DE’s Team

Pam Schrier - Director / Owner

Pam has been with Dance Expressions since its opening in 1991; first as a teacher, then taking over as director in 2009. She has been teaching for over 30 years and currently teaches ballet, modern, jazz and tap. Pam is a graduate of University of Maryland, Baltimore County where she double majored in Dance and Psychology with a concentration in education. She danced and performed with the University Dance Company and Tony Powell Music and Movement. Pam has also been a guest artist and choreographer for local dance companies. She is a member of the Cecchetti Council of America where she has served on their board for many years. Pam is certified to present students and teachers in the Cecchetti method. She is a certified member of the Dance Masters of America where she also serves on their board; and a member of The Maryland Council for Dance. Pam is also the mother of Rebekah, Rachel & Ryan.

Charlene Jackson - Artistic Director

Charlene has been with Dance Expressions since September 1994. Charlene has danced her entire life and has been teaching for over 25 years. Charlene has served as DE’s Artistic Director since 2009. She now teaches ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary and hip-hop. Charlene stays active in her training, studying under many great dancers locally and nationally. Her choreography has been professionally recognized and awarded. She is a certified member of the Dance Masters of America. Charlene brings a contemporary and exciting approach to all her classes. She has a wonderful rapport with her students and inspires them with the excitement of dance. 

Jennifer Bailey

Jen grew up dancing at Dance Expressions and is a graduate of George Mason University where while on scholarship she earned her BFA in dance and education. She danced and performed with the University Dance Company as well as a being a guest artist with other modern companies.  Jen is a Cecchetti certified teacher and continues to train in the Cecchetti method. A wonderful dancer and exceptional teacher; Jen currently teaches ballet, modern.and jazz.  Jen is also the mother of Mary Grace, Lilly Ann and CJ.

Megan Watson - Teacher / Office Administrator

Megan has been dancing with the Dance Expressions family since she was 2 years old. A Bowie High School Graduate, Megan also studied at the University of Maryland. Given the opportunity to continue her dance training, Megan is a certified Cecchetti instructor, and currently teaches Ballet, Modern, Tap and Jazz. Megan continues her teacher training in the Cecchetti method. She has also played an integral role in our office for many years, providing excellent service to all our dance families. When away from the studio, Megan spends her time volunteering for a local public outreach program.

India Blake

India graduated from Elizabeth Seton High School, where she served as co-captain of the Dance Team during her senior year. Following graduation, she attended Bowie State University before transferring to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where she earned her degree in 2024. While at UMBC, India was a proud recipient of the Dance Fine Arts Award Scholarship.

A lifelong member of Dance Expressions since the age of four, India has trained extensively in all forms of dance. She has participated in numerous master classes with renowned companies such as Deeply Rooted, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, and Ailey II, as well as an intensive at The Ailey School in New York City.

India is currently a company member with Textures Dance Company continuing to expand her artistry and professional performance experience. She is also a proud member of the Dance Masters of America.

At Dance Expressions, India teaches ballet/pointe, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and modern dance to students of all ages, where she also serves as a Company Director and choreographer. Passionate about movement and mentorship, India is honored to continue growing with the Dance Expressions family and to share her love of dance with the next generation of artists.

Angelika Albertorio

Angelika Albertorio is a multidisciplinary dance artist born and raised in Maryland. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, and hip-hop. In January 2022, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance and English Literature from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She has danced in the works of Brandon Perry, Shaness Kemp, and Carol Hess, collaborated with Ann Sofie Clemmensen for multiple research projects, and has received two departmental awards. Post-graduation, Angelika has performed with the Baltimore Dance Project, danced and assisted professionally in the works of Shaness Kemp.

Blair D’Amico

Blair D’Amico started dancing at age 3, developing a serious interest in the dance world, she took up every opportunity to learn all she could, including ballet, lyrical, contemporary, jazz and tap at various local dance studios. Finding a natural understanding of the Cecchetti method, she trained with Elaine Seidman, passing the Advanced syllabus exam. Appearing in countless productions of The Nutcracker and studio dance recitals with the National Ballet , Blair competed in regional dance competitions until graduating high school in 2007.

After attending the Cecchetti International Summer School in Holland, Michigan, Blair was invited to train at KS Dance Ltd., a professional vocational school in Greater Manchester, England directed by Kate Simmons. Continuing her training in the Cecchetti method, Blair honed her technique and developed as an artist. She toured and performed with the school’s company every year, working up through the ranks from corps to principal dancer. She was awarded the Best All Round Dancer Award at the Annual Choreography and Prize-Giving Ceremony, and received dancing and teaching qualifications in Cecchetti ballet and Spanish dance. She graduated from KS Dance Ltd with a Trinity College National Diploma in Professional Dance. Blair has danced roles such as Dew Drop in The Nutcracker, Myrta in Giselle as well as Gamzatti Variation at Discover Ballet! with the Baltimore Ballet. She later joined BalletFleming in Philadelphia as an apprentice and was promoted to company member the following season. Her favorite roles have included The Evil Queen in Christopher Fleming’s Snow White, Too Big and Too Bold in Jenn Rose’s The Missing Piece, and Second Couple in Adrianna de Svatich’s Dyadic Dances. Since January 2016 she has been a part of the Polaris Dance Company in Portland, Oregon where she explored more modern based choreography and studied the Horton technique. Her favorite being a piece Robert Guitron's, Artistic Director, choreographed to Keb'mo's Every Morning. Blair is excited to be back in Maryland teaching the up and coming talent at Dance Expressions!

Gabi Lobban Teacher / Office Staff

Gabi Lobban graduated from Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, MD and participated in their Classical Dance program for three years. She also participated in Dance Expressions’ summer intensives and developed a love for hip hop, jazz, street jazz, and contemporary dance. After graduation, Gabi attended the Jazz and Contemporary Trainee Program at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City where she trained under Juan Carlos Peñuela, Michael Blake, Adrienne Hurd and others. She has always enjoyed choreographing and teaching. Gabi is very excited to share her passion for dance, help other express themselves through dance, and be a part of the Dance Expressions family.

Jahnaye Samuel

Is excited to join the faculty at DE! Full bio to come.

Tracee’ Hillman

Tracee loves the ARTS, ‘Dance’ which she is most passionate about.  Born in Washington, DC and currently resides in Fort Washington, MD she started dancing at the early age of 3, with the Linda Natoli Dance Studio and throughout her childhood studied under other dance studios within the Metropolitan area. She has performed and competed nationally. She began teaching while in high school and has taught all genres of dance for many years including all male classes.
She initially attended Bowie State University, where she joined the dance troop the ‘Dancing Divas’ and ended her matriculation with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Fashion Merchandising at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where she danced with their Dance Company as a Modern Jazz Dancer and also assisted in choreography performing in Fine Art productions throughout the Eastern Shore, Ocean City, and Delaware vicinity.
After college, she continued studying dance taking Modern Jazz, Tap and Ballet workshops where she lived in New York City for three years pursuing her career as a Fashion Merchandiser/Buyer, as well as enjoying other hobbies (modeling, fashion design and sewing).  She later returned back home to the Washington, DC Metropolitan area where she works with the Federal Government as a Contractor for the United States Air Force; recently she obtained her Master’s Degree in Business Acquisitions.  Throughout all the experiences and accomplishments, Dance has always been a major role in her life as well as teaching and sharing her love for it; admiring the grace, agility and confidence it provides for her and all others.

London Lobban

Railyn Wingate

Is excited to join the faculty at DE! Full bio to come.

Clarissa Warren

Clarissa trained at Texas Ballet Theater in the school and the Professional Training Division until age 18. She performed with the school and the company in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, and Peter and the Wolf. Several of her choreographed works for the school went on to be presented at Dallas Annual Dance Planet and Choreographing for a Cause. After graduating, she joined Ballet Met in Columbus, Ohio for two years as a Trainee where she performed and toured with the company as well as the school. Some of these ballets included the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, several mixed repertoire performances, and pieces for Ohio State University as a part of an MFA project. After two years in Ohio, she moved to the DMV to dance with Manassas Ballet Theatre in Virginia where she performed in several productions including The Nutcracker, Dracula, Swan Lake, Colin: Son, Marine, Hero, La Boutique Fantasque and mixed repertoire, in both the corps de ballet and title roles. In 2018 she shifted her focus to teaching, choreographing, and accompanying ballet classes on the piano with studios around the DMV. She and her husband are now residing in England with their 4 children. We can’t wait for their return.