Owners

    Miss Brooke Hardiman

    Studio & Creative Director

    Brooke's love of dance and performing began at a young age. She trained and competed with local studios in the Charlotte area from age 3 to 18, and is experienced in all styles. She has been teaching for 15 years and is passionate about body alignment, strength and flexibility training, technique and acrobatics. She is a certified E-RYT yoga instructor as well as a certified Acrobatic Arts Instructor. She has her MA in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University with a focus on work with Adolescents.

    Before opening HDC, Brooke was able to bring her training and education full circle when she was accepted to an internship position with the Choose to Invest organization, where she worked on a discipleship program that equips leaders in rural Africa to impact their communities utilizing the arts, sports, science, experiential learning, and relationships. Whenever she has the opportunity, Brooke loves to travel with her husband, Brian, finding inspiration in all corners of the world.

    EMAIL BROOKE

    Miss Brittany Vachon

    Dance Education & Choreography Director

    Brittany began dancing at the age of 2 and worked her way up in the competition and convention world. During her years spent competing, she was awarded many honors; both on regional and national levels. She also received various scholarships allowing her to travel the country taking class from world-renowned teachers. Brittany is a born choreographer, and began creating solos for herself, as well as assisting and choreographing for others, at the young age of 14. Her love of dance and passion for the next generation is, of course, what prompted her and her family's creation of Havilah Dance Company. When Brittany is not teaching, she cherishes the time she is able to spend with her 1-year old baby boy and husband, Joey!

    EMAIL BRITTANY

    Miss Gail Dawkins

    Office & Account Director

    Gail was a competition 'dance mom' for 19 years, during which she grew to love the art form and watching her daughters perform. When her 2 daughters, Brooke and Brittany, showed an interest in creating a new studio home for the next generation, she could not have been happier. Gail now owns one third of Havilah Dance Company where she manages the office, accounts, and loves meeting new dance babies! Her years of 'dance mom' experience bring a unique and knowledgeable perspective of 'dance-mom-life' to the table, and her years in business management and ownership bring priceless wisdom to the operations aspects of HDC.

    EMAIL GAIL

    Instructors

    Allen Cooper

    Company & Recreational Instructor

    Allen began dancing at age 9. Throughout his training he has assisted such greats as Jason Parsons, Dee Caspary, Dennis Caspary, and Mia Michaels. He has appeared in national commercials and industrials since the age of 15 and also was asked to appear on the tv show Star Search. Allen has assisted choreographers for the hit FOX tv show So You Think You Can Dance! At the age of 18 he began teaching at numerous dance conventions and for national talent competitions all over America. He has also been asked to choreograph opening numbers for benefits and charities across the country including The Woman's Cancer Research Foundation and DRA (dancers responding to aids). Allen performed in Bryant Park in New York City with the Jason Parsons Project at the young age of 15. Most recently Allen, has been traveling with Odyssey Dance Theatre all over the world performing as one of their principal dancers. His creative vision and excellence has been described as moving and inspirational. His ability to bring out passion in young dancers nationwide has created high demand for his gift of teaching. Since Allen moved to the west coast he is one of the most sought out teachers and choreographers in southern California.

    Autumn Crockett-Cooper

    Company & Recreational Instructor

    Autumn is originally from Nashville Tn, and residing in Los Angeles California. She has recently worked on FOX's new show "Masked Dancer", ABC's show "Holy Moly" as assistant choreographer and performer along with touring and teaching on "IDanceConvention" in Canada. Her credits include: Broadway National tour "WICKED" as Palm Tree, Rihanna, LeAnn Rimes, Meaghan Smith, Billy Gilman, CeCe Winans, I Kissed a Vampire, Bad CGI Sharks (films), The CW's "The 100," "America's Got Talent," "Abby Lees Ultimate Dance Competition," "Latin Dance TV," Google, Reebok, Samsung, Avon (Industrials), multiple commercials, including CMT, PBS, Cirque de la Symphonie as a contortionist/aerialist, Odyssey Dance Theatre, Eclipse, Academy of TV, Arts and Sciences hosted by Kenny Ortega, Frozen Live, La Mirada Theatre production of Cats and West Side Story.

    Michelle Pettine

    Recreational Program Manager & Director of Tap (ages 12 & under)

    Michelle brings over 20+ years of dance training and experience to our HDC staff. She danced all through her childhood, majored in the dance academy in high school, took classes in college, and eventually started teaching at local studios. She is experienced in tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, and ballet but her favorite is TAP! She is married to her loving husband and has 2 children. Michelle likes to spend her spare time with family doing spontaneous activities and enjoying life!

    EMAIL MICHELLE

    James Schuller

    Directory of Tap (ages 13 & up) & Company Instructor

    James is a Business and Finance major at the University of South Carolina who has had a passion for dance his whole life. He started dancing and performing all disciplines of dance with Dance Productions in North Carolina where he studied tap under Sabrina Perrell at the age of 11. He has been the Assistant Director and Director of Tap for Columbia City Jazz under Dale Lam for the past 7 years, where he has worked with many world renowned choreographers such as Anthony Morigerato, Mike Minery, and Travis Wall.

    EMAIL JAMES

    Sydney Buchanan

    Ballet Mistress & Recreational and Company Instructor

    Sydney has been dancing since the age of five. Ever since she was younger she knew that this was the career path she wanted to take. After graduating high school, she attended East Carolina University to continue her studies in dance. She has studied under various professional artists while being in university. She graduated in May of 2020 with a Bachelor's degree in Dance with a concentration in performance and choreography. She is so excited to be apart the HDC team!

    EMAIL SYDNEY

    Kristen Baughn

    Tumble & Acro Coach

    Kristen began dancing and practicing gymnastics at the age of 3. She danced competitively for many years while continuing her gymnastics training. In high school, she began cheerleading. She went on to cheer for the Coed team at Appalachian State University where she was the captain her junior and senior year. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Once returning from college and beginning a family, she decided to return to the studio while teaching kindergarten and first grade. She taught recreational dance and gymnastics for many years while teaching school. Kristen's new home became Havilah a few years ago when her daughter decided to begin dancing competitively for the studio. Her true passion is seeing students accomplish new skills weekly while building their confidence and strength. When Kristen is not teaching at school or the studio, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.

    EMAIL KRISTEN

    Jennifer Provins (Jenni)

    Instructor

    Jennifer Provins received her training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in Carlisle, PA. She also received training on a full Scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet. She has had the opportunity to dance multiple Balanchine Ballets from a young age. Her professional career lasted just over 18 years. She was a Principal Ballet dancer with the West Australian Ballet under the direction of Ivan Cavallari and a leading Artist with the Milwaukee Ballet under Michael Pink. She was promoted to Principal in Australia after performing a world premiere as Ms Drosselmeyer in Ivan Cavallaris Nutcracker. She went on to win an award in 2009 for best female performance in that role. In her early stages of her career she also worked for American Repertory Ballet, Tulsa Ballet and the Hartford Ballet. She has performed many of the Classical ballets such as Odile in Swan Lake, Lilac Fairy in Maricia Haydees Sleeping Beauty, Fairy Godmother in Ben Stevensons Cinderella, Marie in Michael Pinks Nutcracker and Mina in Michaels Dracula, among many others. Other notable Choreographers that she has either worked with or performed their works are John Cranko, Uwe Scholz, Simon Dow, Robert North, Choo San Goh, Natalie Weir, Trey McIntyre, Mark Godden, Gen Horiuchi, Kurt Joos, Septime Webre, Graham Lustig, Michael Pink and more.

    At 14 years of age she was in the CPYB Documentary "Children with a Dream" as the Second Violin in Balanchine's Concerto Barocco. At 19 she was invited to perform as a soloist in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan. She has performed in Gala's and toured performing in the states and Australia.

    Her passion for the art form is what inspires her to teach and give back to the students. She hopes to make a difference and share with students what was shared with her from a young age. Love and joy for the art form.

    EMAIL JENNI