Ms. Bettin, originally from Baltimore, Maryland has danced professionally with Ballet Theatre of Maryland, Manassas Ballet Theatre, and Columbus Dance Theatre. In 2001, Michelle participated and was a semi-finalist in the XII International Ballet Competition in Trujillo, Peru and in 2002 she was 4th runner-up to Miss Dance of America. Michelle has taught in numerous schools and companies in the Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, and DC area. She has a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Towson, MD and is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Michelle currently lives in Mclean, VA where she trains with and partners her husband, Jack Bettin, as they continue guest performing . Together they manage Falls Church School of Ballet in Virginia.

Michelle is very excited to return to Stageworkz after two years of pursuing her career.

Ms. Combest has studied dance for over 30 years. She has been teaching and choreographing in the DC Metropolitan, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania areas for the past 18 years. JR received her initial training at the Wheaton Studio of Dance from Joni Reese-Nabor (the Roxyettes & the USO), Donna Byrd (current membership chairperson and former Dance Masters of America president) and Tim Roberts (Broadway show Jelly's Last Jam and the opening/closing ceremonies of the 1996 Olympic Games). She has also participated in various workshops such as DMA , LADF, NYDCA, Tremaine, JUMP, and most recently, Monsters of Hip Hop. She has been privileged to have taken master classes from some of the top choreographers in the country including: Rhodie Jorgenson, Mandy Moore, Tabitha & Napolean D'Umo, Rhapsody, Dianne Walker, Mike "the Shuffleman" Minery, Joey Dowling, Dave Scott, Kevin Maher, Marty Kudelka, Cassandra Baker, and Brian Friedman. This past spring (2009) she passed all 3 of her Dance Masers of America teacher examinations. She is now certified through this world-wide organization to teach ballet, tap, and jazz. She has been a member of the Towson (State) University Dance Company, the Towson (State) University Dance Team, and the MD All-Star Twisters Open Dance Team (COA National Champions in 2002). Her choreography has been seen in various dance and cheer competitions, Annapolis Summer Garden Theater, The Talent Machine Company, and several IFBB, NPC, and OCB Fitness Competitions. Most recently her hip hop routine for the Redskins Junior All-Stars won 2nd place at the All-Star Dance Nationals in Orlando. JR is also a substitute teacher for HCPSS, AHC, and a staff member at B. Funk Dance Company. JR has been on staff at Stageworkz for the past 10 years and we are excited to have her return again. She will be teaching several hip hop classes as well as working with the Performance Team.

Has studied with some of the greatest teachers in the world! Including Sylvester Campbell, Edward Stewart, Natalia Makarova, Wilhelm Burmann, David Howard, Gelsey Kirkland, Alexander Minz, Gabriela Taub-Darvash, Susan Jaffe, David Parsons, Libby Lovejoy, Robert Sceavers, Nikita Talin, and Stanley Williams, just to name a few.

Mr. Cooper's training includes scholarships from the Maryland Ballet, Baltimore Ballet, and the Harkness Ballet School in New York.

He has performed leading roles in, the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Paquita, Raymonda, and Giselle with, City Ballet, Maryland Ballet Theatre, Maryland Ballet, Baltimore Ballet, Baltimore Opera, Ballet Theater of Annapolis, Tanz Theater Stuttgart, W.G., The Harkness Ballet, NYC and Cats on Broadway.

Currently teaching Ballet based on the best of the Vaganova, Cecchetti, and French Ballet syllabus, Luigi/Fosse based Jazz, and private lessons and coaching in some of the areas finest dance studios. In 2008 he was certified by American Ballet Theatre to teach the ABT National Training Curriculum. He is the founder and Director of CityBallet Company Inc.

Caitlyn McClellan has been dancing since she was two years old. She originally began studying with Maryland Ballet Theatre. She has performed in many productions with them such as The Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty. She also studied at Stageworkz in high school. Caitlyn now attends The Catholic University of America, and is majoring in Musical theatre. She is a senior this year and has been teaching since a senior in high school. Some shows that she has worked in are Sunday in the Park With George, Evita, 42nd Street, Annie Get Your Gun, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and many more. At Stageworkz she teaches ballet, but she has also taught jazz, tap, hip hop, and lyrical.

Ms. Schaffner was first introduced to dance at the age of three. Since that time, dance has been a significant part of her life. She has been dancing competitively since the age of six, at which time she truly caught "the fever". Over the last eighteen years, her dance training has included the disciplines of Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Pointe, Hip-hop, Tap, and Ballroom. Recent accomplishments include being awarded "Miss Showbiz 2007" in the regional adjudicated competition in Virginia, one of the top 50 dancers on Fox's second season of "So You Think You Can Dance", was a dancer on MTV's "My Sweet Sixteen:" in November 2007, and scholarship winner at numerous dance competitions such as Starpower, Showbiz, and Hollywood Vibe. Nicole is completing her last semester at Anne Arundel Community College, where she will graduate with her Associates degree in general studies, with a concentration in business. She will be transferring to The University of Baltimore in the spring of 2010 where she will major in Corporate Communications. She was a member of Anne Arundel Community Colleges' Dance Company in the spring of 2007 under the direction of Lynda Fitzgerald. In addition, she has danced for the C&C Dance Company, where she has competed in regional and national competitions across the US-most notably in the arts centers of New York City, Las Vegas, NV, and in Disneyworld, Orlando FL. Nicole also attended the Baltimore School for the Arts as a dance major. She has choreographed performances for Meade High School, Northeast High School, Central Middle School and West Annapolis Elementary School in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Last year, she choreographed for Old Mill High School and Central Elementary. In 2005, she assisted choreographer, Erin Vitalos, at the "Show Me the Money" convention in New Orleans, Louisiana. Nicole choreographed and planned events for StageWorkz Performing Company. This past holiday season the dancers performed at Arundel Mills Mall and The Annapolis Mall. Nicole plans to continue her commitment to technique and performance quality and the advancement of young students through teaching.

Mr. Smith appeared as Jack in Reefer Madness at Studio Theatre, where he was seen in Caroline or Change, The Long Christmas Ride Home, and his performance in A Class Act received a Helen Hayes Award nomination. Local credits include the US Premier of Girl in the Goldfish Bowl by Morris Panych and the critically acclaimed Musical of Musicals, the Musical at MetroStage, A Year with Frog and Toad at The Roundhouse Theatre (Helen Hayes nomination), Elmer Gantry at Fords Theater and Petite Rouge at The New York Musical Theater Festival and Imagination Stage. As an actor and director he has worked at The Kennedy Center, The Old Globe Theatre, Denver Center Theatre Company, Alley Theater, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Company of Fools, Barter Theatre, Mill Mountain Theatre, TheatreVirginia, and Center Stage in Baltimore. On Broadway, he appeared in Crazy for You and Christmas with Billy Porter a limited engagement for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Off Broadway, Forever Plaid (original cast), Kander and Ebb's The World Goes' Round, the revival of George Gershwin's Of Thee I Sing and the Stephen Schwartz project, Snapshots. National Tours included Brigadoon, and The World Goes Round. Mr. Smith teaches theater, dance, and music to gifted and talented high school students in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

Ms. Wirth is originally from Pittsburgh, PA, but lived in NYC for the past 10 years. She was seen in several Off-Off Broadway productions, such as Hair, Peter Pan, Grand Hotel, and Three Days of Rain. The NYC Fringe Festival nominated her "Best Actress in a Play" in 2008 for her portrayal of Heloise in Anais Nin Goes To Hell. She could have also been seen touring the independent music circuit with her funk rock band, i like orange. After 10 years of performing, directing and starting her own production company, she decided to leave the Big Apple and venture off to Maryland!! Since her arrival in February, Aly has been teaching acting classes and directing musical theatre at Stageworkz. Her most recent directorial production of Peter Pan went up last month, and was a HUGE hit! She looks forward to teaching the Acting I, Acting II, and Musical Theatre workshops beginning in the fall. BREAK LEGS!

Shannon Remson brings over 10 years of office expertise to Stageworkz. She acts as office manager, customer service representative, and occasionally substitute dance teacher. Having danced throughout her childhood and teen years she brings a unique knowledge of everything dance to the Stageworkz Office. When she isn't at the studio she is mom to two boys and runs her own commercial transportation business. Shannon strives to make Stageworkz the best theatre arts studio in the area!