business consultant doing grant research, grant management, and proposal
writing for organizations with missions related to arts, education, youth and women.

Torrey "T-3" Thomas, Hip- Hop, Jazz, Kick Line, Poms and Choreography.
'Mr. Torrey" has been Dancing, Instructing, and Choreographing for the past 20 + years... He is the Owner and
Artistic Director of the award winning studio T-3's Dance Elite, which is located in the city of Wyoming, MI... Mr.
Torrey specializes in teaching Hip Hop, Jazz, African, Tap, Preschool, Praise Dance, and Dance Aerobics... He is
one of the most sought after Hip-Hop instructors in the state of Michigan... His choreography has been awarded on
all levels at National Competitions all around the United States... He is currently the Dance Choreographer for the
ABA (Ameican Basketball Association) Twin City Ballers... Besides Directing and Teaching at T-3's Dance Elite he
still finds time to travel throughout Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois where he choreographs for dance studios, schools
districts, and fashion shows... Mr. Torrey believes that dance is one the greatest forms of expression, allowing for
students to be creative, energetic, and innovative... He wants his students to not only have confidence and
self-esteem, but to also have commitment and leadership skills... He gives all Praise, Honor, and Glory to God!!!

Dance competitions, cheerleading camps, dance and drill teams