Our Faculty
Faulkner's faculty are well known locally for sharing their knowledge of dance and gymnastics with their students. Some of their faculty have been teaching for over 25 years. The faculty regularly attends dance and gymnastic workshops locally and throughout the country to keep up with the latest trends. Faulkner's continues to be a member of Dance Educators of America after 30 years. Faulkner's also are members of USA Gymnastics and Are USA Gymnastic Club Members. All of its gymnastics staff are safety certified.
Faulkner's continues to be a member of Dance Educators of America after 30 years, member of USA Gymnastics, members of the National Clogging Hall of Fame Organization and the NC Clogging Council. Faulkner's gymnastics are Safety Certified, First Aid and CPR certified.
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or clear filters | Sue Faulkner: Director and Owner at Faulkner's. Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from Ohio University. Sue has been a member and certified by Dance Educators of America for over 25 years. Began training over 48 years ago and her specialty remains in tap, gymnastics and preschool classes along with Jazz, Lithurgical, Ballet & Adult Tapperercise. Director of Tap & Preschool Classes along with teaching Jazz, Ballet, Lithurigical and Gymnastics at Faulkner's. |
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 | Mike Faulkner: Director & Owner at Faulkner's. Retired Orange County school teacher for over 24 years. Holds a Master's Degree in Asian and European Studies from Ohio University. Director of Front Office & Operations at Faulkner's. |
 | Mich Faulkner: Co Owner and Assistant Director of Faulkner's. Bachelor of Science degree from Barton College. Dancer and Choreographer at Faulkner's with a specialty in Hip-Hop, Breakdancing, Gymnastics, Jazz & Clogging. Competed for over 20 years. Appeared in the movie Henry's Decision on Showtime. Mich is a former member of the Carolina Heartland Cloggers and is a member of the National Clogging Organization, North Carolina Clogging Association & America's Clogging Hall of Fame Organization. Mich is a member of the United States Gymnastics Association and is safety certified. He also is Agent/Public Relations for Nene Musik Talent Agency. Currently is Director of Clogging and the Boy's Program along with teaching Hip-Hop, Break Dancing, Jazz, Gymnastics, Adult Classes and Clogging at Faulkner's. |
 | Holly Pennell Rizo: General Manager and Director of Gymnastics. Bachelor Degree in International Studies from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Former Level 10 gymnast. Competed in National competitions with former 1996 Olympic Team members Shannon Miller and Dominique Dawes. Member of the Charlotte All-Stars national Championship Cheerleading Squad - 1993; UNC Club Gymnastics President (2001) and UNC Club Gymnastics member and competitor for 4 years. Holly is a member of the United States Gymnastics Association and is safety certified. Began teaching at Faulkner's in 2001. Currently is Director of Gymnastics and General Manager at Faulkner's. |
 | Dru Davis: BA Degree in Sports Management with a concentration in Business from North Carolina State University (NCSU). Former NCSU Gymnastics Team Member from 2005-2009 with a full Gymnastics scholarship. Level 10 Gymnast as well as a Level 10 National Qualifier in 1999, 2004 and 2005. Former North Carolina State University Gymnastic Camp Intern, Coach and Camp Instructor from 2006 - 2008. Volunteer for the Wheel Chair basketball. Extremely experienced with people with disabilities. Has coached numerous kids from 4 years old to Adult in recreational and competitive Gymnastics. Currently is Assistant Director of Gymnastics at Faulkner's. |
 | Nina Bass: Graduate of North Carolina School of the Arts where she trained under the direction of Nina Danilova, Melissa Hayden, and Frank Smith. She began her training at Greensboro Ballet with Maryhelen Mayfield, John Dennis and Elissa Fuchs. Nina has spent summers at the Boston Ballet and Richmond Ballet. As an NCSA alumni, Nina spent two summers with Rick McCullough for the Manteo Summer Festival, performing at Roanoke Island. She is currently a professional dancer with the Greensboro Ballet and also teaches in their school. Currently is the Director of Ballet at Faulkner's. |
 | Christine Gardenhire: Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications with a focus in Speech and Hearing from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Since 2005 has been president, Public Relations Chair, Choreographer and Dance/Performer of Blank Canvas Dance Company at UNC-Chapel Hill, former principal dancer in Ira David Wood III's A Christmas Carol, Broadway Dance Project "Gypsy" Performing Company. Attended and has performed for the NC Theatre Art School, Raleigh Little Theatre, Theatre in the Park and the NC Theatre. Trained in Voice by Allison Lawrence, Was a member of the Junior and Senior Cary Dance Productions Company. Former competitive dancer for over 15 years in Tap, Jazz, Voice, Drama, Ballet, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Theatre and Pointe. Specializes in Tap, Jazz and Pointe. Continues to dance at Broadway Dance Project to stay up to date with the latest trends in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern and theatrical. Currently is the Faulkner's Dance Company Director and also teaches Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet and Preschool Classes at Faulkner's. |
 | Tiffany Hinesley: Currently attends the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and is a Exercise Science major and is a Varsity Cheerleader at UNC. Tiffany is a member of the United States Gymnastics Association and safety certified. She also is CPR and First Aid certified. She spent her first two years of college at University of North Carolina Charlotte (UNCC) as a Kinesiology major. While at UNCC she was a NCAA All-American on the Small Co-Ed squad. The squad placed 3rd at the NCA Nationals held in Daytona Beach, Florida in 2007. Tiffany has be a gymnast since she was 6 years old. She competed through level 8 and started coaching beginners through level 7 in 2003. After completing her undergraduate degree she plans to pursue an education in Physical Therapy. Currently is Director of Cheerleading and is a Gymnastics Coach at Faulkner's. |
 | Candace Reid: Bachelor Degree in Bio-Chemistry from Shaw University. She currently is attending UNC Chapel Hill to receive her Master's Degree. Has danced for 17 years and auditioned and was accepted to attend Talent Unlimited High School in New York City where she performed with numerous dance companies throughout the country. National Dance Competitor. Candace choreographed the dance "Lose Control" which was performed on BET's Television Show 106 & Park on Wednesday April 12th 2006 for "Wild Out Wednesday". She has taught dance since she was 15. Currently is Director of Hip Hop and also teaches all types of Dance at Faulkner's. |
 | Allison West (Ayperi): Has been dancing since age 4. She started at the Betty Smith School of Dance in Hampton Virginia with Ballet and Jazz. During High School, she danced here at Faulkners for 2 years. Most recently she has studied under some of the most famous Belly Dancers in the World; Eva Cernik(Turkish, Egyptian) Shazadee(Middle Eastern),Ava Fleming and Aradia (Lebanese). Allison was a member of the Colorful Waves Dance Troupe and performed for 3 years at the NC Renaissance Faire. Last year she participated in the International Belly Dance Convention in Las Vegas. She has learned various styles of Belly dancing; tribal, oriental, gypsy, Arabic from these various artists. Ayperi performs every Friday Evening at the Marrakesh in Raleigh. Currently directs the Belly Dancing Program at Faulkner's. |
 | Rizo: Rizo better known as the "Latino Superstar" has been dancing Salsa, Meringue, Cha Cha, Rumba and Tango for several years. He is from the country of Ecuador in South America. Rizo speaks Spanish and English fluently. Currently is the director of Latin Dances that include Salsa, Meringue, Cha Cha, Rumba and Tango along with being a Spanish Interpreter and Spanish Teacher at Faulkner's. |
 | Dr. Sandra Cotton, Mezzo-Soprano: Is Adjunct Assistant Professor of the Practice of Music at Duke University,where she teaches private voice, class voice, diction, and musical theater performance. She received the Master of Music and Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she performed roles including Ma Moss (The Tender Land), the Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Mallika (Lakme), and Mrs. McLean (Susannah). Since moving to Durham in 2007, Dr. Cotton has performed regularly with Capital Opera of Raleigh as Hansel in their outreach program of Hansel and Gretel and adjudicated for Long Leaf Opera and the Durham Music Teachers Association. An avid recitalist, she also appeared in recent years offering programs for the Eastern Music Festival, Greensboro Opera, Wake Forest University's Irish Festival, Cornell University for the James Joyce Conference, and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Recent Master-Classes include Szymanski Studios and the UNC Pembroke. Currently is the Director of Voice & Diction at Faulkner's. Dr. Cotton will begin teaching ages 16 - Adults beginning in June 2009 and Jenny Woodruff who currently teaches Voice & Diction at Faulkner's will be teaching ages 6-16 years old along with the rest of Dr.Cotton's staff. |
 | Kimberly Shealy Philpott: Kimberly Shealy Philpott will join the staff at Faulkner's in Fall 2009 as a voice teacher, piano teacher, and choir director. Ms. Philpott earned a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from UNC Greensboro and a Bachelor of Music Education from Lander University in Greenwood, S.C., where she graduated summa cum laude. Ms. Philpott is an active freelance accompanist in the area and is on the piano and voice faculty at the Cary School of Music in Cary, N.C. and at Infuzion school of music and arts in Durham, N.C. She currently is director of music at Epworth United Methodist Church in Durham. Performances include Susanna in scenes from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, La Suora Zelatrice in Puccini's Suor Angelica, and Philia in Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and John Harbison's Mirabai Songs. In South Carolina, she performed with the Abbeville Opera House and was musical director for Greenwood Community Theater. Currently is Assistant Director for Voice, piano and Choir at Faulkner's. |
 | Dr. Debra Bell:
Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Debra received her Doctor of Chiropractic at Life University by graduating Magna Cum Laude. Debra is a member of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association and the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. Debra has an extensive background in Sports Injuries and Exercise Physiology. She currently is the Director of Whole Family Chiropractic in Cary, North Carolina. Debra is a former member and president of the UNC Gymnastic Club. Debra was a class 1 gymnast which in todays gymnastic format is considered a Level 10. She has taught at Faulkner's for over 5 years. She has competed in several National Gymnastic Competitions around the country. Debra is Safety Certified. Currently is the Director of Sports Medicine as well as a gymnastics coach at Faulkner's.
You may visit her site at: www.wholefamilyofcary.com |
 | Miranda Hucks: Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with a minor in History at Mars Hill College in Mars Hill, North Carolina. Member of the National title winning team "Bailey Mountain Cloggers" and also a member of the Mars Hill College Dance Team. Recently performed in the World Folkdance Festival in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Member of 2003 All-American Clogging Team. Has been clogging competitively for over 14 years and is considered one of today's most recognized performers and choreographers on the east coast. Currently is Clogging Consultant and Choreographer at Faulkner's. |
 | Jason Thomas: Currently is the owner of Alamance Black Belt Academy. He currently has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, Black Belt in Tae Know Do and a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He also specializes in Cage Fighting. Currently is the director of Martial Arts with a focus in Tae Kwon Do, Little Ninjas, Kickboxing, Self Defense and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Faulkner's. You may visit his website at: www.alamanceblackbelt.com |
 | Rafa Parra: Rafa is Assistant to Jason Thomas. Rafa specializes in all types of martial arts like his partner Jason. You may visit his website at: www.alamanceblackbelt.com |
 | Paula Miller: Bachelor of Science Degree in Mass Media Communications Graduate from Methodist College. Former Faulkner's student for 16 years. Methodist College Collegiate Cheerleader and was a member of the Methodist College Dance Team for4 years with a total of 20 years dance experience. She has competed nationally on the collegiate level. Currently teaches Jazz, Hip-Hop, Cheerleading, Adult Classes and Lyrical at Faulkner's. |
 | Lara Rectenland: B.A., Summa Cum Laude, History and Political Science from Baldwin-Wallace College. Dancer at Balwin College and choreographer at dance concert auditions. HAs won numerous group and individual awards at national dance competitions which include Miss Starquest 2000 and won the Talent Award "Miss Dance of Pennsylvania" from Dance Masters of America Ch. 10. Specializes in Modern, Lyrical, Ballet, Pointe, Jazz and Tap. Taught for 4 years at Barb's School of Dance, Taught at Sandra Lynn's School of Dance Summer Program in 1997, Point Park College Summer Dance Program in 1998, Southwest Ballet Academy Summer Ballet Program in 1999 and Vagonava Summer School in 2000. Currently teaches Lyrical, Jazz, Modern, Ballet, Pointe and Tap at Faulkner's. |
 | Roshelle Wilder: North Carolina Central University to purse her career in obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Has been an accomplished dancer and choreographer for 18 years. Started dancing at the age of four at Katherine Barnett School of Dance in Red Bank, NJ. She specializes in Jazz, Liturgical and Hip Hop and Modern. Once she reached high school she became the founder/choreographer of a step team known as the Red Bank Catholic H.S. Step Team. Was a member of her high schools dance program. Roshelle choreographed a senior piece and taught it to younger students within the dance department for the final show "Dance Around the World". After graduating high school, she took Latin dance classes in the summer in order to learn the Tango, Rumba, and Salsa to become well rounded in every aspect of dance. She has recently choreographed as well as performed a solo piece for the dance show "Turbulent Waters" in the B.N Duke Auditorium on NCCU's camp us and at the North Carolina Association for Dance Educators. Currently teaches modern, jazz, liturgical and hip hop at Faulkner's. |
 | Lisa Bistreich: Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Master of Science Degree in Communication from North Carolina State University. Lisa is a former competitive gymnast and past member and Vice President of the UNC club gymnastics team. She also is a former United States Gymnastics Association Judge (Judged Levels 2 through 8). She has coached for more than 15 years and taught at Faulkner's from 1998 - 2000 and from 2006 - present. Currently teaches Gymnastics at Faulkner's. |
 | Greg Andrews:
Founder and President of THD Construction, Inc and THD Reality. THD Construction is in its 13th year in Efland. Greg is an Unlimited Licensed Building Contractor for Residential and Commercial building. Greg's wife Shannon Andrews is a licensed Real Estate Broker. THD Contruction was recently featured on The Savvy Homebuyer, a program regularly airing on CBS Television. Currently is Director of Prop Design, Sponsorship, Coordination and Consulting at Faulkner's.
Check out THD Construction at: www.thdconstruction.com |
 | Scott Wicker: Scott graduated from NC State in 2007 as the Valedictorian in his class. He received a BA in Computer Science (Summa Cum Laude). Scott currently is a website designer and developer with over 5 years experience in the field. He does all styles and formats for developing websites. Placed first in the state for website design a few years ago. Scott is married to a former dancer of Faulkner's Christy (Williams) Wicker. Currently is the Director of Website Design, Management and Consulting at Faulkner's. |
 | Jason Samuels Smith:
Jason is a NYC native and Emmy & American Choreography Award Winner in Tap. He is considered the next Gregory Hines & Savion Glover. In less than a decade, Jason has emerged as a multi-talent leader in the Art form of Tap. He has been seen on So You Think You Dance as a special guest choreographer, Secret Talent of The Stars on CBS Television (Trained Music Star Mya), been a member of the cast Da' Noise, Bring in Da'Funk. Dean Hargrove's Tap Heat, AMC televisions series Cool Women, Imagine Tap, Chicago, Savion Glover's NYOTs, Soul Possessed with Patti LaBelle. He was the recipient of the Arts International Grant and the Alpert McDowell Fellowship Award and he also received the 2007 Gregory Hines Humanitarian Award. Jason founded tap company A.C.G.I. & JaJa Productions band featuring original jazz-influenced hip-hop music appearances throughout the United States. Jason currently is a visiting tap instructor & consultant at Faulkner's.
To find out more information regarding Jason Samuels Smith please check him out at www.divinerhythmproductions.com |
 | Sue Samuels:
Specializes in Jazz (Broadway Coach, Veteran Performer & Choreographer). Sue has established herself as one of the staples of the performing arts community of today. With over 35 years experience, her expertise is often sought after for mentoring and coaching purposes by professionals and aspiring artist from around the world. Her performance and choreographic credits include Got Tu Go Disco, The Johnny Hallyday Show, The Brazil Export Show, All My Children, Jerry Lewis Telethon, Contemporary Women, Zoom, Dr. Pepper, 7 UP, Wheat Thins, Head & Shoulders, Adidas and Glaxo. Samuels is Co-Founder of Jo Jo's Dance Factory in NYC which later became Broadway Dance Center.Sue continues to travel around the world for master classes. Students & Teachers come to study her unique jazz style. She currently teaches at the Broadway Dance Center (Since 1986). She was trained by Broward Civic Ballet in Florida and performed with the company for six years, also studied in NYC with Madame Swoboda of the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo. Sue currently is a visiting Jazz & Theatre instructor & consultant at Faulkner's.
To find out more information regarding Sue Samuels please check her out at www.divinerhythmproductions.com |
 | Shirley Mansfield: Front Office |
 | Danika Durham: Front Office |