Meet the Choreographers

Choreographer Jerry Rose

Jerry Rose's training background spans an exposure to dance through many diverse and varied approaches with schools and individuals in W.Va., NYC, New Jersey, Michigan and North Carolina. Performing with companies that utilized both a classical and modern basis for choreography include the Ballet Cirque, Charleston Ballet, Appalachian Dance and Music Ensemble and Dance Dance Caravan, USA.

As choreographer and ballet master for "Stars of Tomorrow" he has staged and directed the national tour that visits major U.S. Cities for nearly ten years. A faculty member of Professional Dance Teachers Association, he has originated a series of videos dedicated to ballet pedagogy and conducts workshops throughout the year in the U.S. and Canada.

Named to the National Association for Regional Ballet's Outstanding Choreographers List in 1986, Rose created the dances for the long running productions of "Young Abe Lincoln, "Honey In The Rock" and "Hatfields and McCoys, shows whose total attendance is well over the one million mark.

Visiting the Moscow Region in 1996 by invitation of the Russian government, Rose's Company, The Beckley Dance Theatre, performed a program of American Dance the Region's public schools.
Choreographer Barbara Yurick

Barbara Yurick is the Director of Dance-It! Oak Hill Dance Center. She teaches dance in private studios, arts camps, Artist-In-Residence programs, public and private schools, and college and university settings. Most recently she has served as Master Teacher of Ballet for The West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts and the Dance Faculty at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. Barbara is also serves as a Dance Consultant for the Elementary Dance Pilot initiated by the WV Department of Education.

Barbara was an original member and danced professionally with The Appalachian Dance & Music Ensemble, which is now The West Virginia Dance Company. She performed with Theatre West Virginia’s summer repertory company as a dancer and actress in the Historical Dramas Hatfield’s and McCoy’s and Honey in the Rock.

Yurick has served the arts in many capacities She served on The Arts Team for The Regional Education Service Agency in area I, focusing on providing arts I education programs in WV public schools. She developed and presents “Children For Children”, an integrated arts program for early elementary students which incorporates children’s literature, creative movement and dance, music, theatre and visual arts. She has provided dance programs throughout West Virginia, Virginia, and New England. Barbara has attended several Kennedy Center Arts Integration workshops which focus on promoting more arts programs in education.

She holds a B.S. Degree from WVU, studied dance at North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, NC and other professional schools throughout the United States, France and Canada.

She is delighted to be part of The United Way’s Dancing With the Stars and can’t wait to see all of the couples dancing the night away on September 14th!
Choreographer Darrell Fuller

"A man with two left feet and no rhythm" is an apt description of Darrell Fuller when he was introduced to ballroom dancing nearly six years ago. At his wife Laurie's request, the couple began attending Jerry Gilley's dance classes and found that, with dedication and practice, nearly anyone can learn to dance.

After their first year of dancing, the Fuller's learned of the national, non-profit organization, USA Dance, Inc. and joined the local Beckley chapter. While they have benefited from instructional videos, internet searches, workshops, and semi-private group lessons, the majority of Darrell and Laurie's training in social dance has come through USA Dance chapters in Beckley and Charleston West Virginia, and in Rural Retreat Virginia.

Mr. Fuller has served as president of the Beckley USA Dance Chapter 6064 since 2009. The chapter currently meets at the "Center of Hope" in Mount Hope, WV. Through this chapter the Fuller's teach weekly beginner's and intermediate dance lessons. They have also given private instruction and choreography for special events such as weddings and class reunions. [For more information about USA Dance Chapter 6064 visit http://usadance-beckleywv.com.]

As an added note, Mr. Fuller is a minister, and pastor of the Dothan Community Church. He admits that dancing has drawn occasional criticism from some well-intentioned people of faith; but he also affirms there is nothing biblically wrong with respectful social dance. Ballroom dancing is a wonderful source of quality entertainment which stresses that men be gentlemen and women be ladies. It also offers many physical, mental, emotional, and social benefits.

The Fullers want to encourage everyone to enrich their lives through dance, and are doing their part to promote ballroom dance in Southern West Virginia. As for the five couples competing in the United Way's Dancing With The Stars, Darrell and Laurie say, "Yes, there is a friendly competition; but in our opinion, the upcoming performance will be a showcase of five winning couples. Anyone with the courage to develop a new skill, and perform before an audience is a winner already, and their prize will be the lifetime benefits of dance."
Choreographer Heather Pack

Heather Pack began her dancing career at the age of three where she took lessons from Karen’s Academy of Dance in Beckley, WV.   She has studied such dance forms as jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical, and gymnastics. Being part of the traveling dance team at Karen’s Academy of Dance allowed her to perform in such places as Niagara Falls 4th of July Celebration, Disney Land , night parades at Pigeon Forge, as well as Disney and Carnival Cruises.  During her college years at Marshall University, Heather took classes in modern and ballroom dance styles.  She also began an advanced tap class where she traveled with the competition team and won platinum in the category.  Also, during this time, she performed with Huntington Heroes Dance/Cheerleading Team (a semi-pro football team located in Huntington WV).

Once she moved back into the Southern WV area, she began working with low income students to provide the gift of dance for free. She runs an after school clinic for students in 3rd – 5th grade.  “It is such rewarding work.  I am blessed to have become part of these student’s lives.  They show me everyday how powerful dancing can be to the human soul.”
 

Meet the Judges

Kristen L. Pennington began her dance training at the early age of 3. Also along with her dance training Kristen was also a competitive gymnast for 12 years with Maverick Gymnastics under the direction and training of Billy Bob Taylor. Throughout high school Kristen danced with Januarys Academy of Dance and Capital High Dance Company where she was president of the contemporary company. Kristen went to college at BYU Idaho on a dance scholarship where she traveled on a touring dance company to New Zealand, Fiji, Brazil and the Ukraine. After Idaho Kristen went on to dance with the Synergy Dance Company in Orem, Utah. After college Kristen came back to West Virginia and held the director position for the Academy of Arts at Januarys. Kristen teaches at many studios all over the state and has trained under names such as Wade Robson, Mia Michaels, Cris Judd, Shane Sparks, Dave Scott, Laurie Ann Gibson, Mandy Moore, Dee Caspary, and many more. Kristen is now a master instructor at Beckley Dance Theater, Januarys Academy of Dance, and River City Youth Ballet.
Sarah Abrams is a Beckley Native and part of the 4th generation Lewis Automotive family. She has a background in dance through the Jerry Rose Dance Studio and currently uses that as a tool to create and format fitness and aerobic classes for Bodyworks of Beckley and Bobcat Fitness of Hinton.

Along with dancing and fitness, Sarah enjoys traveling with her friends and spending time with her family especially her niece Ella. She currently serves on the board for the United Way and several other local charities!