Faculty Bios

Shannon Atkins moved to New York four years ago from Australia and since then her talent and passion for dance has seen her travel throughout the US, UK, Europe, Canada, Mexico and Australia regularly judging and setting award winning choreography and company repertoire. 

She is also a judge for the World Dance Championships and has appeared in Lifetime TV’s dance moms. Shannon was the US master instructor at the world renowned "ADF" Australian Dance Festival and "VDF" Victorian Dance Festival alongside Travis Wall. She also taught master classes for the Star Dance Alliance WILD convention all over the US and in London.

Prior to her worldwide career, Shannon was a successful Australian performer appearing in musicals such as “42nd St” and “Oklahoma” where she also took on the role of dance captain. She is also an established choreographer having created many musicals including the ever popular “High School Musical 2”. She effectively directed and owned “Dance Technique” which is a leading performing arts school on the Gold Coast that has seen numerous students secure sought after roles on Broadway and in reputable schools and companies such as The Juilliard School, and The English National Ballet. She was also a founding dance professor at the prestigious Queensland Conservatorium in Brisbane, Australia. 

At Broadway Dance Center Shannon is on faculty for the Children and teen program, the adult drop in classes, along with also choreographing for the AIM company and the winter/summer workshops.  She also choreographed works for The Joffrey Ballet School musical theatre gala this summer in NYC. Shannon is extremely well versed and versatile, teaching multiple genres of dance. She loves to create a “feel good” atmosphere in her classes while also challenging the dancers technically. Fun fact: Shannon also has a law/psychology degree.

Mike Baerga (a native Houstonian,) Choreographed for Showtime Network (King Mo Fight,) RuPaul’s Drag Race: Shangela (Big Apple Circus,) Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS: Easter Bonnet 2019 (King Kong Broadway,) Disney Cruise Line (Dream Crew Awards,) Lumipad Festival (Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre,) NY Fashion Week 2018 (Arielle Toole,) Dancers Responding to AIDS, The Trevor Project, and Award recipient for his numerous works in Regional Dance America Festivals and the US International Ballet Competition. He has served as a faculty member at the Joffrey Ballet in NYC, American Academy of Ballet, Broadway Classroom, Camp Broadway and Man in Motion to name a few. Mike received his MFA from NYU: Tisch for Choreography. Broadway credits include: Miss Saigon 2017 Revival, and King Kong Alive on Broadway. Regional/Off-Broadway credits include: SuperYou Musical, Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera and Moulin Rouge! (Dev-Lab.)

Chase Benz is an established Choreographer, Teacher and Creative Director that has been working in the commercial dance industry for over 15 years. His teaching experience spans from United States to Australia and everywhere in between. Teaching for Universities and Dance Schools across the globe, he found a love for teaching at a young age. This would eventually help his efforts in pursuing a career in dance and choreography. Chase’s home studios he currently teaches at in Los Angeles are Millennium Dance Complex, Tmilly, IAF and Movement Lifestyle. He has served as a faculty member on conventions such as Shock, Dance Masters, Dance Educators of America and BellaMoxi. As a dancer, Chase toured with Britney Spears, JLO, Rihanna, Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera just to name a few. He has appeared in films such as Stomp the Yard, Hannah Montana The Movie and Step Up 2. His TV credits include Billboard Music Awards, Dancing with The Stars, American Idol, BET Hip Hop Awards, MTV Asia Awards and Saturday Night Live. Music video credits include Britney Spears, Rihanna, Estelle, Black Eyed Peas and Madonna. All this dance training would eventually catapult Chase into a Directing and Choreography frenzy. His Choreography credits now include Britney Spears’ Las Vegas residency, “Piece of Me,” Backstreet Boys Vegas residency, “Larger then Life,” Jbalvin, Skechers, Florida Georgia Line, Aladdin and His Winter Wish, Jimmy Kimmel, Chainsmokers, Kim Petras, Tauren Wells, Donna Summer and the So You Think You Can Dance Tour. He spent four years in Vegas as Dance Captain, Associate Choreographer and movement coach for the pop princess herself, Britney Spears in her “Piece of Me” Residency. Most recently, he just finished choreographing an original spy-themed musical entitled “Diamond Run” for Norwegian Cruise Line. Chase has always applied his professional experience to the classroom. His unique fusion style consist of Hip Hop, Jazz and Performance. His focus is to bring everyone from the classroom to the stage by preparing them for the realities of the dance industries. Chase believes preparation can only get you so far, it’s professionalism that will take you to the stars. Chase highlights this fundamental lesson every opportunity he gets. His greatest hope is that you walk away from his classroom not only learning how to dance, but how to entertain, feel good and have fun

Originally from Dallas, Texas, Allison has been dancing since she was two years old, training at various pre-professional competitive dance studios across the DFW area. She earned various performance awards and scholarships, including the opportunity to travel across the USA as a teacher's assistant at Co. Dance Convention. Allison also assisted choreographer Kim McSwain at Jump Dance Conventions. In 2010, she began her collegiate studies at Chapman University to earn a Bachelors in Dance and Bachelors in Advertising, and a minor in Film Studies. In her four years there, Allison trained under elite dance faculty including Alicia Guy, Leann Alduenda, Larry Rosenberg, Jenny Backhaus, and Holly Johnston. She was chosen to be a traveling student ambassador for Chapman, and this allowed her to train with acclaimed choreographers such as Michael Jackson's original dancer Eddie Garcia, SYTYCD's Ade Obayomi, Diavolo's Chad Michael Hall, and Joffrey Ballet's Stephanie Powell. Allison was also a member of the undefeated national champion Chapman Dance Team and a lead choreographer of the hip hop group Team Shaka. After graduation in 2014, she moved to Los Angeles and signed with MSA Talent Agency to pursue dance professionally. Allison has booked various jobs including LIVE with Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest, a GARNIER Commercial, NYC Times Square TruFusion Print Ad Campaign, Soul Clap Fitness DVD, Latin Grammys 2019 with Sebastian Yatra, ARIA New Years Eve Gala, iHEART Radio Party at Light Nightclub, and Cirque du Soleil’s 2018 & 2019 One Night for One Drop at the Michael Jackson ONE Theatre and “O” Theater. She most recently can be seen as an Ensemble Dancer and Artist Coach in Cirque du Soleil's The Beatles LOVE show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Allison has been nominated by the Silver State Awards for Local Female Entertainer of the Year. She currently teaches at The Joffrey School Las Vegas Program, and is also a full-time fitness instructor for TruFusion.

Josh Burrage is so excited to be joining the Virtual Dance Center staff! Born in Westfield, MA, Josh grew up training at New England Dance Centers. He made is Broadway debut in the 2016 Revival of CATS, and toured the country in both Disney’s Newsies and most recently A Bronx Tale. He also reprised his role in the Newsies Movie available on Disney+. Let’s DANCE!

Bio: Brandon Coleman is a NYC based performer from Katy, TX and is a graduate of the University of Arizona, where he received his BFA in Dance and BA in Communication with a minor in Arts Administration.

Brandon toured throughout China with Art.If.Act Dance Project, assisted Sam Watson at the Tanz Bozen- Bolzano Danza International dance festival in Bolzano, Italy, and performed as a guest artist with Zikr Dance Ensemble in Denver, CO. Formerly a member of Visceral Dance Chicago, Brandon has also worked with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as a guest artist for their 2017 Summer Series. Since moving to NYC in 2017, Brandon has danced with KEIGWIN + COMPANY, the Metropolitan Opera ballet, VIM VIGOR Dance Company and is currently a performer in Punchdrunk’s SLEEP NO MORE.

As a teacher, Brandon has taught across the country from NYC to Los Angeles. Brandon has been on faculty with Visceral Dance Center in Chicago, IL and Inspire School of Dance in Naperville, IL. Over the years you could find Brandon guest teaching at Hubbard Street Dance Center, Millennium Dance Complex LV, Peridance Capezio Center, and METdance Center in Houston. Currently, Brandon is teaching at Gibney Dance Center in NYC. 

Cook most recently played Riff in the Broadway revival of West Side Story. His other broadway credits include Mean Girls, Tuck Everlasting, Newsies, Billy in Billy Elliot, and Ragtime. He reprised the latter role for the filmed version of “Disney’s Newsies the Broadway Musical,” released in 2017. Ben portrayed Aaron Fisher in HBO’s Paterno and is featured as Mouthpiece in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming “West Side Story,” scheduled to be in movie theatres in December 2020. His TV credits include episodes of “Law & Order SVU,” “House of Cards,” “Veep,” and “30 Rock

Born and raised in Miami, FL, Gaby Diaz started dancing at the age of 3 and trained in various styles growing up. In 2015, she was crowned America’s Favorite Dancer for season 12 of Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance and went on to perform on tour alongside Season 12’s Top Ten. Gaby was also seen performing in Jennifer Lopez’s Las Vegas show, “All I Have”, as an All Star on Seasons 13,14 and 16 of So You Think You Can Dance, on tour with Travis Wall’s Shaping Sound Company, and performing as a guest artist with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Gaby will make her film debut in December 2020 in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of “West Side Story”.

Gianni Howell, originally from South Florida, now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada as an artist in The Beatles “LOVE” by Cirque Du Soleil. His background consist of training in multiple dance techniques, developing memorable experiences, and creative direction in digital and live storytelling. During his time in Vegas, Gianni has also performed for or with artists such as Carrie Underwood, Foster the People, McDonalds, and Snapchat.  

Previous to joining Cirque du Soleil, Gianni was a company member with Odyssey Dance Theatre, a dance company based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. With Odyssey he toured the European World in countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and France. His higher education consists of a bachelors degree in Fine Arts with a complimenting minor in Business from the University of Arizona. While at the University, he had the opportunity to perform pieces and work with artist such as Ann Reinking, Sherry Zunker, Ernie Flatt, and Sam Watson, to name a few.

Outside of Cirque Du Soleil, Gianni travels between the Americas and Canada teaching and choreographing for the next generation of dancers where he has been recognized for his unique and innovative style of tap and contemporary. Some of his digital and creative work includes A Choreographers Showcase, One Night for One Drop, Lab of Misfits, and Wet ’n’ Wild. Gianni is a visionary. Combining his background in performance, passion for technology, and creative direction; he believes the future is a blend of experiences, technology, and digital art. 

Drew Phillips was born and raised in Indianapolis where he trained at The Dance Refinery beginning at the age of 5 learning many styles of dance. Growing up Drew went on to compete and win many awards, and scholarships. Drew has performed all around the world  and worked with Cirque du Soleil, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Holland America, Jennifer Lopez, Donny & Marie Osmond, Paula Abdul, Stepp Stewart, and Dancing with The Stars at Sea. Alongside his mentor, Lynn Herrick, Drew began to create choreography for the dance studio and a local show choir. From there, he learned his love for the creative process and began to branch out. Now Drew sets choreography on studios around the world, teaches master classes, and has taught for dance conventions. His choreography has received many awards and in 2012 his work was selected to perform at the American College Dance Festival.

Currently residing in Las Vegas, Drew travels with Tremaine Dance Conventions, teaches at local studios, and he performs various dance jobs.

Nathan Madden received his BFA from the Juilliard School, attended HSPVA, Houston, and Atlanta Ballet academies. He has taught and performed around the world and with each experience becomes more of a well rounded creative force. He graced the stage of countless theaters during two seasons with Ballet Jazz Montreal, touring with Twyla Tharp's "Come Fly Away '', and guesting with Lar Lubovitch Dance.   Nathan started his Broadway journey with CHICAGO, went on to be an original cast member of Christopher Wheeldon's "An American In Paris”,  were he covered two leading roles, and was thrilled to be a part of bringing back “Hello Dolly'' to the great white way alongside the fabulous Bette Midler.  As a choreographer he was awarded the “Héctor Zaraspe Prize” for exemplary movement, was a finalist for the Capezio ”ACE Awards", and has had his work place in "The National Society of Arts and Letters'' competition. “I’m so grateful to be continuing to grow from “Glory to Glory”

Ashley is an award winning performer, choreographer, director, and filmmaker who is based in NYC. She is a proud graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance in Austria.

As a performer, Ashley splits her time between the concert, commercial and musical theater worlds. She has performed with Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Ne-Yo, Lady Sovereign and Shakira and at events for for X-Box, Wii, Rite Aid, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, The American Heart Association, Shoemania, Bose Headphones, Ray Ban, and Cirque du Soleil. She has worked with choreographers  Susan Marshall,  Jill Johnson, William Forsythe, Andrea Miller, Sidra Bell, Andy Blankenbuehler, Jen Jancuska, and Jeffry Denman, and has trod the boards for many regional and off-broadway musicals, including An American in Paris, Newsies, West Side Story, Mary Poppins, A Funny Thing...Forum, and White Christmas.

Choreographic credits include special events for the Walt Disney Company, Dorothy Parker: The Musical, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, benefits for The Trevor Project and Planned Parenthood, An American in Paris, Newsies, How Did We Get Here? : The Story of The Donner Party, Fairy Tale Christmas, West Side Story, You Me I We, Once Uponzi Time, Fall of the House, and numerous concert dance presentations. 

When she is not dancing  or choreographing, Ashley teaches at Peridance NYC, Broadway Dance Center, and various conventions across the country. She is also the founder of  Marinelli Moving Pictures, a videography and film editing business which specializes in performance recording and dance film.

She lives in Brooklyn with her partner, her puppy and their plants. 

@alm433 www.ashleymarinelli.com