EAGLES LANDING
DANCE CENTER
Ananda Armstrong has been dancing since the tender age of 4 and started her training in Bal-let, Jazz, Modern, and contemporary at Tayo Reed's Performing Arts Center in Union City, GA. At the age of 15, she began dancing with Sky Dance Academy in Fayettville, GA and was apart of North Springs Charter High School's dance department to enhance her training and performed at various Kennesaw state University shows and dance festivals thanks to the help of the dance department. In 2016, she began training under Angela Harris, Meredith Moore and Dana Woodruff (Dance Canvas, DC Next and Southwest Arts Center) and performed on a plethora of stages under their wings. In 2017, Ananda began performing and training in her new dance home With Jai McClendon Jones at AREA Performing Arts studio and is currently still there.
A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Xavier DeMar is a New York/Atlanta based dancer, performing artist, choreographer and dance educator. Xavier began dancing at an early age as a member of his family’s West African drum and danced company, Xangue. After beginning to train in classical ballet at the age of 12, he was afforded a scholarship to attend Jordan Collage Academy of Dance, an affiliate of Butler University. Shortly after graduating from Broad Ripple High School, he began his professional career with The Georgia Ballet, where he performed lead roles in Sleepy Hollow and the company’s Nutcracker Suite. Xavier has danced and choreographed for various dance companies and organizations, including Dance Canvas, The Atlanta Dance Connection, and Proia Dance Project. He has performed the works of noted choreographers Alexander Proia, Becca Shade, Allyne Gartrell, Lonny Davis, Tracey Vogt, and Richard A. Freeman, Jr.
Regardless of the location of the stage – theater, studio, concert venue or even a football field – Kelley has left her mark. After being trained by some of the greatest names in dance at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, the Atlanta native has forged a career that spans all genres of dance and crosses multiple industries - from sports to advertising to entertainment and beyond. Kelley’s list of accomplishments is extensive and audiences around the world have been entertained by her dance moves. Her choreography and mesmerizing performances have been featured by the Atlanta Falcons both in national commercials and during halftime entertainment. Other choreography credits include the Fugees’ European tour, Musiq Soulchild’s “Stir the Senses” tour, and Toni Braxton’s 2010 tour and television performances. Kelley danced with Beyonce Knowles in her video for “Get Me Bodied” and during her performance of the hugely popular “Single Ladies” during the 2009 MTV VMAs. CiCi's work has also been performed on theatrical stages across the United States in a variety of shows including "The Wilson Pickett Project" and "The Satin Dolls: A Duke Ellington Review". She was selected by film director Jon Turtletaub to provide dance directions to award-winning actor Morgan Freeman during the filming of the blockbuster hit, "Last Vegas" as well as the film "BOLDEN" with Director Dan Pritzker. CiCi has additional performance credits on stage and in music videos, including the video for LL Cool J’s “Control Yourself” featuring Jennifer Lopez, and Outkast’s video for “Ghetto Music.” Her choreography skills were also featured on MTV’s Emmy Award winning series, “MTV MADE,” as well as “MTV MADE Head-to-Head Hip Hop Challenge.” Kelley has also stepped into her philanthropic shoes by helping up-and-coming young dancers start their careers off on the right foot with "The DARE DREAM DANCE Project," a C4 Atlanta fiscally sponsored initiative. Inclusive of the projects programming, Kelley provides unique commercial dance education training with a classical foundation, to develop world class artists who want to achieve success in the field of dance. She offers the Trifecta scholarship within the DARE DREAM DANCE framework to provide talented and highly ambitious young dancers the means with which to hone their craft and pursue their dreams in America’s three major dance centers: Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles.
Vershion Lee, Atlanta native classically trained in the ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, and lyrical...traveled nationally & internationally for competitions for 10yrs. She went on to dance with both Morris Brown College, Bubblin' Brown Suga AND South Carolina State University, Champagne where she received a dance scholarship at both universities. Vershion went on to pursue a Master’s degree from Indiana University-Bloomington in Kinesiology and taught Hip Hop as an Assistant Professor and grad assistant to ballroom and contemporary classes. She's now a fulltime high school dance educator, Instructor in the Community Programs Division for the Atlanta Ballet Center for Dance Education and Founder/Director of ChoreoUdance.org. Vershion is a member of the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) and has chartered a secondary chapter of the National Honor Society of Dance Arts. She coached high school dancelines for 8yrs and now judges dance competitions nationwide, trains and consults high school & collegiate dancelines, as well as serve as danceline advisor for school districts and marching band programs. She's a proud mother of Adam Lee V and soon to be wife to Adam Lee IV.
Born and Raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia Timara “Fay” Melchor is an ambitious multi-talented dancer and Choreographer. She was born into the industry life as her father Timothy Melchor did Tour Management and her mother Jennifer Melchor was a choreographer to stars such as LL cool j, Big Daddy Kane, Mary J Blige, SWV and so much more. Timara was only 4 years old when her dance career began! In 2003 her mother opened Jennifer's Dance Company, where she trained for many years. She attended DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts (DESA) where she toured with their performing company. At the age of 12 Timara became the leader of Jennifer's Dance Company's competition team called DEJA VU, whom to this present day remain undefeated. Timara has performed at Disney World with Triple 7 dance company and Stephenson Repertory dance ensemble, she has also worked with artists such as Vivian Green, TLC, Verse Simmonds, Shameik Moore, Ludacris and so much more. Musicals and Films include Superstar Dreamz: The Musical, Vampire Diaries, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip. She's taking the theatre world by storm! To present day Timara has been an instructor and choreographer for 9 years and counting.
Born and Raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia Timara “Fay” Melchor is an ambitious multi-talented dancer and Choreographer. She was born into the industry life as her father Timothy Melchor did Tour Management and her mother Jennifer Melchor was a choreographer to stars such as LL cool j, Big Daddy Kane, Mary J Blige, SWV and so much more. Timara was only 4 years old when her dance career began! In 2003 her mother opened Jennifer's Dance Company, where she trained for many years. She attended DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts (DESA) where she toured with their performing company. At the age of 12 Timara became the leader of Jennifer's Dance Company's competition team called DEJA VU, whom to this present day remain undefeated. Timara has performed at Disney World with Triple 7 dance company and Stephenson Repertory dance ensemble, she has also worked with artists such as Vivian Green, TLC, Verse Simmonds, Shameik Moore, Ludacris and so much more. Musicals and Films include Superstar Dreamz: The Musical, Vampire Diaries, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip. She's taking the theatre world by storm! To present day Timara has been an instructor and choreographer for 9 years and counting.
Vicki Tillman’s experiences as a dancer started at the age of five when she stepped on to the dance floor with the late Mattie T. Smith, who was then the owner of Smith School of Dance. For nine years, she studied ballet, tap, jazz, pointe and baton twirling. She continued her love for dance training under the direction of Madam Mable Love at Fisk University in Nashville, TN, where she was a principal dancer with the Fisk Dance Ensemble. Upon graduation, Vicki returned to Atlanta and assumed a teaching position at Jacobs Dance Academy. She continued to strengthen her dance techniques and enrich her teaching abilities by attending classes at Atlanta Ballet as well as attending dance workshops and seminars with dance professionals around the globe. Vicki is dedicated to touching the lives of dance students who embrace the art of dance and that share the same passion that she has. She loves dance, especially teaching, and has a sincere approach to encourage technical skills that she passes on to her students. Vicki has championed many dancers to acquire numerous awards in both local and national competitions.
Zachary Todd Originally from Milwaukee, WI, Zachary Todd [Orr] is a graduate of the prestigious Milwaukee High School of the Arts, where he began his training under the guidance of Sandra Jordan. A former member of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre II and The Atlanta Dance Connection, Zachary has performed the works of noted choreographers Baba Chuck Davis, Ray Mercer, Christopher Huggins, Cleo Parker Robinson, Allyne Gartrell, Dianne Maroney-Grigsby and Richard A. Freeman, Jr. He has serves as an instructor for several summer intensives, master classes, and lecture demonstrations. Zachary currently serves as the Creative Director of TranscenDANCE, a summer program run solely by professional artist, and conceived as an outlet to give emerging artists a vehicle to create and present dance projects within the community.
Emily comes from a diverse professional dancing career having performed all over the world. Before taking on a decade with Royal Caribbean Productions, she performed with the Atlanta Ballet and Bacchus Productions. She began, on full scholarship her senior year, to the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education under the direction of Sharon Story, where she had the opportunity to perform with the company under the direction of John McFall. Then after graduating High School, performed for an additional 4 seasons with the company taking the stage in productions such as: John McFall's Alice In Wonderland, The Nutcracker and Peter Pan, Michael Pink's World Premier of Romeo and Juliet, Fernand Nault's Carmina Burana, Stanton Welch's US debut of Madame Butterfly, and George Balanchine's Serenade. Emily was also cast to perform at the Fabulous Fox Theater's 75th Anniversary show in 2004. In 2011-2012 also in Atlanta, Emily assisted David Norwood in assembling his debut contemporary company “Phyzix Urban Dance Theatre” as well as performing as an original member. From 2003 - 2010, she performed at sea with Royal Caribbean Productions in Germany, The Netherlands, Canada, Mexico, the East Coast and all over the Caribbean. Here she also became an accomplished wardrobe and wig supervisor for the productions casts of the largest cruise ship's overseeing as many as 3 production shows at a time. In between contracts, she began teaching ballet, pointe, jazz technique, contemporary and Broadway jazz, choreographing and coaching for the Georgia Youth Ballet Company in Fayetteville, GA under the direction of Magdalena Maury and Jonsie Pollock. One of her GYB students took home the bronze medal at the Youth American Grand Prix competition for Emily's arrangement of the Giselle Act II Variation. Then in 2010 and 2011, she was honored to have her pieces "Emue" and “Misguided” chosen to be performed in the Festival Showcase for established choreographers, at the South Eastern Regional Ballet Association's annual conference. Dance 101, owned by Ofelia de La Valette, sponsored Emily in the January 2012 Dance Canvas showcase, directed by Angela Harris, at the 14th Street Playhouse, where her piece “The Liberation” was debuted. Afterwards, Cathy Cronin Dunlap, director of Academy of Ballet, hired Emily to set “The Liberation” on her senior company for their company showcase. Also, for almost 7 years, Emily taught and choreographed for Mitch Flanders, formerly of NYCB, at his studio and annual Festival Dance Camp held at The University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Emily continues to teach and choreograph for N-Step Dance Academy, Suwanee Academy of the Arts and Dance 101 Atlanta as well as conduct workshops and private lessons throughout the Atlanta area. She is a wife and mother of 2 young humans and 2 fur babies living in the north Decatur area.
Marla Williams started dancing at the tender age of four at Jacobs Dance Academy in Atlanta, GA. She took many genres of dance to include ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern and clogging. During her tenure at Jacobs, Marla had the opportunity to compete in many dance competitions and subsequently won numerous awards. At the age of 10, she was selected to dance in the Atlanta Ballet Nutcracker and at 15, performed in Ballethnic’s Urban Nutcracker. Marla attended Frederick Douglass High School where she was a member of the Northstarette Dance Team serving as captain of the squad her senior year. While still in high school, she was chosen to dance in the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics. In 1998, Marla entered Morris Brown College and joined Bubblin Brown Sugar dance team where she later became co-captain of the squad. Because of her tenacity and passion for dance, she was allowed to assist the choreographer of Bubblin Brown Sugar at Morris Brown’s Summer Band Camps for three years . Other accomplishments include being a member of Ecstacy Dance Team, and a member of Lambda Theta Rho Alpha Synfonette, a sorority which is a performing arts organization. She received a big break in 2003 when she performed in the movie Drumline starring Nick Cannon. Currently, Marla choreographs and dances in the dance ministry of Big Bethel A.M.E. church and also dances with the Amazing Grace Dance Company who was featured in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, 2015. Her skills allow her to continue to teach at dance camps and choreograph for plays and high school dance squads. Marla also choreographs pieces for the competition teams for dance studios including Eagles Landing Dance Center’s Performing Company. She serves as an instructor at Eagles Landing Dance Center and The Conservatory of Dance and Fine Arts. Marla’s motto for life is simply “Live, Love, and Dance”.