Edwina studied dance in 1974-75 at Sullins College in Bristol, VA, and then returned to the University of Texas at Austin to get her degree in Physical Education.

She has been on the faculty for several dance conventions(TATD) and has taught at “Tap it Up!” Ever since her mother’s death in 1997, she has continued the SMSD tradition of dance here in Austin. She has also served on the TATD Board of Directors for well over 23 years.

Edwina is married to Neal Worley, is a handbell ringer, an active member of Community Bible Study, loves to fish and has two grown (and married) “dancing” daughters, Elizabeth McComas & Kristin Smith.

 

Growing up, I was always following in Miss Trish and Miss Teresa’s shadow, and knew that one day, I wanted to teach just like them. Luckily, that dream came true!

I graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in Early Childhood Education.  After graduating, I taught 2^nd grade in East Austin, and am now working at the studio and The Dancer’s Den full-time. I have such great passion learning the ropes of the family business, and can’t wait to start teaching the babies!

I LOVE my job and couldn’t ask for better bosses: my grandfather, Larry McPhail, and my mom, Edwina. In September 2016  I married my husband Winn  in my favorite destination, Steamboat Spring, CO. I am obsessed with our German Shorthaired Pointer puppy, Toddy! 

I am so blessed to be able to share my grandmother’s love of dance with children and in my Austin community!

Kristin is a member of TATD *Texas Association Teachers of Dance - Having passed her teaching test for Ballet in 2016.

I entered The University of Texas as a freshman—and have lived in Austin ever since.  After graduating with a BS in English and Education, I worked in administration and telecommunications for years.  My  last corporate job was as Director of Employee Relations at CTGI, a public telecommunications company based in Austin.  My main job, however, was rearing my two wonderful children, Brady Moore and Amanda Moore Oelrich.

When Amanda was 3 years old, we were introduced to Miss Trish, Miss Shirley, and SMSD.  Now, Amanda’s daughter Millie, as well as Brady’s daughter Murray, (both 3 years old) began classes at the studio last year in Twinkle Tots and have now advanced to Beginning Combo. 

Before my  marriage to Larry McPhail in 1999, I attended an SMSD dance recital with Larry. When adults walked out on stage and began a tapping, I was delighted to learn there were tap classes for adults!  I signed up immediately and have been tapping at SMSD ever since. My other physical hobby is tennis (twice a week), and my mental work is sharpened by Mah Jongg games with friends.

I participate in practically every aspect of studio life at SMSD, mainly doing advertising and marketing, design work, --wherever I can help.  I am extremely proud of the Cotillion Austin-Style program I created in 2005 and co-teach with Edwina Worley (My “Bonus Daughter”).  I love getting to know the boys and girls and observing the poise they gain as they learn etiquette and social and dance skills.

Larry and I stay very busy, whether it involves working on Quick Books for the studio or keeping up with our huge, wonderful family.  With 12 grandchildren and a great-grandchild on the way (every one lives in Austin!), there is always a lot of fun to be had.  Life with Larry and the rest of the family (including the SMSD family) enables me to be a very happy lady indeed!

  

I was the recipient of the the very first scholarship given by TATD (Texas Association Teachers of Dancing.) 

Along with teaching at SMSD, I’ve worked at Westminster Presbyterian Day School, where I was a teacher’s aid for over 12 years, and as a coach at Capital Gymnastics.   Both have inspired my love for teaching children.

I have choreographed many routines for middle school drill teams, churches, and gymnastics teams.  I continue to choreograph for these institutions including the studio’s own Troupe SMSDance team, and competition team.  Many including large group, small group, solos, and duet dances.  

At SMSD I have the privilege of being the Director of Troupe SMSDance as well as teaching all ages at the studio. I have directed the dance troupe for over 17 years, and I love every minute of it!  Continuing my dance education is very important to me, so I attend dance conventions throughout the year. I have also been a member of the Texas Association of Teachers of Dancing since 1995. I now serve on the board of Directors of TATD.  I really enjoy what I do, and being a part of the SMSD family.

Speaking of family…I have a loving and supporting husband David, and we have a 12 year old daughter named Riley. She is a level 9/10 gymnast, and is on the top 100 kids in the nation for floor.  God has blessed me with a great family at home and at work.

 Before graduating high school, Jennifer became an apprentice dancer for Tapestry Dance Company and soon after became a company member. After graduating high school, Jennifer became a company member of Austin Contemporary Ballet. She has danced in the Zilker Park Summer Musical’s "Oklahoma" and "Little Me." She danced the role of Dream Laurie in Southwestern’s "Oklahoma" production..

In 2009, Ms. Tcharikova created the choreography for University Christian Church for their creation of Amahl. The following year, she was asked to choreograph for their original score of On Christmas Night with composer Mr. Bob Chilcott. She earned her Certification in Ballet from the Texas Association Teachers of Dance in 2006 and attends annual conventions each summer. In addition to TATD conventions, Jennifer attends Soul to Sole, 3rd Coast Rhythm Project, and The Pulse to stay current in the ever changing world of dance. Most recently, she created a dance work out for adults, Ballet Shape, which fuses adult’s love of ballet and exercise to upbeat music.

Ms. Tcharikova has an open door policy with her parents and students and wants to maintain a line of communication at all times. She believes that every dancer possesses unique strengths and will continue to help students harness that individuality to dance with emotion and technique.

She stayed in NYC for eleven years performing professionally all around the world.  Some of her favorite roles are the Narrator in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, Rose, in “Bye, Bye Birdie”, Amnesia, in “Nunsense”, Lily, in “Annie”, and Rhetta, in “Pump Boys and Dinettes”.

She has performed at the White House and the Kennedy Center for both the Bush and Clinton Administrations in conjunction with the Children’s Literacy Program.  She performed in the Natchez Opera for ten years and was fortunate enough to be the soloist for then Governor George Bush’s Inauguration

Since moving home to Texas, she has performed and Choreographed with Waco Children’s Theater, Temple Civic Theatre, the Public Domain, and River City Pops and many others.  She has choreographed for Buzz Productions, Akins High School, River City Pops, Austin Summer Musicals For Children, as well as served on the RCP and ASMC Boards.  She teaches tap, ballet, jazz, and musical theatre to all ages. She is the dance instructor and Choreographer for Christian Youth Theatre. When not dancing about, she spends time with her husband, James, and their wonderful son Dustin.  She is so grateful and blessed to be a part of all of her work “families”.

 

I married my high-school sweetheart after college and we have 3 sons. Raising and homeschooling the boys through their elementary years kept me very busy. When the boys moved on to middle and high school, I had an opportunity to fulfill my dream for formal dance training.

I started dancing with SMSD in 1999 in a beginning adult tap class. My desire to acquire more dancing skills led me to take classes in ballet, jazz, salsa, and other styles. After 10 years in the SMSD dance program, I was offered the opportunity to assist in classes with Miss Trish, Miss Teresa, and Miss Jennifer. I could not have imagined how wonderful this opportunity was!

I find it a privilege to be able to work with the children and the very talented, wonderful, team of teachers at SMSD. The children fill my heart with so much love and joy which makes me look forward to every class!

 

During the next twelve years she danced nearly every role from the classical and character repertoire, including Giselle, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Bolero, Carmen, The Nutcracker, La Bayadere, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, Paquita, Shopeniana, Walpurgis Nights, Francesca da Rimini, Peer Gynt. From 1989 to 1992, she toured the U.S. with the Donetsk Ballet and the Russian Ballet. From 1993 to 1997, Ms. Krylova worked as the Classical Ballet and Character Dance Mistress with David Blight School of Dance, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. She and her students won several Interstate Dance Competitions.

In 1997 Svetlana Krylova joined the Ballet Austin Academy as the Character Dance teacher. In 1999 Svetlana started working as the classical ballet teacher with The Dance Studio and Dance Spectrum Company, where she has helped in staging “Coppelia” and “The Nutcracker” as well as new original choreography. Starting in 2003 she worked as a guest teacher for Character Classes at American Ballet Theatre Austin Summer Intensive in conjunction with The University of Texas at Austin. In 2005 Svetlana Krylova joined Shirley McPhail School of Dance as a classical ballet teacher.

She received a scholarship to dance and compete as a member of the National Dance
Alliance champions, the Blinn College Treasures. Lexi was accepted into the Department of Dance at
Sam Houston State University where she completed her BFA. While attending SHSU she performed
under the direction of award winning choreographers Andy Noble and Dionne Noble of NobleMotion
Dance, Dana Nicolay of Nicolay Dance Works, and Johnathan Charles. She was honored with the SHSU
Choreography Award in 2014, and one of her pieces was nominated to compete in the American College
Dance Festival.
While Lexi was completing her BFA she also worked as a Chiropractic and Physical Therapy Tech.
She quickly realized that she has a passion for assisting in the process of physical rehabilitation and
injury prevention education. Upon graduation, Lexi studied to become a certified Pilates Instructor and
taught Pilates to patients who suffer from various back injuries. Because of her background in the
medical field, Lexi values the importance of nutrition and injury prevention, and she stresses their
significance to each of her students.
Lexi has been teaching and choreographing in the Austin and Houston areas for the past six
years. She is currently in her first year as a Lyrical and Contemporary instructor at Shirley McPhail School
of Dance. Her goal as an instructor is to encourage her students to always push themselves to become
stronger, more technical dancers, to challenge them to find and embrace their own personalized style,
and to inspire them to become passionate performers.

Lover of all styles, MJ finds the most pizzazz in the various styles of Jazz Dance! MJ has been a performer her entire life and has been in Austin since 1994 dedicating her services through unconditional volunteerism by training adult beginners and kiddos who possess a passion for dance, regardless of any previous experience, to recognize the star within and perform in her shows!! MJ is the Founder/Director of “MJ’s Fly Crew,” a variety revue style entertainment troupe that travels Texas and beyond producing shows to raise money for worthy causes and is available for hire for any special occasion or party! MJ is currently working on earning a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling at Texas State University, and plans to incorporate the performing arts into her therapeutic processes.

 Beth studied with members of Dayton’s professional tap dance company “Rhythm in Shoes” for approximately eight years and was an understudy for its production of “Nova Town” in 2000. 

When she moved to Columbus, Ohio in 2005, Beth began studying tap with Becky Hoag. She joined the Columbus Tap Project! one year later and performed with CTP! in “Tappy Holidays” in New York City in 2006 and 2007. In 2012, Beth moved to Austin and began studying tap with the talented dancer and teacher Brenna Kuhn. Beth has taken tap classes from many master teachers including Brenda Bufalino, Buster Brown, Jimmy Tate, Jason Samuels Smith, Sarah Savelli, Ayodele Casel, Jason Janas, and Lynn Schwab. Most recently, she has taken classes at the Soul to Sole Festival from Sarah Petronio, Dianne Walker, Nicole Hockenberry, and Jay
Fagan.

Beth has taught dance to adults and children of all ages. Her previous teaching experience in Ohio includes teaching at Powell Dance Academy, Mitchell Aaron Productions Centre of the Arts, and Pamela Woodie School of Dance, with occasional teaching for Rhythm in Shoes, Becky Hoag, and Dublin Dance Centre and Gymnastics. In addition to teaching recreational dance classes, Beth has choreographed duet, trio, and small group competition tap routines. Her 2011-2012 duet and small group both received Platinum awards and placed in the Top 5 at Nationals. In addition, she has choreographed high school productions of “The Sound of Music,” “The Music Man,” and “Bye, Bye Birdie.” Beth currently dances with the Austin
Tap Ensemble. She has enjoyed substitute teaching the lovely students at Shirley McPhail
School of Dance and is excited to join the faculty. 

 

At 18, at the University of Texas, she studied Classical Ballet with Stanley Hall and was a member of AUSTIN BALLET THEATRE, performing monthly at the Armadillo World Headquarter

Later she taught ballet for the Dallas Metropolitan Ballet, then moved back to Austin and continued to teach at her own studio in Westlake Hills.

Patti and her husband, Eric, sat on the Board of Directors for Tapestry Dance Company for 5-years and studied tap there, as well.  Tap continues to be her passion and she enjoys helping students learn while having fun in class.

After graduating, Boo danced professionally for 10 years including projects in aerial dance, hip hop, contemporary, and modern repertoire, all while beginning her pilates career. She opened the Ballet Austin Pilates Center with her teacher and mentor Ms. Vlada Sheber in 2007, as well as becoming a member of the Ballet Austin dance faculty. Boo has been teaching Pilates for 10 years and dance for 17. She opened her own pilates studio in 2012, and enjoys spending her free time with her husband and family. .

 She is a well rounded dancer and teacher and has experience teaching ages 2yrs and up. She has won multiple choreography awards as well as entertainment awards and special judges awards.

As a performer, Rebeca has had the opportunity to be a part of several Faculty and New Choreographers Concerts at the University of North Texas as well as Austin Community College. While at the University of North Texas she was a part of the choreographer/ composer collaboration class and helped produce/choreograph and performed in their concert, “Trial and Air.” She’s also had the privilege of choreographing and performing in her own work at various Texas Dance Festivals including 10 Min Max in Austin as well as choreographing for The Dance Project, an Austin based professional dance company. She was a member and performed with Muscle Memory Dance Theatre, a contemporary dance company based in Dallas. She is now performing with the Andrea Torres Dance Company, a commercial contemporary dance company based in Austin.

Rebeca holds an Associate of Arts and is currently pursing her Bachelor of Fine Arts, Dance Studies and will be graduating in August. She brings with her charisma and energy as well as new training techniques to build stronger dancers to SMSD and cannot wait to work with the energetic and passionate students there. Her choreography is both athletic and artistic and full of energy from beginning to end. 

 

She studied tap with Katelyn Harris for the past six years and was a member of the professional Dallas tap company Rhythmic Souls for four years.  She has studied multiple dance forms including ballet and jazz for 9 years with Ericka Dove, and studied modern extensively at TWU. Maddie has been teaching dance since her sophomore year in high school. She has taught multiple genres but her favorite to teach is tap, and she has taught tap classes from ages ranging 2-70 years old. Her passion has always been for performing, teaching, and absorbing all that is tap dance.  

 

Georgia is globe-trekker who has managed offices in publishing and retail industries, and is also a former foreign language teacher.  She is a creator, thinker, and tinkerer: she dabbles in dancing, music, painting, poetry, and website design.  She is delighted to help you and your dancing toes with administrative needs!

 

Amanda has attended 2 American College Dance Festivals (now ACDA) and has performed in one Gala concert in "Beyond Life Support." She has had the privilege of working with many guest artists and choreographers such as Meredith Early-Robinson, Corey Wright, Gretchen Warren, and Dionne Nobel. She also worked closely with Pat Stone as a teaching assistant in Laban and Bartenieff Fundamentals during her time at TxSt University. Amanda has studied modern, ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, contemporary, Pilates, Contact Improvisation, Persian style belly dancing, and her current favorite, aerial silks. With a specialty in modern dance she is currently a dancer for Dance Waterloo, a non-profit organization who's goal is to cultivate, create and perform interdisciplinary methods of dance for the community through education, collaboration and the use of public space. She truly believes that dance is a privilege that is meant for everyone, and it is never too late to give yourself the gift of dance. "I hear so many excuses like  too clumsy, not musical, not strong, not skinny, too old, and especially not flexible. You just have to show up, and soon, you'll find it difficult to leave.” 

 

She immediately fell in love and performed in many school productions. Adrianna has worked at the Dancer's Den since May of 2017, and is eager for what the future holds. 

 

“You can start late, look different, be uncertain, and still succeed.” Misty Copeland once said.
Susanne can be found working in the Dancer's Den where she is looking forward to meeting dancers of all ages, helping them find the right dance shoes and attire.  

 

Kelly continued her education at South West Texas State where she was a member of the Strutters dance team, and studied Child Development with a minor in Dance. 

She has been involved as a teacher and Manager at SMSD & the Dancers Den since 1986. She has been a member of Texas Association Teachers of Dance since 1995. She was the SMSD Troupe Director from 1994 - 2000 and prior to that the Assistant Director from 1986 to1993.

In addition to teaching at SMSD she has also worked with the Choir, Theater and Dance departments at Steiner Ranch Elementary, the Celebrities Dance Team at Cedar Park High School, Cedar Park Middle School, Vandegrift Wrestling and Baseball booster clubs and also taught at The Dance Center in Cedar Park.

Kelly does most of the studio’s photography, video, & runs the website.