Meet Our Faculty

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Vicky started her dance career at the age of 2. She has had a passion for dance all of her life. She graduated from Texas Christian University with a BFA in dance and minor in television. She is the proud owner of DAC and Dance Variations Dance Company for the past 37 years. She has studied with numerous modern choreographers including Melvin Purcell and Alwin Nikolais. She has extensive training in Martha Graham technique and utilizes her contemporary modern background through out her studio. She was honored to have studied under Fernando Shafenberg while studying at TCU. After performing and touring for two years, Vicky decided to open a business where she could share the love of dance with anyone who wanted to learn. She is an award winning choreographer. Many of her students have gone on to dance at the collegiate & professional levels. Her values are an open door to anyone wanting to learn the art and passion for dance! Her goal as an instructor is to instill the passion of dance into others as well as self confidence to be strong forces in life. Her wish for others is to dance like no one is watching!! 

Kendra is a former student of Dance & Arts Connection. She graduated Cum Laude from SMU, where she completed her post graduate work for her teaching certificate. She received the Drill team Highlandette Outstanding Line Member Award. She also was chosen to perform the opening number at national tap dance day with Fred Kelly, and a national's number with Ray Leaper. She was chosen for Power Pak and performed on tour in Las Vegas and Branson. She has obtained several overall wins, choreography awards during her 22 years of teaching. She is looking forward to the excitement on the kid's faces when they accomplish a new skill. 

William Agliata received his early ballet training in his native home, Rome, Italy, at the Renato Greco Dance Studio and The Rome Opera School of Ballet, under the guidance of Victor Livtinov, Ivana Gattei and Anton Kalinov (Sophia Opera and Ballet). During William’s dance education and subsequent professional career, he studied with eminent artists, choreographers, directors and composers.

Some highlights from William's Italian resume:

William’s professional dance career began at the Rome Opera with roles in Raymonda and other full-length ballets, as well as in the ballets of Faust and Aida at the Rome Opera. He danced in the worldwide telecast of the World Youth Fair for John Paul II, the world premiere of The Seven Deadly Sins and Lindbergh’s Flight at the Arena Sferisterio of Macerata, commercials and variety shows for RAI, the Italian National TV Network, the private TV Network Channel 5, and Coppelia for the Rome Summer Festival.

William moved to New York permanently in 2004 to dance and deepen his ballet training, studying with great teachers in the American ballet tradition: Wilhelm Burmann, Nancy Bielski and David Howard.

Highlights from William’s New York Resume:

Dancing and stage combat in Otello and other operas at the Metropolitan Opera; The Saints of Bleecker Street at Di Capo Opera/New York City Opera, Rebecca

Kelly Ballet, the 20th Century Fox film, Little Manhattan, with Pat Birch, choreographer, he danced in Across the Universe, directed by Julie Taymor, In spring 2017, he danced in the Eightieth Anniversary Recital of Ballet Arts and continues to work with several contemporary choreographers in New York.

William strives to teach perfect posture and form to reveal each student’s maximum potential. In 2016-2017, he worked as Ballet Master for Di Capo Opera/New York City Opera.

He began teaching and coaching in 1991 and ceaselessly incorporates his comprehensive knowledge of dance and singing techniques into his coaching and rehabilitation work.

Since 2015, he’s been training Robert De Niro and Stings families. Breathing techniques, weightlifting and ballet floor and barre exercises helped them to achieve their goals rapidly. In 2016, he trained polio and cancer survivors to achieve greater postoperative strength and flexibility.

With William’s extensive stage experience, he’s also coached actors to prepare for their performing challenges.

Shawnee grew up in Heath and attended Dance and Arts Connection for 16 years. She attended Rockwall Heath High School where she was a member of the Highsteppers and served as captain her senior year. After graduating in 2016, She attended Stephen F. Austin State University where she was a member of their award-winning dance team for four years and served as Captain her senior year.  During her time on SFADT, she won four national titles. She earned a bachelor's degree in Dance Education and became a drill team director after graduation. She has worked for Crowdpleasers Dance since 2016 where she teaches drill teams all around Texas. She is currently the assistant drill team director at North Forney High School.

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