Madeline Parker Avinger

Madeline Avinger, since 1966 a teacher and director. She was director at the Chickasaw location for fourteen years. She is a member of Professional Dance Teachers Association (PDTA). She received her early training with Mary Lou Sheffield Noletto. She has studied with many famous teachers and choreographers in New York, New Orleans, and other areas, having studied at the June Taylor Studio while in New York. Former studies also include the Teachers Training School of the Dance Masters of America. She performed numerous roles as a Soloist for the Mobile Theatre Guild Dance Wing in Mobile, Alabama. From 1990 to 2000, she was the owner and director of Madeline Avinger’s School of Dance in Foley, Alabama. As a teacher, she has helped initiate a dance therapeutic program for the pre-schoolers at the Springhill School for Special Children. She is a member of “Very Special Arts of Alabama”, a group inaugurated by the John F. Kennedy Foundation of the Arts. Ms. Madeline attended a Special Olympics training school which certifies her as a Special Olympics gymnastic coach.

Theresa Noletto-Hutchins

Professional ballet training started at eight years old with Don Farnworth in New York City and later with Balanchine’s New York City Ballet principal Melissa Hayden. Also, additional training with Bruce Marks, Ballet West Utah, Phyllis Latin’s Saratoga Ballet Company, American Ballet Theatre principals Marcia Haydee and Elizabeth Carroll, Joffrey Ballet principal Finis Jhung, Broadway Dancer Charles Kelley, Luigi, Lea Darwin, Susan Quinn, Michael Williams and Gus Giordano. She received a dance scholarship to Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. In 1984 she became a professional dancer with First City Dance Theatre as a principal soloist for eight years. Her guest performing credits include the Jazz Dance World Congress, Mobile Ballet and Wats on Dance. As a teacher, her experiences includes Dance Masters of America, Alabama School of Fine Arts, American Dance Center, The Dance Centre, University of South Alabama and Springhill College. As a choreographer she has received over thirty Choreography Awards and Top Overall Solo/Group Titles at National Dance Competitions. Her most prestigious award was for “Dedication 911” which wrapped up an Overall National Title, Overall Choreography Award and Perfect Score. She has also received One World Choreography Award at The Jazz Dance World Congress and One State Choreography Award at Panoply. Her dance company has performed on the Celebrity and Carnival Cruise Lines, at the Jazz Dance World Congress, St. Augustine’s Winter Dance Festival and First Night Mobile. In 2008 she taught Master Classes for Dixie Dance Masters of America and was an adjudicator for their Petite, Junior, Teen and Senior Miss Dance Pageant. In 2009 she received her Teachers Training Certificate with the Leap N Learn Educational Program for early to primary dance students and also received advanced dance studies with Northwest Florida Ballet. Her trained dancers are dancing professionally with the Rockettes, American Ballet Theatre, Gus Giordano Jazz Chicago and Atlanta Ballet. She has trained America’s Junior Miss and Miss America Title Winners. Many students continue to receive full dance scholarships to colleges and professional dance training schools from under her instruction. Her passion for dance continues to inspire her students today.

Celi Shinn

Is a National Award Winning Choreographer and has been teaching since the age of 15. Growing up in the Sheffield School of the Dance family, she began her training at an early age and went on to work as a Professional Dancer and Faculty Member with the American Dance Center in Saratoga Springs, NY. She has choreographed for the America’s Junior Miss program locally, and studied under Master Teachers and Dance Greats including Sonya Arova, Roni Mahler, Lea Darwin, Susan Quinn & Michael Williams, Luigi, Frank Hatchett, and the late Gus Giordano. In 1998 and 1999, Celi’s choreography appeared on ESPN with Paula Abdul receiving 1st Overall National Champion Titles. Celi was recognized by New York City Dance Alliance in 2000 for “National Outstanding Choreography” and has achieved an astounding 25 “Best Of Show” titles at Tremaine National Finals including four “National Performance of the Year” titles from So You Think You Can Dance’s, Wade Robson, Broadway Legend, Chita Rivera, Paula Abdul and Mitzi Gaynor. In 2005, Celi directed and produced Imagine… A Performance for Life, a benefit concert for Dancers Responding to AIDS. This project, which she claims to be her Most Rewarding Endeavor, was backed by the City of Mobile and drew tremendous community support by raising over $10,000 for this wonderful organization. Over the summer of 2007, she received the prestigious honor of being named the “2007-08 Tremaine National Dance Teacher of the Year” for her continued love and commitment to the art of dance. Most recently, she choreographed Rock The Runway, a fashion benefit for AJM. Her students are currently working globally and can be seen with the American Ballet Theatre, The Radio City Rockettes, The Houston Ballet, The New York City Ballet, the MTV Video Music Awards and many more.

Joanie Noletto

Joanie Noletto is a Sheffield trained student/teacher. In addition to her early training, she has studied at the American Dance Center in Saratoga Springs, New York. She has also studied at the Dance Center in Pensacola, Florida. She has attended national conventions of Dance Masters of America during the summer. She travels regularly for special teacher training at dance conventions in New Orleans. She is a charter member of the Sheffield Dancers. For eleven years, Joanie was a performer and choreographer for award winning dance routines in the finals of Showstopper National Talent Competition in Greensboro, North Carolina, Cleveland, Ohio, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina as well as the Danny Hoctor’s Dance Caravan, USA in New Orleans, Louisiana and Gatlingburg, Tennessee. Joanie, associated with and choreographer of the Mobile County Junior Miss Program for over ten years. In 1998, she attended the dance workshop and competition in Chicago sponsored by Gus Giordano Jazz Dance School. In 2003, she traveled to Las Vegas for the West Coast Dance Explosion teacher conference and competition and Orlando, Florida for the Joe Tremaine convention. In Mobile, Alabama she attended New York City Dance Alliance, West Coast Dance Explosion and Shock teacher workshops. In the summer of 2008, she traveled to Orlando, Florida for the Tremaine National Finals. Currently she is also employed with Family Practice Associates of Mobile as an office manager/insurance clerk.

Courtney Baugh Crowe

Courtney has been a part of the Sheffield School of the Dance Faculty since 2003. She has trained at Sheffield School of the Dance for over 19 years, many of which were spent competing with the Sheffield Dancers. After graduation from high school, she went on to perform with Walt Disney World Entertainment in Orlando, Florida. She has been seen in various stage productions and parades at The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and what is now Hollywood Studios. She has also appeared as several popular Disney face characters throughout the Walt Disney World Theme Park in Orlando, Florida. She graduated in May of 2006 from The University of South Alabama with a BFA degree in Graphic Design and a minor in Painting. In 2007 she was married and started her own company, a freelance graphic design company. She owns and operates Crowe Creative Design. Currently she is also employed full time as a webmaster at Televox Software, Inc. She still enjoys performing and taking dance classes in her spare time. In the summer of 2008, she traveled to Orlando, Florida for the Tremaine National Finals competition and workshop. In May 2009, she made her debut at the Mobile Theatre Guild as a Kit Kat Girl dancer/singer in the musical Cabaret. She continues to follow her passion for dance as an instructor at the very place she herself was trained, Sheffield School of the Dance.

Colby Shinn

As a young and versatile artist, Colby Shinn is one of the most recognized dancers in the country. He has worked with choreographers from So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With the Stars and has performed across the US including the Jazz Dance World Congress in Chicago, and the Dancers’ Responding to AIDS annual New York benefit, Dancing For Life in Bryant Park. By the young age of 16, he was already a National Award Winning Choreographer, with his work being recognized as the “Tremaine National Performance of the Year” by Chita Rivera, Paula Abdul and Mitzi Gaynor. His work was also awarded by Dance Spirit Magazine as “Best Choreography” for recording artist, Lauren Hildebrandt. His most recent projects include choreographing/performing Rock The Runway, a fashion benefit for AJM, and his choreography was featured on the 2010 UDA Championships airing on ESPN. His stage credits include the 22nd Annual Gypsy Awards in Hollywood honoring TV / Film Icon, Mary Tyler Moore, and the “Oscars of Fashion”, The Michael Awards, in New York, benefiting the National Children’s Leukemia Foundation. In his competitive days, he was a Seven-Time National Title Winner, including winning Debbie Allen’s National FAMEUS Challenge, chosen by Disney’s, Raven Symone. His television credits include appearances on ESPN with Paula Abdul and the America’s Junior Miss National Finals on BRAVO. He has taught for Dance Masters of America, and is currently on Faculty with Tremaine Dance Conventions, being the only dancer in history to win their “National Dancer of the Year” title as a Junior, Teen, and Senior. Colby’s tremendous energy and emphasis on technique and style has put him in demand as an International Master Teacher and Choreographer, where he recently taught at the All You Can Dance Festival in Innsbruck, Austria, and is on Faculty at the Costa Rica Jazz Fest, Summer 2010.

Mandi Ward

Mandi has trained with Sheffield School of the Dance for over 20 years. After graduation from high school she attended University of Mobile. Mandi was a member of University of Mobile Cheerleading Squad and also participated in special events with University of Mobile Dance Team. Also while in college, Mandi was an instructor for Contempo Studio. Mandi has choreographed solos for the Mobile County Junior Miss contestants and has served as a private coach for local cheerleading squads preparing choreography for competitions. In 1997, Mandi graduated from University of Mobile with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and married Jeff Ward. Mandi is the mother of two children, Tanner and Cammie. She is currently employed as a Registered Nurse Case Manager and is thrilled to have returned to her dance family.