DIRECTOR: HELEN CONKLIN

Grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, started dancing locally at the age of 3. At 16 she began traveling to New York City to study extensively with many teachers at Broadway Dance Center and Steps. She continues to study and enhance her teaching skills by attending classes and various teacher conferences.

Helen began dancing professionally after receiving an Associates Degree in telecommunications. She started out in dinner theaters and moved on to cruise ships. She entertained throughout the Caribbean and Bermuda with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. She worked in Atlantic City at various casinos such as The Showboat, Merv Griffin's Resorts, Taj Mahal and Trump's Castle.

Helen has performed with many celebrities such as Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Rita Mareno, Donald O'Connor, Merv Griffin and many more. While at Resorts she was a hostess on an NBC game show produced by Merv Griffin called Ruckus.

She became a Radio City Music Hall Rockette and performed with them for 7 years where she performed in many Christmas Spectaculars as well as various other productions. She spent 10 months touring the United States with Susan Anton in the first ever Rockette tour and performed on the QEII.

Helen's love of dance continues to carry on with her new studio Broadway Bound.

OFFICE STAFF: LORI ANN JOHNSON & CAROL RACZKA

The office staff is available to provide information and assistance. If they are unable to help, they will have the instructor or director contact you after their scheduled classes in order to avoid late starts and class interruptions

TEACHING STAFF:

COLLEEN BRINEY - Ballet, Pointe & Lyrical

Colleen started dance at the age of 2 and Dancingly Yours in Bayville, where she took tap, jazz and ballet. At the age of 13, she transferred to Dance by Verna, then to Rehearsal Hall. During her many years within Verna's studios, Colleen was a member of the NJ Starlets, The Eastern Youth Ballet Company, and a part of The Delbert Anderson Dancers. She also danced in the Nutcracker with the Atlantic City Ballet Company for several years and danced in numerous productions at the Surflight Theater with Our Gang.

Colleen has graduated from the University of Akron with her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance & Choreography, along with her Masters of Sports Medicine and her Masters of Exercise Physiology. while at Akron, Colleen studied with Inna Stabrova, Tom Smith, Jerry Burr, Lana Carroll and Marc Ozanich to name a few. She danced along with the senior company every fall & spring semester from her sophomore year until she graduated. She has also danced along with the Ohio Ballet and has had the opportunity to dance and work with many amazing companies.

SHAUN DOYLE - Classical Ballet/Pointe

Shaun Doyle began his training at Harkness Ballet School and went on to study at the Pennsylvania Ballet School. the Joffrey Ballet School and the Ruth Page Foundation. He studied under well known Ballet Masters Lupe Serrano, Royes Fernandez, Benjamin Harkarvy, Ten Kivitt, David Howard, Larry Long and Warren Conover. Shaun has danced professionally with Joffrey II Dancers, Pennsylvania Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Ruth Page Foundation, Chicago City Ballet and Joffrey Ballet in the Emmy Award winning production of Petrouchka with Rudolph Nureyev.

Shaun has coached the United States Federal Gymnastics Team for the Olympics and directed The Flyers Pre-Olympic School. He also helped start a pilot program under the auspicies of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre to teach blind people how to dance. Shaun was the Artistic Director and Choreographer of Ballet South of NJ, Inc. and professor of dance at Rowan University for 15 years. Currently, Shaun choreographs and assistant directs musicals at Burlington County College.

DARA D. KAWKA- Acro, Lyrical & Ballet

Dara has been dancing for over twenty-six years and holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts and Dance from Santa Clara University, California. She was born and raised in San Francisco, California and moved ot New Jersey in October 2005 after marrying her husband, D.J. Dara is a proud mother of her daughter Kallie (2 years) and son Josh (7 months). She is in her tenth year of teaching dance to students ages 2 - adult. Dara has performed on MTV as well as for the NBA All-Star Games. Dara is also a certified Zumba Latin Dance Instructor and Pilates Instructor.

Dara's many talents include Tap, Jazz, Ballet Modern, Hip-Hop, Creative Dance, Acrobatics, Body Maintenance, Pilates, Floor Barre, Lyrical, Mommy & Me, Pre-school Movement, Nutrition, Dance History, Choreography, Improvisation, Aerobics, Musical Theatre Dance, Kahnotation, Zumba Latin Dance Aerobics, Yoga & Cardio Kick Boxing. Dara was also the head coach for the Santqa clara University Dance Team. She has also been a guest choreographer for numberous elementary and high schools, as well as holding her New Jersey Substitute Teaching Credential for Vocational Arts/Dance. Dara believes that in dance there are no limits!

KERRI PHALON- Hip Hop, Modern

Kerri started dancing at The Rehearsal Hall, in Manahawkin when she was 6 years old and continues to study all forms of dance. She also trained at Encore Productions in Absecon and participates in workshops and independent classes at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Kerri wqas a member of the Shore Ballet company in Red Bank for many years dancing in The Nutcracker and has performed with the New Jersey Starlets. She was a cast member in the annual Christmas Show at the Tropicana for 3 years. In addition to various competitions throughout the years, Kerri continues to perform in various events throughout the Atlantic city and Philadelphia area. She has had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Amy Marshall, Christian Vonhoward, Karla Wolfangle and Leda Meredith. Kerri has graduated from the Richard Stockton college of NJ with a degree in biology and Dance, and will continue to further her education pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy.

SHANNON COOPER-HARRIS- Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Modern

Shannon was a Dance Major/Voice Minor on scholarship at the fine arts college Oklahoma City University and a member of the American Spirit Dance Company directed by Joe Rowan. She was a member of Star Dance Swan Modern Dance Company and has performed many lead and chorus-dancer parts in summer stock & theatre companies including her favorite part, that of "Sheila" in "A Chorus Line". Shannon was a teacher and member of The New Jersey Starlets at The Rehearsal Hall in Manahawkin from 1992 until it's closing in 2008. Currently Shannon is a member of Lighthouse Alliance Church in Tuckerton and teaches Yoga locally at the Ocean Club in Stafford. With over 30 year's experience in vocal/dance teaching and performance experience - Shannon is a substitute teacher when needed here at Broadway Bound. Her 9 year old daughter Trinity is also a student here and husband of 17 years Scott and son 16 yr. old Scott Jr. LOVE coming to the end of the year shows!

FACILITY

We ask that parents and students respect this facility. It is a learning facility and should be treated as such. We are providing a clean, new academy with a professional teaching staff and state-of-the-art equipment. We want you to be proud to say you are from Broadway Bound Dance Academy, so please treat it accordingly.

Call: (609) 978-7600