ABOUT
Meet The Staff
Nia Byrd
Nia Byrd is a Georgia native who began her dance training at Showbiz Kids and Dance Company. She competed for many years with the Showbiz Dance Company competition team. Upon graduating high school, she attended Brenau University where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance. She trained in Modern, Ballet, and Jazz under the tutelage of Vincas Greene, Cassandra Alvarado, Jolie Carlton, John Streit, Madia Cooper-Ashirifi, and many others. During her tenure at Brenau, she choreographed several works with one that was, Ennui, which was selected for adjudication at the American College Dance Association. Nia also has extensive training in Tap and trained with Lisa Rohlfing, Heather Knight, and the late Shirley Smith. Nia has taught at many dance studios in the Atlanta area such as N-Step Dance Academy, On Stage School of Dance, The Spirit of Dance, and Metayer Conservatory for the Arts. Nia has also been invited by Brenau University Dance Faculty to set work on the Brenau Summer Dance Intensive students for two consecutive summers! As a dance educator, she hopes to inspire her students to strive for excellence not only in dance, but in all aspects of life!
Katelyn Hamilton
Katelyn began her dance training from a very young age at Showbiz Kids and Dance Company and other various studios in the Atlanta area. Along with her early dance training, she also started dancing competitively at the age of 5. She competed at competitions such as Showstoppers, Stage One, Applause, BravO!, and many others where she won a variety of adjudication awards, titles, and overall awards. During her time in high school, she decided to focus on furthering her Ballet and Pointe training at Metayer Conservatory of the Arts. She then had the opportunity to perform in Regine Metayer’s rendition of the Nutcracker, titled, A Christmas Fairytale, where she performed lead roles such as Marzipan, Chinese, and Spanish. After graduating from high school, she then chose to expand her training at a collegiate level at Florida State University as a Dance major and plans to receive her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2021. Since her time at Florida State, she has performed in re-staging of works from artists such as Dan Wagoner, Ann Carlson, and Peter Chu. She has also worked alongside Master of Fine Arts Candidates at Florida State University such as Ryan McMullen, Christa Williams, and Francisco Graciano. Katelyn has recently created a piece in collaboration with her fellow colleague, Aaron Smith, titled, “Relief in Tandem” which was performed at the American College Dance Association Southeast Conference 2019 and Florida State University’s School of Dance 2019 spring concert, “Days of Dance”. She looks forward to furthering her training this summer at the Paul Taylor American Dance Summer Intensive in New York.
Ijeoma Emefo
Ijeoma Emefo has been trained in dance for over 18 years studying ballet, jazz, pointe, hip hop, and modern dance at Norma's Academy of Dance and at Kennesaw State University(KSU) where she minored in dance. During her time at KSU, she was head coordinator/choreographer of the AfriSA dance team, a dance group founded to merge traditional and modern African dance together. She currently teaches ballet, tap, hip hop, jazz, and lyrical to girls and boys from ages 3-16. She has a passion for children and cares deeply about their progress in their dance training. She believes it is important to encourage their dreams and help them reach their goals.
Alexis Barich
Alexis began dancing at a very young age, training at various studios throughout the Atlanta area. In addition to her early training, she began dancing competitively at the age of 7. Competing at Hollywood Vibe, Celebrity, KAR, and the Star Dance Alliance competitions, where she won Title, Overall awards, Scholarships, and a variety of adjudication awards. Throughout High School she has been focusing on furthering her training in all genres. She has had the opportunity to train under well known teachers and choreographers such as, Twitch, Travis Wall, Sonyah Tayeh, Alex Wong, NappyTabs, and many more. She also had the privilege to attend invite only intensives to advance her dance education and training at Wild, PowerPak, The Summer Dance Sessions, and The World Dance Championships. Upon graduating in 2020 she is looking forward to seeing where the dance world takes her.
Mary Rose Gibson
Mary Rose Gibson began studying dance at the age of ten when she was accepted into the Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre where she trained and performed for eight years. She then attended Brenau University where she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Dance and a minor in Small Business Management. During her time at Brenau, she was a company member with the Gainesville Ballet Company, under the directorship of Diane Callahan, in which she had the opportunity to dance in both classical and contemporary ballet works. Some of her roles included “Dew Drop Fairy” and “Arabian Soloist” in The Nutcracker, “Elsa” in A Frozen Ballet, and the “Fairy Godmother” in Into Grimm’s Woods. In addition, she has performed works from notable choreographers such as Kassandra Taylor Newberry, Arturo Fernandez, and Armando Luna. Mary Rose has received additional training through summer programs with the Alonzo King LINES Ballet and Ballet Magnificat!. She now dances professionally with City Gate Dance Theater in Atlanta where she has performed choreography by artists such as Jennifer Davis and Anthony Burrell. She has taught ballet, pointe, contemporary, jazz, and modern at studios such as the Georgia Dance Conservatory and the Gainesville School of Ballet. This is her first season teaching at Showbiz, and she is excited to bring her knowledge and experience to its students!
Kya Davidson
Kya Davidson has been dancing since the age of three, having studied Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Hip Hop, and Majorette. Her training began in our very own Showbiz Kids and Company, where she was a part of the Competition Squad. When she left the studio at the age of fourteen, she began studying Majorette dance while continuing her technical training. While in high school, she was captain of her dance team, The Osborne High School Dancing Divas. She held this title from her sophomore through senior years of high school. During her years as captain, she also broadened her horizons as a choreographer. Her dance team won first place in the Georgia High School Dance Competition junior and senior years and a earned a Superior rating her sophomore year. Throughout the years, Kya has performed on many stages, ranging from the Fabulous Fox Theatre to The Georgia Dome opening for artists like Tamar Braxton, Eric Benet, Musiq Soulchild and many others. Kya continues to expand her dance career and to touch as many children as she can by teaching the art of dance.
Stephanie Hopkins
Stephanie Hopkins teaches the 3 and 4 year old tap and ballet class this year. She has been teaching dance with Showbiz Kids for 7 years. She has taught tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, musical theatre and gymnastics to a variety of ages. Stephanie begin dancing at the age of 3 and trained at The Dance Factory for 14 years. At the age of 16, she became a live show performer at Six Flags Over Georgia where she worked as a singer, dancer, and choreographer for 15 years. She worked in the Crystal Pistol Music Hall and performed in “The Best of Times,” and “Warner Brothers Country”, and the Showcase Theatre “Freedom Nation,” and the very popular “Dr. Fright’s Dead Mans Party.” She has choreographed the children’s Bugs Bunny show 3 years. Stephanie has a bachelor’s degree in Health & Physical Education teaching P -12. She taught PE for 16 years in Cobb and Paulding county. She has twins age 17 and a 15 year old son.
About Us
Dance For Life! The Showbiz Kids & Dance Company, LLC Philosophy
At Showbiz Kids & Dance Company, LLC we feel that dancing has the capability to promote a healthy self-image and enhance essential life skills that go beyond those obtained within our dance studios. Our courses are especially designed to promote creative self-expression plus a positive self-image that finally encourages pupils to nurture, appreciate and gain in the process of developing a genuine admiration for dance in its various forms.
Our Mission in Hiram, GA: Discover the Dancer Within You
Showbiz Kids & Dance Company, LLC is dedicated to providing first rate dance instruction within a positive and friendly environment that promotes innovative self-expression with skilled dancing technique. Aspiring dancers will be delighted to discover how our qualified teachers can motivate the development of talent easily on either a standard or aggressive dance floor.
Based on the basis that dancing can favorably impact anybody's life irrespective of age or ability level; Showbiz Kids & Dance Company, LLC dance lessons encourage fitness, poise, a more active social life, also help relieve stress.
Stepping Out in Hiram, GA
Supplying many weekly group courses and customized private classes, Hiram, Georgia pupils can take part in our diverse dance programs during the day, evenings or weekends. Ask about our unique social dance parties and exclusive visits to locations around town.
For more information on the dance programs we offer in Hiram, Georgia, call Showbiz Kids & Dance Company, LLC today.