Dance School

List of 5 items.

• Dance School Faculty

  Emily Tankersley

  Emily is a graduate of Towson University, where she earned her BFA in Dance Performance. Following her undergraduate education, Emily earned her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Now in her twenty-second year at Bryn Mawr, Emily teaches dance to students from Lower School through twelfth grade and directs the Upper School Dance Company while also serving as the Upper School Arts Department Chair. In addition to her work with the students at Bryn Mawr, Emily has choreographed and performed with The Collective, a local modern dance company in residence at The Bryn Mawr School. She worked with The Collective for 20 years and performed at many local venues such as the Baltimore Museum of Art, The Gordon Center, Theatre Project, Johns Hopkins University, Goucher College, Towson University and Artscape.  Emily is currently pursuing her doctorate degree in Dance Education through the Teachers College at Columbia University.
  

   

  Brooke Berman

  Brooke is a proud Bryn Mawr alumna (‘08) and former BMS Dance Company member who is excited to join the Dance School faculty this year! Brooke graduated from Franklin & Marshall College with a BA in Psychology where she was a member of both the Dance Company and the Dance Team. She then went on to receive an M.Ed in Special Education from Wilmington University and a graduate certificate in Mind, Brain, and Teaching from Johns Hopkins University. She has spent the last 8 years as a fifth-grade teacher, most recently at the Boys’ Latin School of Maryland. Brooke has choreographed for a number of Bryn Mawr Upper School musicals (including Thirteen, Legally Blonde, Into the Woods, Pippin, and Cinderella) as well as for the Upper School Dance Company. 
  
  

  Allyson DiMilia

  Allyson began her dance training at the young age of 5 in the Catskill Mountains in New York. Throughout her childhood, she traveled to and performed at various venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Faneuil Hall in Boston, Disney World in Florida, and The Pearl Harbor Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii. She continued her dance journey in college at Brockport University where she received her bachelor's degrees in Dance, Interdisciplinary Arts for Children, and Therapeutic Recreation. Allyson was also a member of her collegiate dance team and has taught dance for various dance studios and community programs. For many years, Allyson has worked as a Recreation Therapist, using her knowledge and passion for dance as a therapeutic tool for her patients, both young and old. In 2022, she and her family moved from New York to Maryland where she learned of the Bryn Mawr School and currently teaches dance for both middle and upper schools.
  

   

  Shebrae Dixon

  Shebrae is a native of Baltimore and began her dance training with various dance schools across Maryland. Shebrae attended Goucher College where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Education and currently holds a Maryland Teacher’s Licensure for grades K-5.  She has worked with studios all across the DMV area and enjoys running her own competitive dance studio (Dynamix Dance). Her practice today is centered around ballet, jazz and contemporary dance forms. Shebrae is a fourth-grade teacher here at Bryn Mawr!

  Carly Engelke- bio coming soon!

   

  
  
  

   

• Required Clothing

  Standard Uniform Information:

  The Dance School at Bryn Mawr uses Discount Dance Supply as our uniform supplier. Please read the below information and directions carefully. 
  The basic uniform for all classes is as follows but please see specific styles as listed on the Discount Dance Supply website (directions at the bottom):
  
  Ballet: Black tank style leotard (no decoration, writing, etc), black chiffon ballet skirt (optional for K-1), ballet pink tights and pink ballet slippers
  Jazz: Black tank style leotard (no decoration, writing, etc), plain black dance leggings (no writing, designs, emblems, etc), black jazz shoes
  Lyrical (for 6-8 combo class): same as Jazz
  
  Important uniform notes:
  

  1. Please note that we use some pieces of the uniform for our performance and, therefore, it is important that you purchase the correct items. If you purchase any item elsewhere, please make sure it is exactly the same as those on the website. Leotards and pants should be PLAIN - no jewels, writing, colored waistbands, etc.
     
     
  2. Shoes are the same styles as we have used previously - no need to buy new shoes unless your child outgrows those that she is wearing. I provided a few different brands on the uniform list from which you can choose.
     
     
  3. For some classes, I have included both adult and children sizes under each class but, of course (at the risk of stating the obvious), you only need to order what is appropriate for your child!
     
     
  4. The leotard color for ALL classes is black - the Discount Dance program will not allow me to change the picture but the color choice should already show that the black leotard is required.
     
     
  5. You will see an "Optional" uniform list that has a couple of long sleeve optional items. You may purchase them if you decide that your child would want to wear something that is long-sleeved in the colder months but they may need the tank style leotard for the performance.

  TO ORDER
  

  Please follow these directions for ordering from Discount Dance:

  1. Go directly to this link to access "The Dance School at Bryn Mawr" uniform requirements page. 
  2. Click on the box that corresponds to the class for which you are purchasing items to order and choose your items. 
  3. If prompted or given the option at checkout, enter the studio number: TP119912 
  4. If you are unable to access via the above link, you may search for our requirements by going to the "Teacher" tab in the upper right corner, and clicking on "Find my Teacher." You will then enter our id # TP119912 which will then allow you to access the page. 

  Note: Sometimes items are on backorder.  Please feel free to wait for items, order a different brand, or order from a different vendor if that is easier for you. 

• Technology

  We are thrilled that all classes will be taught in person for the 23-24 school year! 

• Policies and Procedures

  Standard Tuition at a Glance:

  All students will be charged a once-yearly $25 registration fee per student.
  All billing will take place through the Bryn Mawr School.
  Tuition rates are as follows (cost is for the entire session):
  
  Registration fee: $25 per student- waived for 2020-2021 school year 
  

  • All K-5 classes:
    1 class a week: $180 (full price)
    2 classes a week: $165 each class ($330 total for session)
    3 classes a week: $145 each class ($435 total for session)
    4 classes a week (most likely for those with more than one child in the program): $120 each class ($480 session)

  • All 6-8 classes: classes are 60 minutes
    1 class: $200
    2 classes: $185 each class ($370 total for session)
    3 classes: $165 each class ($495 total for session)

  Tuition is based on a 12-week semester and will be billed to your Bryn Mawr account upon receipt of your registration form and non-refundable enrollment fee of $25 (this fee is waived for the 2020-2021 school year and new prices are listed above).
  
  While we are planning on 12-week sessions, the tuition will remain the same regardless of number of classes held and/or classes attended by the student. All attempts will be made to hold make-up classes should we close due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
  
  

  Withdrawal:

  A full refund, with the exception of the registration fee of $25, will be granted after the first week of classes only. Once the first week has passed, students will be considered fully enrolled for the semester.
  
  

  Placement:

  • Students are placed in dance classes based on their current grade.

  Attendance/Absences:

  Please notify Emily Tankersley via email should your child be absent from school or not attending class. While it is understood that there are certain circumstances that arise causing a dancer to miss class, dancers are expected to attend all scheduled classes as it is vital to their individual progress and that of the class. Missing classes is difficult not only on the dancer but the teacher and her classmates.
  
  

  Performances:

  Parents are not permitted inside the dance studios to observe classes as it can be distracting to the dancers. The 2024 dance season will conclude with a performance on Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. Rehearsals for the show will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2024.

• Contact Us

  If you have any questions, please contact Dance School Director Emily Tankersley at bmsdanceschool@brynmawrschool.org or 410-323-8800 x1276.