Susan Turner ~ Summer Camp Assistant Director  began ballet, tap, jazz, acrobatics, and gymnastics at age 5, and was assisting her teachers by age 14.  Susan started exploring yoga and creative movement in college, studying with Doris Levy at UNCW.  She received her Bikram Yoga Certification in 2001, and enjoys teaching yoga to children and adults. 

Susan is a member of Forward Motion Dance Company and frequently performs locally.  She teaches 1st and 2nd Grades at Friends School of Wilmington, where she has led summer and after-school art and yoga programs as well as assisted with the production of the musical The Wizard of Oz.

Susan spent the summer of 2010 with The Dance Element, teaching a Yoga workshop as one of the visiting artists and starring as "Grandfather" in the production of Peter and the Wolf.  She returned as Assistant Director in 2011, and delivered an unforgetable performance in the role of "Nana" for  The Velveteen Rabbit.  Susan is a gifted dancer and an inspiring teacher.  She is thrilled to be spending the summer of 2012 with The Dance Element and the cast of Charlotte's Web.

Pamela Cimone competed for the Mississauga Gymnastics Club in 1976. She began coaching gymnastics at age 15, for Gymnastics Mississauga, then the Corona Gymnastics Club of Ottawa. Pamela discovered her passion for dance at age 9, competing and performing with Nancy McClintock and the Van Buskirk Dancers of Toronto. She attended the University of Calgary in 1984 to study Kinesiology. Her dance training continued with the "Dance Montage" group. 

Her love of teaching and working with children led her to the completion of a M.S.Ed. at S.U.N.Y. Potsdam. She taught 1st grade and Physical Education for 5 years at L'Acadmie Jean D'Arc, in Ottawa, Canada. She initiated an after school, performing arts program where she directed and choreographed two muscials: Oliver and Annie. She taught Jazz dance for Les Petites Ballet in Ottawa and started her own dance program, "All that Jazz" in 1992.

Joey Stephens began his dance training at North Carolina Theatre Conservatory. He was a member of their Senior Dance Company for two years.  Additionally, he trained with Franklinton Ballet Dance Theatre and has performed with the Carolina Ballet in various productions. Joey has been featured in multiple shows with both North Carolina Theatre and Franklinton Area Community Theatre. He performed in a duet entitled "We Are" with Forward Motion Dance Company in 2009.

Joey began choreographing for Youngsville Elementary School’s production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (2008.) He served as assistant choreographer for Franklinton High School’s production of Grease, and head choreographer for Franklinton Area Community Theatre’s Seussical, Jr. (2009.) He is currently a student at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington majoring in Theatre Arts, and was most recently seen starring as Pippin, in the university’s 2010 production.

Joey served as lighting designer for The Dance Element's 2010 Spring Recital as well as production designer for The Velveteen Rabbit (2011.)

Lauren Squires is a rhythm tap dancer who has been dancing since the
age of 4. Originally from Springfield, Missouri, she grew up dancing
and performing with Sonshine Dance Company. As a young teenager, she
performed in professional productions in Branson, MO. Lauren obtained
a B.A. from American University in Washington, DC, where she was a
founding member of the professional rhythm tap company Tappening. She
obtained her Ph.D. at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where
she  forged many off-kilter creative collaborations (such as dancing
with a punk bluegrass band and recording taps to overlay musical
tracks for folk, bluegrass, and hip-hop acts). She has also performed
with Ann Arbor's Sole Full of Rhythm tap dance ensemble since 2010.
Lauren has taught tap through University of Virginia's Short Courses
Program; Charlottesville, VA, Parks & Recreation; and as a substitute
at dance studios in Washington, DC. She is a faculty member in the
English Department at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. You
can find out more about Lauren at http://lolotaps.net.

Mark taught an unforgettable Guest Artist Workshop for The Dance Element's 2011 Summer Camp, and is thrilled to be joining the staff for a regular weekly class in 2012.

Jessica Matlock began jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, and acrobatics in 1993 at Baylin Dance Studio in Clemmons.  She studied at Clemmons Gymnastics from 2000-2007, while continuing to dance and perform in various concerts.   She was a cheerleader for the Lewisville Titans in middle school, and a member of the Varsity Cheerleading Squad throughout high school, as a primary tumbler and flyer.  Jessica participated as a coach in a number of clinics and classes training the younger squads in Acrobatics techniques.  She has eighteen years of tumbling/gymnastics experience, and is very excited to be the newest member of The Dance Element staff.  Jessica is currently a student at UNCW studying Clinical Research with a focus on Oncology.

Tara received the Michael Canfield Memorial Award for the arts. At the age of 17, she attended East Carolina University as a dance major, and was one of only four freshman accepted onto the East Carolina Pure Gold Dance Team.