Evelyn Ireton, owns and directs both Houston Academy of Dance and West University Dance Centre. Dancing since the age of 6 years old, Ms. Ireton combined her passion for dance with her love of teaching, graduating Magna cum Laude from the University of Houston with a Bachelors of Science in Education. The focus of Ms. Ireton’s career has been to train dancers. From her extensive training and successful performing career, she brings her students a wealth of knowledge and experience. Believing in a strong classical ballet background as the foundation of all other styles, Ms. Ireton has also concentrated in the study of the purely American dance style of jazz. She trained with the pioneering legends of jazz including Matt Mattox, Gus Giordano, and Camille Long Hill as well as many others in order to stay current with the ever changing trends in jazz dance. 

Both Houston Academy of Dance and West University Dance Centre are well respected by the dance community and referred by Houston Ballet. In addition to directing the schools, Ms. Ireton has been a member of the dance faculty of Episcopal High School, Houston, since 1991. Her choreography has been presented at the Houston Ballet Summer Workshop, National Convention for High School Dance, Tanzsommer Festival, Austria. Choreographers X 6 and Dance Month at the Jewish Community. Center, Houston.

Ginger Herrera, a native of Houston, Texas, graduated in 1984 from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Beginning her dance training at the Houston Academy of Dance under the direction of Evelyn Ireton in 1972, Ginger has studied at numerous places with a variety of teachers. Ginger studied with Leon Danillian, of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, at University of Texas on scholarship in 1985, the Royal Academy of London, England, 1979, and Clara Cravey at Houston Ballet Academy in 1984. In addition to her extensive training, Ginger has also taught dance to various artists both at the Houston Academy of Dance and Spring Branch ISD and she has served as the co-director of the Bayou City Dance Company. Adding to her training and exposure to various styles of dance, Ginger attended the Jazz Dance World Congress, Chicago, in 2002. Ginger has been Assistant Director of HAD since 2003.

Staff

Julie Comfort graduated Magna cum Laude from S.U.N.Y. College at Brockport with a B.S. in Mathematics and a Minor in Dance. She performed with Danscore; the college’s touring company, visiting local schools and universities promoting dance awareness and education. She continued teaching at the Dancenter in Medina, NY and performed in a local production of “42nd Street”. Upon moving to Houston, Julie began teaching at Houston Academy of Dance while maintaining a full-time job outside of the studio.

Kenneth Epting, a native of Chicago, received a bachelors degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Purdue University and a secondary mathematics certification and a masters degree in Counseling from Prairieview A&M University. Kenneth’s dance training includes such noted schools as Alvin Ailey American School of Dance and Martha Graham School. He has received high acclaim for many of his choreographic works. Kenneth has been the resident choreographer and artistic director for the Classic Dance Ensemble at Prairie View A&M since 1990. Kenneth is the founder and artistic director of Exclamation Dance Company.

Katy Kalz started her ballet training at age five and by age 11 she began dancing with The Beaumont Civic Ballet in Beaumont, TX.  She studied there under the direction of Marsha Woody and also performed in several ballets with the company, including The Nutcracker where she was Clara for two years.  After moving to Austin at age 14, she started classes with Ballet Austin before deciding to enjoy her time dancing mainly for McNeil High School’s dance/drill team, the Majestics.  Katy was an officer her junior and senior years, serving as Major and then as Colonel.  Katy continued her study of dance through college dancing with Sam Houston State University’s dance department company, Spectrum, and with the college’s dance team, Orange Pride.  She danced in many pieces while in Spectrum, her favorite still being The Nutcracker, and played such roles as Drew Drop Fairy and understudied Snow Queen and Sugar Plum.  Katy graduated Cum Laude with a BBA in General Business and a minor in Dance and Accounting in December of 2003.  She started teaching dance in the Austin area in 2006 and performed 3 seasons with Austin Metamorphosis Dance Ensemble.  Katy moved to Houston in 2010 to train and perform with Ad Deum II, a professional contemporary Christian dance company under the direction of Randall Flinn.  She taught for Chara Christian Dance Academy in Friendswood, TX before joining the staff this year at WUDC and HAD.

Lynzy Lab is a native Houstonian, and received the bulk of her training at the The Houston Metropolitan Dance Center.  With 8 years of training already under her belt, she began dancing for their youth company "Met Too" at the age of 12 and was eventually inducted into the professional company at 17.  Lynzy has taught and choreographed for several studios in the Greater Houston Area including The Met.  She received the Gregory Heinz Scholarship Award from Broadway Theatre Project, which she has attended for the past 3 years. She has performed in Texas Contemporary Weekend, Pink! The musical, Choreographers x 6, and many festivals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. She also danced in the Intercoiffure Hair Show at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, where she lived for a short time this past fall. She is glad to be home in Houston and is excited to start teaching for WUDC and HAD!!

Loni Peterson began dancing at the age of three and grew up un der the direction of owner, Evelyn Ireton at Houston Academy of Dance. As a junior in High School she performed the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at Houston Academy of Dance. This will be Loni's fourth year teaching at West University Dance Center and third year as Executive Director of the competition dance company Sole Discretion at WUDC. She will be graduating within the next year from the University of Houston with a degree in Art History with a minor in Studio Arts. She is currently working for a non-profit art gallery and hopes to continue working with the Exhibition Programming there after graduation. Dancing has always been a part of her life and she is thankful for every minute of it. "Dance first. Think later."-unknown

Shawn Rawls grew up in Cleveland Ohio. At the age of sixteen he attended Cleveland School of the Arts and there he began dancing with the Y.A.R.D (Youth At Risk Dancing). Later he also began performing with U.D.C (Urban Dance Collective). After graduating from Cleveland school of the Art  as a Visual Arts and Dance major in May 2003, he became a trainiee for Cleveland Contempary Dance Theatre. In August 2004 he moved to Chicago Il where he preformed with various dance companies such as Chicago Dance Crash, Tygo  Ballet, and K-Thoery. In 2007 he moved back to Cleveland Ohio and became a trainiee with Inlet Dance Threatre.  In the fall of 2007 he enrolled in Belhaven University and graduated in May 2010.  

Patricia Salvo began her training with Houston Academy of Dance and has had extensive training in LA and New York. She has performed professionally in musical theatre for over 15 years. Nationally, she has performed with Cleveland Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Casa Manana, Northshore Music Theatre, Ordway Theatre, and in over 20 productions with Theatre Under the Stars. She has also performed internationally in Japan, along with Las Vegas revues, workshops in New York, and on “The Today Show” with Charo. She choreographs for professional theatres, community theatres, and local high schools.

Suzanne Stanzel has more than 15 years of experience in classical ballet, jazz, modern, character, and tap.  She grew up in Indiana and began her training at Fort Wayne Ballet. There she earned roles such as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Tenderness Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, and the leading role in an original piece choreographed by Derek Reid titled “Mozart Pas De Deux”.  Suzy was awarded a grant to perform in France at the “Ecole de Danse Ballerina” with Madame Francine Hartard. She has also studied and performed with Ballet Met, Ballet International and Butler Ballet.  She has Bachelors in Communication Studies and a minor in Dance from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame Indiana.  She and her husband Kyle reside in west Houston.  Suzanne is excited to be a new member of the Houston Academy of Dance’s faculty.

Additional Staff

Lindsey Marchand
Steven Miller
Shizu Yasuda

Office Staff

Sonia Simmons
Denean Stewart