Dancenter Faculty

Nina Cameron – Owner, Director, Instructor
Nina has taught dance in Gainesville since 1969.  She is the founding Artistic Director of the Danscompany of Gainesville and has served in the role since its beginning in 1983. Nina is a certified member of Florida Dance Masters and has held many leadership positions including president. She has been a faculty member for the State Dance Association and teaching assistant for Disney World. Nina continues her studies every year with renowned teachers’ workshops & conventions.  She has served on the Board of Directors of the Jazz Dance World Congress and has attended all conventions to date.  In 2007 and 2013 The City of Gainesville and Alachua County awarded her The Lifetime Achievement award and declared a day in her name. Nina was honored in 2007 by SFCC with the Woman of Distinction Award.

Peggy Nolan Lamb – Instructor/Accounts Manager
Peggy returned to Gainesville in 1984 after spending 10 years in New York.  She has also studied at Converse College, South Carolina and performed with “The Sherry Jones Dancers.”  Peggy is a certified member of Florida Dance Masters and served on the Board of Directors as Chairman of the Judging Committee, and has taught for Florida Dance Masters.  She also serves as Dance Captain, Choreographer and performing member for The Danscompany of Gainesville.

Becky Farber- Studio Manager/Instructor
Becky was a founding member of the Dancenter. Becky was also the founding President of the Danscompany of Gainesville. After 35 years of love and devotion to the Dancenter and Danscompany, Becky has moved to the Tampa area to be closer to her loved ones. She will always be a part of the Dancenter and Danscompany. She is loved by the thousands of dancers she shared her wisdom and passion with.

Linda Thomas – Instructor/Competition Manager
Linda started dancing at the age of 6 in Manchester, NH. She has been a faculty member at the Dancenter since 1990.  She studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz & Acrobatics under the instruction of Joel Conrad at Allegro Academy of Dances.  Linda became a certified member of Dance Masters of America in Ballet, Tap & Acrobatics in 1983.  Linda is a member of and a contributing Choreographer for the Danscompany of Gainesville. She serves as the Artistic Director for “Chrysalis” and competition director for the Dancenter.

Gale Hamm – Receptionist

Melissa Bohne – Instructor
Melissa has danced since 1979 and holds a B.F.A. in Theatre and Dance from the University of Florida. She has served as an adjunct for the University of Florida. Melissa has attended master classes and workshops taught by various well-known instructors. She has been on staff at the Dancenter since 1999. Melissa is a performing member, contributing Choreographer and Rehearsal Coach for the Danscompany of Gainesville. 

Meredith Farnum – Instructor
Meredith has danced since 1981 and holds a B.F.A. in Dance from the University of Florida. She served as president of Floridance in 1992/93 and has toured, choreographed and performed in various places including Holland.  Meredith has been with the Dancenter since 1995 and began as an instructor in 1996. Meredith is a performing member and contributing choreographer with the Danscompany and is on the faculty at the School of Theatre and Dance at UF. Meredith has enhanced her dance training attending master classes and workshops over the years.  She has a MFA from U of F.

Erin Murphy Huston – Instructor
Erin has studied at the Dancenter since 1984 and has been on staff since 1998. She has been trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Modern and Musical Theater.  She is a contributing choreographer, acting coach, and a senior performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville and has performed many principal roles including The Fairy Godmother in “Cinderella” and Dorothy in “The Wiz.”  Erin has also held major roles in Productions of the Gainesville Community Playhouse.  She also the owner of Arabesque Dance and Active Wear .

Christy Daugherty – Instructor
Christy has taught Dance since 1990 and was the owner of Gotta Dance in Haile Village in Gainesville. Christy is from Daytona Beach where she danced with Winchester Dance Studio. She has performed In Community Theater and Musicals. Dance has always been an important and spiritual part of her life.

                             

Debbie Clark – Instructor Debbie has a master’s degree in special education and has been an instructor at the Dancenter since 2005. She is the Artistic Director of the Dancenter Kids and a rehearsal coach for Danscompany of Gainesville. She performs in Cinderella and The Wiz with Danscompany. She is the Secretary of the Danscompany of Gainesville Board of Directors.  

Fran Murphy – Receptionist/Office Manager SW Fran joined the Dancenter Family in 2007. Fran is an integral part of our Haile Village location. In addition to her duties she serves as assistant production balcony manager.                                                                                                                                                                  

Angela Long – Instructor
Angela has danced with the Dancenter since 1983 and on staff since 1997. Angela was a performing member of the Danscompany and has performed such roles as Dorothy in “The Wiz” and Winter Fairy in “Cinderella. She has attended various workshops

Brittany Gallman – Instructor
Brittany has been dancing with the Dancenter and Danscompany since 1997. Brittany is a performing member and contributing Choreographer of the Danscompany and has performed many roles in “The Wiz” and “Cinderella.” She has been on the Dancenter staff since 2007. Brittany has a Bachelor’s and Master of Education degree from the University of Florida in Elementary Education and is a teacher in Alachua County. 

                                                  Jeri-Lynn Rapczak – Instructor
Jeri-Lynn is a University of Florida graduate in psychology and, has danced since the age of three. She has been on the staff of the Dancenter since 2003. Jeri-Lynn studied dance in New York for several years and has attended summer dance intensive workshops in New York, Fort Worth, CT and Chicago. She is a certified instructor in the Progressing Ballet Technique and through the Intermediate jazz level of the Nan Giordano Certification Program. She is a contributing Choreographer and a performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville and has performed many principal roles including Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother and Spring Concert.

Alicia Herfurth – Instructor
Alicia has danced with the Dancenter since 1994 and has been on staff since 2012. She is a performing member of the Danscompany where she has performed many roles including the Winter Fairy in Cinderella and Dorothy in “The Wiz”. She has danced professionally with Walt Disney World in various roles. Alica has a degree in Elementary Education from Saint Leo University and is a teacher in Alachua County.

Jordan Derouise: Instructor and performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville
Jordan is a staff member at the Dancenter, a contributing choreographer and a dancer for over 20 years. She has danced major roles including the Autumn Fairy, Fairy Godmother and Cinderella. Outside of dance, Jordan works for the University of Florida as a Data Analyst and Project Manager.

Herman Ramos:  Instructor and performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Tori Griffin: Instructor and performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville
Tori has been a staff member and choreographer for the past eight years and has been dancing at the Dancenter for 24 years. She has danced various roles in the The Wiz and Cinderella including the Fairy Godmother in 2010 and Cinderella in 2011. When she isn’t dancing, she works full-time at the University of Florida as a Marketing Coordinator.

Beth Fisher: Assistant Instructor and performing member of the Danscompany of Gainesville