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Meet Our Team
Miss Shay
CEO & Artistic Director
Miss Shay
CEO & Artistic Director
Miss Shay is the CEO and Artistic Director of Shay Fierce Dance Academy. Miss Shay is a dancer, choreographer and teacher trained in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop and African. She was a dance major in the VPA program at Suitland High School, and graduated Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Criminology. Miss Shay specializes in multiple technical forms of dance, specifically Ballet, Modern, and Jazz. Over the years, Miss Shay trained at Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey, and Philadanco; and performed in works choreographed by Christopher Huggins, Earl Mosley and Larry Keigwin, among others.
Miss Shay has been teaching dance at local summer dance camps, community centers and dance studios. After serving as the Artistic Director at her previous dance studio, establishing an award-winning competition team, and creating, promoting, and enhancing a structured dance program at her former employer’s studio, Miss Shay decided it was time to use her skills in dance production, business management, and law to start her own studio. Miss Shay teaches to educate dancers of all ages and their families on the dynamic discipline of dance as a performing art and how it breeds a lifetime of success for everything.
Along with developing each dancer’s technical form, Miss Shay strives to enrich students with a well- rounded foundation to dance and inspire them to use their discipline in dance to achieve their dreams. As a hard worker, balancing two careers, she started her own dance studio to provide proper dance training and education to adolescents.
Miss Shaneka
Operations Manager & Executive Assistant of Fierce Force Competition Team
Miss Shaneka has been dancing since she was 4 years old. She began her dance training at Palmer Park Community Center, Dancemakers, and Structures Performing Arts Academy. Miss Shaneka trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Modern. Her favorite style of dance is Modern. She has performed in various recitals, dance competitions, and parades as a marching band dancer.
Miss Shaneka graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Morgan State University and a Masters in School Counseling from Trinity University. Miss Shaneka is a Professional School Counselor for Prince George's County Public Schools and serves as the Operations Manager of Shay Fierce Dance Academy.
Miss Leni
Assistant Director of Fierce Force Competition Team, Instructor & Choreographer
Miss Leni trained at Structure's Performing Arts Academy in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, and Hip Hop since the age of 10. She danced with the Eleanor Roosevelt Dance Company, and in her final year she served as the captain. She performed in various dance competitions and recitals during her training years.
She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland College Park. While in college, she trained in Ballet and Gymnastics. She then went on to obtain her Masters in Physician Assistant studies. She utilizes her Kinesiology degree to help dancers understand the anatomy and physiology of their bodies and biomechanics of their movements.
Miss Leni currently works as a Primary Care Provider by day and a dance instructor and Assistant Director by night.
Miss Coco
Office Staff, Instructor & Choreographer
Miss Coco is originally from New Orleans where she gained her interest in dance from the neighborhood girls around the age of 7. She moved to the DMV after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, where she attended school in Virginia.
Miss Coco loved to dance throughout middle and high school where she created her own school dance team in the 8th Grade, which led to cheerleading and modeling. After high school, Miss Coco begin training in Hip-Hop, Heels, Jazz, Ballet & Beat Ya Feet with honorable choreographers in the industry like Sean Bankhead, KiKi and Sakinah, KK Harris, Queen P the Brand and Chris Grant.
After years of training, she has been blessed to be a background dancer for various artist like iHeartMemphis, Bryson Tiller, and Master P. Miss Coco has performed at music festivals, the BET Awards, and Toured with Master P and the No Limit crew.
Miss Coco loves to choreograph more than anything. That is what she fell in love with the most while dancing as a young girl in the neighborhood. Currently, she is a Middle School Dance Teacher in DC during the day and serves as a Studio Manager, Teacher and Choreographer at night.
Mrs. Sheri
Instructor & Choreographer
Mrs. Sheri began her dance training at the age of seven studying Ballet, Tap, Modern and Jazz. She carried this passion for the Arts with her to Duke Ellington School of the Arts under the direction of Lynn B. Welters and Sandra Fortune. During her tenure at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, she was an Honor Student, Vice President of the Dance Department, as well as a member of the DESA Performance Troupe which traveled to such places as China, Russia and The Netherlands. Upon Graduation, Mrs. Sheri attended Suny Purchase with a concentration in Classical Ballet and Dance Education. She finished her Dance studies at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre/Tisch School of the Arts where she worked with various artists from distinguished companies such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Philadanco, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Bill T. Jones, Complexions and Freddie Moore’s “Footprints” Dance Company.
Mrs. Sheri spent the past 26 years as a successful Teacher and Choreographer. She received extensive credit for her work and contributions to the community teaching and choreographing for such venues as the National Dance Festival, Russel Simmons Hip Hop Fashion Show, National Cherry Blossom Festival, Chocolate Nutcracker, America’s Got Talent and more. Mrs. Sheri has received 33 choreography awards and 7 “Technical Excellence” Awards at local and national dance competitions across the country. Former students have gone on to perform with such venues as Kirov Ballet Academy, Susan Farrell, Rock School of Ballet, Cirque du Soleil, Philadanco, Philadanco II, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Ailey II, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, National Stage Musicals (Wicked, Guys and Dolls, The Wiz, Hamilton, Kinky Boots and Cabaret), Hope Boykin, Atlanta Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ronald K. Brown, San Francisco Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Commercially with top earning Performance Artists. Additionally, Former students have also gone on to secure dance positions on staff at Howard University, Bishop McNamara and Virginia Commonwealth University as well as dance studios local and abroad.
Mrs. Sheri currently teaches, choreographs and serves as a Judge at several local studios, Commercial Projects, and Competitions. In 2021, she created a Production Company, that serves as vision and vessel for Music and Performing Artists. It is Mrs. Sheri’s belief that there is no greater gift than the accomplishment of training, mentoring, and encouraging some of the most talented children and adults in the Metropolitan area and watching them also follow their dreams.
Miss Nyah
Instructor & Choreographer
Miss Nyah started dancing when she was 3-years-old. From age 5 or 6 to age 12, she danced competitively. After, she danced periodically until she attended Morgan State University, where she began her journey as a band dancer. Since then, she graduated from Morgan State University with a ....,
Miss Nyah consistently takes classes 1-2 times a week to continue feeding her love for dance, keeping herself agile, and increasing her learning ability and memory retention skills.
Miss Nyah's strengths include technical training, musicality identification, modern movement, and emotional evocation. Together, those elements help dancers understand what the music is doing, what it’s about to do, and how they can prepare their minds & bodies to be on one accord to convey the emotions that are intended for their target audience to receive. She looks forward to what each year has to bring and is equally excited to teach the young ones, and see what they teach her.
Miss Phoebe
Instructor & Choreographer
Miss Phoebe has been dancing for 16 years and choreographing for 5 years. She is now choreographing professionally around different companies and studios. Miss Phoebe is trained all styles, specially in acrobatics and broadway, but specializes in Fosse’ Jazz and Contemporary. Miss Phoebe has been in the Competition realm for 13 years as a dancer, and most recently as a Judge. She has received multiple dance awards and scholarships.
Miss Phoebe teaches and judges on a professional level. She graduated from Anne Arundel Community College with an Associates in Dance Education and Modern, and danced on the collegiate dance team. She is currently a licensed Esthetician and teaches Esthetics to aspiring estheticians.
She is thrilled to be working with the studio and hopes to provide a welcoming and supportive atmosphere for all dancers.
Miss Sydney
Instructor & Choreographer
Coming Soon ...
Mr. Mickey
Instructor & Choreographer
Mr. Mickey is a 2024 graduate of Towson University with a BFA in Dance Performance & Choreography. He started his training at C&C Dance Company, training specifically in acrobatics and contortion for 3 years prior to attending Towson University. At Towson University, he performed in multiple Towson Dance Company shows as well as numerous Senior Seminar and Dance Major Performance Project concerts. He is a former company member of VTDance2, a modern dance company founded by Vincent Thomas, where he performed and led masterclasses for 3 years.
He currently teaches at various studios in Maryland, teaching
Acrobatics, Contemporary, Competition Technique, Jumps, Leaps, and Turns, and Adult Technique classes.He is also certified in Module #1 of both Acrobatic Arts and Alixia Flexibility. He has previously traveled with the JUNTOS Collective to Guatemala, where he participated in developing lesson
plans while also teaching and performing around the cities of Xela and Antigua.
Mr. Mickey is focused on community outreach in areas where dance is under-appreciated, and continuing to teach and choreograph.
Mr. Mychal
Instructor & Choreographer
Hailing from Sumter, SC, Mr. Mychal began his dance training under Nancy D. Pinckney at North Carolina Central University, where he acquired an immense love for dance, exploring a myriad of styles and concentrations in the process. Mr. Mychal is experienced in the styles of jazz, ballet, and hip-hop, but has a focus in Horton technique and contemporary movement. Previously a dancer with Koffee Dance Company, Mr. Mychal has participated in the American Dance Festival as a recipient of the Fox Family Foundation Scholarship.
He has performed with Charles Anderson, Chuck “Baba Chuck” Davis, ShaLeigh Dance works, and been a guest artist for both Festival Ballet Virginia and Ravel Dance Studio. Mr. Mychal has previously been an instructor at Wheaton Studio of Dance, and set pieces for N’Ferno Dance as well as all of the studios he is currently an instructor at. He currently works as an instructor at Elite Formation Studio of Dance, Ravel Dance Studio, and Greater Washington Dance Center. With a background in athletics, Mychal uses dynamism and rigor to create powerful, technical, and exhilarating dance and dancers.
Mrs. Gisel
Office Staff
Mrs. Gisel is from Managua Nicaragua, land of lakes and volcanoes. She is new to the dance world and the SFDA family but enjoys children and working with families. She likes to cook new recipes and loves spending time with her children. She also enjoys reading when she has time and hiking. She has a beautiful family of a husband and two wonderful children, a girl and boy who are her life.
Mrs. Gisel works in the front office and speaks Spanish as a primary language with English as her second language.
Miss Alexis
Office Staff
Coming Soon ...