We are proud of our dancers, and strive to demonstrate an
improvement in your child's physical and mental development,
dance skills, motivation, and love for the arts via their performance
as well as our own.
Lynn
D. Raley
 Lynn
D. Raley is Owner and Artistic Director
of South East Dance Academy. Lynn holds
a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Performance from East
Carolina University
and is a Certified Dance Educator through Dance Masters of
America. Lynn has served as a member of the Board of Directors
of Carolina Dance Masters since 1999 as well as the National
Board of Directors of Dance Masters of America since 2000.
Lynn was elected President of Carolina Dance Masters Chapter
15 in 2007 for a term of 4 years.
Lynn's dance education began as a young
child under the direction of Margaret Rose Damkee and Linda
Kalnen. In 1980, Lynn opened Beulaville Dance Academy in
Beulaville, NC and founded A Step of Class in Goldsboro, NC in
1987. She operated both schools until moving to Texas in 1993.
Lynn joined the staff of School of Dance and Performing Arts
in 1996 that became South East Dance Academy in 1998, where
she teaches Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acrobatics, Musical Theatre,
Kinderdance, and Lyrical.
While teaching children is her primary passion, performing is a close 2nd. Lynn can be seen in film, television, and live theatrical performances. She has been the Dance Captain and performer with Opera House Theatre Company for such productions as "Chicago", "Victor/Victoria", "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", "Singing in the Rain," "42nd Street", " A Chorus Line", "Anything Goes", "Will Rogers Follies" and "George M!"
Lynn continues her dance education by attending numerous Seminars, Master Classes, and Dance Conventions thus allowing her to stay on top of the changes to this living art form. Lynn has studied with Masters such as Gregory Hines and Debbie Dee for Tap; Gus Giordano and Luigi for Jazz; Douglas Waddell and Karen Hebert for Ballet; Keith Clifton and Tracy Stanfield for Musical Theatre.
Jason Aycock
 Jason Aycock has been dancing since the
age of 4. He grew up in Burgaw at Cripple Creek Corner Dance
Studio which his parents founded in 1982. Active in many types
of dance, Jason has always favored percussive styles such as
clogging and tap. He majored in Musical Theatre at Mars Hill
College where he graduated with a BFA. While at Mars Hill, he
danced and competed as a member of the 12 time national
champions, the Bailey Mountain Cloggers under the direction of
Jay Ledford. He has danced locally and abroad in both Ireland
and Austria for traditional folk dance festivals as a clogger.
Jason now teaches clogging, tap, and theatre dance in Burgaw
and Wilmington as well as performing with many theatre groups
downtown. He is proud to join the SEDA family and share his
talents with others.
Kelly
Baun
Kelly holds a
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Kent State University (OH)
where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2009. She began her
dance training at The School of Cleveland San Jose Ballet and
continued at local dance studios where she studied
various styles of ballet, modern, jazz, lyrical, and
contemporary. Throughout her education, Kelly has received
numerous scholarships and awards for national and regional
competitions as well as her dedication to and leadership in
dance.
Kelly has performed at multiple American College Dance
Festivals and professionally with Travesty Dance Group
(Cleveland). As a three year member of the Kent Dance
Ensemble, she was invited to perform at the 2008
Intercontinental Dance Festival in Madison, WI and with
Verlezza Dance in Cleveland, OH. It was with Verlezza Dance
that Kelly was also honored to appear in the reconstruction of
May O'Donnell's historic work "Dance Energies". She
was chosen as both a soloist and featured performer in
numerous student and faculty choreographed concerts at KSU and
has also danced in works by Tommy Parlon (D.C.) and Lisa Lock
(Cleveland).
Kelly has taught both in the private and public school setting
as well as in dance ministry. She is most passionate about
ballet and contemporary dance styles, but has a heart for all
dance forms. Kelly believes that it is important to keep an
open mind and to continue to educate yourself, even as a
teacher, in order to become a well-rounded and knowledgeable
dancer. She is looking forward to working with such inspiring
students and teachers at SEDA!
Angela
Norman Brown
In
1986, Angela graduated from East Carolina University with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Choreography. Angela’s
other dance education includes summers at North Carolina
School of the Arts, Joffrey Ballet with Margot Fontaine and
Wake Forest University as well as master classes with Gus
Giordano, Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Mike Minery, Dan
Karaty, Frank Hachett and many others. Over the past 19 years,
Angela has owned and directed Wilmington Dance Academy and
Footworks Express Dance Arts Center. With three children of
her own, Angela has decided to turn over the ownership reigns
and concentrate her efforts on teaching. In 1985, she was Miss
Duplin County and in 1989 Miss Spivey’s Corner. Angela is
extremely excited to be teaching with friends and long time
colleagues. In addition to God and her family dance is an
instrumental part of her life. Angela, her husband Robby and
their three children, Zelle, Brody and Leah are
residents of Ogden. “Passing on my knowledge is a great privilege".
Katherine
Hardison
 Born
and raised in Wilmington, NC, Katherine Hardison began dancing
at the age of three at Arlene & Donna's School of
Dance.
In 1998 Katherine began
dancing at South East Dance Theatre. Later in 2002, she
auditioned and became a member of the "VIP Company"
at SEDT.
The following year Katherine
joined another local dance company known as Wilmington X-treme
All-star Dancers. There, Katherine focused on Hip Hop
and Jazz Technique. Katherine was with WXA for three
years performing on the Senior and Collegiate levels.
She was selected as Captain each of the three years by her
coach and her peers.
In 2005 Katherine was given
the opportunity to go to New York City to attend the Rockette
Summer Intensive held at Radio City Music Hall. She
accepted the invitation and in June of 2005 Katherine flew to NY and took
several classes with the Rockettes.
As a Senior in High School,
Katherine returned to SEDA as a student. She graduated
in the Spring of 2007 from New Hanover High School.
Since then Katherine has danced for the
Wilmington Sea Dawgs Semi-Pro Basketball Team. Katherine
has also performed locally with Opera House Theatre Company in
The Will Roger Follies, My Fair Lady, The King and I, and most
recently Hairspray. She is thrilled to be a part of the SEDA family.
 Kristi
Stevens
Kristi
Stevens has been dancing for over sixteen years at local
studios in Connecticut and North Carolina, with training in
ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop, modern, liturgical and
creative movement. She is certified to teach through
Dance Masters Teacher Training School in ballet, jazz, modern
and tap, and is also a member of Carolina Dance Masters.
Through this prestigious organization, she met Linda Kalnen,
who directed the Jacksonville Civic Ballet, and helped for two
seasons as a co-choreographer and rehearsal assistant while
attending East Carolina University.
Upon graduation from ECU with a BFA degree
in Dance Education, Kristi went home to study massage therapy
at the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, graduating from
the clinical massage program in July 2006. Today Kristi
lives in Wilmington with her husband Seth, while providing
therapeutic massage as a licensed massage and bodywork
therapist in the Wilmington area.
With the knowledge gained from both dance
and massage therapy training, Kristi loves to educate students
on the importance of taking care of the dancers' body, how to
use their bodies properly, and help them find a greater
respect and awareness of their bodies, while instilling a
sense of accomplishment and self-esteem through dance.
Great care and individual attention nurtures the abilities of
our students to their fullest potential. SEDA's professional
staff is highly trained as certified dance educators by Dance
Masters of America. We are dedicated to helping children
succeed. Emphasis is placed on proper technique and
professionalism as well as on developing an appreciation for
the performing arts. SEDA offers guest teachers, workshops,
field trips, and dance competitions for all students
throughout the dance year.
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