Cathleen Becker
Owner/Director
Cathleen Becker is the Owner and Director of Starz Choice Dance Academy. She is also an instructor at the Academy and a choreographer for the Competition Team. In addition to teaching dance, Cathleen has taught pre-school and worked for the Sarasota County School Board for 12 years. She was the Dance Instructor and Choreographer at the Venice Theatre Summer Camp for 10 years.
Cathleen has taken classes from many well-known choreographers including Frank Hatchett, Sheila Barker, Rhonda Miller, Greg Russell, Keith Clifton, Carol Connors, Dave Carter, Christian Vincent, Jackie Sleight and Scott Fowler. Cathleen continues her training by attending Dance Conventions and taking online teacher courses. She also travels to New York every year to take classes at the Broadway Dance Center.
Cathleen has choreographed and performed for the Venice Theatre, the Miss Sun Fiesta Pageant, the Venice Concert Band, the Sarasota County Arts Festival and the Sarasota Players where she performed in a special celebration of Tap and Swing with the 42nd Street Band. She has choreographed musicals including Charlie Brown, My Son Pinocchio, Mamma Mia, and Legally Blonde. Cathleen also performed in the Mardi Gras Party for the Sarasota French Film Festival, Marston Recording Company's New Artist CD Release Party and Music Video, and the National Dance Video for Oxy Chem Corporation in Dallas, Texas.
Shonda Potts
Artistic Director
Shonda Potts started dancing at Starz Choice Dance Academy at the young age of three. With her grandmother as the studio owner she grew up in a dance environment. She also grew up competing with their Competition Team where she would travel all over the state for regional and national competitions. With the company she achieved many top overall awards. Shonda also traveled to many conventions and has taken classes in both New York and LA at famous dance studios like Broadway Dance Center and Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio.
After graduating from high school Shonda decided to continue her passion for dance and attended Florida School of the Arts to major in Dance. There she performed in many shows where she was chosen for special solos and additional performances outside the dance program. She also traveled and assisted with the instructors at other schools. After completing Florida School of the Arts she landed a full time job as a dancer at Walt Disney World. There she performed in High School Musical 3, Block Party Bash, Move It Shake It Celebrate it, Celebrate a Dream Come True, Sprectromagic, Electrical Light Parade and the Muppets Honorary Volunteer Cavalcade. Shonda has performed aboard a Carnival Cruise Ship and in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers halftime Show. In 2014 Shonda performed at the Van Wezel in “Voices of the Holocaust”.
Shonda has always enjoyed teaching. At a young age she started assisting classes at Starz Choice and by her senior year had a class of her own. While attending college and working at Walt Disney World, Shonda also taught at local dance studios. In 2011 she returned to Starz Choice where she started teaching for them once again. She has taught all styles, levels and ages at the Academy. Her choreography with their company continues to win top overall, choreography awards and technique awards. Since 2013 she has also taught dance at Grace Preschool. Shonda continues her dance education by attending conventions, workshops and online training programs. Shonda is now the Artistic Director at Starz Choice Dance Academy and is happy to share her knowledge and passion for dance with all her students.
Shaeleen Guido
Instructor
Shaeleen Guido started dancing at the age of 3 and studied at Starz Choice Dance Academy for 15 years. She trained in all styles of dance and Acrobatics. She also attended dance classes at Booker High School during her sophomore year. Shaeleen was a member of the Competition Team at Starz Choice for 13 years winning many awards and top honors. She also attended several conventions and has taken classes from many professional dancers. Shaeleen has studied dance in New York at the Broadway Dance Center. She also took classes from the cast of Hairspray and Mary Poppins on Broadway. Shaeleen performed on the Carnival Cruise Ship Imagination and in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers half time show.
Shaeleen started assisting dance classes at the age of 15. She was also an assistant teacher at the Venice Theatre for their summer program. Shaeleen began teaching her own dance classes at Starz Choice at the age of 16. She has taught all styles and levels. She is also a choreographer for the Competition Team.
Shaeleen always had an interest in working with children. In High School she was in Child Development for 3 years and received her Ready to Work certification. During that time she was a Teacher’s Aid at Venice Elementary. She continued her education taking two years of Child Development courses in college. Shaeleen’s work experience with children includes Kid’s Club at Lifestyles Family Fitness, teaching Preschool at the Academy of Creative Learning for 3 years and teaching Ballet at Grace United Methodist Preschool. Shaeleen continues working with children of all ages in her dance classes at Starz Choice. She also continues her dance training by attending conventions and workshops.
Justine Coulon
Instructor
Melissa Mosser
Instructor
Melissa Mosser started dancing at the age of 5. She started competing with Starz Choice Dance Academy at the age of 9.
She has traveled to regional and national competitions all over the state of Florida. She received various awards and titles from Dance Masters of America, New York City Dance Alliance, Hall of Fame Dance Challenge and West Coast Dance Explosion to name a few. Melissa has traveled to numerous conventions and taken classes in New York City at famous dance studio such as Broadway Dance Center.
After Graduating from Venice High School in 2009, Melissa attended Valencia College in Orlando receiving her Associate’s Degree in General Education. She continued to dance professionally in a contemporary dance company called Emotions that performed throughout the Orlando area. Melissa danced for two seasons as an Orlando Predator Dancer at the Amway Arena which the games were televised on the NFL network. Her choreography was featured in the games. Melissa was part of MTV’s Super Sweet 16 dancing with Bubba Sparxx. She also did a promotion for NYSNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick. Melissa moved back to Venice and finished obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of South Florida in Hospitality Management.
Melissa has taught all styles of dance and is currently the Hip Hop teacher at Starz Choice. She also subs other classes when needed and helps with the Company Dancers. Melissa works in the Finance Department for the City of Venice as her career. She has been teaching for Starz Choice since 2016 and loves all the students and staff. This is family to her and she is happy to be back in Venice doing what she is passionate about which is dance.
Mackenzie Mitchell
Instructor
Mackenzie Mitchell started dancing when she was three years old in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio. After moving to Venice in 2004 she started dancing at Starz Choice Dance Academy and joined their Competition Team. Mackenzie traveled across the state of Florida for many regional and national competitions and won several awards with the company. Mackenzie also traveled to numerous conventions, taking classes from professional dancers. She has also taken classes at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City. Mackenzie has performed throughout the community in many shows and events. Throughout her high school years, Mackenzie started assisting teachers at Starz Choice. She has assisted all styles of dance. After graduating in 2014, Mackenzie became an instructor at Starz Choice. Mackenzie still travels to competitions and conventions with the SCDA Staff and Company Dancers. Most recently, she received a certification of completion in a Pre-school and Recreational Program from LA Dance Magic. In 2017, Mackenzie was the Dance Instructor at the Venice Theater Summer Camp and choreographed Seussical the Musical for the TheatreFest performance.
Colleen Conner
Instructor
Colleen Conner started dancing at a young age in Michigan. When her family moved to Florida she continued dancing at her mother’s studio “Beverly School of Dance” which later became Starz Choice Dance Academy. Colleen became an Instructor at SCDA in 2005. Her children grew up in the family owned studio and are also teachers at the Academy. She currently has 2 grandchildren taking classes at the Starz Choice.
Colleen continues her dance education by attending Conventions. She has taken classes with many professionals including Ayodele Casel and Scott Fowler. In 2018 she received a Certificate of Completion from LA Dance Magic for the Pre-school and Recreational Program.
Colleen has a background in Early Childhood Education. She has been teaching pre-school since 1981. Her certifications include the Florida Child Care Professional Credential and the Director Credential - VPK Endorsed. She is currently the Director at the Creative Early Learning Center. Colleen’s knowledge and experience with younger children make her a great asset to the children’s program at Starz Choice.
Staff
Celina Oyola
Instructor
Celina started dancing at the age of seven and dancing competitively at the age of nine at many regional and national dance competitions receiving numerous awards. She has attended several dance intensives some of them being the Charleston Ballet Summer Intensive in Jacksonville, FL and the Regional Dance Festival in Norfolk, VA. She also attended a dance intensive at the Southern Strutt in Irmo, SC. Celina has taken classes from Susie Taylor, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, WildaBeast Adams, Misha Gabriel, Joe Lanteri, and JoJo Gomez just to name a few. She has performed in many events such as festival’s and parades some being local.
During middle school and high school, Celina has assisted and taught numerous dance classes ranging from the young age of three to the junior level. While her passion is in dance, she has continued to learn and grow not only as a dancer but in her life with Starz Choice Dance Academy. Celina has gained knowledge and more structure with her time at Starz Choice. She has considered the studio as her second home and truly appreciates the welcoming and guidance of the staff at Starz Choice.
Celina is currently attending State College of Florida pursuing her nursing degree. With nursing as her main focus, Celina still enjoys performing, assisting/teaching, and helping at the studio. She has been a part of the Starz Choice dance family for several years now. Celina is so happy to be part of the journey here at Starz.
Justine Coulon is known as a "Teacher of Teachers" and is a widely sought after dance educator, choreogreapher and adjudicator nationwide. Her "Coulin Concepts" , a dance training program in classical ballet, tap, and jazz is extensively used by numerous studio directors, owners and teachers.
For 18 years she was the owner/director of Centre Danse Academie, in Connecticut where many of her students became professional dancers, choreophraphers, professors, studio owners and teachers. Ms. Coulon, as a member of Dance Masters of America, Dance Educators of America and the National Associates of Dance and Affiliated Artist has taught extensively throughout the United States. She served on the board of directors for the Jazz Dance Congress as well as Vice-Presidents of the Connecticut and Massachusetts DMA chapters. Her teaching credits include Sarasota Ballet, Booker High School VPA, Trinity College, NorthEast Workshop for Dancers, Chicago National Association of Dance, the National Tap Dance Institute as well as dance companies and studios nationwide.
As a performer, Ms. Coulon was a soloist with the Circle Ballet Company, Connecticut Ballet and Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago and toured Mexico, Germany, Puerto Rico and the United States. She is an accomplished designer of competition costumes, author, graduate of the National Tap Dance Institute and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of New Haven.
Monique Delhaye
Instructor
Monique Delhaye has trained in a wide variety of dance styles, with a primary focus on Classical Russian Ballet Technique. After performing as a principal guest artist with a wide assortment of dance companies located in the Western and Midwestern United States she decided to focus her energies toward choreography and teaching.
Her choreographic credits with Metropolitan Ballet Company include: The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliette, Coppelia, Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Petrushka.
Her teaching experiences includes 30 years directing the Classical Academy at The Dance West Dance Studio, 12 years as the Classical Dance Coach at Millikan High School, and 2 years as the
Classical Dance Team Coach at the Dance Company.
Her competition experience includes choreographing for and directing competition teams in a wide variety national and international competitions: Hall of Fame, Showstoppers, YAGP,
Dance Grand Prix Italia and Prague.
As an educator, she has touched the lives of thousands of dancers and was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award from Dance Grand Prix, in the Czech Republic, in the areas of dance education and choreography.