Be Joyful. Be Mindful. Be Inspired.
MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS
CYNTHIA NEHR
Director, Ballet, Pointe, Conditioning/Pilates, Modern (Limón)
Cynthia, a Lancaster County native, graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography and a secondary concentration in classical ballet from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. She has studied with noted dance artists including Bill T. Jones, Ann Vachon, Carla Maxwell, Nina Watt, Doug Varone, Akram Khan, Bebe Miller, Kun-Yang Lin, and Greer Reed-Jones. While in Philadelphia, she performed in both the Philadelphia Fringe Festival and Dance Boom, and danced for choreographers including Tania Isaac, Christie Newman, Keith Thompson, Marianella Boan, and Shannon Perlotto. She participated in reconstructions of classic works by Phillipo Taglioni, Doris Humphrey, Jose Limon, and Paul Taylor, and performed at the Ickle International Dance Notation Conference in 2002-2004. She completed the Vaganova syllabus teacher training seminars in levels 1-3 and 4-6 at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, and is a certified mat Pilates instructor as well as in the junior, senior, and advanced programs of Progressing Ballet Technique.
Upon relocating to Pittsburgh in 2008, Cindy danced for LabCo Dance Company, MillerDance with Mary Miller, and the Staycee Pearl Dance Project. She was a guest instructor at Pittsburgh’s High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, and also taught at Rogers Magnet Middle School and Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School. Cindy was a founding member of NetCo Dance Company, a contemporary modern company based right here in Lancaster and also served as their assistant director from 2013-2019. Now as a freelance artist, she regularly creates work for community dance events and serves as the lead coordinator for Downtown Dances, an annual community performance of modern and contemporary dance.
REGINA CALLIE BOWE
Jazz, Modern (Graham & Taylor)
A homegrown Lancaster County dancer, Regina is a 2013 graduate of Adelphi University's prestigious BFA Dance program. After dancing in NYC with some incredible mentors from the Amy Marshall Dance Company, Paul Taylor Dance Company and Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance, Regina was excited to return to Lancaster and get involved in the vibrant performing arts community that has blossomed here. Since coming home, she has choreographed two musicals at Warwick High School, designed two color-guard shows for Lancaster Catholic High School, and premiered several new works for national dance competitions and locally at Downtown Dances. In addition to teaching/choreography, Regina is a company member with Grant Street Dance Company and has also appeared in several Ephrata Performing Arts Center performances including Hair, West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, and Beauty and the Beast. She has also performed with NetCo Dance Company and Barefoot Dance Company. Regina is a certified barre instructor and she loves to barre burn at Move It Studio. Outside of performing and teaching, Regina works full-time in nonprofit fundraising for Mt Gretna Theater.
ERIN CARNER
Ballet, Modern (Horton), Contemporary
Erin has been dancing for more than twenty years and teaching for more than a decade. After graduating from Warwick High School, she studied at the prestigious University of the Arts, in Philadelphia. While attending UARTS, Erin trained in Modern, Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Contemporary under the instruction of Kim Bears-Bailey, Michael Sheridan, Zane Booker, Andrew Pap, Donald Lunsford, Suzanne Slenn and Scott Jovovich. She performed alongside the Pennsylvania Ballet at the Merriam Theatre as well as in various university student and guest artist performances. After UARTS, Erin started her career as a dance instructor and choreographer. She teaches Modern (specializing in Horton Technique), Ballet, Contemporary and Stretch Classes and choreographs for community dance performances.
SHIRL FLECKENSTEIN
Creative Dance, Pre Level, Ballet, Modern
Shirl began her dance career right here at SSDC at the age of 4 after falling in love with an animated version of the Nutcracker. She continued her dance training through high school, and in college at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, where she graduated with her degree in Marketing. She also regularly studied at Koresh Dance in Philadelphia and with master ballet teacher, Nadine Revene, here in Lancaster, and has performed with NetCo Dance Company. Although classical ballet is her first love, Shirl is an extremely well-rounded dancer and educator with experience in modern, jazz, tap, Irish step, and even swing dancing and Latin ballroom. Shirl especially loves working with our youngest dancers, and introducing them to the joys of the art of dance.
SHALYNNE WNUK
Creative Dance, Pre Level, Tap, Jazz
Shalynne grew up in Reading, PA where she was homeschooled from K - 12. When she was four Shalynne started dancing at Carousel of Dance in Sinking Spring, PA where she studied all styles of dance, but quickly fell in love with tap. She continued her dance education throughout high school, taking classes, competing, and performing in her community. Shalynne attended Clarks Summit University, graduating in 2016 with her BS PK-4 Elementary Education. She is very excited to have the opportunity to get back into the dance studio at SSDC and share her love of tap with students of all ages. She will also be working with SSDC’s youngest dancers, teaching Creative Dance, and Pre Level Tap and Ballet.
KATIE REITER
Ballet, Pointe, Conditioning
Katie Reiter (Eshbach), received her pre-professional training at Pennsylvania Regional Ballet, School of American Ballet and San Francisco Ballet. Katie then went on to receive her BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase College, graduating with Honors. While at Purchase, Katie had the privilege to perform works by renowned choreographers including George Balanchine, Merce Cunningham and Jessica Lang. Katie was selected to perform George Balanchine’s “Serenade” at the famous Jacob’s Pillow Inside Out Theater. After graduation, Katie went on to dance professionally and teach ballet in New York City for nearly a decade. Katie held contracts with mishiDance, XAOC Contemporary Ballet and Hudson Ballet Theatre. In 2019, Katie was named Assistant Director of Hudson Youth Ballet. When she’s not dancing, Katie works as a Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor for her own small business, “Training With Katie”.
FAITH NIKOLAUS
Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Contemporary
Faith, a proud alumna of SSDC, discovered her love of dance within our studio walls. After graduating from Lancaster Catholic High School in 2017, Faith pursued a dual degree in Dance and Theology with a minor in Marriage and Family Studies at DeSales University. She graduated magna cum laude with her Bachelor of Arts in 2021. During college, Faith danced in various concerts including the DeSales University Dance Ensemble Concert and Emerging Choreographer’s Concert, performing repertory by choreographers including Martha Graham and Annex Dance Company. Faith taught various styles of dance through DeSales' Conservatory of Dance program as well as around the Lehigh Valley. In addition to her work in concert dance styles, Faith also specializes in swing dance, specifically Lindy Hop. She founded the DSU Swing Dance Club and won first place awards in both the Lindy Hop Open and Solo Jazz categories of Catholic University of America's Collegiate Lindy Hop Championships. Faith is so excited to be back at SSDC and to bring everything she has learned to the amazing program that ignited her own love of dance.
MIA VERA
Level 1, Jazz, Modern
Mia has been dancing her whole life and has been a dance instructor for over 10 years. She started studying dance in Lebanon County, and ventured out to Pittsburgh to participate in Point Park University’s International Dance Program. At Point Park, she studied all styles of dance, but her favorite classes were from Kiki Lucas and David Storey, and they influenced her love of Jazz and Contemporary styles. Some of Mia’s fondest dance performance memories include performing at Disneyland Paris and at The United Nations. Mia’s passion for teaching came at an early age, and she became a certified instructor through Dance and Gym USA at 16 years old. From then on, she has gained teaching experience at various elementary schools including The New School of Lancaster and Lititz Christian School, teaching the fundamentals of music and movement exploration. Mia currently is a choreographer at Gretna Theater and has choreographed for various community dance and theater events. Mia loves helping children bridge the gap between visual and performing arts, so she founded Full Circle Studios whose mission it is to give children with lesser means meaningful experiences in music, art, and dance.
