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Destiny Dance Institute
The Factory
1839 S. Main St.
Suite 374
Wake Forest, NC 27587
(919) 453-1453

Destiny Dance Institute
offers classes in Ballet,
Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Hip-hop
Contemporary, Predance,
and Modern.

Our Studio is Proud to
serve the following areas:
Raleigh, Wake Forest,
Youngsville, Rolesville,
Franklinton, Henderson,
Apex, Zebulon, Knight-
dale, Wilson, and Louis-
burg.

Come tour our studio!
You may drop in anytime
during office hours or make
an appointment to tour our
studios and observe a class.

 

 

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latest editon of our
Instep Newsletter!

 

 

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Faculty and Staff

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR - Patty Ogden

 

 

 

 

Patty Ogden holds a BA in dance from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. She has dedicated more than half her life to educating children and adults in various forms of dance. Patty began training and competing in Pittsburgh as a child and often traveled to New York for National competitions. Patty also studied voice and performed in musicals including Carousel with the Civic Light Opera. She started teaching when she was only 14 to help pay for her classes, and found a gift that became her passion.

By the time she was 25 she was opening a dance studio of her own. In the 9 years that followed she built a successful business. She developed competition teams and trained other teachers. She  also choreographed and directed many productions, including the epic play, The Promise at the  Texas Amphitheater in Glen Rose, TX. It was after all this experience she decided to finish her  dance degree at Point Park University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2000.

Immediately following she moved to Raleigh, NC and began teaching dance clinics for the Kerr Family YMCA after school programs. This soon progressed to her starting a dance education program for the students in Durant Elementary After-School Program. Patty's love for children combined with her passion for educating in the area of fine arts has been the driving force behind the creation of Destiny Dance Institute.

 

Ruth Leney-Midkiff

 

 

 

 

Ruth has been a master teacher, choreographer, and coach for almost 20 years. During her 12 years in Michigan, she served on the ballet faculties of the University of Michigan and the Flint School of Performing Arts. In addition, she established a youth program at the Dance Gallery Studio/ Peter Sparling Dance Company, where she later became director of the school. She has taught master classes throughout the United States and abroad in ballet, modern and her own contemporary ballet technique, and has created over 60 original pieces of choreography, ranging in style from full-length classics to modern dance works. Her works have been honored in Regional  Dance, receiving "gala" recognition numerous times. In referring to her ballet "Tributaries," the Michigan Daily wrote, "The only way to describe this work was magnificent." and in "La Traviata" as "brilliant display of choreography." In 1995, Ruth's work with Pittsburgh Youth Ballet was honored in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's top 10 list in Dance. Ruth's students have been awarded scholarships to some of the world's most prestigious dance conservatories and she is proud to now have students dancing in some of our countries foremost dance companies. Ruth holds an MFA in Modern Dance from the University of Michigan as well as two BA's from the University of Pittsburgh in French and Russian respectively.

Hong Yang

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hong Yang is currently a First Soloist for the Carolina Ballet.  Originally from Beijing, China Hong studied dance at the school of the Beijing Dance Academy as a child and then graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy in 1995. She immediately joined the National Ballet of China and was a principal dancer there before going to Toronto, Canada where she danced with Ballet Jörgen Canada.

Terry Lehman-Munro

Terry was born “on the road”…and stayed there. Her father, John R. Lehman, was the founder & artistic director of the first state-chartered ballet company in the US – North Carolina State Ballet.  She began training with dad at age 4, and he was her mentor and artistic guide until his death. She received her B.F.A. at the University of Utah in SLC, where she created the teaching program – a ballet degree with a teaching emphasis - which still serves as their program basis today.  Her teachers there included Yurek Lazowski, Ramon Segarra, Bene Arnold, Mattlyn Gavers, Gordon Paxmon, P.W. Manchester, Rowland Butler,Toni Lander.  Terry spent 15 years as a judge and master teacher for children’s arts festivals throughout the former Soviet Union and Russia. She has had the distinction of studying with Asaf Messerer, Konstantin Sergeyev, Natalia Dudinskaya, Oleg Ignatiev, and members of the Moiseyev Folk Dance Ensemble. In her 35 years of working professionally, “Miss Terry” has worn the hats of teacher, coach, choreographer, artistic director, and business owner. At this point, she and her family of innumerable cats and husband reside in Louisburg, where she looks forward to returning to her roots: teaching, training and developing young dancers.  DDI is delighted to have her wealth of experience and knowledge!

 

Baily Bergman

 

 

 

 

 

Baily Rich holds a B.A in Dance Education K-12 from Meredith College and has been teaching dance to children of all ages for the past seven years. While at Meredith, Baily choreographed and danced for Meredith Dance Theater and toured with North Carolina Dance Festival. Following her time at Meredith, Baily taught dance at Broughton High School as well as DanceArt Inc. and received the North Carolina High School Dance Teacher of the Year Award for her dedication to teaching dance in a public school setting. Baily also loves performing and has toured and performed with local Modern professional companies ChoreoCollective and Five Chick Posse. Baily is thrilled to bring her love for performing and her passion for dance education to her classes at Destiny Dance Institute.

 

Cora Hemphill

 

 

 

 

Cora holds a B.A. in Theatre Performance as well as a minor in dance. She graduated from Greensboro College Suma Cum Laude, a member of Alpha Chi, Academic Honor Society, where she also received the Howard C. Wilkinson Award for outstanding underclass performance. Cora has been teaching for 7 years, including choreographing for Greensboro College dance concerts and Studio 212, in Hartsville, SC. Cora’s acting credits include “Sandy” in Grease, “Madge” in Picnic, and “Heidi” in The Heidi Chronicles.

DDI is delighted to have a teacher so dedicated to her students. Cora is truly passionate about imparting the joy that dance gives her to her students. Her warm and sensitive approach encourages her students to discover their potential and personal satisfaction.

 

Lydda De Guia

Lydda came to DDI from CA where she taught for 7 years at the Pacific Dance Academy in West Hills.  She studied ballet with Mrs. Louise Mandel since she was 7 years old. During those years she performed in several Nutcrackers and helped stage various scenes.  Lydda also enjoyed being a part of The Mark Goodman Tap Company for three years.  She graduated from CSU with a B.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences.  Lydda loves teaching ballet at all levels and has a great talent for helping young dancers develop strong technique.  We are happy to have her added to our team here, at Destiny Dance Institute!

 

Rachel Glenn

 

 

 

 

 

Rachel Glenn,Tap, Jazz, Hip-hop, Contemporary instructor.
Rachel, the daughter of Patty Ogden, began dancing in her mother’s studio in TX at the age of 4.  She has been teaching for 10 years. She studied at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA during her teenage years and since has studied with Ruth Leney-Midkiff, Emanuel Vaceanu and her mother, Patty Ogden. Rachel continued to develop her craft by attending intensives at Point Park, Cary Ballet Conservatory, as well as the New York Dance Teacher and Showstopper Conventions.
Rachel is a certified Palates instructor and has studied yoga for 4 years. Currently Rachel is finishing her A. A. at Wake Tech and hold’s a 4.0.  She will be transferring in the fall to pursue her dance degree.

 

Nikki Pilson

Nikki is a 2006 graduate of Meredith College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Private Studio Teaching and a K-12 teaching licensure.  She is a choreographer/performer/educator starting her sixth year with Wake County Public Schools and is currently the Director of Dance at Green Hope High School. Her passion for dance began at a hometown studio in Laurinburg, NC where she was a member of their performance and competition companies studying Ballet/Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical/Contemporary, Modern, and Hip-Hop until graduating high school.  While attending Meredith College, Nikki danced with the Meredith Dance Theatre for four years, serving as president her final two years. She was also one of the founding members of Meredith College's first Dance Honor Society (Nu Delta Alpha) and received numerous awards such as the Outstanding Performance Award and Esprits de Corpes (Comradeship, Enthusiasm, and Devotion).  Nikki has had the pleasure of performing the works of many different choreographers such as Bebe Miller, Valerie Midget, Peter DiMuro, Laura Dean, Katherine Ferrier, Jennifer Clogette-Summers, Carol Kyles Finley, Joan Nicholas-Walker, Anna Smith Milling, and others. She has also performed at various venues including the American College Dance Festival, North Carolina Dance Festival Tour, North Carolina Dance Alliance Annual Event, and the American Dance Festival. She has been teaching in private studios since the age of 16 and is thrilled to share her passion for dance with the students and faculty at DDI!

 

Sarah Learned

 

 

 

 

Sarah Glenn is the daughter of Director, Patty Ogden.  She began her training in her mother’s first studio in Texas when she was only two.  Growing up Sarah enjoyed several years of studying and competing in ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical, and attended several conventions such as Tremain, and Dance Olympus. Sarah began assisting her mother when she was 13, and pedagogy training by the time she was 16.  She later discovered her passion for hip hop, contemporary, and choreography.  Sarah is also a song writer and has spent several hours in the recording studio.  She plans to combine both of her talents and return to school this fall for musical theater. Sarah loves children and has worked as a full time nanny for a year.  Sarah’s enthusiasm and lively spirit makes her a favorite with little ones.  Sarah continues to sharpen her skills by attending Showstoppers conventions, Shock the Intensive and master classes with well renowned teachers.

 

 

Carrie Mostoller

Carrie holds a B.A. in Dance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro along with a B.A. in Biology.  Before transferring to UNCG, Carrie studied at Point Park University in their Conservatory of Performing Arts.  Carrie has had the opportunity to study under such renowned instructors as Duane Cyrus, Gerri Houlihan, Robin Gee, and B.J. Sullivan respectively.  Carrie’s mother is an artist and fostered her love and appreciation for many forms of art. Carrie is excited to share her passion for dance and strives to inspire her students to realize their potential.   She also currently works as a Cytogenetics Technologist for Labcorp.

 


Mariah Glenn

Mariah is Ms. Patty’s third daughter.  She began her training at Destiny Dance Institute and danced with the performing company for the past four years.  Her love for tap compelled her mother in 2008 to take her to train with Mr. Gene Medler, the founder and director of the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble.  After being under his tutelage she auditioned for his company.  Mariah danced with NYCTE for 2 years. A highlight of her time with the company was a trip to Chicago to participate in the Chicago Human Rhythm Project. There she trained under world renowned instructors such as Trey Dumas, Michelle Dorrance, Jason Janas, Diane Walker, Jason Samuels Smith, Sam Weber, and Jay Fagan.  As she continued to excel, she began assisting her mother and eventually took over the more advanced classes.  She loves rhythm tap and making music with her feet!  Mariah enjoys helping dancers of all ages develop better musicality and find enjoyment through tap dancing.

 

Guest Instructor: GEO Hubela

Creator of ICONic Dance Crew & ICONic Boyz. GEO is one of the most popular and sought after dancers/choreographers in the music industry thanks to his extreme talent and versatility. As a performer GEO has danced his way to the stages with Michael Jackson, Will Smith, PINK, Britney Spears, 'NSYNC, and Jennifer Lopez to name only a few. Geo's crew ICONIC was featured on the inaugural season of America's Best Dance Crew and this spring his ICONic Boyz made history as the youngest crew ever on the show. GEO was a guest at our intensive last year and made it one of the most memorable ever!

We are so excited to welcome GEO back to DDI!!

Guest Instructor: Mark Goodman

 

 

Hoofer, choreographer, master teacher, and founder of TOTALLY TAP, Mark Goodman is the artistic director of the Mark Goodman Tap Company, an LA-based dance company that fuses New York swing-style tap with world rhythms and other dance forms to break new ground in tap dance performance.

Mark began tap dancing at the University of New Hampshire under Gay Nardone. After receiving his Bachelor's degree in Theater Arts, he moved to New York where he joined the American Tap Dance Orchestra (ATDO), training with Brenda Bufalino. Mark went on to work with Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Charles "Honi" Coles and Buster Brown to name just a few. While in New York, Mark was on staff at the Broadway Dance Center and Steps. He performed with various dance troupes and as a soloist nationally and internationally in such venues as: Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Joyce Theatre (with ATDO), "Savion Glover and Friends” at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park."

Goodman's stage credits include Andy Lee in the European tour of "42nd Street," the Lead Man in "Sophisticated Ladies," "Anything Goes" with Melba Moore and "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." He also
has held lead roles in "No No Nanette," "Sugar Babies" and "Over Here." His dramatic credits include "Mother Courage and Her Children" under Pulitzer-prize-winning director Tony Kushner, and "Death of a
Salesman."

Following a move to California in 1996, Mark joined the faculty at The Performing Arts Center in Van Nuys. Mark has been teaching all across the US and internationally in such countries as: Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Guatemala and Canada. He started the Mark Goodman Tap Company in 2001 in Los Angeles and has produced and starred in “SEAL WITH A KISS” based on the music of Seal, “WORLD TAP” working with other dancers from around the globe and “RED” an
adaptation of The Red Shoes. Mark can be seen in the Sony Pictures Production of THE POLAR EXPRESS where mark worked alongside Tom Hanks.

Among his private clients are: Harry Hamlin and Soap Opera star Eileen Davidson. Mark is currently on staff for HOLLYWOOD VIBE!


 

Guest Instructor: Kerry Dallin


 

 

 

 

Kerry Dallin has been performing professionally in regional theatre for over 10 years. Credits include: 42nd Street (national tour), Regional credits: A Chorus Line (Val), 42nd Street (Peggy), Crazy For You (Polly) and State Fair (Margy), Raleigh productions: Annie Get Your Gun with North Carolina Theatre, 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress (Mindy) at Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy and A Christmas Carol (The Neice), TIP. She taught at Infinity Ballet in Apex and North Carolina Dance Institute.


 

Guest Instructor: Bohuslava (Slavka) Jelinkova


 

 

 

A native of the Czech Republic, Ms. Jelinkova received her early training at the National Conservatory of Dance (Prague), where she studied not only classical ballet technique, but a variety of other dance forms, including Eastern European folk dance. Upon graduation, she was invited to join the Opera Ballet of the National Theatre in Prague, where she danced and toured for ten years. She later attended the Academy of Fine Arts, receiving a Master’s Degree in ballet and pedagogy. She taught extensively in the Czech Republic, including several years at the National Conservatory, and in 1993 was awarded a Dutch State Arts grant to complete pedagogical studies at both the schools of modern dance and at the Conservatory of Ballet (Rotterdam, The Hague, and Amsterdam). After her marriage to University of Michigan Associate Professor of Performing ArtsTimothy Cheek, Slavka moved to Ann Arbor, where she has served on the faculties of the Flint School of Performing Arts, the Russian Classical Ballet Academy and the Brighton Ballet School,among others. For several years, she continued to perform as a free-lance artist with Michigan area choreographers. Additionally, she has had considerable experience in choreographing works for her students.

Guest Instructor: Jennifer Shrader Williams

 

 

 

 

Jennifer recently moved to Wake Forest from NYC, she was last seen as “Ellen” in North Carolina Theater’s production of Miss Saigon. On Broadway she enjoying performing the role of “Belle” in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and made her Broadway debut starring in Swing!. She toured the country with Sunset Boulevard, Annie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as the “Narrartor”, and “Belle” in Beauty and the Beast. Ms. Shrader has been a soloist with numerous symphonies across the country including the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center.

 

Office Staff

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robin Miller - Office Manager