J.
Regan Wilson, Artistic Director
J. Regan Wilson
began her dance training and teaching career in upstate New York
where she attended the State University of New York at Oswego. While
at SUNY Oswego, Ms. Wilson was the President of Del Sarte Dance,
a performance ensemble, as well as a principal dancer with the Dance
Arts Ensemble. Ms. Wilson is also a former member of the Liberty
Dance Troupe. She has entertained audiences throughout New York
State, including performances at the Bi-Centennial Celebration in
New York Harbor, the New York State Fair and Darien Lake Theme Parks.
Ms. Wilson began teaching in 1989 and has taught dance students,
beginner through advanced, both in upstate New York and locally.
She moved to the Manassas area in 1995 where she continued to teach
before opening the Virginia Dance Center in 1999.
Ms. Wilson has attended numerous dance conventions and master classes
with such instructors as Joe Lanteri, Frank Hatchett and Rhonda
Miller and continues to attend such classes to advance her skills.
Lisa
Flannery
This marks Lisa Flannery’s second year teaching at VDC. Growing
up an army brat, Ms. Flannery started off in print and commercial
work until the first day of ballet class and then was addicted to
dance! Ms. Flannery has danced with the Baird Civic Ballet, studying
Royal Academy Syllabus, and with Stage Crew Productions in such
roles as The Little Mermaid, "Ann" in Raggedy Ann and
Andy, "Mrs. Potts" in the Beauty and the Beast, and "Dorothy"
in the Wizard of Oz. Continuing on to college, she became president
of the University of Kentucky Dance Ensemble and Jazz choreographer
of the James Madison University Dance Club. After graduating college,
she started teaching at a local dance studio while attending Nursing
School at George Mason University. Nursing may be her main job,
but dancing has always been her passion! Training and technique
have come from many years of competitions, performing and taking
master classes under Muna Tsung, Frank Hatchett, Nicole Rome, Lauren
Grahm, and Renee Cheneu to name a few.
Windsor
Johnson
Windsor Johnson grew up in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Ms. Johnson
began dancing at the age of two in Richmond studying at Martinique
School of Dance. Martinique School of Dance was run by Ms. Johnson’s
grandmother and is now run by her mother. During the summer
months, Ms. Johnson studied in New York City at Broadway Dance
Center taking classes under Kate Wildish, Dorit Koppel and Frank
Hatchett. She also studied under Kristin Neubert with the Neubert
Institute of Dance at Carnegie Hall. During the school year
Ms. Johnson studied at Fredericksburg Ballet Center, as well
as at Avery Ballet under Lisa Avery. Ms. Johnson has performed
as a principal dancer in Ballet Petit, a ballet company based
in Richmond, and eventually became the company’s Executive
Producer. Ms. Johnson obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary
Education at Mary Baldwin College. While attending Mary Baldwin
College she studied under Pam McCray of Staunton Academy of
Ballet. Ms. Johnson continued to dance after graduating from
Mary Baldwin College in 2002. Ms. Johnson is versed in Ballet,
Pointe, Jazz, Tap and Lyrical.
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Renata
McLaughlin
Renata McLaughlin has a B.F.A. in dance performance and education
from Towson University and an M.F.A. in dance performance and choreography
from Mills College. She has been teaching dance since 1996. Her
teaching experience includes college dance courses for dance majors
and non-majors, studio classes for ages 3-18, creative movement
and dance for students at an independent K-12 school, after-school
dance programs, and artistic direction of a high school dance team.
She has performed regionally with several Baltimore-based modern
dance companies including Doug Hamby Dance, The Moving Company,
Kinetics Dance Theatre, and The Collective. After settling with
her family in Manassas, Ms. McLaughlin began teaching at Virginia
Dance Center in the fall of 2007.
Elizabeth
Nahser
Elizabeth (Liz) Nahser is a graduate of Mercyhurst College, Cum
Laude, with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and concentrations in performance,
teaching and choreography. While attending Mercyhurst, Ms. Nahser
received academic and dance merit scholarships, the President’s
Award for Excellence in Fine and Performing Arts, and served as
the Artistic Director of the Mercyhurst College Liturgical Dance
Ensemble. Over the past ten years, she has taught and choreographed
at several studios in Georgia, Pennsylvania and Virginia in a wide
variety of styles and techniques.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Ms. Nahser received the majority
of her training at the Metropolitan Ballet Theatre, and also studied
at the American Ballet Theatre and the Cleveland San Jose Ballet.
She has trained under some of the most notable instructors, including
Maniya Barredo, Robert Barnett, Marianna Tcherkassky, Edward Villella,
and Nan Giordano. Ms Nahser’s repertory includes La Bayadere,
Coppelia, Don Quixote, Giselle, A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
Paquita, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake.
Leigh-Anne
Wencker
Leigh-Anne Wencker is so happy to return to Virginia Dance Center,
after three years in New Orleans, Louisiana. In New Orleans, Ms.
Wencker continued teaching dance, and worked closely with competition
soloists. She is proud to have coached many national title winners,
as well as two state winners in Dance Masters of America's Miss
Dance competition.
Ms. Wencker earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from Webster
University in St. Louis, Missouri. Her performing experience includes
three Broadway shows (Crazy For You, Steel Pier, and Beauty and
the Beast), many national tours and regional productions, as well
as numerous appearances as a Radio City Rockette. She has trained
extensively in the style of Bob Fosse, working with Gwen Verdon,
Ann Reinking, Chet Walker, and Bill Hastings. Ms. Wencker has
taught ballet, tap, jazz, and theater dance at private studios,
high schools, universities, dance conventions, and workshops across
the U.S. She has also judged many regional and national dance
competitions.
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