Omaya Ahmad

Principle Dancer, Rehearsal Director, Choreographer –Scottsdale, Arizona

Ms. Ahmad, an Arizona native, began dancing at the age of three.  Since then, she has had the opportunity to train at several different studios, which helped her to foster an intense love for the art form. 

She became a company member of AZDance Group after performing in a Desert Foothills Theater production with Kenda Newbury and has appeared in every one of the company's productions since its inaugural year, 2004.  Last season, Omaya choreographed her first company piece – a co-choreographer of the company’s premier work “Moving Through Domestic Violence."  Omaya recently graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering.  Currently, she is back at ASU working to earn an M.S. degree in Sustainability in conjunction wih working as a research assistant for the Decision Center for a Desert City. 

Abby Baird

Movement E-Motion dancer – Anthem, Arizona

Abby Baird is a lover of dance and music. At an early age she connected with music and began to express her creative side. She loves to dance with CD's, DVD's, the radio, or anything that sounds like music. She loves High School Musical, all of the Disney princesses, and Hanna Montana. She's a sister to Beth and Brock, daughter to Ted and Peggy, and loving caregiver to Nala the kitty. (who sometimes is her unwilling dance partner)!! This is Abby's first semester with the Movement E-Motion dance program and is loving each opportunity to dance, rehearse her technique and steps and to perform !

Elizabeth Bates

Spring Performer - Phoenix, Arizona

Elizabeth joins the company as a trainee in the Principal dancers roster. A dance student at ASU and someone with training and interest in photography, Elizabeth has a strong understanding of movement. We are thrilled to have her on board. Bio coming soon.

Sarah Bean

Movement E-Motion dancer - 

Just joining the MEM group the spring 2010 semester, Sarah is getting a reputation for a gorgeous smile. She loves music and movement.

More soon.

Paula Burton

Principal Dancer – Scottsdale, Arizona

Mrs. Burton began dance at the age of five and by nine joined the Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley in Bethlehem, PA.  In 1981 she joined Ballet Pacifica (founder/director Lila Zali) and performed classical ballets (Nutcracker, Lise in Fille Mal Gardee, Les Sylphides). 

Since 'retiring from dance in 1993', Paula stayed involved with dance as Ballet Mistress at Northwest Ballet in Anacortes, WA  and for seven years was the Dance Director at Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach. She is a certified Jazzercise instructor for over 10 years and is currently teaching Jazzercise in North Scottsdale, guest ballet teaching at valley dance studios and working with AZDance Group. Paula joined AZDance Group mid-season last year; this will be Paula’s first full-season with the company.

Jennifer Cafarella

Spring Performer - Principal Dancer - Phoenix, Arizona

Jennifer joins AZDance during the spring 2010 season. Bio coming soon.

Andrew Calandra

Tham Carroll

Movement E-Motion dancer - Cave Creek, Arizona

Ms.Tham Carroll, a recent graduate of Cactus Shadows High School, has been a member of the MEM troop since January of 2007. She is a regular AZDance Group cast member of Run for Life/Angels, Oklahoma, Voules-Vouz, Get Your Head in the Game, Fosse, An Angel Came Down, excerpts of “Mixed Nuts” and more! Tham loves the energy and support of the MEM group as well as the many friends she has met during her training and performances.

Michael Cholodewitsch

Movement E-Motion dancer – Anthem, Arizona

Mr. Cholodesitsch, a very outgoing 16-year old sophomore who has always loved music, attends Accel School, a private special-ed school in Phoenix.  He has been a regular AZDance Group cast member of Run for Life/Angels, Oklahoma, Get Your Head in the Game, Fosse, and An Angel Came Down. He loves living in Anthem and being part of AZDance Group’s MEM program.  The best part is all the new friends he has met.

Dana Dumaplin

Movement E-Motion dancer – New River, Arizona

Ms. Dumaplin is a 15 year-old, home schooled high school freshman.  She is passionate about signing and dancing.  Dana joined the AZDance Group’s MEM program in Feb. 2007 and has been performing with them ever since. She is a regular MEM cast member of Run for Life/Angels, Oklahoma, Voules-Vouz, Get Your Head in the Game, Fosse, An Angel Came Down, excerpts of “Mixed Nuts” and more! She is a highlighted performer in Party Time and Doll Dance. Dana also dances hip-hop at another studio, performing in their annual recitals. The MEM group have become like family to all of us. We are very thankful for this opportunity to be part of this wonderful group.  Dana lives in New River with her parents, 2 dogs, and 8 horses.

Sara Knight

Principal Dancer Guest Artist - Manhattan, New York

Ms. Knight was born in England and studied at the Royal Ballet School in London.  From there she was invited to study at the famous Kirov Ballet School in St. Petersburg, Russian and was the first English girl to graduate from the Academy.

Sara remained in Russia working with the Boris Eifman Company and the Leningrad State Ballet Theatre where she was promoted to soloist. Currently she teaches in New York City and Connecticut and has been guest artist with numerous companies including Boston Ballet, Rebecca Rice Dances, Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble, Margot Parsons Dance Company, Northern Ballet Theatre and AZDance Group both in Phoenix and in New York City.  

Katherine McDonnell

Principle Dancer Guest Artist - Surprise, Arizona

Ms. McDonnell is originally from Virginia where she studied at Virginia Ballet Company and School. At age 13, she accepted a scholarship to train at the School of American Ballet. Katherine danced with Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, and Ballet Tucson before joining AZDance Group.

Katherine performed ballets by renowned choreographers George Balanchine, John Clifford, Vassili Sulich, and Ian Horvath, in addition to works by Peter Martins, and production shows by Emmy Award-winner Michael Darrin. Katherine toured extensively throughout the United States, in Japan, and spent a year in France dancing at the Lido de Paris. She has taught at schools and universities throughout the western United States. She has set works on the company including La Barre, excerpts from Serenade and her version of Snow from The Nutcracker.

Dina Ternullo Melley

Principal Dancer – formerly Massachusetts, currently Ahwatukee, Arizona

Dina Ternullo Melley received a BFA in dance from the Boston Conservatory and received additional training from the Joffrey School in San Antonio and Gus Giordano in Chicago. Dina has performed master works by José Limón, Paul Taylor, Martha Graham and Donald McKayle and has toured nationally and internationally with the Boston Liturgical Dance Ensemble.

During the past three years, she has had the pleasure of both choreographing for and performing with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theater, Of Moving Colors, the LSU School of Music, the LSU Opera, the LSU Dance Concert and Christ the King Liturgical Dancers. She has also performed with BRBT’s outreach company Ballet for Children and Colleen Cavanaugh and Dancers in Rhode Island. Dina has been on faculty at Boston College, Regis College, Louisiana State University as well as numerous schools throughout the eastern United States.

Lee spent some time dancing at Pacific North West Ballet in Seattle and studying with the Joffrey in New York City before coming home to join Phoenix Ballet Company under the direction of Keith Martin. Some of her favorites to dance were Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliette and Pavane.  Lee has taught in several ballet schools in the valley and is happy to be performing again with AZDance Group. She set You Raise Me Up on the company for the Spring 2008 concert series.

Kerry O’Brien

Movement E-Motion dancer – Pembroke, Massachusetts

Ms. O’Brien, sister-in-law to Ms. Newbury, is joining the MEM participants for the second season while visiting her Arizona Newbury/O’Brien family. Last season, Kerry was able to join the MEM class and perform with them in the company’s “Collection” concert held April of 2009 performing in Oklahoma, Run For Life/Angels and Voules-Vouz. She also was involved in performing with the company at the 25^th Anniversary of Desert Foothills Dance concert, dancing in the above listed plus Doll Dance.  Prior to that experience with AZDance Group and her sister-in-law, it had been eighteen years since her last dance class! We welcome her onstage and in the MEM classroom again.

Shaeleigh Kim O’Brien

Children’s Christmas Company Member- Scottsdale, Arizona

Ms. O’Brien, daughter of the director and Paul O’Brien, was first seen on stage in December 2004 at 2-months old during the company’s first annual Christmas Dance Concert. Growing up in an artistic family, she has been surrounded with music, lights, and movement – she has “assisted” in the MEM classes, company rehearsals and anything music and movement oriented! She was highlighted in How Beautiful, Silent Night and What Child is This? as Baby Jesus.  Shaeleigh has performed in Yuma for the Dancemakers Lupus Foundation Benefit performance and the last dozen or so AZDance Group productions, now a regular cast member of “Run for Life” and excerpts within “Mixed Nuts”.

She was selected as one of the youngest finalists for the Face of the Foothills and recently was the Flower Girl and Ring Barer for Auntie Kim and Uncle Joe’s wedding.  Shaeleigh loves lights, music and movement along with her dog Dustin, long walks, slides and swings in the playground with daddy, helping with the MEM classes, attending Arts Council of the North Valley meetings with her mommy, riding horses, painting and drawing, reading, dressing up and being a big sister to her new brother, Colin.

Elye E. Olson
Guest Artist, former principal dancer of Ballet Arizona
technical assistant
Elye grew up in Houston, TX where he began his dance studies at the age of four. He trained primarily at Houston Ballet Academy, from which he graduated in 1995. Elye spent the next 11 years dancing for Houston Ballet, Ballet West and Ballet Arizona. In 2006, Elye retired from dance to complete his B.A. in Philosophy at Arizona State University. Elye recently returned to dance and no splits his time between dance and technical theatre work. Some of Elye's featured roles include: "James" in Nicolaj Hubbe's stagin of La Sylphide, "The Chosen One" in Glen Tetley's The Rite of Spring, "Peter" in Septime Webre's Peter pan, and "Lead Male" in Goerge Balanchine's Agon.

Elye is married to former Ballet Arizona dancer, and current Box Office Manager, Katrina Olson. He has two children and enjoys spending time with his family and honing his culinary arts skills. This is Elye's first performance season with AZDance Group.

Annie Perry

Movement E-Motion dancer – Anthem, Arizona

Miss Perry was born in Tokyo.  She moved to Arizona in 2004 after living with her family in Singapore.  Her first dance experience was in New Jersey when she was seven years old and she has luckily danced continuously since then.   She is now twenty-one years old and attends a Day Training for Adults program which she entered after graduation from Barry Goldwater High School. She has been dancing with AZDance Group’s MEM program for four years and loves music, singing and dancing.  She is a regular AZDance Group cast member of Run for Life/Angels, Oklahoma, Voules-Vouz, Get Your Head in the Game, Fosse, An Angel Came Down, excerpts of “Mixed Nuts” and more! She thanks the MEM program and Ms. Kenda Newbury for giving her such wonderful experiences.    

Hiroko Perry

Movement E-Motion mother/assistant – Anthem, Arizona

Mrs. Perry is an inspiration to us all. She attends each class and every performance that Annie and the MEM program participates attend. Not only does Hiroko spread enthusiasm and light to her daughter and the teachers of MEM, but she gives each individual MEM participant confidence and enthusiasm. We thank her for her endless energies.

Nicole Person-Rennell

Principle Dancer, Choreographer – Rochester, Minnesota

Mrs. Person-Rennell began dancing at age three in Phoenix, Arizona and began dancing with AZDance Group at age eighteen, with her sister Katie.  The greatest portion of Nicole’s performance experience occurred with the Arizona Sunrays Dance Company, performing at recitals, concerts, sports events, competitions, fairs, and charity functions.  Currently, Nicole is a first year medical student at Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minnestoa.  During her junior year of college, Nicole studied abroad in South Africa, continuing ballet training, ballroom dancing, and focusing on African dance. 

Nicole is one of the co-choreographer’s for the company’s work “Moving Through Domestic Violence”.   Nicole would like to thank God, her family, her friends, and Chris, whom she married in March 2009, for all their love and support.

Jeffrey Polston

Principle Dancer Guest Artist - Boston, Massachusetts

Mr. Polston, born and raised in North Caroline, began his dance training at North Carolina School of the Arts. Upon graduation he joined the Boston-based Impulse Dance Company where he worked with noted choreographers including Donald Byrd and Dwight Rhoden and performed in works by Warren Spears, Rael Lamb, Clovers Mathis, Consuelo Atlas and Fred Benjamin.

Jeffrey was a first company member of Philadanco where he performed works by Milton Myers and Tally Beatty among others. He was a soloist with the New Royal Ballet of York, affectionately known as “The New Boys, a company of men on pointe.”  Mr. Polston is an original member of Complexions, a NYC based contemporary dance company directed by Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson.

Linda Ramseyer

Principle Dancer, Children’s Christmas Company Rehearsal Associate Director, Costume Assistant Director - Glendale, Arizona

Ms. Ramseyer, a native Phoenician, began dancing at the age of six with Arnora's Studio. She soon turned her sights to gymnastics and competed 9 years with the Arizona Sunrays and the University of Arizona.  Linda holds a BS degree in Civil Engineering and a MBA from Arizona State University. She works at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. Linda took a sabbatical from dance, to raise her family of two children and returned eleven years ago training and dancing at Dynamic Motion Dance Academy and other studios in the valley.  She loves to dance and is still going strong. This is her fifth season with AZDance Group. 

Jeffrey Reed

Movement E-Motion dancer – New River, Arizona

Mr. Reed, born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, moved to Phoenix in 1979. He graduated from Paradise Valley High School June 19, 1993 an currently lives in New River with his mom, Wendy and dad, Hank. He has been a regular AZDance Group cast member of Run for Life/Angels, Oklahoma, Voules-Vouz, Get Your Head in the Game, Fosse, An Angel Came Down, excerpts of “Mixed Nuts” and more! He is a highlighted performer in Party Time, An Angel Came Down and Doll Dance. This is Jeffrey’s third semester with the AZDance Group MEM program and loves dancing.

Katie Rennell

Principal Dancer – Phoenix, Arizona

Ms. Rennell began dancing at the age of three in Phoenix and with her twin sister, Nicole, danced with AZDance Group at the age of eighteen. Last season, Katie came back into the company for the spring performances of “Run For Life” and the première of "Moving Through Domestic Violence".  This made her realize that she wanted to continue her training and dance performance artistry. This is Katie’s first full-season back with the company in several years and AZDance Group is thrilled!

Katie graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Mathematics and a minor in German. Currently, she is back in school to obtain her Masters degree in Education and a teaching certificate!  She will be teaching in the spring of 2010 and hopefully entering the education field the fall of 2010

Jennifer W. Seabrooke

Choreographer - Dallas, Texas

Mrs. Seabrooke received her early dance training at The Ballet Academy at age six under the direction of Nancy Sulik. Jennifer furthered her dance training and artistic journey by earning a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance, Magna Cum Laude at the University of Arizona, performing as a member of the U of A Dance Ensemble. 

Jennifer’s professional experience includes Center Dance Ensemble, AZDance Group, Sony, and Holland America Cruise Lines. Mrs. Seabrooke resides in Fort Worth, Texas where she is the Dance Director at Fort Worth Elementary School of the Arts and Jazz Program Director at The Dance Company.

Justin Shaddy

Movement E-Motion dancer – Peoria, Arizona

Mr. Shaddy, the son of Ronny and Janilee Shaddy, is a 15-year old attending Liberty High School in Peoria.  He has been a regular AZDance Group cast member of Run for Life/Angels, Oklahoma, Voules-Vouz, Get Your Head in the Game, Fosse, An Angel Came Down, excerpts of “Mixed Nuts” and more! He has also been a highlighted performer in Party Time. Justin loves dancing and singing and lives for performing and has been enjoying the MEM program the past four years.

Stacy Shane

Principle Dancer, Choreographer - Avondale, Arizona

Ms. Shane earned her BA in English and Sociology from Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania and her Masters in Dance Education from SUNY Brockport in New York.  Before moving to Arizona, she attended various institutions such as Laban Center for Movement, American Dance Festival, and EastWest Somatics; and she performed for three years with Hallmark Danceworks. 

This is Stacy’s sixth year teaching Dance at Boulder Creek High School in Anthem, Arizona.   She currently enjoys performing with Movement Source Dance Company as well as performing with and choreographing for AZDance Group.

Ashely Troxel
MEM Performing Assistant – Desert Hills, Arizona

Ms. Troxel is a senior at Boulder Creek High School in the Health Services program.  Her goal is to become a pediatrician or to work with children in some other aspect of the medical field. 

Ashley is involved in National Honors Society, loves going to youth group and is a member of the X Church. She works as a swim teacher in Arizona, teaching young children how to swim and the safety around pools/water.  She has danced since the age of 5 in various classes of ballet, tap, jazz and hip/hop.  This is Ashley’s first season as an Apprentice Company Member, being a Trainee last season. This is her fourth full season working with the MEM Group as a performing assistant. 

Patty Madden-Waites

Mr. Zejnait, principal dancer of Ballet Arizona, is working with AZDance Group for a second season as a guest artist. He received his training from the National School of Albania and the University of Oklahoma. He was a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Albania, Miami City Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet.

Mr. Zejnati's awards include the gold medal in the 1994 Eastern European Ballet Competition in Kazanluk, Bulgaria and first prize in the 1995 National Ballet Competition in Albania, and in 1998 he was a finalist in the Paris International Ballet Competition. Mr. Zejanti's repertoire includes some of his favorite ballets: Swan Lake, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, Esmeralda, Cinderella, Lambarena, Nacho Duato's Rassemblement, and George Balanchine's Agon, Apollo and Theme and Variations.

Since joining Ballet Arizona in 2003 Mr. Zejnati has originated principal roles in Ib Andersen's Go With It!, Coppélia, Mosaik, and Play; and danced principal roles in La Sylphide; Ib Andersen's Romeo and Juliet and The Nutcracker, Twyla Tharp's Sinatra Suite, and Dwight Rhoden's Ave Maria. Mr. Zejnati has appeared internationally with National Ballet of Croatia and Jorgen Ballet of Canada.