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 on maternity leave for this dance season, but are waiting patiently for her return! You will see her every now and then as she pops in to teach a few classes! 

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. 

Lauren Jett//Chorepgrapher

Lauren has been a dancer with Artistic Dance Academy for 11 years. She has training in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, modern, hip hop, and tumbling. She has been an assistant to many of our instructors here as well in all genres of dance. Lauren has traveled across the country to study with the Carolina Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Millennium Dance Co., Broadway Dance Co., Starborne Studio, Parsons, and Zulu Dance! 
Lauren has participated in ADA’s Annual Easter Production of Dance for Christ for 7 years performing in 75 routines. 
She has choreographed and performed duets in multiple dance competitions bringing home 1st place. Lauren was a scholarship recipient for Dance Revolution in the junior and senior categories as well as a scholarship recipient for Starborne Studio.
Oh! And did we mention? She is a BLACK BELT in Tae-Kwon-Do!

Taylor Stovall//Choreographer

Taylor Stovall is a dance instructor from Goldsboro, North Carolina. She has 20 years of dance training. Her genres include Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Modern and Hip Hop, specializing in Musical Theater. Taylor trained at Artistic Dance Academy under the instruction of Patricia Warren. She then went to New York City where she earned a Conservatory Dance Degree from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She has studied under notable Broadway performers such as Jena Vanelslander, Michael Mcilwee, Ramon Galindo, Lars Rosager and Lisa Stevens. Taylor has a love of dance and wants to share her love with every student.