Our Faculty
The Dance Center of Greensboro offers the highest quality of dance education taught by professional dancers. Our dance teachers offer their professional career experience including: Broadway World Tours, US National Tours, The Royal Ballet School, Boston Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, University of North Carolina School of Arts and much more!
Jeanne Alala
Performance Company Director & DCG Faculty
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Jeanne began her dance training at the Barbara Jeanne School of Dance and at The Dance Center of Queensbury, NY under direction of Barbara Tebeau. Before long she was chosen to perform with the New York City Ballet Children’s Corps at SPAC, and crowned “Miss Dance of St. Louis, 1987.” Jeanne studied at the Ballet Academy of Princess Grace – Les Ballet de Monte Carlo, in France for 3 months under direction of, Marika Besobrasova, while studying ballet at Skidmore College under direction of Elizabeth Carroll and Felix Smith at the young age of 14. Jeanne spent every summer attending dance intensives, often on scholarship, including Joffrey Ballet under direction of Francois Martinet, Atlanta Ballet under direction of Robert Barnett, Cecchetti Council of America at Michigan State University. AT 16, Jeanne joined The Gateway Ballet Company, under direction of Norma Beutell, and partnered with Gregory Huffman, Gerald Hilding, and David Palmer all members of the Joffrey Ballet Company for Gateway’s Annual Nutcracker Ballet Performances.
At 18, Jeanne began her professional career in NYC with a National Tour of My One & Only followed by National Tours of Anything Goes and Sugar. Once finished touring the U.S. she joined the World Tour of 42nd Street and finally landed back in NYC performing annually at Radio City Music Hall with the Anti-Gravity Company. Jeanne has performed in numerous productions throughout her career: My One & Only, Anything Goes, Sugar, Easter Extravaganza, 42nd Street, Here’s Love, Once Upon a Mattress, Hans Christian Anderson, Gigi, A Chorus Line, Wonderland on Ice, The Nutcracker Ballet, Snow White, Peter and The Wolf, Hansel and Gretel, The Magic Flute, Amron, Circus Polka and more.
Jeanne holds FCCA membership status with the Cecchetti Council of America and is certified to teach the Cecchetti method of ballet. In June 2016 Jeanne was granted membership in the CICB (Cecchetti International Classical Ballet Organization) consisting of seven international Cecchetti societies dedicated to the art of ballet around the world. In October 2009, Jeanne completed her National Dance Masters Teachers Examinations for Ballet, Jazz & Tumbling, receiving the highest honors awarded. Jeanne now directs The Dance Center of Greensboro’s Pre-Professional Performance Company’s annual Nutcracker Ballet Performances and Competitive Dance Program.
Since moving to Greensboro NC, Jeanne has enjoyed choreographing The King & I, Les Miserable, Grease, Thoroughly Modern Millie, back to the 80’s…The Totally Awesome Musical and Aladdin Jr. for The Greensboro Day School Drama Departments and has enjoyed teaching many children to dance and tumble throughout the triad.
Jeanne graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and was a member of the National Honor Society, Gamma Theta Upsilon, Kappa Phi Chapter. She is proud to be a 2nd generation studio owner/director and believes that if you dream it you can become it!
Sam Shapiro
Performance Company & DCG Faculty
Sam Shapiro hails from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He began his ballet training at Wake Forest University under the direction of his mother, Brantly Shapiro. At age 11, he entered the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he studied with the entire faculty including Duncan Noble, Nina Danilova and Gyula Pandi. At age 17 he joined The Royal Ballet’s Upper School where he danced for three years, graduating with commendation. Sam danced in the Royal Ballet’s productions of Cinderella, La Fille Mal Gardee, Firebird, La Valse and Manon. He spent two years in Boston Ballet II and performed with Boston Ballet in many ballets such as Giselle and Romeo and Juliet. After Boston he spent two years with The North Carolina Dance Theater performing classical and contemporary repertoire. Favorite roles included Dwight Rhoden’s Broken Fantasies and Mark Godden’s Dracula. The next year was spent touring, performing freelance with Tulsa Ballet, Fort Wayne Ballet and Ballet National de Panamá. He joined The Royal New Zealand Ballet for the 2011-2012 season and is now currently performing as a freelance artist and teacher.
Kaitlyn Shelton
Preschool–Primary Director, Performance Company, Office Administrator & DCG Faculty
Kaitlyn Shelton is from Reidsville, North Carolina. Kaitlyn holds her BA in dance and her K-Twelve Teaching License from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Kaitlyn teaches ballet/lyrical/jazz/tap/contemporary/preschool and tumbling classes at DCG. Additionally, Kaitlyn teaches and choreographs for our Nutcracker Ballet and Competition Dance Teams. For the past 3 years, 2021-2023, Kaitlyn was awarded the BEST CHOREOGRAPHY awards at numerous regional dance competitions. Kaitlyn holds her Cecchetti Council of America teaching certification in classical ballet and truly enjoys her full-time teaching position at the studio. Kaitlyn began her training at The Dance Center of Greensboro in 2012 and Kaitlyn performed in DCG’s Nutcracker Ballet, Cecchetti Examinations, Dance Competitions, Wake Forest University half-time performances, and Spring recital performances. Additionally, Kaitlyn has earned numerous dance awards and accolades for both group routines and solos and attended multiple dance conventions as a student. While at Rockingham County High School, Kaitlyn served as the captain of the Cheerleading team for many football seasons. Kaitlyn is a wonderful role model for DCG’s young dancers, and she is a favorite among the DCG students! The Dance Center of Greensboro is thrilled to have Kaitlyn Shelton as a faculty member.
Brandi Thompson Scott
DCG Faculty
Brandi Thompson Scott hails from High Point, North Carolina. Brandi holds her BA in dance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and has been teaching dance in Greensboro for 18 years. Brandi’s professional credits include the Sidelong and X Factor companies which whom she toured in Washington D.C. and around North Carolina. Twice now, Brandi has been invited to guest teach and choreograph at Salem College, where she has enjoyed setting repertoire work on their dance companies. Brandi is married to her husband, Michael, and has 3 children that keep her on her toes. The Dance Center of Greensboro welcomes Brandi and is happy to have her teaching and sharing her dance experiences with the DCG students.
Susan Bodsford
Performance Company & DCG Faculty
Susan Bodsford hails from High Point, North Carolina. Susan began studying dance at age 6 and by 15 began her teaching career as an assistant at the Ray Hollingsworth Dance and Theatre Arts Centre. Susan was a Miss North Carolina dancer and was awarded High Pont’s Junior Miss and winner at the North Carolina Junior Miss. Susan won many top honors during her competitive dance years including the title of National Acrobatic Champion. Susan’s extensive dance training includes ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, acrobatics, musical comedy, voice and gymnastics under some of the great teachers including Savion Glover, Henry LeTang, Gus Giordano, Michael Peters, and Michael Rooney to name a few. Susan taught at The Dance Shop in Archdale, NC and judged the Showstopper National Talent Competitions for many years. In 1985, Susan opened, her own studio, Dance Unlimited, in Kernersville which has been a staple in the dance community for more than 30 years. Susan has gone on to produce numerous state and national talent winners and her students have gone onto Rockettes, Radio City Christmas Spectacular and American Ballet theatre, New York City. The Dance Center of Greensboro is honored to have Ms. Susan on faculty sharing her many years of teaching, dancing, directing, and performing with the DCG students.
Meredith Knowlton
DCG Faculty
Meredith Dailey hails from Thomasville, North Carolina. Meredith has been dancing for 20+ years and has studied ballet, tap, jazz, pom, hip hop and musical theater. Meredith performed on the Venom Dance Team for the Carolina Cobra NAL team for the 2022-2023 season. Meredith grew up dancing at Bobbi’s School of Dance and eventually made the competition team and then went on to compete at numerous Regional & National dance competitions. It was at Bobbi’s School of dance training, guidance and encouragement which allowed Meredith to have the confidence to pursue her dream in dance. While at Thomasville High School, Meredith served as the captain of the Cheerleading team for the football and basketball seasons. Upon graduating, Meredith attended Appalachian State University and competed with the Entropy Hip Hop Crew at the Prelude Carolinas competition circuit. With 5 years of teaching and choreographing experience DCG is excited to have Meredith Dailey join our faculty. DCG welcomes Meredith and is excited to have such an accomplished teacher, and performer, joining our family and working with our students.
Lily Greene
DCG Fusion Dance Team & DCG Faculty
Lily Greene has 20 years of total dance experience with 5 years of dancing competitively with AthElite Dance and 4 years of collegiate dance with Liberty University. Lily has extensive training in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pom/kick line, hip hop, and musical theatre. Lily graduated from Liberty University in the Spring of 2021 with a BS in Integrated Communications. She is a founding member of the Liberty University Flamettes Dance Team and had the title of Captain/Choreographer from sophomore to senior year. DCG is excited to have Lily teaching and choreographing our students and DCG Fusion Dance Team Members. Last season, Lily accompanied the DCG Fusion Dancers to half-time performances at a Greensboro Swarm Basketball game & to the Greensboro Coliseum for a UNCG Men’s Basketball game. DCG is excited to have such an accomplished teacher, performer, and choreographer at the studio and working with our students.
Meredith Dailey
Performance Company & DCG Faculty
Meredith Knowlton began her dance studies 18 years ago and has enjoyed teaching dance for the past 7 years. While a student Meredith studied tap, clogging, ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip hop and Pointe. As a competitive dancer, for 12 years, Meredith earned numerous choreography awards and overall tap-dancing awards. Meredith also shares a passion for theatre and has been choreographing, primarily at Rockingham High School, for their musical theater performances and choral concerts for the past 7 years. Meredith still enjoys performing and in her free time you can see her on stage, in shows such as 60 Years of Broadway and Wizard of Oz with Community Theatre of Greensboro, and several other local theater groups.
Onna Jones
Performance Company & DCG Faculty
Onna Jones is from Radford, Virginia. Onna holds her BA in dance, with a concentration in Classical Ballet from Radford University. Onna teaches advanced ballet/Pointe and choreographs annually for DCG’s Nutcracker Ballet Production. Onna has 17+ years of related dance experience which includes the Vaganova and ABT methodologies. Onna has studied Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Tap, Ballet and Pointe and choreographed Snow, Russian, Chinese, and Arabian divertissements throughout numerous seasons. Onna is a marvelous role model for DCG’s ballet students. The Dance Center of Greensboro is thrilled to have Onna Jones as a ballet teacher on our faculty.
In Honor of Mr. Mallory Graham – Born, October 16, 1946 – Deceased, January 14, 2018. A beloved DCG Faculty member for 10 years. Rest in peace my dear friend and know we still dance with you in our hearts every day.
Mallory Graham
Former DCG Faculty
“The Dance Center of Greensboro doesn’t just teach dancing. It creates dancers!”
A native of South Carolina, Mallory began studying dance with Grange Hall once a week and from the first class was hooked on performing for life. Mallory made his way to New York City where he became a “Broadway Gypsie” performing in at least 15 Broadway shows and choreographing 3 others. Mallory has studied under some of the dance industry’s greats of the day including jazz with Luigi, Gus Giordano and Matt Maddox and tap with Henry Le Tang, Bobo Audy and Danny Hoctor of Dance Caravan. As a teacher Mallory has over 35 years of experience and success placing his dance students on Broadway in numerous shows including: Evita, A Chorus Line, Beauty and the Beast, Little Me, Barnum, Meet Me in St. Louis, Cats, Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.
In film including: Chaplin, A Chorus Line, Xanadu and on television in The Love Boat and the Country Music Awards to name a few. Mr. Graham has produced, directed and choreographed the Miss Mississippi Pageant Show for over a decade and has won 6 Emmy Awards for directing and/or choreographing. Locally Mallory Graham produced High School Musical and choreographed Hairspray for The Community Theater of Greensboro, Theatre in the Schools for Guilford County, Aida for the Myrtle Beach School system, and Guys and Dolls, Little Shop of Horrors, and 42nd Street for the High Point Community Theatre. The Dance Center of Greensboro is honored to have Mallory Graham join our faculty a a teacher and choreographer to offer our students his expertise, incredible life experience as a professional dancer and performer and as a multi-Emmy Award winning choreographer.