Teaching Artists & Apprentices

Katie Smythe

After graduating from Central High School in Memphis, Katie began her professional career with the Minnesota Dance Theatre where she first discovered her passion for arts education. Later, as a performing and teaching artist for the Los Angeles Music Center under Jodi Wintz, she toured extensively within the Los Angeles County School Districts. Through these experiences and active volunteering at PS 199 in New York City, she dreamed of a new program that would develop dancers as opposed to future audience members (as was the “outreach” practice at the time).

She returned to Memphis in 1997 with that vision in mind, founding New Ballet Ensemble and School to offer a professional standard of dance training for children, regardless of race or socioeconomic status.

Katie has choreographed numerous works for New Ballet, most notably NutRemix™; Harlem, a commissioned work for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in collaboration with the performing artists; and The Swan, created in collaboration with international star and New Ballet alumnus Charles “Lil Buck” Riley.

Katie serves on the Board of Trustees for the National Guild for Community Arts Education, as a panelist for the Tennessee Arts Commission and as an active member of Americans for the Arts. She was selected as a Scholar of the Aspen Institute in 2016. Katie is also a founding member of the Overton Park Shell and has served on the City of Memphis Youth Guidance Commission and the Cooper-Young Business Association. Katie was awarded the Tennessee Governor’s School award for excellence in teaching as Teacher of the Year in 2019 and the Thomas W. Briggs Foundation Community Service Award in 2020.

Lauryn Adair

Leaving a positive impact on students through the art of dance is what inspires Lauryn to teach at New Ballet. She strives to create a safe space for children to move freely and creatively and finish a class with a sense of confidence. Teaching dance to the next generation of creatives in her hometown of Memphis makes it even more personally rewarding to Lauryn.

Lauryn leads creative movement classes at the studio, as well as at LaRose Elementary School and Dunbar Elementary School. She says creative movement is her favorite dance genre because of its fluidity to discover new ways to move the body.

Lauryn recently graduated from the University of Memphis with a Bachelor of Arts in theater with a concentration in dance.

Catherine Barkley-Prado

Catherine’s passion for dance began at the age of three and has guided her ever since. She has trained extensively in ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, and modern dance, drawing from each discipline to help prepare New Ballet students for their future in the arts.

In 2020, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with a concentration in Dance from the University of Memphis. Her studies included ballet, improvisation, dance composition, teaching methods, dance science, and the Horton technique. During her time at the university, she performed in productions such as Momentum, Falling/Up, Lest We Forget, and 5×5.

Catherine is certified in American Ballet Theatre’s Teacher Training Program from Pre-Primary through Level 5. She has also completed Horton Technique teacher training under Ana Marie Forsythe at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Tamara Hoffmann

Trained as a young artist at Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet professional division, Tamara has danced with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (retired as a soloist in 1998) and Ballet du Nord in France. In her 18-year career, she danced a wide variety of repertoire, including one of her favorite lead roles, Maria in John Neumier’s The Nutcracker. Tamara toured extensively throughout her career, dancing in Asia, Europe and South America, averaging 150 performances per year.

She entered Memphis’ dance scene as ballet mistress at Ballet Memphis in 1999, staging many works, including Swan Lake, Giselle, and Mark Godden’s Angels in the Architecture. Tamara is also a STOTT Pilates certified instructor and trainer, and she teaches pilates at Rehab etc., located in East Memphis.

Maxx Reed

Maxx Reed is a professional dancer and choreographer based in New York. At age 14, he received a scholarship to New Ballet, where he received extensive training in classical ballet and modern styles including Horton, Graham and Forsythe. Growing up in Memphis, he danced with many local hip-hop crews, molding his abilities as a street dancer. Reed gained a place in New Ballet as a Teaching Artist in 2006, creating and debuting roles in ballets such as Romeo in our version of Romeo and Juliet, as well as the Rat King, The Hero and The Cavalier in NutRemix™.

Professionally, Maxx has appeared in the ABC primetime special “Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann” and in staged productions of Cats, West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar, Broadway’s Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, and Beetlejuice. He has also performed live with Usher in the 2011 American Music Awards and has appeared in Michael Jackson’s biopic “This Is It”, and his music video “Hold My Hand.” Other credits include commercials for Knott’s Berry Farm and Virgin Mobile and the music videos for Beyonce’s “Who Run the World (Girls)” and The Saturdays’ “Notorious.”

Today, his choreography can be seen in ballet companies, award-winning competition studios and music videos. Maxx is on the teaching staff of STEPS in New York City and continues to return to New Ballet as a visiting Master Teacher.

John Washington

As the former music director of the Nubian Theatre Company and with years of experience, John Washington champions West African dance and drumming at New Ballet. He holds a master’s degree in education from Tennessee State University and was a teacher with Memphis City/Shelby County Schools for 27 years. John is a professional musician trained in voice, keyboard, saxophone and African/world drumming. When he’s not playing instruments, he arranges and composes his own music. John has performed in Orlando at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT, in Tokyo at Japan’s Mitsubishi Mirage Bowl and in the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. He has also played with notable jazz musicians such as Frank Foster, Dizzy Gillespie and Dr. Clark Terry.

Candy’ce Washington

As the former coordinator for Mississippi Boulevard Dance Ministry and a former lead dancer for the Nubian Theatre Company, Candy’ce brings a depth of knowledge and experience to her role at New Ballet. Since 2007, she has led African dance classes at New Ballet and choreography for NutRemix™. Candy’ce is also the choreographer for the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.’s debutante cotillions.

Jeremy Bowers (he/him)

Jeremy’s love for dance began in the 3rd grade with an interest in animation and other hip hop dance styles. He first learned about the dance culture of Memphis Jookin through experience in his North Memphis neighborhood. Jeremy was introduced to New Ballet Ensemble & School in the 6th grade when he participated in CityDance. Through CityDance, he learned how to work with choreographers and was given the opportunity to perform in his first production. Jeremy returned to New Ballet in the 11th grade and began serious training in ballet, hip hop and various dance styles. He has been a part of many of New Ballet’s productions such as, NutRemix, Springloaded, The Dying Swan and in school productions of Peter and the Wolf, Anansi and the Sky God, ¡Jose! and more. He graduated from high school in 2019 and has continued his dance training with New Ballet as a Teaching and Performing Artist.

Kylie Davis

Kylie Davis is a recent graduate of the University of Memphis who has been studying dance since the age of four. Her training spans ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip-hop, West African, and more. Recently, Kylie has developed a strong passion for choreography, debuting several original works within the local dance community. When she’s not dancing, she enjoys reading, making art, and listening to music.

Sunyah Fisher

Sunyah is a dedicated dancer trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, west african and more. She has been dancing for over 12 years and has trained with New Ballet Ensemble & School, along with other intensive programs. She currently studies Dance Science at the University of Memphis, where she continues to grow as an artist while pouring back into the youth through dance, mentorship, and community involvement.

Excellence Hinds

Excellence Hinds graduated from Clark Atlanta University with a degree in psychology and recently from the University of Memphis with a degree in Theatre and concentration in dance science.  She has been dancing and performing for over 20 years and choreographing for 13 years.

Julien Milton

Julien was born and raised in East Memphis and began dancing at 15. Specializing in Memphis Jookin, a style deeply rooted in the city’s culture, he has won multiple Jookin tournaments. His artistry has been recognized in Voyer Memphis Magazine and featured in music videos by Memphis icons La Chat, Gangsta Boo, and Crunchy Black.

A dedicated teaching artist for the past three years, Julien has also choreographed for MPAC Dance, sharing his passion for movement and Memphis culture with new generations of dancers.

Lily Reynolds

Lily is a Memphis native with 16 years of dance experience with a concentration in ballet. During her training at New Ballet, she served on the student board. Driven to empower the next generation of young dancers, she joined the New Ballet staff as a performing artist and Level 3 teaching assistant. In her role as a mentor, Lily hopes to inspire younger girls to prosper in dance.

Cameron Stevens

Cameron Stevens is a versatile dance instructor specializing in ballet, jazz, and creative movement at NMDC, and Ballroom dance at The Dance Studio of Tupelo. She is a year-round company member and costume director with the Doniphan Dance Project, a modern dance company.

In addition to her performance work, Cameron is an alumna and ballet mistress with Civic Ballet. Most recently, she has joined as a teaching and performing apprentice with New Ballet Ensemble and school, continuing her commitment to education and artistic excellence.

Brice Stone

Brice Stone is a Tupelo, Mississippi native and a recent Memphis resident. His love for the stage began at an early age and has continued to grow throughout his life. After graduation, Brice pursued a career in dance, which led him to New Ballet Ensemble & School. He has performed in New Ballet’s productions such as the Waiter in NutRemix and Dez in Springloaded: Slaughter at the Peabody.

Outside of New Ballet, Brice serves as Rehearsal Director for the Doniphan Dance Project, a modern dance company based in Tupelo. He also teaches hip-hop to students in grades 3–12 at the North Mississippi Dance Centre, and most recently became a professional-level ballroom dancer with The Dance Studio of Tupelo.

Brice is deeply grateful to his family and friends for their continuous love and support.
Instagram: @officialbricemac

Antonio “TJ” Taylor JR

Antonio is no stranger to the big stage—no matter the size of the audience, he brings passion and energy to every performance. His dance journey began in 2016 when he joined the academy “LYE,” where he discovered not only his identity as a dancer but also a deeper appreciation and connection to the art of dance. Inspired by the world’s many styles, Antonio became eager to learn as much as possible, studying a wide range of techniques and genres. In January 2025, he pushed his boundaries once again by beginning his ballet training at New Ballet Ensemble. He is grateful to all the teachers and fellow dancers who have supported him along the way and encourages everyone to keep learning and growing through dance.

DeAndre Underwood

DeAndre Underwood entered New Ballet Ensemble & School as a student after participating in our Streets Ministries partnership, “NBEDanceLab” (supported by the Women’s Foundation). After graduating from Booker T. Washington High School, DeAndre attended Coahoma Community College on a band scholarship. Moving home to Memphis, he began performing in the annual NutRemix and some school performances before joining the Professional Apprenticeship Program in January 2024. His turn in the opening of NutRemix this past season (2023) as an advocate for ArtsEducation earned the very first applause of the evening as he led a sign over his head reading, “Dance for Every Child”. We are proud to welcome this talented and caring young artist into the organization as an emerging professional!