Tonya Reed-Simon
Tonya Reed-Simon is the owner of B. Elite Dance Academy in the St. Louis area. Tonya has influenced many dancers in the art of dancing. While performing for Nelly and the St. Lunatics, Tonya also choreographed for Nelly's “Nellyville US Tour and World Tour”. She has also choreographed a piece for the DANCE THE DREAM PBS SPECIAL, which celebrates Dr. King's 50th Anniversary of the "I HAVE A DREAM" speech.
She has also choreographed for numerous NBA events. With over 20 years of dance experience in all genres, Tonya is a well-rounded highly motivated teacher that will leave your kids inspired. Keeping up her flair for business and choreography, Tonya parlayed those roles into appearances on the commercial dance world’s leading stages: MTV's WADE ROBSON PROJECT and RADIO CITY MUSIC AWARDS.
Tonya's accolades in the commercial world opened the door for her to begin directing at B. Elite Dance Academy. Today, she continues to be one of the most popular sought after Hip-Hop teachers in the Midwest and has stewarded relationships between the commercial and concert dance within the studio’s walls.
Tonya is currently a Judge for Talent on Parade National Dance Competition.
Tonya is currently a convention teacher for Talent on Parade and does Master Classes and Workshops all throughout Missouri and Illinois.
Her credits include: Nelly, St Lunatics, Diddy, Murphy Lee, Tommy Davison, Budweiser and ESPN, and Busta Rhymes.
Not one to limit herself or the students and dancers she works with, Tonya has several programs she continues to pursue artistic inspirations under. She is the Artistic Director/ Choreographer of B.E.D.A. – B. Elite Dance Academy; Head Coach of a high school dance team at Hazelwood East; and the Artistic Director of her Commercial Dance Training Program called Sky's the Limit .
All of these ventures allow Tonya the creative outlet to continue pursuing her unique fusion of various dance styles with all disciplines of art, beyond performance and workshops all throughout Missouri and Illinois.
Ashley L. Tate
Ashley L. Tate is the founder, artistic director, and lead choreographer of Ashleyliane Dance Company (ADC), a full service dance organization based in the Greater St. Louis area. Ashley has studied dance for over 30 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Science from Texas Christian University, where she served two consecutive years as captain during her four-year stint as a member of the TCU Showgirls Dance Team. She has been an instructor for National Dance Alliance, a cast member in a Sony Dreamworks motion picture, and a bodily-kinesthetic intelligence presenter for St. Louis Area Resources for Community and Human Services (ARCHS).
Ms. Tate has choreographed for NCAA basketball and football halftime shows, studio recitals, theatre productions, professional dance organizations, and national and regional dance competitions. She teaches master classes and workshops in contemporary, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, and specialty classes in turns, leaps, and cardio hip hop. She was a member of the Saint Louis Rams Football Cheerleaders, serving as a captain for two years. She also served as the head cheer and dance coach at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and as an adjudicator for Cathy Roe Ultimate Dance Competitions. Ms. Tate is now a board member for Missouri Dance Organization, and a member of the National Dance Education Organization, and an adjudicator for Fury Dance Competitions. She is also a recently certified Zumba® instructor.
Ms. Tate is an adjunct instructor of dance at Washington University in St. Louis and the former chair of the dance department at Grand Center Arts Academy. She was invited to a private audition for Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour and is a recipient of Grand Center’s Emerging Artist Visionary Award. She has served as a judge for the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation’s Teen Talent Showcase for several years. She is also a winner of the Pulse On Tour Dance Convention Protégé Scholarship, a Monsters of Hip Hop Scholarship (and a former Monsters Show Nominee), and is signed as a dancer and dance educator with Clear Talent Group in Los Angeles, California. Her work has chosen to be featured in choreographer’s showcases at the Peridance Capezio Center, TADA! Theater, and Baruch Performing Arts Center, all in New York City, as well as the Choreographer’s Carnival in Chicago, Illinois and Versatility Dance Festival in Boulder, Colorado.
Christopher Thomas
Christopher is a native of St. Louis, MO, I began performing young here in local theater productions before becoming a competitive dancer in dance studios and gymnastics. This would grow into multiple summer / fall productions at "The St.Louis Muny Theater" & The FOX Theater by teenage years. Learning the basics of ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, tumbling & musical. Ultimately moved to Los Angeles, California fresh out of high school to pursue dance/acting professionally. I connected with an agent & began auditioning and the rest is history. Working with huge Choreographers/Directors and connecting with Icons in the dance industry!!! I found myself living out my ultimate dance dreams through work in Television ( Disney Shake It Up) Networks ABC & NBC , Film, Theatrical Productions, Award Shows( VMA’s, AMA’s EXFACTOR) , Tours, Commercials and background danced for #1 Ranked Billboard Charted Artist such as Britney Spears, Katie Perry, Beyonce, Sasha Gradiva (Russian Pop Star), Kool & The Gang, Kelly Rowland