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 Purlie with Samuel L. Jackson. 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.

SAROYA CORBETT

With a major in Economics and a minor in Dance, Saroya graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Her dance ability can be attributed to being well-trained under professionals like Katherine Dunham, Vanoye Aikens, Glory Van Scott, Walter Nicks and Tommy Gomez. Saroya has had the opportunity to perform in New York, Las Vegas, Detroit, Chicago, Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio, Indianapolis, Indiana and in France. The Katherine Dunham center of Arts and Humanities and the Spelman College Dance Theatre were fortunate to have her dance with their companies. She has also served as an instructor for the Spelman College children's Drama and Dance Program and the Katherine Dunham Museum Children's Workshop. For more than ten years, Saroya has performed, trained, and instructed dance. Presently, she teaches for Studio Dionne and performs and choreographs for CityDance Ensemble and Atlanta Area modern dance companies.

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 14 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.

CHRISTEN EDWARDS

Ms. Edwards brings a lifetime of passion and experience to her teaching of ballet. She began her formal training with Terri Post, founder of Southwest Virginia Ballet.  She later studied with the prestigious Boston Ballet School and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet as well as internationally known master teachers and choreographers Finis Jhung, Elie Lazar, and Thom Clower.  Ms. Edwards’ thorough knowledge of the Vaganova, Cechetti, Balanchine, and Bournonville technique provide her with versatile and in depth knowledge.  Ms. Edwards was chosen by Jean Pierre-Bonnefoux to perform with North Carolina Dance Theatre, where she danced in Salvatore Aiello’s Nutcracker and Mark Diamond’s Fuego Del Mundo. Ms. Edwards teaches a full ballet curriculum at Studio Dionne, School of Dance and Music and choreographs for and performs with CityDance Ensemble.

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.

MURIEL RIBEIRO
 
Muriel Ribeiro has trained in Capoeira for 13 years in Sao Paulo, Brazil. 
Today he has graduated and holds the title of a “Master” in Capoeira.  
He has spent the last 4 years touring and teaching Capoeira workshops throughout the United States 
as well as other countries before finally settling down in Atlanta, Georgia.

WAYNE M. SMITH

Wayne is a dance artist and educator whose background includes a range of experiences in both dance and theatre. He currently teaches full-time at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA in the Department of Drama & Dance. Wayne, a native of Memphis, TN earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theater with a concentration in Dance (minor in Mathematics) from the University of Memphis as well as earning a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in Dance/Choreography. Wayne does a great deal work with Atlanta dance organizations Moving in the Spirit (MITS) Dance Company and City Dance Ensemble. At MITS & CDE he serves on the Advisory Board and teaches modern dance technique classes for adults for both MITS & Studio Dionne. Additionally Wayne performs and choreographs with Project: Motion Dance based out of Memphis, TN when his schedule permits.