Pamela Avery (Executive Director) founded Studio One Dance Theatre in 1984 shortly after graduating from the University of Colorado in Boulder Colorado. Her goal was simple; she wanted to expose African-American youth to the art of dance in order to expand their minds, broaden their horizons and allow dance to be a vehicle to help students realize their full potential. She filled the faculty with professional dancers that shared her visions about making positive contributions to their communities and the world-at-large. The school humbly began with 30 students and has grown to service over 7,000 students who have gone on to succeed in every field from dance to medicine. After establishing the school as a fixture in the community, Pamela developed an innovative system for teaching dance & fitness to preschoolers. With this knowledge, she created “Studio One on Location,” placing her faculty in more than 20 Chicago-land schools.
     In the early 90’s Pamela started a scholarship fund for her students. She felt a need to provide her students with economical support for their promising future. Throughout the past 15 years the SODT Scholarship Program has awarded more than $50,000 to its graduates. It began with donations from Pam, Studio parents and surrounding local businesses and evolved into lessons in entrepreneurship for her students. Currently, each senior is required to plan, promote and fully operate the scholarship fundraisers. Today, over 100 of the scholarship recipients have gone on to receive their Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD.
     As Executive Director of Studio One Dance Theatre, Pamela worked hard to go beyond the “run of the mill” dance recitals to produce shows that leave crowds with phenomenal impressions. Her signature ideas included adding professional actors, live musicians, and carefully designed sets into the annual recitals. In addition to these ideas Pam worked with professional writers and her faculty to make sure each show contained original culturally based messages that reach members of all audiences. As a result Studio One has become known for Broadway-like productions.
     Recently Pam co founded Padre Entertainment, a production company seeking to fill the cultural void in the black entertainment community. Since the start of Padre in 2005 Pam has produced Straight and Nappy, Blaxplotation, a sketch comedy show nominated for 10 J.E.FF. Awards, and SING DANCE PRAISE a gospel extravaganza that included: Studio One dancers, Stellar Award winning gospel artists, and critically acclaim spoken word artists and actors.
     Fitness is not just what is taught in her classrooms, it is a big part of Pamelas world. She is a certified Pilates instructor and member of the African American Association for Fitness Professionals. A group dedicated to bringing awareness to African American health issues and implementing community based fitness programs. She has sponsored several AAAFP events including, “Diabetes Early Detection Campaign” and “The Sisters Fit for Life Campaign.”
     Overall Pamela hopes that her mission to inspire, teach and enrich African Americans through the arts, enables her legacy to continue for generations to come.

Dre Robinson (Production Director) is an accomplished theatre veteran with more than 20 years of experience. He has performed all over the world as an actor, writer, director and producer. He is the Executive Producer and Co Creator of Studio One Productions, the Children Theater division of Studio One. He is also the Co Founder of Padre Entertainment. Along with Pamela Avery, they have formed a production company seeking to fill the cultural void in the black entertainment community. Since the start of Padre Entertainment in 2005, the duo has produced Straight and Nappy, Blaxplotation2, a sketch comedy show nominated for 10 J.E.F.F. Awards, and SING DANCE PRAISE, a gospel extravaganza that included: The Studio One Dancers, Stellar Award winning gospel artists, and critically acclaimed spoken word artists and actors.

Florence Walker-Harris (Co-Artistic Director / Instructor) is trained in a variety of dance disciplines. They include Classical Ballet, the modern technique of Lester Horton, Katherine Dunham technique, Jazz (strongly influenced by Mr. Frank Hatchet), traditional Haitian folklore, African, Tap and Hip-Hop. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology & Black and Latino Studies from the State University College at Oneonta in New York, and a Masters degree in Human Services Administration from National Louis University.
     Born and raised in the burro of Queens, NY., Flo came to Chicago in 1996. Currently she teaches at Studio One Dance Theatre, and has begun a dance program at Oakdale Christian Academy. Flo teaches dance fundamentals, jazz, tap, and has now expanded boy’s hip-hop to an intermediate and advanced dance program here at Studio One.
     Her experiences in providing counseling services to youth are an invaluable asset to her dance instruction. Her future goals include creating a literacy based Performing Arts summer program for youth between the ages of 12 -18 in the Chicago area. “Mrs. Flo,” as the students affectionately call her, is an inspiring teacher who combines jazz with a unique blend of New York hip-hop flavor.

Tamara Wiley (Co-Artistic Director / Instructor) is a native of San Diego, California, where she attended San Diego School of Performing and Creative Arts. After obtaining her BFA in Dance at Howard University in Washington, D.C., she relocated to Chicago to dance with the Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre Ensemble. Since moving to Chicago she has had the opportunity to dance with world-renown artists and choreographers. As a gifted instructor she has worked with the Generation Dance Company, Gallery 37, Homer Bryant Ballet, Lorraine Gray Dance Studio, Elk Grove High School and Whitney Young High School among others. Currently she teaches Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Modern dance at Studio One.

Elana D. Anderson is a native of Washington, D.C. She began training professionally in dance at the age of fourteen through the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in her native city. Ms. Anderson, in addition to being a dancer/teacher/choreographer, is a full-time student, natural hairstylist, craftsperson, and mother. She has worked with renowned teachers and choreographers, and has traveled the world over to teach and perform. She has worked extensively in television, film, and stage. Her performance credits include work with the Philadelphia Dance Company, the DC Contemporary Dance Theatre, the Washington Opera, Jubilation! Dance Company, New World Dance Company, Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Deeply Rooted Productions. Currently residing in Chicago with her daughter, she is an adjunct member of the Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre. Elana has been a staff member at Studio One Dance Conservatory for eleven seasons, and feels blessed to be able to enlighten other lives through art.

FaChica Mone Austin is a Chicago native who is thrilled to be a part of the Studio One Dance Theatre family. She began her dance training at an early age with Muntu African Dance Theater. She has studied at various schools throughout the Chicago area, including the Joel Hall Dance Center, Hubbard Street Dance, ETA Creative Arts Foundation, Deeply Rooted Productions, and Sammy Dyer. FaChica credits most of her creative dance energy to the Studio One Dance Theatre. She became a student at the age of nine, and by the age of fourteen, was a teaching assistant. She became an instructor for the studio at the age of seventeen. FaChica wishes to thank all of her teachers, namely Kantrice Ogletree Dillingham, Gordette (Sloopy) Lemons-Brent, LeVon Campbell, and Elana D. Anderson. In addition to teaching at Studio One, FaChica has also started a dance program at Oakdale Christian Academy, teaches at numerous day-care centers in the Chicago area, and runs a summer dance program, Dance With Me Productions.

Makeda Crayton is a native of Chicago, IL and a graduate of Clark Atlanta University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. She began her dance training at Studio One Dance Conservatory under the direction of Pamela Avery. She furthered her training and performed with the Bryant Ballet School/ Company under the artistic direction of Homer Bryant. She has also studied at the Juilliard School, Interlochen School of the Arts, and I.D.E.A.S in Nuremburg, Germany. Ms. Crayton has worked with the Joel Hall Dancers, the Willingham Project, Dallas Black Dance Theater, Mercedes Ellington, Dancers Responding to AIDS and is currently assisting choreographer Christopher Huggins at the Ailey School/ Ailey II. She has performed works by Talley Beatty, Christopher Huggins, Alonzo King, Hope Boykin, and Ray Mercer. Ms. Crayton has recently joined the touring cast of Aida. Says Makeda, “I am and have always been a proud member of the Studio One Dance Theater family!”

Rueben D. Echoles is an actor, singer, and dancer. His work has been seen throughout the Chicago land area in performances with the ETA Creative Arts Foundation, the Black Ensemble Theater, the Cornerstone Theater, and the Pegasus Players. He has performed in productions of Eyes, Dreamgirls, The State of Mississippi vs. Emmett Till, and In Between Hell and High Water (Dreamfactory). His most recent work can be seen in the Black Ensemble Theater’s production of At Last: A Tribute to Etta James, and he has also performed at the Apollo Theater in New York City in The Jackie Wilson Story. In addition to being an accomplished “triple threat,“ Rueben is a licensed cosmetologist, wig stylist, costume designer, and director. He is also the recipient of the award for best choreography from the Black Theater Alliance. This is Ruebens forth season performing as an actor with Studio One; we are blessed to work with him.

Tracy Franklin, a native of Chicago, began her training at the age of 16 at Joseph Holmes Dance Theater. Ms. Franklin then moved on to study at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and is a graduate of their Certificate Program. She has worked with noted choreographers such as Donald Byrd, Kevin Iega Jeff, Alonzo King, Donald McKayle, and Milton Myers. She was a four-year member of Dallas Black Dance Theatre.

Robyn Veronica Haynes, a native of Chicago, began her dance training at the age of three here at the Studio One Dance Conservatory. Her training included Ballet, Modern, Jazz, and Tap in a variety of styles and techniques. Robyn attended the Curie Metropolitan High School for the Arts in Chicago, where she studied dance for two years with Melinda Wilson, in addition to being a student at Studio One. Robyn has had the pleasure of studying with world-renowned instructors, including Jimmy Payne, Jr. and LeVon Campbell. Robyn has instructed tap at Studio One since the year 2000. Recently, her excellent ear for rhythms has owned Robyn the role of Music Coordinator for the annual recitals.

Lee Howard is a young tap dancer from Chicago, Illinois. Lee currently attends Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, where he is an honor roll student. Lee began studying Tap dance at the Sammy Dyer School of the Theater with Idella Reed-Davis and Bill Barrett. It was at Sammy Dyer that Lee was invited to join M.A.D.D. Rhythms, and he performs both with the company and as a soloist. Lee’s performance credits include M.A.D.D. Rhythms annual revues, television work with ABC and WGN, the City of Chicago Millennium Park opening, Daley Center performances, and a host of other festivals at various venues throughout the country. Lee has been awarded scholarships to attend the St. Louis Tap Festival, New York’s Tap City, and the Chicago Human Rhythm Project. Aside from Tap dancing, Lee enjoys all types of music, video games, basketball, visual art, and soccer. Lee joined the teaching staff at Studio One as a junior tap instructor in the fall of 2004.

Dana Nolan is a native of Chicago, IL. She began dance training at the age of five at Chicago State University and Christ Universal Temple School for Performing Arts. She studied at Studio One Dance Conservatory for six years, five as a member of the company. Dana continued training at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School as a member of the Stage Dance Ensemble & Dancing Guys ’N Dolls. In 1998, she attended the summer intensive program at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York. She received a B.S. in Public Relations from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale where she was a member of the Black Fire Dancers, and coach for the Carbondale Memorial High School Dance Team. Directly following college, she studied at Joe Hall Dance Center, Broadway Dance Center in New York, and Millennium Dance Complex in Los Angeles.

Nicole Clarke Springer began her training at the Joliet Ballet Society and attended a summer intensive at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in New York City. Nicole attended Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Arts Administration. Nicole was also a member of the Deeply Rooted Dance Theater Ensemble. She has performed with recording artists Jeffery Osborne and Roberta Flack. Nicole has taught for the past six years at Studio One. She has also taught dance at Bertino’s School of Danceology in Harvey, and Generation Dance in Joliet, IL.

Kathleen Turner is a native of Columbus, Ohio where she received her primary training at Ballet Met. She has attended institutions such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Julliard, American Dance Festival, Jacob’s Pillow and ultimately received her degree in dance from Ohio University. She has performed with the Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theater, Azaguno, and worked with Ron Brown, Parsons, and Mark Morris. Kathleen is currently working with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater 2.

Pamela Alexander (Administrative Assistant)

Gerry Cole (Finance Manager / Parent Liaison Director)

Ariana Hunt (Public Relations Specialist)

Paula Phillips (Business Manager)

Valerie Nunn (Special Events Coordinator)

Terrelle Chandler (Administrative Coordinator)

Lakisha Kylce (Administrative Assistant)

Leanna Marsh (Parent Liaison)

Angela Berry (Parent Liaison)