The Columbia City Jazz Dance School Faculty
Dale Lam - Modern and Lyrical Jazz
Dale is the artistic director and choreographer of the Columbia City Jazz Dance Company and is on the dance faculty at the University of South Carolina. She has taught master classes at the Kiradjiev Cultural Center in Bulgaria, the Singapore Dance Association at Lasale College of the Arts, and choreographs and conducts master classes at studios and dance conventions across the United States.
Dale has appeared in MTV's "Made", choreographed television commercials with stars such as Orlando Jones, corporate and industrial presentations, has conducted several successful after-school dance programs in South Carolina, and has been featured in issues of "Dance Spirit" and "Dance Teacher" magazines for her inspired lyrical jazz choreography.
Courtney Holden - Tap and Jazz
Courtney is an award-winning Columbia City Jazz alumni and minored in dance at USC. She has been on staff at CCJDS for five years and is very active with our competition teams. Courtney is a former NYCDA Tap Scholarship recipient.
Katie Hilliger - Tap, Ballet, and Jazz
Katie attended the University of South Carolina where she graduated with a degree in Dance Education. She was a member of the USC Dance Company and the USC Dance Team. Katie is currently the coach of the Carolina Coquettes Dance team, a group of dancers who perform alongside the USC Marching Band at Carolina football games. She also serves as the USC Dance Education Research Assistant to Dr. Mila Parrish.
Ginny Skinner Haynes
Ballet, Jazz, and Adult Classes
Currently on sabbatical to take care of her new born child, Ginny Skinner Haynes is a performer, guest choreographer and teacher with Core Dance Theater and Company in Columbia, SC and a performer with Caroline Calouche and Co. out of Charlotte, NC. She has performed with a number of contemporary companies throughout North and South Carolina including Columbia's own The Power Company. She has taught higher education at both Columbia College and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and within the public schools at Cryaton Middle School and Blythewood High School.
Talin Kenar - Ballet
Talin Kenar is in charge of our ballet programs. Talin started her training at the North Coast Ballet School in San Diego, and continued on at the San Diego Ballet School and then the Royal Ballet School in Longon, England. Her professional experience includes positions with the Hong Kong Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Victoria/Australian Ballet, the Colorado Ballet, Carolina Ballet and Columbia Classical Ballet.
Shannon Manning - Children's Programs
Shannon Manning comes to us from Las Vegas, where she performed nightly with world renowned "Siegfried and Roy" at the Mirage for eight years. Her professional career began at 17, when she was hand picked by Paula Abdul to be in Janet Jackson's first music video "What Have You Done for Me Lately?" She appeared on the 1980s hit series "Fame". Shannon toured the United States and Canada with the stage rendition of the movie "Dirty Dancing" choreographed by Doriana Sanchez. Her training includes San Francisco Ballet School, Marin Ballet School, and Dupree Dance Academy with scholarships at the later two.
Suzanne Jackson - Ballet
Suzanne began her training at Stage 7 with Lynda Yourth of the New York City Ballet under the direction of George Balanchine. She continued her studies with Ms. Yourth at the American Ballet School and such teachers at Valentina Tseitlin of the Bolshoi Ballet, Clarissa Boeriu of the Romania State Ballet, Stephen Rockford of the New Work Dance Theater, and many others. Suzanne became a member of the American Ballet Ensemble at its inception. After dancing in San Diego and Mexico for twelve years, she danced with the Shawn Hughes Dancers as well as the American Ballet Ensemble and has been a teacher in San Diego since 1979 at the American Ballet School, City Ballet, Scripps Performing Arts Center, Pacific Repertory Ballet and the San Diego Ballet starting in 1989.
Charley Ann Smart - Office Manager
Charley Ann Smart is a student at the University of South Carolina with majors in Exercise Science and Psychology and a minor in Dance. She has been involved with dance her entire life, performing and competing with her home studio in Sumter, SC. She plans to pursue a career in pediatric psychology upon graduation.
