Staff
DANCE STAFF
Heather Traub, Director/Choreographer
Heather Traub started dancing at the age of seven at Little Red Dancing School. Here, she studied and performed under the direction of Lisa Allain and Cayla Marilyn Allen until she was eighteen. During this time Heather was chosen to perform at the Pro Bowl Half Time Show and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She also was part of the Buffalo Blizzard’s Dance Team.
Heather was one of the founding members and choreographers for the Dance Theater Project from 1999-2001. With the company, she continued her dance education with Cayla Marilyn Allen.
In 1999 Heather worked as an instructor for Dance 22, in Webster, NY, as well as joining the staff of Centerstage Dance Studio in Irondequoit, NY. Here, she taught and choreographed students of all ages. In 2001, Heather established a Junior Competition Team that continued to dance together and win numerous high score and special awards. As a teacher and choreographer, Heather’s work has won her choreography and entertainment awards.
In 2005, Heather founded TNT Dance Explosion, Inc. With the support of her co-founder, Joelle Taylor, Heather has found her passion, and will continue to make TNT a success.
Heather worked on expanding TNT’s dance opportunities in 2009 to include beginner adult tap and jazz classes, Zumba and mini hip hop classes.
Heather continues her dance education at Broadway Dance Center. She also regularly attends many local and national workshops and classes to keep up with the changing styles.
During the 2011-2012 dance season Heather’s goals are to continue to expand the dance programs by offering youth ballroom classes and Zumbatomics (Zumba for kids), all the while continuing her work as a Paralegal at a local law firm that she’s been with since 2002.
Joelle Taylor, Director/Choreographer
Joelle Taylor, born in Buffalo, NY in 1980, began her dance training in 1984 at the Little Red Dancing School in Rochester, NY,under the direction of Lisa Allain and Cayla Marilyn Allen. Joelle has been a dance instructor in the Rochester area, teaching Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, and Ballet for the past ten years.
Highlights from Joelle’s years as a dancer include performing in the 1996 NFL Pro Bowl Half-Time Show in Hawaii; being a member of professional dance teams, the Rochester Rhino Rage and the Buffalo Blizzard Storm; and co-founding, choreographing, and performing with the Dance Theater Project, a progressive dance company that performed throughout Rochester. As a choreographer, Joelle has earned countless high score and choreography awards for her work.
Joelle has studied under many master teachers including Frank Hatchett, A. C. Ciaula, Sheila Barker, Jason Parsons, Alan Onickel, and Mia Michaels. She continues to visit New York City on a regular basis to take classes and keep up with the changing dance styles.
Joelle is so excited to be a co-founder and director of TNT Dance Explosion, Inc. She looks forward to working with all the students and watching them, as well as the studio, grow into something great.
Erika Atkinson, Instructor/Choreographer
Erika Atkinson was born and raised in Rochester, NY. At the age of 4, she began her dance career, studying Ballet, Tap and Jazz at Little Red Dancing School. During this time she also took classes at The Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway and Dancer’s Alley. Erika began teaching at Little Red in 1987, and in 1995 established Centerstage Dance Studio, in Irondequoit. Here she was the owner, director, and choreographer for 8 years. Throughout this time, she produced numerous recitals, showcases and performances. She established the Centerstage Competition Team, who won countless awards and high scores for their performances. She also created the Adult competition class known as The Divas. Erika has received many choreography and entertainment awards for her work.
Erika graduated from St. John Fisher College, with a B.A. in Communications and Marketing Management.
Erika is currently the director and choreographer for the tap dance company, The Oasis Tappers, a senior organization dedicated to enriching the lives of the elderly through dance. Erika is also the choreographer for The Rochettes, a dance group made up of members of the Rochester Gay Men Chorus, who perform at the chorus’ concerts and benefits.
Erika is currently on the Board of Directors for Dance Rochester!, a non-profit organization committed to advocating public support and interest in and to encourage the professional development of dancers.
Erika continues to study the art of dance as much as possible by attending local classes, workshops and seminars. She also takes yearly trips to New York City to attend professional classes and programs.
Erika resides in Webster with her husband, two sons and daughter.
Christine Williamson, Instructor/Choreographer
Christine started dancing at Images In Dance (Batavia, NY) at the age of seven. While dancing there she took classes at the American Academy of Ballet (Clarence, NY) and at the Buffalo City Ballet (Buffalo, NY) as well. She then moved her training to the Little Red Dancing School (Rochester, NY). While studying there she took additional classes at the Broadway Dance Center, Steps On Broadway, and the New York City Dance Alliance. She joined the dance team for the Rochester Rhinos in 1997, and in 1998 she was on the dance team for the Buffalo Blizzards. In 1999, she became a founding member of The Dance Theater Project which performed in Rochester and Buffalo.
In 1998, Christine began teaching at Dance 22 (Webster, NY) and continued teaching there until 2001. She was the Dance Director for the Town of Henrietta Recreation Programs from 1998 through 2000. In the summer of 1998, she worked at Woodward Gymnastics Camp in Pennsylvania and worked as a Gymnastics Assistant for the Town of Pittsford Recreation Programs. In 1999, she started at Centerstage and continued there until 2001. In 2001, she moved to Japan and began teaching dance and gymnastics on Misawa Air Force Base. She was the Dance and Gymnastics Coordinator there until August 2005.
We are excited to have her on the TNT Dance Explosion staff.
Sarah M. Bates, Instructor/Choreographer
Sarah has been dancing since the age of 3 and teaching/assisting dance since she was 12 years old. She has studied under the instruction of Nancy Frey, Brenda Bobby, Erika Atkinson, Meggins Kelley, and Cayla Allen. She has studied in the areas of Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Acrobatics, and Baton.
Sarah has traveled to NYC to study with teachers such as, Frank Hatchett, Sheila Barker, Lane Napper, and A.C. Also, she has taken many workshops around the area and at national competitions. Sarah has co-choreographed for Nic and the Nice Guys as well. She taught at Centerstage Dance Studio for 9 years, Dance 22 for 2 years, and has been at TNT since 2006.
Sarah graduated from Irondequoit High School with honors. While attending WIHS, Sarah cheered 4 years on the Varsity Team and was nominated Captain and MVP for the team. She also placed 3rd place at the Tournament of Champions Cheerleading Individual Competition at Bishop Kearney and was placed on the Eddie Meath All- Star Team for achieving 14th Place in an individual tournament. Sarah has also performed in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Schoolhouse Rocks, and The King and I.
Sarah has completed her Bachelor’s degree at Nazareth College , majoring in Psychology and Elementary/Middle School and Special Education. She also completed her Master’s degree at Nazareth in Inclusive Education. Sarah is now a special education teacher in the Rochester City School District , teaching in the elementary grades.
Sarah currently teaches tap and jazz to competitive and non-competitive students. She looks forward to another great year at TNT Dance Explosion.
Hannah Chisholm, Instructor/Ballet
Hannah Chisholm was born and raised in Napa, CA. She started studying all types of dance, concentrating on classical ballet, at age 10. She studied at Marin Ballet in San Rafael, CA and under the London born Royal Academy of Dance syllabus.
She started teaching ballet at age 17 and completed many Royal Academy of Dance examinations with distinction. Hannah has danced all over the nation, including New York City, Vail, CO, and Long Beach, CA. She danced professionally in Oakland, San Jose, and San Francisco, CA before moving to Salt Lake City, UT at the age of 21. There she danced professionally with the Utah Ballet and earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Ballet, completing with honors.
Hannah now lives in Rochester, NY with her husband and hopes to inspire others to pursue dancing.
ADDITIONAL DANCE STAFF
Kelly Milacic, Instructor
Kelly is a dedicated professional dancer, with lifelong experience and very disciplined training in ballet, pointe, jazz, hip hop, tap, contemporary and modern dance. She has performed professionally, is skilled in aerial performance art, and has experience teaching a variety of dance styles to a wide range of ages. Kelly was a key member of Royal Caribbean International’s theater review cast for over three years, performing in eight productions on the Luxury Cruise Ships including Freedom of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, and Voyager of the Seas, in which she was also selected for several aerial soloist parts.
Kelly Horgan, Instructor/Choreographer
Kelly Horgan began dancing at the age of two at Annette’s School of Dance. At age four, she joined Little Red Dancing School, where she studied and performed for 13 years under the direction of Lisa Allain and Cayla Marilyn Allen.
In 2007, Kelly joined TNT Dance Explosion to teach a variety of classes to children (nine and under). Over the past couple of years, she has expanded the classes she teaches to include beginner tap and jazz for adults and is a certified Zumba instructor.
Alisha Brandon, Instructor/Choreographer
OFFICE STAFF
Melinda LaPrade, Office Manager
Renie Cutt
Michele Cwiklinski