DANCE COMPANY - Key Persons

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Mr. Austin's bio is coming soon! Welcome to the TDC family, Austin!

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Caitlin began her training at The Dance Company under the direction of her mother, Miss Diane. In high school, she represented the USA in Reisa, Germany for the World Tap Dance Championships. She graduated from Point Park University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts, double concentrating in Modern and Jazz Dance. She has danced and choreographed with The Pillow Project (PA), Chicago Tap Theater, Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival, Lake Eden Arts Festival (NC), and Chicago Freelance Dance along with many other companies and festivals. Caitlin is a respected adjudicator with American Dance Awards and enjoys teaching as a guest at studios and conventions throughout the country. Caitlin teaches all styles at levels at TDC and is the director of the RhythmWorks Integrative Dance program at TDC.

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Diane Gudat is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana where she began The Dance Company in 1979. Diane has served as a guest artist and choreographer to numerous private studios, high schools and companies all over the United States, South Africa and Canada. She has also served as a Master Teacher for many dance teachers' organizations, including Dance Masters of America, Dance Teachers Club of Boston, Florida Dance Masters, Southern Association of Dance Masters, American Dance Awards, D.A.N.C.E. International (Pretoria, South Africa) and the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters. As an independent, award-winning choreographer she has staged a wide variety of musicals and has choreographed numerous show choirs and dance lines. She was one of the coaches to the 2002 gold medal USA World Championship Tap and Show Dance teams, is an internationally certified adjudicator and was a judge for the World Tap Championships in Riesa, Germany. Diane is the author of seven dance books, Acrobatics for the Dance Studio, The Time Step Dictionary (volumes one and two), Music Theory for the Dance Classroom, Variables for Teaching Tap and Step by Step; A Complete Guide to Teaching Tap (volumes one and two). Her Tap teaching aids, "Flash Tap" flashcards are used by dance teachers all over the world. Her website, dianegudat.com is a valuable resource and gathering place for dance professionals at all levels. Diane has travelled extensively as a faculty member for DMA, DTCB, Florida Dance Masters, Dance Teachers Club of Edmonton (Alberta Canada), Dance Life Teacher's Conference and CNADM Teacher's Training Schools. She has founded the US - SA Dance Teacher's Seminar in Pretoria, South Africa. She was the recipient of the Artistic Achievement Award in 2008 from CNADM and the Friendship Award from American Dance Awards. Her humor and energy have made her a popular judge, scholarship auditioner and faculty member for numerous conventions and competitions across the U.S. and Canada.

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Emily began dancing at the age of 10 at The Woodlands Dance Center in The Woodlands, Texas under the direction of Regan Jurick. Starting in 2014, she worked as an instructor for MA Dance. While she continued her dance training at the University of Oklahoma under Austin Hartel and Roxanne Lyst, Emily also studied business marketing, graduating in 2018. While at OU, Emily was a member of Hartel Dance Group. Emily has attended intensives with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Nobel Motion. She enjoys teaching dancers of all ages and seeing them fall in love with the art just like she has. She is thankful for her family and friend's constant love. Emily is in her second year as an apprentice with Indianapolis' Dance Kaleidoscope.

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Hannah started dancing at the age of five, where she focused her training mostly on ballet and tap. As an older student, she expanded to studying lyrical, contemporary, and some jazz. Hannah was a member of the Indianapolis Youth Ballet Company for several years, earning featured, soloist, and principal roles. She also enjoyed being part of her studios' competition team from age ten to eighteen. After graduating high school in 2020, she attended Purdue University, where she was a member of the Purdue Contemporary Dance Company. Hannah is so excited to be a part of the TheDC family and to share her love of dance with students.

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Jackie is an Indianapolis native who began private dance lessons at the age of 5. Her dance training led to membership in the color guard at Center Grove High School. This experience increased her exposure to multiple dance forms and with continued dance training, led to joining IUPUI's dance program as a dance minor in 2006. Also an Art major at the Herron School of Art and Design within IUPUI, she was a member of "The Moving Company" from 2006-2008. Jackie was proud to return as a guest performer and choreographer in 2009. As a featured performer, she received high accolades for her solo choreography and performance in 2008 and 2009 as a part of the juried student showcase. Jackie has acted as a color guard instructor and dance teacher within several high school programs including Beach Grove High School and Center Grove Schools. Outside of color guard rehearsals, she also loves to take dance classes and collaborate with other dancers within the dance and color guard community. Jackie is very excited to be back dancing in a studio setting and eager to learn and grow with her students and fellow TDC Staff.

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Justin was raised in Fayetteville, Arkansas where he started his dance training at the age of 19 under Gail Leftwitch,while attending the University of Arkansas and graduating Magnum Cum Laude with a degree in Kinesiology. Starting his junior year Justin joined NWA Ballet Theatre under the direction of Emily Coen as an apprentice. After two seasons with the ballet theater, Justin moved to Oklahoma and continued his dance training at the University of Oklahoma as a ballet major under the direction of Michael Bearden. There he had the privilege of performing works by George Balanchine, Alejandro Cerrudo, Merce Cunningham, William Christensen, Austin Hartel, Tommie-Waheed Evans and Roxanne Lyst. Following OU Justin rejoined NWA Ballet Theatre under the direction of David Justin as a company member for the 2020-21 season. Justin has also trained summers at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and the Oklahoma International Dance Festival. Justin is excited to be teaching and sharing his love for dance at TheDC.

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Kate is a TDC alumni. As a student and Ensemble member, Kate studied dance and developed her love for the art as well as leadership and life skills. Since high school graduation from Roncalli, where she loved participating in plays and show choir, Kate earned her B.S. in Exercise Science from University of Evansville. She currently pursues a Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of Indianapolis with plans to graduate in Spring of 2023. Kate loves working with children, spending time throughout her undergraduate studies as Creative Movement instructor at a local preschool and running an after school exercise and empowerment program at the YWCA for girls 3rd - 6th grade. She also enjoyed leading and assisting adults and seniors with disabilities through fitness and dance classes as an intern. Kate has a love for dance she is excited to share with students of all ages and levels.

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Sarah hails from Portland, OR, where she began ballet training under the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus and passed every major examination with distinction. She has performed with Ballet Concerto, Lake Erie Ballet, SoMar Dance Works and Northwest Dance Theatre. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Mercyhurst University with a B.F.A. degree in dance where she was granted both dance and academic scholarships. She has been highlighted in the second violin in Balanchine's Concerto Barocco, a principal role in Dennis Spaight's Gloria, the Arabian soloist, Merliton, and Waltz of the Flowers soloist in The Nutcracker, and several principle roles in newly choreographed classical and contemporary works. During the summers, Sarah attended intensives at Oregon Ballet Theatre and American Ballet Theatre, and was a semi-finalist at the Genée International Ballet competition in Antwerp, Belgium. She is grateful for the love and unwavering support of her friends, family, and dance mentors and colleagues. Sarah is in her first year with DK as an Apprentice Dancer.

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Shawn Annandale began as an assistant in our acrobatics program, training in TDCs adopted program syllabi. He now coaches students in our Acrobatics program. His energy, attention to detail and commitment to discipline and safety make him a valuable member of our Acrobatics faculty. Shawn's background includes team building, group entertainment and children's activity programming. You'll also find him building props and assisting in IT and maintenance, just to name a few around TDC, as he is also a member of the studio owner's husband club!

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A graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo, Stephanie Annandale began her dance training right here at The Dance Company as a student of Miss Diane and a member of the Indianapolis Children's Dance League. At UB, Stephanie was an Honors Program Scholar, a four year member of the Zodiaque Dance Company and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance. Stephanie then spent time in Orlando dancing in such places at DisneyWorld Resorts and Busch Gardens Tampa, performing as a back-up dancer for recording artists and as a magician's assistant. She was also a dancer on Disney Cruise Lines. Stephanie has been the owner and director of The Dance Company and the Indiana State Dance Championships since 2005. She holds teaching certifications through Dance Masters of America and is a member of Chicago National Association of Dance Masters and Dance Educators of America. She is a respected adjudicator and has worked with organizations including Starquest International, American Dance Awards, Encore Talent Productions, International Dance Challenge and Rhythm Dance Canada. She enjoys teaching students of all ages and levels. Watching students' growth from year to year and seeing their hard work pay off for them are Stephanie's favorite things about teaching.

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Tonya has been a part of The Dance Company Family since 2017, working in the front office keeping us organized! She attended Indiana Wesleyan University where she earned her degree in Accounting. Tonya enjoys working behind the scenes within the arts; dedicated to running lights, sound, video, and camera for theater. Tonya also enjoys volunteering in our community with various organizations. Tonya loves working with the TDC staff and enjoys getting to know the families and students and taking care of their needs in the office.