Andrea Shipp , founder and director
Beginning her career as a dancer, Andrea quickly grew fond of the people behind the scenes, always intrigued by their roles, their duties, their accomplishments. After attaining her BA degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, Concentration: Arts, Entertainment & Media Management and Dance from Columbia College Chicago, Andrea assumed the position of Marketing Director at one of Chicago's top talent agencies. Andrea worked diligently to attract new clients, some of which include: Target, Kohl's, Sears, and Disney. Over a span of only a few years, Andrea worked her way from Marketing Director, to Agent, to Agency Director, to finally, Vice President.
In June of 2006, Andrea launched the first dance and choreography department in the city of Chicago, merging efforts with Clear Talent Group of LA and NY. Since the inception, hundreds of Chicago's top choreographers and dancers, including the choreographer for pop sensation Missy Elliott, have gone on to book jobs with: Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, rap star Busta Rhymes, rock/pop band Fall Out Boy and countless others.
In the fall of 2009 Andrea scouted, contracted and coordinated over 2000 dancers for Oprah's 24th Season Kickoff Party Flashmob - one of the largest televised flashmobs to date.
Donnette Cannonie , founder and director
Donnette Cannonie is a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Chicago, IL. Trained in multiple styles, Donnette has worked as a versatile dancer nationally and internationally with many companies and artists. Working in both the concert and commercial world of dance, highlights include performing for Vanity Fair, Marshall Field's, Taylor Dane, Kellogg's, the DIFFA event at the Field Museum, Toby Keith and in the film Roll Bounce featuring Bow Wow and Nick Cannon. She spent seven seasons dancing with The Dance COLEctive and 5 seasons as their Executive Director. She was also a company member with Corpo Dance Co. and has performed as a guest artist with various companies.
She is a former dancer and former head coach of the nationally ranked college dance team at the University of Illinois-Chicago, with performances on WGN, CBS, and ESPN. Her choreography has been presented by the Alabama Dance Summit, Ballet Tennessee, The Dance COLEctive, the IPOP! Conventions in LA and Las Vegas, several dance programs and competitive dance teams and she recently worked as one of the choreographers for Scotland's National Dance Team.
Donnette has had the privilege to teach master classes and workshops across the country and abroad for various universities, studios and dance programs including Ballet Tennessee, the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, Columbia College summer program, and has spent the past six summers teaching at the Alabama Ballet, originally under the direction of Wes Chapman, current ABT II Artistic Director. Donnette has been a guest judge for ScotCheer/ScotDance, WCA Dance Nationals, the Miss Chicago Pageant for the Miss America Organization, as well as local and state dance competitions across the United States. She is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago, where she received her B.A. in dance and performance.
