Our Staff - Talented, Experienced, Creative Professionals
Ms. Camille, Studio Director - Ballet, Tap, Jazz
Celebrating over 30 years of dance, Camille Johnson began her dance training at Northwest School of Dance in 1977 and went on to train under Sheryl Sulick for tap and jazz and Jean Newell for ballet, in Livonia. While a student at Cass Technical High School, she was a member of Cass' Dance Workshop and The Detroit Windsor Dance Company, where she was exposed to both Dunham and Horton modern techniques. During this time she also had the privilege to study with University of Michigan's Bill deYoung at Interlochen Arts. At Hampton University, she was one of two freshmen accepted into the Terpsichorean Dance Company with whom she performed and traveled for three years. As a graduate student at Wayne State University, she furthered her studies in ballet under the tutelage of Samantha Shelton.
Camille received her B.A. in Speech Communications and Theatre Arts from Hampton University in 1993. She also holds a M.A. in Secondary English Education from Wayne State University. She holds valid teaching certificates from Michigan and California. Her work experience includes: Casting Assistant - Meg Simon Casting (New York), Teacher - Detroit High School for the Fine and Performing Arts, Teacher - Southfield-Lathrup High School.
Camille has also taught drama at the Detroit Council for the Arts Summer Youth Program, and she directed the Detroit Recreation Department's "Teen's Time-n-Fashion" back to school show at Chene Park. She has a worked as a volunteer dance instructor at Vista Maria, a residential treatment facility for girls in Dearborn Heights and Gesu School as the Pom Team Choreographer.
As a dancer Camille has performed with several local artists, Detroit Pistons' dance team Automotion, and most recently Hartford Memorial Baptist Church's Liturgical Dance Ministry under the direction of Penny Godboldo and B. McDonald.
Ms. Nicole, Company Artistic Director, Ballet, Tap Jazz, Salsa
A native of Detroit, Nicole Burnett has been dancing since the age of six. At age thirteen she joined the Detroit Ballet Theatre, where she fine tuned her skills in ballet, classical partnering, pointe, jazz, tap, and hip hop. At age fifteen, she was being groomed to start her teaching career in dance. In 1996, she was the first and only African-American woman to make the new Detroit Pistons' Automotion Dance Team, where she spent three years entertaining fans at every home game. After leaving the team, she continued to work for the organization as a choreographer. Nicole played the role of Tina in the gospel play "Perilous Times" and is active in Detroit Theatre. She performed in the national tour of the Broadway musical "Chicago" where she played Annie, and was the first cover for the lead role of Velma Kelly. Nicole was a cast member and dance captain of Greektown Casino's long-running show, Velocity. Her other credits include: "Deep Blue Sea" soundtrack, LL Cool J Phenomenon Tour, and she is a national Salsa dance champion.
Ms. Joli, Ballet
Joli Paparisto is a 1989 graduate from the School of Choreography at State University, Tirana Albania. She was a CHOREOGRAPHER and PRIMA BALLERINA at the Military Professional Ballet in Albania, choreographer and coordinator of Artistic Associations, and a teacher of Ballet and Artistic Aerobics in both Albania & Italy. Ms. Jolie won the FIRST PLACE at the CLASSICAL BALLET EUROPEAN FESTIVAL in Germany in 1996. Along with ballet she specializes in LATINO and CHARACTER dancing as well as being a certified PILATES and ZUMBA instructor.
Ms. Toya, Ballet, Tap, and Jazz
Toya Mabin has been dancing for fourteen years. She began her dance education at the age of 8 at Wendy’s School of Dance under the direction of Wendy B. Morris where she studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz Hip-Hop, and African Dance. At age 10 while still dancing at WSD, she became member of a liturgical dance group called Joint Heirs, where they performed at many churches and even landed an opportunity to open up for Vicki Winans at the Fox Theatre. Then at the age of 11, Toya joined the company Journeymen at Motor City Dance Factory. As a member Journeymen and Union, Toya won many awards in regional and national competitions. She gained so many opportunities at MCDF and added Cecchetti and Pointe to her belt. While dancing at Motor City Dance Factory, she began her teaching career at YouthVille Detroit at age 15, teaching Hip-Hop and Jazz. In 2005-2006 she toured the states with BET’s Teens of Comedy opening up for both Brandon T. Jackson and Lil JJ. While continuing her dance education at MCDF, Toya also attended Detroit High School for Performing Arts where she learned about Dunham and Horton Techniques under the direction of Lisa Reynolds. Toya is currently attending Wayne State University where she is studying Health Administration.
Ms. Brittany, Hip-Hop
Detroit native Brittany Elliott has had the opportunity to have taught at several dance studios in the metropolitan Detroit area. With tour and national television performance credits under her belt for national artists such as:Lil Wayne,Ciara,Mary J Blige, Yung Joc,Neyo,Omarion,BobbyValentino,Vanessa Carlton,and TPain, she offers an extensive knowledge of what it takes to be a working professional in the dance industry. A self proclaimed "late bloomer" to the art of dance,starting at the age of 16 at Southfield Lathrup High School as a dance major,she is a living example to her students of her class motto"hard work and passion is always more than enough."
Ms. Rachael, Modern Contemporary
Rachael Harbert began her dance training at Harrison High School under the direction of Toi Banks. In 2011, she graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors of Science in dance at Wayne State University, where she was a four-year member of the Dance Workshop. There, she received the Wayne State Scholars Scholarship, the Meredith Ilene Campbell Endowed Scholarship, the Lisa Nowak Endowed Scholarship in Dance, and the Aida Cannarsa Snow Scholarship. Her choreographic endeavors earned her a WSU Copperfoot Award and the opportunity to showcase her collaborative work at the American College Dance Festival in 2007 and again in 2008 for Kardia, receiving acceptance into the Gala Concert performance. Rachael spent the summer of 2010 working with Mack Avenue Dance Company and performed in the premiere of the evening length work, Feral Vintage. She has presented her choreography or participated as a guest performer for The Michigan Dance Project, The Ann Arbor Choreographer’s Showcase, AlexanDance Performance, and Happenings Collaborations. She continues to exhibit choreography and performance improvisation at other Detroit-based events.
Mr. Bruce, Tap
Alfred Bruce Bradley, performing artist and educator, is a Flint Michigan native, Mr. Bradley is the founder of Tapology Tap Festival for Youth, The Flintstone Hoofers and co-founder of Creative Expressions Dance Studio.
Bradley is a graduate of Alabama State University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and began his theatrical training. Upon returning to the Flint area after college he became actively involved with the McCree Theatre as a performing artist. As a result of his work through the McCree Theatre he was given the opportunity to work professionally in the hit Off Broadway musical “One Mo Time” in the lead role as Papa Du which resulted in an extended run at The Village Gate in Toronto, Ontario.
Other notable performance experiences would include the off Broadway musical “Staggerlee” , “Rollin With Stevens and Stewart”, “A Raisin In The Sun”, the Broadway hit musical “Black and Blue” it’s world tour in which he teamed with his mentor and teacher, the late great Lloyd Storey from Detroit, MI to perform the “Class Act”. He has performed “David Danced For The Lord” from Ellington’s Sacred Works with the Duke Ellington Orchestra at the Cleveland Tri City Jazz Festival. Mr. Bradley can be seen as a regular in the Flint Institute Of Music’s production of “The Nut Cracker” as Drosselmeyer and is also a member of the Flint Institute of music’s Jubilee Chorale singers.
Ms. Mandy, Adult Hip Hop
Mandy Tugz is a dancer/choreographer from Detroit, Michigan. With a unique style of movement mixed with an outgoing personality, Mandy is known to leave her students and fellow crew members wondering what ideas she has next.
Growing up in a tough environment, and constant family issues, caused Mandy to gear her frustrations toward dance, and music. As Mandy entered high school, her personal life began to plummet. Her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and family problems spun out of control. She then knew she had to step up and help her family the best way she could on top of school, band, and dance. “Even though I was stressed, I never showed it. I still ended up drum major of the marching band. I also maintained an average of a 3.6 G.P.A. “Honestly, if it wasn’t for my extracurricular activities in school, I don’t know how I would have stayed focused.” But she did. Her mother ended up going into remission and Mandy graduated top 20 in her class.After her senior year in high school, Mandy realized that dance was her passion. She began to pursue it as a career and worked toward success. She began taking classes, entering workshops, and competitions. Mandy has taken classes from various choreographers such as Tony Testa, Ian Eastwood, Tony Czar, Phi (Jabbawockeez), Brian Puspos, June Quemado, Tristan Fisher, Marty Kudelka, and JiG. She has background danced and choreographed for R&B Soul Artist K’Jon, and is currently booked with Universal Republic’s newest R&B sensation John Brown. Mandy has also opened for artists such as Erykah Badu, Ginuwine, Rick Ross, Twista, and OJ Juiceman. Although Mandy has ventured with dance as her career choice, she is determined to remain humble and keep striving to be the best dancer/choreographer she can be. Bios Coming Soon:
Ms. Val, Gymnastics
Mr. Farrow, Hip Hop
Mr. Chuck, Ballroom
Mr. Aaron, Kenpo
Student Teachers:
Lyrik
Tamar
Tyraducator a Flint Michigan native, Mr. Bradley is the founder of Tapology Tap Festival for Youth, The Flintstone Hoofers and co-founder of Creative Expressions Dance Studio. In the De
