Kandee Thacker-Mann, Artistic Director, hails from Flint, MI where she began studying tap dance under Alfred Bruce Bradley at Creative Expressions Dance Studio. As a part of the youth tap company, "Flintstone Hoofers," she performed in the Savion Glover's "Footnotes" tour in Detroit, St. Louis Tap Festival, Detroit Tap Festival, and the Human Rhythm Project. Kandee was also member of the Showtime at the Apollo winning act "Stepettes" with friends Alexandria and Frances Bradley. As an emerging artist, Kandee choreographed for and instructed at Troy Dance Connection where her works won several choreography and special awards.
Since Kandee's 2004 relocation to Dayton, Ohio, she has continued to spread her love of tap dance through teaching, choreography and collaboration. She taught classes at the Ohio Dance Festival, instructed and organized tap workshops with the legendary Dianne Walker, and taught as adjunct instructor at Wright State University.
Her passion for the enrichment and success of youth propelled her to direct the Dayton Tap Project, which included a dance program at East End Community Service, where she educated several under-served children in the art of tap dance. The event culminated with a joint tap dance showcase with children and renowned international tap dance guest artists which was quoted as being "an unbelievably entertaining and heartfelt evening."
Other notable performances and credits include: Tap Extravaganza on Broadway, Judge at "For Tappers Only Dance Competition," and The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show which has also included artist such as Lupe Fiasco, the Roots Black Thought, and hip hop artist Common.
Ashley Pabst (Walton), Co-Artistic Director, a native of Dayton, Ohio and graduate of Point Park
University. Ms. Pabst has worked with many notable instructors and choreographers
such as Darla Hoover, Margo Sappington, Robert Battle, Julie Nakagawa, Christian
Holder, Alan Hineline, Ron de Jesus, Doug Varone, Lynne Taylor-Corbett. While at Point
Park University Ms. Pabst was chosen to perform at Kennedy Center, where she was
awarded Northeast Performer of the Year. Ashley went on to dance with both Atlanta
Ballet and Dayton Ballet, where she performed principal roles in George Balanchine’s
Serenade, Septime Webre’s Peter Pan, Stephen Mills’ There Once Was a Time, John
McFall’s Nutcracker, Alan Hineline’s Thresholds, William Whitener’s Caprice, and Stuart
Sebastian's Dracula. In 2009, at Regional Dance America’s Northeast
Festival, Ashley received the Monticello Award for Best Emerging Choreographer and
the Barbara Weisberger Choreographic Award for her work Aloft. In 2010 she received
both the Project Tier Award and The National Choreographic Recognition Award for
Sudden Impulse. Since then Ms. Pabst was granted ten additional National
Choreographic Recognition Awards for her work throughout the Northeast and Pacific
regions. Ashley has been commissioned to stage several new works by professional
companies such as Sacramento Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet,
GreeneWorks Projects, Stivers Dance Ensemble, Southern New Hampshire Youth
Ballet, Mid-Columbia Ballet, Ballet Yuma, Long Beach Ballet, Dayton Dance
Conservatory, Delaware Dance Company, Central Indiana Dance Ensemble, Vineland
Regional Dance Company, IABD Festival, and Jazz Dance World Congress. In addition
to her repertoire works, Ms Pabst has also created original full length ballets such as
Princess and the Pea, The Ugly Duckling, Snow White, Cinderella, and Miscellany: A
Jazz Nutcracker. Ashley’s professional teaching credits include International Ballet
Competition in Jackson, MS, Regional Dance America Northeast, Mid-states, and
Pacific Festivals, adjunct faculty at Wright State University, Cinicinnati Ballet, National
Choreography Intensive, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Eisenhower Dance
Detroit, Delaware Dance Festival, Mid-Columbia Ballet, Dayton Dance Conservatory,
and Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater.