Owner/Teacher
Miss Emma Mead
I am originally from England and have danced for as long as I can remember! At the age of 11, I attained my first classical ballet scholarship and at 13, I left home to train at one of the most renowned ballet schools in the country- Elmhurst Ballet School in London. I trained for 3 years in traditional ballet as well as many other genres of dance. I studied under some of the most knowledgeable teachers in the world, while at the same time continuing my academic studies. For the next 3 years I furthered my education at a dance college in the North of England, and this is where my passion for teaching dance started to develop. I completed all my vocational exams and teaching qualifications with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD), before venturing off to start teaching around the world!
My love of teaching has evolved immensely throughout the years; so many different aspects of my career have molded me into the teacher I am today. Mentors, colleagues, teachers, friends, students, family, languages and cultures – everything has played a role.
Over 15 years ago I met and married my husband while living in Germany. Together we have spent many years travelling the world as he served in the US Air Force. In 2007 we were blessed with amazing twin girls and now we are settling here in beautiful Virginia.
As I continue to grow and learn from all the wonderful people around me, I also enjoy every moment in the dance studio teaching the dancers of today. I have a passion for teaching: it is in my blood. I have a love for dance: it is in my bones. I am so happy I have the opportunity to do both every day.
I have always dreamed of having my own dance studio, and now that dream is a reality.
Please come and join me in my new adventure DANCE WORKS and share my love of dance.
Core Teaching Staff
Miss Emma and her excellent Dance Works team are always welcoming and friendly. They are committed to high standards, working hard, and providing you with the best possible dance classes for you or your dancer. We are proud to not only teach dancers how to dance but, also model the behavior and set an example of being good citizens and help prepare young people for a successful future. Whether you are new to dance, new to the studio, or pass through our doors multiple times a week, our welcoming environment is just the start. We are here for you, to help you every step of the way.
Hannah Mead
Hannah has lived in Newport News VA for 15 years now. Hannah started dancing at 3 years old and has been a part of Dance Works since 2013. Her additional love for teaching dance started when she qualified for the Dance Works Assistant Teacher Program at the age of 10. Hannah has trained with many different teachers throughout the years at Dance Works as well as attending Dance Conventions. She has also performed at many local events as well as in regional dance competitions. She also performed at Bush Gardens, Williamsburg as a costume character in the summer of 2023.Hannah was heavily involved with the theater department at her school (HRA). She has been in many musicals, plays, and sang in her A Cappella group. She is a recent graduate and is attending CNU in hope of continuing her education. Hannah worked her way up through the DW AT program from Jr AT and is now part of the Teaching Staff.She has taught at the YMCA, and continues to teach dance classes at the Riverview Gymnastics Center and choreograph for HRA.She loves performing and sharing the love of dance with her students.
Sarah Mead
Sarah was born in Italy and lived there for 3 years then moved to Virginia. She began her dance journey at age 3, and started dancing at Dance Works in 2013. Sarah has been in the DW AT program from age 10 and has progressed through to Head AT, to Intern, and has been on the Teaching Staff for 3 years. Sarah has always loved performing and being on stage, she spent years on a Competition Team and has done many local performances as well as being a part of her high school productions and A Capella group over the years. Sarah has always loved teaching and has really found a passion for sharing the love of dance. Sarah worked as a performer for Busch Gardens, throughout the summer of 2023. Sarah has also worked as a Dance Teacher at the YMCA, has volunteered over 50 hours and now works at Restored Life Wellness Center, in Yorktown. She is now working as a Dance Teacher for a Day Care and RGC; As well as choreographing for HRA’s A Capella group, and musicals. Sarah is currently in her Freshman year of College at CNU. Sarah also has her own non-profit organization called The Chance To Dance Program, giving students of all abilities the chance to dance. As the year progresses she hopes to continue to share her love of dance to all of the students here at Dance Works.
Danielle Merian
Danielle grew up in the Fredericksburg, Va area where she began dancing at the age of 3 years old. She has a background in ballet, tap, modern, pointe, jazz, and hip hop, and competed heavily. As she grew older, her love for dance grew as well, and she branched out into Musical Theater scoring an adult role in the Music Man while she was in the sixth grade. She coached and choreographed for her high school dance team, and joined the Silver Storm dance team at Christopher Newport University. She graduated from CNU with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and also joined the sorority Gamma Phi Beta. Ms. Danielle was welcomed into the Dance Works family a few seasons ago, and has loved absolutely every single memory that has been made with everyone at the studio.
Shayley Skinner
Emma Bryant
Emma Bryant was born in Landstuhl, Germany and has been dancing for 13 years. She began dancing at the age of two and has loved dancing ever since! Her family moved to Missouri in 2005 and Emma was put back into dance right away! She learned to love jazz because of how much attitude she got to use and at the age of 9, Emma became apart of her studio’s competition team. In 2010, Emma and her family moved to Yorktown, Va and went to one other dance studio before coming to Mrs. Emma’s in 2014. At Dance works, Emma has been an assistant teacher for four years, a head assistant teacher, and an office intern. She also auditioned for the Dance Works Dance Company and has been apart of it for all of her years at Dance Works. Some of her favorite memories from Dance works was getting to play the role of “Alice” in Dance Works’ “Alice the Dansical” and being awarded the title of Dancer of Year in 2016. Outside of Dance Works, Emma was apart of The School Of The Arts Dance program for four years. Emma graduated from Grafton High School and is attending Longwood University to study Speech-Language Pathology and special education, where she is also on the Dance Team. Emma also teaches dance at a local dance studio, while at college. Then each summer returns home, is Miss Emma’s substitute teacher during Recital/Productions and then teaches for the Dance Works Summer Session.
Hannah Luper
Guest Teachers
Ms. Madison Clement
Madison grew up in Massachusetts where she began her dance journey at the age of 3. She is trained in many areas including ballet, jazz, tap, modern, contemporary, musical theater, lyrical, and competition dance. Madison holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Dean College where she was in the National Honors Society for Dance Arts, and also has her Masters in Business Administration. She was named a principal dancer with the contemporary dance company Ash & Elm based in Northern Virginia. Madison loves to be in the classroom learning and teaching, and received Teacher of the Year 2022! The military brought her to the area, and she is happy to call it her second home. Madison is excited to continue to share her love for dance with the Dance Works Family!
Jennifer Pyle
Jennifer Pyle is a classically trained ballet dancer as well as a stage and film actress. She began her ballet training at the age of seven under the tutelage of Gene Hammett, Susan Borree, and Mary Marshall. Jennifer attended the summer intensive program at The Joffrey Ballet School in New York City as well as summer intensive at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Jennifer was a principal dancer and soloist with the Esperance Dance Theater and the Peninsula Ballet. One of her favorite roles was Hermia in A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Most recently, Jennifer choreographed and performed the pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet as part of the Phantom Players production of Phantom of the Opera in Richmond, VA.
Jennifer enjoys teaching and choreographing, and is passionate about helping dancers of all ages be the best they can be and have fun!
Alumni Teachers
Lainey Griffin
Lainey was born in Newport News, VA where she began dancing at the age of 2. Lainey has trained in ballet, jazz, modern, lyrical, contemporary, tap, commercial, pointe, and musical theater. Although originally from Yorktown, VA, she currently resides in Winchester, VA where she attends Shenandoah University. She has a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Shenandoah University and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Athletic Training as well as a certificate in Performing Arts Medicine. While at Shenandoah she has performed works by Tiffanie Carson, Erica Helm, Ting-Yu Chen, and others. She has had the honor of performing works at the American College Dance Association, the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC as well as taking classes from a variety of instructors in Los Angeles, CA. Lainey recently joined the ARTEINMOVIMENTO dance company founded by Shenandoah Alumna Eve Stanley that will premiere their first original work in the Fall of 2023. Prior to college Lainey trained at Dance Works for 5 years where she participated in the Assistant Teacher Program, the dance competition team, and was named Dancer of the Year for the 2017-2018 season. Lainey has also spent her summers teaching all ages and a variety of styles at Dance Works as well as assisting with recitals over the years.
Jeanne Billings
Summer Neil
Teacher Training Programs:
Dance Works is a studio that not only trains dancers to be the best they can be, but also helps mold our young people of today for a successful future. Our unique programs allow dancers to grow throughout the program, as they grow up and develop these valuable skills.
Our new Assistant Teacher “Prep” Program, gives even younger dancers a stepping stone into the Assistant Teacher Program.
All dancers in our Assistant Teaching program must have been dancing at Dance Works for at least one year and go through training before to be accepted into the season program, they must keep up their academic grades throughout the year as well as dedication in their regular dance classes to continue in the program.
2024-2025 Season Awards:
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SHINING STAR AWARD: Kendall Puckett
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MINI SHINING STAR AWARD: Jacquelyn Paluszkiewicz
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TRIPLE THREAT AWARD: Alexia Nicole Rodriguez
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MINI TRIPLE THREAT AWARD: Page Gold
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MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER AWARD: Alivia Barna-Miller
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MINI MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER AWARD: Carolyna Seelbach
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LEADERSHIP AWARD:Harper Waddell
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LEADERSHIP AWARD: Dayna Cutright
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RAY OF SUNSHINE AWARD: Charlotte Skarvan
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RAY OF SUNSHINE AWARD: Eleanor Jensen
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DANCE WORKS AT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE: Kaitlyn Paluszkiewicz
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DANCE WORKS AT AWARD FUTURE IN TEACHING: Addison Root
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DANCE WORKS GIVING BACK AWARD: Aven McCabe
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DANCE WORKS MAIN CHARACTER STAR AWARD: Tessa Merian, Kynslie Jones, Caleb Merian
2023-2024 Season Awards:
- Season Shining Star Award (Level Classes) – Amaya Faulk
- Season Shining Star Jr Award (Jr & Foundation Level) – Nathan Jack Traster
- Triple Threat Dancer Award (Level Classes) – Kaitlyn Paluszkiewicz
- Triple Threat Jr Award (Jr & Foundation Level) – Victoria Nobles
- Most Promising Newcomer Award (Level Classes) – Mikayla Cartwright
- Most Promising Newcomer Jr Award (Jr & Foundation Level) – Lainy McDaniel
- Dance Works Ray of Sunshine Award (Levels) – Elenor Peters
- Dance Works Ray of Sunshine Jr Award (Jr & Foundation) – Emma Cowling
- AT Future Teacher Award – Alexia Nicole Rodriguez
- AT Give Back Award (YMCA) – Addison Root
Dancer of the Year
Erin Maguder 2022-2023
Abigail Gorski 2021-2022
Emily Staul 2020-2021
Rachel Cobb 2018-2019
Lainey Griffin 2017-2018
Emma Bryant 2016-2017
Caila Carlstrom 2015-2016
Gracie Fotis 2014-2015
Shayley Skinner 2013-2014