Positive Image Performing Arts Staff

Our diverse staff members offer a wealth of experience in the fields of ballet, tap, jazz, modern, African dance, contemporary, hip hop, tumbling and cheerleading. They are highly trained professionals, Positive Images and role models for our children. Our staff is dedicated to instructing each child in a loving, friendly and caring manner. It is also not unusual for our teachers to go beyond our call of duty. We attend graduations, honors ceremonies, birthday parties, funerals, games, church, etc. in order to support our students. We work together as a team to show our students the importance of team work.

Courtney Taylor, Owner & Artistic Director:

Courtney started her love for dance at the early age at 4 years old in Kernersville, NC at the nationally known Susan's Dance Unlimited, where she trained and studied ballet, tap, jazz and tumbling. At the age of 14, she started as an award winning competition dancer in lyrical, jazz and tap, she has studied and trained in all areas of gymnastics and she was a high school and college cheerleader.

After high school graduation Courtney went on to attended North Carolina A&T State University. While in college she was 3rd runner up in the Miss North Carolina Preliminary Pageant. She graduated with a degree in Broadcast News, Mass Media and Electronic Communications. After college, she worked in radio as an assistant producer for "Murphy In the Morning" and as an on-air DJ on 107.5 WKZL.

While her love for dance started at the age of 4, her love for teaching began at the age of 14 under the direction of Tammie Shields. This experience taught her responsibility, patience and discipline. Teaching at an early age also allowed her to be able to fund her dance training. For the past 15 years she has become a well known and highly accomplished teacher and choreographer. Her students have won many awards on both regional and national levels and her creative and energetic choreography is consistently recognized with special awards and accolades. More than teaching the art of dance, Courtney enjoys teaching life skills and teaching her students how to be great people first and great performers second.

Courtney's love for children and teaching even goes beyond the studio. Courtney is also an Elementary School Technology Facilitator for the Winston Salem Forsyth County School System.

Darius McNair

Darius has been dancing, tumbling, cheering and competing for many years. Darius has also performed all over the Carolinas.

While teaching P.I.P.A.'s award winning competitive teams, Darius splits his time coaching collegiate cheerleading on a competitive level. Darius has a unique approach to hip hop technique that students love. His exciting teaching style also makes him a studio favorite for students of all ages and all levels!

Bob

Bob graduated from University of California of Santa Barbara in 1982 where he received a BA in Business Economics and Physical Education. He also received a coaching minor with a emphasis in gymnastics, swimming and tennis. He received his teaching degrees in Economics, Biology and Physical Education from Wake Forest University in 1983. He has taught in the WSFCS system since 1984. Bob is also co-founder C & B Flip Force in Kernersville, NC. Through his work as an athlete, a teacher and coach Bob has been honored with the following awards: Winston-Salem Forsyth County Teacher of the Year 2002-2003, Outstanding Character Award - WSFCS, NC Gymnastics Coach of the Year 1990 & 1999, NC Gymnastics Hall of Fame. We are proud to have Bob on staff for 3 years at Positive Image Performing Arts.

Teran

Teran has been dancing since she was very young. Growing up, she learned many different styles and technique of dance. She joined the staff at Positive Image Performing Arts while in school at UNCG, majoring in Dance. After graduating from UNCG, she took over competitive Hip Hop and Jazz Teams at P.I.P.A. In 2009, she moved to San Diego, California to fulfill her dream of dancing and to continue her dance studies. She still choreographs many award- winning solos, duos, trios and group routines each summer at P.I.P.A.

Yveline

Yveline is a devoted mother of 4 who has coached cheerleading, tumbling and praise dancing as a Pastor's wife and military wife, all over the country for over 15 years. After being a devoted "dance mom" at P.I.P.A. we asked her to join our staff after her youngest set of twins left for college.

Yveline has a true love and passion for the art of praise dance and tumbling. She loves sharing that passion with children! She believes the confidence and self-esteem that can be obtained by being involved in the sport of dance carries over into all aspects of life. Yveline shares her time between P.I.P.A. and her church.

Lloyd

Hailing from Cleveland, Lloyd began his career being heavily involved in the creation of numerous dance-related projects in his high school and surrounding area. In 2010 he moved to North Carolina to attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. With Lloyd's warm smile, awesome style and laid-back personality, he has been able to inspire students at P.I.P.A. to not only be great performers but also to be technically sound.

Karly

From a young age, Karly began training, competing and performing in Virginia. She was so dedicated to her love for dance that she moved in with her teacher and mentor. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical and modern. In every discipline, she has competed and has won titles in all dance categories. In 2010, Karly moved to North Carolina to attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Skills honed through her life experience of dance and new techniques learned at UNCSA, has helped her put her students at P.I.P.A. on the map competitively. Karly understands that not every student will go on to dance for a lifetime, but she is determined to give each of her students the opportunity to learn and love the art of dance while enjoying the benefits that come from being dedicated to your passion.

Kevin

Kevin grew up in New York and started dancing at the age of 3. He has been trained in ballet, tap, modern, hip hop, praise dance and African dance. Kevin has danced competitively for several years, winning many overall high awards, both regionally and nationally. Kevin has spent many summers with many performing arts companies all over the world and continues to develop his craft. In 2010, Kevin moved to North Carolina to attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Kevin brings to P.I.P.A., a renewed and fresh approach to ballet technique, jazz and contemporary. The passion in his love for dance translates through his teaching and has been passed onto P.I.P.A. dancers.

Krystal

Krystal first began dance training with Courtney when she was just 3 years old. With hard work, an awesome personality, character and dedication, she joined the P.I.P.A. Competitive Dance Team at the age of 10. Krystal started developing a positive reputation for herself at the studio and on the competitive dance scene for bringing a powerful level of energy to everything she does. Her enthusiasm and dedication to dance is infectious, and it shows in the young people she works with.

Krystal has a thorough understanding of different dance techniques and styles, and injects this knowledge and experience into all of her students. Krystal currently competes as a soloist and on P.I.P.A.'s highest level competitive hip hop team and jazz team. As well she is an honor student, high school cheerleader and student at East Forsyth High School. Krystal's character, talent, energy and abilities have made her one of P.I.P.A.'s most popular dancers and teachers.

Martin

Martin began his lengthy, distinguished dance career under the guidance of the Academy of Dance Arts in Winston-Salem. Martin has worked with many studios and ballerina's locally. Some of his prodigies are and have been admitted to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Wake Forest Ballet, and most recently one of his current prodigies was admitted to the American Ballet Theatre as the youngest student ever admitted at the age of 12. Martin is widely recognized for his love of ballet and is known as an authority in ballet and pointe.

Courtney J

Courtney has been a member of the dance and cheerleading world since she was three years old and began competing when she was six at B.B's Dance Productions in Charlotte. Courtney is a well accomplished and National Award winning dancer in the areas of jazz, tap, lyrical and hip hop. She has studied almost every form of dance, but holds tap as her passion. Courtney is known to be very quiet and reserved but becomes very animated and outgoing when teaching. She never enters the studio with anything less than a smile. Her teaching skills range from our non competitive level to our competitive level. Dance Instructor with Dancers Edge in 2005.

Natasha

Natasha is from Kernersville, NC and has been performing and dancing for many years. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Natasha has extensive training in Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, African and Jazz, from many renowned artists. From UNCG Natasha danced and traveled with many performing arts companies while residing in New York for 3 years. Natasha is known for being an awesome choreographer and teacher but more-so for the life lessons that she passes onto her students at P.I.P.A.