Inspirations Dance Centre

Shiloh Ransom is the founder and Executive Director of Inspirations Dance Centre. A native of Wilmington, Shiloh began her dance training at South East Dance Theatre where she performed and competed at regional and national competitions winning top and overall awards. After graduating from John T. Hoggard High School, she attended UNC-Wilmington for elementary education while continuing her dance training. She has studied with master teachers such as David Howard (ballet), Frank Hatchett (jazz), Mia Michaels (contemporary), Emilietta Ettlin (ballet), Tracie Stanfield (jazz & tap), Karen Hebert (ballet), Gene Medler (tap), and Debbie Dee (tap) along with attending master classes at North Carolina School of the Arts and East Carolina University. Her performances include The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Chicago , Sweet Charity, and Oklahoma! She has also performed in the

Bahamas

and for Carnival Cruise Lines. Shiloh ’s choreography has won top awards at regional and national competitions. She has worked with the Moscow Ballet, Dance Theatre of Wilmington, The Wilmington Ballet Company, and was the founder/director of The Wilmington Broadway Dance Company. Her teaching experience includes South East Dance Academy, Danceworks, and The Wilmington School of Ballet. Her students have gone on to attend year-round and summer programs at North Carolina School of the Arts, School of American Ballet in NY, American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, Austin Ballet, Harid Conservatory, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Kirov, and Boston Ballet. Shiloh became a member of Dance Masters of America in 2000. Since moving to Southport in 2007 with her husband and three children- Kiernan, Auriella, and Emma- Shiloh has grown to love this community and is excited about "giving back" through the art and beauty of dance. Shiloh's excellent education, along with 25 years of experience as a dancer and 14 years of teaching experience, has given her a keen insight into working with her students and guiding them to be the best they can be.

Tiffany has been dancing since the age of twelve and teaching for the past six years. She has competed across the country in national conventions as well as competitions where her team won Grand Champion on several occasions. Ms. Tiffany went on to perform in "An Irish Dance Show" in Myrtle Beach and other local venues. She is proficient in teaching all levels of clogging and Irish step dance and has a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education and is currently pursuing her Masters degree. We are so proud of her!

Ashley has been dancing for eighteen years and teaching for four years. She began her dance training at the Oak Island School of Dance under the direction of Erin Hughes and Pat Pittenger. At ages nine and eleven, she danced with the Greensboro Ballet Company and the Charleston Ballet Company. Ashley was captain of her high school dance team and was selected to perform in the Pro Bowl 2003 in Hawaii by the All American Dance Association. Also in 2003, she performed at the North Carolina Dance Festival with the Dance Cooperative and in 2005 she was selected to perform with Forward Motion under the direction of Tracy Varga. She has participated in several local events such as Southport ’s Annual Chili Cook-off and the 9/11 ceremonies. Ashley is a certified dance educator and is in her senior year at UNC-Wilmington where she is pursuing a degree in psychology.

Kim McGee has been dancing since the age of 3 and performing/competing since the age of 8. She has studied dance in the areas of tap, jazz, ballet, acro, lyrical, modern, hip hop and pointe. She grew up studying under the direction of Mary Beth Henderson at South East Dance Theater. Kim has traveled all of the country winning awards regionally as well as nationally. In 1998 she won the title Teen Miss Dance of NC and followed that up in 2000 by winning the title of Miss Dance of NC. She has studied under master teachers such as Debbie Dee, Sheila Barker, Nick Lazzarini, Liz Imperio, Karen Hebert, Gene Medler and Frank Hatchett. Kim graduated from East Carolina University with a B.F.A. in dance performance, concentration in Jazz in 2006. While at ECU, she performed every year in the faculty dance concert, as well as many Senior Choreography concerts and with the East Carolina Performing Company. Kim was chosen to perform in guest artist pieces choreographed by Eddy Ocampo and Nick Pupillo of Chicago, IL. She performed in the Jazz Dance World Congress in 2001 and Dance Chicago in 2006, both held in Chicago, Illinois. Her senior choreography piece in college was chosen to perform in the American College Dance Festival, held at Florida State University, where it placed in the top 10. Kim has choreographed for the North Carolina Dance Festival. She was a performer in NCDF as well as Dance-A-Lorus, held in Wilmington. She has set choreography on South Brunswick and Cardinal Gibbons High School. Kim’s choreography has won top honors and overalls at regional and national competitions. Her students have also won scholarships to many conventions and workshops. Kim has been married to Philip McGee for a year and they just welcomed the birth of their first daughter, Bella, in June.

Philip has been dancing and competing since the age of 14. He grew up studying under the direction of Sami Winter of Just Duet Studio, studying hip hop, jazz, ballet, lyrical and tap. He attended competitions winning awards regionally as well as nationally. Philip has studied under such great teachers as Shane Sparks, Mark Meismer, Dave Carter, Wade Robeson, Swoop, Dante Williams, Eddy Garcia, Joshua Allen and Mandy Moore. He performed at the 2000 Olympics held in Sydney, Australia, as well as the Bahamas. Philip has also performed in the North Carolina Dance Festival. He has choreographed for Wilmington Extreme Dancers, Hoggard Dance Team, and Port City Diesel Dance Team. Philip has also set choreography on the dance teams at South Brunswick and Cardinal Gibbons high school. Philip recently choreographed a dance sequence for HBO’s new series produced by Will Ferrell, “East Bound and Down.” He has been a judge and choreographed the opening number for UNCW’s dance competition, “Hawk it Out.” Philip has been teaching hip hop since 2003. He has performed in “Dance-A-Lorus” and the North Carolina Dance Festival, both held in Wilmington. Philip is happily married to Kim McGee and has one daughter, Bella, who was born in June.

Ashley Suttlar Martin Faculty

Ashley has a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University and a MFA in dance from Temple University. From 2001-2005, she worked with an array of choreographers and professional companies in Philadelphia as a performance artist. Martin's choreography has been presented at various festivals and venues in Philadelphia, New York, Cincinnati, and San Diego, to list a few. Recently, she was Assistant Professor of Dance and Director of the Dance Ensemble at Morehead State University where she developed and implemented a dance curriculum, directed annual productions, facilitated a guest artist residency in dance, and was instrumental in the creation of a new dance facility. She has been a Performing Art Directory Artist of Kentucky Arts Council and the Southern Arts Foundation.

Tiffany started gymnastics when she was only 2 years old and was competing at the age of 7. By the time she was 15 years old, she was a level 10 gymnast with over 150 medals and trophies. She was a first place gymnast in vault and beam and ranked first in state competitions in several different levels.

Erinn danced professionally with the Vzorov Rhythm Ballet and the Robert Ivey Ballet, and appeared with the Buffalo Ballet Theatre and Stuttgart Ballet. She owned her own dance studio for many years and has been a dancer, choreographer, actor, and director for many community theater productions. She was most recently seen in Chicago, Children of Eden, Winter Nightsong, and Guys and Dolls.