PDW 2025
Class Schedule
June 23rd-28th, 2025
Teaching Artists Bios Below
Ballet Contemporary
10:00am-11:15pm
Monday/Wednesday - Staycee Pearl
Tuesday/Thursday - JoAnna Schmidt
Contemporary/Modern
2:00-3:15pm
Monday - Jamie Erin Murphy
Wednesday - Anthony Alterio
Tuesday/Thursday - Ebony Cunningham
Repertory
5:30-7:30
Monday Thru Friday
Contemporary Modern/Jazz Rep - Shana Simmons
Contemporary/Modern Teaching Artists 2025
Ebony Cunningham
Ebony Cunningham is a dance educator and performing artist based in Pittsburgh, PA. With over 17 years of teaching experience, their classes are known for their fluid, grounded, and athletic nature. They have trained in ballet, modern, jazz, and contemporary dance styles. Ebony holds a B.A. in Dance and an MBA in Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management from Point Park University. They have taught for various dance programs in the Pittsburgh area, including Point Park University, Millennium Dance Complex Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. As a performer, Ebony danced with Exhalations Dance Theatre and contributed to various independent choreographic projects. Their choreography has been featured in Point Park University's International Summer Dance Program and multiple productions by Exhalations Dance Theatre.
Jazz Teaching Artists 2025
Anthony Alterio
Anthony Alterio is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in Musical Theatre and Dance at Ohio University, where he works in both the School of Dance and the School of Theatre. His research delves into how representations of LGBTQIA+ identities in pop culture intersect with academic settings, contributing to broader discussions about self-presentation in dance. A native of Pittsburgh, Alterio began his professional dance training at the University of Colorado-Boulder, earning a BA double-majoring in Dance and Psychology, and later attained an MFA in Dance from the University of Michigan. Since graduation, Alterio has been recognized with numerous choreography awards, including the Maggie Allesee Choreography Award, and has presented work across the U.S. He is a proud member of the Boulder Jazz Dance Company (formerly Interweave Dance Theatre), the resident company of the Boulder Jazz Dance Workshop. Alterio serves as Director of the Pittsburgh Dance Workshop, which launched in summer 2025, further connecting and enriching the Pittsburgh dance community.
Joe Nickel
Joe Nickel has professionally worked in the entertainment & dance industry since 2005 as a dancer, educator, and choreographer. Throughout his career, Joe has worked with Paramount’s Kings Island, Nickelodeon, Busch Gardens, Norwegian Cruise Lines, CD Entertainment in Shanghai, Disney, ABC Family, American Eagle Outfitters, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Value City Furniture and Netflix on the TV series “Archive 81”. As a dance educator, Joe is fortunate every year to work with dancers of all ages at various community dance studios and programs throughout the country. He has been an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hill University and is a co-founder and co-director of their summer intensive: The Commercial Dance Experience. Additionally, he co-hosts “Joe and Michelle’s Dance Podcast” with former Radio City Rockette and AMDA Faculty, Michelle Tolson and is the Founder & Creative Director of Thrive Dance Experience. He is also a proud board member of PaDEO (PA Dance Education Organization). Joe enjoys mentoring dancers and encourages them to use their art form as a vehicle of expression and purpose.
Hip Hop Teaching Artists 2025
Teena Marie Custer
Teena Marie is a street/club dance artist based between Pittsburgh, PA and New York City. For over 20 years Teena Marie has studied, researched, battled and performed nationally and internationally in various street dance communities. She has been involved with street dance crews Venus Fly and Get Down Gang. Her solo street dance theater work has been presented at various universities, Sadler’s Wells Theater in London, The American Dance Festival, Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, Ford Amphitheater in LA, The August Wilson Center, and the American College Dance Association Gala Concerts. She toured her solo show, “My Good Side” around the U.S. from 2015-2019. She has also created hip hop dance theater works and been a guest artist at for over 35 university dance departments around the U.S. She has a BA in Dance from Slippery Rock University where she was on faculty for 15 years, and also has an MFA in Dance Performance from The Ohio State University. Teena Marie is currently touring with Bessie nominated Ephrat Asherie Dance in New York City and has been a member since 2012.
Gretchen Hurd
A native of Brookville, Pennsylvania, Gretchen Hurd received her BA in Dance from Slippery Rock University. As a professional dancer and company member with Laboratory Company Dance (LABCO), August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble, and Dance Alloy Theatre, she performed the work of notable choreographers such as Kyle Abraham, Robert Battle, Nora Chipaumire, Crystal Frazier, Miguel Gutiarez, Christopher Huggins, Kevin Wynn, and Pavel Zustiak. Hurd has also performed as guest artist with STAYCEE PEARL dance project, Gia T. presents, TanzTheatre André Koslowski, and West Virginia Dance Company. Her choreography has been performed by West Virginia Dance Company, August Wilson Dance Ensemble, West Virginia Wesleyan College, and West Virginia University. Hurd has taught choreography and performance techniques, Hip Hop, Improvisation, Modern, Jazz, social dance, and creative movement to all ages in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. In the past, she was an instructor and adjunct faculty member at Slippery Rock University, West Virginia Wesleyan College, and Chatham University. Currently, she is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University, and an instructor at Altered Productions Institute, PK’s School of Dance, and Studio 412. Hurd is also an established photographer specializing in studio dance, performance, and pet photography with Dapper Dewey Photography.
Ballet Contemporary Teaching Artists 2025
Staycee Pearl
Choreographer and artistic director Staycee Pearl produces genre-bending experiences that draw together contemporary dance, immersive soundscapes, and visual artistry. The 2021 winner of The Pittsburgh Foundation’s Carol R. Brown Creative Achievement Award for Established Artist, Staycee continues to generate unexpected works that explore themes of personal expression, race, freedom, and gender. As the co-founder and co-artistic director of PearlArts with her husband Herman “Soy Sos” Pearl, Staycee maintains an iterative artistic process that pulls from a wide variety of sources. Staycee has honed a uniquely soulful artistic voice that builds on her diverse experiences, from her early dance training with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and Alvin Ailey American Dance Center to her leadership of Xpressions Contemporary Dance Company and 20+ years as an influential choreographer in Pittsburgh. Staycee is especially passionate about creating space for Black femme artists to experiment. Inspired by her own experiences and challenges as a performer and choreographer, Staycee leads workshops and residencies to sustain a vibrant community for artists in her orbit.
JoAnna Schmidt
JoAnna Schmidt was born in Eustis, Florida, and received most of her dance training from Vasile Petrutiu, Vladimir Bykov, and Heather Fryxell at Central Florida Ballet, as well as summer intensives with Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Jacob’s Pillow, and Miami City Ballet. She also attended the graduate program of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and was hired into the company in 2012. Since then, JoAnna has had the pleasure of performing in various roles with the company, including the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, and Cupid in Don Quixote, and many others. She has also performed in works by Jiri Kylian, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Gemma Bond, Jennifer Archibald, Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, and others. In 2018, JoAnna was commissioned to choreograph her first ballet, for the mainstage of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, called Lightworks. Since then, she has continued to enjoy creating new works for PBT, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, Texture Ballet, Confluence Ballet, and others.
Repertory Artists 2025
Shana Simmons
Shana Simmons, BA in Dance, Point Park University(2003), MA in Choreography, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance(2009). Simmons has performed in her own works in New York City, Belgium, London, Chicago, Boston, and Pittsburgh. Performance credits include: Noemie Lafrance “Agora” (NYC), Alexandra Beller(NYC), Artmongers(London), Flat Feet Dance Company (London), Rêverie Dance Festival (Belgium), The Pittsburgh and Atlanta Operas, and Staycee Pearl Dance Project(Pittsburgh). Simmons taught at Point Park University for 12 years and is currently part-time faculty at Seton Hill University as well as Founder & Director of Shana Simmons Dance.
