All About Dance by Kristen welcomes back Miss Ginniann as she joins us for her ninth season as part of our remarkable staff.  Miss Ginniann began her teaching career in Cumberland, Maryland almost 23 years ago.  As a member of the DDS Competition Dance Team, she had the opportunity to perform with the Radio City Rockettes and was featured on the television show PM Magazine.  Since then, Miss Ginniann has instructed dance and competition jazz, tap and clogging teams at S&R Dance Etc. in Freeport, Illinois as well as our All About Dance by Kristen’s debut competition jazz and tap teams during the 1999 – 2000 dance season.  Highlighting the fifth anniversary of the AADBK competition team, Miss Ginniann coached the students to a national victory at the Dynamite National Talent Competition held in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Miss Ginniann stays very active attending various dance conventions throughout the country such as Robert Christopher Professional Teacher’s Seminars, Dupree Dance Expo, Joel Hall Dance and Stepp Stewart’s Stepp With Me convention.  Ginniann is proud to have studied and completed Dance Master’s of America Teacher’s Training School Level II in Buffalo, New York.  Miss Ginniann is a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts Degree.  She lives in Cuyahoga Falls with her husband, Ed and their children Tobin and McGee.

Miss Cheryl was raised in a diversified show business family that has given her exposure to many facets of the performing arts and theatrical production.  As a young dancer, she performed in the family’s own television variety show and on other local children’s programs.  Beginning her dance career at age 5, she soon found her passion for teaching at the age of 15.  With only a few short breaks to raise her four children, she now has over 30 years experience of teaching Tap, Classical Ballet (Russian and Cecchetti), Jazz and Ballroom.  During this time, Cheryl owned and a directed her own studio, A Step in Time School of Dance in Mogadore, Ohio.  After years of directing a successful studio that produced award winning competition students as well as aspiring performers, dancers and instructors, Cheryl closed her studio to retire and travel abroad with her husband, Roger.  After realizing she could not fully give up her passion for the art of teaching dance, Cheryl returned to the dance world and is now dedicated to teaching children her  “love of dance” at a variety of different venues. She is presently teaching recreational dance in ballet and jazz for Kent State University and is responsible for designing their newest children’s dance program. This fall she will be trying her hand at directing her first children’s fairy tale for the North Canton Playhouse.  Cheryl has choreographed musicals such as 42^nd Street, Over There, Cinderella and Cabaret for area community theaters. She has also taught dance and choreography for a variety of youth groups, high schools, private schools, majorette and dance teams, beauty pageants and dance seminars. Miss Cheryl has received her teaching certifications through Dance Masters of America and is a graduate of their Teacher’s Training School at Kent State University and SUNY in Buffalo, NY.  She is also a member of Dance Masters of America and Ohio.

Lori Perretta joins All About Dance! by Kristen for her fourth season as part of our office staff as well as an instructor for our adult class Exercise in Motion. Lori has taught and been actively involved in aerobics and physical fitness classes since 1982. She holds certification in the National Dance Aerobics Association as well as CPR. Lori has instructed body toning and dance aerobics classes all over northeastern Ohio and is excited to be a part of AADBK introductory physical fitness and dance aerobic program for adults and students. Lori and her husband, Phil, enjoy family time with their two children, Maria and Joey, by being actively involved with all their seasonal extra curricular activities.

Mickey Valdez has been dancing for 31 years and teaching for the last 14 years.  A native of Akron, Miss Mickey attended Oklahoma City University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance Management.  While in college, she was a member of the American Spirit Dance Company, performer with the Oklahoma Musical Theatre and Light Opera Company, and Choreographer for the OCU Dance Team. Following graduation, Miss Mickey moved to Santa Maria, California where she was Co-Owner and Director of Central Coast Rhythm School of Performing Arts.  Many of her students competed and were winners of both state and national titles.  In 1997, New York City Dance Alliance honored Miss Mickey with the Best Choreography award at their national convention and competition. After moving back to Ohio, Mickey became a certified K-12 Dance teacher through the University of Akron.  For the last 8 years she served as Assistant Director of Dance and Assistant Director of Theatre in Firestone High School’s Visual & Performing Arts Magnet Program, as well as the resident choreographer for FHS’s annual spring musical.  Miss Mickey has been named to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, a coveted student-chosen award, for 6 consecutive years.  Mickey is also a trained assessor of Gifted and Talented students in the areas of Dance and Theatre for Northeast Ohio. Miss Mickey’s musical choreography credits include Annie Get Your Gun (FHS), Babes In Arms (FHS), Grease (FHS; St. Thomas Aquinas), Guys and Dolls (Assistant; Oklahoma Musical Theatre and Light Opera Company), Into the Woods (FHS), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Weathervane Community Playhouse), Oliver! (Weathervane Community Playhouse), She Loves Me (FHS), and The Pajama Game (FHS).  She has also directed and choreographed Evita (FHS), 42^nd Street (San Luis Community Theatre), Schoolhouse Rock Live, Jr. (FHS), and The Night Before Christmas (Central Coast Rhythm). Mickey has trained and studied with many of dance’s most prominent master teachers, performers, and choreographers.  Among the noted Jazz instructors are Gus Giordano, Rhonda Miller, Mia Michaels, Joe Lanteri, and Keith Clifton.  Miss Mickey has had the privilege of studying under such mega Tap stars as Jimmy Tate (original cast member of Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk), old-time hoofers Honi Coles, Diane Walker, and Maceo Anderson, plus Gregg Russell, Tre Dumas, and Shea Sullivan.