Katrina Toews

Katrina Toews was appointed the Director of The Washington Ballet @ THEARC (TWB@THEARC) in August of 2006.  Toews was originally hired to teach at The Washington School of Ballet under its founding director Mary Day.  Feeling enriched by this experience she began teaching disadvantaged students through The Washington Ballet’s Education and Outreach programs.  In August 2004 Toews became the Director of Education and Outreach for The Washington Ballet.  When TWB@THEARC opened in 2005 Toews served as its first interim director at this satellite campus in Southeast Washington, D.C.  As Director of TWB@THEARC, Toews works to instill the artistic vision and professionalism of The Washington School of Ballet at its satellite campus in Southeast. In addition, she will build upon the successes of this first year, which included increasing enrollment from 60 to 285 students, a successful first summer intensive program and numerous ongoing partnerships with the Levine School of Music, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Children’s Health project and Parklands Community Center. Toews received her BA in Fine Arts and Elementary Education from Bethel College in North Newton, KS, and a MA in Dance from American University in Washington, DC.  She has taught at American University, James Madison University, The Washington School of Ballet, Dance Place and the Davis Center. In addition to teaching, Toews founded K2 Dance Company which has performed at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, Dance Place, The Jack Guidone Theatre, THEARC Theatre and American University's Greenberg Theatre.  She has also danced with BosmaDance, Carla & Company and Sister's Trousers, all Washington-based companies.

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Donna Jackson, Associate Director

Ms. Jackson is originally from Northumberland County in rural southeastern Virginia. She lived and worked in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area for 10 years, starting her creative career at the Smithsonian followed by design positions with the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission and various architectural/engineering firms. She left the area in 1992 to return to her home to develop cultural arts programming for youth and to provide organizational assistance to community based organizations. During Donna’s 7 years in her hometown and remaining years in the Hampton Roads Virginia area, she served in a myriad of capacities in the non-profit arena—the majority focused on youth development. Her experience includes grassroots coalition-building to serving as Executive Director of Girls Incorporated of the Greater Peninsula and a residential substance recovery program. Most recently she served as product design/development for the Foundation for the National Archives. Ms. Jackson holds a M.A. in Arts Management from George Mason University and a B.A. in Graphic Design from Norfolk State University. Donna’s life mission is to help lift youth and their families up and over societal barriers using the arts as a conduit. Favorite quote: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are but tiny matters compared to what lies within us” Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Monica Johnson, Education Associate

Ms. Johnson is a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts She received the 2003 Teacher of the Year awarded by the Panama City, Florida school system. Ms. Johnson owned and operated a dance studio, Just 4 Kicks Studio of Dance, for six years, located in Winston Salem, N.C. In addition, Ms. Johnson served in the dance communities as an educator, choreographer, performer, and director of dance programs and has taught in the North Carolina, Forsyth County school system for four years. Ms. Johnson danced with Ballenthic Dance Company in Atlanta, Georgia, Demetrius Klien in West Palm Beach, Florida, and has studied around the country from world renowned dance teachers. Ms. Johnson is currently teaching at the Washington Ballet@THEARC.

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LaToya Spires, School Coordinator

LaToya Spires is a 2007 graduate of Drew University, having received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in Pan-African Studies and Sociology. Throughout Ms. Spires’ undergraduate college career she worked to enhance diversity within the student body while also introducing coalition politics to student organizations. For the past 4 years, LaToya Spires served as a lead university event planner as well as a liaison between the student body, faculty and staff. Ms. Spires also served as the Student Assistant to the Pan-African Studies Department, Choir Coordinator and founding member of Drew University’s Ubuntu: Pan-African Choir. At differing levels, Ms. Spires continues to follow her passion for law, religion, and Diaspora relations. LaToya Spires is currently a graduate student at Howard University, and a student of Theology and Culture at AFSANI Institute, both located in Washington, DC.

Favorite Quote:

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” ~Henry David Thoreau

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Shawn Short

As a student, Shawn first studied with Adrian Vincent James of the Bejart Ballet then continued on with Pat Thomas of Philadanco, Sandra Fortune Green and Kathy Smith of Duke Ellignton Performing Arts High School and the late Mike Malone. Shawn has also studied with faulty from the Ailey School, Dance Theatre of Harlem,Dance Institute of Washington. He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Howard University and course work in Theatre Management. Shawn has performed with K2 Dance,Adrian Bolton Dance, Dance Alloy,Bolton/Smith Dance Ensemble,El Teatro de Danza Contemporanea de El Salvador and was a highlighted teacher during the CBS feature on Chris Smith's contribution to the southeast community in Washington, DC. He has choreographed for Dance Institute of Washington and Washington Ballet @ THEARC. He is also the producing artistic director of Dissonance Dance Theatre (Http://www.ddtdc.com). His works have been presented at the Capital Fringe Festival, Greater Washington Urban League National Conference, Southeastern University and DC Park and Recreation. Shawn is resident choreographer for the Kelsey Collie Children's Theatre and is in his third year of teaching at twb@THEARC.

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Stacey Price

Stacey Price is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She began her formal ballet training at Southern Ballet Theatre, now Orlando Ballet, in Orlando, FL. She continued to study at Raleigh School of Ballet, Boston Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, and North Carolina School of the Arts under scholarship. After graduating in 2003 from North Carolina School of the Arts with a degree in ballet, she moved to the DC area to be one of the first members of Washington Ballet's Studio Company. While dancing with Washington Ballet, she was also a guest artist for Carolina Ballet and North Carolina School of the Arts. Miss Price has since begun teaching music in a DC Charter School, as well as working with students at THEARC.

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Sylvia Soumah

Sylvia Soumah is the founding director of Coyaba Dance Theatre which is a resident company of Dance Place.  Sylvia have been serving the Washington DC community with African dance for many years.  This is Sylvia’s first time to join the faculty of The Washington Ballet @ THEARC where she will oversee the African dance classes.

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