Owner, Amanda Bell
Amanda Bell has been the owner and director of Amanda’s Dance Center for over 15 years, where she teaches ballet, jazz, point, tap, and acrobatics. Prior to her taking over the studio, she was a 13-year alumnus of Debco School of Dance. As a member of the “Debco Dancers” Competition Group, Amanda taught for 4 years and also won numerous awards and scholarships. She is currently a member-through test certification of Florida Dance Masters. She has served on their board of directors, and is currently on the scholarship committee. She is also the Artistic Director of the Lauren Cox Memorial Benefit Concert in Ormond Beach. Amanda’s students can be seen performing at various community events and have won numerous awards and scholarships on the regional and national level. Most recently her dancers won Gold & Platinum awards at OnStage NY’s Nationals Competition in Orlando. “Exceptional Choreography” awards were given to Amanda & Shannon for the creation of those dances as well a “Class Act” Award for the studio demonstrating appropriate costuming & etiquette. Some of her students have even gone on to dance & perform at Oklahoma City University, Tisch School of the Arts, University of Florida and Florida State- one student is currently in the Theater Program at FSU. In addition to teaching at the studio, Amanda has been a guest choreographer and instructor for several Florida Dance Master events in West Palm Beach, Orlando, and Sanford.
Amanda Bell Choreography Reel
She also choreographed the American Musical Theater production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at Seabreeze High School, the world premier of Disney’s New version of Aladdin with Center Stage Kids, and was the dance & acrobatic instructor for the Atlantic Center for the Arts at the Harris House for the past three summers. This season Amanda is developing a dance curriculum that can be integrated into the after-school programs & daycares to bring the benefits of dance to those kids that are unable to attend studio classes. Her three greatest productions are her sons Dillon Matthew and Addison Lee and daughter Caydon Hawley!
Amanda@amandasdancecenter.com
Addison, Dillon, and Caydon Bell
Owner, David Bell
David Bell has developed and directed summer theater programs for six schools and two theaters. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and taught high school English and Drama full time in Stuart, Florida. He began his theatrical career at age 12 and has acted in, produced, directed, and worked on community, semiprofessional, and professional productions throughout Florida, and also appeared in a feature film. Several years ago, he had the pleasure of performing with and directing his friend, Alicia Minshew, (All My Children’s Kendall Hart) in the musicals Little Shop of Horrors and Godspell. David worked as a substitute teacher for Volusia County Schools. He is employed by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Department and is the owner, drama instructor, and artistic director of Center Stage Theatricals, featuring the Center Stage Kids Musical Theater Camp, producing such shows as Grease, Mulan, Alice in Wonderland, Willy Wonka, The Little Mermaid, Toy Story, The Wizard of Oz, and High School Musical. Last year, Center Stage Kids produced the pilot and world premier of Disney’s new version of Aladdin Kids, lending ideas and concepts that have been incorporated in the script being published and distributed by Disney, worldwide! This summer,his theater production company produced the very first production of Disney’s High School Musical 2 Jr. His group was one of 50, out of 35,000 selected to perform in Atlanta for Music Theater International’s Junior Theater Festival.
Click here to Check out David's Musical Theater Summer Camp in Daytona Beach!
david@amandasdancecenter.com
Click here to Check out David's Musical Theater Summer Camp in Daytona Beach!
david@amandasdancecenter.com
Teachers
Deborah Coe owned and operated her own studio in the Daytona Beach area for 14 years before returning to college to earn her Master’s Degree in Dance Pedagogy. She has taught and choreographed in the dance programs at Western Kentucky University and Texas A&M University. In addition to teaching in Daytona Beach she teaches master classes and teacher training workshops throughout the state. Ms. Coe holds memberships in Florida Dance Masters, and the Educational Kinesiology Foundation. She has been tested and certified as a dance adjudicator by the National Dance Teachers Council of America and judges at numerous dance competitions nationally. Her students have gone on to dance professionally in venues from Disney World to the Joffrey Ballet. She has served on the Artistic Board for the Daytona Beach Civic Ballet, the Lauren Cox Memorial Scholarship Concert Series and the Board of Directors of Florida Dance Masters. She is the co-director of the ADC Outreach Performance Program. Click here to see some of her articles on dance. She also authors an informational blog at dancestudiocorner@blogspot.com.
Most recently her choreography was presented awards including: “High Score of the Competition”, “Best Choreography”, “Best of Show” and a special award for “Flowing Transitions.” Her goal is to use the discipline dance offers as a tool to help students be successful in all of their endeavors.
missdeb@amandasdancecenter.com
missdeb@amandasdancecenter.com
Shannon Johnson Thomas grew up in Daytona Beach, FL where she began dancing at the age of 4 at Debco School of Dance now known as Amanda's Dance Center. Shannon studied with Deborah Coe and Amanda Bell for over 14 years. She studied ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, lyrical, acrobatics, modern, and musical theater. She was a member of ADC Elite Company. While living in Florida, Shannon was extremely involved in the dance community locally and statewide. She was awarded many awards and won the over-all dancer scholarship with Florida Dance Master's at the age of 18 a well as First Runner Up Ms. Dance of Florida with Florida Dance Masters. Shannon participated in many workshops and conventions classes with numerous icons in the dance world; Joe Tremaine, Frank Hatchett, Gus Giordano, Dee Caspary, Mandy Moore, Lizzie MacKenzie, Randy Duncan, and Patsy Swayze. She was also a part of Jazz Dance World Congress. Shannon attended Oklahoma City University's Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management to study Dance Performance. She studied extensively in ballet, tap, jazz, theater dance, dance pedagogy, anatomy, and choreography under such people as Jo Rowan, Robert Reed, Tiffany Van der merwe, Patricia Oplotnik, and Kay Sandel. While attending OCU, Shannon was a part of the prestigious American Spirit Dance Company for 4 years. While at OCU, she performed with and honored such celebrities as Susan Powell, Art and Nancy Stone, Cholly Atkins, Leonard Reed, Marion Coles, and Donald O'Conner as well as a featured soloist in "The Irish Ballet."
Shannon has worked for corporate entertainment company Shows in a Box as a choreographer and dancer for Industrials, Conventions and Trade Shows. Shannon was also Magician's Assistant and Dance Captain for The World of Magic. She performed with Surfscape Contemporary Dance Theatre in their Rock Opera to Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall."
Shannon has worked for corporate entertainment company Shows in a Box as a choreographer and dancer for Industrials, Conventions and Trade Shows. Shannon was also Magician's Assistant and Dance Captain for The World of Magic. She performed with Surfscape Contemporary Dance Theatre in their Rock Opera to Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall."
She travels teaching and choreographing for dance studios and dance teams in the Central Florida area. Shannon believes in teaching the proper technique to her dancers to instill correct body alignment and placement as well as strength and style. She loves teaching at Amanda's Dance Center and works with Spruce Creek High School's Papillon Dance Team and Color-guard, mentors dancers, private lessons, and her own choreography business, Dancebrought2u. Shannon has won numerous awards for her choreography and attends dance workshops on a regular basis to further her education. She is excited about her fourth year at ADC and can't wait for another successful year!
shannon@amandasdancecenter.com
http://www.dancebrought2u.com
shannon@amandasdancecenter.com
http://www.dancebrought2u.com
Ms. Nicole
Nicole MacIntyre has been dancing since the age of four at Evelyn Ott's Dance Studio, Volusia Dance Academy, and Amanda's Dance Center. She studied ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, acrobatics, lyrical, modern, and hip hop performing at various community events, competitions, and recitals. From the ages of 12-18, she was a member of the ADC Elite Company and participated in many dance workshops and competitions such as Florida Dance Masters, International Dance Challenge, OnStage New York, Intrigue Dance Intensive and more. She has also had the pleasure of dancing in the Nutcracker with the Moscow Ballet Company, has been awarded convention scholarships, and been a part of numerous overall high scoring dance pieces with ADC Company. An honors graduate from Father Lopez, she currently attends Daytona State College in the nursing program. Nicole loves dance and is so greatful to be given the opportunity to share her knowledge of dance with her pre-dance students and to be a part of a great family here at ADC.
Ms. Erika
Erika Higgins originally from the Daytona Beach Area, danced at Amanda's Dance Center for 7 years. While at ADC, she was an active member of the performing company and a student teacher. Erika has previously played an active role as a dancer in her community ranging from President of Nautica Dance Company, member of ADC Elite Dance Company and performing at variety of events in and around the community. Including the NSB Showdolls Shows, Port Orange Family Days, Mr. and Mrs. Atlantic High School Pageant, International Dance Challenge and more! Erika is a student at Valencia College in Central Florida. She is currently in the mists of applying to the University of Central Florida’s College of Nursing. She has danced for one year with Valencia College and one year practicing Bikram Yoga to enhance her dancing. Erika was also a featured dancer in "Valencia Dances." She plans on receiving her minor in Dance Education Fall 2012. Erika expresses a passion for dance as well as teaching. She is eager to be a part of the Amanda’s Dance Center family again; she looks forward to a fabulous and exciting upcoming dance year!