Meet the Staff
At Danse Élan, our faculty is made up of dedicated educators who value thoughtful instruction, age-appropriate training, and a supportive classroom environment. Each member of our teaching faculty is certified and trained in the genres they teach, bringing both expertise and care into every class. Together, our teachers work collaboratively to support the growth, confidence, and well-being of every student.
JAMIE ROUMAYAH
Dance Educator, Choreographer,
Company Artistic Director and Studio Owner
Jamie Roumayah is a dance educator, choreographer, and studio owner with a lifelong commitment to thoughtful dance education. Originally from the metro Detroit area, she has spent decades teaching dancers and mentoring teachers in a variety of studio and community settings. Jamie relocated to the Charlotte region of North Carolina in 2016 after more than fourteen years of teaching and arts leadership in Charleston, West Virginia.
Jamie began her career in dance education in 1988 and has been certified in ballet, tap, and jazz since 1992. She teaches a wide range of styles—including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, musical theater, and pointe—and works with students from early childhood through advanced levels. She is especially passionate about guiding young dancers from their first class through years of steady, healthy growth, valuing both strong technique and the joy of the learning process.
In addition to teaching, Jamie is deeply engaged in original choreographic and collaborative projects. She believes in the power of the arts to build empathy, confidence, and community, and has used performance as a way to support charitable causes benefiting women and children. Her most recent original work, The Garden of Many Colors, is a fully original stage production that reflects her commitment to storytelling, artistry, and meaningful creative experiences for young performers.
MARY KATHERINE DISHER
Resident Dance Educator, Choreographer,
and Assistant Director to DECYC
Mary Katherine has been a resident dance educator at Danse Élan since November 2021. She brings a deep love for dance and a genuine desire to enrich the lives of others through thoughtful, meaningful instruction.
Her early training began in ballet, where she first discovered the joy of disciplined practice and performance. As her education continued, she developed a strong appreciation for jazz, modern, and contemporary dance, drawn to each style’s expressive and creative possibilities. Mary Katherine pursued a degree in Dance Studies at Salem College, where she gained a broader understanding of dance education through diverse cultural perspectives and lived experiences.
While completing dual degrees in Dance Studies and Business Administration, she had the opportunity to learn from and work alongside a variety of respected artists and companies, further shaping her artistic voice and educational approach. Since graduating cum laude, Mary Katherine has remained committed to teaching, creating, and sharing her passion for dance with students of all ages. She also looks forward to continuing her performance and creative work with Charlotte Dance Company.
Outside of the studio, Mary Katherine enjoys baking for friends and family, greeting every dog she meets, spending time with her cats, and doing her best to keep her growing collection of houseplants alive.
RAINE ANDERSON
Resident Dance Educator and Choreographer,
and Photographer
Raine Anderson is a certified dance educator and creative artist who brings both technical knowledge and thoughtful perspective to her teaching. Born in Detroit and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, she has called the Lake Norman area home since 2016.
Raine has been trained in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and pointe, and is a former company member of JADCO Contemporary Dance Company in Charleston. Her artistic work extends beyond performance into choreography, where she was recognized with a choreography award for her original piece Helen Keller, reflecting her interest in storytelling and expressive movement. She has also been a recipient of scholarships to the Motor City Tap Festival.
Raine has completed her certifications in tap, jazz, and modern dance and is a member of Carolina Dance Masters. She has spent several years assisting and interning under the direction of Jamie Roumayah and is excited to continue growing as a faculty member at Danse Élan, bringing her own ideas, creativity, and care into the classroom.
In addition to dance, Raine is an accomplished photographer with a focus on nature, architecture, industry, and dance. She has a particular interest in construction and design, especially as they relate to disaster relief work. Her wide-ranging creative interests inform a thoughtful, observant approach to both teaching and art-making.
CAROLINA QUIROS OTAROLA
Resident Dance Educator and Choreographer
Carolina Quiros Otarola is a multidisciplinary dance artist and educator whose work blends technical precision with expressive creativity. She began her dance training at the age of six and has since performed and taught internationally, with experience across Central America, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Carolina’s training spans classical ballet, contemporary dance, acrobatics, and aerial arts, including silks, lyra, and harness work. As a choreographer, her work has been presented in both traditional theater settings and large-scale outdoor productions. In 2022, she was selected for a Choreography Residency in Charlotte, where she collaborated with a range of performance companies and creative teams, expanding her work across dance and aerial performance platforms.
Alongside her performance and choreographic career, Carolina is a dedicated educator known for her engaging, supportive teaching style. She has taught at respected dance institutions throughout the Charlotte area, working with dancers of varying ages and experience levels. Her classes emphasize artistry, strength, and confidence, encouraging dancers to explore movement with intention and curiosity.
Through both teaching and performance, Carolina is committed to creating meaningful artistic experiences that inspire growth, connection, and a lasting appreciation for the arts.
RITA MOSLEY
Guest Faculty & Choreographer
Rita Mosley is a seasoned dance educator and performer with more than three decades of experience in the dance world and over twenty-five years of teaching. Her training spans a wide range of styles, including ballet, pointe, lyrical, jazz, modern, tap, hip hop, ballroom, partnering, and movement for the stage, giving her a broad and versatile foundation as an educator.
Rita is certified through both the Cecchetti Council of America and Dance Masters of America and brings a deep respect for technique, discipline, and artistry into her teaching. Throughout her career, she has performed and worked within professional entertainment, commercial, and competitive dance settings, collaborating with nationally recognized artists, production companies, and performance organizations.
In addition to her performance background, Rita has served in leadership and evaluative roles within the dance community. She has worked as a dance liaison and adjudicator for nationally recognized television and performance platforms, bringing a thoughtful, experienced perspective to both performance and education.
As an educator, Rita is passionate about guiding dancers with clarity, encouragement, and high standards, helping students develop confidence, versatility, and a strong technical base in a supportive classroom environment.
SHARLIE DUNCAN
Guest Faculty & Choreographer
Sharlie Duncan is a professional dancer, choreographer, and educator with extensive international performance experience. Originally from London, England, she began her formal ballet training at Elmhurst Ballet School at the age of eleven before continuing her studies in musical theatre at Millennium Dance, where she graduated in 2006.
Sharlie has toured and performed throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States in a wide range of professional productions. Her performance experience includes international tours and theatrical works such as Fame, as well as productions with The Royal Opera, including La Traviata and Cinderella in both London and Japan. She also spent five years performing and touring worldwide with the company Spirit of the Dance.
In addition to her international work, Sharlie has performed with regional companies including The Carolina Opry, Martha Connerton’s Kinetic Works, and most recently Sarah Council Dance projects in North Carolina. Now based in NC, Sharlie continues to perform, teach, and choreograph, bringing her global experience and passion for the arts into the classroom.
CELESTE BORMAN
Guest Faculty & Choreographer
Celeste is a professionally trained dancer originally from Denver, North Carolina. She received her early training at Charlotte Ballet Academy, where she spent four years in the Pre-Professional program, including two years as a Senior Trainee.
Following graduation, Celeste joined Nashville Ballet II, where she became actively involved in the company’s Community Engagement program and performed in productions alongside the main company. She will continue her professional journey as an Apprentice with Nashville Ballet’s main company in the upcoming season.
Throughout her training and performance career, Celeste has had the opportunity to perform a wide range of classical and contemporary works, gaining experience across diverse choreographic styles. She brings her professional training, discipline, and enthusiasm for dance into the classroom, offering students a thoughtful and inspiring perspective rooted in both performance and education.