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Faculty
Colleen Murphy, the owner and director of The Beat Dance Company, Ltd., is currently a fulltime faculty member in dance at Bowling Green State University. She is also employed as a regional and national dance competition adjudicator with Rainbow Connection in Las Vegas. She has also served as a competition adjudicator with Shine Dance Competition, a competition based in Toronto, Ontario. Colleen holds an M.A. in Dance Education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa where she studied on a full tuition scholarship. While living in Honolulu, she performed with the UH Dance Ensemble and the Hawaii Opera Theatre. Colleen has over 10 years teaching and choreography experience, having instructed young children through adults. She has taught at JJ's Dance Factory, the Bedford Dance Academy, Owens Community College, The University of Hawaii Outreach College, and Toledo School for the Arts. Colleen has won numerous awards for her choreography in the dance competition circuit, including choreography awards, overall placements, and special judge's recognition. While Colleen specializes in tap, she also has extensive teaching, performing, and choreography experience in jazz, hip hop, and ballet. Her tap class is fast-paced and fun, and she teaches complicated rhythms, patterns, and tricks. Elise Hanson, Ballet, Jazz, Mini Movers, and Tap Instructor
Elise recently graduated from Bowling Green State University with a B.S. in Education with a Dance Major. While studying at BGSU, she was a two-year member of the University Performing Dancers, studying and performing modern, tap, ballet, jazz, Balinese, and Korean dance. She has extensive background as a competitive dancer with the former Dance Reach studio in Columbus, OH, having received numerous titles and overall placements as a soloist in tap, pointe, and lyrical, as well as group dances in tap, jazz, pointe, and lyrical. Elise has performed in the American College Dance Festival at Western Michigan University and Ohio University, and had the privilege to dance in the gala performance honored to be selected for at the OU Festival. Elise is currently employed as a professional dancer in Tammy Metz Starr's Open Window Dance Company, a modern dance ensemble that premiered its first full length concert, "Coloring Pages", at the Cleveland Public Theatre in May 2009. She teaches tap, ballet, and lyrical for The Beat and also is employed as a dance instructor at the Bedford Dance Academy in Temperance, MI, and at the Owens Community College Findlay campus.
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Nikki Makley, Hip Hop and Jazz Instructor
Nikki is a current dance major at Bowling Green State University. She has trained on campus and within local
studios, and has participated in numerous classes at The PULSE on Tour, Company Dance Convention, the American College Dance Festival, Broadway Dance Center, Tremaine, Dupree Dance, Millenium Dance Complex, Toledo Ballet, and Steps on Broadway. She has extensive performance and choreography experience, and has personally won many overall awards and scholarships as a competitive dancer.
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Shannon Murphy, Mini Movers Instructor
Shannon recently graduated from Bowling Green State University with a B.S. in Education with an Early Childhood Education major/Dance minor. Shannon has been dancing
since the age of three, focusing primarily on tap and jazz. She has competed across the country from solo to production works, earning multiple platinum ratings and overall awards. She recently performed at the American College Dance Festival at Western Michigan. Shannon was a 2-year member of BGSU's student dance company, the University Performing Dancers (UPD). Shannon has instructed and choreographed for children in jazz, tap, and hip hop. She is currently employed as a 2nd grade teacher at Lake Elementary School in Millbury, OH.
since the age of three, focusing primarily on tap and jazz. She has competed across the country from solo to production works, earning multiple platinum ratings and overall awards. She recently performed at the American College Dance Festival at Western Michigan. Shannon was a 2-year member of BGSU's student dance company, the University Performing Dancers (UPD). Shannon has instructed and choreographed for children in jazz, tap, and hip hop. She is currently employed as a 2nd grade teacher at Lake Elementary School in Millbury, OH._________________________________________________________
Torrance Nowden, Hip Hop Instructor
Torrance began dancing at Bowling Green State University just a few years ago. He is a current marketing major/dance minor at
the university. As a member of the University Performing Dancers(UPD) company, Torrance has performed multiple faculty and guest artist works, and has participated in the American College Dance Festival. He has been teaching at The Beat since it opened in 2008, and his hip hop classes are a student favorite. Torrance has choreographed for both recital and competition classes, and recently choreographed an entire dance production of the Dinner Theater program held at Bowling Green State University.
the university. As a member of the University Performing Dancers(UPD) company, Torrance has performed multiple faculty and guest artist works, and has participated in the American College Dance Festival. He has been teaching at The Beat since it opened in 2008, and his hip hop classes are a student favorite. Torrance has choreographed for both recital and competition classes, and recently choreographed an entire dance production of the Dinner Theater program held at Bowling Green State University. Sammy Stafford, Contemporary and Jazz Instructor
Sammy has been dancing since the age of 3. She has trained in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary and hip hop, and has been 
choreographing since the age of 16. Her choreography has won numerous overall awards. She danced competitively from the age of 5, winning many awards and titles throughout the years. She was a part of the first LA Dance Magic Company in 2006-07, and performed with the company in California. She went on to tour with LA Dance Magic as an assistant from 2007-08, and also performed in Tap Into the Network 4, a tap performance held in California, in 2008. Sammy is entering her second year as a jazz & contemporary instructor at The Beat.
choreographing since the age of 16. Her choreography has won numerous overall awards. She danced competitively from the age of 5, winning many awards and titles throughout the years. She was a part of the first LA Dance Magic Company in 2006-07, and performed with the company in California. She went on to tour with LA Dance Magic as an assistant from 2007-08, and also performed in Tap Into the Network 4, a tap performance held in California, in 2008. Sammy is entering her second year as a jazz & contemporary instructor at The Beat._________________________________________________________
Jennie Maas Zibbel, Ballet Instructor
Jennie attended the Toledo School of Ballet, where she studied under Marie Bollinger Vogt and the late Velta Cerenok. She danced in 12 performances of the Nutcracker and was most proud of her roles as Ree
d Flute, Waltz of the Flowers, and Arabian Girl. She has also performed in Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, and Cinderella, in which she danced the role of the Winter Ferry. She has also performed Stars and Stripes, Les Patineurs, and Handel's Water Music. Jennie has studied at the Nashville School of Ballet, and was a 2-year member of the University Performing Dancers at BGSU. Jennie has taught ballet at numerous local studieos, including the former Catz Squad and Cassandra's School of Ballet. She is currently the primary ballet teacher at Daryl Jervis Dance Studio. Jennie has taken master classes with Janice Barringer, Keith Clifton, and Frank Ohrman. When not teaching, Jennie spends her time with her husband Fred and her three children, Nina, Jakob, and Nickolaus who keep her very busy!
d Flute, Waltz of the Flowers, and Arabian Girl. She has also performed in Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, and Cinderella, in which she danced the role of the Winter Ferry. She has also performed Stars and Stripes, Les Patineurs, and Handel's Water Music. Jennie has studied at the Nashville School of Ballet, and was a 2-year member of the University Performing Dancers at BGSU. Jennie has taught ballet at numerous local studieos, including the former Catz Squad and Cassandra's School of Ballet. She is currently the primary ballet teacher at Daryl Jervis Dance Studio. Jennie has taken master classes with Janice Barringer, Keith Clifton, and Frank Ohrman. When not teaching, Jennie spends her time with her husband Fred and her three children, Nina, Jakob, and Nickolaus who keep her very busy!_________________________________________________________
Hannah Renollet, Hip Hop Instructor
bio coming soon...
