Vicki Smith
Artistic Director | Teacher | Choreographer | Director
Vicki Smith is a professional choreographer, director, producer, teacher, and performer. She has been dancing since the age of 2 and her performing travels have taken her throughout the US, Europe, and South America. She has appeared in an HBO Special, National Tours, Regional theatre, TV series, Las Vegas, Atlantic City. Her Theatre performing credits include, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Guys and Dolls, Carousel, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, The Music Man, The King and I, Mame, Fiddler on the Roof, and more.
Special Events - Choreography, Directing, and Production - USA Gymnastics Trials for Barcelona; Six Flags Corp; Towson University - Pendragon's Lords of Illusion; Cunard Cruise Ships; Recording Artists – Children’s Guild Kids Cabaret Hippodrome Theatre, Baltimore, Industrials for McDonald's, DuPont, Anheuser Busch, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, American Lung Association, Cystic Fibrosis, The Annapolis Chorale.
Vicki was the Group recipient of the Ruby Griffith Award for "Outstanding Achievement in a Musical" for Mame and Guys and Dolls. Numerous Platinum and Gold Awards for her choreography at local and National dance competitions. Direction, Choreography and Production credits include: Disney’s Hunchback of Notre-Dame, The Mysteries of Edwin Drood, Bring it On, Drowsy Chaperone, The Pajama Game, The Wiz, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Oklahoma, Guys and Dolls, 42nd Street, The Music Man, Camp Hawayah!, Hooray for Hollywood, Me and My Girl, Annie, Holiday Magic, Once Upon a Mattress, Kiss Me Kate, Lil Abner, Singin' in the Rain, and Crazy for You, to name a few.
Locally, Vicki's work has been seen at TMC, Merely Players, Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, and 2nd Star Productions. She has been active in the Anne Arundel County Public School system where she has choreographed and directed musicals for Crofton Middle School, Ridgeway Elementary, Severna Park Middle, South River High School's Dance team, Monarch Academy Baltimore City. Currently she is on staff at Anne Arundel Community College for continuing education, The Children’s Guild, Performing Arts Specialist.
Vicki is the Owner and Artistic director of StageWorkz Theatre Arts Project. Although she has trained with the best, the master of them all, Bobbi Smith, taught her everything she knows.
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Andrew Gordan
Teacher | Show Tap
A Signal Processing Engineer by day, Andrew resides in northern Virginia and holds a BS in Mathematics and MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He received the WATCH Awards for his music direction of Nine with Colonial Players and choreography in Crazy For You with the Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, along with nominations for his choreography in The Music Man, Guys and Dolls, Mary Poppins and Singin' in the Rain. Favorite onstage credits include A Chorus Line, West Side Story, Chicago, and Can-Can, among others. Also a classically trained pianist, Andrew has premiered original compositions at venues throughout Manhattan and Washington including 54 Below, Signature Theatre and the Kennedy Center. He is a Stageworkz and Talent Machine Company alum, having studied under the incomparable Vicki Smith, and works often on TMC productions in several capacities.
Cyndi Wallman
Teacher | Voice
To Cyndi, music is as essential as breathing. Whether studying, performing, or teaching, it has been her lifelong passion from her early days of classical voice training at the Peabody Institute to the present. She has honed her skills and entertained audiences around the world.Through the years music has opened many doors. She has had the great honor of sharing the stage with great entertainers like Sammy Davis, Jr., Victor Borge, Johnny Cash, among others.
Cyndi and her husband, Roy, have been performing together for many years. Along with their group they toured the U.S. and abroad for quite a few years. Their onstage performances led to their first album release "Cyndi & Roy" "Feel It" released on the Casablanca label along with artists like Donna Summer, Cher, and Kiss. Many hours of studio experience has led to numerous local, regional and national commercials. Cyndi is also a long time member in good standing of AFTRA and ASCAP.
After traveling for so many years she decided to share her professional expertise with others, and over the past 11 years she has been instructing students of all ages and is currently the vocal coach for Stageworkz School of Performing Arts and musical director for the esteemed Talent Machine Company. Her main focus is to recognize and develop talent, all the while inspiring confidence. She believes in breathing life into the music.Cyndi considers sharing music one of her most rewarding contributions. And most of all wants everyone to have fun learning.
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Natalie Dixon
Teacher | Acting, Tap, Musical Theatre
Natalie Dixon is from Annapolis and grew up dancing at Stageworkz and performing with Talent Machine. She recently graduated from Elon University with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance & Choreography and a B.S. in Dance Science. During her time at Elon, Natalie performed in numerous dance concerts, choreographed for Dancing in the Landscape, and conducted undergraduate research with Dr. Matthew Wittstein exploring how different imagery techniques can enhance the way young beginner dancers learn. She is also a certified Pilates Mat and Reformer instructor through Balanced Body and plans to attend physical therapy school to become a performing arts physical therapist. Natalie is so excited to be back at Stageworkz!
Nyla Gray
Teacher | Choreographer | Broadway, Tap, Jazz Fusion, Competition Director
Nyla Gray, a native of Bowie, Maryland, has been dancing for over 16 years and competing for more than 10 years. She is trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, and tap, and studied under the direction of Winnette McGovern at Spotlight Studio of Dance, as well as Jene's Randolph and Brittany Jackson at DanceMakers. Throughout her competitive dance career, Nyla has earned numerous regional and national awards, including High Point Gold honors for both her tap and jazz solo performances, and continues to perform as a member of an All-Star tap team.
A graduate of Bowie State University with a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Arts and a concentration in Dance, Nyla served as Captain of the university's pre-professional dance company, The Collective, and held several leadership positions across campus. She also represented the university's Dance Department in promotional campaigns and performances while maintaining a strong commitment to both artistry and leadership.
Nylla has over four years of teaching experience and is passionate about helping dancers grow in both confidence and technique. As the Competition Director and one of the lead instructors at Stageworkz Theatre Arts Project, she enjoys mentoring dancers of all ages while creating a positive, disciplined, and encouraging learning environment. She believes every student has the potential to succeed through hard work, consistency, and a genuine love for dance.
Nyla's long-term goal is to perform on Broadway, choreograph professionally, and inspire the next generation of dancers through teaching, performance, and leadership.
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Tabitha Thornhill
Teacher | Choreographer | Musical Theatre, Jazz
Tabitha is a seasoned performer and choreographer, whose passion for dance has been the rhythm of her life since she first stepped into the studio. A proud Stageworkz alumna, she honed her craft from 2001 to 2013. Mastering Broadway, Rhythm Tap, and Jazz for 16 years, Vaganova method of Ballet and Lyrical over 12 years, and 10 years of Hip Hop.
Her journey took an exciting turn when she moved to New York City, where for four years, she immersed herself in the vibrant dance scene. At the prestigious Steps Dance Studio and Broadway Dance Center, she learned from notable teachers and performers, further refining her skills in Jazz, Musical Theater, and Broadway Tap.
Tabitha’s dedication to the art form extends beyond performance; she is a Talent Machine Company alumna and has been a dynamic presence in productions from 2001 to 2013. She also choreographed TMC’s productions of “Once on this Island” in 2013, “Peter Pan” in 2014, and more recently, assistant choreographer to TMC’s production of “Young Frankenstein.”
Her professional accolades are as diverse as her talents. She was a featured dancer in Bobby Smith’s collaboration with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in “Gotta Dance,” a featured singer/actress with the Children’s Guild Kids Cabaret Event at the Hippodrome, and a featured soloist with “Beggar’s Banquet,” a Rolling Stones tribute band.
With an emphasis on technique, Tabitha's aim as an instructor is to inspire discipline and passion in a safe and welcoming environment. All while fostering confidence and courage in young dancers; traits students will carry with them in the studio and beyond.
Eliana Slaney
Teacher | Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Combo Classes
Eliana Slaney began dancing at the age of 3 at the Ballet Theater of Maryland. She then trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, contemporary, and lyrical at SBe Dance Complex of Crofton. In addition to studying dance outside of school, she was a co-captain of Arundel High School's Dance Company where she choreographed, led company classes, and assisted in semesterly show production. Eliana received her BFA of Dance Performance and Choreography with a PreK-12 teaching certification from Towson University in the spring of 2022. During her time at Towson, she performed in student choreography showcases, senior seminar capstone projects, repertory choreography, and the American College Dance Association festival (ACDA). Post graduation, Eliana has been a full-time dance teacher for AACPS, and in addition to dancing has found a love for pilates and meditation!
Catherine Osikowicz
Teacher | Acting
Catherine is a recent graduate of Baylor University, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance with a concentration in Musical Theatre. Now back home in Maryland, Catherine is excited to begin the next chapter of her career while preparing for a future move to New York City.
During her time at Baylor, Catherine received extensive training in acting, vocal pedagogy, and a variety of dance styles, while also building a strong foundation in the technical side of theatre. Catherine's favorite show at Baylor was Alice By Heart, where she played Red Cross Nurse/Queen of Hearts.
Catherine is thrilled to be back at Stageworkz as a teacher, where her love for theatre first began. Returning to the place that inspired her passion for performing is a full-circle moment, and she is excited to share what she has learned with the next generation of performers.
Ellie Moser
Teacher | Classical Ballet
Ellie began her training in classical ballet at Ballet Theater of Maryland at a very young age. She continued training with Maryland Youth Ballet from age 8 until age 16. While there, she was selected to participate in the Kennedy Center Master Class series, earning the opportunity to take class with artists and directors from American Ballet Theatre, Suzanne Farrell Ballet, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. She also spent her summers training at the School of American Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Orlando Ballet. Ellie later moved away from home to continue her training at Houston Ballet Academy, where she had the opportunity to perform wroks by Stanton Welch AM, Ben Stevenson OBE, George Balanchine, and Claudio Muñoz. From threre, she joined Orlando Ballet's Second Company, performing corps and demi-soloist roles in the company's productions. In 2022, Ellie joined Alabama Ballet as an apprentice, where she performed featured and corps roles in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker and Serenade, Roger VanFletern's Coppélia, Swan Lake, and Bonnie and Clyde, as well as in numerous contemporary pieces over the course of her four seasons there.
In 2022 Ellie found her passion for teaching through Alabama Ballet's outreach program, which brought dance to children in public schools. She then began teaching at The Alabama Ballet School in addition to several other schools in the Birmingham area in 2023.
Ellie is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and enjoys applying this knowledge to help the next generation of students improve their technique and prevent injuries through thoughtful technical placement, body awareness and proper cross-training.
Jan Scammell
Office Manager
Jan Scammell has been involved with dance most of her life - first as a dancer herself, then as a dance mom, and now as a dance gramma. She has worked in area dance studios as an offic/studio manager since the early 1990s, handling everything from basic office organization to costume ordering to managing backstage at studio productions. On the weekends she spends her time supporting her granddaughter at her high school dance team performances during football games, local dance company shows and regional dance competitions. She also enjoys going to her grandson's band performances, flag football and lacrosse games.