Tom Alexander

a native of Thomasville, NC, resides in Washington DC. Tom teaches Jazz, Tap, Lyrical and Musical Theater as well as Judges and choreographs nationwide for Dance Makers Inc., Southern Association of Dance Masters, Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, Spark Intensives and Dance Teachers United. He began dancing at age 12 with Master Teacher, Ray Hollingsworth and has worked with stars such as Debbie Reynolds, June Allyson, Van Johnson, Anne Miller, Cyd Charisse, Dolly Parton, Rita Moreno, Marie Osmond, Ella Fitzgerald and Bob Hope. First professional experience, Tom danced in stage productions at Carowinds, Busch Gardens, Tokyo Disneyland and Sanrio Puroland Theme parks. He has taught in Japan for Shojiku Kageki Dan and Osaka Kageki Dan National Dance Companies and performed, assisted his Artistic Directors and trained dancers for Crystal Cruises Luxury Cruise Ship Productions, where he co-choreographed many lavish productions. Dance Studio Life Magazine has featured Mr. Tom in May/June and September/October 2014 issues in two articles about Judging Dance as well as describing how dance has changed in the 30 plus years he has been in this business. Also in 2014, Tom was commissioned by CNADM (Chicago National Association of Dance Masters) to choreograph a jazz piece that would open their banquet show honoring legendary dancer, performer Anne Reinking with their Artistic Achievement Award. CNADM awarded Tom the prestigious award of Artistic Achievement in 2017. Mr. Tom has taught for Buffa’s Dance Studio Ltd in Burke, VA since 1984 and full time since 1996. Being a part of the DanceMakers Family since 1997, Tom takes pride in knowing that he is not only teaching dance steps, but giving valuable life lessons to all of his students in Responsibility, Discipline, Integrity, Respect, Dedication, Team Work and by paying back what was given to him countless times! Start Each Day with the mindset of Being GRATEFUL!

Orialis Ashley

is from Puerto Rico and has been dancing since the age of seven. She has trained extensively in all genres of dance from ballet to hip hop, and through her training has earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree in Dance from The Florida State University. After receiving her degree, Ms.Ashley joined the Denver based Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble in 2003. With the company she toured nationally and was a featured soloist in works by Talley Beatty, Christopher Huggins, and Alvin Ailey. After relocating to Los Angeles, Orialis expanded her dance career from concert work to commercial work. There she performed in music videos, stage shows and various industrials. She also had the privilege to work with Southern California dance companies including the Mark Goodman Tap company, Lula Washington Dance Theater and Liz Imperio’s Instincts Live Media. Her extensive background has enabled her to Instruct set award winning choreography all around the US. She presently resides in Southern California where she continues not only to train and perform as a professional dancer with the “Syncopated Ladies” but also shares her love of dance with her students.

Nikolas “Niko” Bermea

is a hip-hop and contemporary fusion dancer/choreographer from Austin, TX. In July of 2015, after relocating from Texarkana to Austin, Niko began his training initially in Hip Hop and later branching out into more classical styles such as jazz, ballet, and contemporary. Due to his love for the dance industry, Niko quickly mastered the art and decided to pursue it professionally. In 2019, after merely a year and a half at TWU-Denton School of Dance, he made the move to Los Angeles in search of a professional career. Since then, Niko has had the opportunity to teach at several conventions such as Intrigue Dance Intensive, The Lab Dance Convention, Carolina Dance Masters, and Revolt Dance Intensive, and has performed in several large venues in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. He is currently a faculty member of LA-based MusEffect, under the direction of Jessica Starr and was a company member on world-renowned hip hop company, V Mo, under the direction of Danyel Moulton. In the summer of 2021, Niko was signed by Clear Talent Group (CTG) and was selected as a back-up dancer for Colombian Pop Star, Sebastian Yatra. After completion of Yatra’s US Tour with Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias in November, Niko was able to perform internationally with Yatra’s DHARMA World Tour throughout Mexico, Central & South America, Europe, and the US. Niko has also performed for some industrials and TV work, dancing in the show American Song Contest.

Aaron Girard

began dancing at 15 in Tulsa, Oklahoma training in a variety of styles and techniques. He has assisted and taught at conventions, having the privilege to learn from choreographers such as Emma Portner, Matt Cady, and Andrea Ward among others. He attended Domaine Forget in 2016, learning the Rubberband method and repertoire from Rubberband Dance under the direction of Victor Quijada. In 2017 he attended the Gaga New York summer intensive, learning the gaga method and repertoire from Batsheva Dance Company. He was selected as a Capezio ACE Awards finalist in 2018. He went on to present an extended iteration of his ACE awards piece set on the students of the Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary Trainee Program in 2019. He currently lives in Tulsa, teaching and choreographing for dance studios.

Melissa Miles

Melissa has been working in the LA commercial dance industry as a dancer and choreographer for many years now. A former Millennium Dance Complex and Debbie Reynolds instructor, She currently teaches an advanced jazz class at The EDGE in Hollywood. She was also asked to be the new international instructor at Broadway Dance Center Tokyo. Melissa performed on the AMA’S with Swizz Beatz, Chris Brown and Ludacris. Other artists she has danced for include European superstar Little Boots, Lil Mama, Kirk Franklin, TATU, Lil’ Bubba, and Gloria Gaynor. She has danced on the hit tv show 90210, The Latin Grammy’s, Miss USA Pageant, and the Mtv Movie Awards. She has also danced for Adidas, PlayStation, Armenian Music Awards, Med Assets, and a USO European Tour for our U.S. Troops. You can also catch her dancing in the new national commercial for Dish Network. Melissa has choreographed an industrial for Ducati, a commercial for Jacuzzi and multiple music videos. Melissa is a choreographer and former performer of “All Wheel’s Extreme,” a high energy extreme sports show you may have seen on America’s Got Talent. Melissa is also one of their rehearsal directors. Melissa was dance choreographer for Aerial Ice, who was also showcased on America’s Got Talent. During her time as choreographer at Knott’s Berry Farm, Melissa choreographed The Haunt stage shows “Psycho Circus of Magic and Mayhem” part 1 and 2, “Ed Alonzo’s Funhouse”, “The Hanging” and “Bloomination.” She had the opportunity to work with Tyce Diorio preparing choreography for So You Think You Can Dance season 8 top 20 routine. Melissa has traveled internationally dancing, teaching, and choreographing throughout France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Korea, Mexico and Canada. She spent the last decade spreading her passion as a member of the faculty on The STREETZ dance convention, and was one of the first technical judges for World of Dance Panama! Most recently, Melissa worked on the TV shows Penny Dreadful, City of Angels, Perry Mason, and Carpool Karaoke! In 2022, Melissa joined the Dance Faculty at Hussian College In Studio, Los Angeles, where she teaches Jazz and Jazz funk. Housed on- site at the famed LA Center Studios, it is the first and only school of its kind!

Sidney Ramsey

Originally from South Carolina, Sidney Ramsey (she/her) grew up dancing at Columbia City Jazz before moving to California to attend the University of Southern California. When she graduated college in 2021, Sidney became the USC Glorya Kaufman School’s first student to double major, earning a BFA in Dance and a BA in Health and Human Sciences. After dancing with companies in Canada and Hungary, Sidney has had the opportunity to perform works by choreographers like William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Alexander Ekman, and Paul Taylor. Long-term, Sidney hopes to explore both how rigorous dance training impacts aging and how recreational dancing can act as a universal wellness intervention. In August, Sidney is excited to be joining the Saarländisches Staatstheater in Saarbrücken, Germany.

MINIS

*ALL CLASSES ARE HELD IN STUDIO D

MONDAY

9:00-9:45- Lyrical with Melissa

9:45-10:30 – Tap with Orialis

10:30-10:45 – Break

10:45-11:30 – Jazz with Tommy

TUESDAY

9:00-9:45 – Ballet with Sidney

9:45-10:30 – Jazz with Tommy

10:30-10:45 – Break

10:45-11:30 – Tap with Orialis

WEDNESDAY

9:00-9:45 – Hip Hop with Niko

9:45-10:30 – Contemporary with Aaron

10:30-10:45 – Break

10:45-11:30 – Jazz with Melissa

THURSDAY

9:00-9:45 – Hip Hop with Niko

9:45-10:30 – Musical Theatre with Melissa

10:30-10:45 – Break

10:45-11:30 – Jazz Progressions with Orialis

JUNIOR 2

*ALL CLASSES ARE HELD IN STUDIO A

MONDAY

9:00-9:45 – Hip Hop with Niko
9:45-10:30 – Jazz with Tommy
10:30-10:45 – Break
10:45-11:30 – Lyrical with Melissa
11:30-12:15 – Contemporary with Aaron

TUESDAY

9:00-9:45 – Tap with Orialis
9:45-10:30 – Musical Theatre with Melissa
10:30-10:45 – Break
10:45-11:30 – Ballet with Sidney
11:30-12:15 – Jazz with Tommy

WEDNESDAY

9:00-9:45 – Ballet with Sidney
9:45-10:30 – Musical Theatre with Melissa
10:30-10:45 – Break
10:45-11:30 – Jazz Progressions with Orialis
11:30-12:15 – Hip Hop with Niko

THURSDAY

9:00-9:45 – Tap with Orialis
9:45-10:30 – Contemporary Ballet with Sidney
10:30-10:45 – Break
10:45-11:30 – Hip Hop with Niko
11:30-12:15 – Jazz with Melissa

JUNIOR 1

*ALL CLASSES ARE HELD IN STUDIO D

MONDAY

11:30-12:30 – Tap with Orialis
12:30-1:30 – Contemporary with Aaron
1:30-1:45 – Break
1:45-2:45 – Lyrical with Melissa
2:45-3:45 – Jazz with Tommy

TUESDAY

11:30-12:30 – Musical Theatre with Melissa
12:30-1:30 – Hip Hop with Niko
1:30-1:45 – Break
1:45-2:45 – Jazz with Tommy
2:45-3:45 – Contemporary with Aaron

WEDNESDAY

11:30-12:30 – Ballet with Sidney
12:30-1:30 – Musical Theatre with Melissa
1:30-1:45 – Break
1:45-2:45 – Tap with Orialis
2:45-3:45 – Hip Hop with Niko

THURSDAY

11:30-12:30 – Jazz Progressions with Orialis
12:30-1:30 – Jazz with Melissa
1:30-1:45 – Break
1:45-2:45 – Contemporary Ballet with Sidney
2:45-3:45 – Hip Hop with Niko

TEENS

*ALL CLASSES ARE HELD IN STUDIO A

MONDAY

12:15-1:15 – Lyrical with Melissa
1:15-2:15 – Jazz with Tommy
2:15-2:30 – Break
2:30-3:30 – Contemporary with Aaron
3:30-4:30 – Hip Hop with Niko

TUESDAY

12:15-1:15 -Ballet with Sidney
1:15-2:15 – Jazz Funk with Melissa
2:15-2:30 – Break
2:30-3:30 – Hip Hop with Niko
3:30-4:30 – Jazz with Tommy

WEDNESDAY

12:15-1:15 – Tap with Orialis
1:15-2:15 – Contemporary Ballet with Sidney
2:15-2:30 – Break
2:30-3:30 – Musical Theatre with Melissa
3:30-4:30 – Contemporary with Aaron

THURSDAY

12:15-1:15 – Ballet with Sidney
1:15-2:15 – Fusion with Niko
2:15-2:30 – Break
2:30-3:30 – Jazz Progressions with Orialis
3:30-4:30 – Jazz with Melissa

SENIORS

*ALL CLASSES ARE HELD IN STUDIO A

MONDAY

4:30-5:30 – Jazz with Tommy
5:30-6:30 – Tap with Orialis
6:30-6:45 – Break
6:45-7:45 – Hip Hop with Niko
7:45-8:45 – Contemporary with Aaron

TUESDAY

4:30-5:30 – Hip Hop with Niko
5:30-6:30 – Jazz with Tommy
6:30-6:45 – Break
6:45-7:45 – Jazz Funk with Melissa
7:45-8:45 – Contemporary with Aaron

WEDNESDAY

4:30-5:30 – Contemporary Ballet with Sidney
5:30-6:30 – Open with Aaron
6:30-6:45 – Break
6:45-7:45 – Jazz Progressions with Orialis
7:45-8:45 – Musical Theatre with Melissa

THURSDAY

4:30-5:30 – Contemporary Ballet with Sidney
5:30-6:30 – Fusion with Niko
6:30-6:45 – Break
6:45-7:45 – Tap with Orialis
7:45-8:45 – Lyrical with Melissa

• This intensive is absolutely mandatory for all DC company dancers. All company members are required to take ALL classes for their level and FULLY participate at all times. Not sure which level of classes your dancer should be taking? e-mail whittney@dancers-corner.com
• Make Checks payable to Dancers Corner; due on the first day of intensive or before 🙂 Pay at the payment box at the front desk. Please have your dancer prepared to drop payment.
• Dancers should be wearing form fitting dance attire for ballet, jazz and contemporary. Hip Hop classes allow for baggier attire.
• Dancers should have appropriate footwear for classes if possible (split sole ballet slippers for ballet, jazz shoes for jazz, tap shoes for tap, bare feet for contemporary and clean soled sneakers for Hip Hop)
•  If you don’t have tap shoes, you can tap in sneakers or jazz shoes, but tap shoes are recommended. You can get very inexpensive tap shoes here:
  • adult sizes
  • child sizes
• Dancers should bring plenty of fluids (Water/sports drinks), and healthy snacks/meals to eat on their scheduled breaks each day.
• We will be doing our best to keep dancers spaced out, and will keep doors open when necessary. Masks are optional. Parents please refrain from coming into the lobby unless it’s necessary. Assistants will escort young dancers out of the building when their classes are finished each day.
• Dancers, just air hugs and curtseys/bows for your faculty this year, and  please try to give them lots of space 🙂 Their hearts will be hugging you always!