2026 Faculty

  • Maureen Mansfield Kaddar is a dancer, choreographer, and educator whose work bridges performance, pedagogy, and creative collaboration. Originally from East Rockaway, New York, she holds a BFA in Dance from Adelphi University and an MFA in Dance and Choreography from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. A former member of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, she appears as a featured performer in Dancemaker, the Oscar-nominated documentary chronicling Mr. Taylor’s life and work and has since staged his repertory for professional companies and university programs, including for West Virginia University.

    Maureen’s choreographic and teaching work has taken her across the United States and abroad as a guest artist and mentor in higher education. Rooted in the belief of the connective power of movement, she has used dance as a catalyst for interdisciplinary learning through Arts Integration programs.

    As a Teaching Associate Professor in West Virginia University’s School of Theatre and Dance, Maureen teaches the dance techniques of ballet, modern, and jazz, as well as choreography, repertory, partnering, yoga for dancers, and dance history. Her choreography has been featured in WVU’s annual Dance Now! concert, WVU’s theatre and musical theatre productions, as well as the West Virginia Dance Company’s educational performance series.

    Maureen is certified as a teacher in the Simonson Technique®, and as a Yoga and Anti-Gravity Yoga® instructor. She presents nationally at American College Dance Association (ACDA) and National Dance Education Organization conferences, serves on ACDA’s Executive Committee, and has received WVU’s College of Creative Arts’ Outstanding Teaching Award (2021) and Outstanding Service Award (2022). She feels fortunate to work alongside young, creative thinkers whose curiosity and insight continually enrich her teaching practice.

  • Laura Neese is a dance artist and educator from Staten Island, NY. Described as “ethereally romantic” by The Dance Enthusiast, Neese is a longtime company member of Bessie-nominated Darrah Carr Dance, and has performed work by artists including Carr, Melissa West, Sean Curran, Maho Ogawa, Chia-Ying Kao, and KitchenSink Collective, and produces her own work through Laura Neese|Dance Projects. She currently resides in Lexington, KY where she is on faculty at the University of Kentucky Dept. of Theatre and Dance. Neese holds an MFA from the Ohio State University, BFA/BA from SUNY Buffalo, & Pilates Certification from Kinected.

  • Associate Professor Kelly Ozust is an educator, choreographer, and performer with a focus on narrative storytelling and community engagement. In the Department of Theatre and Dance she teaches modern, jazz, tap, and musical theatre techniques, as well as courses in choreography, dance education, and dance theory. She works closely with the musical theatre concentration by choreographing for the annual musicals, choreographing for the musical theatre workshop course, and teaching musical theatre history. She choreographs for the faculty concerts annually and directs the Winthrop Christmasville RockHettes each fall.

    She has taught master classes and shown work at Piedmont University (Demorest, GA) , Colorado State University (Fort Collings, CO), Lindenwood University (Saint Charles, MO), and Greensboro Fringe Festival (Greensboro, NC). She is also on faculty at the DanceWV festival (Weston, WV). She has performed throughout the southeast and danced with Van Dyke Dance Group and Sarah Council Dance Projects. Kelly is an award-winning filmmaker with projects that have been shown at the Georgia Museum of Art and the ACDA Screendance Gala. She is interested in the narrative possibilities of the body and uses her training in dance and theatre to create unique works that often explore historical people, events, and places.

    Kelly is a member of The National Dance Education Organization, The Dance Studies Association, and The South Carolina Dance Association. She presents her creative and scholarly work annually at these conferences, as well as at the American College Dance Association Conference. Her current research lines focus on dance and motherhood, musical theatre pedagogy, and vernacular dance forms.

  • Kylie is a painter and teaching artist in WV. She is a graduate of Davis and Elkins College in Psychology and Human Services. With daughters who dance, she is happy to be bringing her years of experience as a teaching artist through ArtsBank Inc and the Augusta Heritage Center to the festival.

  • Tara Penick is from North Carolina where she received her early ballet training in Chapel Hill with M’Liss Dorrance and Jennifer Potts and expanded her training with the American Dance Festival. After completing her degree in International Studies at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Tara moved to New York City, studying with Milton Myers, Chet Walker, with the Merce Cunningham Studio, and at STEPS on Broadway as a scholarship student. While in NYC, she taught with Eliot Feld at Feld Ballets/NY (now Ballet Tech), directed the Children’s Program at Broadway Dance Center, choreographed new works for the American Place Theatre (off-Broadway), and filmed with the Children’s Television Workshop for Sesame Street. Tara has choreographed more than thirty musical theatre productions in over twenty states and continues to travel nationally as a choreographer. Tara joined the SRB faculty in 1997 and most recently served as Associate School Director – Training. In addition to her work teaching ballet and theatre dance at SRB, Tara enjoys choreographing projects for the SRB Ensembles such as Carnival of the Animals, An American In Paris, and Appalachian Spring and collaborating with the Richmond Symphony for their popular Lollipops Series.

  • Neal Carter, born and raised in Maryland, has been dancing since the age of 12. Throughout his career, he has entertained audiences in various arenas. In 2008, he joined the Baltimore urban youth team, Solid Rock Ministries, where he not only performed but also had the privilege of mentoring at-risk youth throughout the city as part of the staff team.

    In 2009, Neal furthered his teaching career as a hip-hop choreographer. He has performed and taught hip-hop across the United States, including in major cities like New York. Neal has made guest appearances as both a dance judge for local dance events and a choreographer at numerous dance studios, schools, camps, and more. As a multiple award-winning choreographer, he achieved great success but felt there was still much more to accomplish.

    In 2014, Neal and his two brothers realized their dreams as business partners by launching 3Kingz LLC, a ministry where they travel the country performing and speaking in front of thousands of young people. In September 2018, Neal was hired by the nonprofit organization City of Refuge Baltimore as their Youth Empowerment Director, taking on the significant challenge of guiding youth by offering programs and opportunities to help them become fearless, self-sufficient adults in society.

    Although Neal has taken a step back from the dance world, he still enjoys educating dancers whenever the opportunity arises. When he is not wearing one of his work hats, Neal loves spending time with his friends, family, and, most importantly, his beautiful daughter, Ny’Asia Carter.

  • Lawrence has been using African percussion for education and entertainment for over 15 years.   As an AmeriCorps member he started his drum training playing 18 hours a week at Inner Harbor  a mental health facility in Georgia.  He was able to study Mande music with master drummers Mahiri Keita and Mamady Keita of Tam Tam Mandinque drum school. For three years he was the accompanist drummer at Factory Street studio in Athens, Ohio for the African dance classes he started. He is an Artsbridge catalog artist in Parkersburg, WV serving local schools. Lawrence is now the founder of Ugata: drum and dance where he offers classes and workshops in southern Ohio and the Mid Ohio Valley.

  • With decades of experience in Appalachian clogging, I bring both performance expertise and teaching passion to my workshops. My journey began at age twelve when I discovered the rhythmic joy of this traditional dance form. By fourteen, I was touring with the renowned Ohio Valley Clogghoppers exhibition team, performing across North America from Canada to Hawaii, including prestigious venues like Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO and Jamboree USA in Wheeling, WV, along with numerous regional fairs and festivals.

    After seven formative years with the Clogghoppers, I took on the role of director for the Carolina Cloggers in Greenville, SC, where I led the team for four years, refining my leadership and choreography skills. Currently, I serve as a clogging instructor at Oglebay Institute's School of Dance in Wheeling, WV, where I continue to share this vibrant Appalachian tradition with dancers of all ages and skill levels.

    My teaching approach combines technical precision with the cultural heritage of clogging, ensuring students not only master the steps but connect with the rich history of this uniquely American dance form.

  • Nathan has been playing and studying music for over 25 years. As a percussion major in college, he would provide accompaniment for dance classes as part of the Governor’s School for the Arts, which turned into many years of collaboration with West Virginia-based dance companies. Nathan continues to perform with local and regional bands and ensembles.

  • Donald is an Assistant Professor of Dance and Head of Dance at Western Illinois University. He holds an MFA in Dance from the University of California, Irvine.

    For 15 years, Laney served as the Producing Artistic Director of the West Virginia Dance Company, where he performed works by renowned choreographers including Doug Varone, Daniel Nagrin, Gerri Houlihan, danah bella, and Toneta Akers-Toler, in addition to creating original choreography. His performance credits include engagements with the West Virginia Dance Company, Houlihan & Dancers (Miami, FL), Randy James Dance Works (NYC), and X-Factor (NC).

    Laney has also worked extensively as a director and choreographer in regional theatre, with credits at Western Illinois University, Greenbrier Valley Theatre, Cortland Repertory Theatre, Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, Cape Fear Regional Theatre, and Theatre West Virginia.

    Since 2005, he has served as the Master Teacher in Modern Dance for the West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts. In recognition of his contributions, he received the West Virginia Governor’s Award for Leadership in the Arts in 2018.

  • Brian is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Winthrop University, where he is a proud alum of their undergraduate program in Dance Education. He holds an M.F.A. in Choreography from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. As a dancer, choreographer, and educator, Brian's work spans a range of dance forms and perspectives, with a particular focus on the intersections of gender, sexuality, and dance in his research.

    Before transitioning to higher education, Brian taught middle and high school dance in both North and South Carolina. His professional dance experience includes performing with Plexus Dance and Caroline Calouche & Company, where he also taught contemporary and aerial dance. Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to perform works by choreographers that include Martha Graham, B.J. Sullivan, Janet Lilly, Meg Schriffen, Stacey McConnell, Michael James, Jennifer House Hinshaw, Amelia Binford, and Mary Beth Young.

    Beyond his academic endeavors, Brian is an active choreographer, clinician, and adjudicator in the pageantry arts community. He currently serves as the director of Etude, a performing arts organization under the Carolina Arts Collective, and sits on the Advisory Boards for both the Carolina Winter Ensemble Association and Winter Guard International.

  • Kristin Kavanagh is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Catawba College. She holds undergraduate degrees in Dance and Sport and Exercise Science from DeSales University and an MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Arizona. Prior to joining Catawba College, she served as Instructor of Dance at Western Illinois University and Dance Coordinator at Frostburg State University. Before entering academia, she performed as a dancer and aerialist with the Emmy Award–winning company RWS Global. Her research focuses on dance science and injury prevention, emphasizing safe, sustainable movement practices. Kristin is a certified Pilates mat instructor and is passionate about fostering confidence and joy in her students’ artistic development.

  • Rayme is a native of West Virginia and a graduate of Doddridge County High School. She graduated in 2012 with a B.M. in Piano Performance from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Before opening Rayme’s Piano Studio in 2015, she was an instructor with the Academy For the Arts at Fairmont State University. At her studio, Ms. Pullen teaches over 50 piano students every week. In addition to private instruction, she enjoys work as a collaborative pianist with soloists and ensembles, and she accompanies K-6 voice students at recitals several times a year with the Academy for the Arts.

    Rayme serves as a WVMTA board member and is active in organizing District 2 festivals and adjudications. She is also active in providing live music performances in Salem with her piano students at the Apple Butter Festival, Spring Arts Kick Off at Fort New Salem, and Christmas at Depot Park. Rayme resides in Salem with her husband Trevor and their two children, Ezra and Blythe.

  • Savannah is a pianist, piano studio owner, and instructor based in Beckley, WV. Following years of pre-collegiate private lessons, Savannah deepened her love of learning piano literature at West Virginia Wesleyan College through her roles as a music scholar and the primary pianist for the college’s Big Band and Afro-Cuban ensembles. After completing her studies of Secondary Education, English Literature, Music, and Business at WVWC, Savannah began her primary role as a piano studio owner and instructor. Additionally, she has acquired years of experience as both an Instructional Interventionist for the public school system and now Dance Ministry Educator at Rhythms of Grace dance studio. 

    Throughout her childhood, the art of ballet played a formative role in Savannah’s development not only as a dancer, but also as a musician and creative. In her current role at Rhythms of Grace, Savannah utilizes her musical expertise, years of dance experience, and knowledge of pedagogy to provide her students with an artistically enriching dance education. A new addition to the Fall Festival faculty at Dance WV, Savannah is excited to combine appreciation of both music and dance through her service as a Ballet Accompanist this fall. 

  • Brian has been dancing professionally for over 30 years and has accomplished performing as a principal dancer with 7 different professional dance companies including: Nashville Ballet, BalletMet, Richmond Ballet, Ohio Ballet, Cleveland Ballet, Groundworks Dance Theater, Verb Ballets and Dancing Wheels. He has choreographed and danced  major ballet works including Nutcracker, Wizard of OZ, La Fille Mal Garde, Cinderella, Swan Lake, Hamlet, Copellia, Dracula, Little Match Girl, and Alice in Wonderland. He has also choreographed contemporary and modern works that have been performed with major dance companies, and has choreographed musicals including Mary Poppins, Aida, Jesus Christ Superstar, Momma Mia, Scrooge, La Cage Aux Follies. Peter Pan, Oklahoma, Guys and Dolls, Cabaret, and 42 Street. He is continuing to perform major ballet and modern works, travels around the world to teach ballet, contemporary, partnering workshops and seminars for dance studios, and coaches professional dancers and choreographers for dance companies and studios.