INSTRUCTORS
Debbie McCreight
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER:
Debbie McCreight, Artistic Director and Head Choreographer is also the owner of The Dance Factory which opened in Ocala in 1985. Debbie has been teaching dance for more than 25 years. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, the McCreight family moved to St. Petersburg and then on to Ocala in 1985. Debbie was the artistic Director of Dance Ocala from 1995 – 2007. She was co-writer of 3 original stories presented by Dance Ocala: Merlins Daughters, Julie’s Dragon and Beyond Beauty. Debbie was the Jazz Corp Director at Fort King Middle School for 9 years. She has worked with Mt. Moriah Baptist Church for 12 years on their annual pageant. Debbie also was the choreographer for The Wiz in 1996, Dream Catchers in 1998, South Pacific in 1999, Annie in 2001, Honk Jr. in 2003, Music Man and All Shook Up 2008, and Once Upon A Mattress in 2009, all Ocala Civic Theaters productions. She was the choreographer with the Ocala Theater Company which performed their world premier children’s musical Odyssey 2000 in 2000 and was the director and choreographer of Dream Catchers in 2002 and choreographer for Dream Catchers II in 2002. Debbie choreographed the Ocala Youth Theater’s production of Grease in Dec. 2005. Debbie has continued her study of dance by attending numerous workshops each year, studying under some of the great dancers of Broadway, movies and music videos. With this training and background she is able to share new dance techniques and the love of dance with her students.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER:
Debbie McCreight, Artistic Director and Head Choreographer is also the owner of The Dance Factory which opened in Ocala in 1985. Debbie has been teaching dance for more than 25 years. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, the McCreight family moved to St. Petersburg and then on to Ocala in 1985. Debbie was the artistic Director of Dance Ocala from 1995 – 2007. She was co-writer of 3 original stories presented by Dance Ocala: Merlins Daughters, Julie’s Dragon and Beyond Beauty. Debbie was the Jazz Corp Director at Fort King Middle School for 9 years. She has worked with Mt. Moriah Baptist Church for 12 years on their annual pageant. Debbie also was the choreographer for The Wiz in 1996, Dream Catchers in 1998, South Pacific in 1999, Annie in 2001, Honk Jr. in 2003, Music Man and All Shook Up 2008, and Once Upon A Mattress in 2009, all Ocala Civic Theaters productions. She was the choreographer with the Ocala Theater Company which performed their world premier children’s musical Odyssey 2000 in 2000 and was the director and choreographer of Dream Catchers in 2002 and choreographer for Dream Catchers II in 2002. Debbie choreographed the Ocala Youth Theater’s production of Grease in Dec. 2005. Debbie has continued her study of dance by attending numerous workshops each year, studying under some of the great dancers of Broadway, movies and music videos. With this training and background she is able to share new dance techniques and the love of dance with her students.
Brooke Loftis
INSTRUCTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER:
Brooke Loftis has trained in ballet, lyrical, jazz, modern, tap, and hip-hop. She was a founding member and assistant choreographer of Dance Ocala, a non-profit organization focused on bringing the arts to the youth of Marion County. She received her Associate of Arts Degree from Santa Fe Community College as a dance major and a member of the Dance Theater of Santa Fe. Brooke graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology with a concentration in Developmental Psychology. She has since completed her Masters Degree in Counseling. She received a Choreography Award from LA Danceforce for a piece called “Silence” preformed originally in Dance Ocala’s Beyond Beauty. She has choreographed numerous award winning dance pieces for dance teams, studios, and companies around Florida. Brooke teaches advanced dance classes at The Dance Factory. She was represented by the dance agency, Bloc, which is the largest dance agency in the world. She was also a faculty member of the Dancer’s Spotlight Dance Convention. She has toured the east coast teaching workshops with this traveling convention. Brooke is an enthusiastic teacher who enjoys sharing her love and passion for dance with all of her students.
INSTRUCTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER:
Brooke Loftis has trained in ballet, lyrical, jazz, modern, tap, and hip-hop. She was a founding member and assistant choreographer of Dance Ocala, a non-profit organization focused on bringing the arts to the youth of Marion County. She received her Associate of Arts Degree from Santa Fe Community College as a dance major and a member of the Dance Theater of Santa Fe. Brooke graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology with a concentration in Developmental Psychology. She has since completed her Masters Degree in Counseling. She received a Choreography Award from LA Danceforce for a piece called “Silence” preformed originally in Dance Ocala’s Beyond Beauty. She has choreographed numerous award winning dance pieces for dance teams, studios, and companies around Florida. Brooke teaches advanced dance classes at The Dance Factory. She was represented by the dance agency, Bloc, which is the largest dance agency in the world. She was also a faculty member of the Dancer’s Spotlight Dance Convention. She has toured the east coast teaching workshops with this traveling convention. Brooke is an enthusiastic teacher who enjoys sharing her love and passion for dance with all of her students.
Jessica Mayhew
BALLET/JAZZ/CONTEMPORY
Jessica Mayhew was born and raised in Miami, Fl
where she grew up dancing at the Donna Lee Studio of Dance and at a performing arts middle school and high school. She attended Santa Fe College in Gainesville before transferring to the University of Florida to pursue a B.A. degree in Criminology and Law. While attending SFCC, she was a member of the performing company Dance Theatre of Santa Fe (DTSF). Jessica appeared with Florida Dance Theatre of Lakeland, FL. for a season before finishing her undergraduate degree at U.F.
Upon graduation, Jessica was asked to serve as an adjunct faculty member at Florida School of the Arts. She has had her work shown in Kazakhstan, at the Dumbo White Wave Festival and the Dance Gallery in NYC, at ACDFA, Florida Dance Festival, NewGrounds Festival,
Ringling International Arts Festival and at various venues throughout Florida. Jessica is a recent M.F.A. graduate from Florida State University where she performed with Dance Repertory Theatre and in works by José Limón, Gerri Houlihan, Michael Foley, and Lynda Davis to name a few. In addition to teaching at The Dance Factory, Jessica will be joining the Santa Fe College Dance program as an adjunct faculty member and she continues to dance professionally with Surfscape Contemporary Dance Theatre.
BALLET/JAZZ/CONTEMPORY
Jessica Mayhew was born and raised in Miami, Fl
where she grew up dancing at the Donna Lee Studio of Dance and at a performing arts middle school and high school. She attended Santa Fe College in Gainesville before transferring to the University of Florida to pursue a B.A. degree in Criminology and Law. While attending SFCC, she was a member of the performing company Dance Theatre of Santa Fe (DTSF). Jessica appeared with Florida Dance Theatre of Lakeland, FL. for a season before finishing her undergraduate degree at U.F.
Upon graduation, Jessica was asked to serve as an adjunct faculty member at Florida School of the Arts. She has had her work shown in Kazakhstan, at the Dumbo White Wave Festival and the Dance Gallery in NYC, at ACDFA, Florida Dance Festival, NewGrounds Festival,
Ringling International Arts Festival and at various venues throughout Florida. Jessica is a recent M.F.A. graduate from Florida State University where she performed with Dance Repertory Theatre and in works by José Limón, Gerri Houlihan, Michael Foley, and Lynda Davis to name a few. In addition to teaching at The Dance Factory, Jessica will be joining the Santa Fe College Dance program as an adjunct faculty member and she continues to dance professionally with Surfscape Contemporary Dance Theatre.
Harriet Booth
BALLET INSTRUCTOR
Harriet began ballet lessond at age five. At age eleven she recieved a Ford foundation
Scholarship from the School of American Ballet in New York (george balanchine-Director) while studying under Nolan Dingman in Jacksonville, Florida. She joined Concert Ballet of Jacksonville at age twelve and performed with them until she was fifteen. She then joined Jacksonville Ballet Theater at sixteen under the direction of Dulce Anaya (Prima Ballerina) and performed such
classics as Swan Lake, performing the lead of Odelle and Odette (white and black swan), Giselle (Queen of the Willies), Sleeping Beauty (blue Bird Pas De Deux), Firebird, Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, Grand Pas De Quartre and several original pieces. She studied at North Carolina School of the Arts and at American Ballet Theatre in New York. She married and moved to the Ocala area in 1977. Attending Florida School of the Arts and toured the state performing with Dance Alive in
Gainesville, while she received her degree in dance education, majoring in ballet in 1983. Harriet has taught ballet and pointe classes locally for over 25 years. She is proud to now be teaching her granddaughters ballet.
Ashley Brittain
HIP HOP INSTRUCTOR
Ashley grew up dancing. When she was 5 years old she played Baby Simba in Dance Ocala production of Lion King and has been hooked on dance ever since. She played many major roles in several of Dance Ocala's productions. She has studied all forms of dance and successfully competed in many dance competitions while attending numerous dance workshops thoughout the years. Hip Hop is her favorite type of dance at this time and enjoys being able to share her talent with the students of The Dance Factory.
Ashley grew up dancing. When she was 5 years old she played Baby Simba in Dance Ocala production of Lion King and has been hooked on dance ever since. She played many major roles in several of Dance Ocala's productions. She has studied all forms of dance and successfully competed in many dance competitions while attending numerous dance workshops thoughout the years. Hip Hop is her favorite type of dance at this time and enjoys being able to share her talent with the students of The Dance Factory.
Melissa Cromwell
BALLET INSTRUCTOR
Melissa began dancing at the age of three at The Dance Factory. Throughout her twenty two years of dance she has taken jazz, ballet, pointe, hip hop and lyrical. She has performed in almost all of Dance Ocala's productions, playing major roles in many. She participated in many dance competitions and dance workshops thoughtout the years.
Melissa is currently working in the healthcare profession. She is also teaching ballet at
The Dance Factory, which for many years was commonly known as her second home.
Melissa began dancing at the age of three at The Dance Factory. Throughout her twenty two years of dance she has taken jazz, ballet, pointe, hip hop and lyrical. She has performed in almost all of Dance Ocala's productions, playing major roles in many. She participated in many dance competitions and dance workshops thoughtout the years.
Melissa is currently working in the healthcare profession. She is also teaching ballet at
The Dance Factory, which for many years was commonly known as her second home.
