Our Faculty

Suzanne Hock Vandergrift is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1996 she received a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with secondary studies in vocal performance and dance. Not only is Suzanne an experienced teacher – having taught music, dance, gymnastics and theatre arts at other artistic institutions in NC for the past 15 years, she also has a extensive performance background in musical theatre as a dancer, singer, actress and accompanist. Suzanne has taught both MUSIKGARTEN© and Orff Scheulwerk©, and is currently completing the Dalcroze Eurhythmics Certification at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. Other specialized classes include the Zena Rommett Floor Barre© and the Lynn Simonson Jazz Technique©, also taught by our school director, Suzanne Vandergrift, who is certified in these methods practiced by professional dancers worldwide.

In August 2003, Suzanne partnered with Harald Petrini and David Tolbert from Pleasant Ridge Christian Fellowship in their vision to develop and grow a community Fine Arts Program that celebrated God through the arts. In September 2008, at the closing of Pleasant Ridge Fine Arts Academy, Suzanne, along with a dynamic community of teachers, ventured out to continue their vision at Greensboro Performing Arts. God has been incredibly faithful to their vision and the academy now has grown to over 250 students involved in Music, Dance & Theatre Classes, led by the giftings of our five dance instructors and five music teachers.

"God gave rhythm, experienced in the simple, steady pulse of a heartbeat, which inherently draws people to music and movement like nothing else can. Everyone can dance and it is my passion to create an atmosphere in which children and adults, boys and girls can freely learn to express themselves and worship through movement and dance."

Emily Adams has dedicated a lifetime to the performance, choreography, and pedagogy of classical ballet. A BFA Ballet undergraduate of the N.C. School of the Arts and a MFA Drama & Theatre Graduate from the University of Hawaii, Emily pursued her New York professional training with master teachers Igor Schwezoff, Igor Youskevitch, Leon Danilien, Benjamin Harkarvy & Margaret Craske. She performed nationally with the New York Ballet Repertory Company, performing as a soloist in Jose Limon's La Malinche, Anne Sokolow's Ballade, Raymonda, Swan Lake & Napoli, other professional credits include the New York Chamber Dance Ensemble, Hawaii Dance Theatre, John Davidson's mid-Atlantic tour of Oklahoma and the Duo Ridels Dance & Comedy Team. She has been on the dance facilities of Radford College, New York State University, and the University of NC at Greensboro.

Emily has produced choreography for the Chapel Hill Ballet, the Greensboro Ballet, Busch Garden Dancers, N.C. Shakespeare Festival, and UNCG's productions of Pippin, Pirates of Penzance, Oklahoma, and Camelot. Emily's contribution to the local & state dance community have been through grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the N.C. Arts Council, and the United Arts Council of Greensboro to product the Greensboro Ballet Festival in the 1980's. Prior to joining the Greensboro Performing Arts, she directed the Ballet Arts Studio in Greensboro for nineteen years.

Carla Crotts-Massa grew up dancing throughout NC and the US. Her educational background includes a BS in Biology from High Point University and graduate coursework in Physical Therapy from Winston-Salem University. She has also completed graduate work in Education. Carla began her dance career at the age of 2 at her father‘s disco club in Winston Salem, NC. She then continued to study ballet, tap, and jazz, lyrical, pointe, and hip-hop under the direction of Sheryl Patton at Dance Connection in Greensboro, NC from 1986 – 2006. Her studies also include ballet and modern at the Center for Advancement Studies at Southwest Guilford High School , the Dance department at UNCG and High Point University‘s dance team. She has also taken classes with master choreographers Frank Hatchett, Laurie Johnson and Liz Imperio just to name a few.

She worked with Jared Grimes for many years and competed in numerous dance competitions including Showstoppers, Star Systems, and Marvona. Carla has taught dance to all ages, from age 3 to adult, and coached many dance and cheerleading teams. Carla has an extensive performance background and has attended numerous conventions including the Paula Abdul‘s Company Dance, the Tremaine Dance Company, among many others. She has also choreographed dozens of musicals. 

Carla is the founder and director of GPA’s “Triad Tap Company”. She founded the company in 2012. Carla’s passion for Tap Dance includes sharing her love of tap with future generations so that this amazing American art form can live on through Historic repertoire and classic technique.  Carla students perform multiple times throughout the year and also attend numerous Tap Festivals.  Carla teaches Broadway and Rhythm styles along with music theory and improv technique. Carla loves to Sing, Act, and Dance. If you want to be a well rounded performer, come and take class with her! 

Terri B. Rooks began her classical ballet training at the Virginia Ballet Company under the instruction of Tatiana Rousseau—a pupil of Madame Olga Preobrajenska, and a principal of Paris’ Le Theatre des Champs Elysees—and Oleg Tupine—a principal and sensation of the Ballet Russe. Broadening this training at summer intensive programs at the School of American Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School, she went on to study and perform at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, BFA, under Joseph Levinoff and Emily Adams. While at the University(cum laude), she was a soloist and choreographer. For more than 25 years, Terri has traveled extensively across the country as a judge for Showstopper: American Dance Championships, the first dance competition for young dancers in the United States. Her considerable ballet technique knowledge has served her well, as she has judged with professionals from Broadway stages, Hollywood, and national and international ballet companies.

Terri has taught and choreographed as a guest artist at various dance schools in North Carolina. All the while, Terri has worked as an editor for publications such as Delta Air Lines’ Sky magazine, US Airways Magazine, AAA Traveler, and Conversations, the publication for Wells Fargo’s wealth investors. Her articles about dance, the arts and culture have been enjoyed by international readers. Terri lives in High Point, North Carolina with her husband of 32 years. She has three grown children who do not dance, so she loves to celebrate the performances and accomplishments of dancers everywhere.

After graduating from the eight years professional ballet training program at Kiev State Choreographic Academy in Ukraine, Ms. Onipko was first invited to join the Kiev Ballet and Opera Theater for Youth and, two years later, the National Ballet of Ukraine with which she toured Europe and the United States, while performing in Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadere, Giselle, La Sylphide, Romeo and Juliette, Spartacus, and The Nutcracker. Ms. Onipko was also fortunate to be one of the first dancers who took a part of Alexei Ratmansky’s, currently artist in residence at the American Ballet Theater, early choreographic works. In 1996, Ms. Onipko joined Ballet El Paso and soon became the company’s principal dancer, appearing as a lead in The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote and Pulcinella. Simultaneously, she was performing as a guest artist with New Mexico Ballet, Dallas Metropolitan Ballet, El Paso Opera Company and El Paso Symphony Orchestra. In 2002, Ms. Onipko received her BFA in Dance and graduated with honors from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Ms. Onipko’s twenty plus years of teaching experience includes the University of Texas Ballet Academy, Marry Jo’s Performing Arts Academy in Tampa, University for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, and Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy in Orange County, California where she held a position of the principal lower academies and a senior teacher. Her choreography credits include the Assistant to the Director for the El Paso Ballet and the Children’s Ballet Theatre Project in Fort Lauderdale. Several of Ms. Onipko’s ensemble pieces have been advanced to the Finals of Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) in New York City. Besides teaching Ballet, Pointe and Character dance, Ms. Onipko has completed a Graduate course at the Connecticut Institute of Children’s Literature and published her first historical fiction novel “Prelude to Ballet”.

Abigail Ray Davidson is a dancer, teacher and choreographer born and raised in North Carolina. A graduate from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, under the direction of Susan Jaffe, Abigail graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a concentration in Contemporary. She has studied the techniques of Cunningham, Limón, Release, Horton, Giordano Jazz, Cecchetti and ABT syllabus. Abigail has taught and choreographed at various locations including UNCSA‘s Preparatory Program from 2015-2017, Arts Alive Fine Arts Studio, Burlington Dance Center, New Garden Friends School and Greensboro Performing Arts. In addition, she has performed and choreographed music videos and enjoys that creative outlet as well as teaching master classes locally. Abigail is passionate about teaching dance, allowing a space for creativity and has loved seeing the impact the art of dance can bring to a community. 

Ballet • Contemporary • Horton • Men’s Class
Jerome Johnson, born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is an accomplished danseur and educator with a distinguished international career. He began his early training under the legendary Melissa Hayden in the North Carolina School of the Arts Preparatory Program and later attended the Houston Ballet Summer Program under the direction of Ben Stevenson. He continued his studies at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and the School of American Ballet.
Jerome’s professional career includes performing with The New York City Ballet and the National Ballet of Croatia. In 2001, he received the prestigious Princess Grace Award, recognizing his outstanding talent and dedication to the arts. He was also a prize winner at the Prix de Lausanne (Espoir Award, 2001), earned second prize from the National Society of Arts and Letters (1998), and was honored by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (2000).
While at UNCSA, Jerome performed principal and soloist roles in works including:
    •    Symphonie Concertante, Allegro Brilliante, and Donizetti Variations by George Balanchine
    •    Deuce Coupe by Twyla Tharp
    •    The Prince in The Nutcracker
    •    Solor in La Bayadère
    •    Paquita, Le Corsaire, and Albrecht in Giselle
    •    Nebrada’s Pentimento Nebrada
    •    Eddie Stierle’s Lacrymosa
With the New York City Ballet, he danced featured roles in an extensive repertoire, including:
    •    Third Theme in Balanchine’s Symphony in C
    •    Goons in Prodigal Son
    •    Fourth Theme in Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet
    •    La Sonnambula, Swan Lake (Hunter), Le Tombeau de Couperin, Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2
    •    Union Jack, Valse Fantasies, Vienna Waltzes
    •    Christopher Wheeldon’s An American in Paris
    •    Carousel (A Dance)
    •    Peter Martins’ Bach Concerto V, Chichester Psalms
    •    Chris D’Amboise’s Circle of Fifths
    •    Susan Stroman’s Double Feature
    •    Jerome Robbins’ The Four Seasons, The Goldberg Variations, Opus 19: The Dreamer
    •    Gino in West Side Story Suite
    •    Mauro Bigonzetti’s Vespro
With the National Ballet of Croatia, Jerome performed principal roles including Don José in Carmen and works such as Napoli.
In addition to his performance career, Jerome is a dedicated educator. He served on the faculty of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts (2013–2015) and is National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) certified. He continues to inspire dancers through his teaching in Ballet, Contemporary, Horton Technique, and Men’s Ballet.

Director • Choreographer • Master Teacher
Monica Johnson is an acclaimed choreographer, dancer, and educator, celebrated for her groundbreaking contributions to the world of dance. With over 30 years of professional experience, she has established herself as a visionary artist known for her innovative choreography, dynamic performance quality, and extraordinary commitment to teaching excellence. As the Director of Monica & Jerome International Dance Academy, she has created an inspiring and nurturing environment where dancers are empowered to thrive both technically and artistically.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) and a certified instructor with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT) National Training Curriculum in New York City, Monica has trained, performed, and choreographed at the highest levels. She has worked with internationally respected dance companies including Ballethnic Dance Company and the Demetrius Klein Dance Company, further shaping her expansive artistic voice across ballet, contemporary, and modern dance.
Monica’s choreography has been featured with the North Carolina Black Repertory Company, where her work has elevated productions through powerful storytelling, rich musicality, and technical precision. Her versatility as a choreographer spans classical ballet, modern, jazz, African diasporic forms, and contemporary fusion, allowing her to craft compelling works that resonate with diverse audiences.
As a master educator, Monica has shared her expertise at renowned institutions including The Washington Ballet and the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, shaping the next generation of pre-professional and professional dancers. Her deep knowledge of classical technique, paired with her passion for cultivating artistry, has made her a sought-after mentor and instructor.
Monica remains devoted to guiding her students toward their highest potential—instilling discipline, confidence, creativity, and a lifelong appreciation for the transformative power of dance.

Victoria LeBaron joined the GPA family as a theatre student in 2012 and has been a dedicated member of the Greensboro Performing Arts family ever since. After graduating from Greensboro College in 2020 with a BA in Theatre (emphasis in Acting and Directing), she has taught Acting, Musical Theatre and Musikgarten at GPA in addition to running the Drama Program at New Garden Friends School. She has directed many musicals including The Addams Family, The Little Mermaid Jr, James & The Giant Peach Jr and A Year with Frog & Toad Kids. She has also directed plays such as Charlotte’s Web, 15 Reasons Not To Be In A Play, Just Like Us and Step On A Crack. 

In 2021, Victoria stepped into her role as Office Manager and DOFI (Director of First Impressions). With strong organizational and social skills, she helps all incoming families find the perfect class for their schedules and goals. Victoria loves, and in return, is loved by everyone she meets. If you call the studio at 336-549-2228, you can expect to hear the joy and excitement she has for all of our Performing Arts Programs. 

Kaitlyn Moss is a graduate of Greensboro College, class of 2013. She has a B.A. in Theatre with an Acting Emphasis. She also completed minors in Music and Dance. For several years, she was an intern at The Green Room's Summer Shakespeare Theatre Institute in her hometown of Newton, NC. Kaitlyn also completed an internship at Theatre West Virginia in 2011. She performed in the regional premier of "O Guru, Guru, Guru or why I don't want to go to yoga class with you." The show was originally produced at the Humana Festival for New American Plays. After nearly a decade of working behind the scenes, she returned to the stage in the North Carolina premier of "Escape to Margaritaville" in 2022. She has been a part of the Musical Theatre staff at GPA since 2013 and is so proud to see the growth of the program and its students continue each and every year.

Cassie Jessica (CJ) Bryant, discovered a love of performance at a young age, and decided to go to school to study Theatre. She graduated with honors from Berea College, where some of her favorite roles were Catherine in Proof, Alcyone in Metamorphoses, Buckingham in Richard III, and Mollie in The Mousetrap. She went on to intern in the wardrobe department at Merry-Go-Round Theatre in Auburn, New York, and was a touring actor with AD Players Theatre in Houston, Texas. She continued to work both onstage and backstage in various productions after moving back to NC. Some of her favorite professional performances are The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Victorian Christmas, and 15 Minute Hamlet. After taking a step back from the fast paced world of acting to raise a family, CJ discovered an unexpected love of teaching!

She spent the next 10+ years teaching theatre. These classes included acting, monologues, theatre makeup, and stage combat. She joined GPA in 2017 and has stage managed and directed many musicals including Madagascar, Newsies, Frozen, Once Upon a Mattress, Schoolhouse Rock,The Little Mermaid, and James and the Giant Peach. She has also worked on non musicals including The Actor‘s Nightmare, 15 Reasons Not To Be In A Play, The Interview Show, Appropriate Audience Behavior, The Velveteen Rabbit, Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, and Art. Along with her classes, CJ is also passionate about working on the costumes, makeup, and stage combat for our various shows. You can usually find CJ repairing a split seam, reviewing another script, looking up new improv games, or heating up rice for her daughters in the kitchen.

Collin McCrea is a teacher, performer and director who graduated from UNC Greensboro with a masters degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy. His main teaching focuses are helping students find their own unique sound in a healthy and efficient manner, and helping foster healthy relationships with one‘s own voice. He has performed in numerous shows such as playing Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd, Thomas Rakewell in The Rake‘s progress, and Monostatos in The Magic Flute. Collin has studied and worked with numerous professionals in the classical and musical theater industry, including Jake Heggie, Allan Glassman, Dr. Robert Wells, Robert Swensen, Anthony Laciura, Mary Huff, Genevieve Ellis and Glen Cortese. He has also assistant directed Carmen with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, directed the world premiere of respawn_object_infinite<\o>, a series of mini operas composed by composition students at SUNY Fredonia, and continues to music direct shows here at Greensboro Performing Arts.

Calvin Richardson is a guitarist, arranger, composer, and educator based in NC. Currently,  he is a fourth-year jazz performance major at UNCG and will graduate next spring. He  enjoys teaching locally and performing with his own groups, such as jazz groups the CR Trio, leading the CR Quartet, and the local rock band Ad Lib. He also enjoys performing as a sideman with  other groups, including Act of Love, the John Brown Little Big Band, September: an Earth, Wind, and Fire Tribute, and SouLe and the SuperBand.

The CR Quartet was recently honored when one of the members, saxophonist Angel McCray, won a 2025 Downbeat Student Music Award for Outstanding Soloist in the Small Group category. The winning recording featured Angel performing with the CR quartet. Cal was also recently honored to be selected to participate in the 2025 Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program, hosted by the Kennedy Center. Cal uses his different musical experiences to inform his teaching approach, which is flexible and catered to each individual student’s interests.

McKayla Phillips is a dynamic North Carolina-based percussionist and educator, currently serving as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Percussion at Wake Forest University and Adjunct Professor of Percussion at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) and Winston-Salem State University. An active performer and clinician, McKayla has appeared as a guest artist, adjudicator, and clinician at universities, high schools, and conferences nationwide. They have also performed extensively at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). McKayla earned a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where they were recently recognized with the 2024–2025 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award from the College of Visual and Performing Arts. They hold a Master of Music degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, as well as dual Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Music Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. 

An advocate for new music and a chamber musician, they have performed at Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) with InBloom Percussion (2019), the Indiana University Percussion Ensemble (2018), the PAS All-Star Ensemble (2015), and the UNCG Percussion Ensemble (2015). As an orchestral musician, McKayla has also performed with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, North Carolina Brass Band, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Salisbury Symphony Orchestra, Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Davidson SCORE, and the Greensboro Opera. McKayla Phillips proudly endorses Black Swamp Percussion and Innovative Percussion.