Shari Smigo, director

Phone: 410 770-3223

Email: midshoredance@atlanticbb.net

Mrs. Smigo has been owner/operator of The Mid Shore Dance Academy in Easton, MD since 1996.  She began her dance training with local eastern shore dance studios and expanded her knowledge and skills through the School of the Baltimore Ballet and Peabody.  Majoring in Psychology and Dance, she attended Jacksonville University and completed her studies at Ohio University, graduating Summa Cum Laude.  University productions included the Royal Ballet version of the Nutcracker, works set by dancers with Martha Graham's dance company, and re-staging of classic works such as Pas de Quatre, and Doris Humphrey's Air for the G String.  Following graduation, she returned to the area, working in community mental health in Annapolis and dancing with Kinetics Dance Theatre in Ellicott City.  In addition to her studio work, Mrs. Smigo was also dance faculty at Queen Anne’s County High School for two years, has completed choreography for Centreville Middle School musical productions, assisted with aerial choreography for Peter Pan, and created liturgical dance for Our Mother of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church.  She is on the Board of Directors of Maryland Council for Dance and taught at the 2008 Maryland State Dance Festival.  When she’s not busy dancing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, and renovating their turn-of-the-century farmhouse.

Sheryl Madino, instructor since 2001- PreBallet, Tap, Modern

Photo coming soon

Kristen Tyler, instructor since 2005- PreBallet, Tap, Jazz, Modern

    Mrs. Tyler began her study of tap and ballet 27 years ago at Elaine Shifflett's School of Dance and then moved on to train and teach ballet, modern, and jazz with the Contemporary Movement Theatre.  Mrs. Tyler attended Randolph-Macon Woman's College where she double majored in Dance and Elementary Education.  R-MWC gave her the opportunity to dance with and for various dance artists and their companies, including Garth Fagan, Pilobolus, Paul Taylor, JRJP, and Martha Graham.  Upon graduation from R-MWC, she began teaching dance and Kindergarten in Queen Anne's County.  In addition to her studio teaching, she teaches dance full time at Queen Anne's County High School, and has choreographed numerous musical productions there including Peter Pan, Carousel, My Fair Lady, and Fiddler on the Roof.  Mrs. Tyler will graduate with her master's degree in school Leadership from Salisbury University in May 2009, and looks forward to spending more time with her husband, family, and pets.

Kimberly Dyer, new instructor 2009- Ballet, Pointe

Kimberly Crowder Dyer is a native of the Eastern Shore and trained locally with Betty Webster, Tatiana Akinfieva-Smith and Teresa Emmons.  Her professional career began at the age of seventeen with the Garden State Ballet Company (1987-1991) while she earned a BA in Fine Arts (summa cum laude) at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.  She was a finalist at the Friends of the Prix du Lausanne audition to choose the team of dancers to represent the United States in 1987.  Awarded Miss Tidewater in 1989, she represented the Eastern Shore as talent-winner in the Miss Maryland Pageant, a preliminary to the Miss America Pageant.  She performed as a Soloist for nine seasons with the North Carolina Dance Theatre in Charlotte (1992-2000) and five summers with the Chautauqua Ballet Company  in New York (1992, 1996-1999).   Her diverse repertoire includes roles created for her by Salvatore Aiello, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Mark Diamond, Edward Stewart and Alonzo King.  Among Mrs. Dyer's favorite theatrical roles were "Ranch Owner's Daughter" in Agnes de Mille's internationally acclaimed "Rodeo" and "Augustias, the Preferred Daughter" in Alvin Ailey's masterpiece work "Feast of Ashes."  One of the highlights of Mrs. Dyer's career was when Patricia McBride coached her for a solo role in "Who Cares," which was created for McBride by George Balanchine, Founder of the New York City Ballet.  Mrs. Dyer's commercial experience includes speaking and performing for commercials on WMDT-TV (Selbyville, DE), WBOC-TV (Salisbury, MD) and WTVI-TV (Charlotte, NC). She had the opportunity to dance in many exciting places such as the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC and the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.  In 2000, she returned to her home state and joined the Ballet Theatre of Maryland for two seasons.  She delights in sharing her experiences with her students and has taught in Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina and Texas.  Mrs. Dyer is currently a freelance ballet instructor throughout the Delmarva Region.  She enjoys sailing on the Chesapeake Bay with her husband, Paul and their three young sons.     

Jessica Gallew - new instructor 2010 - modern, jazz, hip hop

Jessica Gallew is a native of Philadelphia, PA and is a 2005 graduate from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA with a BA degree in Jazz and Modern Dance Concentration. For the past 7 years, Jessica has been studying and practicing Hatha yoga and in 2008, she received her 200 hr yoga certification from Yoga Alliance in Vinyasa flow and Ayurveda. She completed her training at Yogasphere in Newtown, PA.

She has taught dance in several locations such as Arizona, Pennsylvania, Kansas and now Maryland. While in Kansas, Jessica owned and directed her own dance and yoga studio for two and half years, while also continuing to teach master classes at other various studios in the area. Known for her innovative, fun and unique style; She has choreographed for the Sierra Vista Beauty Pageant in Arizona, The Philadelphia Youth Performing Arts Camp in Pennsylvania, Tomorrow's Choreographers at Point Park University, The Pennsylvania Youth Theater in Bethlehem, PA, and recently Sudbrook Arts Center in Baltimore. These are just to name a few.

Jessica has performed professionally at the Philadelphia Academy of Music, The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, PA, numerous casinos in Atlantic City, The Pittsburgh Steelers Fashion Show, and has trained with Philadanco and Koresh in Philadelphia. Currently, Jessica is a dancer with the Dragonfly Dance Experiment Dance Company in Annapolis, under the direction of Megan Morse Jans.

Jessica is enjoying being a new mom to Gavin Norman, a proud wife to Shawn Gallew, and living on the east coast again.

Mary, far right - with alumni, Chloe, Allison, and Abbie

Mary Gellen

A junior at Sts. Peter & Paul High School, Mary is in her second year as a student teacher in addition to her classes in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, and modern.

Allison, left - Shown with Mid Shore Dance Academy Alumni, Abbie Zimmerman, 2009

Allison Speight

Allison graduated from St. Michaels High School in 2010. She played the flute in SMHS Band and Flute Choir. She also
represented her school in a flute duo, playing at various events around St. Michaels and Easton (including the
Avalon Theater). Allison was a member of National Honor Society and Tri-M (a musical honor society).

She has been dancing since she was three years old. She participated in ballet, pointe, modern, and jazz classes and taught pre-ballet classes for three years. Allison enjoys sharing her love of dance by teaching younger students and, of course, having fun at the same time. Allison loves being a part of The Mid Shore Dance Academy because dance is taught in a friendly environment where everyone can learn and have fun.

   Allison is attending Washington College in Chestertown and is continuing her dance training.

Chloe, left- Shown with Mid Shore Dance academy Alumni, Abbie Zimmerman, 2009

Chloe Tong

Chloe danced with the Mid Shore Dance Academy from 2002 until her graduation from Wye River Upper School in 2010.  She started with just jazz and picked up everything else along the way, including two years as a student teacher.  Chloe is continuing her dance training as a dance major at Randolph College, in Virginia.

as seen above

Abbie Zimmerman

Abbie graduated from Sts. Peter & Paul High School in 2009, and had danced with our studio since 2002.  She participated in ballet, tap, jazz, and modern classes and was a student teacher for two years.  She is currently attending George Mason University and is considering a dance minor in addition to her major in psychology.