...this is where it begins
20 Commercial Way, Springboro OH 45066 937-550-4931
Faculty
Estelle Bean trained under renowned teachers Eugene Loring, Anthony Tudor, and Robert Joffrey and brings a wealth of knowledge to PBS dancers.
Caitlyn Gillespie is a student at University of Cincinnati who has been dancing since the age of four. Originally from Dayton, Caitlyn has assisted in teaching and choreography for three years. She has competed nationwide in various dance competitions and performed in concerts throughout her life with Progressive Dance Theatre. She specializes in modern, jazz, and tap.
Michelle Goodman earned a BFA in dance from Wright State University and graduated high school from the Interlochen Arts Academy. She has performed professionally with Walt Disney Productions, the Dayton Opera, the Sorg and Whitewater Opera companies, and La Comedia Dinner Theatre. She has taught at PBS since 1992 and at Wright State University since 1994, where she is a faculty associate.
Parris Hobbs has danced professionally with the Dayton Ballet, St. Louis Ballet, Atrek Contemporary Dance Company, and Lake Erie Ballet. He was on the faculty of the St. Louis Ballet and Lake Erie Ballet schools where he taught ballet, boys classes, partnering and jazz, and he taught for Mercyhurst College where he earned his BA in Dance. He received his training from Barbara Pontecorvo, Jon Rodriguez and Marcia Dale Weary.
Karen Hochwalt began her dancing career in Louisville, Ky with the Louisville Ballet. She attended North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from CCM, UC. She was also a soloist with the Cincinnati Ballet Co and the Cincinnati Opera Ballet. She has also been an ACE Certified Fitness Instructor for over 20 years.
Cynthia Kaney has danced her entire life and has studied with Ruth Vernon, Irine Fokine, Alexi Yudenish, and more recently with Jon Rodriguez, Bess Imber and Barbara Pontecorvo. She was also a member of Bess Imber's Chamber Dance Ensemble.
Pamela Matthews is from Takoma Park, MD where she trained in the Cecchetti syllabus with Ivy Randell, Roberta Fera and Pamela Moore. Her later teachers of influence include Michelle Lees and Eric Hampton. She danced with Daniel West Dancers, Eric Hampton Dance and was involved with many professional dance projects. Pamela has taught for the University of Maryland Baltimore County and The Maryland Youth Ballet, in the metro DC area and for the Antelope Valley Ballet in Southern California. Pamela is currently teaching dance at Wright State University and is a practicing massage therapist.
South African born Celeste Mackenzie danced professionally for 25 years with two major South African Ballet Companies, rising to principal dancer for the last five years. She won the Adeline Geneé Award and a scholarship to the Royal Ballet school in London. Since retiring, Celeste has been teaching Ballet and Pilates. Celeste’s extensive Pilates training is an asset in her classes. Celeste is Director of Pilates at Xcel Sportsmedicine in Vandalia.
Cassie Minehart began training with Barbara Pontecorvo when she was ten. Her summer training was with Houston Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and BalletMet. While at PBS, she performed the roles of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Titania in Midsummer Nights Dream, Bluebird in Sleeping Beauty, in addition to performing many original works by various choreographers. Cassie danced professionally with Sacramento Ballet for four years dancing numerous Balanchine ballets, as well as ballets by Ron Cunningham and others. Cassie also owned and directed a ballet studio in California. She is excited to be back at PBS.
Sheri “Sparkle” Williams, a native Daytonian, embarks upon her 40th season with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and, as a nationally certified fitness professional, serves as company fitness trainer. She is also an original member of the New York based Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Ms. Williams is the recipient of numerous awards including Dayton's own JOSIE Award, the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District's Lifetime Achievement Award and the coveted New York Dance and Performance Award (the Bessie). Sparkle enjoys a blessed career performing throughout the world imparting the technique, discipline and artistry so generously bestowed onto her by a wealth of masters.
Pianist: Bernadette O'Connor
Administrator: Sue Hanes
Caitlyn Gillespie is a student at University of Cincinnati who has been dancing since the age of four. Originally from Dayton, Caitlyn has assisted in teaching and choreography for three years. She has competed nationwide in various dance competitions and performed in concerts throughout her life with Progressive Dance Theatre. She specializes in modern, jazz, and tap.
Michelle Goodman earned a BFA in dance from Wright State University and graduated high school from the Interlochen Arts Academy. She has performed professionally with Walt Disney Productions, the Dayton Opera, the Sorg and Whitewater Opera companies, and La Comedia Dinner Theatre. She has taught at PBS since 1992 and at Wright State University since 1994, where she is a faculty associate.
Parris Hobbs has danced professionally with the Dayton Ballet, St. Louis Ballet, Atrek Contemporary Dance Company, and Lake Erie Ballet. He was on the faculty of the St. Louis Ballet and Lake Erie Ballet schools where he taught ballet, boys classes, partnering and jazz, and he taught for Mercyhurst College where he earned his BA in Dance. He received his training from Barbara Pontecorvo, Jon Rodriguez and Marcia Dale Weary.
Karen Hochwalt began her dancing career in Louisville, Ky with the Louisville Ballet. She attended North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from CCM, UC. She was also a soloist with the Cincinnati Ballet Co and the Cincinnati Opera Ballet. She has also been an ACE Certified Fitness Instructor for over 20 years.
Cynthia Kaney has danced her entire life and has studied with Ruth Vernon, Irine Fokine, Alexi Yudenish, and more recently with Jon Rodriguez, Bess Imber and Barbara Pontecorvo. She was also a member of Bess Imber's Chamber Dance Ensemble.
Pamela Matthews is from Takoma Park, MD where she trained in the Cecchetti syllabus with Ivy Randell, Roberta Fera and Pamela Moore. Her later teachers of influence include Michelle Lees and Eric Hampton. She danced with Daniel West Dancers, Eric Hampton Dance and was involved with many professional dance projects. Pamela has taught for the University of Maryland Baltimore County and The Maryland Youth Ballet, in the metro DC area and for the Antelope Valley Ballet in Southern California. Pamela is currently teaching dance at Wright State University and is a practicing massage therapist.
South African born Celeste Mackenzie danced professionally for 25 years with two major South African Ballet Companies, rising to principal dancer for the last five years. She won the Adeline Geneé Award and a scholarship to the Royal Ballet school in London. Since retiring, Celeste has been teaching Ballet and Pilates. Celeste’s extensive Pilates training is an asset in her classes. Celeste is Director of Pilates at Xcel Sportsmedicine in Vandalia.
Cassie Minehart began training with Barbara Pontecorvo when she was ten. Her summer training was with Houston Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and BalletMet. While at PBS, she performed the roles of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Titania in Midsummer Nights Dream, Bluebird in Sleeping Beauty, in addition to performing many original works by various choreographers. Cassie danced professionally with Sacramento Ballet for four years dancing numerous Balanchine ballets, as well as ballets by Ron Cunningham and others. Cassie also owned and directed a ballet studio in California. She is excited to be back at PBS.
Sheri “Sparkle” Williams, a native Daytonian, embarks upon her 40th season with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and, as a nationally certified fitness professional, serves as company fitness trainer. She is also an original member of the New York based Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Ms. Williams is the recipient of numerous awards including Dayton's own JOSIE Award, the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District's Lifetime Achievement Award and the coveted New York Dance and Performance Award (the Bessie). Sparkle enjoys a blessed career performing throughout the world imparting the technique, discipline and artistry so generously bestowed onto her by a wealth of masters.
Pianist: Bernadette O'Connor
Administrator: Sue Hanes
Barbara Pontecorvo danced professionally for twenty years and has taught ballet for most of her career. She was principal dancer with five ballet companies, including Dayton Ballet, where she was also Director of Dayton Ballet II and Associate Director of the Dayton Ballet School. In addition to her primary focus at PBS, Barbara is also Director of Gem City Ballet, and sets the ballets of Stuart Sebastian on companies internationally.