BARBARA MORGAN-EAVES
(Program Director, Tap, Jazz, Ballet)

UNC-C and ADF Duke; Barbara has performed in the repertory groups of Bruce Taylor and Daniel Nagrin with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Centre and the American Dancemachine. She has taught in Charlotte and studied free-lance in New York for twenty-five  years. Nineteen of those years she has owned and directed Rhythm Dance Studio, where she developed a Jazz/Tap syllabus for a Children/Teens program. Barbara, as well as her students, is credited with national appearances on Star Search, Dance Fever, Puttin' on the Hits, and other syndicated television shows. She has been recognized on a national level for her championship teams and choreography. .

For years her students and alumni have graced the dance teams of many high schools and universities. They have danced for Carnival and Premier cruise lines and performed in theme parks all around the world.  Some have appeared in Disney films.

Barbara continues to teach children on all levels and to direct advanced classes and competition teams. Widely known for her versatility, Barbara is perceived by many to be a master teacher. She is a member of Dance Educators of America.

LAURA BROWN (Ballet)

Laura is a graduate of UNC-C.  She teaches ballet technique, history, and repertory at Queen's University.  Professionally, she danced with the Tampa Bay Co. in Florida for several years performing The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Carmen and other well known ballets.  She began her teaching career in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System where she was called upon to implement a dance program and syllabus for Northwest School of the Arts.  Laura is a dance prodigy of Delia Neil. 

ANNA DONLAN (Tap, Jazz, Ballet)

Graduated from Appalachian State University summa cum laude with a degree in education.  Anna's twenty-two years of dance have been spiced with seven years performing in competitions, three summers dancing at Broadway Dance Center, and two years studying with Beale Fletcher, North Carolina's tap legend.  Anna's love for dance is superceded only by her love for children.  She has taught in the elementary school systems of Mecklenburg and Union counties.  Currently, she spends her time outside of dance teaching pre-school students and spending time with her family. 

TIFFANY HILLIARD (Tap)

Tiffany started dancing at the age of 9. After winning numerous awards and titles, including the prestigious World Tap Dance Championship, she furthered her education at State University of New York where she received her Bachelor’s of Art degree in Dance.

Tiffany has had the privilege of studying tap from master teachers such as Dianne Walker, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, and Beale Fletcher. She began teaching tap at 22. Her students and choreography have received national recognition. She continues to inspire her students to find their own love of tap.

SAM JONES (Acrobatics, Jazz, Lyrical, Tap)

Sam Jones has performed in 21 different shows and has been Alabama Theatre’s dance captain since he joined the cast in 2001. Sam started performing right out of high school as a lead dancer for Carnival Cruise Lines. Continuing to travel the world over, some of his accomplishments include Kids of the Kingdom at Walt Disney World, appearing as Peter Pan and Prince Phillip in the closing cast of One Man’s Dream at Tokyo Disneyland in Japan and Imagine… A Theatrical Odyssey as well as the world famous Les Folies Bergere in Las Vegas. Other credits include industrial shows, modeling, television work, judging and teaching master dance classes for dance competitions

BLAKE MCCARN (Jazz, Hip Hop)

Honor student at UNC-Charlotte.   Dubbed as jazz's Mr. Personality, Blake has channeled his talent and boundless energy into sixteen yeas of dance.  He won the Mr. Jr. Dance North Carolina title in 1999 and Mr. Teen title of the West Coast Dance Explosion in 2001.  Representing Rhythm Dance Studio, Blake has studied with nationally recognized choreographers,  appeared in multiple Showstopper semi-finals and performed in three American Dance Championships, the nation's top showcase for dancers watched by millions.  At UNCC, Blake made his dance debut in "On Your Toes", directed by Delia Neil.

DELIA NEIL (Ballet)

Butler University BA cum laude and UNC-G MFA; Delia is a professor at UNC-C, teaching ballet technique, history, and repertory. In New York City, she taught at Ballet Hispanico and for Zena Rommet. In addition to her formal education, Neil has trained extensively with the Martha Graham and David Howard Schools as well as with Harkness House. She has performed as soloist with four major companies, the Cincinnati Ballet being most recent. Several years ago,  Delia presented her first full evening of works, Retro and New, at UNC-C. Delia has been the recipient of a NC Emerging Artist Grant and the Creative Loafing Choreography Award.  Neil has taught at Rhythm for seventeen years where she heads the ballet program.

CARLEEN SCHNABEL (Tap)

Carleen grew up in the New York area.  For fifteen years, she studied tap, jazz, and ballet at Dance Dynamics on Long Island.  Her tap expertise was tremendously influenced by the one and only David Sanders.  Carleen sharpened her "Pump Up the Jam Moves" on the Showstopper stage winning the national title.   Highlighting Carleen's dance career has been her performance in a Christmas show at Merv Griffin's Resorts International Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ.

Guest Teachers

JASON JANAS (Master in Tap, Guest Choreographer)

A member of Tapestry Dance Company, Jason originally hails from the northern New Jersey area, and more recently from Charlotte, NC.  His dance education is highlighted by his tenure as a charter member of the New Jersey Tap Ensemble, where Jason began his rhythm tap career under the direction of Deborah Mitchell.  His interaction with other tap dancers such as Mike Minery, Karen Calloway Williams, Paris Mann of the NJTE, and Ted Levy influenced and ignited his career.  He has performed with Mike Minery at the Supper Club in NYC and with Adrienne Canterna in Washington, DC attended by Vice-President Cheney.  Besides personal performances, Jason teaches for Stepp With Me Dance Convention, Dance Power Express, and Dance Masters of America.  Jason has instructed at Rhythm Dance Studio in Charlotte, NC for several years and his tap dance choreography won the nationally televised July 2001 Showstopper National Talent Competition, while his choreography received a Runner-up award for July 2002.  Jason continues to teach and choreograph from coast-to-coast while he continues to grow as a multi-form dancer.  He has been tremendously influenced by such greats as Brenda Fufalino, Sarah Petronio, Dianne Walker, Fayard Nicholas, and Acia Gray.  He choreographs for competition teams and teached Master Classes at Rhythm.     

MEL TOMLINSON (Ballet)

NC School of the Arts, BFA.  Mel has danced professionally with New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and Agnes De Mille Heritage Dance Theatre to name a few.  Choreographer Agnes De Mille called Tomlinson "the most exciting black dancer in America".  As a tribute from the United States, Mel was sent to England by President Reagan to dance at the wedding festivities of Prince Charles and Lady Diana.  His place in history as one of the greatest male dancers of the twentieth century is well secure.  A man of many talents, Dr. Mel has completed his Doctorate in Theology from Wake Forest University since coming to Rhythm.

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