Co-Founder & Mentor

After earning a degree in Visual Arts from Wittenberg University, Stacie moved to Paris to apprentice with painter and muralist David Loeb, where she discovered her passion for dance. Returning to the U.S., she trained in ballet, West African dance, and Bartenieff Fundamentals, and has worked with renowned choreographers Andre Fuentes, Erica Sobol, and Deborah Hay.

Certified in Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis through Integrated Movement Studies, Stacie was mentored by Peggy Hackney, Janice Meaden, and Cadence Whittier.

For 19 years, she taught at Nashville School of the Arts, where she built a pre-professional choreography program culminating in student-directed evening-length works. Her alumni have gone on to companies and artists including Louisville Ballet, Boston Ballet, Pilobolus, and Celine Dion.

Artist Statement
Movement found me. I create and teach to inspire lasting impact, curiosity, and emotional depth. I challenge artists to move with purpose and honesty, to replace “can’t” with possibility, and to access the full range of their physical and emotional expression. Grounded in the belief that change is essential to growth, my work is driven by continual evolution—always asking how it can go deeper, further, and more truthfully.

Co-Founder & Mentor

Justin Conte, born and raised in New York, began dancing at 15, quickly discovering movement as a safe haven for growth, expression, and self-discovery. After six years of training in Modern, Ballet, and Jazz, he expanded into street styles, freestyle, and native movement—an exploration that ignited his artistic voice. He has trained with renowned artists including Dana Foglia, La Jon Dantzler, Brian Friedman, and Sheryl Murakami, and went on to perform with Dana Foglia Dance.

Justin began his professional career understudying Tyce Diorio in A Chorus Line before stepping into the role of Mike. His path has since taken him around the world—teaching, creating, and connecting with artists across the U.S., Japan, and Europe. His performance credits include touring with FKA Twigs, appearing as one half of the “Gemini Twins” in her London-based film ROOMS, performing for Alexander McQueen at New York Fashion Week, and recurring appearances on FOX’s Glee. He has also worked with artists such as Paula Abdul, Miley Cyrus, and Jordin Sparks.

A dynamic creative, Justin moves fluidly between choreography, performance, and direction. He is the co-founder of Pendulum People, a creative collective rooted in movement, film, and raw expression. With a foundation in both concert and street forms, his work is driven by musicality, versatility, and an ever-evolving sense of self.

Now based between Los Angeles and New York, Justin continues to teach, travel, and create worldwide. At the core of his work is a commitment to honest art—pushing himself and others toward growth, deeper connection, and fearless expression.

Mentor

Candace Brown is a well-respected dancer, teacher, and choreographer, originally from California, now based in NYC. With 15+ years of teaching experience, Candace has been faculty at Millennium Dance Complex, Debbie Reynolds, EDGE PAC, Movement Lifestyle, Broadway Dance Center, Peridance, and EXPG New York, in addition to teaching all over the US and around the world, in places like Japan, Spain, Australia, South Africa, France, Italy, Amsterdam, Brazil and more. Industry credits include Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, Janelle Monáe, "X-Factor," "Dancing WithThe Stars," "VMA's," "Billboard Music Awards”, Jennifer Hudson, Nicole Scherzinger, Gwen Stefani, "You Can Dance" Poland, Kids Bop, Pace University, Barnard University, Manhattanville College, Brooklynnettes, and more. Candace is also director of her own professional commercial dance company, Soul Project.

Find out more about upcoming projects at CandaceReneeBrown.com.

Mentor

Teddy Tedholm is a choreographer, dancer, and dance instructor based out of NYC. He has worked with artists as varied as Deborah Hay, Netta Yerushalmy, Kate Sicchio, Erica Sobol, Sidra Bell, Douglas Becker, Julie Mayo, and many others. Since receiving a BFA in Ballet from University of the Arts, he has presented work throughout the country live and on film to great acclaim. In 2021, he received  the Ardsley Online Choreographic Fellowship through the Dance Gallery Festival and a grant from the New York City Artists Corps. He has created work in residence at Emma Dior Studios in Quebec, Flux+Flow in Columbus, GALLIM in Brooklyn, Mes Hall in Mount Vernon, and many others. In addition to being nominated for a "World Dance Award" for best Concert Performance,  his work has been described by Dance Magazine as "anything but conventional," by Dance Informa as "totally mesmerizing," and as "eye popping" by the Boston Globe. 

As his artistic practice grows and matures, he moves further toward the fringes of what could be and believes dance is the first frontier of the future of human society. Imbued with wonder, skepticism, intelligence, and even a dash of hope each of Teddy's works seek to create a world unto their own and to encourage audiences to expand their understanding of what a dance can be. In 2024, he is looking forward to a month-long residency at Djerrasi in Woodside, California as well as performing “Without Fanfare,” a new work by Deborah Hay as a part of her Trio Commissioning Project.

Mentor

Grand Prize Winner of the prestigious Capezio ACE Award & founder of Lobos Art Collective, Erica Sobol is one of Los Angeles’s most sought after choreographers and educators. An LA native, Erica holds a BA in dance-theater from the illustrious Columbia University in New York City.Her service to the dance community has been praised in many dance publications and art and travel blogs. And Lobos Art Collective was featured in Dance Spirit Magazine’s “The Higher Ed Issue” as one of the most desirable companies for post-competition dance life. Erica has toured the world as a master instructor and creator at Broadway Dance Center NYC/Tokyo, KHiO in Oslo, Visceral Dance Chicago, Pineapple London, Studio Harmonic Paris, FnF Dance Festival in Poland, Balettakademien Stockholm, Skip Entertainment on Guam, and Mediterranean Dance Festival in Italy. And she has had the great honor of studying closely with Crystal Pite, Tilman O’Donnell, Jermaine Spivey, Medhi Walerski, Jiri Pokorny, Eric Beauchesne, Tom Visser, and many other brilliant dance and theater artists. Erica is the heart and the brains behind HOWL! the intensive (formerly The Gypsy Project), a training and development program for young artists worldwide.  She believes deeply in the power of nurturing the minds and bodies of the next generation, helping to create the storytellers of our future. She also believes deeply in community, connection, collaboration, and kindness. She feels lucky, so lucky, to be inspired every day.

Mentor

Mentor

DESTINI ROGERS is an award-winning New York-based dancer, choreographer, and master teacher with roots in the American heartland. Multitalented and versatile, she grew up in Oklahoma City, where she was exposed to a broad spectrum of dance forms.  everything from ballet, contemporary and tap to African, hip-hop, flamenco, and Native American Fancy Shawl dancing. She was accepted into the Classen School of Performing Arts, where she was a dance major and began choreographing at age 14. During high school, she also studied theatre and stage production and was honored with the Alvin Ailey Choreography Award. Later, at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, she honed her skills in dance composition and performance, focusing on ballet, modern, jazz, and musical theater.

Quickly establishing herself as a formidable performer, she was a Top Eight finalist on the inaugural season of “So You Think You Can Dance” . From there, she went on to appear in numerous television commercials, live shows, national and international performances, and video productions. Her many credits include principal dancing roles in commercials for Reebok, music videos for Alicia Keys, and touring with Kanye West, Beyonce, Rhianna, and RAIN.

For more than 15 years, Destinis choreography has been her greatest source of pride. Her work has consistently earned her students high honors in competitions, and many have gone on to dance at renowned institutions including Juilliard, The University of the Arts, The Ailey School, Pace University, the Joffrey Ballet, Marymount Manhattan College, and New York University.

Destini continues to be in great demand as both a master teacher and choreographer at conventions throughout the United States. She is constantly discovering new aspects of her creativity, exploring different art forms; music, film, acting, and hypnotherapy, all of which enhance the movement she creates today. As a licensed CognitiveOS Hypnotherapist, she currently works with artists who want to find their calling and gain the confidence to accomplish their artistic goals. Her spiritual knowledge combined with her experience in the industry allows her to be a remarkable teacher and a true inspiration.

Mentor | Dance & Film

Manning is a choreographic artist, screendance maker, and educator originally from Nashville, TN, now based in London, England. With a background in physical theater and a movement practice rooted in floorwork and contemporary groove, she has found a creative home where the moving image meets the moving body.

Her body of work spans narrative shorts, music videos, and media installations. She is drawn to poetic, movement-driven documentary forms as well as socio-politcal themes and the relationship between humans and technology.

At the heart of her practice is a deep commitment to storytelling that ignites, intrigues, and inspires. She prioritizes collaboration with the subjects of her work, fostering authenticity in the somatic process and uncovering the profound connections between movement, identity, and representation.

The Ends : “Student ‘s Award” at MOV’IN Cannes Festival

Going Down: ‘Best Film’ LA Dance Film Fest 2022 & ‘Best of Comedy’ Utah Dance Film Festival 2024

Teaching credits include London Contemporary Dance School, Trinity Laban Conservatoire, Southern Association of Dance Masters, Nashville School of the Arts, & Millennium Dance Complex.

M.A Screendance | London Contemporary Dance School

B.F.A Dance | The Ohio State University

Member of the Movement Directors Association

Find out more at www.cailinleigh.com