Vicki Smith
Artistic Director | Teacher | Choreographer | Director
Vicki Smith is a professional choreographer, director, producer, teacher, and performer. She has been dancing since the age of 2 and her performing travels have taken her throughout the US, Europe, and South America. She has appeared in an HBO Special, National Tours, Regional theatre, TV series, Las Vegas, Atlantic City. Her Theatre performing credits include, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Guys and Dolls, Carousel, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, The Music Man, The King and I, Mame, Fiddler on the Roof, and more.
Special Events - Choreography, Directing, and Production - USA Gymnastics Trials for Barcelona; Six Flags Corp; Towson University - Pendragon's Lords of Illusion; Cunard Cruise Ships; Recording Artists – Children’s Guild Kids Cabaret Hippodrome Theatre, Baltimore, Industrials for McDonald's, DuPont, Anheuser Busch, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, American Lung Association, Cystic Fibrosis, The Annapolis Chorale.
Vicki was the Group recipient of the Ruby Griffith Award for "Outstanding Achievement in a Musical" for Mame and Guys and Dolls. Numerous Platinum and Gold Awards for her choreography at local and National dance competitions. Direction, Choreography and Production credits include: Disney’s Hunchback of Notre-Dame, The Mysteries of Edwin Drood, Bring it On, Drowsy Chaperone, The Pajama Game, The Wiz, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Oklahoma, Guys and Dolls, 42nd Street, The Music Man, Camp Hawayah!, Hooray for Hollywood, Me and My Girl, Annie, Holiday Magic, Once Upon a Mattress, Kiss Me Kate, Lil Abner, Singin' in the Rain, and Crazy for You, to name a few.
Locally, Vicki's work has been seen at TMC, Merely Players, Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, and 2nd Star Productions. She has been active in the Anne Arundel County Public School system where she has choreographed and directed musicals for Crofton Middle School, Ridgeway Elementary, Severna Park Middle, South River High School's Dance team, Monarch Academy Baltimore City. Currently she is on staff at Anne Arundel Community College for continuing education, The Children’s Guild, Performing Arts Specialist.
Vicki is the Owner and Artistic director of StageWorkz Theatre Arts Project. Although she has trained with the best, the master of them all, Bobbi Smith, taught her everything she knows.
Bobby Smith
Teacher | Choreographer | Rhythm Tap | Acting | Musical Theatre Intensive
Bobby Smith has been teaching for over 15 years and and has directed and choreographed for colleges and regional theatres across the nation. He has received 9 Helen Hayes nominations for Excellence in Theatre for the Washington, DC area.
Credits include, Broadway: Crazy for You. Off Broadway: Forever Plaid (original cast), Kander and Ebb’s The World Goes ‘Round, and the revival of George Gershwin’s Of Thee I Sing. National tours include Brigadoon and The World Goes ‘Round. In the DC-Metro area: The Studio Theatre: A Class Act (Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Resident Musical), The Long Christmas Ride Home, Caroline or Change, Grey Gardens; Studio 2ndStage: Reefer Madness, (Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Resident Musical), Jerry Springer: The Opera; Ford’s Theatre: Elmer Gantry, Liberty Smith, 1776; Round House Theatre: A Year with Frog and Toad (Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Resident Musical); MetroStage: Girl in a Goldfish Bowl, Musical of Musicals (Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Resident Musical), Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris; The Kennedy Center: The Happy Prince, The Flea and the Professor; Signature Theatre: See What I Wanna See, Showboat, Company. Olney Theatre Center: Cinderella (Director), The Sound of Music (Max Detweiler, Helen Hayes Award Nomination for Outstanding supporting Actor), Grease (Director), Annie (Rooster Hannigan, Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Resident Musical), and Forever Plaid (Director).
Bobby has also performed with The National Symphony Orchestra; The Richmond Symphony, under the direction of George Manahan, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with Conductor Jack Everly and can be heard on recordings of Ben Bagley’s Rodgers and Hart Revisited and Resnais’ Gershwin.
Vadim Bogomolov
Teacher | Ballet Technique
Vadim Bogomolov graduated in 1984 from the Vaganova Choreographic Institute of St. Petersburg, Russia, where he studied under Professor Yuri Omrikin. As a professional dancer with the National Ballet of Kazakhstan and the New Classical Ballet of Moscow, Vadim toured Europe and Asia dancing in ballets such as Paquita, Don Quixote, and The Nutcracker After traveling the U.S. on "The Great Russian Nutcracker" tour, Vadim accepted positions as a principal dancer with Classical Ballet of California and Manassas Dance Theatre. In 2012 Vadim completed the program in ballet pedagogy (teaching) at the Moscow State Choreographic Institute and was granted the title of "Ballet Master." He lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia where he is co-director of Classical Ballet of Fredericksburg.
Andrew Gordan
Teacher | Show Tap
An electrical engineer by day, Andrew is the recipient of the WATCH Awards for Best Choreography in last Summer's Crazy For You with the Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre and Best Music Direction for Nine with Colonial Players, having received previous nominations for his choreography in Singin' in the Rain, The Music Man, Mary Poppins and Guys and Dolls. Also a classically trained pianist, Andrew's musical theatre compositions have premiered locally at The Kennedy Center, Signature Theatre, and NYC's 54 Below.
Andrew is both a Stageworkz and Talent Machine Company alum, having studied under the incomparable Vicki Smith. Stage credits include Chicago, The Producers, Evita, Can-Can and West Side Story at New York University.
Andrew holds a BS in Mathematics and will be completing his MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering this Fall.
Cyndi Wallman
Teacher | Voice
To Cyndi, music is as essential as breathing. Whether studying, performing, or teaching, it has been her lifelong passion from her early days of classical voice training at the Peabody Institute to the present. She has honed her skills and entertained audiences around the world.Through the years music has opened many doors. She has had the great honor of sharing the stage with great entertainers like Sammy Davis, Jr., Victor Borge, Johnny Cash, among others.
Cyndi and her husband, Roy, have been performing together for many years. Along with their group they toured the U.S. and abroad for quite a few years. Their onstage performances led to their first album release "Cyndi & Roy" "Feel It" released on the Casablanca label along with artists like Donna Summer, Cher, and Kiss. Many hours of studio experience has led to numerous local, regional and national commercials. Cyndi is also a long time member in good standing of AFTRA and ASCAP.
After traveling for so many years she decided to share her professional expertise with others, and over the past 11 years she has been instructing students of all ages and is currently the vocal coach for Stageworkz School of Performing Arts and musical director for the esteemed Talent Machine Company. Her main focus is to recognize and develop talent, all the while inspiring confidence. She believes in breathing life into the music.Cyndi considers sharing music one of her most rewarding contributions. And most of all wants everyone to have fun learning.
Maya Nellum
Teacher | Acting, Tap, Musical Theatre
Maya Nellum graduated with a B.M. in Musical Theatre from The Catholic University of America with minors in business management and dance. Recent Performance credits include Ensemble (Pippin, CUA) and Ensemble/Dance Captain (Something Rotten!, MCSDT). Previously, Maya choreographed Ride the Cyclone for CenterStage CUA and worked as the choreography intern on The Prom (MCSDT). She worked as a dance teaching artist for Adventure Theatre and taught ballet at La Zooz Dance. She is no stranger to Stageworkz as she studied dance and acting growing up at the studio.
Nyla Gray
Teacher | Choreographer | Broadway, Tap, Jazz Fusion, Competition Team
Nyla Gray is from Bowie, Maryland and has been dancing for 15 years and dancing competitively for 10 years. She is trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, hop hop and tap and studied under the direction of Winnette McGovern, Spotlight Studios and DanceMakers with Jene'e Randolph and Brittany Jackson. She is part of an All-Star tap team, won numerous awards at local and national competitions and received the highest mark in her tap and jazz solos which was a high point gold medal.
She is currently studying at Bowie State University as a Theatre Arts Major with a Dance Concentration. Currently she serves as the captain for the Pre-Professional dance company at Bowie State called “The Collective” and was named the captain during her freshman year of college. She's also appeared in Bowie State University’s newest advertisement representing the dance department.QA
Nyla's goal is to go on Broadway and choreograph around the world. She is always open to learning new skills and a team player and is a quick learner and always stays on task.
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Tabitha Thornhill
Teacher | Choreographer | Musical Theatre, Jazz
Tabitha is a seasoned performer and choreographer, whose passion for dance has been the rhythm of her life since she first stepped into the studio. A proud Stageworkz alumna, she honed her craft from 2001 to 2013. Mastering Broadway, Rhythm Tap, and Jazz for 16 years, Vaganova method of Ballet and Lyrical over 12 years, and 10 years of Hip Hop.
Her journey took an exciting turn when she moved to New York City, where for four years, she immersed herself in the vibrant dance scene. At the prestigious Steps Dance Studio and Broadway Dance Center, she learned from notable teachers and performers, further refining her skills in Jazz, Musical Theater, and Broadway Tap.
Tabitha’s dedication to the art form extends beyond performance; she is a Talent Machine Company alumna and has been a dynamic presence in productions from 2001 to 2013. She also choreographed TMC’s productions of “Once on this Island” in 2013, “Peter Pan” in 2014, and more recently, assistant choreographer to TMC’s production of “Young Frankenstein.”
Her professional accolades are as diverse as her talents. She was a featured dancer in Bobby Smith’s collaboration with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in “Gotta Dance,” a featured singer/actress with the Children’s Guild Kids Cabaret Event at the Hippodrome, and a featured soloist with “Beggar’s Banquet,” a Rolling Stones tribute band.
With an emphasis on technique, Tabitha's aim as an instructor is to inspire discipline and passion in a safe and welcoming environment. All while fostering confidence and courage in young dancers; traits students will carry with them in the studio and beyond.
Eliana Slaney
Teacher | Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Combo Classes
Eliana Slaney began dancing at the age of 3 at the Ballet Theater of Maryland. She then trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, contemporary, and lyrical at SBe Dance Complex of Crofton. In addition to studying dance outside of school, she was a co-captain of Arundel High School's Dance Company where she choreographed, led company classes, and assisted in semesterly show production. Eliana received her BFA of Dance Performance and Choreography with a PreK-12 teaching certification from Towson University in the spring of 2022. During her time at Towson, she performed in student choreography showcases, senior seminar capstone projects, repertory choreography, and the American College Dance Association festival (ACDA). Post graduation, Eliana has been a full-time dance teacher for AACPS, and in addition to dancing has found a love for pilates and meditation!
Gabe Needle
Teacher | Conditioning, Jazz
Gabe is a Stageworkz alum who moved on to study dance at the University of Michigan and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He studied and trained in tap, jazz, ballet, Graham, Humphrey, Horton, Taylor, and Gaga. He has also won several national titles from his competition dance days. He can't wait to see you in his class!
Mariah Appleton
Teacher | Classical Ballet
Mariah Appleton is a professional choreographer, freelance performer, and dance educator from Montgomery County, Maryland. She has been training in the art of dance since age two, in various genres, emphasis on ballet, lyrical, jazz, contemporary, tap, hip hop, and modern. Mariah trained at Spotlight Studio of Dance under the direction of Wyndee McGovern and Anatoli Kucheruk, who both helped adapt her eye for technique. She attended summer programs, including New York City Dance Alliance, Broadway Dance Center, Kirov, Peridance, Hubbard Street Dance Intensive, Jazz, World Congress, Eastern Cheer and Dance Association, West Coast Dance Explosion, and many ballet intensives throughout the east coast. She performed with the Backstreet Boys in 2006, at the NFL Pro Bowl in Honululu, Hawaii, where she received a national college dance scholarship. Mariah traveled with Eastern Cheer and Dance Association, teaching dance clinics all around the country her last two years of high school.
She graduated from the University of Maryland with a double major in Psychology and Dance. She attended the American Collge Dance Festival, under the direction of Tzveta Kassabova. Her unique style, pushes the boundaries of choreography, often collaborating with artists from diverse fields like music, visual art, and film. Her work was featured in Misako Ballet Company in 2009 and 2011 as well as with Kinetics Dance Company. She has performed as a company member of ROOTED Dance Productions, where she performed with Shange Dance Productions, and at many venues including Dance Place, American Dance Institute, Howard University, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. She continued her education after grauation with Christopher K. Morgan and Artists, and performed with them in Takoma Park, Maryland. She has performed with Kinetics Dance Company over the years as well as becoming a guest choreographer for them in 2017. She has also perfomed on Sesame Street Live!, A Capitol Fourth at the Capitl, as well as at the Joyce Theater.
Mariah has been spreading her love for dance with her students all over Maryland and Virginia, for the past two decades. She is a master teacher with the Mid Atlantic Pom and Dance Association (MAPDA) and has won numerous awards for her choreography in regional and national competitions since 2010. Mariah is a guest choreographer in the public school system in Anne Arudnel, Baltimore, Harford, Howard, and Montgomery counties, as well as many in Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. She is currently working with dedicated dance companies, as an artistic director and choreographer, throughout Maryland, focusing on movement quality, technique, and proper education of the body. Mariah teaches master classes all over the east coast and is certified to teach PBT, Progressing Ballet Technique.
Jan Scammell
Office Manager
Jan Scammell has been involved with dance most of her life - first as a dancer herself, then as a dance mom, and now as a dance gramma. She has worked in area dance studios as an offic/studio manager since the early 1990s, handling everything from basic office organization to costume ordering to managing backstage at studio productions. On the weekends she spends her time supporting her granddaughter at her high school dance team performances during football games, local dance company shows and regional dance competitions. She also enjoys going to her grandson's band performances, flag football and lacrosse games.