DANCER STRONG - Key Persons
Carla Mullendore began dancing over 35 years ago. She has been teaching for over 25 years, dancing professionally for over 24 years, and involved in the competition world for over 25 years. In addition, Carla has worked for more than 20 years as a fitness professional. Her training and studies include Wichita State University, Friends University, University Boulder Colorado, Garth Fagan Dance Co., Limon Dance Co., Ririe-Woodbury Dance Co., Merce Cunningham Dance Co, Tulsa Ballet Theatre, National Ballet of Canada, Stomp, and David Howard to name a few.
Carla began teaching at age 15 at a local studio in Newton, KS which she later took over as owner and director. During her 10 year direction of Newton Dance Center her competitive dancers achieved top awards at Starlight, Star Power, Talent on Parade, NYC Dance Alliance, Spotlight and Dupree Dance Expo. Her Irish troupe from Newton Dance Center also competed regularly with successful top awards as well as toured regionally on a professional level with live bands such as Rowan and Patrick Street. She also directed the dance department for Butler County College for 5 years and coached the Butler Honey Bears drill team which also was successful with top awards at International Dance Challenge, Five Star Productions, Nations Best Collegiate, National Dance Alliance and Universal Dance Association. In the midst of all the classes and rehearsals, she also found time to judge at many competitions and choreograph musicals such as Music Man, Anything Goes and Cinderella.
Carla's professional dancing career has taken her all around the world. Besides the opportunities to perform with the companies she studied with, she performed with Benita Bike Dance Art Company which toured Poland. She danced on the MS Crystal Symphony, Crystal Cruises where she performed pieces of Chicago, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Evita, Les Miserables, CATS, Mama Mia, Miss Saigon, Chorus Line, Le Jazz Hot, Cabaret, Fiddler on the Roof, Sweet Charity, Mame, Little Gigi, Hello Dolly, a Grease Medley, and an entire show based on Cole Porter music. Most recently she played the role of Cassandra in CATS which performed in the Los Angeles area.
Carla uses her experience and love of dance and fitness to motivate and inspire future performers. She enjoys sharing her talent and knowledge with others to help them be successful and reach their goals.
Job Titles:
- Dance Instructor
- Independent Dance Instructor
John Laverty is an independent dance instructor who is passionate about teaching all styles of partnering dancing and has been teaching Ballroom, Latin and Swing Dancing in the Dallas area since 1998. John conducts both group and private dance lessons and also choreographs dances for both weddings and showcases. John has hosted ballroom showcases, involving his students, where he has produced, directed and choreographed a dance for each couple. These showcases have been performed in venues that include The Ballroom at Preston and Tango and Cha-Cha's. John's dance background also includes ballet and has been a part of the Allen Conservatory of Dance since 2004. John sees dancing as his life's work and enjoys sharing it with others.
Shannon Marriott started her dance training at the age of six in Phoenix, Arizona and continued on and off throughout elementary and middle school at various studios around the valley. It was through her high school dance program that she truly realized her passion for dance and choreography. During her time in the program she presented mainly jazz, contemporary, and modern works. Her senior year she was a member of their performing company where they danced for school assemblies, on stage, and for events, training in hip hop, jazz, contemporary, modern, and ballet.
Shannon continued to pursue dance through her studies at Arizona State University, graduating with a BFA in Dance Education in 2019. Along with choreographing for and performing in the student dance concerts at ASU, she was selected to perform in residency guest choreographer, Jesse Zarritt's work, and took on an acting and dance role in professor Karen Schupp's research video project In It To Win It. Her last semester of school she spent student teaching, providing technique classes, choreographing, and preparing students for their spring show.
After graduating Shannon went on to help with judging Arcadia High School's dance placement auditions and work as stage manager for their fall show. She was also hired for Desert Ridge Marketplace's Movie After Dark Live performance of The Greatest Showman. Since moving to Texas in October of 2020 she has been contemplating her next dance career move and joining the Dancer Strong family is the perfect step.
Tamra Webb began her dance journey at the age of 10, performing ballet, jazz, tap and modern. She then when on to College in California to pursue dancing. Shortly after, she began her family and raised 3 athletic boys. At that point in life, her direction changed and she became a preschool teacher and baseball coach for kids ages 4-8. Tamra has been a preschool teacher and Early education teacher for 18 years now, and when her last child headed off to college, decided it was time to get back into the dancing world that she loves so much. Her passion for teaching toddlers and preschool age kids makes her an ideal dance teacher for your young ones! With her love for creating a positive impact in your child's life, she is affectionately known as "The Toddler Whisperer". You will love her as much as your little ones will! Tamra is Cecchetti trained and has her Grade 1 teaching certificate and working on Grade 2.
Job Titles:
- Dance Instructor
- New Staff Member
Tracy Kennedy began dancing at a very young age. Until the age of nine she studied ballet then added jazz, tap, hip-hop, lyrical, and tumbling to her training. Her love of Modern dance was discovered when she went to College. She had the opportunity to study under many amazing teachers such as Donald McKayle and Albert Reid from Merce Cunningham Company. She graduated from University of California Irvine, receiving her BA in dance.
Tracy has been teaching dance for over 13 years. She has taught master classes and workshops at Collin College, UTD, and Carrollton Farmers Branch Dance Exchange. She has created choreography for Elledanceworks, Collin Dance Ensemble, Ceekview High School Drill Team, Plano Children's Theater and Storybook Children's Theater.
Professionally, Tracy dances and performs with Elledanceworks, a modern dance company. Performances throughout the metroplex include: The Dallas Museum of Art, Arts & Letters Live, Nasher Sculpture Center, Fort Worth Dance Festival, Dallas Morning News Dance Festival and UTD , Faculty @ 5.
Tracy is excited to be a new staff member at Dancer Strong and to share her love and passion for dance with her students.