Eddy Ocampo has danced with some of Chicago's premiere dance companies such as the Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago and River North Chicago Dance Company. He has served as faculty member as well as School Director of the Giordano Dance Center, the Director of Giordano II Company and the Director of the Giordano Scholarship program. He danced as principal company member with Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago from 1994-2000. As a master teacher, Eddy has taught in Europe, Mexico, Canada, Turkey, the Russian Republic and throughout the U.S. As a choreographer, Mr. Ocampo's choreography can be seen on such companies as Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, Odyssey Dance Theatre (Salt Lake City, UT), Kannon Dance (St. Petersburg, Russia), Lisa Clark Dancers (San Francisco, CA), Thodos Dance Chicago, Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, Inaside Chicago Dance and many regional ballet companies. Eddy received the Dance Chicago 2004 Outstanding Choreography Award as well as the Cliff Dwellers Arts Foundation Choreographer of the Year Award for Dance Chicago in 2005 and 2007. Mr. Ocampo is the first in the history of the Cliff Dwellers Foundation to ever receive this honor twice. He is also the winner of the 2007 Leo’s International Choreography Competition for his choreography, “gekkoh”. Eddy has been featured in Dance Teacher Magazine as well as named one of the best jazz dance teachers in the country by Dance Spirit Magazine. In 2005 Mr. Ocampo was honored as Filipino American of the Year by the Filipino Association of America. Eddy is so excited to be coming to Houston again and is serving his 10th year on faculty at the HAD summer Intensive!

Troy Powell was named Artistic Director Designate of Ailey II beginning July 2012. A native New Yorker, Mr. Powell began his dance training at the age of nine at The Ailey School. Following his graduation from The High School of Performing Arts, he became a member of Ailey II. Mr. Powell joined Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1991. He toured throughout the United States, South America, Europe and South Africa for ten years before becoming a master teacher at The Ailey School and resident choreographer of Ailey II. Mr. Powell has choreographed ballets for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Dallas Black Dance Theater, National Dance Company of the Bahamas and Alaska Dance Theater, as well as three episodes of “Sesame Street.” His guest artist credits include performing with companies such as Batsheva, Dallas Black Dance Theater and Complexions. Featured in an American Express commercial with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Mr. Powell has also appeared on television in George C. Wolfe's “The Colored Museum,” the PBS Great Performances: Dance In America special A Hymn for Alvin Ailey, choreographed by Judith Jamison, and “America’s Next Top Model.”

Derrick Yanford began his formal training in a local studio of his hometown Southwick, Massachusetts where he studied ballet, jazz, tap, and acrobatics with his teacher Brenda Barna. After years of training Derrick went on to win many major national dance titles and competitions including Mr. Dance of Connecticut, America's Male Dancer of the Year, and most honorably Mr. Dance of America 1995. After furthering his dance education at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Derrick began his professional career and has had the pleasure of performing with Ballet Hispanico of New York, The Joffrey Concert Dancers, Northern Connecticut Ballet, Walt Disney World, and Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular. Additional performance credits include the First National Tour of   Footloose, the European Tours of Evita and West Side Story as well as the World Premiere of the Opera Le Cid, starring Placido Domingo. Derrick has also gained recognition as a choreographer and has had his work commissioned by ABC Television for the Boscov's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Rittenhouse Row Arts Festival and the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Millennium Kick-Off to name a few. While currently residing in Philadelphia, Derrick freelances as a choreographer and serves on faculty for the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet. Derrick has been a member of Koresh for two seasons.  He continues dancing professionally and teaching.  He was selected as the choreographer for the American Dance Awards Titles Competition in Summer 2002.

Dorrell Martin is a native Houstonian, former artistic director of Houston Metropolitan Dance Company and founder of Dorrell Martin Dance Fusion. The summer of 2003, the company made its first international debut performance in Veracruz, Mexico. He received Honorable Mention for choreography at the World Jazz Congress. He has taught and set works on University of Louisiana, C.A.D Dance in New York City, Lamar University as well as companies in New Mexico and Louisiana. His studies include Paul Taylor, Ailey School, EDGE Performing Arts in Los Angeles, Steps on Broadway, and 2 years at the New York State Summer Intensive with New York City Ballet. Mr. Martin has worked with choreographers such as Kevin Wynn, Fred Benjamin, Liz Imperio of Los Angeles, Randy Duncan of Chicago and Pattie Obey of Holland. Director of Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary Dance, Mr. Martin was soloist for the national touring company of "A Few Good Men...Dancin."  He has performed in musicals such as Aida, Swing, and West Side Story and has worked with recording artists such as Emma Bunton and Solange.  As Artist in Resident at Hope College, he set the musical" Wonderful Town." Martin has worked with dance companies and choreographers such as Richard Rivera's Physual, Arch Dance, Metropolitan Opera and Brian Brooks and he has performed at Jacob's Pillow, American Dance Festival, and Dance Theatre Workshop.

Desiree RobbinsDesiree has a passion for teaching and devotes much of her time training the dancers that you see in front of the camera. Her real expertise is taking dancers and fine-tuning their technique, style, and movement to create a more refined, professional product. Desiree has well over 20 years of experience in the field. Many new and exciting things have been happening this year.  Desiree is beyond thrilled to be one of the many amazing faculty members on the hottest new convention iHollywood Dance Convention where she is Artistic Director of "The Company" at iHollywood Dance Convention. This amazing new company has been called "The newest and most motivating program to hit the dance scene..." Last fall she also became a faculty member on ASH Dance Convention. In 2011, Desiree traveled to more than 40 cities. She taught at the Dance Teachers Summit in New York last summer, Doug & Friends in Los Angeles, and most recently traveled to work in Costa Rica and Austria. She works with individuals and groups to help improve their training and performance. Most recently Desiree has been hosting a weekly dance podcast entitled, Nick and Desiree’s Infinite Dance Cast, which is available for downloading on iTunes.  The show features interviews with top industry professionals and has quickly become popular worldwide. 

Dawn Scannell received her training from Victoria Leigh, Ruth Petrinovic, and James Franklin. She spent two summers on full scholarship at Houston Ballet Academy, and joined the company for the 1985-1986 season and rose to the rank of principal dancer with Houston Ballet. Ms. Scannell danced leading roles in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Gloria; George Balanchine’s Agon and Western Symphony; principal roles she danced in Ben Stevenson’s works include Cinderella, Don Quixote, and Dracula. Other roles include Stanton Welch’s Indigo; Jiří Kylián’s Sinfonietta and Symphony in D; Trey McIntyre’s Second Before the Ground and Touched; and Christopher Bruce’s Rooster, Gautama Buddha and Ghost Dances. Ms. Scannell retired as principal dancer in 2001 after 16 years, and has since worked with Houston Ballet as a guest teacher and coach.

Brandon Russell is a native of Fort Worth, TX. He began his dance training late at the age of 17 at Dian West Dance Studio, Texas Ballet Theatre School and Debbie Allen Dance Academy. In 2001, Brandon was named NYCDA's regional outstanding senior male and won NDA's best senior male dancer national title. Brandon continued his academic and dance training at Southern Methodist University studying a variety of dance techniques and composition, where his choreographic aspirations were nurtured by Larry White and Nathan Montoya. While attending SMU Brandon was awarded numerous scholarships and trained all over the country, including such prestigious institutions as Edge Performing Arts, The Ailey School, Dance Theatre of Harlem School, Joffery Ballet School, Boston Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Kirov Ballet Academy, Houston Ballet School and many more. Upon leaving SMU Mr. Perry-Russell moved to New York, to pursue his career in dance. He has performed with Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble, Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre, Lydia Johnson Dance, Errol Grimes Dance Group, Nanette Bearden Contemporary Ballet, Balance Dance Theatre, Subtle Changes Inc and Bad Boys of Dance. Mr. Perry-Russell has taught ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, gymnastics and choreographed for various companies, schools, colleges, studios, fine arts programs, summer intensives and is a proud founding choreographer and Director of Operations for Bad Boys of Dance. 

Maria Mendoza Ayyat enjoys sharing movement, fitness and fun with her clients in a variety of disciplines. Along with 11 years combined experience in fitness instruction and dance performance, Maria is a Certified GYROTONIC® Pre-Trainer and a Certified Instructor in GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS ® methodologies. She is also a comprehensively certified instructor through Peak Pilates®. Maria has danced professionally for Candente, Planet Funk, and the Houston Rockets Power Dancers. She is a Pilates Alumni Ambassador for Lululemon Athletica and a member of the Pilates Method Alliance. Maria served as Guardian Ad Litem for Child Advocates and worked with dance outreach programs such as MECA and the Children's Prison Arts Project. She graduated in 1997 from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a public relations emphasis, along with minor studies in theater, dance, Spanish and English. Maria resides in Houston, Texas with her husband, Ash. When she is not taking flight in an aerial class; spiraling on GYROTONIC® equipment; or scooping in a Pilates workout, Maria enjoys reading fiction, taking yoga classes and spending time with family and friends.