Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Owner/Director
Claudia began studying dance at the young age of 5, and continued until she received her full-time teacher’s certification in 1975. Throughout the years, Claudia has gained an abundance of experiencing traveling the United States studying with world renowned teachers and schools of Ballet, Tap, Acrobatics, and Jazz. Those include the Joffrey Ballet Company, Gertrude Hallenback, Al Gilbert, Bob Audy, Ron Daniels, Savion Glover, Luigi, Gus Giordano, Charles “Chuck” Kelly, Joe Tremaine, and many more. She studied authentic Hawaiian dancing from Wanda “Lokelani” Castello and traveled to Hawaii where she danced at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Waikiki in 1986. She also studied for one semester the ancient art of Belly Dancing and performed this genre at many functions. For over 40 years, she has been teaching all levels (pre-school to adult) at the Audrey Odient Schenck School of Dance in St. Bernard Parish, Promise Land Academy School in Plaquemines Parish, The Garden District Ballet School in New Orleans, and Dancers Only Studio and Instruction in Metairie, Louisiana. She has trained several students to become professional dancers for stage, theatre, sport teams and has helped “graduate teachers” open their own dance schools. Many of her students have won dance competitions and scholarships, in both dance and academics. She has taught disabled, mentally challenged and deaf children creative movement for several years. Claudia is a former Miss Dance Educators of America, 1st runner up Miss Dance of Louisiana, Miss Congeniality for DEA and LADM. She had choreographed the Louisiana Junior Miss Pageants. She has judged several dance competitions, local beauty contests, high school dance team tryouts and partner disco/ballroom competitions. She has also assisted over the years many well-known choreographers at local and national conventions and master classes. Claudia continues to travel and study at the workshops, conventions and teacher conferences in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas as well as regional sessions year-round. Claudia is excited she is living her dream by opening Velocity Dance Center, LLC.
Elizabeth has studied dance for over 30 years. She has primarily focused her education in ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop. Throughout her dance career, she was awarded numerous scholarships including those to Tremaine Dance Conventions, LA Dance Force, West Coast Dance Explosion, and the Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles, California. She has performed in many productions such as “Shake the Floor” and “Shake-N-Break”, which were Off- Broadway shows in New York City. Elizabeth was the first five-year member (8-12 grade) of the Archbishop Hannan High School Hawkettes Dance Team in St. Bernard Parish. She was also a member of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin’ Jazz Dance Team and the University of New Orleans Starlettes. She was selected as a stage dancer for the Super Bowl XXXI halftime show, where she performed with James Brown, ZZ Top and the Blues Brothers. She has also performed in Euro Disney in Paris, France and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Previously she graduated and was a faculty member at Audrey Odient Schenck School of Dance, Garden District Ballet School and Dancers Only Studio and Instruction. Remaining a student herself, Elizabeth travels across the country to take classes with sought after choreographers and master teachers. She is a graduate of the University of New Orleans with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, a minor in Psychology and holds a Law Degree from Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana. She is more than excited to share her knowledge with the past, present and future dancers of Velocity Dance Center.
Jessica has a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Performance from Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, Washington. Continuing her education, she has a Kindergarten- 12th grade Dance Teacher Certification from Tulane University. Dancing since the age of 2, she is an alumnus of Chalmette High School and studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. She is also a graduate of Audrey Odient Schenck School of Dance. Jessica, a student at Ballet Hysell and later Garden District Ballet earned her Elementary student certificate with high honors in the Cecchetti Technique of Ballet. During her college career Jessica was a member of several dance companies including: Escaped Images Dance Company in Shreveport, Louisiana, Scottsdale Moving Company and Scottsdale Arizona Jazz Ensemble in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Cornish Dance Theatre in Seattle, Washington. She performed throughout the United States with these companies. She continues to broaden her dance education by traveling throughout the country taking classes with highly recognized choreographers. In New York City, she danced in an Off-Broadway show called “Shake-N-Break” and later performed with Dance New Amsterdam. She was one of the five selected throughout the country to intern at the Bates Dance Festival in Lewistown, Maine. Jessica has been teaching and choreographing dance for over 15 years. She has taught many open dance classes in the New Orleans and Seattle areas. Currently Jessica, is on faculty at Chalmette High School as the Director of dance, teaching dance classes to the students of the high school. Jessica loves watching the excitement, creativity and confidence grow in students through dance, she is accomplishing her dream by teaching the students of St. Bernard Parish.
Ballet Teacher
Adrianne began her ballet training at the age of 3 at Giacobbe School of Dance and continued to advance her training and knowledge of specifically the Cecchetti Technique by attending Ballet Hysell in New Orleans, LA. At the age of 16 Adrianne decided to focus her training on the art of teaching ballet. While at Ballet Hysell she was given the opportunity to attend the Teacher’s Summer Intensive at the National Ballet School of Canada, attend workshops taught by Glen Gilmore of the National Ballet of Canada, study under Maestro Vincenzo Celli (a student of Enrico Cecchetti), Harvey Hysell a student of Maestro Vincenzo Celli, Diane Carney and Barbara Forbes whose resume includes training, teaching and careers with Royal Academy of Dancing - London, Institute of Choreography - London, Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing -London, Faculty of The National Ballet School of Canada, Ballet Mistress New Orleans Ballet. Adrianne attended Virginia Intermont College as a ballet teaching major under director Constance Hardinge - former dancer with Ballet Russe. As a student, faculty member and children’s ballet mistress at Ballet Hysell and New Orleans Ballet during the 1980’s and 90’s Adrianne had the opportunity to perform in numerous full length ballets such as Nutcracker, Giselle, Coppelia, and Les Sylphide. She was also given the opportunity to perform on stage with many professional ballet dancers such as Dame Margot Fonteyn, Patricia Renzetti, Ivan Nagy, Galina and Valery Panov and Gelsey Kirkland. At this time Adrianne taught ballet and pointe classes to children through adults at Ballet Hysell and implemented the after-school ballet program at many schools in the New Orleans area. In 1999 Adrianne opened the Garden District Ballet. She continued her training in the Cecchetti technique by joining the Cecchetti Council of America (CCA) and attaining her LCCA membership. She is the only certified member of the CCA in Louisiana. Adrianne has presented over 100 students to the CCA for exams, including Jessica Gorbaty of Velocity and Taylor Rauche of NBA Brooklynettes. She is also the only teacher coach in the New Orleans area and continues to present teachers for membership to the CCA including Gabrielle Gerrick of Velocity Dance Center. Many of her students and teacher candidates achieve markings of high honors. She is continuing to present students for exams as part of Velocity Dance Center. Last exam session her 99% of the students at Velocity received high honors. Adrianne is currently working towards her Advanced Teacher Exam. She continues to attend Cecchetti Council of America’s International Summer Intensive in Holland Michigan and regional workshops during the year. Adrianne has also enjoyed teaching at and working with ballet/dance schools and companies around the Greater New Orleans area including Images, New Orleans Dance Academy, and River Region Ballet. Adrianne is a teacher at Louise McGehee School in New Orleans, LA. At McGehee besides her teaching position in Little Gate since 2006 she has been a part of the After-Care Enrichment Program as a ballet teacher since around 2004.
Pre-School Teacher
Pre-School Teacher
Erin Wieber is an ICU nurse and dance instructor. Erin teaches preschool tap and ballet with Velocity Dance Center. She attended Audrey Odinet Schenck School of Dance for 16 years graduating in 1989 and returned to dance later in life taking tap classes under the instruction of Claudia Tavlin. Erin continues her education by traveling to seek out classes with master teachers in the dance profession.
Gabrielle started her dance journey at age two. She has attended schools such as Donna’s Dance Studio, Maureen Bersuder Academy of Dance, Audrey Odinet Schenck School of Dance, and The Dance Connection. Gabrielle graduated from Chalmette High School and The Dance Connection in 2011 then later Nunez C.C. in 2014. While attending Chalmette High she was a member of the Charmers Dance Team for four years. Throughout the years, she has had the opportunity to perform in various places: Louisiana, Disney world, and Honolulu, Hawaii. Gabrielle received her teaching certificate in Grade 1 of the Cecchetti method of ballet, and is a member of the Ballet Hysell Company. Her love of dance has taken her to all sorts of locations, most recently to New York City where she auditioned for the Radio City Rockettes.
Aerial Teacher
Alexandria White is the founder and lead instructor of Crescent City Aerial Arts. She has been practicing aerial dance for over 10 years and loves to share her knowledge and passion for aerial fitness and dance with others. Alex has been performing for over 6 years in theatrical productions, community events, festivals, and corporate events. More than anything, she loves to share aerial arts with others and is most comfortable teaching her love for the art with people from diverse backgrounds and fitness levels. Alex is inspired by her students and lives for the moments of achievement that only comes with the development of strength and mental clarity that aerial arts and fitness provides. With a background in ballet, various dance forms and Pilates, aerial arts have been a natural continuation of her love for creative movement arts and restorative fitness.
Laura has been dancing since the age of 3. She studied with Jody Isenhour at F.G.I Studio in Oklahoma, primarily focusing on ballet, but also studying jazz and lyrical. Laura participated in the Cecchetti Council of America exams as a student, and has been certified through Grade IV as a teacher. She is currently working to pass her Elementary Syllabus Teacher’s Exam. Laura has performed in productions including: “The Nutcracker”, “Footloose”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Guys and Dolls”, and “Schoolhouse Rock”. Laura has also danced with the Storytellers Dance Project, under the direction of Leigh Brockman Horowitz. Laura was the director of the Metro Community Ballet Company for 3 years, a non-profit organization for adult dancers. Laura has taught ballet to both children and adults at A Step Above Studio, Studio 7 OKC, and now with Velocity. Laura received her Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Oklahoma State University, her Master of Science in Epidemiology from Tulane, and is now working on her PhD in Environmental Microbiology at Tulane.
Tap, Jazz, Stretch/Conditioning
Brennan was born and raised in the Chalmette/New Orleans area. He began his training at the prestigious Modern Conceptions of dance under the direction of Heather Nuckley Giglio, and then later began training at the prestigious New Orleans Center of Creative Arts under the direction of Blake Coheley, Kesha Mckey, Chard Gonzales, and Stephani Kammer. After High School Brennan began his professional dance and choreography career winning multiple choreography awards throughout the gulf coast. He is most known for his jazz, contemporary, jazz funk, and hip hop classes. Brennan can be seen in feature films and music videos starting at the end of 2021, and the beginning of 2022. Brennan’s unique style of teaching and choreography has quickly established himself as one of the most sought after choreographers and instructors throughout the gulf coast!
Teacher Assistant
Teacher Assistant
Tumbling
Tumbling
Kaitlyn is an experienced cheer and tumbling coach. She and has cheered and tumbled since the age of 8, and was an assistant coach at Superior Tumble, Cheer and Athletics. She was also a Chalmette High School Cheerleader where she competed throughout Louisiana and at the National Competition in Disney World. Kaitlyn is currently a 2020 high school graduate with honors and now attends the University of New Orleans while majoring in early education.
Scarlett Saizan-Lancon is a Chalmette High School alumna, who went on to graduate college at Northwestern State University with a B.S in Theatre with a double concentration in musical theatre and dance. Here she was able to study Dance Pedagogy. Anatomy, and ballet with the emphasis in the Vaganova technique. From there, her professional career flourished where she appeared in regional productions of Chicago, Tuck Everlasting, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. From there, this growing Owl spread her wings and flew to her next destination, Sandusky, Ohio. There she performed at the Roller Coaster Capital of the World, Cedar Point, in shows such as Lights, Camera, Action and Lusty Lil’s French Review as well as appearing as the Wilderness Princess FiFi in Forbidden Frontier. After her two year residency at Cedar Point, she traveled to the Big Apple where she worked alongside Broadway actors and choreographers such as Conner Galagher from Beetlejuice, Jessica McRoberts from Spider Man, and Luis Salgado from In the Heights. Before the shutdown, Scarlett was featured in the production of Matilda where she worked on and off 42nd street. She is currently working at Chalmette High School as a Special Educations teacher and the choreographer with the CHS Voice: Chalmette High School & Musical Theatre & Vocal Arts Program.