Danscompany of Gainesville
In Good Company
Talented dancers in The Danscompany are supported by gifted choreographers and dedicated directors and board members
Choreographers
Nina Kessler Cameron (In Memoriam): Artistic Director and Choreographer
Nina taught dance in Gainesville for 52 years. She opened her studio, “The Dancenter,” in September 1983 and led the formation of “The Danscompany” in November of that year. She was an Area Director and a faculty member of Dance Masters of America, Florida Chapter, and of the State Dance Association, and a teaching assistant at Walt Disney World. She served as Director of the Florida competition of Mr. and Miss Dance, as second and first Vice President of Florida Dance Masters and, in 1989 and again in 1992-1993, as an Area Director of the American Jazz Dance Council. Nina was Past-President and Convention Manager of Florida Dance Masters. She participated in every session of American Jazz Dance World Congress in Chicago since 1990 and in Florida Dance Masters’ Intensive Teachers’ Training Seminars in 1992 and 1993. She studied dance in New York City and in the summer of 1997, she attended The Vaganova Ballet Technique Workshop in Hilton Head, S.C. She received the Alachua/Bradford County Woman of Distinction award in November 2006 for her contribution to arts in the community. Nina was awarded The Lifetime Achievement Award by the Gainesville/Alachua County Cultural Affairs. The mayor of Gainesville proclaimed January 23, 2007, as Nina Cameron Day. In addition the Chair of the County Commissioners of Alachua County declared January 24, 2007, as Nina Cameron Day.
Nina taught dance in Gainesville for 52 years. She opened her studio, “The Dancenter,” in September 1983 and led the formation of “The Danscompany” in November of that year. She was an Area Director and a faculty member of Dance Masters of America, Florida Chapter, and of the State Dance Association, and a teaching assistant at Walt Disney World. She served as Director of the Florida competition of Mr. and Miss Dance, as second and first Vice President of Florida Dance Masters and, in 1989 and again in 1992-1993, as an Area Director of the American Jazz Dance Council. Nina was Past-President and Convention Manager of Florida Dance Masters. She participated in every session of American Jazz Dance World Congress in Chicago since 1990 and in Florida Dance Masters’ Intensive Teachers’ Training Seminars in 1992 and 1993. She studied dance in New York City and in the summer of 1997, she attended The Vaganova Ballet Technique Workshop in Hilton Head, S.C. She received the Alachua/Bradford County Woman of Distinction award in November 2006 for her contribution to arts in the community. Nina was awarded The Lifetime Achievement Award by the Gainesville/Alachua County Cultural Affairs. The mayor of Gainesville proclaimed January 23, 2007, as Nina Cameron Day. In addition the Chair of the County Commissioners of Alachua County declared January 24, 2007, as Nina Cameron Day.
: Mary Ellsworth Smith (In Memoriam): Artistic Consultant and Choreographer
Mary Smith taught dance in Gainesville for over 25 years and made many presentations about dance throughout her career. She choreographed ballets, operas, operettas, and musicals for high schools, universities and non-scholastic organizations affiliated with dance. Her works included an original production of “Cinderella” for the University of Florida and the Florida Legend Ballet, “Indian Moss,” that was performed at the Florida State Museum. She was a member of Dance Masters of America, Florida chapter. The Danscompany was privileged and fortunate to have her serve as Artistic Consultant and Choreographer for nine years.
Peggy Nolan Lamb: Dance Captain and Choreographer
Peggy returned to Gainesville in 1984 after spending ten years in New York studying dance with various teachers and schools, including Maggie Black, Dennis Wayne’s Dancer’s School, Morelli Ballet, Luigi’s Jazz Center, and Steps. She also has studied dance at Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and performed with “The Sherry Jones Dancers” there. She has completed two years of Florida Dance Masters’ Intensive Teachers’ Training Seminars. Peggy currently is a faculty member at The Cameron Dancenter, and has taught dance for high school students at P.K. Yonge Laboratory School. She is a member of, and has served as Area Director and Judges Committee Chairperson for Florida Dance Masters. She participated in the first American Jazz Dance World Congress in Chicago in 1990 and continues her study of dance with various teachers by attending area workshops and classes in New York.
Linda Thomas: Choreographer, Artistic Director Chrysalis
Linda started dancing at the age of 6 in Manchester, New Hampshire. She studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Acrobatics under the instruction of Joel Conrad at Allegro Academy of Dance. She has studied at Charlene’s School of Dance in Spring Hill, Florida, where she was an Assistant Teacher for 3 years. Linda became a certified member of Dance Masters of America in Ballet, Tap, and Acrobatics in 1983. Linda is a member of and a contributing Choreographer for the Danscompany of Gainesville. She has been a member of the faculty at the Dancenter since 1990.
Erin Murphy: Choreographer, Rehearsal Coach, Acting Director
Erin has studied at the Dancenter for more than 20 years. She has trained in Ballet, Jazz, and Tap. Erin completed the Dancenter Teachers Assistant program and has served as a faculty member for 9 years. She is a contributing Choreographer and a Senior Performing Member of the Danscompany and has performed many principle roles, including The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella and Dorothy in The Wiz.
Melissa Bohne: Artistic Director, Dancenter Dancers
Melissa has danced since age 6 and holds a B.F.A. in Theater and Dance from the University of Florida. After graduation, she taught dance in Jacksonville for two years and her choreography won awards at various competitions. She has served as an adjunct teacher for the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Florida and is currently an instructor for the Santa Fe Community College Community Education Department. Melissa has attended classes with Mia Michaels, Joey Dowling, Joe Lanteri, and Bill Hasting as well as with instructors from Alvin Ailey, Pilobolus, and Paul Taylor. Melissa is a performing member of The Danscompany, serves as the Artistic Director of the Dancenter Dancers, and as a rehearsal coach. Melissa has been a faculty member at the Dancenter for twelve years.
Meredith Holloway Farnum: Rehearsal Coach
Meredith has danced for 32 years and holds a B.F.A. in Dance from the University of Florida with training in Ballet, Modern, Jazz and Musical Theater. She is now on faculty at the School of Theatre and Dance at UF. She served as president of Floridance in 1992/93 and has toured, choreographed and performed in various places including Holland. Meredith has trained under and attended many workshops from Master Instructors including Alvin Ailey, David Parsons, Pilobolus, Wash Ashore Dance Ensemble, and Atlanta Ballet. She has studied at the Cameron Dancenter for 13 years and is a performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville.
Debbie Clark: Director of Dancenter Children
Debbie has a master’s degree in special education and has been an instructor at the Dancenter since 2005. She is the Artistic Director of the Dancenter Kids and a rehearsal coach for Danscompany of Gainesville. She performs in Cinderella and The Wiz with Danscompany. She is the Secretary of the Danscompany of Gainesville Board of Directors.
Jeri-Lynn Rapczak: Choreographer
Jeri-Lynn graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in psychology. She trained at Cameron Dancenter in various dance genres such as ballet, jazz, tap, modern and hiphop. She has attended Pensacola Jr. College Summer Workshop, Tremaine Dance Conventions, Monsters of Hiphop, and dance classes at the University of Florida. She was a choreographer and performer for Buchholz High School’s Repertory Theatre and has been teaching and choreographing for over 6 years for Cameron Dancenter and the Danscompany of Gainesville. She has also taught at the College for Kids program at Santa Fe. She recently moved back from NYC where she taught ballet, tap, lyrical jazz and hip hop at Martha Meredith School of Dance and Theatre in Syosset and performed in the Long Island Dance Consortium’s Spring Festival. While in New York she attended classes at Steps, Broadway Dance Center, Dance New Amsterdam and Peridance. This is her 12th year as a member of the Danscompany of Gainesville. She has performed lead roles including Cinderella, Fairy Godmother and Autumn Fairy in the ballet Cinderella, as well as performances in Spring Concert, The Wiz, Cats, and Thriller. She is delighted to be part of the wonderful dance family at Cameron’s!
Katie Bailey: Choreographer
Katie is currently an elementary school teacher in Alachua County. She has danced at the Dancenter since the age of three. Katie is a performing member for more than ten years. She is trained in Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and Hip Hop. Katie is a contributing Choreographer of the Danscompany and has performed many roles including Dorothy in “The Wiz” and The Spring Fairy in “Cinderella. She is very excited to be working with the Dancenter and Danscompany.
Brittany Gallman: Choreographer
Brittany has been dancing with the Dancenter and Danscompany since 1997.Brittany is a performing member and contributing Choreographer of the Danscompany and has performed many roles in “The Wiz” and various major roles in “Cinderella. She has been on the staff of the Dancenter since 2007 .Brittany has a Bachelors and Master of Education degree from UF in Elementary Education and is a teacher in Alachua County .Brittany is a licensed Piloxing instructor.
Herman Ramos: Choreographer
Herman originally hails from Northern Virginia where he did not grow up with any formal dance training. Instead, he became a specialist in breakdance and hip hop choreography with the help of various crews from the DC area and central Florida areas over the last decade and a half. In 2008, Herman was given a full ride scholarship to Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida to study classical dance technique. From 2008-2011 he worked simultaneously in contemporary and hip hop styles: touring with Apocalypse Dance Drew regionally and working locally with the Danscompany of Gainesville where he has frequently returned as a guest artist. After receiving his AA degree in dance, Herman was accepted to Florida State in order to continue his dance education. in December of 2016, Herman completed his post graduate studies at FSU with his Masters of Fine Arts degree.
While at FSU in 2011, Herman shifted some focus to improving his pedagogy with various teaching opportunities at Santa Fe College, the South Eastern Regional American College Dance Association and the annual American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina. As a guest teacher, Herman has taught both hip hop and contemporary styles at many local dance studios across the state of Florida; combining commercial aesthetics with concert dance creative processes. Some of his more notable choreographic projects include work with members of Florida State University dance faculty, the Red Project (NYC), Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre (Miami), and T Lang Dance (ATL). He currently hold adjunct dance faculty positions at Santa Fe College and Florida School of the Arts in Palatka.
Jordan Benton: Choreographer
Jordan has studied dance for more than twenty years and has served on the faculty of the Dancenter for seven years. As a member of Danscompany she has performed numerous roles including the Autumn Fairy, Fairy Godmother, and Cinderella. She is thrilled to be a contributing choreographer for a company and shows that she loves so deeply. Outside of dance she earned bother her undergraduate degrees and MBA at the University of Florida and now works for US as a data analyst and project manager.
Assistant Teachers
Beth Fisher: Assistant teacher and performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville
Corrinna Pohl: Assistant teacher and performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville
Mary Smith taught dance in Gainesville for over 25 years and made many presentations about dance throughout her career. She choreographed ballets, operas, operettas, and musicals for high schools, universities and non-scholastic organizations affiliated with dance. Her works included an original production of “Cinderella” for the University of Florida and the Florida Legend Ballet, “Indian Moss,” that was performed at the Florida State Museum. She was a member of Dance Masters of America, Florida chapter. The Danscompany was privileged and fortunate to have her serve as Artistic Consultant and Choreographer for nine years.
Peggy Nolan Lamb: Dance Captain and Choreographer
Peggy returned to Gainesville in 1984 after spending ten years in New York studying dance with various teachers and schools, including Maggie Black, Dennis Wayne’s Dancer’s School, Morelli Ballet, Luigi’s Jazz Center, and Steps. She also has studied dance at Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and performed with “The Sherry Jones Dancers” there. She has completed two years of Florida Dance Masters’ Intensive Teachers’ Training Seminars. Peggy currently is a faculty member at The Cameron Dancenter, and has taught dance for high school students at P.K. Yonge Laboratory School. She is a member of, and has served as Area Director and Judges Committee Chairperson for Florida Dance Masters. She participated in the first American Jazz Dance World Congress in Chicago in 1990 and continues her study of dance with various teachers by attending area workshops and classes in New York.
Linda Thomas: Choreographer, Artistic Director Chrysalis
Linda started dancing at the age of 6 in Manchester, New Hampshire. She studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Acrobatics under the instruction of Joel Conrad at Allegro Academy of Dance. She has studied at Charlene’s School of Dance in Spring Hill, Florida, where she was an Assistant Teacher for 3 years. Linda became a certified member of Dance Masters of America in Ballet, Tap, and Acrobatics in 1983. Linda is a member of and a contributing Choreographer for the Danscompany of Gainesville. She has been a member of the faculty at the Dancenter since 1990.
Erin Murphy: Choreographer, Rehearsal Coach, Acting Director
Erin has studied at the Dancenter for more than 20 years. She has trained in Ballet, Jazz, and Tap. Erin completed the Dancenter Teachers Assistant program and has served as a faculty member for 9 years. She is a contributing Choreographer and a Senior Performing Member of the Danscompany and has performed many principle roles, including The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella and Dorothy in The Wiz.
Melissa Bohne: Artistic Director, Dancenter Dancers
Melissa has danced since age 6 and holds a B.F.A. in Theater and Dance from the University of Florida. After graduation, she taught dance in Jacksonville for two years and her choreography won awards at various competitions. She has served as an adjunct teacher for the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Florida and is currently an instructor for the Santa Fe Community College Community Education Department. Melissa has attended classes with Mia Michaels, Joey Dowling, Joe Lanteri, and Bill Hasting as well as with instructors from Alvin Ailey, Pilobolus, and Paul Taylor. Melissa is a performing member of The Danscompany, serves as the Artistic Director of the Dancenter Dancers, and as a rehearsal coach. Melissa has been a faculty member at the Dancenter for twelve years.
Meredith Holloway Farnum: Rehearsal Coach
Meredith has danced for 32 years and holds a B.F.A. in Dance from the University of Florida with training in Ballet, Modern, Jazz and Musical Theater. She is now on faculty at the School of Theatre and Dance at UF. She served as president of Floridance in 1992/93 and has toured, choreographed and performed in various places including Holland. Meredith has trained under and attended many workshops from Master Instructors including Alvin Ailey, David Parsons, Pilobolus, Wash Ashore Dance Ensemble, and Atlanta Ballet. She has studied at the Cameron Dancenter for 13 years and is a performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville.
Debbie Clark: Director of Dancenter Children
Debbie has a master’s degree in special education and has been an instructor at the Dancenter since 2005. She is the Artistic Director of the Dancenter Kids and a rehearsal coach for Danscompany of Gainesville. She performs in Cinderella and The Wiz with Danscompany. She is the Secretary of the Danscompany of Gainesville Board of Directors.
Jeri-Lynn Rapczak: Choreographer
Jeri-Lynn graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in psychology. She trained at Cameron Dancenter in various dance genres such as ballet, jazz, tap, modern and hiphop. She has attended Pensacola Jr. College Summer Workshop, Tremaine Dance Conventions, Monsters of Hiphop, and dance classes at the University of Florida. She was a choreographer and performer for Buchholz High School’s Repertory Theatre and has been teaching and choreographing for over 6 years for Cameron Dancenter and the Danscompany of Gainesville. She has also taught at the College for Kids program at Santa Fe. She recently moved back from NYC where she taught ballet, tap, lyrical jazz and hip hop at Martha Meredith School of Dance and Theatre in Syosset and performed in the Long Island Dance Consortium’s Spring Festival. While in New York she attended classes at Steps, Broadway Dance Center, Dance New Amsterdam and Peridance. This is her 12th year as a member of the Danscompany of Gainesville. She has performed lead roles including Cinderella, Fairy Godmother and Autumn Fairy in the ballet Cinderella, as well as performances in Spring Concert, The Wiz, Cats, and Thriller. She is delighted to be part of the wonderful dance family at Cameron’s!
Katie Bailey: Choreographer
Katie is currently an elementary school teacher in Alachua County. She has danced at the Dancenter since the age of three. Katie is a performing member for more than ten years. She is trained in Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and Hip Hop. Katie is a contributing Choreographer of the Danscompany and has performed many roles including Dorothy in “The Wiz” and The Spring Fairy in “Cinderella. She is very excited to be working with the Dancenter and Danscompany.
Brittany Gallman: Choreographer
Brittany has been dancing with the Dancenter and Danscompany since 1997.Brittany is a performing member and contributing Choreographer of the Danscompany and has performed many roles in “The Wiz” and various major roles in “Cinderella. She has been on the staff of the Dancenter since 2007 .Brittany has a Bachelors and Master of Education degree from UF in Elementary Education and is a teacher in Alachua County .Brittany is a licensed Piloxing instructor.
Herman Ramos: Choreographer
Herman originally hails from Northern Virginia where he did not grow up with any formal dance training. Instead, he became a specialist in breakdance and hip hop choreography with the help of various crews from the DC area and central Florida areas over the last decade and a half. In 2008, Herman was given a full ride scholarship to Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida to study classical dance technique. From 2008-2011 he worked simultaneously in contemporary and hip hop styles: touring with Apocalypse Dance Drew regionally and working locally with the Danscompany of Gainesville where he has frequently returned as a guest artist. After receiving his AA degree in dance, Herman was accepted to Florida State in order to continue his dance education. in December of 2016, Herman completed his post graduate studies at FSU with his Masters of Fine Arts degree.
While at FSU in 2011, Herman shifted some focus to improving his pedagogy with various teaching opportunities at Santa Fe College, the South Eastern Regional American College Dance Association and the annual American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina. As a guest teacher, Herman has taught both hip hop and contemporary styles at many local dance studios across the state of Florida; combining commercial aesthetics with concert dance creative processes. Some of his more notable choreographic projects include work with members of Florida State University dance faculty, the Red Project (NYC), Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre (Miami), and T Lang Dance (ATL). He currently hold adjunct dance faculty positions at Santa Fe College and Florida School of the Arts in Palatka.
Jordan Benton: Choreographer
Jordan has studied dance for more than twenty years and has served on the faculty of the Dancenter for seven years. As a member of Danscompany she has performed numerous roles including the Autumn Fairy, Fairy Godmother, and Cinderella. She is thrilled to be a contributing choreographer for a company and shows that she loves so deeply. Outside of dance she earned bother her undergraduate degrees and MBA at the University of Florida and now works for US as a data analyst and project manager.
Assistant Teachers
Beth Fisher: Assistant teacher and performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville
Corrinna Pohl: Assistant teacher and performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville
Directors and Board Members
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President
Kellie Clinton Secretary Debbie Clark Treasurer Amanda Myers Founding Artistic Director Nina Cameron Artistic Director Jeri Lynn Rapczak Dance Captain Peggy Nolan Lamb Founding President Becky Farber Immediate Past President Lisa Worthy Parliamentarian Carl Fisher |
Charter/Lifetime Members
Janice Bird, Laura Baum, Garrett Bell, Judi Cain, Dickey Cameron, Becky Farber, Jim Farber, Barbara Ferris, Beth Fisher, Melissa Gerhardt, Gail Hamilton, Carletta Herring, Mark Hinnebusch, Kelly Kostamo, Barbara Loesch, Chris Macey, Jennifer Maris, Jackie Mills, Jean Melby, Sue Muggeo, Tobi Potapow, Lynn Rousseau, Penny Saier, Angie Smith, Linda Thomas, Maria Velazquez Board Donna Agerton, Garrett Bell, Gretchen Blair, Indira Butler, Dick Cameron, Jennifer Carter, Jasmyn Copeland, Michelle Danforth, Marjorie Drummond, Sharon Donelenko, Garland Avera Doyle, Sonia Fox, Laura Gruber, Gail Hamilton, Erin Henderson, Cheryl Holt, Elizabeth Hutchings, Pricilla Jones, Susan Kochtan, Kelley Kostamo, Cathy Lentz, Ginny Linder, Johanna Livingston, Jennifer Maris, Andrea McClintic, Amanda Meyers, Anna Montmarquette, Carla Melendez, Kim Neal, Tobi Potapow, Sharon Qigley, Mechelle Quire, Donna Sealey, Angie Smith, Maria Velazquez, Mike Walsh, Josephine Webb, Jami Wilson |