STAFF & TEACHING ARTISTS

LORRAINE CRITTENDON

Lorraine Crittendon is a full time public school Dance Educator and Dance Professional based out of Charlotte, North Carolina. She obtained her B.A. in Dance at UNC Charlotte in 2012 and her M.A. in Dance Education at UNC Greensboro in 2025. LCritt is a Cultural Dance Practitioner specializing in the African Diaspora with a special focus in Brazilian Dance Arts and Latin Diasporic Dances. Most recently she was awarded ‘Teacher of the Year’ in 2024 as a Dance Educator at a Title I public school. This was her second award in this category; her first being in 2016. Lorraine has been a Teaching Artist at Charlotte Ballet since 2018 where she was also awarded ‘Dance Educator of the Year’ 2024. Along side her efforts as a Dance Educator, LCritt is the founder and director of a local dance troupe, Charlotte Cultural Collective, in which she aims to center Black Femme stories in her creative choreographies while also showcasing culturally creative pieces that utilize her Afro-Latin Diaspora training. LCritt believes in equity in dance and platforming Black dance art forms.

JAVONNE M. GBENYON-SPEARMAN

Originally from Liberia, West Africa, Javonne developed an early passion for exploring the cultural richness and diversity found across global dance genres. She pursued her formal dance education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where she studied traditional and folk dance forms under the leadership of Dr.  Eleanor Gwynn, founder of the E. Gwynn Dance Company. Javonne graduated with honors, earning a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies/Special Education and Dance/Performing Arts.

With over 22 years of experience in dance education, choreography, and performance, Javonne has shared her artistry with students of all ages, ranging from youth to adults and seniors all throughout Charlotte and surrounding communities. Her dance training and performance repertoire spans a wide range of styles including Traditional West African dance, Dunham Technique, Afro-Modern, Modern, AfroBeats, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Ballet.

Javonne’s career is deeply rooted in both local and international performance, as well as in community and faith-based outreach. She continues to serve through dance ministry at her home church, blending spiritual expression with movement. As a Professional Dance Educator and Teaching Artist with Charlotte Ballet, she has found a meaningful platform to inspire, educate, and elevate others through the power of dance.

Javonne’s unwavering dedication to the performing arts and her strong connection to Charlotte’s dance culture have made her a respected voice and passionate leader in the community.

ROBIN GRAY-BISHOP

Robin is a Julliard graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and has graduated from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte with a teaching certificate in Dance Education. Currently, she is teaching dance at SAIL Language Academy. She has studied at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the American Ballet Theatre and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. Her performance credits include being a featured dancer in the films; The Wiz and Fame and principal dancer for Jubilation! Dance Company. Robin is a talented, mature dance professional; highly trained in modern, ballet and jazz with over thirty-five years of dance, teaching and choreographic experience. Robin has also received the Dance Educator of the Year award from Charlotte Ballet in 2025.

GRETCHEN JAX

Gretchen graduated from Winthrop University a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Performance. She performed in Meredith Monk’s Obie Award-winning Quarry at the 2003 Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC. In 2006, she was one of eight selected to study at the School of Jacob’s Pillow Choreographer’s Lab. Gretchen is the co-founder of Sinergismo, a group of dancers, artists, poets, and musicians using collaboration as a means to produce choreographic works. Gretchen has taught modern at Davidson College for the past 20 years. She choreographs and serves as a mentor for their dance company, The Gamut. Gretchen has been a faculty member at Charlotte Ballet Academy since 2003 and is a teaching artist for the Charlotte Ballet Education and Outreach Department where she teaches dance to special needs adults and seniors.

KIESHA JENNINGS

Kiesha “Marie” Jennings started out dancing at the age of 19 years old peaking her interest of dance by teaching herself from YouTube Hiphop videos. From there she expanded her knowledge of the dance world through her time at Fayetteville State University where she honed and trained her talent and skills under the direction of Avis Hatcher-Puzzo in a Raleigh based dance company “Koffee” and the underground scene of street dance in Fayetteville. During the few years she spent in Fayetteville, Kiesha was able to explore a multitude styles of dance and performance opportunities while developing and crafting her own. Now based in Charlotte, she started off as an intern at Dance District and moved on to teach locally in after-school dance programs and community classes while continuing her education in Dance Therapy.  She enjoys inspiring movement and the freedom of creative expression for all communities to experience the joy of dance and other arts.

AMBER JOHNSON

Amber Johnson is a Charlotte-based dance artist who began dancing at age seven and trained in ballet, modern, and jazz. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in international studies with minors in French and dance from UNCC in 2010. From 2004 to 2019, she performed classical and contemporary ballet roles with Dance Central. Amber is a freelance dancer who performs professionally with local dance companies and choreographers in the Charlotte area. She has performed internationally in Belgium, France, and Canada. She expanded her inclusive dance journey in 2019 at the American Dance Festival, where AXIS Dance Company, an ensemble of disabled and non-disabled performers, offered a look into its creative process and inclusive approach. Amber has furthered her inclusive training by attending a week-long intensive in Atlanta, GA, with the Full Radius Dance Company. Amber received an Artist Support Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council in 2022 and 2024. She accepted the invitation to co-direct the biannual choreographic showcase, Loose Leaves, in 2022. She is a 2023 Arts & Science Council Emerging Creators Fellowship Recipient. Most recently, Amber co-presented at Dance USA’s National Conference in Chicago, Illinois. In 2025, she attended the American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum.

HALLIE MACAULAY

Hallie MacAulay began her dance journey at age four at and quickly realized ballet would be a match for life. She started her dance journey with The School of Classical Ballet in Cambridge MA. She then went on to train at Koltun Ballet during her high school years where she was able to preform numerous roles throughout her time there. She was delighted to then be accepted into UNCSA in Winston Salem NC, for a ballet degree. Which then allowed her to preform varied roles in the Nutcracker, La Sylphide, Petals and many other performances and pieces. Hallie not only loves preforming but she also adores getting to introduce kids to the world of dancing and is so excited to get to bring her deep love of ballet to each Charlotte ballet student she comes in contact with!

DEBORAH MAINE

Deborah Maine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a concentration in performance and choreography from Coker University. Maine began her professional career with Wanda Ebright and The Wanda Project. Maine completed her independent study in Barbados with the National Cultural Foundation and also performed with Jennifer Sealy and company while there. After graduating Coker, Maine was accepted into the college program at Walt Disney World and performed in “The Festival of the Lion King”. Shortly after Disney Maine was accepted into Philadelphia Dance Company’s training program D2 and trained and performed a season. Maine currently resides in Charlotte where she has performed and choreographed for On Q Productions under the leadership of Quentin Talley. Maine has worked with Project LIFT and North Carolina Wolftrap through the Arts and Science Council. Maine also managed all performing artist programming at the Harvey B Gantt Centers tribute to Dance Theater of Harlem’s 40 Years of Firsts exhibition. Maine is currently choreographing with the Sycamore Project under the direction of Mrs. Latanya Johnson and is a member of Ashley Suttlar-Martin’s 4th Right Dance Company. Maine’s most recent educational teaching experience was with St(Arts) under the guidance of Stacey McConnell at Winthrop University. Maine is excited to be working with Charlotte Ballet.

FREDDIE D. RIVERA

PERCUSSIONIST

Freddie began drumming at the early age of five with the Cuban Conga drum. He began studying the Djembe drum with lead musician of the Chuck Davis Dance Company, Mr. Ronald Love. Freddie has worked with Lee Strasberg School of Acting, Myers T’chaka Ensemble, Dance Africa New York, Stevie Wonder, Stacey Latersaw, National Ballet of Guinea West Africa, Chuck Davis and the African American Dance Ensemble. Freddie can be noted as one of the first musicians to perform Ballet Monsoka. In 1992 he was the first drummer to open the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre School to traditional Guinea style drumming. Freddie is currently working in the education and outreach department with Charlotte Ballet.

ASHLEY SUTTLAR MARTIN

Ashley Suttlar Martin is a Charlotte-based master educator and artist with an MFA from Temple University and a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her work spans professional performance, higher education, and community engagement. She has danced with companies in Philadelphia and New York, developed curricula for Morehead State University and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, and presented work nationally. Ashley is on faculty at Johnson C. Smith University, and serves as an A+ Fellow with the North Carolina Arts Council. She proudly enters her 12th season with Charlotte Ballet.