Rock West Faculty
DANIELLE BOWER - Jazz and Hip Hop Faculty
Danielle began her training with the Chester County Ballet Company and The Rock School West. She received scholarships to many programs including Tremaine, River North Chicago and The University of The Arts. After she graduated from UArts in 2004, she choreographed and danced for musical artists Hawk En Hill and danced professionally with Montazh Performing Arts Company. The past two years she has been living in Bermuda where she choreographed for the Bermuda Musical Festival, United Dance Productions, Bermuda Dance Company, and local artist Jazel, and she has had the opportunity to open for artists such as Angie Stone, Joss Stone, and Chris Brown.
MEGHAN BRAUN - Jazz Faculty
Meghan Braun has danced professionally across the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Japan. She began her career with the Waves Jazz Dance Company, touring throughout the United States and London, Carnegie Hall to the Royal Festival Hall. She later accepted a position as dance captain and rehearsal director and toured with the Broadway Musical Company of New York performing through out Europe in a collage of "42nd Street", "Cats", "Hair", "Me and My Girl", "Evita", "Phantom of the Opera", "Cabaret", and "A Chorus Line". Ms. Braun has taught at New York's Broadway Dance Center, and as invited guest faculty in Italy, Japan. She spent five years teaching and choreographing at the Performing Arts High School in Tel Aviv, Israel where she and her husband established their own dance company, Jazz Plus, which appeared in television commercials, on stage and film. Meghan comes to us as an award-winning choreographer winning the crystal trophy presented by Mr. Gregory Hines and featured in Dance Magazine as New York City Dance Alliance Critic's Choice Award.
KRISTIN BROWN - Ballet Faculty
Kristin Brown, a West Chester native, received the majority of her training at The Dance Center with Donna Muzio, Richard Hoskinson, Cherie Noble and Paul Klocke. She was a principal dancer with the Brandywine Ballet throughout high school and attended the Performing Arts School of Philadelphia. Ms. Brown received full and partial scholarships to attend summer programs at Washington Ballet, Richmond Ballet and the PA Governor's School for the Arts. Kristin performed professionally with Bay Ballet Theatre (FL), Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Berkshire Ballet (NY), Charlotte City Ballet (NC), Ballet Theatre of Pennsylvania and The Dance Consortium, a modern dance company in Dallas, Texas. Ms. Brown began teaching in 1993 while still dancing professionally. In addition to dance, Kristin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Medicine and was nationally certified Athletic Trainer.
KIMBERLY FORBES CAMACHO - Competition Director/Jazz Coordinator
Kim Camacho graduated with a B.A. in Dance from Allentown College (presently DeSales University), after which she moved to NYC where she continued her education on scholarship at Broadway Dance Center and Steps. Her performance experience includes numerous live industrial shows for major corporations, television and print commercials, a stage performance at the famous Kit Kat Klub in NYC as well as appearing on an episode of Dawson's Creek. Along with traveling within the United States, Kim has also performed in Barcelona, Spain and Seoul, South Korea as part of a company based on the popular Broadway show Stomp. As an instructor, Kim has taught classes at The Koresh Center, The University of the Arts Summer World of Dance, as well as being on staff with The Rock School's summer intensive program in Philadelphia and is proud to be part of the Rock West family as Competition Director and Jazz Coordinator. Many of her students have gone on to perform professionally both on and off Broadway and have even been seen as one of the Top 18 dancers from the hit television show So You Think You Can Dance - season 2!
DONNA CHERRY - Ballet Coordinator
An alumna of the School of Pennsylvania Ballet, Donna Cherry was a member of the Florida Ballet, Ballet Metropolitan, a principal dancer with the Harrisburg Ballet and a member of Pennsylvania Ballet. Ms. Cherry has performed many roles, including principal roles in Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Pas de Quatre, and The Nutcracker, as well as soloist roles in Balanchine's Agon, The Four Temperaments, and Stars and Stripes. Donna Cherry has taught at The Rock Schools for ten years. Ms. Cherry was also a Ballet Mistress with West Chester Ballet Theatre, now West Chester Dance Theatre, and continues to assist in rehearsals with the student company.
KAREN DEFRANCESCO - Early Dance Coordinator
Karen DeFrancesco has taught jazz, tap, and ballet for over 20 years. Her creativity and warmth have made her a cornerstone of The Rock School West. She is a former member of The Philadelphia Civic Ballet Company and former vocalist with the Sal Soul Orchestra Touring Band. She was the owner and director of her own studio before moving to the West Chester area. Ms. DeFrancesco has choreographed TV commercials, theatre, music videos and a top selling How to Dance Video. She has recently begun singing again with the Spring Chicks.
ROSE DOWLIN - Early Dance Faculty
Rose Dowlin is a multi-talented dancer, teacher and choreographer, and is a former faculty member of the Philadelphia Arts League. She has been teaching dance in the Chester County area for 19 years and has been a faculty member of the Rock West for the past 12 years. She has choreographed numerous musicals for Main Line and Chester County high schools as well as the Born Playhouse, Dutel County Players and the Montgomery Theater Project.
JACLYN DUNNE – Jazz Faculty
Jaclyn received her early training at Jazz Unlimited in Marlton, New Jersey under the direction of Carryl Slobotkin. At the age of 16 she was one of thirteen girls accepted into the Governer’s School of the Arts. That same year her choreography was performed and recognized on the competitive level where she was given the title of “Best Choreography”. She later received her BFA in jazz dance performance from the University of the Arts and is currently a member of ASH Contemporary Dance Company. Recent credits include choreographing for Boston University's dance team, artist development for up and coming singer Francesca, and being a guest artist at this year's Garden State Dance Festival. She has also performed at Atlantic City's Taj Mahal for Dan Mulhern Entertainment, as well as the Franklin Institute and Art Museum Philadelphia as part of New Vision Cirque.
CRYSTAL FRAZIER - Jazz and Hip Hop Faculty
Crystal Frazier is a native of New Jersey where she began training in dance at the age of six. She attended The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she earned an Associates Degree in Dance. Ms. Frazier began her training in hip-hop and became a principal dancer with "Rennie Harris Puremovement," where she made appearances in "Repertoire", "Illadelph Legends", "Rome and Jewels" and "Dance Magazine". Her choreography and performances have been featured in the Philadelphia 76ers Dance Team, Fringe Festival, Drexel University, University of the Arts, Encore Danses en Tournee in Canada, and in Taipei National University of the Arts of Taiwan. She has made appearances in the movie "Beloved," VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards with Macy Gray, BET Awards "Opening," MTV's Lip Service and Global Groove. Ms. Frazier also appeared on the TV show "Monk" on USA, "Groovaloo Show" in LA, video with Mike Phillips, Italy tour with Kathy Sledge and recently toured the "Big Beautiful Tour" with artist Jill Scott as a featured dancer/choreographer. Ms. Frazier teaches Hip Hop, Tap, Jazz and Lyrical Dance to children and adults throughout the states. Ms. Frazier is the Co-founder of Montazh Performing Arts Company, a female dance company in Philadelphia.
RUTHE FREEBERG - Early Dance Faculty
RuthE Freeberg has been dancing almost all of her life. Her love of dance was fostered by many great teachers, which inspired her to become a dance teacher herself. She will be starting her twelfth year teaching ballet and tap to our youngest dancers. Her love of dance and caring approach allow her to help her students discover their own love of dance. One of Ms. RuthE's greatest joys is to watch her former students grow into beautiful, mature dancers. Her degree in Human Development, with a minor in dance, from Stephens College, along with her lifelong experiences with children (including working with special needs children, teaching pre-school and raising five children of her own) make her classes a good first dance experience for young children.
GINA GRACE - Ballet Faculty
Gina (Angelucci) Grace began her training in Philadelphia with Carole
Orlandi Barr, Marion Tonner and later with John White and Margarita
deSaa at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet. She has been teaching for
16 years. Ms. Grace has studied Vaganova pedagogy with a special focus
on the first three syllabus years. In her seventh year at Rock West,
Ms. Grace is also a full time faculty member at The Rock School in
Philadelphia and is an instructor for RockReach, The Rock School's
outreach program.
NICOLE HARMON - Assistant Director, The Rock School West 
Nicole Harmon received her B.F.A in Dance from The University of the Arts and a Certificate in Dance from New York University. She was a scholarship recipient at The University of the Arts, Broadway Dance Center in NYC and Tremaine Dance in LA. Ms. Harmon danced throughout the United States in theatre productions and industrials. She joined The Rock School faculty as a jazz teacher in 2000 and has since worked as artistic coordinator for Rock West. Currently, she continues to teach jazz, as well as serving as the assistant director at Rock West. Ms. Harmon also coordinates The Rock School's summer Jazz Intensive and West Chester Dance Theatre's fall and spring productions.
VINCE JOHNSON - Hip Hop Faculty
Philadelphia native Vince Johnson, a.k.a. Funky Van-Go or Convince, first encountered hip-hop dance at middle school dances and other social events. At 16, he began training with some of the most respected and influential figures in hip-hop/funk culture, such as members of the Original Lockers, Electric Boogaloos, Mop-Tops/Elite Force, Dance Fusion, and Rennie Harris' "Puremovement". His unyielding passion for growth as a dancer has allowed him to achieve a very positive response from his peers and mentors, most noticeably Don "Cambellock" Cambell, the inventor of locking, who was so touched by Mr. Johnson's dancing that he named him "The Funky Artist Van-Go." Mr. Johnson is currently in his 20s, and whether he is on stage, in the studio, or getting down at a jam, he is making a very strong mark on the community. He has performed with Flomotion, Zenone Dance Collective, Cultural Soul, U4ria's Movement Foundation, and Rennie Harris Puremovement. He was a teacher and judge at the 2006 Dance Encore International Festival in Quebec, Canada as well as a choreographer and performer in the 2006 Fringe Festival.
JODY ANDERSON MILLER - Ballet Faculty
Jody Anderson Miller trained at North Carolina School of the Arts and the American Ballet Theatre School. She was a principal dancer with the Kansas City Ballet for 16 years under the direction of Todd Bolender. Some of her favorite roles were the Cowgirl in Agnes DeMille's Rodeo, the Siren in George Balanchine's Prodigal Son, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and Janis Joplin in Alvin Ailey's Flowers. Ms. Miller was a guest artist with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She also has performed in many musicals around the country. Ms. Miller and her husband are the owner/producers of The New Candlelight Theatre in Arden, DE, and she also serves as one of the dance directors at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan.
CHRISTINA PASTRAS PATCHELL - Ballet Faculty
Christina Pastras Patchell was born and raised in Philadelphia. She attended such schools as The Holiday Ballet Theater, The Rock School, Joffery Ballet, Governor's School for the Arts and The Philadelphia High School for the Performing Arts. Ms. Patchell performed in shows with Will Smith and also performed in Elvis Nights and Somewhere Over Time with Pembrua Productions in Japan. She received her B.F.A. in Ballet Education from the University of the Arts. Her choreography was recently featured in the opening for the Kimmel Center as well as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
JENNIFER WHEAT - Principal Ballet Teacher
Originally from Michigan, Jennifer Wheat trained with the Contemporary Civic Ballet of Michigan, and was a scholarship student with the schools of Pennsylvania Ballet, Boston Ballet, and The Royal Winnepeg Ballet School. In 1981, after a car accident ended her ballet career dancing, she switched to Jazz, and trained at the University of the Arts and the Lou Conte Dance School, where she was an apprentice with The Hubbard Street Dance Company. Ms. Wheat also danced professionally with Astral Theatrical Dance Company and Dance Fusion, and is the founding director of Fusion2 Dance Company. Ms. Wheat has been a faculty member since 1996 and is Ballet Mistress for West Chester Dance Theatre.