TABITHA LAMARTINA Tabitha began her dance training at the age of 3 with the Shirley Darling Dancers and also received training beginning at the age of 7 with The Susan Ina Dance Studio. She also trained with The Jean Kettell Dance Studio, The Lester Holmes Dance Studio and Dance Foundations.
Under the guidance of Ms. Renee Rassa, Tabitha began training at The Kirov Ballet School in Washington, DC. She completed her high school training at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in 2003. During her time at Patapsco, she double majored in dance and early childhood education.
Tabitha’s many accomplishments in dance have included many regional and national awards from competitions such as Starpower, DEA, Starquest, KAR, and American Dance Awards. She has also received many scholarships through dance conventions including a major award for ballet training through the Maryland Council for Dance.
Tabitha received a special invitation from Mr. Marvin Hamlisch to perform at The Meyerhoff Symphony during a competition to find rising stars. Mr. Hamish thought Tabitha had “star quality” and decided to not put her in the competition but instead asked her to perform as his special guest.
Under the guidance of Ms. Renee Rassa, Tabitha began training at The Kirov Ballet School in Washington, DC. She completed her high school training at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in 2003. During her time at Patapsco, she double majored in dance and early childhood education.
Tabitha’s many accomplishments in dance have included many regional and national awards from competitions such as Starpower, DEA, Starquest, KAR, and American Dance Awards. She has also received many scholarships through dance conventions including a major award for ballet training through the Maryland Council for Dance.
Tabitha received a special invitation from Mr. Marvin Hamlisch to perform at The Meyerhoff Symphony during a competition to find rising stars. Mr. Hamish thought Tabitha had “star quality” and decided to not put her in the competition but instead asked her to perform as his special guest.
TERESA CAIN MEYERS
Teresa Cain Meyers began dancing with Jeanette Brown at age four & then trained under the direction of director, Denise Rogers until age 12. She then danced with Judith Daniel of The Upper Falls Dance Academy until entering Patapsco Center for the Arts. She continued her love of musical theatre, dance & choreography under the direction of Kevin Smith choreographing & leading in shows from South Pacific to Oklahoma. She was crowned Miss Patapsco 1993 & graduated in 1994. Teresa sang with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Meyerhoff as an All State singer & sang backup for Barry Manilow in 1995. She also performed at the Grande Ole Opry with Dolly Parton in Nashville, Tennessee.
Teresa was an instructor/choreographer for Shirley Darling Dance from 2002-2009 where she led their competition team to win numerous awards at Performing Arts Alliance & Starpower Competitions including a First place World Champion title & a Teachers Excellence Award at Starpowers World Championship Competition in Ocean City, Md. She joined the staff at RPAC in 2009 & continues to teach & choreograph. Her pieces have led many RPAC dancers to win Nationally as well as regional competitions up & down the east coast. Teresa is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique & she continues her education in Dance Anatomy & Early Childhood Development & Movement. She looks forward to each new year with such growing talent & working with dancers of all ages.
Teresa Cain Meyers began dancing with Jeanette Brown at age four & then trained under the direction of director, Denise Rogers until age 12. She then danced with Judith Daniel of The Upper Falls Dance Academy until entering Patapsco Center for the Arts. She continued her love of musical theatre, dance & choreography under the direction of Kevin Smith choreographing & leading in shows from South Pacific to Oklahoma. She was crowned Miss Patapsco 1993 & graduated in 1994. Teresa sang with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Meyerhoff as an All State singer & sang backup for Barry Manilow in 1995. She also performed at the Grande Ole Opry with Dolly Parton in Nashville, Tennessee.
Teresa was an instructor/choreographer for Shirley Darling Dance from 2002-2009 where she led their competition team to win numerous awards at Performing Arts Alliance & Starpower Competitions including a First place World Champion title & a Teachers Excellence Award at Starpowers World Championship Competition in Ocean City, Md. She joined the staff at RPAC in 2009 & continues to teach & choreograph. Her pieces have led many RPAC dancers to win Nationally as well as regional competitions up & down the east coast. Teresa is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique & she continues her education in Dance Anatomy & Early Childhood Development & Movement. She looks forward to each new year with such growing talent & working with dancers of all ages.
SHANNEN LEBRUN
Shannen began her dance training at the age of 8 with the Shirley Darling Dancers. While there she was a member of the competition team winning many regional and some national awards. Shannen attended Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts where she was in the dance magnet. She was selected to join Patapsco's dance company for her junior and senior year during which time she also started dancing at Royal Performing Arts Center under the direction of Denise Rogers. Shannen received the dance magnet award during her senior year of high school and after graduation, attended Towson University where she majored in Exercise Science. During her time at Towson, Shannen still continued to dance at Royal Performing Arts Center where she started assisting with classes and eventually started to teach. She graduated from Towson in 2014 with her Bachelors Degree in exercise science. Shannen is also a licensed Baltimore Barre instructor and loves helping the dancers get stronger with each class they take. Shannen is so happy to be a part of the RPAC family and is looking forward to many more years to come with the studio!
Shannen began her dance training at the age of 8 with the Shirley Darling Dancers. While there she was a member of the competition team winning many regional and some national awards. Shannen attended Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts where she was in the dance magnet. She was selected to join Patapsco's dance company for her junior and senior year during which time she also started dancing at Royal Performing Arts Center under the direction of Denise Rogers. Shannen received the dance magnet award during her senior year of high school and after graduation, attended Towson University where she majored in Exercise Science. During her time at Towson, Shannen still continued to dance at Royal Performing Arts Center where she started assisting with classes and eventually started to teach. She graduated from Towson in 2014 with her Bachelors Degree in exercise science. Shannen is also a licensed Baltimore Barre instructor and loves helping the dancers get stronger with each class they take. Shannen is so happy to be a part of the RPAC family and is looking forward to many more years to come with the studio!
TESSA HOM
Tessa, from Baltimore, Maryland, began dancing at the age of three. She attended Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in the dance magnet program under the direction of Claire Sweet, Christen Svingos Douglass, and Sonia Synkowski. During her time there, she performed works by Stephanie Powell, Denise Rogers, Peter Pucci, Torens Johnson, and Clancy Works. Tessa attained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography at Towson University in Spring 2018. At Towson, she studied under the direction of Runqiao Du, Susan Mann, Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, Catherine Horta-Hayden, Vincent Thomas, Betsy Romer, and Nicole Martinell. In addition, Tessa choreographed a piece for Patapsco High School’s Dance Company “Withstand” (2017) which was asked to be performed at the 20th Annual Baltimore County Dance Festival. In 2018, Tessa was accepted into a community ensemble to perform with Compañía Sharon Fridman at Jacob’s Pillow where they made their debut in America with their piece “Free Fall”. Tessa is looking forward to pursing a career in choreography and dance performance. |
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JEN LAMBERT
Jen Lambert began dancing at Susan Ina Dance Studio at the age of 5 working with Susan Ingrassia, Denise Rogers and Renee Rassa. She continued her dance education at Dance Explosion starting in 1997 and competed with Dance Explosion until her graduation in 2004. Along with high scores, special awards, titles and distinguished recognitions, Jen most importantly became a leader amongst her team. She started as a Student Teacher at age 13 and started choreographing at the age of 15. Jen has trained with the best of the best in the business including Michele Wiles, Mia Michaels, Joey Dowling, Joe Lanteri, Erica Sobol, Laura Edwards and Bobby Newberry. Some of her performance credits include Cirque Dreams Broadway Across America’s “Jungle Fantasy” US Tour, Exhale Dance Tribe- Contemporary Soloist/Assistant Rehearsal Director, New Stage Collective’s “The Full Monty”- Dancer/Assistant Choreographer & Stage Director, Access Broadway’s Touring Assistant, The 2003 World Cup- Back up dancer for Justin Guarini at RFK Stadium, Indianapolis Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” as well as The Moscow Ballet’s “The Nutcracker”. Her choreography has won numerous awards at multiple competitions. Jen has judged for many dance competitions such as Access Broadway and Legacy Dance Championships and has taught and choreographed all over the US including Los Angeles, Cincinnati, New York and Arizona. She moved back to Maryland in 2010 and started teaching and choreographing. After a break in 2015 when her daughter Katelyn was born, she enrolled Katelyn as a student at RPAC in 2018 and jumped back into the dance educator world in 2020. Jen promotes real life skills to students such as teamwork, accountability, communication, and perseverance through dance for success no matter what future path they choose.
Jen Lambert began dancing at Susan Ina Dance Studio at the age of 5 working with Susan Ingrassia, Denise Rogers and Renee Rassa. She continued her dance education at Dance Explosion starting in 1997 and competed with Dance Explosion until her graduation in 2004. Along with high scores, special awards, titles and distinguished recognitions, Jen most importantly became a leader amongst her team. She started as a Student Teacher at age 13 and started choreographing at the age of 15. Jen has trained with the best of the best in the business including Michele Wiles, Mia Michaels, Joey Dowling, Joe Lanteri, Erica Sobol, Laura Edwards and Bobby Newberry. Some of her performance credits include Cirque Dreams Broadway Across America’s “Jungle Fantasy” US Tour, Exhale Dance Tribe- Contemporary Soloist/Assistant Rehearsal Director, New Stage Collective’s “The Full Monty”- Dancer/Assistant Choreographer & Stage Director, Access Broadway’s Touring Assistant, The 2003 World Cup- Back up dancer for Justin Guarini at RFK Stadium, Indianapolis Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” as well as The Moscow Ballet’s “The Nutcracker”. Her choreography has won numerous awards at multiple competitions. Jen has judged for many dance competitions such as Access Broadway and Legacy Dance Championships and has taught and choreographed all over the US including Los Angeles, Cincinnati, New York and Arizona. She moved back to Maryland in 2010 and started teaching and choreographing. After a break in 2015 when her daughter Katelyn was born, she enrolled Katelyn as a student at RPAC in 2018 and jumped back into the dance educator world in 2020. Jen promotes real life skills to students such as teamwork, accountability, communication, and perseverance through dance for success no matter what future path they choose.
WHITNEY LEGRAND
Whitney began her dance training at the age of 6 with Grange Tap & Ballet. Whitney continued her dance education at Dream Dancers Dance Studio, under the direction of Lori Holder. She attended Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts as a member of the dance magnet. She attended Community College of Baltimore County where she minored in Dance. Whitney has performed several pieces by choreographers Larryn Williams, Esperanto Bean, Peter Pucci, Lester Holmes, Vanessa Johnson Jackson, Tiffany Butler, Emily Berry, Christian Richards and Leslie Feliciano. Any chance Whitney can get to take a Hiphop or Jazz class, she is there. Whitney auditioned for SYTYCD Season 2 and 3. Whitney has been teaching at Royal Performing Arts Center since the grand opening in 2008.
Whitney began her dance training at the age of 6 with Grange Tap & Ballet. Whitney continued her dance education at Dream Dancers Dance Studio, under the direction of Lori Holder. She attended Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts as a member of the dance magnet. She attended Community College of Baltimore County where she minored in Dance. Whitney has performed several pieces by choreographers Larryn Williams, Esperanto Bean, Peter Pucci, Lester Holmes, Vanessa Johnson Jackson, Tiffany Butler, Emily Berry, Christian Richards and Leslie Feliciano. Any chance Whitney can get to take a Hiphop or Jazz class, she is there. Whitney auditioned for SYTYCD Season 2 and 3. Whitney has been teaching at Royal Performing Arts Center since the grand opening in 2008.
- MELISSA HOM BARRIOS
Melissa Barrios has been dancing for over 20 years. She started her dance journey at Shirley Darling Dancers training under Shirley Darling, Teresa Meyers, and Nikki Lam. By the age of 12 she became a teaching assistant up until high school. Melissa graduated from Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in 2006 where she was a part of the Dance Magnet program. She trained under Claire Sweet, Anna Rider, Wendell Cooper and a number of guest choreographers including Peter Pucci. Melissa had the privilege to travel to Miami, FL with fellow members of the magnet program and participate in dance workshops. After high school Melissa continued to pursue dance and trained under Shannon Salemi (Baltimore Dance Center) and Katie Scott and Katie Walker (Underground Dance Academy). Melissa is trained in jazz, hip hop, ballet, lyrical and modern. However, her true passion lies with hip hop. In 2011 Melissa was pleased to start teaching the first hip hop class for Shirley Darling Dancers. She traveled to NYC in 2014 to The Pulse, a dance teacher workshop hosted by Broadway Dance Center. Melissa was asked to choreograph a competition piece for Royal in 2019. She is honored to join the Royal team this year to continue to uphold the fun and funk of their hip hop classes for their upcoming dance season!