Instructors

KEITH CLIFTON, Ballet, Tap & Character Jazz
Keith Clifton has been in business as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer for the last two and a half decades. He has performed in five Dr. Pepper comercials, three for Wendy's as well as commercials for Dodge, MacDonald's, Levis and many more.

He has performed on the stage in musicals including 42nd Street, George M, Oliver, My Fair Lady, A Chorus Line, and Anything Goes, for which he won the Dramalogue's Critics Choice Award for Best Choreography. His television credits include apperances in The Academy Awards Show, the Tim Conway Show, The Carpenter's, Wolfman Jack, and David Copperfield. Keith has also traveled as a guest artist to perform with regional ballet companies in lead roles such as: The Nutcracker, Copepelia, Swan Lake, and Firebird. He has staged and directed the entire Nutcarcker ballet for The Irving Ballet of Dallas, Texas. In 1993 Keith was commissioned to restructure the entire jazz and tap syllabus for the New Zealand Association of Modern Dance. He is a co-founder of the Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles and LA Danceforce Convention.

Keith continues to teach around the world staying current with all the latest trends in choreography. He has taught dance throughout the United States as well as in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, San Salvador, and Guatemala.

We are excited to have Keith back as part of our faculty for the fourth year in a row!

JACKIE SLEIGHT, Jazz
Jackie Sleight went from dancer to choreographer to director, all the while traveling the country teaching. She conceived the popular girl group, “A Sleight Touch” which opened for some of the biggest recording stars in the industry. They eventually became a headline act themselves, and traveled the world appearing before crowds of up to 32,000. In 1999, she co-founded the dance convention, L.A. Dance Magic.

Jackie has worked with stars including Rod Stewart, Paula Abdul, Barry Manilow, Expose, Stacey Q, Yvonne Elliman, David Hasselhoff and Barbara Eden. She was staff choreographer for several TV series’ and her commercial list includes Burger King, Levi’s, McDonalds, Polaroid, Honda and more. Jackie’s dance groups “A Sleight Touch” and “Boys’ Club” each won seven shows and ultimately the Grand Championships, on the 80’s television phenom, Star Search. Jackie was also the innovator of the fitness trend, “Freedance,” that was taught in health clubs all over the country. Still, Jackie’s greatest loves are her sons, Joshua and Aaron.

We are excited to welcome Jackie back to our lineup of incredible teachers for the second year in row!

WILL THOMAS, Contemporary & Jazz
Will Thomas has been seen dancing on stage with Disney’s Raven, The Jonas Brothers, and The Cheetah Girls, as well as Shontelle Layne and Kid Rock in the Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day NFL half time show.

Will’s acting/dancing can be seen on the television shows “Nashville”on ABC, “Hit The Floor” on VH1 and in Subway’s “Frat House Musical” web series. Ellen Degeneres had Will be a body double for Bill Clinton on her show, which he thinks is pretty funny. You can also see Will in “Real Life: The Musical” on the Oxygen Network, “Parenthood” on NBC and as a contestant on “So You Think You Can Dance” on FOX where he was one of the top 4 guys of season 9. Soon after that he toured North America with the SYTYCD season 9 cast.

Some of Will’s favorite achievements are working with Rihanna on FOX’s “X Factor,” Taylor Swift for the 2014 MTV/VH1 “Video Music Awards” and Ariana Grande for a flash mob at Universal City Walk.

Currently Will is assisting and teaching for L.A. Dance Magic and has been invited to teach in studios all over North America. This summer, you can see him in the New York Spectacular Starring Radio City Rockettes! Will continues to train in all styles of dance and acting because there is simply no other way of life for him but what he does. He lives by the motto Dance, Laugh, Love and Repeat.

We are excited to welcome back Will to our lineup of extraordinary teachers!

RHONDA MILLER, Jazz, Musical Theater & Tap
Rhonda Miller created and developed the Commercial Dance Program at NYC's Pace University. She was a founder and co-owner of L.A.’s premier dance studio, The Edge and was the leader for many years of its convention business, L.A. DanceForce, After relocating to New York, Miller’s work caught the eye of director-choreographer Jerry Mitchell, who included her on his team for the renowned Broadway Bares.

Stage credits are Nothing Like A Dame at the Marquis Theater in New York City, ABC Daytime Salutes at Town Hall, All Shook Up, CHICAGO, City of Angels, RENT, A Christmas Carol and The Wild Party. Previous NYMF credits include Have a Nice Life (Outstanding Ensemble), Austentatious, Gemini, The Musical and Common Grounds (Outstanding Choreography). Television credits include General Hospital, The Boys for HBO and It’s Garry Shandling’s Show for HBO. Her work has also been seen in commercials and industrials for such Fortune 500 companies as Apple, Chrysler, Toys R Us, Warner Brothers and Exxon-Mobil. She recently choreographed Les Enfants de Paris for NYMF 2011, “Broadway Nights” for Celebrity Cruise Lines, was stage director for Nickelodeon Upfronts and worked with Catherine Zeta Jones on the American Film Institute Awards. Miller holds her BFA from the University of Utah and her MPA from Oklahoma City University.

We are excited to have Rhonda back as part of our faculty for the sixth year!

LAUREN GAUL
Lauren Gaul performed as a Radio City Rockette for 10 years appearing in the Christmas Spectacular, NBC Behind The Scenes Special, Monday Night Football, Columbus Day Parade, and numerous other shows and events. She performed in shows such as Nothing Like a Dame, Dance Break, The Astaire Awards, The Élan Awards and numerous industrials. She performed in industrials for Audi, Astra Zeneca, Warburg Pinkus and with companies such as Tap Team II & Co, Journey Dance Co., and as a guest artist with Riedel Dance Theater. Lauren choreographed industrials for Lady Footlocker, IZOD, Capezio, Sesame Street, and Sesame Workshop featuring recording artist Brandy. Most recently she choreographed Tennesse William’s The Mutilated starring Mink Stole and Penny Arcade (Off Broadway). Her work has been presented at Jacobs Pillow, Jazz Dance World Congress, Broadway Dance Center, the Bridge for Dance and numerous other venues. She was assistant choreographer for Broadway Bares, the Élan Awards, Chicago (Regional), Torched (Off Broadway), and for cruise lines such as Princess and Celebrity. She received her MFA from the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance and is an ABT® Certified Teacher. Lauren is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance at Pace University in the Commercial Dance Program.

WHITNEY CRITES BROWN, Progressions & Musical Theater
Whitney's contagious spirit, enthusiastic attitude and exceptional choreography have put her in high demand as a master class teacher and choreographer around the nation. Most recently she traveled the nation with Nickelodeon’s wildly popular Yo Gabba Gabba! Live as the Assistant Choreographer and Dance Captain. She has also been the choreographer for the Reckson Center Christmas Tree Lighting, starring and Johnny Weir from the Olympic Men's Figure Skating Team and Shiera and Loli's Ditty Doodle Works on the CW Television Network.

While choreography and teaching are Whitney’s passion, she also loves to perform and entertain. She has been fortunate enough to work with artists such as NeYo, Snoop Dogg, Kerry Russell, Cold War Kids, The Roots, Bootsy Collins, Biz Markie, Sarah Silverman, Erika Badu, Solange Knowles and Freddie Prince Jr.Her theater/live credits include: All Shook Up, Kidz Bop Live, Xbox Kinect Times Square Launch, Elan Awards honoring Anne Reinking, Jerry Mitchell and Rob Marshall, The Best of... Broadway, Dance Break, Pajama Party Live, and NYC Promos for Looney Tunes the Movie as Daffy Duck. Television: Lucille Roberts Fitness, Sheira & Loli’s Ditty Doddle Works and One Life to Live, but Whitney is most excited about being a part of the 2010 White House Easter Egg Roll!

We are excited to have Whitney back as part of our faculty for the fourth year in a row!

JEFF AMSDEN
Jeff Amsden began his training in Spokane, Washington with the Spokane Ballet and later joined the company. He also studied on scholarship with the Pacific NorthWest Ballet and then the Joffrey Ballet in New York. Jeff toured the US for three years as a soloist with the Joffrey Ballet concert group. He also danced with the Chamber Ballet USA in New York. In Rome, Italy. Jeff was featured on the variety show "Fantastico Five" and in the feature film "Joan Lui."
Upon returning to New York, Jeff was featured on "Guiding Light" and partnered Shirley MacLaine on the television special "100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty." He danced with Debbie Allen and The Pointer Sisters on the Martin Luther King, Jr. TV special. After auditioning with hundreds of dancers, Jeff was hired as a lead dancer on the groundbreaking TV show "Dancin' to the Hits" and relocated to LA.
While in LA, Jeff danced on the "American Music Awards" with Gloria Estefan and was featured on the "Academy Awards." Jeff appeared in six national commercials and the feature films; "I'll Do Anything," choreographed by Twyla Tharp, "And the Band Played On" with Richard Gere, "Leonard Part Six" with Bill Cosby and "Cinderella" choreographed by Academy Award winning director Rob Marshall starring Brandi and Whitney Houston.
Jeff had a featured role in the original LA production of The Phantom of the Opera and worked with Jerome Robbins of the workshop for the Tony Award winning show Jerome Robbins Broadway. Jeff also has been featured in roles on "The Tracy Ullman Show," "Coach," and partnered Paula Abdul in her video "Blowing Kisses in the Wind."
As a choreographer, Jeff has worked with many singers including the legendary Bette Midler. Jeff was the assistant choreographer for Saturday Night Fever in London and was assistant choreographer on Pagliacci for the Houston Grand Opera. In Japan, Jeff has choreographed the musicals The Rink and Golden Boy as well as six TV specials. He also directed and choreographed the cruise ship show Time Warp. In addition to choreography, Jeff co-founded The Professional Dance Center of Tokyo.
in New York, Jeff just finished choreographing Grease for the prestigious Paper Mill Playhouse, which received rave reviews from The New York Times and Variety. Jeff also choreographs regularly for the television show "All My Children."
Jeff is the creator, director, and choreographer of A Few Good Men Dancin'. A Few Good Men Dancin'has enjoyed sold out performances at New York's New Victory Theater.