Adjunct Artistic Staff
Ralph Glenmore – Modern Faculty –Ralph Glenmore is a native of Washington DC. He began his studies in the arts at McKinley Technology High School as a Visual Art Major. Joined the DC Youth Chorale under the direction of Edward Jackson and the D.C. Repertory Dance Theater under the direction of Mike Malone. He continued his studies at The Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Howard University, and The Juilliard School. He was a principal dancer with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater under the direction of Alvin Ailey. Touring the world and working with choreographers Alvin Ailey, Donald Mykayle, Talley Beatty, Judith Jamison, Bill T Jones and Arnie Zane, Billy Wilson, Jennifer Mueller, Ulysses Dove, George Faison and John Butler. His Broadway credits include A Chorus Line, Bubblin’ Brown Sugar, Reggae and Bob Fosse’s Dancin’. He has worked as Instructor, Rehearsal Director, Stage Manager and Choreographer with The Lula Washington Dance Theater, The Debbie Allen Dance Academy, The Robinson Project, The Horton Summer Intensive Daytona Community College and The Movement of Agape. He was also Resident Dance Supervisor for Disney’s The Lion King Los Angeles Company. Most recently he has worked with the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, The Dance Institute of Washington, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and is now a professor of Jazz Dance at American University.
Caitlin Granville, BFA – Ballet Faculty – Caitlin Cooley began her dance training in Lawrenceville, Georgia at Chambers Performing Arts and was selected for the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program for Dance in 2003. She continued her training at Shenandoah Conservatory where she received her BFA for Dance Performance in 2008 and Pilates Mat Certification through the Pilates Method Alliance in 2006. After graduating, she performed with Cie Ekileibre, Momentum Dance Theater, and joined Dissonance Dance Theater in Washington, DC under Artistic Director, Shawn Short. She performed with Dissonance Dance Theatre for 5 seasons, becoming a soloist and choreographer’s assistant. Her performance of Short’s solo “Caught” was chosen as Editors Choice winner for Pointe Magazine’s January 2013 Video of the Month contest, and appeared in the April/May 2013 issue. Along with dancing professionally she taught at Adagio Ballet in Arlington, Virginia for 4 years specializing in early years (ages 2.5-6) and Vaganova Ballet Technique to ages 6-18.She relocated to Norfolk, VA in July 2014 and joined Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Virginia Ballet Theatre. Since joining the company she has performed as a soloist for both companies, including VBT’s Paquita, and in TRD’s restaging of Erick Hawkins 1989 “New Moon”. Caitlin is currently teaching at TRDance, Dancespace, and The Gym Downtown. Caitlin will be starting her fourth season with Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Virginia Ballet Theater.
Chris Law, MFA – Hip-Hop – Christopher Law is a Culture Shock D.C. company member, undergraduate alumni and current Graduate Student of UMD College Park. Law has had the pleasure of performing and teaching all over the country and some parts of the world. Though the bulk of his movement extends from training in hip-hop dance, he has also obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree for studies in Modern Dance. He is extremely proud to be an alum of Gymkana and Dynamic Hip-Hop Dance Team. Law is a five-year Culture Shock D.C. company captain veteran and assisted in directing the team’s freestyle medley for the East Coast Dance Concert in 2011. He is one of the founding members of the UpperClassmen dance crew. Additionally, he and his wife, Ama Law, often collaborate as “Project ChArma” to choreograph, teach workshops and battle. Many of his performance appearances include the Culture Shock showcase in Ottawa (Canada), Prelude DMV Competition and Coalescence in Harrisonburg, VA.
May Kesler, MA, MS, MTh, PT Floor Barre – Floor Barre Faculty – With more than 50 years of dance training and 33 years of experience and in-depth physical therapy training, May Kesler has brought her healing touch and expertise in physical and massage therapy and movement dynamics to many people. May graduated from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, School of Physical Therapy, in 1982, and has 29 years of experience as a physical therapist as well as being a licensed massage therapist. She specializes in the integration of manual therapies such as myofascial release, craniosacral therapy, mobilization, trigger point release, somatoemotional release, lymphatic drainage, and visceral manipulation. She adds her more than 50 years of experience as a dancer and her studies in Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais Technique, yoga, and Pilates to her work in exercise and movement re-education. Most recently, she has become the only physical therapist in the USA to become a Certified Zena Rommett Floor-Barre Teacher. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the International Association of Health Care Practitioners and the American Bodyworker Massage Professionals.
Kevin McKwen, MA – African Faculty – A native of Brooklyn New York, Kevin holds an MA Student in Dance Education: Teaching Dance in the Professions at NYU Stienhardt. His dance focus is on African dance techniques from the countries of Mali and Senegal. Kevin is also versed in Afro Cuban, Haitian Folkloric, and various Modern/Contemporary techniques. He is currently the West African dance instructor for the Gloria Eve Performing Arts Foundation Inc, located in Hempstead, New York. When Kevin isn’t dancing, he gives lectures on African Diasporic culture, covering a wide range of topics such as the importance of “Dance Lineage” within the fusion of
Caribbean dances, to the benefits of using traditional West African dance forms in treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Kelly Trevlyn, BA – Contemporary – Kelly began her dance training at an early age at the Rock School West in West Chester, PA studying all styles from classical ballet to hip-hop. She then attended Point Park University and graduated with a BA in dance in 2013. During her time at Point Park, Kelly had the opportunity to perform original works by Sidra Bell, Christopher Huggins, Garfield Lemonius, Ron Tassone, and Patrick Franz, as well as explore her own choreographic ideas. Upon graduating, Kelly joined Dissonance Dance Theatre in Washington, DC as a company member under direction of Shawn Short. Also during her time in DC she performed works with Deviated Theatre under direction of Kimmie and Enoch Chan. In 2014 Kelly joined Brian Sanders’ JUNK, a physical performance troupe in Philadelphia, PA. With JUNK she has toured nationally, performed in annual Fringe festivals, and competed on TruTV’s Fake Off season 2.
Ryan Tuerk, BFA, MFA – Jazz/Contemporary/Ballet Faculty – In 2005, Ryan graduated from the University of the Arts with a BFA in Jazz Dance. While in college he had the pleasure of working with such companies as Koresh, Philadanco and Pennsylvania Ballet. Ryan was a soloist in the 2005 Philadelphia “Live Arts” Fringe Festival dancing in a piece titled, “Patio Plastico” directed by Brian Sanders (Momix Dance). He has also performed with Carnival and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. While Living in Florida, he co-founded (with Hip-Hop Mogul Pablo Malco) a pre-professional Hip-Hop company called “Imputz”. Currently, Ryan dances as a Principal Dancer for Spiritoso Ballet”. Teaching and choreography are his passion; his free time is spent coming up with new and innovative movement combing fundamentals of Jazz dance with the “Vaganova” Ballet Syllabus, and exploring texture, rhythm, and multi-directional flow energy. He is faculty at Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet in Philadelphia. Ryan received his MFA in Dance at Temple University.