Featuring Our Teaching Staff

Baton, Jazz Dolls and Competition Dance Team

Nicole Sylvester Cates   Nicole Cates has been dancing and twilring since the age of 2. She won her first national twirling title at the age of 6.  Nicole continued to study baton and dance at Michelle's Dance and Twirl Academy and won nurmerous state,  nationals, and world titles. Nicole was on the team that won $1500.00 at Showstoppers National Dance Competition.  Before Nicole retired from competitive twirling she had won over 7 national titles including The 1993 Teenage Miss Majorette of America. Nicole was feature twirler and cheerleader at Jackson High School. As a Jazz Doll Nicole traveled on the 1993 USA team and brought home a gold medal from France. After Hign School she continued to study dance at Indiana State University, where she recieved a full scholarship to be Feature Twirler. She also was on the Sparkette dance and cheer squad and attended nationals with them. From there Nicole continued her education at Akron taking dance classes and finishing her degree in education.. Now, Nicole is co-owner of the studio, a 6th grade math and science teacher and a full time teacher at MDTA STARS!

Ballet, Lyrical, and Competition Dance Team

Tarra A. Morgan Starting her study of dance at age five, Miss Morgan studied the Vagonova technique with The Warren Dance Centre under the direction of Jill and Chris Neiss. At the age of ten, she was cast the lead role in The Nutcracker and by age eleven she was awarded a work-study scholarship and apprenticeship with the company Ballet Theatre Ohio. Miss Morgan then began assistant teaching beginning ballet, pointe, and creative movement classes for the school and also the Warren YWCA. In 1996 she was accepted into the American Ballet Academy, The American Ballet School, and also Pointe Park College Summer Intensive Programs. Throughout junior high, Miss Morgan participated in Kent State University’s Arts Excel Program majoring in dance, drama, and then voice. While continuing studies in ballet, jazz, lyrical, theater, and modern Tarra was also nominated Captain of her large mount varsity squad in high school. In the summer of 2002, Tarra learned American and Balanchine techniques while studying dance with The Pittsburgh Ballet School. Competing in 2001 and 2002 local and regional competitions she earned nothing less than Platinum and High-Gold awards. At age nineteen her choreography was premiered at an event covered and aired by Showtime HBO. Tarra has also participated in Kista Tucker Workshops, studied Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham techniques with Abbey Alter at the Walnut Street Lodge (now Shenango Valley Ballet), and served as Vice President and then President of the Youngstown State University Dance Ensemble. While obtaining her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice at YSU Miss Morgan became a certified volunteer firefighter and served as a Marine Corps Officer Candidate in Quantico, VA. Tarra’s repertoire includes twelve consecutive years of performing in Ballet Theatre Ohio and Great Lakes Festival Ballet’s Nutcracker, Giselle, Cinderella, and Alice in Wonderland. Tarra has also performed principal variations from ballets such as Swan Lake, Les Corsaire, Sleeping Beauty, Hope, Don Quixote, La Sylphide, and Dragonfly Lake. Her most recent experience includes teaching at the Ballet Western Reserve and directing the dance program of the North Canton YMCA. Miss Morgan currently dances with the newly formed Ananda Center Modern Dance Company in Massillon, OH. With almost twenty years of dancing experience, and thirteen years of teaching, choreographic, and leadership experience, Miss Morgan is both honored and excited to be joining the MDTA teaching staff!

Acrbat, Jazz, Tap, Jazz Dolls and Competition Dance

Jennifer Nero  Bunish Jennifer Bunish  has been dancing and twilring since the age of 2.  She has studied baton and dance at Michelle's Dance and Twirl Academy and won nurmerous state,  nationals, and world titles. Jennifer was on the team that won $1500.00 at Showstoppers National Dance Competition. Jennifer's greatest moment waswhen she was Dorthy in juvenile Jazz Dolls. Jennifer's accomplishments 4 time national champion including 1993 College Miss Majorette of America and Senior Grand National Twirling Champion. Feature Twiler at GlenOak High School Cheerleader  at GlenOak High School Feature Twiler at Youngstown State University

Baton Privates and Jazz Dolls

Annette Sylvester.  Annette is a director of the Jazz Dolls. She coaches numerous feature twirlers both high school and college. Annette has also had hundreds of state, national, and world baton twirlers.  Jaime Egan Jaime Egan is a 2 time National Champion  and a 3 time Gold Medialist. Jaime began twirling and dancing at the ag e of 2. She was Feature Twirler at Canton McKinley and Kent State University. Jaime is an outstanding baton teacher.