Summer Schedule coming soon!

Encore Gear is here!
2009 T-shirt designs

 

 

Karen Flores
Karen Flores
Artistic Director/Owner

Karen is a certified dance instructor through Dance Masters of America and the owner and Artistic Director of Encore Studio. Karen’s early career allowed her performing opportunities with the Beaumont Civic Ballet, The Houston Ballet, The Concert Ballet of Virginia, and The Richmond Ballet. She performed with the Southwest Regional Ballet Festival and served as an apprentice under Robert Joffrey. Karen has studied with many great dancers over her years of training, but chose to share her passion to educate dancers by opening Encore Studio in 1991. Karen’s enthusiasm for dance allowed her the pleasure to work with many students in her first years, but as the demand for classes grew, Karen focused on developing a curriculum for the staff members to implement. Under Karen’s direction, Encore Studio services over 1000 students throughout Chesterfield County.

Karen has led the students of Encore Studio to stages in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and on Grand Bahamas Island. Karen’s students have been accepted at Virginia School of the Arts, Royal Academy of Ballet, local and regional Governor’s Schools, as well as Thomas Dale Specialty Center for the Arts. Encore students often continue to dance in College, and some have gone on to a professional career in dance. Currently, Karen focuses on developing continued curriculum for the students of Encore Studio and bringing them the best instruction. Karen continues her work of sharing the love of arts to the community, and produces an annual recital production that has become an anticipated event in Chesterfield County.

Karen is entering her 22nd year of teaching and serving her 19th season as Artistic Director. She and her husband “Dondi” will be active in all three studios, and they have an 11 year old daughter, Mallory, who is an aspiring little dancer and part of the Encore Curriculum and the Pink Ladies Competition Team!

 

Jennifer Anderson

Jennifer Anderson
Administrative Assistant

Jennifer is a proud alumnae of Meredith College where she received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Marketing. After working in the Marketing/Advertising industry, Jennifer joined the Encore Team 10 years ago to help facilitate the students of Encore Studio. Jennifer has been at the Chesterfield location the past nine years, and is looking forward to meeting our new students and families at our new Westchester Commons location. Jennifer is a lifelong resident of Chesterfield, and an active member of Beulah United Methodist Church. Jennifer and husband Chris are the proud parents of two dancing daughters.

 

Lauren Czajkowski Caddell
Lauren Czajkowski Caddell
Instructor

Lauren is a locally trained talent from Richmond, Virginia studying Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern and Lyrical starting at the age of 3. She began competing on the regional and national level by the age of 8; where she held both regional and national titles in the group and soloist divisions at venues such as “Dance Educators of America,” “Showstoppers” and “Star Power.” Lauren continued her training at Virginia School of the Arts in Lynchburg, Virginia. During a brief stay in Atlanta, Georgia she trained at “The Dancers Studio Backstage” under the direction of Jonnie Kelly and was also a member of Atlanta’s all-star dance team The Atlanta Jayhawks. Performing with The Jayhawks allowed Lauren the opportunity to perform for the Atlanta Falcons Football games and was highlighted on ESPN during the televised UDA dance competition.

Lauren began her teaching career with Encore Studio and was instrumental in the establishment of the Pink Ladies Competition Team. Miss Lauren’s choreography has been recognized and awarded on the competitive circuit throughout the East Coast. As choreographer for the Pink Ladies, her work has been recognized as “Best Choreography”, “Judges Choice”, and “Most Entertaining.” Miss Lauren led all 35 members of the 2008-09 Pink Ladies to qualify for Nationals at each venue.

Miss Lauren continues to train locally and in New York when time allows. As a mom of two, Miss Lauren maximizes her time at the studio by providing fun, energetic and challenging classes to students on all levels at Encore Studio. Miss Lauren is looking forward to bringing her unique style and astonishing choreography to the students of Encore for her ninth year.

 

 

Carter Corbin
Carter Corbin
Instructor

Carter Corbin joins the staff of Encore Studio this year as an instructor. She started her dance training at Encore when she was 4 years old and was a member of the first class of Intensive Dancers and participated in the early years of our competition team. Miss Carter has performed as an “Encore Dancer” at local and regional venues. She has represented Encore Studio as a student assistant and “Camp Encore” co- Director. Miss Carter has and continues to travel to New York to take classes from the renowned staff of Broadway Dance Center.

Miss Carter is a 2009 graduate of Virginia Tech with Degrees in Marketing and Human Resource Management. While a student at Virginia Tech, she continued her training with the Dance Company of Virginia Tech. As a member, she choreographed for the company and served as president for two of her four years. In addition to graduating Cum Laude in 2009 and fulfilling her commitment to the Dance Company of Virginia Tech, she also found time to share her passion of dance with the students of Dance.tech Performing Arts Studio in Blacksburg where she worked as an instructor and choreographer for their performing arts company.

We are excited to have Miss Carter home in Chester while she pursues her job search or continued education. Miss Carter has grown up at Encore Studio and we are honored to have her return and share her enthusiasm for dance with the students of Encore.

 

Sarah Ross

Sarah Ross
Instructor

Sarah began her dance training at the age of three in Lexington, Virginia. She became a member/soloist in the Rockbridge Ballet in 1997. Ross earned a B.F.A in Dance and Choreography in May 2007. While earning her undergraduate degree at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), she took class with guest artists Donald McKayle, Charles Scott, Gerri Houlihan, Robert Battle, Maria Bauman and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar of Urban Bush Women, Monica Bill Barnes, and faculty Scott Putman, Melanie Richards, Jill Brammer Ware and Judith Steel. She studied ballet under the instruction of Susan Massey, Arnott Mader, and Julie Job of the Richmond Ballet, as well as ballroom dance under John Massey, and African-Caribbean dance under Faye Walker. Ross has also had the privilege of dancing in works by VCU faculty member Jill Brammer-Ware and guest artists Gerri Houlihan and Robert Battle. She has presented her own work in the VCU Dance Spring Informal, Salon, and Spring 2007 Senior Projects among others.  She performed professionally from 2007 to 2008 with Star Foster Dance Project.  Sarah has an extensive background in ballet, modern, lyrical and jazz.  She is very excited to have become part of the Encore Dance family!

 

Alexandra Flores
Alexandra Flores
Instructor

Alexandra Flores is a recent graduate of Thomas Dale Specialty Center for The Arts with recognition in Academic Excellence.  While participating in the Thomas Dale Specialty Center for the Arts, Alex has studied under artists from the Mark Morris Dance Company, The Latin Ballet of Virginia, The Richmond Ballet and The Urban Bush Women.   She has also participated in the Virginia High School Dance Festival.  While training at the Thomas Dale Specialty Center for Arts she studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Modern.  During the program Miss Alex has also studied Irish, Broadway and Contemporary styles of dance.   The Specialty Center for the Arts exposed Miss Alex to many opportunities in the Arts profession such as lighting and staging in addition to choreography and performing; during her time in the program she nurtured her talent and her desire to teach children.  

Alex has participated in the Intensive Dance Program at Encore Studio for 10 of her 15 years and has served as Co- captain and Choreographer for the Thomas Dale Dance Team.  She participated in the Universal Dance Camp for 4 years and was the choreographer for Thomas Dale’s performance of “Oklahoma”.  Alex has extensive training in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Lyrical and Pointe and will continue her training at Broadway Dancer Center.   She has been a familiar face to the Students of Encore as a student assistant and substitute instructor at Rivers Bend and Chesterfield.   While pursuing her degree in Elementary Education, Miss Alex will continue to work with the students of Encore Studio.    

 

Angelina Gallo
Angelina Gallo
Instructor

Miss Angel was born and raised in Plymouth, Michigan and studied under the direction of Theresa Valchine at “Dance Extreme.” Miss Angel participated and won many Regional and National titles. She was “Star Systems” top Regional soloist in 2003, 2004 and 2005; and she was the National Top Soloist winner in 2004 in Las Vegas Nevada. Miss Angel began her career teaching at “Dance Extreme”, and was the recipient of the “California Contemporary Workshop Scholarship” in 2007 and “SHOCK The Intensive Scholarship” in 2005. Miss Angel was a feature performer in the “Make a Wish Celebration of Dance Showcase” and has assisted Kevin “Tokyo” Inoue and Sonya Weast.

Miss Angel followed her desire to dance to New York City where she trained at the “Broadway Dance Center” and “Steps on Broadway.” After studying extensively in Jazz, Tap, Contemporary and Ballet for two years, Angel was eager to get back into the classroom to share her style and techniques with students. Miss Angel will be returning for a second year to work with the students of Encore Studio and share her vast competition background with the Pink Ladies. She is now a proud resident of Virginia and plans to make Virginia her home.

 

Brittany Whitmoyer
Brittany Whitmoyer
Instructor

Brittany grew up dancing in Landisville, Pennsylvania.  She studied under Lancaster School of Ballet, and Ballet Theatre of Lancaster.  She is trained in Cecchetti technique.  Brittany took her training to East Carolina University where she graduated in 2008 Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance Performance with a Contemporary Concentration.

After graduating, Brittany continued her Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Modern training in New York, New York.  She founded the bnw:dance Contemporary Ensemble where she currently serves as Artistic Director.   Under her direction, her choreography has been presented at Bates Dance Festival, at ADCFA and at the opening of the Democratic Convention.  bnw:dance performs regionally and nationally. 

A few of Brittany’s professional ballet credits are “The Nutcracker”, “Alice in Wonderland”,” Snow White”, and” Chippolino”.   Brittany will use her enthusiasm to oversee the classical ballet program at Encore Studio.  She teaches a blended style of ballet technique and will continue her work with bnw:dance while inspiring the dancers of Encore Studio.   Brittany is happy to call Virginia her home and looks forward to continuing the development of the Ballet program at Encore Studio. 

 

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