Our Staff
The highly skilled, qualified and dedicated faculty at Arts in Action is passionate about equipping students with skills of excellence in the arts. The formidable faculty brings the arts to life in a safe and nurturing environment. Every teacher is committed to help each student discover and develop their God given talents to their highest potential through structured, disciplined and comprehensive education with Christian influence.
Joni Cantrell
Arts in Action’s Founder and CEO, Masterpiece Dance, Faculty & Choreographer
Cookie Samworth
Arts in Action’s Artistic Director Masterpiece Dance Artistic Director Master Ambition Touring Company, Choreographer & Artistic Director
Jim-Bob Williams
Faculty Theater
Joni Cantrell has an extensive background in the performing arts and 40 years of teaching experience. Joni is an extraordinary technician who has received numerous “Best Choreographer” and “Top Faculty” awards for her original choreographed works.
Joni has traveled as a judge for national dance competitions and as guest faculty for many dance workshops. She has served on the board of directors for the Pinellas Dance Teachers Association and her memberships have included Professional Dance Teachers Association and Dance Masters of America. Joni founded Suncoast Academy in Florida, Masterpiece Dance Ministries, Urban Stage, Artistic Discovery Camp, and 4th Wall Outreach in West Virginia. Joni was named “Hometown Hero” by WSAZ in 2003 for her ministry through the arts, however, she considers her greatest honors the Masterpiece hugs that she receives from the students daily. She remains passionate and dedicated to making an impact in the lives of children through the arts in the name of Jesus and welcomes students of all walks of life, age, religion, gender, and orientation to Arts in Action.
Cookie Samworth studied under master teachers for over 30 years and is dedicated to teaching the art of dance in excellence. Cookie began teaching for the Masterpiece dance program in 2001 with a teaching style that inspires and develops each student to their full potential. She began serving as artistic director in 2003.
Cookie is known for her exceptional gift in choreography in numerous genres of dance and production. She has been awarded countless awards for choreography and given the title of Top Teacher at a variety of competition performances. The original works that she choreographs for individual, duo, trio, and groups are received with overwhelming accolades. She choreographed two original pieces to perform with Landau Eugene Murphy, 2012 winner of America’s Got Talent, which were performed live with Landau at the Clay Center Gala. Her performance credits include touring with the Nutcracker, appearing in Comic Relief with Radar of Mash, touring with the well-known Stars of Tomorrow, dancing in Times Square, New York with Project Dance, and performing on Daystar Television Network to name a few. She is dearly loved by her students who are thankful for her passion for dance and for Jesus!
Smart. Talented. Hilarious. Jim-Bob Williams knows a lot of people like that. As for him, he left a 35-year career in engineering to pursue the application of humor in making life better. A performer with a local improv troupe, Jim-Bob has studied the application of improv comedy in improving problem-solving, listening skills, teamwork, and coping with tragedy.
While studying to be a Certified Humor Professional through the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, Jim-Bob was challenged to teach improv to children at-risk youth. As an elder of Providence Church in Barboursville WV, he is known for Sunday School topics such as “Humor in the Bible,” “Improv in Discipleship,” and “Does God Want Presbyterians to Laugh?”
Also, don’t ask him about his grandson unless you have a lot of time.
Kylie Collins
Pre Ballet-Tap Instructor
Kayleb “Kay” Jones
Dancer/choreographer
Dr. Eddie R. Bare
Kylie Collins is a Senior at Hurricane High School. Kylie started dancing at age 6 and is in her 12th year studying ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and lyrical dance at Arts in Action. Kylie chose to take part in the studio assistant program and has worked her way up from trainee, junior assistant, assistant, intern, and begins teaching pre-ballet and tap this fall. She is in her 4th year with the Master Ambition Performance Company where she has served as co-captain of the group, which performs locally and competes at the state and national level.
Kylie has taken multiple opportunities to study dance with master instructors over the years. When time allows, she is active with the local Young Life group, enjoys Mission Trips and has been a volunteer at her church for many years in children’s church ministry, and has served as a leader for the middle school youth group. On a personal note, Kylie is pretty adventurous, has two sisters and a brother, spends most of her time outside of dance with her friends and church family, and aspires to attend nursing school at Marshall University next fall.
Kayleb “Kay” Jones is a 21 year old Dancer/choreographer based out of Charleston, WV. He has been Dancing since the age of 10, trained in very modern styles such as Ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary. Winning many regional and national titles, in West Virginia, Ohio “ Mr. V. I. P.” In Sandusky, Ohio 16’ Kayleb since 2015 he has taken time to go to either LA, or NYC to take his training more serious! Kay currently is a hip hop/ Jazz funk choreographer for many studios in his area and is the founder of East304crew! Training many of dancers!
Credits include
- Dajuan and Draco
- Opening for Kevin Gates
- Mark Wahlberg
- Worlds Dance Championships
Dr. Bare has over 40 years of experience working with Performance groups in Vocal and instrument presentation. Beginning in Church, Dr. Bare has shared his life long love of instruction with groups and individuals from all walks of life. Dr. Bare holds a Doctorate in Ministry. Dr. Bare established Son and Company Ministries to Provide intentional interim Pastors to Churches and establish Christian Television and Radio Ministries. He is serving Arts in Action as Superstars music instructor for children and adults with special needs and as Vocal coach and guitar instructor for the Crescendo program.
Sara Mick
Kelsey Sherman
Sara Mick, Director and Faculty of Living Colors Visual Arts Program at Arts in Action WV
Sara brings a great passion to the table when it comes to exploring creativity among children! She graduated from WV State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Art and has found a variety of ways to share her artistic gifts with others. Being a teacher’s aide for Putnam County Schools has given her much joy and experience in helping others. She has greatly enjoyed volunteering at West Teays Elementary, where she taught art club and led several schoolwide projects. Some of her students had the honor of seeing their hard work hanging at the State Capitol and Tamarack! For years, photography has been a favorite medium for Sara, however she also enjoys ceramics, painting and drawing.
Her inspiration comes strongly from the adventures she and her husband have been blessed with while raising their three children here in Hurricane. Of course, their favorite place to be is outdoors. West Virginia’s scenery is a majestic example of God’s own beautiful artwork! Sara is grateful for this opportunity to spread God’s joy and share her creativity with the Arts in Action families!
Kelsey Sherman, Masterpiece Dance, Faculty
Kelsey’s love for dance began in 2012, at the age of eight, after attending an Arts in Action Master Ambition Christmas performance. She knew following that performance that dance was something she desired to pursue.
She started with ballet and tap in 2013, and then added all genres – jazz, hip-hop, clogging, acrobatic-dance, lyrical, contemporary and musical theatre. She was accepted into the Master Ambition Performance Company and the Student Leadership Program in 2014 and began assisting Joni Cantrell and Cookie Samworth. Over the years Kelsey has attended numerous dance intensives and summer programs and received scholarships to attend future programs. She has studied and continues to study under several Master Teachers – Jerry Rose, Brian Murphy, Leah Summers, Michael Crawford, and several Joffrey Ballet School faculty members .
In 2019, she had the opportunity to train with Cirque Du Soleil Performers in Las Vegas as part of the Joffrey Cirque Arts Program. After completing her internship, Miss Kelsey joined the Masterpiece Dance Faculty to teach the Pre-School level classes during the 2021-2022 season. Kelsey attends Winfield High School where she is a member of the Link Crew and PILOT leadership programs.
She attends Teays Valley Church of God where she occasionally participates in worship through dance. As she continues to train under Cookie Samworth and Joni Cantrell in all genres of dance, Jesus remains in the center of her dancing. “I am passionate to teach young, aspiring dancers to love dance and further their relationship with Jesus.”
OUR GUEST FACULTY
Jamie Harvener
Regina Pietraroia
Katie Wilber
Jamie is a Lexington native and began his dance training at a private studio at the age of 10. He was later accepted into the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCAPA) as a Contemporary Dance major. Throughout middle school and high school he was fortunate to compete for and win several regional titles (Jr, Teen, and Mr. Dance of Ohio) and was crowned “Grand National Champion” through the Dance Masters of America Organization. He was also accepted into the class of 2010 Governor’s School of the Arts program for the discipline od dance.
Jamie continued his dance education through college by attending Western Kentucky University as a Dance Major. During his time there, he was accepted into several summer intensives with companies such as Joffrey Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, Inside Chicago Dance, Visceral Dance Chicago, and Deeply Rooted Dance Theater. After graduating, he began choreographing and teaching in Orlando, FL.
While in Florida he earned his certification through Dance Masters of America, and was also given the opportunity to become a judge
for Kids Artistic Review. After two years there, he moved back to his Old Kentucky Home where he has continued to grow as a choreographer and teacher. Jamie’s vision is to bring a new perspective on the importance of foundational technique training.
Sometimes it takes hearing the same correction in a new way for the information to stick. I would also like to share the importance of continued learning, “It’s never too late to learn a new skill, or even re- learn an old one!” Proficient in many genres, Jamie finds joy in teaching all styles of dance. Jamie is excited about teaching at Arts in Action where he is able to share in his faith and love of dance.
Regina Pietraroia is the founder and director of Dance Arts by Regina located in North Royalton and Cleveland. She grew up in Northeast Ohio training in all styles of dance, and went on to focus on ballet at Butler University in Indianapolis. Regina later joined Ohio Dance Theatre, where she performed a variety of classical and contemporary ballets, including Cinderella Dracula, The Firebird, and The Nutcracker; among others.
She has been a guest artist with Neos Dance Theatre, City Ballet of Cleveland, North Pointe Ballet, Cleveland Dance Exchange, and Wayne Center for the Arts, dancing soloist and principal roles. She was a featured performer for the national 2019 Dance/USA Conference held in Cleveland, Ohio, and was recently selected to both perform and teach at the Ohio Dance Festival. Regina holds a Bachelor’s in Middle & Secondary Education from Butler University, as well as a Master’s in Arts Administration from The University of Akron. Her extensive teaching experience includes the Berkeley Ballet Theatre, The University of Akron, the American College Dance Festival conference, and guest teaching at many schools around the country. She loves to share the joy of dance with students and audience members.
Regina Pietraroia
Artistic Director, Dance Arts by Regina North Royalton: 10670 Royalton Road | N Royalton, OH 44133 | 440-230-9018 Cleveland/Tremont: 2431 W. 5th Street | Cleveland, OH 44113
Originally from Newport, Tennessee, Katie moved to Cleveland in January of 2014 to join Inlet Dance Theatre as an Apprentice. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre with a Dance focus and a minor in Interdisciplinary Writing and Speech from Middle Tennessee State University. While at MTSU, Katie worked with multiple guest artists, most notably Alberto del Saz, Stefanie Battan-Bland, T. Lang, and Patty Foster.
During her collegiate years, Katie traveled all over the country, cities in China, and London performing and studying dance. She spent her summers attending different intensive programs such as Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, Alambradodanza in Florence, Italy, and Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary Summer Intensive in Florida.
Katie was a Company Member with Inlet for 6 years touring nationally (Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Massachusetts, Alabama, Philadelphia), and teaching educational residencies regionally. Through Inlet, she has been a lead instructor of dance education at the Newton D. Baker School of Arts and a lead instructor and choreographer of the Newton D. Baker Student Dance Ensemble for 3 years. Notably, Katie performed with Inlet at Jacob’s Pillow as part of the Inside/Out Series.
Most recently, Katie performed a leading role in the internationally renowned production of “What Do You Do With An Idea?” at the International Performing Arts for a Youth Conference in Philadelphia and the 2020 National Tour of the production before the COVID-19 shutdown. 4 years ago, Katie became the Social Media Coordinator authoring the monthly e-newsletter, “In the Current” and other social media platforms. She also serves as Costume Coordinator for the company.
Additionally, she is a subcommittee member of the Inlet PR/Marketing Committee. Katie was appointed to be the Company Dancer representative of the Capital Campaign’s Project Leadership Team 2 years ago (working toward the acquisition of a building as Inlet’s new home).
Katie retired from being an Inlet Company Member in 2020, but still serves the organization through her administrative roles. Outside of Inlet, Katie teaches various dance techniques at Ignite Dance Studio in Brunswick, OH. Honored to be able to show her love of Christ through the arts, Katie loves sharing her faith and spreading hope to her students and colleagues.
Katie would like to thank all those who have helped her along the way, and especially for the support from her husband, Sean, her family back home, and her house full of furry friends (Cybil, Hurley, Beerus, Desmo, Barry, and Norman)!
Brian Murphy
Jerry Rose
Heather Rose Zickefoose
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Dancer, teacher and choreographer, Jerry Rose was named to the NARB list of outstanding Choreographers in 1983. He has appeard as a guest artist, lecturer, and artist-in0residence for numerous companies and universities throughout the country.
Director of the Beckley Dance Theatre School, his students now appear in movies, T.V., and Broadway Musicals as well as 16 different dance companies including the famed New York City Ballet. Well known in the outdoor summer theatre circuit he has choreographed the dance sequences for the Hatfields and McCoys, Honey In The Rock, and Young Ade Lincoln; shows whose total attendance has exceeded the one million mark.
Rose devotes much of his time to arts development in West Virginia. Having served as dance editor for the West Virginia Arts News, originator of the West Virginia Ballet Festival, and was named to the West Virginia Arts and Humanities Commission by Gov. John D. Rockefeller IV. A Dance Caravan faculty member of 12 years he appeared in the movie “Dirty Dancing” staring Patrick Swayze in 1986 and was invited by the Russian government in 1994 to participate in a cultural exchange with artists from the Moscow region.
He returned in 1995 to St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Surgut in Siberia. In addition to his duties in West Virginia he appears regularly in New York, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, New Orleans, and Chicago as Balletmaster and Choreographer for the “Stars of Tomorrow.”
Heather Rose Zickefoose has been the Ballet Mistress of Dance Theatre School, in Beckley, WV, for the last 34 years.
She was a high school student at North Carolina School of the Arts, and danced with the Gainesville Ballet, while attending Brenau College on a ballet scholarship. Heather studied dance at Ohio State University, earned a BA in dance from West Virginia University, and studied the Vaganova Method under the tutelage of Jurgen Schneider. She was a ballet and pointe teacher at Cedar Lakes Fine Arts Dance Camp and WV Fine Arts Dance Camp for many years.
Leah Copley Summers
Lisa
Robert Royce
Leah Copley Summers has taught ballet for the past 30 years. Leah studied with Dr. Mary Marcuzzi, along with many others as she attended pre-professional programs.
Leah graduated Cum Laud with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education at Marshall University in 1991. After receiving her degree, Leah began her career as a ballet teacher, choreographer, and artistic director, with the River Cities Dance Company.
She served as director for thirteen years working with both Marshall University and Shawnee State University to provide arts to the area community. Leah also worked as adjunct faculty at Marshall University and served on the faculty of the WV Governor’s School for the Arts during her time in the Tri-state area.
After moving to Cary, North Carolina Leah continued her career with the Cary Ballet Conservatory for 8 years where she worked as full-time faculty creating original story ballets and concert pieces. Moving to Lexington, KY Leah worked with the Bluegrass Youth Ballet and later became the founding director of the LDF Ballet Academy.
Leah’s greatest achievement has been the success of her students. Leah’s students have gone on to study at prestigious arts school and continued on to careers as professional dancers, teachers and choreographers.
Lisa began dancing at the age of 4 under the tutelage of Jerry Rose at Beckley Dance Theatre. Through the years, she rose up in the ranks of the school and performed roles such as Clara and Snow Queen in the Nutcracker. She received modern and ballet scholarships from the WV Dance Festival from instructors such as Katrina Killian and Shane O’Hara, and was also the first recipient of the Friends of WV Division of Culture and History scholarship. Lisa spent her summers at Richmond Ballet and earned a spot at the WV Governor’s School of the Arts.
Lisa has been an instructor, choreographer, and resident artist for Beckley Dance Theatre since 2003. The summer of 2005 she toured with Hoctor’s Dance Caravan as a coordinator and performer. She lives in Beckley with her husband and 4 children and is very excited to be coming back to Arts in Action.
Mr. Royce began his ballet training at Greensboro Ballet in Greensboro, NC at the age of ten. He continued to study at the North Carolina School of the Arts under numerous teachers including Gyula Pandi, Mellissa Hayden and Duncan Noble. During the summers away from NCSA, Mr. Royce attended summer intensives at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Hungarian National Ballet and School of American Ballet. At the age of sixteen Robert moved to New York to study under Richard Rapp and Stanley Williams at School of American Ballet.
Mr. Royce danced professionally for Cincinnati Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Alabama Ballet, Ballet Theater of Maryland and the newly formed BalletFleming. During his career Robert has performed principal and soloist roles in Nutcracker, Serenade, Dracula, Spring Waters Pas de Deux, Tommy, along with many others.
Mr. Royce has served as Ballet Master and a staff teacher for Alabama Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Maryland, BalletFleming and Burklyn Ballet Theatre. Robert has been training and coaching professional and student dancers for the past 20 years and has worked on many classical ballets including Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet and Graduation Ball. He has students who are currently dancing for a number of professional companies across the country . As a choreographer, Robert has received the 2001 Viewer’s Choice Award in the Scotsman for his Cinderella at the Edinburg Fringe Festival and a four-star review for The Little Mermaid in 2011, both with Burklyn Ballet Theater.
Mr. Royce has many ballets that he has created for numerous companies. These ballets include Carmina Burana, Dracula and Marriage of Figaro, to mention a few.
Ella Blackwell
Laura Ptakowski-Phillips
Brienne Wiltsie Keehner
My name is Ella Blackwell and I am a current West Virginia University Dance Major as well as a member of the WVU Hip Hop Dance Team.
I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to perform in the 2019 Ascendance Showcase in Pittsburgh and danced in the opening act of a Kevin Gates Concert in Morgantown, WV.
Currently, I work as an instructor at two local competition studios in Morgantown. My favorite thing in the world is getting to share creative movement in a class environment where we can all learn from each other.
Laura grew up dancing in the Washington, D.C. area and received her formal dance training with Barton and Williams School of Dance and C&C Dance Company. She graduated magna cum laude from the prestigious Conservatory of Performing Arts Program of Point Park University and has a Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a concentration in Ballet.
Laura teaches and choreographs Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical/Contemporary, Tap, Pointe, and Musical Theatre. Laura is currently a full-time studio owner and director of Ultimate Dance Legacy in West Virginia and is the
former dance team coach for Marshall University. Her students have received numerous high point awards and national titles both regionally and nationally.
Since opening her studio in 2014, they have been awarded the ADCC Studio of Excellence Award each year. Laura was nationally recognized with numerous top scores and titles at various competitions and was selected for the All-Collegiate American Scholar Award. She has acquired vast experience through many wonderful performance opportunities in Pittsburgh performing with the Pillow Project and had the privilege to be showcased at the Duke Theatre in New York City.
Laura judged for over five seasons with Starquest. She enjoys getting to share her vast knowledge of dance with the next generation. Laura’s passion for creating and inspiring young dancers and sharing her love for dance is constantly strengthened as she watches her students love of dance blossom as they develop their individual gifts and talents for dancing and performing.
Brienne Wiltsie Keehner grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and danced professionally with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s company for two seasons after training in both their high school and graduate training programs. Favorite memories of performing in her hometown include Swan Lake and Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs. Her love of being on stage then brought Brienne to Louisville, where she enjoyed performing with Louisville Ballet for two seasons (2009- 2011).
This year marks a decade of teaching in The Louisville Ballet School (2011-present). She feels incredibly fortunate to work with the Pre-Professional students and the Louisville Ballet Youth Ensemble. Brienne also became a certified Pilates instructor since moving to Kentucky, and whether teaching or practicing, she loves being involved in Louisville’s Pilates community.
Brienne returned to dancing professionally during Louisville Ballet’s 2018-2019 Season under the artistic direction of Robert Curran. She has treasured every minute of being back on stage, and is especially grateful for the opportunity to take on the role of Odette in Robert Curran’s Swan Lake, Russian Girl in George Balanchine’s Serenade, and the Principal Lady in Jerome Robbins’ In G Major.
Matt Pardo
Michael Crawford
Matt Pardo holds a Masters of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2016) and an advanced honors B.F.A from the University at Buffalo (2007). He has danced for the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, Groundworks Dance Theater, RG Dance Projects, and the River North Chicago Dance Company (apprentice). He was recognized as one of the “Top 100 Dancers in the World for 2010-2011”, one of 10 Americans, by Dance Europe Magazine. Pardo is also a proud member of the Actor’s Equity Union.
Teaching and choreographic credits include American Dance Festival, Elon University (assistant professor/Dance History), Shenandoah University (assistant professor/Modern Dance), Skidmore College (Visiting Professor), Broadway Dance Center, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, Centre National de Danse (Paris), Middle Tennessee State University, and Point Park University to name a few.
In 2011, Matt joined the Lucinda Childs Dance Company and spent 8 years touring as a company member and company class-instructor. During this time, he performed and taught for LCDC in more than 20 countries. His opera credits include the world tour of the Olivier award-winning Philip Glass opera Einstein on the Beach and performances with the Pittsburgh Opera in the Daughter of the Regiment, directed and choreographed by Séan Curran.
Pardo is a co-founder of the Pittsburgh-based organization The Blanket, which has been featured in Dance Magazine-online, Departures Magazine (American Express), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and the US News and World Report, as well as on NPR-WESA shows in Pittsburgh. The Blanket has produced four evening-length productions since it was formed. These evenings of work showcased seminal artist Lucinda Childs as well as Bessie award-winning artists Christopher Williams (2018) and Beth Gill (2019). The Blanket has been funded by The Heinz Endowments, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Opportunity Fund, Arts Equity & Education Fund, PNC Charitable Trust, and The William and Catherine McKinney Charitable Foundation, as well as by private donors. Most recently (October 2021), The Blanket produced a week-long run of Lucinda Childs’ masterpiece DANCE at the Joyce Theater in NYC.
Publications include an article in the Journal of Dance Education exploring how to develop a practice of performance and an insert in the Genius Guide to College Dance Programs by Angela Carter. Pardo is an assistant professor of dance at James Madison University. For more information, please visit matt-pardo.com or theblanket.org
Michael Crawford is from Takoma Park, Maryland. He began dancing with prestigious schools, including the Maryland Youth Ballet and Kirov Academy, with summer intensives at The Rock School and San Francisco Ballet on full scholarships. In his senior year, he was accepted into the Kennedy Center’s Master Class Series, where he trained and performed with top international companies.
Mr. Crawford then moved on to the Washington Ballet where, in their top training program, he performed with the company under the direction of Septime Webre. Upon graduation, he went on to study and perform in the Professional Division of The Pacific Northwest Ballet under the direction of Kent Stowell and Francia Russell. After Pacific Northwest Ballet, he danced with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Jose Mateo Ballet, Ballet Memphis, American Repertory Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, and Oakland Ballet. At these companies, he performed several ballets as a principal artist.
He has been privileged to work alongside top productions, such as “Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Show Boat, and other musical performances at The Kennedy Center, as well as touring many other international stages. He has also worked as a principal guesting with The Washington National Opera, Adam Miller Dance Project, Kinetic Dance Works, TranscenDance Group, Brooklyn Ballet, and Ballet Neo.
While signed with New York Model Management, Mr. Crawford had the honor to internationally campaign. He has walked in several seasons of NYC Fashion Week. He also appeared in the feature film “Step Up” and can be seen on television in ABC’s production of “Forever.”
Michael is also an award-winning teacher and choreographer. He has been teaching and choreographing nationally and internationally for 10 years. He has coached many prize-winning students for competitions, such as Youth America Grand Prix, NYC Dance Alliance, and Showstoppers Dance Competition. He has taught at many studios including Broadway Dance Center, Metropolitan School of the Arts, Princeton Ballet, and many, many more.