Shely Pack Dancers
Faculty
Shely Pack Manning
Artistic Director/Owner
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Shely Pack-Manning has been a dance educator for over 40 years and has taught on the San Mateo Coast Side for 23. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, she danced professionally with The Pittsburgh Ballet Theater and “Timepiece” a Pittsburgh based modern dance company. She earned her BA in Performing Arts from St. Mary’s College of California. She is certified by Dance Masters of America to teach Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern and Acrobatics. Shely was awarded the 2012 Arts Educator of the Year by the San Mateo Arts Foundation.
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Shely was inaugurated as President of Dance Masters of America in July 2012, a two-year term. Dance Masters of America has been around in one form or another since 1884, when the American National Association Masters of Dancing was founded in Boston, MA. and in 1894, the International Masters of Dancing held its first convention in St. Louis, MO.
Shely has been recognized by the National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts for her teaching and influence in encouraging and supporting students who have been recognized for their exceptional artistic achievements in the 1998-99 Arts Recognition and Talent Search Program.
Shely has had many award winning students throughout the years, including the 2000 Miss Dance of America, 2001 Teen Mr. Dance of America, 2003 Mr. Dance of America, 2006 Teen Mr. Dance of a America, and the 2009 Junior Mr. Dance of America and is the Teacher of Recognition for the 2015 Petite Miss Dance of America. Shely’s students can be seen on Broadway, in National and International Touring Companies, music videos, television shows and commercials, professional ballet and modern dance companies. Shely has served as the Chairman of the Modern Dance Education Committee for Dance Masters of America and was the co-producer, with her late husband Jim Manning, of DMA’s Modern Dance and Classical Ballet training videos.
Grace Pack
Assistant Artistic Director
Competition Director
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Grace Pack began her dance training with the Shely Pack Dancers under director Shely Pack-Manning, Past President of Dance Masters of America. She furthered her ballet training and intensively studied under Alexsey Berdyugin, former principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet, and Nina Amato, former principal dancer with the Sacramento Ballet. Grace has over 17 years of teaching experience in many different styles. She is currently certified in Ballet, Jazz, and Acrobatics through Dance Masters of America. She is also a nationally certified jazz examiner as well as a chapter examiner in acrobatics. Grace enjoys teaching, choreographing and adjudicating for both regional and national competitions. Grace’s students have won many awards including Dance Master’s Pacific Coast Petite Miss, Junior Miss, Teen Miss and Miss Dance and the 2015 Petite Miss Dance of America.
She’s been honored to receive many choreography awards throughout her years of teaching, especially the DMA George Lon Memorial Award. Notable Choreography credits include Marya Stark’s music video for her single ‘Stargazer’ and more recently for her single ‘Keep the Light On’ . She was also proud to choreograph for the award-winning short movie ‘Carnival of Wonders’ directed and produced by Christopher Childers. In 2022, Grace received the ‘Tony Spizak Award’ for outstanding service in the arts and contribution to Dance Masters Pacific Coast. She is a former Petite Miss and Miss Dance of Dance Masters of California where she also enjoyed serving on board of directors. She is featured in Dance Master’s of America instructional DVD “The Art of Teaching Ballet”.
She is currently the Competition Director and Assistant Studio Director for The Shely Pack Dancers, National Area Director and Teen Title Director for Dance Masters of America, and the 1st Vice President, Title Director and PAC Director for Dance Masters Pacific Coast.
Tamara Shuttle
Company Teacher and Choreographer
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Tamara Shuttle was born and raised in the bay area and started dancing at the age of four. She was involved in theater and was in musical touring groups, plays and musicals throughout college including Evita, Godspell, The Robber Bridegroom and Jesus Christ Superstar. She graduated from SFSU with a degree in Dance and a credential in teaching elementary school. Tamara went on tour with a five star cruise line, performing on multiple ships around the world. She studied jazz with Berle Davis and the iconic Ann Barrett.
Tamara has taught jazz to both adults and children. She teaches at various locations in the bay area including City Dance, Continuing Education, San Mateo Parks, Shely Pack and BABC . Tamara loves to choreograph to a variety of music infusing a multitude of jazz styles, from classic, to funky, to lyrical. She uses her fitness training to incorporate muscular strength, endurance and flexibility into her classes. She continues to take class and perform locally. Tamara believes in fostering the love of movement for dancers of all levels.
Leigh Ann Koelsch
Teacher
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Leigh Ann Koelsch LRAD- Leigh Ann is a coastside native and received her early training from Susan Hayward. She attended School of the Arts (SOTA) High School in San Francisco. She received her Diploma of Classical Ballet teaching from The College of The Royal Academy of Dance in London, and was also awarded the Licentiate (LRAD) In more than 25 years of teaching, Leigh Ann has prepared students for Royal Academy of Dance ballet examinations and also choreographed and coached students for competitions including the Youth America Grand Prix and the Genee International Ballet Competition. She has also choreographed for Nutcracker, mixed repertoire productions, and local musicals at both the High School and Coastal Rep.
Above all, Leigh Ann’s teaching philosophy is that dance should be taught in away that is correct, safe, musical and most of all brings joy and engages the imagination of the dancer. Regardless of what path life takes for her students, she is proud to be a part of the journey and strives to be a caring and positive impact on young lives. Leigh Ann is the mother of two boys. She is an active volunteer in the school community and enjoys many active outdoor pursuits with her family when she is not in the studio.
Christopher Childers
Company Teacher and Choreographer
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Christopher Childers comes to the Shely Pack Dancers from a prolific professional dance career. He has worked with such legends as Liza Minelli, Madonna, Sting, Michael Jackson, Prince, Paula Abdul and many others. Christopher performed in “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway”, was the principle dancer with the “Follies Bergere” in Las Vegas, appeared as the “Red Bird” in the Cirque du Soleil production “Mystere” where he became the dance coach, not only for “Mystere”, but the hugely successful show “O” at the Bellagio Hotel. He then went on to become the artistic director of “Le Reve” at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.
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Christopher grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and studied dance at his mother’s dance studio from the age of 3 until he was 17. Christopher won the title Mr. Dance of CA. Chapter 13 in 1981 and was first runner-up for title of Mr. Dance of America in 1983, for Dance Masters of America.
We are thrilled to welcome him to the SPD staff as a teacher and choreographer.
Zoe Grisim
Teacher
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Zoe Grisim has trained at the Shely Pack Dancers studio since the age of four with Shely Pack-Manning and Grace Pack as her primary teachers. This fall she will be studying Psychology as a Freshman at the College of San Mateo while working to become certified by Dance Masters of America in Ballet and Jazz. In High School, Zoe was a competitive dancer on her school’s dance team for Pom, Lyrical and Hip Hop, being co-captain of the Hip Hop team for two years. Throughout her dance experience, Zoe has won numerous dance awards. Regionally she was crowned the Title Winner at competitions Masquerade, Revolution, and Nexstar, placed as a Top 12 Contemporary Finalist at YAGP multiple times and won the title of Junior and Teen Miss Dance of Southern California and Miss Dance Pacific Coast. Nationally she scored as a Top 10 Finalist for Teen Miss Dance of America and 3rd Runner Up for both Junior and Miss Dance of America. Aside from competing, Zoe has attended many intensive programs including the Student Honors Intensive Program in Dallas, TX offered by DMA, a three week Joffrey Summer Intensive in NYC with a 100% scholarship, the Dancerpalooza Hip Hop intensive Kamotion, a Rockettes Summer Intensive, and a ten day intensive in London with a partial scholarship. Some of her most notable performances include being a dancer in a promotional video for the London Spring Tour, a principal dancer in recording artist Marya Stark’s music video, Stargazer, and an actor and dancer in an international award-winning short film, Carnival of Wonders.
Zoe is a natural born leader with a strong passion to elevate and help those around her. She has always been a highly motivated individual who loves a good challenge and strives for excellence. With her optimistic attitude and clean eye for detail she hopes to be a refreshing addition to the faculty at Shely Pack Dancers!