Shannon Denney
Owner/Artistic Director
The Pointe Dance Arts’ owner and artistic director, Shannon McClure Denney, began her dance training in Mobile, AL at Sheffield School of the Dance. Upon leaving Mobile, Shannon continued her dance education under the direction of the University of Alabama’s nationally acclaimed teacher Cornelius Carter. Additionally, she has studied at Broadway Dance Center in New York City and Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles.
Shannon has been privileged to perform in a number of unique environments. As a young dancer, she was accepted as a member of the Sheffield Performing Arts Company with whom she competed for eight years, winning numerous regional and national awards. Shannon was honored to perform in a split dance concert with former Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago members Sam Watson and Richard Havey. She also performed on the Celebrity Cruise ship “Meridian” and the Isle of St. Georges in Bermuda. Selected as a member of the Universal Dance Association All-Star group, Shannon had the honor of performing in Paris, France.
Shannon began her teaching career in Atlanta, GA where she served as a ballet, jazz and tap instructor for three prominent Atlanta studios. In 2000, Shannon relocated to Birmingham, AL to continue her teaching career. She founded The Pointe Dance Arts in July 2005 where she is thrilled to pass on her love of dance to young people throughout the Birmingham area. Most importantly, at The Pointe Dance Arts, Shannon has been able to fulfill her vision of offering the highest quality dance education in a family-friendly, age-appropriate atmosphere. Shannon’s students have been awarded dance scholarships to The University of Alabama, Edge Performing Arts in Los Angeles, Joffrey Ballet New York, Tremaine Dance, Company Dance, Hollywood Vibe, New York City Dance Alliance, JUMP, 24Seven, Radix, Hollywood Dance Jamz & NUVO for their outstanding work.
Shannon takes pride in exposing her students to the the top teachers and choreographers from around the country by having a top-notch staff, bringing in master teachers, attending dance conventions, and traveling to various cities for training. Shannon is married to Patrick Denney, and the two reside in Vestavia Hills with their adorable daughter, Sara Madelyn.
Lindsay Jones
Hip Hop
Lindsay Jones is the hottest hip hop talent in the Birmingham area. Her teaching style is high- energy and non-stop. Her unique style of choreography has been recognized on the local, state and national level. Lindsay serves as The Pointe’s Company Hip Hop choreographer where she has gained countless accolades for her work including Concept Awards and overall awards. In 2013 & 2014, Lindsay’s choreography was recognized as The Best Hip Hop in Birmingham at Applause Talent Competition. Lindsay also serves as the Hoover High School Buccanette Dance Team choreographer. In 2009, 2010, & 2011, Lindsay led the Oak Mountain Middle School Dance Team to the title of Alabama’s Junior High State Champions. In 2010, her jazz piece went on to be named 3rd in the nation at the Universal Dance Association National Championships in Disney World.
Christie Everett
Preschool, Beginning Ballet, Jazz & Tap
Christie Everett has over 16 years of experience teaching dance to children of all ages. She grew up in Huntsville, Alabama where she had the privilege of studying dance under Rita Leidags and Patricia Taylor for 14 years at Performing Dance Arts in Huntsville. Christie received is a graduate of Auburn University where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Dance/Theatre. In 2001 she moved to Chicago where she accepted a position teaching tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical and hip hop for Joe’s Footwork Studio and The Dance Workshop Company. In 2003 Christie was given the title of Head Choreographer for The Dance Workshop Company, a non-profit organization that traveled throughout the Chicago area performing and competing at local dance competitions. While in Chicago, Ms. Everett continued to study dance at The Joel Hall Dance Center. After the birth of her first child, she returned to the South. For the past seven years, she has resided in the Birmingham area. She has been a member of Dance Masters of America in Ballet and Tap since 2000.
Lisa Gibbs
Ballet
Lisa Gibbs has a diverse background in ballet and modern dance, higher education, and arts administration. She is a former professional dancer with Southern Danceworks, a modern dance company directed by Teri Weksler of the Mark Morris Dance Group. Lisa continued a performance career with two Birmingham area companies—Sanspointe, a modern dance company, and Arova, a contemporary ballet company, prior to retiring in 2011. From 2002 to 2013, Gibbs was on faculty at Samford University as the Coordinator of Dance, the Box Office Manager, and was the Administrative Assistant for the Department of Theatre and Dance. She is currently building a second career with Primerica, a financial services company devoted to helping Main Street families become properly protected, debt free, and financially independent. She finds the arts community lacking in employee benefits such as retirement and insurance, and has found Primerica to be a company who can provide such services and whose core values align with hers.
In addition to teaching for the Pointe Dance Arts, Lisa is writing her dissertation on dance education in Alabama as she pursues an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration at the University of Alabama. She works part time as Administrative Assistant for the Alabama Dance Council, a state-wide service organization for dance of all forms. She is a member of the National Dance Education Organization and is an American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum certified instructor for Primary through Level 5. Gibbs also serves as Chair of the Fine Arts Committee of the Norton Board of Advisors for Birmingham-Southern College.
Heather Brustolon
Ballet
Heather Brustolon is native to Mystic, Connecticut and received her early training at Eastern Connecticut Ballet, carefully studying with teachers such as Adam Miller, Arantxa Ochoa, Alla Nikitina, Gloria Govrin and Krystin McClure. She furthered her education at Butler University and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance and a minor in mathematics.
Ms. Brustolon has enjoyed performing principal and leading roles with the Alabama Ballet in George Balanchine’s the Nutcracker, Agnes de Mille’s Rodeo and Fall River Legend, Sir Frederick Ashton’s Les Patineurs, Don Quixote, Cinderella, and Romeo and Juliet. She excited to begin her fifth season with the Alabama Ballet. She has previously performed for the Montgomery Ballet as a company dancer and has appeared at the Southern Illinois Music Festival as a principal guest artist.
In addition to her role as a company dancer with the Alabama Ballet, she has taught in the Alabama Ballet School for the past two years and is certified to teach the Royal Academy Dance syllabus grades 1-5.
Ashley Booker
Hip Hop
Claire Hutchinson
Ballet
Carrie Kolb
Acro
Sarah Beth Shepard
Preschool
Abby Taylor
Preschool, Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical
Mallory Herring
Preschool, Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Tap
Maya Johnson
Preschool, Hip Hop, Jazz, Danceteam Technique