Angela Brooks  

I started dancing at the age of four at Darla’s Dance Studio in Fairfield, Oh. I participated in the annual recitals every year. At age ten, I auditioned and joined The Dance Line Express; a competition team lead by Darla and her daughter Lisa Garrison. We had three competitions a year, two regionals and one national, and brought home many First and Overalls. We traveled to different parts of Ohio and as far as Myrtle Beach, North Carolina. The group competed in several Showcases for the national competitions. I competed in groups such as solo, trio, small and large group. I performed styles including Ballet, Lyrical, Tap, Jazz and Character. Darla and Lisa brought in other professionals for workshops and ballet classes to add variety to our knowledge and skills.  I was a member of The Dance Line Express until graduating high school.

I began student teaching under the direction of Darla at age eleven. By age 14, I undertook teaching my own classes, taking my first student to competition a few years later. I would also sub for Darla and occasionally Lisa. 

After high school, I went to Sinclair Community College to further my dance education. I joined the Sinclair Dance Ensemble and was a member for three years. We performed at nursing homes, public schools, and the Schuster Center in Dayton, Oh. I took classes on Ballet, Modern, Tap, Jazz, Dance History, Studio Business and Theatre. I was accepted in Phi Theta Cappa.  I graduated in 2004, with honors, with an Associates of Arts Specializing in Dance. I went on to audition and be accepted in a ballet company in Dayton, Gem City Ballet.

Recently I have worked with Miami Valley Ballet Theatre. I participated in their 2009 summer performance of "Messiah". I look forward to joining them again in 2010 for the winter performance of "Nutcracker". 

Aside from my family, dancing is my life. It is a talent my God has blessed me with and has used to see me through many hardships. I have a passion for showing others the beauty and expression one can show through dancing. It has always been my prayer to use my gift to bring others and God happiness and joy!

   Ashley Marcum

My Dance Beginning: I started later then most and began dance at the age of 12. My first studio was Janet Carleton*s School of Dance. (Janet was a former Cincinnati Ballet Mistress.) After taking for a year I learned that I had a strong desire and talent to dance. So I began seeking more classes at the Cincinnati Otto M. Budig Academy. For five years I studied dance under these two studios with Janet Carleton, Patrick Notaro, Daniel Simmons, Nancy Fountain, and several others. I started with one to two classes a week and was soon taking five classes to improve and learn in anyway possible. My studies also included summer long intensives where we trained for 5-7 hours a day. I truly loved to dance and found great enjoyment in expressing myself through dance. In the summer of 2002 I traveled to Mississippi and trained with Ballet Magnificat under Kathy Thibodeaux (founder of Ballet Magnificat), Jiri Voborsky, John Vandervelde, Sol Nazario and other company members. There I was seeking my two greatest desires, my desire to dance and my desire to learn more of my loving Lord and Savior. I thank Him for giving me this great desire and ability to dance. 
Performances and roles I have danced:
Charlottes Web (Winter, Spring)
Once Upon A Time (Sprite)
Alice In Wonderland (Calla Lilly)
Snow White the Seven Dwarfs (Princess)
Twelve Dancing Princesses (one of the twelve Princesses)
Cincinnati Ballet*s Nutcracker (Soldier, Angel)
Several different Art Samplers for the Cincinnati area (Finger Fairy)
Aurora*s Wedding (Autumn Fairy)
Handles Messiah
Nutcracker (Spanish, Due Drop (Waltz of the Flowers), Mirliton, Snow Queen)
I have also learned other famous variations from Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Nutcracker, Giselle, La Bayadere and Ballet Magnificat variations from their company repertoire.

Ballet and Pointe is what I have the most experience in, but here are some of the other kinds of dancing I have done: Pointe, partner, variations, modern, jazz, flamingo, tap, yoga, Pilates, improvisation and interpretation. My most current performances and dancing have been with - Miami Valley Ballet Theatre. 

My Teaching Beginning: Previous owner of Oxford Ballet Studio and my old dear friend Lydia Maglich invited me to come teach with her in spring of 2003. After happily accepting I began growing as a teacher by encouraging others in expression through dance. It has been a wonderful journey, which has brought me great joy, as I continue dancing through teaching. I am eager and excited for each of our students and what dreams they may have with dancing. Whether younger or older, we here at Flowing Grace School of Dance are delighted to be teaching and dancing with you and/or your children. Thank you for the blessing of dancing with you.