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About Us

Shaler Area Performing Arts educates children ages 3 through adult in the genres of tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, acrobatics, twirling baton, irish, and hip hop in the Shaler Area of Pennsylvania in Allegheny County located 6 miles north of the City of Pittsburgh.  Every year culminates with our Spring Recital.

What drives us
The Joy of Music and Movement combined in harmony. The goosebumps we get when we've found the perfect song to choreograph to.  Silly and exited kids coming to class because they have the dance "Bug".  The look in a child's face when they've mastered a step.  The eyes aglow before a recital.  An audience clapping in time with the music.  Parents seeing the recital dance for the first time at class who can't wait to see it performed again in the costume this time.  Dad's and Grandfathers being so entertained and proud have their children part of our program. 

People 

All Headshots by Magic Moments Photography

Mindy Reese

Teacher, Choreographer

With over 30 years of dance experience, Mindy is a third generation dance teacher.  Primary Dance Training from her mother Gale Colton from 1979-1991.  Sandi's School of Dance, Benvin's Performing Arts, Fairgrieves school of Dance, Jewarts Gymnastics, Champion Gymnastics, Cicci's Dance conventions from 1982-1990 with master classes from Al Gilbert and attendance at DanceMasters of Pennsylvania conventions from 1984-1992 with attendance afterwards as a teacher.  Assistant Taught from 1984-1992 at Reserve School of Dance.  Performed at Triangle Tech, the Shaler Homecoming Parade, in the High School plays "Lil Abner: as Bonnie, "Camelot" as a tumbler, "Oklahoma" as Pigtail and Choreographed for "Joseph and the Amazing Tecnicolor Dreamcoat", "Camelot", "Oklahoma", and "The Wizard of Oz".  1992 UCA All Star Cheerleader and Cheer Co-Captain. Formed the Deer Lakes Youth Cheer Camp with her teammates in 1992.  Taught from 1998-2004 for Sandi's School of Dance at Rogers, Marzolf, Reserve, Jeffrey, and St. Bonaventure Schools and for Dancinnovations by Irene Pernatozzi  from 2004-2006 until forming Shaler Area Performing Arts.  Mindy still attends classes to educate herself in the newest teaching tecniques as well as attend Teacher Conventions yearly.  Mindy now resides in Columbus, Ohio with her husband of 12 years Adam and their three children, Abbey 11, Sebastian 9, and Caleb 6. She is taking a leave of Absence while her husban's job has relocated them, but will be back to the studio from time to time to visit and guest teach. We will miss her immensely and hope to keep the same energetic atmosphere  and  positive attitude that she gives to her students.

Frances Gale Colton

Co-Director, Teacher, Choreographer

As Matriarch of the current generations of Dance Teachers, Gale has been dancing for 48 years with Instruction under her Mother, Rose Winningham beginning at 5.  Trained under Tony Wescoat, Carol Knight, and Miller Marley Studio's in Kansas City, Missouri. and dancing with the  Kansas City Chiefettes in the early 1970's.  After moving to Pittsburgh in 1974, Gale danced at Discoteques, modeled and starred in numerous comercials along with her children for Donna Belajac and Co. She studied at Ballet Baroque and performed with the North Hills Community Ballet Company under Debbie Benvin.  Gale acquired the Reserve School of Dance in 1982 and retired in 1992 to have more children.  During that time and still ongoing Gale attends Cicci's conventions, DanceMasters of Pennsylvania, and other workshops to enhance her teaching and dancing ability. Gale taught part timein the early 90's then returned to teaching full time in 1999.  With 5 grown children out of the nest, Gale resides with her Husband Terry and their younger children, Christian 18, Levi 16, Seth 15, and MaryRose 12 in Deer Lakes. 

Mindy and Gale in 1983 performing

their first tap duet.

Melina Colton

New Director, Teacher and Choreographer

Second in the line of the third generation Dance Teachers, Melina has been dancing for 16 years.  Studied under Jackie Harper rand Erin McCarthy in Richland Pennsylvania from 1994-2000, Melina was also taught by her Mother Gale Colton primarily.  Other instruction included Sandi's School of Dance and Dancinnovations in which she was a member of both Competition Teams receiving many awards, Cicci's dance Conventions and DanceMasters of Pennsylvania.  Performed and Choreographed in 42nd Street in which she performed at the Benedum (Gene Kelly Awards), Groovy, and Sleeping Beauty.  Choreographer for the Deer Lakes Cheerleading Team, and choreographed and starred in Deer Lakes High Schools version of "Dancing with the Stars".  This is Melina's fifth year with Shaler Area Performing Arts. She has been appointed as the new director.

Katlin Biernesser

Teacher and Choreographer

Bio coming soon.

Nicole White

Teacher and Choreographer

Bio Coming soon.

Nora McBurney

Teacher and Choreographer

Nora began dancing at the age of six with the Burke School of Irish Dance in Pittsburgh under Theresa Burke, one of the first teachers in North America who has had numerous champions at the regional, national, and world levels in Irish Dance.  At the Irish dance competitions, called feiseanna, one can qualify for Regional Championships.  Nora competed at the Regional level every year from the age of 8 through 22 years of age.  Her highest placement was 3rd, which would also qualify her to compete at the National level in which she did from ages 12 through 22 placing in the top 20 on more than several occasions.  Nora qualified for World Championships six times.  Once for teams and Five for individual competitions.  Alothough she did not place, she came in 11th in the world and recieved two additional medals at the All-Ireland Championships in 2005. During Nora's competitive years, she had the privelege to train with several of the top Irish and English teachers in the world in yearly workshops.

Nora competed for a total of 18 years after beginning assisting with classes at the age of 14.  After 10 years of assisting, she took and passed the certification exam to become a registered teacher with An Coimisuin le Rince Gaelacha (The Irish Dance Commision in Dublin, Ireland) in March 2006. She continued to assist at the Burke school once registered, but decided to move on last September.  Since then, Nora has joined the staff of Shaler Area Performing Arts and  a member of Coimisuin, Nora's students are eligible to compete in all feiseanna, as well as at th Regional, National, and World level.  Nora continues to attend local feiseanna and teachers conventions to keep up on the latest techniques and teaching styles.  She is also a registered member of the Irish Dance Teacher's Association of Mid-America and teh the North America Irish Dance Teacher's Association.

In 2008/2009, Nora took two of our students to feiseanna who placed first and second.  She also is an amazing asset to the community taking our Irish dancers to Nursing homes to perform for the elderly.

Ashley Clover

Teacher and Choreographer

Ashley has attended Columbus State and Butler County Community Colleges.  A 1999 graduate of Seneca Valley High school, Ashley cheered for 4 years and was a UCA All Star in 1997-1998.  This sparked her love of Hip hop.  She also continued to teach Cheer Mini Camps for 4 years.  Her Dance Instruction was under Theresa Redmond Studion in Cranberry Township for 9 years in Tap and Jazz.  Since then Ashley has attended Hip Hop Workshops and Modern Seminars and the Musicworks Teacher Tour to keep up with current teaching styles and techniques. 

Ashley lives with her husband,Mark of 6 years and their two children, Jonah (6) and Penelope (4) in Valencia.

Company
Shaler Area Performing Arts was founded in 2006 by Mindy Reese.