Meet Our Dance Teachers

LEON VON BROWN
Mr. Brown was a principle dancer in Dianne McIntyre's "Sounds in Motion" modern dance company in New York City (NYC) where he also founded his own dance company- "Cosmic Energy."  This triple-threat musical theatre performer's stage credits include starring roles in The Wiz, Lullaby of Swing, Oklahoma, and ackson.  He was featured dancing in the HBO movie Miss Evers Boys with Alfre Woodard and Laurence Fishburne, and Leon has danced and/or choreographed for ABC and NBC-TV, The National Black Arts Festival, the Atlanta Ballet and The Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympic Games.  An International Master teacher specializing in Jazz dance, he has taught in Europe and studied in NYC with Luigi, Frank Hatchett, Chuck Davis and Fred Benjamin to name a few. Leon holds a B.A. degree, is a certified fitness instructor, and has received "Instructor of the Year" award for his "Cardio-Funk" dance aerobic classes.  He is the co-founder of the "Horton Technique Summer Dance Intensive" held in Daytona Beach, Florida. This award-winning choreographer is on the faculty of Agnes Scott College, Atlanta Ballet, Studio Dionne and performs and choreographs for CityDance Ensemble. Several performances by Mr. Brown can be found at the Lincoln Center Library Dance Archives in NYC.

LéVON CAMPBELL
A Native of Chicago, Mr. Campbell began his dance training with The Dance Theatre of Harlem. He has performed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre second company, George Faison’s Universal Dance Experience and The Katherine Dunham Dance Company among many others.

For the past decade Mr. Campbell has shared his impressive artistic gifts with many schools and dance companies including the renowned Dallas Black Dance Theatre. His highly evolved knowledge of anatomy and body dynamics is the foundation of his satellite career as a licensed massage therapist. Mr. Campbell, a favored teacher on the Studio Dionne, School of Dance and Music staff also serves as Company Manager for Atlanta Dance Connection.

ALEXANDRE DALTRO  “Instructor Scud”
Born in Brasil Instructor Scud began training in Capoeira at the age of twelve with Mestrando Sabiá and Ginga Mundo. In 2000 Instructor Scud brought the traditions of Ginga Mundo to Atlanta as their representative here. He is also the husband of Jordana and the proud father of Amanda and Anna Victoria.

PAMELA DIONNE
Ms. Dionne began dancing as a five year old with Frankie Levy in her hometown of Augusta, Georgia.  At age 13, she received a Ford Foundation Scholarship and was invited to study with the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City.  Ms. Dionne continued her training in Chicago with Richard Ellis and Christine DuBoulay, former soloists with the Royal Ballet of England. While in high school Ms. Dionne performed with the Chicago Ballet and upon graduation she accepted a position with the San Francisco Ballet.  With these companies she shared the stage with such dance luminaries as Natalia Makarova, Carmen Delavellad, Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov.  She continued her performing career as a soloist with the Theatre Der Stadt Bonn, West Germany and with Chamber Dance Theater, an ensemble that conducted performing and teaching residencies in colleges and universities in addition to its regular performance schedule.

For more than 25 years Ms. Dionne has embraced teaching ballet as her primary focus.  For over four years, Ms. Dionne taught for the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD) in a city-funded Ballet Program.  This program was open to all children of New Orleans.  While teaching for NORD, Ms. Dionne taught a full curriculum for children aged 5-17 years.  It was during this experience that Ms. Dionne honed her teaching approach which has a strong emphasis on applying the skills of concentration, focus and physical control gained through the pursuit of dance study to other aspects of a student's life.  She is also committed to the development and nurture of each student's evolving confidence and self expression.   

Ms. Dionne is the director of CityDance and CityDance Ensemble which is fortunate to have some of the city's most inspired and accomplished artists.  Through CityDance performances, outreach education and scholarships she strives to share this wealth of artistic talent with those who might not otherwise have the opportunity.

BONNIE HARRIS
Bonnie began dancing at the age of three with her mother, Suzy Harris, as her dance instructor at the Jasper School of Ballet. This love for dance continued with Joan Kall Stewart at the Sawnee School of Ballet. At Sawnee, she was trained in classical ballet, jazz, modern, tap, and hip-hop, performing as a Company member with the Sawnee Ballet Theatre in leading roles in productions of The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Alice and Wonderland, and Les Slyphides. She also performed with the Dekalb School of the Arts as the Sugar Plum Fairy in their production of The Nutcracker. Miss Harris is currently a student at Georgia State University pursuing a B.B.A in Marketing. She continues dancing under the direction of Pamela Dionne. Her most recent performance with Studio Dionne has been the Grand Pas de Deux from Don Quioxte. “Miss Bonnie” delights in teaching and sharing her love of dance with her young students at Studio Dionne.

ERIN MALAN
Erin Hutchings Malan received the majority of her training under the guidance of Jacqueline College in American Fork, Utah. In 2001, she was invited to join Utah Regional Ballet, where she performed feature roles in several productions including Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Cinderella, Legend of Timpanogos, and Serenade; and toured nationally and internationally. While with the company she was privileged to work with such teachers and choreographers as David Howard, Laura Alonzo, Alonzo King, Alan Hineline, Attila Ficzere, Jonas Kage and Heather Gray. In 2006, Erin received her Bachelor of Arts in dance from Brigham Young University, where she was principal dancer with Theatre Ballet. She received her Master of Fine Arts degree in 2008 from the University of Utah in ballet teaching and choreography. Erin has taught at Utah Valley University, Brigham Young University, and at several studios throughout Utah Valley. Her choreography has been presented at Brigham Young University, University of Utah and Utah Valley University. In February 2008, she received first place in Utah Regional Ballet’s Choreography Design Project. She recently moved from the Midwest, where she taught at Southold Dance Theatre in South Bend, Indiana, and at the Joffrey Academy of Dance in Chicago.

LAURA PEAVYHOUSE
Ms. Peavyhouse feels fortunate to have found true fulfillment by combining her two passions, dancing and education.  She discovered her passion for dance as a five-year old with her first dance teacher Lodia Heath, and continued her training with Delores Werner, Bo Wagner and Pamela Dionne.  Ms. Miller has taught Ballet for over five years and brings an encouraging, calm and clear approach to her students, never tiring of the thrill of introducing someone to the exquisite, rich, physical, lovely world of the Ballet. 

As a member of CityDance Ensemble she has been featured as the Snow Queen from the 'Nutcracker', Fanny Cerrito from 'Pas de Quatre' and the Burlesque Dancer from 'Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.'  Ms. Peavyhouse holds a Masters Degree in Education.

LINDSAY PIERCE
Lindsay Pierce holds a Masters of Fine Arts in dance performance and choreography with a secondary emphasis in dance for the camera from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Bachelors of Fine Arts in dance performance from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. As a young woman she trained at the Joffrey Ballet School, Milwaukee Ballet School, and the Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts. As a dancer, Lindsay performed with the Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance Company of Kansas City, MO. She has also performed with many independent choreographers and has presented her own choreographic and video work both nationally and internationally. She has taught dance classes for the University of Colorado at Boulder, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Ballet Nouveau Colorado, Kansas City Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and the Somerset Ballet Center of Prairie Village, KS.

KRYSTLE SIMMONS
Krystle Simmons brings to her teaching a lifetime of passion and joy which began for her at age 2. Her extensive dance training includes a complete curriculum of Jazz, Ballet, Tap and Modern Dance. This foundation imbues her teaching methods with a unique approach and a complete knowledge of the physical dynamics essential to true dance technique. “So many people believe that if they didn’t start dancing by age seven that it’s too late. It is never too late. I love awakening my adult students to the exhilaration of dance and sharing with them the enrichment that has sustained my entire life.” Ms. Simmons teaches for Studio Dionne and performs regularly with CityDance Ensemble.

LLOYD WHITMORE
Lloyd Whitmore, a native of Philadelphia Penna., began his dance career at age 20. Since then he has spent 30 years in dance as a teacher and choreographer. Trained in the Lester Horton and Martha Graham techniques, Mr. Whitmore has performed all over the world with companies such as Philadanco, The New Orleans Opera, and the DC Contemporary Dance Theater. From 1991 – 1993, Mr. Whitmore served as Artistic Director of his own modern dance company, the New World Dance Company of Washington, DC. Mr. Whitmore was the first male recipient of a scholarship to the Craft of Choreography Conference from the North East Regional Ballet Association in 1983. He was also a scholarship student at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. He has received fellowships from the DC Commission on the Arts, the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. He has served on the faculties of City College of NY, The Washington Ballet, American University, Howard University and the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.