Ms. Melissa

 Melissa (Greco) Carpenter started dancing in Rhode Island at the age of 3. At the age of 12 she started competing all over the east coast with Let's Dance dance studio. She won several awards such as Teen Miss Headliner, National Teen Miss Starquest, and Rhee Gold National Dance off. 
She has won scholarships for Broadway dance center, NYCDA nationals and summer intensives, and to The Edge in L.A. She traveled to Spain when she was only 13 to dance in several different cities. She has studied under several well-known teachers such as Mia Michaels, Tabitha and Napoleon, Billy Angell, Rennie Gold and George Lon. After she graduated, she started taking class at Broadway Dance center before she got her first professional job aboard a cruise ship. After she finished her second contract she moved to L.A. 
That is where she met her husband, Travis Carpenter. She decided to move to Virginia with him and start a family. They now have two children of their own: Jax and Charlie. She opened Creative Movement (CM Dance) in 2013 and hasn't looked back! She started with 8 kids and now the studio has over 150!

Ms. Cherish

For the past 24 years, Cherish Dobbins has been inspiring and transforming the lives of both children and adults through the power of dance. A native of Virginia, Cherish graduated Cum Laude from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Dance in 2007, and went on to establish a successful career as a dance instructor at prestigious institutions such as The Richmond Ballet and The University of Mary Washington, following a rich and diverse background in theater and dance.

Cherish’s artistic talents have taken her across the globe, where she has had the privilege of performing and choreographing on renowned stages in New York City, Washington, D.C., Vermont, and at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. Her extensive performance repertoire includes unforgettable roles like the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Maria in West Side Story, Ursula's Eel in The Little Mermaid, and various featured roles in contemporary works by Billy T. Jones, Monica Bill Barnes, and Robert Battle’s Battleworks.

In addition to her performance career, Cherish continues to share her passion for movement through teaching dance and theater across Virginia. As an educator, she has cultivated a nurturing environment that encourages both artistic expression and personal growth. Cherish’s creative journey is balanced by her role as a loving mother of twins, ensuring that her life is filled with both artistic fulfillment and the joyful chaos of family life.

Mr. Diontey

Diontey Michael was born in Richmond, Virginia and began his studies at the Richmond City Dance Theatre for modern and jazz. He immediately joined The School of Richmond Ballet on a full scholarship under ballet masters Malcolm Burn, Jerri Kumery and school director Judy Jacob for his classical ballet training. As a teenager he attended the prestigious Virginia School of the Arts on a full scholarship, where he trained closely with Adam Sage, Dominique Angel, Lisa Thomas and Tyrone Brooks. He's also attended summer programs at The Royal Ballet School, The Jofferey Ballet and River North Dance Chicago. Upon graduating high school he attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with another full scholarship from former Dean of Dance and American Ballet Theatre Principle, Ethan Stiefel.
His professional career began as a trainee with the Richmond Ballet, later he went on to perform as a Guest Artist with the Latin Ballet of Virginia, Nomad Contemporary Ballet in NYC and Missouri Ballet Theatre. Diontey has performed in "The Nutcracker", "Giselle", George Balanchine’s "Rubies", many original works and has been featured in Mark Morris’s "Gloria", Stephanie Martinez’s "Transport" and Salvatore Aiello’s "Sanza Fretta". He was featured as a dancer in ABC’s Holiday Movie “A Christmas Kiss”, he's performed with Disney Cruise Line,  pop artist Lady GAGA and was also a contestant on the hit Fox television show S.Y.T.Y.C.D. He’s also performed in musicals such as “Hairspray” aboard the Symphony of the Seas, “In the Heights”, "Beauty and the Beast”,  in the Off-Broadway production of “The Wild Party". He’s worked with artist such as Virginia Johnson, Keelan Whitmore, Christopher Huggins, Alonzo King, Jennifer Medina, Lorraine Graves and Desmond Richardson. He's choreographed
original works for Longwood University, Missouri Ballet Theatre, Virginia School of the Arts and was the choreographer for musicals such as "The Wiz", "Seussical", "Fiddler on the Roof”, “Rock of Ages” and “Meet me in St. Louis". Diontey's aesthetic is very Neo-Classical with a flare of Contemporary. He's influenced by Limon, Cunningham, Nikolai and Balanchine.

Ms. Jenn

Jennifer Ruhl Kubilus began her dance training in New Jersey, New York City, and the Philadelphia area. She graduated with a BFA in Dance and a Minor in Arts Administration from George Mason University in 2007. Ten years later, she returned to GMU’s School of Dance as an Adjunct Professor Instructor.

Jenn has produced concerts and managed dance companies, as well as danced and choreographed for professional performances in Northern Virginia, New York City, and Washington, D.C., including the Kennedy Center.


She performed and choreographed with the George Mason University Dance Company, Mayzsoul Dance Company (dancer/choreographer/Manager of Operations/Concert Producer), Beth Elliott Dance Group (Dancer/Rehearsal Director/Substitute Adjunct Instructor NVCC), Assistant Show Director for multiple Small Plates Choreography Festivals, and worked with other professional dance companies and organizations. She has choreographed and taught dance for numerous studios, outreach programs, the dance and theater departments of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Prince William County Public Schools, and as a Master Class and Workshop teacher.

Her choreography has received numerous awards, technique awards, overall high scores at dance competitions, title winners, Industry Dance Awards nominations, and an ADCC Studio of Excellence Award.



In 2014, she founded J. Dance Kollective as a pre-professional company to share her artistry and technique to help dancers reach their full potential. It expanded to a recreational and competitive dance program, located at the historical Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, VA. Jenn now operates JDK as a freelance company, choreographing and teaching at studios, dance companies, master classes, and workshops, at both the pre-professional and professional levels, and coaching individuals who want to pursue careers in dance. Her specialties include various dance styles, such as acro, contemporary, floor work, and partnering, as well as coaching for ballet competitions, and creating unique choreography that challenges the boundaries of dance artistry. 


Ms. Kori

Kori Terrell Joseph started dancing at age 4. She enjoyed learning various forms of dance to include Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Musical theater, Modern, Lyrical and Liturgical dance. She competed in dance competitions during her training. 


Kori has attended the following programs: Michigan Ballet Seminar in Michigan with Guest Teacher Gelsey Kirkland, BalletMet in Ohio, Richmond Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Governor’s School for the Performing Arts.


Kori was a member of Dance Matrix from 2001-2016 and continues to participate as a guest choreographer.  She is currently a member of  Company 360. Kori enjoys the power of movement and artistry and enjoys motivating students to explore the benefits of dance. 



 

Mr. Jordan

Mr Jordan has had a passion for dance since he was young. He has danced in many competitions with his team, Pace Setters, such as Rip the Floor and World of Dance in New Jersey. Styles he has trained in include: house, vouge, waacking, and popping & locking. He loves to share his love of dance with his students and believes that dance is an empowering activity that can enrich his students' lives.

Ms. Claryssa

​Caryssa Griffin started dancing and gymnastics at age 3 and began competing at the age of six. She attended Arabesque Dance studio and B-Funk Dance studio, where she took classes in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, pointe, hiphop and musical-theater. While dancing at arabesque and B.funk she performed in several community performances, showcases and competitions a year. 


In her early educational stages, she became a student teacher at age 11 at Arabesque Dance Studio and started teaching after-school classes, summer camps, and dance classes, and running the dance camp at the YMCA at age 15 while still attending dance and cheer classes of her own.  She became a member of Monsters of Hip Hop and attended classes at Alvin Ailey. In high school, she joined Senior Dance Company as a freshman, and became captain as a Junior in high school, and continued to help teach and choreograph dances for her team. 


Claryssa began cheerleading at the age of 5 and joined an All-Star team at the age of 7. She was one of the top 10 tumblers on her cheer team in high school and on the All-Star team. 

Claryssa was an All-Star cheerleader for 10 years and an All-Star cheer coach for 3 years in Boynton Beach, FL. 

While cheering and tumbling with her team, she also became a tumbling and gymnastics coach in FL and started several tumbling and gymnastics classes. 


She performed in half-time shows for several professional basketball and football games. Claryssa performed at the halftime Super Bowl in Tampa, FL.


As part of her professional career, she danced and worked at Universal Studios and Six Flags, performing and choreographing multiple shows a day. Claryssa was able to perform and choreograph routines in Miami, DC, Georgia, and several other states for a traveling show. 

She also coaches and choreographs routines for cheer, tumble, and dance teams and studios in southern Florida. 


When Claryssa made the move back to VA, she began working as a tumbling coach for several dance and cheer studios in the northern VA district. Claryssa started to work for several different professional dance companies as a judge and a guest teacher. 


Claryssa ran her own company for 9 years in Stafford, VA. Traveling with her company and choreographing for her competition team, she was able to win several judges’ awards, scholarships, and top choreography awards for her dancers and team. 


For the last 12 years, Claryssa has continued to further her tumbling education with several companies like Acrobatic Arts, Acro Dance Teachers Association, and several other organizations. 


Claryssa has been coaching and teaching competitive dance, gymnastics, and tumbling for almost 20 years, winning several top awards, Judges Awards, Overall Awards, and Choreography Awards. She is trained to teach several styles of dance, gymnastics, and tumbling. Claryssa has been Acro Certified for 7 years.