FACULTY

Eboni Young

A Hampton Roads native, was born in Portsmouth and raised in Virginia Beach. Eboni graduated from Norfolk State University with a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies, emphasizing in chemistry and mathematics. She is a former Portsmouth Public Schools math and science teacher, but is currently a full-time entrepreneur as the Artistic Director at Dance Dimensions.

Eboni is also the coordinator for the Norfolk State University’s Hot Ice Dance Team.

Eboni was introduced to her first love, Dance, at the age of five, and with God’s grace and mercy, they have been inseparable since. Eboni and Dance’s journey together began at the Thaddeus Hayes Dance Theater (Norfolk), and continued through the Old Donation Center for the Gifted and Talented (Va. Beach), the Governor’s School for the Arts (Norfolk), and the Governor’s Magnet School for the Arts (Richmond).

TERRY BUTLER

Terry Butler a native of Norfolk, Virginia, received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in music education from Norfolk State University. He serves as the Assistant Director of Choral Activities at Norfolk State University, and is the conductor of the NSU Chamber Choir. In that capacity, he serves as an advisor, mentor and instructor to students matriculating in the NSU music department.

Since the tender age of six, he has served as accompanist for various musical ensembles. At the age of sixteen, he established a music company providing many different genres of music for all types of occasions, weddings, receptions, banquets, etc. and he also started giving private piano lessons to children in the community. His life long love of music and education converged when he became the Director of Choirs at I. C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, Virginia.

CHERYL SIMMONS

Now entering her 31st year teaching professionally, Mrs. Simmons, a native of Virginia Beach, began her training with Tidewater Ballet under the direction of Gene Hammett in Norfolk, VA. She then earned her Bachelor Of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University after performing in local Dinner Theatre shows as a professional dancer.

Mrs. Simmons continued her tap and jazz training from a virtual who's who in the Chicago and New York City areas. Some of her teachers include Phil Black, Charles Goddertz, Luigi, Germaine Salzberg, Alan Onickel, Bill Hastings, Billy Siegenfeld, Frank Hatchett and Chet Walker, the recipient of a Tony award for his Broadway show "Fosse". While living in the Richmond area she taught ballet, jazz and tap for several studios as well as holding manager positions. Mrs. Simmons also choreographed industrial shows at the Richmond Center and organized dance workshops with master teachers from New York City for the entire Richmond dance community.

TRAE THOMAS

Trae Thomas Born and raised in Portsmouth,Virginia, Trae Thomas has always had a natural gift of dance. That gift was cultivated first through the church and later on with Gail Harts. Trae went on to study dance with the Governors School for the Arts and graduated in 2011 from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance and Choreography. Trae is elated to be teaching at Dance Dimensions and hopes to cultivate her students to grow far beyond the classroom into responsible, culturally and socially aware adults.

TANYA ROLLINS Shadley

Tanya Rollins Shadley has had a microphone in her hand since the age of 5 years old and was blessed to be cast in her very first production, "Black Girl" at the age of 8 on the campus of Norfolk State University with NSU players under the direction of her mentor DeShera "Sunshine" Rainey. She would later go on to perform with SEVAA summer arts workshop.

During her entire high school journey she was blessed to be a part of the Governor's School for the Arts Performing Arts department, where she landed a role as a guest star on the television series American Gothic and later graduated with honors from both GSA and Maury High School.

In 2000, while attending Old Dominion University she performed in a one woman show, as Billy holiday, in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill with VJ enterprise. She would later return to teach with the SEVAA arts workshop for many years as well as obtain a Theatre Director position for a local Christian school system teaching theater to 6-12 graders. Since then she has not only starred in numerous performances, but has had opportunities to also write, direct, stage manage as well as showcase a host of other skills. In 2006, she started her own production company, TRS PRODUCTIONS, Broadway in VA. For more information, visit http://www.trsproductions.org/.

She's a proud wife to Melvin Shadley and the proud mother of one baby girl (Tatiana) and two boys (Meliq and Melichi) Shadley. Tanya knows God has gifted her with these skills and talents so that she can give local talent a great foundation in the Arts and bring quality entertainment to the people of 757.

Eboni and Dance bonded even further while studying under renowned artists such as Elbert Watson (of Alvin Ailey), Lorraine Graves (of Dance Theater of Harlem), and Inez Howard (of NSU). Somewhere along the way, Eboni’s relationship with Dance morphed from one of performance into one of choreography. Her choreography has graced stage appearances, concerts, and music videos by such celebrities as Steve Harvey, P Diddy, Tim Reid, Tom Joyner, Magoo, DJ Kool, Blackstreet, Shirley Murdock, and Missy, to name a few.

Professional and community groups that Eboni’s performance and choreography gifts have touched include but are not limited to the Norfolk Nighthawks “Hawktime Girls”, the “Hot Ice” dance team of NSU, Busch Entertainment (Busch Gardens), NAACP, numerous fraternity and sorority engagements, and a number of High School and All-Star cheer and dance teams.

Dance Dimensions has been Eboni’s dream since middle school, and she would like to thank God for blessing her with supportive family and friends, especially Darlene Shelton and Ywain Young (parents) who first inspired her with entrepreneurship of their own. Ywinta Young, Alonda Etheridge, Terry Butler, her dancers, and studio parents and instructors have all been instrumental in building and/or sustaining the academy and the Dance Dimensions brand.

Aside from his professional duties at Norfolk State University, Mr. Butler is heavily involved with all aspects of the music field. He is the Organist Choirmaster at Grace Episcopal Church located in Norfolk, Virginia. He also served as Music Director of the I. Sherman Greene Chorale, a professional civic ensemble known across the United States as a choral singing group that performs the works of the musical masters such as Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. The Chorale also lends their musical expertise in performing madrigals, motets, English anthems, and negro spirituals.

In 1994, Mr. Butler finished 2nd place in a national organ competition, for the National Association of Negro Musicians which took place in Oakland, California. He is a proficient musician who enjoys playing the piano and organ as well as producing and arranging in a variety of music genres.

When Mr. Butler is not involved with music, he explores his other interests, such as playing and coaching basketball, disc-jockeying, movies, and spending time with his family, daughter and fiancée. He is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association of Negro Musicians and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

After relocating to the Tidewater area she owned and operated Hampton Roads Dance Center where her students won first place at national dance competitions in jazz and tap. Her duties included teaching all levels of jazz, tap and musical theatre for ages 4-Adult, building one of the strongest tap programs in the area. She joined the faculty of the Governor's School for the Arts Dance Department in 1995 teaching jazz, musical theatre and tap as well as setting dance pieces for their yearly concerts and traveled to various cities teaching at regional and national High School Dance Festivals.

In 2000 she also became part of the adjunct faculty at Old Dominion University setting pieces for the yearly dance concerts. She has also been on the faculty of Virginia Ballet Theatre as well as Denise Wall's Dance Energy teaching jazz and tap. Cheryl is currently living in Virginia Beach and continues to travel choreographing and teaching jazz and tap for private studios and various college dance programs.

PORLICIA BROWN

Porlicia has been getting the Hampton Roads area excited about fitness for over 12 years now. A prominent name in the fitness and dance world, Porlicia has served as a cheerleading coach for many area schools. She is currently the coach at Churchland Middle School in Portsmouth, Virginia. A former member of the Hot Ice Dance Team of Norfolk State University, Porlicia also serves as the stunt coach, Mixxedfit instructor, and line dance instructor at Dance Dimensions.

TIARA ROSCOE

Tiarra is truly an up and coming superstar in the ranks of fitness and heels instructors. She is a Master Mixxedfit Instructor and has now established her own brand of fitness classes called XOTICA. Trained at Dance Dimensions, she is now taking her brand all over the east coast. We are so proud of Tiarra!!