Tara Warren Lancaster//Choreograhper

Tara Warren Lancaster is the daughter of Patricia Warren and Co-Director of Artistic Dance Academy. She has been dancing since the age of 5. When she graduated from high school she went off to study dance with Ingredients Dance Company located in Dallas, Texas. She toured with the company over the next two years teaching at conventions, spreading the gospel, and educating others how to worship through the art of dance. She has performed in Chicago, Florida, North Carolina, and Texas. She is our hip hop teacher here at ADA, but also teaches contemporary, jazz, and ballet! When Tara is not busy teaching classes or working in the office, you can find her working with her own ministry known as Cry Freedom Missions. Cry Freedom is a non profit organization Tara began that assists in the rescuing and rehabilitating of victims of human trafficking right here in our very own community. We can't wait for you to see her creative choreography in this years recital! 

Nikki Houston//Choreographer 

Nikki Houston is the niece of Patricia Warren. She has been dancing for 17 years. She, along with Tara, joined the Ingredients Dance Company in 2013 and traveled with the company for one year, dancing and touring to Texas, North Carolina, Florida, and Chicago. Not only did she study under Mrs. Patricia for 10 years she has also had experience learning under multiple instructors a variance of genres. Nikki is our loving, soft place to land at the studio. The kids love her motherly spirit and her heart draws them in. Nikki is our office administrator here at ADA for this years dance season because she is expecting a BABY this November! Her and her husband Shane Houston are so excited for their new arrival. You will see her friendly smile in our lobby information desk and she can assist you with any questions or concerns you may have. Nikki normally is our Contemporary and Modern teacher and she also teaches Ballet, Tap, Pointe and Jazz 

Noel Smith//Choreographer

After dancing with our own Artistic Dance Academy for six years, Noel went on to be accepted into the Dance Performance Program at East Carolina University. During her time there she was an active member of the East Carolina Dance Association and President of the Dance Science Club. She performed in over thirty shows as a student including works choreographed by Koresh Dance Company, Richard Smith  (former Artistic Director of Inaside Jazz Company) and various professors in the School of Theater and Dance. She also choreographed for numerous shows and created an independent dance film. She has worked for Joffrey Ballet at their Summer Jazz and Contemporary Intensive in Los Angeles and is a certified personal trainer, group fitness and Ultra Barre instructor. Noel is so excited to share her love for dance and fitness with the place she has always called “home” and cannot wait to see what God does!

Leroy Montalvo (Chico)//Break Dance Instructor

Leroy, (AKA Chico) has been an instructor at ADA and a performer in Dance for Christ for 12 years.  Chico not only teaches break dancing to boys and girls age 10-up, but he also performs every year with our guest artist Peterston & Starkisha Thelisma from Los Angeles in DFC. Leroy has competed throughout the states and has won top honors in breakdancing making him number 1 in the state of NC. He also works in management at Sams Club. We are very proud to have Chico as part of our staff at ADA and DFC. He also just welcomed a baby boy this past summer!

Peyton Glover//Tumbling

​ADA is proud to have Peyton Glover as our Tumbling Instructor for the second year in a row! She graduated from the University of Florida where she received her Bachelor of Arts in English. She also is in the USA Gymnastics University studying to be a Junior Olympic Development Coach for Acrobatic Gymnastics.  Peyton is employed at Dance Ect. in Kinston where she teaches tumbling as well. There she plans and leads classes with students aged from 3 years to 14 years old. Peyton focuses on building strength, flexibility, and technique to allow for more advanced skills to be performed easily. She runs additional private lessons for students who wish to have more time to practice and improve theirs skills. Peyton has a very impressive background as she was a competing gymnast for 13 years prior to becoming a teacher. She took part in the USAG sanctioned meets throughout her childhood and participated in the NAIGC sanctioned meets through the University of Florida Club Gymnastics Team. We are thrilled to have Peyton this year at ADA! We can't wait to see her talents expressed through her students.