Eve Holmes Varner began her dance training at the Edna Lee Dance Studio in Linthicum, MD where she studied ballet, tap, and jazz for 11 years as a student of Ashley Canterna Hardy and Mary Moran. Eve attended Goucher College as a Rosenberg Scholar and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Dance Performance as an advisee of Elizabeth Ahearn. As a member of the Goucher Repertory Dance Ensemble, Eve appeared in works by Balanchine, Susan Jaffe, Jessica Lang, Amy Seiwert, Zippora Karz, and Brian Reeder among others. Her senior year culminated in her dancing abroad at the prestigious arts conservatory, Taipei National University of the Arts, in Taipei, Taiwan. Upon graduation Eve danced professionally with Ballet Theatre of Maryland for three seasons where she enjoyed such roles as Snow Queen in The Nutcracker and Diamond Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty and then danced for three seasons with Bowen McCauley Dance Company. One of greatest joys has been and continues to be teaching and choreographing for all levels of ballet and pointe technique for the last twelve years throughout the state of Maryland.

Jodi began dancing at the age of 5, training with Talent Machine Company, Edna Lee Dance Studio, and later went on to major in Dance at Point Park College. After graduating, she moved to New York and was blessed to perform all over the country and world! Some of her favorite performing credits include the International Tour of Grease, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Singin’ in the Rain, Beauty and the Beast, and West Side Story. Additionally, her work as a choreographer and producer has spanned from L.A. to NYC and everywhere in between. She currently serves as the residential choreographer for the United States Naval Academy.

Maggie Kudirka began dancing at age four and later studied the Vaganova syllabus with Olga Tozyiakova, Svetlana Kravtsova, and Vadim Pijicov in her hometown of Ellicott City, Maryland. She graduated magna cum laude from Towson University where she performed principal roles in Swan Lake, Giselle, and Paquita. She danced professionally with Ballet ADI under the direction of Runqiao Du dancing principal classical roles in addition to creating numerous contemporary roles. Her many awards include the $5,000 Rising Star Award for Emerging Performing Artists, a silver medal from the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Philadelphia Competition, finalist at YAGP New York nationals, and full merit scholarships to the Joffrey summer intensive and ballet trainee programs. In 2013, she joined the Joffrey Concert Group where she worked with legendary ballerina Francesca Corkle and danced featured roles in works by Gerald Arpino, Donald Byrd, Larry Keigwin, Shawn Hounsell, Africa Guzman, and Davis Robertson.

In June 2014, just as Maggie’s career was about to begin, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) at age 23. A few weeks later, she launched the Bald Ballerina Facebook page to share her cancer journey and to raise awareness that MBC can also strike fit young women with a healthy lifestyle and no genetic redisposition. Bald Ballerina has since grown into a social media movement with followers from over 40 different countries. Her story has appeared in TODAY.com, People.com, Vogue.com, Glamour.com, Shape, Dance Spirit Magazine and many others. A feature story created by WBAL-TV in Baltimore was broadcast by NBC affiliates across the USA and she was featured in a story by Tom Costello for NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Maggie was the subject of Glamour’s video Every Scar Tells a Story which won a 2017 Webby award. In October 2019, Allure.com created a video about Maggie’s life. In March 2022, Maggie was honored to appear on the Tamron Hall Show.

Despite her disease and intense medical treatment, Maggie found a way to return to dance with the added purpose of being an inspiration to others. Most recently, Maggie portrayed herself and was the choreographer for the virtual reality film “The 100%” which was nominated for a 2019 Emmy Award and won the 2019 Tribeca X Award. Maggie was thrilled to model in the last three annual #Cancerland x AnaOno Intimates fashion shows at New York Fashion Week where she walked the entire runway en pointe.

Maggie is a board member of The Pink agenda where she serves on the education and Washington DC committees. Maggie’s advocacy work includes Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Amgen, Seagen, and the Dancers Care Foundation where she created the Angels and Phoenix programs. In 2016, Maggie spoke on Capitol Hill about her disease. She was the Keynote Speaker at the 2018 annual meeting of Novartis Sales Representatives in Dallas TX and has worked with Novartis since 2018 as its ambassador for the #KissThis4MBC campaign, appearing in its social media as well as in Refinery 29 and Shape and People magazines. Maggie now shares her life’s journey and talent to teach young dancers about perseverance and passion. @BaldBallerina and her website www.BaldBallerina.org.

Brandt has been part of several original Broadway casts in the last decade including Moulin Rouge The Musical, Aladdin The Musical, Fiddler on the Roof, and Natasha Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812. Brandt has been part of many pre Broadway workshops including Beatle Juice The Musical, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and many more….TV appearances include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Affair, and The Last OG. He also has had the opportunity to tour the country as Samuel Seabury in Broadway’s hit show Hamilton An American Musical. Brandt is thrilled to be getting into the studio to work with the many young aspiring performers that study at AMAD!

Mary Moran is a member of the MID-ATLANTIC DANCE MASTERS where she served on the board of directors for over 20 years and was president of the Chapter 2007 – 2009. Originally from the Mid-Atlantic area, Mary spent 17 years in New York, professionally dancing in Dinner Theaters, touring with Theater For Young Audiences, commercial modeling and movie extra work. Mary joined the cast of 1980’s production of 42ND STREET as the swing and stand in dance captain. Upon returning to the Baltimore area in 1994, Mary managed and eventually took over the ownership of the EDNA LEE DANCE STUDIO from 2000 to 2022.

Mary has enjoyed choreographing for her students, winning numerous awards through the various competitions; and judging at the regional and national levels. Now semi-retired, she is excited to be a part of Artistic Movement Academy of Dance.

Wendy Huff loves to teach dance! Her enthusiasm and hard work encourage her students to grow, as dancers and as people. A National member of Dance Master’s of America for more than 25 years, Wendy has taught master classes, won many awards for her choreography, and is nationally certified by exam to teach ballet, tap and jazz. Wendy was the first recipient of the Rudy Bachna national scholarship, to continue her dance studies post-graduate. Her students have also won many regional and National awards. Wendy was recently asked to choreograph the opening number for the Petite and Junior Miss Pageant for the Mid-Atlantic Dance Master’s, Chapter 17. A lifelong learner, Wendy continues to study. She was awarded a scholarship to Princeton Theological Seminary, where she graduated from the Youth Ministry and Theology certification program. Wendy is excited to be teaching several Tap classes for the Artistic Movement Academy of Dance.

Deborah Engerman trained under Wally Saunders in Pikesville, Maryland from 1977 to 1979, and with the Baltimore Ballet School (formerly the Maryland Ballet School), under the direction of Wendy Robinson, from 1979 to 1986 in the the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) tradition. Her classical studies also include training with Petrus Bosman, David Keener, and Christine Henessy at National Academy of the Arts and Virginia School of the Arts. While pursuing her bachelor of arts in International Policy and Management studies at Dickinson College, from 1986 to 1990, she continued her study of classical ballet with the teachers of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Her dance training includes Vaganova technique, French methodology, Martha Graham technique, and the dance eduction program at Towson University. She has staged ballets including The Nutcracker and Swan Lake Act II.

For over three decades, dancers under Mrs Engerman's tutelage have gone on to earn professional contracts and danced with companies American Ballet Theater, Ballet Inc., Ballet West II, Boston Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Nashville Ballet, Texture Ballet, Universal Ballet, the Vienna Opera Ballet, and on broadway. She has also coached dancers for numerous international ballet companions, such as the Prix de Lausanne, the Varna International Ballet Competition, and Youth America Grand Prix. Her student, Adrienne Canterna, took the Junior Gold Medal at eh 1998 Jackson USA International Ballet Companion.

Nastasia (Tash) Vasconcells grew up dancing at Edna Lee Dance Studio since she was three years old and has taught at ELDS since 2016. Nastasia performed in numerous productions of The Nutcracker with ELDS/Maryland Festival Ballet, in the roles of Clara, Snow Queen, Dew Drop Fairy, and Arabian. In 2012, she danced the role of Alice in the Maryland Festival Ballet production of Alice in Wonderland. In 2014, Nastasia was honored to be chosen as Miss Dance of Mid-Atlantic Dance Masters, Chapter 17. Nastasia attended numerous ballet intensive programs with the Gelsey Kirkland Academy, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Joffrey Ballet, ABT, and the Kirov Academy. She also worked as a dance model for Curtain Call Costumes for many years. In high school, Nastasia received Maryland All-State and All-County Dancer awards, was Captain of the North County Dance Company, and was a member of the National Dance Honor Society. In 2015-2016, Nastasia attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts to study dance performance with a ballet concentration under the direction of Susan Jaffe (ABT). She earned an Associate’s degree from CCBC in 2017 and a Bachelor’s degree from UMBC in 2019.

Kara began dancing as soon as she could walk at the Patricia Kelbaugh Dance Studio, her grandmother’s dance studio, where her mother, Wendy Huff, was her first dance teacher. She trained with both her mother and grandmother for many years. She began training with Ashley Canterna-Hardy and at Edna Lee Dance studio at the age of 5 until she graduated from Edna Lee Dance Studio. She also trained extensively with Troy D. Brown and the Art of Technique for many years. Kara is trained in ballet, pointe, tap, lyrical/contemporary, jazz, musical theater, and hip hop. She has performed in many concerts and has had soloist roles in the Maryland Festival Ballet Nutcracker such as Arabian soloist and Mouse King, and a guest artist as the Snow Queen and Sugar Plum Fairy in other shows. Kara was also award the title of Miss Poolesville in 2016. In continuing her education as a dancer, she received a scholarship to attended the Dance Masters of America’s Student Honors Intensive Program twice and attended many other summer intensives.

Recently, Kara received the El & Bernice Warner full Scholarship, to attend Dance Masters of America’s Teachers Training School, to continue her education as a dance teacher and will be certified through DMA. She is also currently working on her certification through Acrobatic Arts. She was honored this year to receive choreography awards and other outstanding recognition for her choreography. Kara loves sharing her love of dance as a dance teacher, choreographer, and performer.

Kaylie Gonzalez received her dance training at Edna Lee Dance Studio. She is trained in ballet, lyrical, jazz, contemporary, pointe, and acro. She is also a certified Acrobatic Arts teacher. Kaylie is currently a Dance and Choreography major as a student at Towson University. She has performed in numerous dance concerts such as the Bald Ballerina Benefit concert, Sweetbird Productions, and the Maryland Festival Ballet where she has performed many soloist/principal roles. In 2019, she was crowned Miss Dance of Chapter 17 under the Dance Masters of American organization and continued on as a top ten finalist at the national event. Kaylie is currently enjoying teaching at Artistic Movement Academy of Dance and Maryland Festival Ballet intensive, assisting the competitive dance team, and furthering her training in this industry.

Caitlyn Haslam began her dance training at Arts N Motion in Odenton, Maryland at the age of 6, before training at Edna Lee Dance Studio throughout high school. Caitlyn is trained in Ballet (including the Cecchetti Method up to level 3), Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Musical Theatre, Contemporary and Pointe.

While attending Anne Arundel County Public Schools Caitlyn was a three time Maryland All-State Dancer and All County Nominee. Caitlyn also choreographed several pieces for her high school dance company and AACPS Elementary and High School Festivals. Caitlyn was also a member of the National Honor Society of Dance Arts. Caitlyn has performed in several dance concerts including the “No One Can Survive Alone Benefit” for the Bald Ballerina” and “Dancing for a Cure Benefit for Pediatric Cancer Research”. She has also performed several solo/principal roles with Maryland Festival Ballet.

In 2017, Caitlyn fully produced and performed in her own benefit concert raising funds for Operation Enduring Warrior. Then in 2018, Caitlyn was awarded the honor of Teen Miss Dance Chapter 17 through Dance Masters of America where she also attended the Student Honors Intensive Program in Buffalo, NY. Caitlyn also spent two summers attending the Radio City Rockette’s Summer Intensive.

In addition to teaching at Edna Lee Dance Studio for the past three seasons, she has also taught at the Maryland Festival Ballet Summer Intensive for two years in a row. This year she also was a guest ballet teacher at Level Dance Project’s Summer Intensive. Caitlyn has also had the honor to intern with Adrienne Canterna at the Sweetbird Productions Summer Intensive for the past two years.

Currently Caitlyn is studying at Towson University as a Dance Choreography and Performance Major with a concentration in K-12 Education where she is the First Year Student Advisor for the 2022 Freshmen Dance Majors and the Student Representative for the class of 2024.

Abigail Carter has been a dancer since the age of 5. Her training started at Edna Lee dance studio and by the time she was 11 years old she moved on to the Washington school of ballet on an almost full scholarship. She also studied at City Dance Conservatory on a full scholarship and now performs with Charm City Ballet.

Abigail began teaching at 15. Currently she teaches a range of dancers from 3 years old to 15 years old in ballet, lyrical, and jazz.

Abigail is currently a full time college student studying dance and the body, with the goal of becoming a physical therapist for dancers and teaching her students correct alignment to keep their bodies safe and strong.