Raynor van der Merwe, the Founder and Artistic Director of Encore Theatrical Arts Project has twenty-five years experience as a professional performer, director and choreographer. She has two teaching diplomas in Jazz and Tap from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (London, U.K.). Born in South Africa, she has appeared in professional shows, television specials, commercials, movies, and in dustrials. Her credits include Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Brigadoon, Anything Goes, and Me & My Girl.

Her success as a performer led to an opportunity for Miss van der Merwe to develop a one-hour show called Fast Forward that traveled to Namibia as well as Johannesburg, South Africa. This launched the second phase of her performing arts career as a director and choreographer, nurturing her command of all of the elements of live performance. The hallmark of her productions is her unwavering attention to every detail from lighting to sound design, costumes to sets and make up. 

In addition to teaching and managing the studio, and directing ETAP’s two annual productions, Miss van der Merwe has been guest choreographer for the Reston Community Players and the American Music Stage. In 2003, she received the WATCH (Washington Area Theatre Community Honors) Outstanding Choreography Award for her contribution to the American Music Stage production Crazy for You.

In the spring of 2007, Miss van der Merwe was chosen to receive the distinguished CAM Women in the Arts Award. The Celebrating African Motherhood (CAM) organization honors outstanding women of African descent who have impacted the community artistically, socially, and politically.

Nickolai Balatsenko began his study of ballet at the Kiev Academy of Ballet. Nickolai’s first professional position was with the National Ballet Usti Nad Labem in the Czech Republic, where he stayed for three years before touring with Ballet Classique of Paris and then moving to the Donestsk Ballet. In 1999, he moved to the United States and joined the Washington Ballet. He later danced with Ballet Theatre of Maryland and Ballet Internationale in Indianapolis, Indiana. He toured Seoul, South Korea with Universal Ballet and danced with Atlantic Southeast Ballet in Charleston, South Carolina. Nickolai was also a member of Manassas Dance Company and toured South America where he danced in Cinderella with Orlando City Ballet.

Rachel Leigh Dolan is a 2007 graduate of Fordham University at Lincoln Center in New York City. As a board member of the student run Splinter theater group, Ms. Dolan produced, directed, and choreographed two musical theater revues, The Hot Box (2005) and Some Like it Cool (2006).  She has taught Jazz and Tap to elementary to high school students since 2000, and is a freelance writer for Dance Magazine where she spent six months as an editorial intern.  In addition to her work with ETAP, she taught at the Capital Hill Arts Workshop in Washington, DC and at the Summer Theater Fun Camp in Chantilly, Virginia.  As an original member of ETAP, Ms. Dolan has appeared in 15 of the company’s productions.  She was honored to participate in the Dance Theater of Harlem’s Dance Residency Program held at the Kennedy Center in 1997 and 1999, and performed in Debbie Allen’s Dreams (2000) and Pearl (2002) as part of the center’s Family Series Program.  Ms. Dolan is the Outreach Coordinator for Behind the Scenes and ETAP’s Public Relations assistant.

Jenna Hide is an Encore Performers alumna who moved to New York City in 2004, and is an assistant Hip Hop, Jazz Funk and Video teacher at Broadway Dance Center.  She currently teaches Hip Hop and Jazz in the Brooklyn school system and at Crunch Studios in NYC.  Ms. Hide choreographed the Capital Movement Projects’ performance at Radio One’s 25th Anniversary Award Show in Washington, D.C., as well as for the Washington Redskin’s Jr. Redskinettes.  Her work on the Madison High School Dance Team earned her the “Innovative Choreographer Award” at the 2006 National Dance Team Competition. 

Ms. Hide’s choreography has appeared in Hip Hop artist Sinatra’s debut music video, and she performed in a music video for Reggaeton artist NOVA.  Ms. Hide also appeared in the Touchstone Movie Step Up (2006).

Andria Jennens comes to Encore Performers from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvannia where she received most of her early dance training.  At a young age her passion for ballet lead her to study and train with classical Russian Ballet professionals. Ms. Jennens received further training in New York City at the American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey School, and the North Carolina School of the Arts.  She continues to study ballet with top teachers and choreographers, Finis Jhung, David Howard, and Scott Jovovich.  As a respected teacher, she strives to pass on her knowledge and love for ballet to the students at Encore.