Amy Cain was born in Jacksonville, Florida and grew up in The Woodlands/Spring area of Texas. Her 23 years of dance training include working with such instructors/choreographers in Houston from Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, Ad Deum Dance Company, and Houston Ballet, along with others from New York and California. She has also been coached privately and been inspired for most of her dance career by Ken McCulloch, co-owner of NHPA®. Amy is in her 15th year of partnership in directing NHPA®, and is also a founding member and co-Director of Revolve Dance Company, NHPA®'s resident professional company. In addition to performing with Revolve Dance Company, Amy is a full-time member of Dominic Walsh Dance Theater of Houston where she has performed the roles of Ms. Generosity and Carabosse in "Sleeping Beauty", along with other outstanding contemporary works by Dominic Walsh, "Funabula" and "With Painted Lips" by Italian choreographers Enrico Morelli and Michele Merola respectively, and has fulfilled the exciting opportunity of performing the US premiere of Mauro Bigonzetti's acclaimed "Pression" under the instruction of Lucia Geppi, repetiteur. Amy will also be serving DWDT as Assistant to the Director for the 2008-2009 season. Amy's students and choreography at NHPA® and studios throughout Texas have earned top honors at numerous regional and national competitions. Her works have also been showcased at various community events and have fulfilled an invitation to perform at the International Dance Meeting in Tropea, Italy. Amy provides instruction in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, and Leaps & Turns.

Dawn Dippel has been dancing most of her life and is now co-owner of NHPA®, co-Director and founding member of Revolve Dance Company, and full-tme member of Dominic Walsh Dance Thaeter. SHe grew up in the Houston area, graduated form Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Dance Department, and since then has been training in and outside of Houston. Locally she has trained with Fred Strobel, Priscilla Nathan-Murphy, Naomi Glass, Randall Flinn (director of Ad Deum Dance Company), Clara Cravey, Dominic Walsh, Domenico Luciano, Ken McCulloch, and has worked closely with Wes Veldink of New York. Recently Dawn had the opportunity to work with some of the leading contemporary choreographers in Italy, and was honored to dance the leading role in Dominic Walsh's "Sleeping Beauty". In the January '08 issue of Dance Magazine, Dawn was named as one of the "Top 25 to Watch" for up and coming dance artists across the country. Dawn has spent many years working beside many talented and professional artists who have been an influence and inspiration in her journey of this art. Dawn provides instruction in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, and Leaps & Turns.

Allison Stanley was born in Houston, Texas and started her dance training at the age of 7. She began her training with Paula Abbott of Abbott’s Performing Arts Center and then at age 12 continued her training with North Harris Performing Arts® in Spring, TX under the instruction of Ken McCulloch, Amy Cain, and Dawn Dippel. Allison’s training also includes working with Fred Strobel, Naomi Glass, Damian Schwiethale, and Barbara Bears of Houston Ballet, Randall Flinn of Ad Deum Dance Company, Wes Veldink of the Wes Veldink Movement and other teachers and choreographers from Los Angeles and New York. She was also invited to dance in Tropea, Italy at the Calabriarte Danza International Dance Meeting in 2004. Allison has been co-owner of NHPA® dance studio for eight years now, is currently setting choreography on the NHPA® Dance Company, and is dancing professionally with Revolve Dance Company. Her most recent performances with Revolve Dance Company include: “Big Range Dance Festival 2007” (2007), Choreographers X6 (2007), Dance Houston (2007), Weekend of Texas Contemporary Dance (2007), Dance Houston's Winter Formal (2008), Dance of Asian America's East Meets West (2008) and Revolve’s most recent concert “REvolution” (2007). Allison currently teaches Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, and Leaps & Turns

Jessica Thayer began her dance training with Mary Ann Cochran in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois, then at age 13 relocated to Houston and began training with North Harris Performing Arts. Jessica has worked with such teachers/choreographers as: Ken McCulloch, Amy Cain, and Dawn Dippel of NHPA®, Fred Strobel, Barbara Bears, Naomi Glass, and Damian Schwiethale of Houston Ballet, Wes Veldink of The Wes Veldink Movement, and many others across the country. Jessica has been dancing with NHPA® for 14 years now, and has been in partnership with them for 8 years. She has been on staff with Masters of Dance/Masters, Upper Level, and set choreography on both the NHPA® Dance Company and Velocity Dance Company. She is currently on staff at NHPA®, Abbott's Performing Arts Center, and is teaching jazz for Ad Deum Dance Company's Trainee Program. As a member of Revolve Dance Company, Jessica has had the opportunity to perform at The International Dance Meeting in Italy, several Ad Deum Dance COmpany concerts, Project Dance New York, and many festivals in and around the Houston area. Jessica provides instruction in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, and Leaps & Turns.

Matt Dippel was born in Houston, Texas and began his dance training at North Harris Performing Arts at the age of 7. After 13 years of training and exploring in the arts, Matt is now the seventh member to enter into partnership with NHPA® Dance Studio. He has worked with such instructors/choreographers as Wes Veldink from The Wes Veldink Movement; Barbara Bears, Naomi Glass, Damian Schwiethale, and Fred Strobel of Houston Ballet; Randall Flinn of Ad Deum Dance Company; numerous other teachers from New York and L.A., and has performed onstage with the Latin percussion group Mayan Kingz from Las Vegas. In 2002 Matt performed in the Magic Company at the performing Arts Center in L.A. and was offered representation by the Dorothy Day Otis Talent Agency. Recently he has performed as a guest artist with Ad Deum Dance Company, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater's "Made In Italy" and "Sleeping Beauty", as well as a dancer in the PBS documentary "The Last 24". Currently Matt is working as a teacher & choreographer at NHPA® and is dancing professionally with Revolve Dance Company. Matt offers instruction in Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, and Leaps & Turns.

Jennifer Stricklin was born in Houston, Texas and began her training in Ballet, Tap, and Jazz with Lori Sharpless of Lori’s Dance Studio. At the age of 12 she started training at North Harris Performing Art with Amy Cain, Dawn Dippel, and Ken McCulloch. Jennifer graduated from Houston’s High School for the Performing & Visual Arts dance department and now has her Associate of Arts Degree in Business. She has had the opportunity to work with such instructors/choreographers as Wes Veldink of the Wes Veldink Movement; Barbara Bears, Naomi Glass, Damian Schwiethale, and Fred Strobel of Houston Ballet; Randall Flinn of Ad Deum Dance Company, and many others. As a member of Revolve Dance Company, Jennifer has performed at Project Dance New York, numerous concerts with Ad Deum Dance Company, several festivals in Houston including Big Range Dance Festival, Choreographers X 6, Dance Houston 2007, and Weekend of Texas Contemporary Dance. She has also performed with Revolve at The International Dance Meeting in Tropea, Italy (2004). Jennifer has taught classes for The Woodlands Dance Force and Tracey's Dance COmpany, and is currently the main instructor at NHPA®'s second location in East Houston, NHPA® II. Jennifer offers instruction in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, and Leaps & Turns.

Randall Flinn - Founder/Artistic Director of Ad Deum Dance Company in Houston, Texas. He began his dance training in Houston over thirty years ago with mentors Glen Hunsucker, Camille Long Hill, Dina Vail, Patsy Swayze and Jan Simonds. Randall has also been greatly inspired by working with Steve Rooks of The Martha Graham Dance Company as well as The Jose Limon Dance Company. He has taught and choreographed locally for Houston Ballet Academy, The High School of Performing Arts, Episcopal High School, Houston Met , Houston Met Too, NHPA and Revolve Dance Company. His choreography ha s been selected for Dance Salad, Texas Weekend of Contemporary Dance and Houston Choreographer’s x’s Six. Nationally he has served as a teacher and choreographer for Cirque Du Soleil-Alegria, Ballet Magnificat, Storling Dance Theatre, Inlet Dance Theatre, Belhaven College, Friends University, Project Dance NYC, L.A. and Sydney, Hillsong Church -Sydney, and Lakewood Church. He has been a guest artist for Hong Kong Ballet, City Contemporary-Hong Kong, Guangzhou Modern Dance Company-China, Xaris Danz Europe and Youth with a Mission International Schools of the Arts". Mr. Flinn is ordained as a minister an international lecturer on Faith and The Arts.

Dawn Scannell grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and received her training from Victoria Leigh, Ruth Petrinovic, and James Franklin. She joined Houston Ballet in 1985 and rose to the rank of principal dancer. After retiring in 2001, Ms. Scannell rejoined Houston Ballet as Ballet Mistress in 2006, staging Ben Stevenson’s Don Quixote. Throughout her career, Ms. Scannell’s repertoire has included leading roles with attention to and detail in both classical and contemporary works. From Ben Stevenson’s Swan Lake to Christopher Bruce’s Swan Song, Ms. Scannell has had the privilege of working with many esteemed choreographers such as Sir Kenneth MacMillan, James Kudelka, John McFall, Ronald Hynd, Stanton Welch, Ben Stevenson, Jiří Kylián, Christopher Bruce, Trey McIntyre, Lila York, and Helgi Tomasson. In December 1999, Ms. Scannell married Nathaniel Nakadate and in 2003 gave birth to a baby boy, Cole Douglas. Photo by Jann Whaley

Lauren Difede was born in St. Croix of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has primarily grown up in The Woodlands. Lauren began dancing at 8 years old, and has been training with North Harris Performing Arts for 12 years now. Lauren’s current inspiration and training comes from NHPA®'s Amy Cain, Dawn Dippel, and Ken McCulloch. Throughout her training she has also had opportunities to work with teachers and choreographers such as Wes Veldink, Priscilla Nathan Murphy, Naomi Glass, Damian Schwiethale, Barabra Bears, Dawn Scannell, and Fred Strobel. Lauren graduated from the dance department at High School for Performing and Visual Arts in 2006 and during her Senior year she was awarded an Honorable Mention in dance form the National Arts Competition. She is now a Junior at St. Thomas University, as a psychology major, is on staff at NHPA®, and a full-time member of Revolve Dance Company. Lauren will also be working as an Apprentice for Dominic Walsh Dance Theater in the 2008-2009 season. She offers instruction in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, and Leaps & Turns.

Jane Thayer was born in Joliet, Illinois and grew up in Spring, TX where she began her dance training at NHPA® in 1995 under the instruction of Amy Cain, Dawn Dippel, and Ken McCulloch, who have been and still are her artistic mentors through the art of dance. Jane has also had the opportunity to work with other choreographers/teachers in the Houston area such as: Fred Strobel, Barbara Bears, Naomi Glass, Damian Schwiethale, and Clara Cravey of Houston Ballet, Randall Flinn of Ad Deum Dance Company. Others include Wes Veldink, Jason Parsons, Natsuo, Malaya, Mandy Moore and Ryan Heffington (from New York and L.A.), and Yung Woo of Korea. She has performed in Revolve Dance Company's concerts since their premiere in 2005, as well as in ad Deum Dance Company's "Mystery and Miracle" in 2007. She is now a full-time "Revolver". Jane is pursuing a her degree in Theatrical Costume Design which has provided her with opportunities to work with Dominic Walsh Dance Theater as a seamstress and Wardrobe mistress for several productions. She has also been the costume designer and seamstress for NHPA® Dance Company and Revolve Dance Company for the past 4 years. Jane offers instruction in Ballet, Jazz, and Leaps & Turns.

Alexa Van Breedam was born in Houston, Texas and began training at North Harris Performing Arts with Amy Cain, Ken McCulloch, Dawn Dippel, Jessica Thayer, and Allison Stanley at the age of 12. Alexa has also had the opportunity to train with Dawn Scannall & Naomi Glass of Houston Ballet, Wes Veldink of the Wes Veldink Movement in New York, Randall Flinn, director of Ad Deum Dance Company, and many other teachers based in Los Angeles, California. At the age of 13, Alexa was given an amazing opportunity to travel with Revolve Dance Company to The International Dance Meeting in Tropea, Italy (2004), where she received a full year scholarship. Alexa is currently a student and teacher at NHPA as well as an apprentice with Revolve Dance Company. She most recently performed with Revolve Dance Company in Dance Houston 2007 and Revolution.