Lisa Kimsey  808-735-8641 Executive Director   Little Angels, Angels, Tap, Jazz and GEMS Lisa Kimsey, Founder and Executive Director, studied dance in the islands as a child and taught in Los Angeles and Wisconsin prior to returning home to Hawaii where she has performed with the Dances We Dance Company and Diamond Head Theatre. She recently completed Dance Educator's of America three year teacher training program and the Hawaii Community Foundation’s PONO program for Executive Directors.

Carolyn Wilt  808-735-8641 Teacher   Ballet Carolyn Wilt started her ballet training at the Londonderry Dance Academy (LDA), directed by Barbara Mullen, at age five. Under Ms. Mullen, Carolyn has danced in New York City and London; attended the Yorkshire Ballet Seminar; and passed her Royal Academy of Dance Children’s and Major examinations. A current junior at University of Hawaii, she has performed in pieces choreographed by students, faculty, and guest artists. She has also performed with local companies, including Hawaii Opera Theater, Ballet Hawaii, and Honolulu Dance Theater. This summer, she is planning to attend the Prague International Ballet Intensive on a scholarship from the University of Hawaii. She delights in teaching and being an active part of The Movement Center’s ballet education program. Helping her students grow and develop their artistry truly is a wonderful experience.

Julie Okumura  808-735-8641 Teacher   Julie attended and trained at the University of California, Irvine and has performed in many musical productions both in Hawaii and California.  She has worked at the Movement Center for eight years teaching and directing musical theatre.  She has also performed with Ohia Productions and toured many local schools with their Educational Road Shows.  She was last seen on stage in Ala Moana's Christmas Gift of Aloha by Ohia Productions.  She currently runs a performing arts group at Calvary By the Sea Lutheran Church and sings weekly on a local dinner cruise line.  She loves TMC because we not only teach our students how to dance, sing and act but we also work on creating good people.  We have created a loving and caring environment which anyone, no matter what challenges they have, can enjoy learning about the performing arts.

Nicole Young  808-735-8641 Teacher   Jazz, Tumbling, Little Angels, Angels, Cheer, and GEMS Nicole Young earned a BFA in dance and a BA in psychology from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.  She currently performs with Iona Contemporary Dance Theater, Samadhi Hawai'i, Upside-Down Dance, and on the Navatek.  Her other interests include watercolor painting and writing plays for The Movement Center.  Nicole's classes at TMC include jazz, tumbling, cheerleading, Little Angels, Angels, and GEMS.  "I am grateful to be a part of the TMC family.  I also love the teaching assistant program because students become role models for the next generation."

Chansri A. Green  808-735-8641 Director of Classical Ballet Program   Ballet, Little Angels, Mommy & Me, Boys Movement Exploration and Angels Chansri A. Green was born and raised in the corn fields of central Illinois. Her passion for dance and performing was sparked in the living room of her home for anyone who would attend the shows, saying always to her parents… “I am going to grow up to be a dancer!” And so she did. She studied at the Joffrey Ballet School, the Harid Conservatory, and the Juilliard School.  She received her BFA in Dance, concentration in education, from Columbia College Chicago in 2003.  In 2004, she moved to Hawaii to further pursue her education and attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa on fellowship.  In 2007, she received a MFA in Dance, concentrations in education & performance / choreography.  During the past four years she has taught dance at the University of Hawaii, Kapiolani Community College, Punahou Dance School, and joined the Movement Center Teaching Staff in 2005.  In January of 2008, she accepted the position of Director for the TMC Ballet Program and looks forward to seeing the ballet program grow and blossom.  She is passionate about sharing her love and knowledge of ballet to the students she feels so fortunate to teach, whether young or old.  She believes everyone should have dance in their life because it is such a wonderful joy to experience.  TMC has been one of the greatest experiences in her life and she is thankful to be part of such an incredible place full of love for art and children.

Jonathan Sypert  808-735-8641 Teacher   Street Dance, Little Warriors, Performing Arts Experience and Hip Hop Mr. Jonathan was voted best Adult Hip Hop Teacher in Honolulu by the readers of Honolulu Magazine!   Jonathan Clarke Sypert AKA iNTREPiD has sampled and dabbled in dancing, acting, performance poetry, and MCing.  He has been blessed to have acted as company actor for Honolulu Theatre for Youth, choreographed Grammy Nominated Henry Kapono's Wild Hawaiian Groovement Tour, danced for Tau Dance Theatre's Hanau Ka Moku and Naupaka as part of the original cast, and competed with Hawaii's first ever slam poetry team HawaiiSlam.  One of his current joys is sharing his passion for performance with the children of The Movement Center.

Shinogu Sato  808-735-8641 Teacher   Tumbling, Rhythmic Gymnastics,Little Angels,Angels As a gymnast, Shinogu Sato was state junior champion and participated in the Japanese national competition until 1981. She graduated from a Tokyo women's junior college of physical education. After graduation she coached Gymnastics and Rhythmic Gymnastics in Japan.  Now she enjoys teaching Angels, Little Angels, Tumbling and Rhythmic Gymnastics classes at TMC.

Sara Robertson  808-735-8641 Teacher   Performing Arts Experience Sara Robertson received her BA degree in Theatre Arts from Texas A&M University and is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Trained in tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and musical theatre since age 5, Sara is a former company member of Dance Theatre of Arlington and has performed in various shows such as Li'l Abner, The Man of La Mancha, All in the Timing, The Great Celestial Cow, and made an appearance on the tv show, Lost. She has choreographed and directed in Texas, Hawai'i, and China where she also taught drama at the Shanghai Children’s Discovery Museum.  Sara LOVES teaching at TMC because "the students are FAB! Class time is when everyone can shed their outer skins, be their crazy, goofy, diva selves, and PERFORM!"

Erin Love  808-735-8641 Teacher, Front Desk   Ballet  Erin Love is an alumni of Mid-Pacific Institute and graduated from the Mid-Pacific School of the Arts program in Dance. She has also studied under the School of Honolulu Dance Theatre and has performed in many of their productions. Ms. Love graduated from Whittier College with a BA in History, where she danced on the Whittier College Dance Team all four years and led as captain for three years.

Jenn Thomas  808-735-8641 Teacher   Song and Dance, Musical Theater, and Vocal Performance   Jenn Thomas has over 15 years experience as a professional actor, and has worked from New York City to Seattle in regional theatres and on tour.  She has also worked as a teaching artist at professional youth theatre schools in Florida and Montana, where she taught acting, voice, improvisation and playwriting.  She holds a B.A. degree in Musical Theatre from Weber State University, and is currently a graduate student at the University of Hawaii, pursuing an M.F.A degree in acting. Jenn believes that developing theatrical skills builds self-esteem and personal character. Travers King  808-735-8641 Teacher   Song and Dance, Musical Theater, Tap, and Lyrical  Travers King was born and raised in a small town outside of Boston, Massachusetts, where he found his passion for dance at the age of four, studying under original Rocket, Sue Sabillio. While in Massachusetts he studied at various schools including Center Stage Dance Studio, Ms. Kim’s School of Dance, and Boston Ballet. His musical Theatre roles include Eddie, in Movin’ Out, Bill Calhoun in Kiss Me Kate, Asher in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Andy Lee in 42nd Street, John Truitt in Meet me in St. Louis, and the title role in the original operetta Bearskin just to name a few. Currently Travers is earning his B.F.A. in dance at The University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he recently received the Carl Wolz Award for Excellence in Choreography for his Senior Project, Forbidden during the 2008-2009 Academic Year. During Fall 2008, Travers was given the opportunity to study at London Contemporary Dance School, where he performed repertoire by Award Winning Choreographer Siobhan Davies. Travers has performed choreographic works by Paul Taylor, Bebe Miller, Siobhan Davies, Shapiro and Smith, Jeff Rubudal, Gregg Lizenbery, and Betsy Fisher.