Debbie Carney 

Director, Choreographer

Debbie founded Debbie’s School of Dance in 1983, and has taught recreational and competitive dancers for the past thirty one years. The studio has won many regional and national awards. She believes the dance educators' role is not only to teach the newest steps and the correct technique but to instill self esteem, confidence, and life lessons that will influence the students to become the best they can be. Miss Debbie has been married for 32 years and has two children. She was chosen as "Tremaine Dance Convention National Teacher of the Year" for 2010 - 2011.    

Erin Edmonds 

Business Manager 

Everybody loves Miss Erin! She was a student at the studio for fifteen years and has been our Business Manager since she started college. Erin is the champion of keeping everyone and everything in line; the studio just does not work without her! Erin has a Bachelor's of Science degree in General Management from the University of South Alabama and is married with three children.

Caroline Tison 

Competition Director, Choreographer 

Miss Caroline has danced since the age of 4, training extensively as both a member of the Mobile Ballet Company under the direction of Winthrop Corey and Ann Duke, and as a competition team member of Sheffield School of the Dance under the direction of Celi Shinn and Theresa Noletto Hutchins. As a member of the Mobile Ballet Company she performed in numerous corps and soloist roles in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Dracula, A Streetcar Named Desire, Swan Lake and Carmina Burana. As a member of Sheffield School of the Dance company she traveled across the country competing in multiple regional and national competitions every year and participating in conventions such as West Coast Dance Explosion, LA Dance Magic, NYCDA, Co. Dance, and Tremaine as part of her dance training.

As a competitive dancer she received numerous dance convention scholarships on the regional and national levels, and notable scholarships include agency scholarships, Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive, Edge Performing Arts Center, and Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in California. On the competition circuit Miss Caroline was Teen NYCDA Dancer of the Weekend title winner, PDTA Miss Teen Stars of Tomorrow, Tremaine Dance Conventions Teen Dancer of the Year TOP 10, and Co. Dance Teen Dancer of the Year TOP 5 where she performed on ESPN under the direction of Paula Abdul. For her summer training, Caroline auditioned and was accepted into prestigious programs including the American Ballet Theatre Tuscaloosa intensive, the American Ballet Theatre and Joffrey Ballet summer intensives in New York City and the Millennium Dance Complex and Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles.

Caroline has been seen on the sidelines and on TV at Jordan-Hare stadium as a member of Auburn University’s Tiger Paws Dance Team from 2003-2007. As part of the Tiger Paws she performed at football and basketball games, pep rallies, and various other campus and sporting events. As a team member, she has competed at the Universal Dance Association College Dance Team National Finals in Orlando, FL. She holds a degree in Accounting from Auburn University. From 2007-2008, Caroline was a part of the Tremaine Dance Convention National Performance Company, assisting classes for instructors such as Doug Caldwell, Keri LaGrand, and Desiree Robbins, and performing in the faculty show in various cities.

As competition director and choreographer for Debbie’s School of Dance, her dancers have won many overall awards on the regional and national levels. More than 10 numbers have been selected to compete in National Finals Galas at both Tremaine Dance Conventions and Streetz Dance Conventions, many being awarded the National Finals Champion of their age division and others receiving TOP 5 honors. In addition to her work at the studio, Caroline has enjoyed traveling back to her alma mater to teach choreography to the Auburn University Tiger Paws Dance Team over the years.  

Noble Bradley 

Instructor 

Noble Bradley began dancing in 2001 at LeFlore High School with Moving Images Dance Company. In 2002, Noble danced in the opening of Americas Junior Miss Program. Noble received Tremaine's senior male dancer of the year award in 2004, where he joined Tremaine's traveling dance company. In 2005, he performed as a principal dancer in a play written and choreographed by Debbie Allen shown in Washington D.C. Noble has won numerous awards including "Mr.West Coast Dance Explosion" for the Gulf Coast Area. He graduated from Dillard University in 2008 with a B.S. in Biology.

Kori Ross

Instructor 

Originally from Detroit, MI, Kori Ross started dancing and competing at the age of nine in her hometown studio The Dance Place. Her path to becoming a professional dancer began in 1996 while attending Jazz Dance World Congress in Washington D.C. It was there she received a two year apprentice scholarship to study with Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. During that time she trained in all genres of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and modern. She also performed with GGJDC, as well dancing in local industrials and began substitute teaching at the Giordano studio. This was an opportunity 
that had given her the strong foundation to be a professional dancer, educator, and choreographer.
  
  Two years later, in 1999,  she came to the Gulf Coast and became a company member with Pure Gold Productions. At the age of 21, she was promoted to lead dancer and co-choreographer.  For the next five years she performed and choreographed in a number of casinos and shows around the country. This was an experience that she can now reflect on to her students today of what it takes to be a professional dancer.

  For the past twenty years Kori has been a dance educator and national award winning choreographer, along with judging dance competition’s and convention teaching.
She continues her education by attending workshops, taking classes, and growing in her pursuit of  the art and movement of dance. 
  Currently she has taken on the roll of dance director and company director with Mileys Academy of Dance, Vancleave MS. She is also a faculty member and company rehearsal teacher with Infinity Dance Company, Ocean Springs MS. Along with being on faculty at Robinsons Dance in Saraland AL. Kori also travels teaching Master Classes all along the southern coast from Florida to Louisiana. She has trained students who hold Regional and National Titles, have been awarded National Scholarships, along with dancers who have attended or are attending prestigious schools here in the South, as well as in New York and Los Angeles. Kori has trained dancers who are successful professionals in the industry today.

“As a dance educator my goal is to bring deep understanding, discipline, passion, and respect to the foundation of the art of dance to all dancers of all ages and all levels. Along with inspiring all to create through a strong rooted technical foundation in all forms of dance, and to allow for a creative  space to open the mind to the possibilities, exploration, and freedom in movement.”

Elizabeth McGinley

Instructor

Elizabeth McGinley is a native of Mobile and has been dancing since the age of three. During grade school and high school she competed with the Carol Graham Dance Company affectionately know as the "C-Gees". While competing she was awarded several group top awards, judge's choice awards, and a special regognition in overall performance in tap and jazz. Elizabeth continued studying dance at the University of South Alabama where she performed the lead for 2 seasons. Right after high school, she began teaching ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop at Carol Graham Dance Center. She also has been choreographer for McGill-Toolen's "Dancing with the Stars." Her knowledge of dance has also allowed her to judle several local dance teams and competitions. Elizabeth is married to Patrick and they have a four year old daughter that is taking classes at Debbie's. She is also a middle school science teacher at St. Pius Tenth Catholic School. 

Leila Cruthirds

Instructor

Leila grew up dancing in Mobile, performing with several schools in the area.  She was a member of Carol Graham Dance Center’s competition company and performed with them for 6 years winning multiple awards on the local and national level.  She also performed with Parapluie Dance Company.  In college, she studied Ballet as a member of Loyola Ballet and performed with them for 3 years.  While at Loyola New Orleans, she was also a member of the Loyola Dance Team.  Upon graduation, Leila returned home to Mobile and began teaching at Carol Graham Dance Center.  There she taught Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Lyrical for 19 years.  Leila currently teaches Tap and Jazz at Mobile Ballet and Ballet, Tap, and Tumbling at Debbie’s School of Dance.  In addition to teaching, she has choreographed and performed in many Mardi Gras tableaux as well as McGill-Toolen’s  fundraiser “Dancing With the Stars”.    

Gabrielle Cazalas

Instructor 

Gabrielle Cazalas has been a part of the Debbie’s Dance family since the age of 2 and grew up training in a variety of dance styles while competing on Debbie’s competition team for 13 years. Through years of dedication, hard work, and a love for dance, she developed not only her skills as a dancer but also a passion for teaching and inspiring young dancers.

During her senior year of high school, Gabrielle began teaching her own dance class, where she discovered her love for helping students build confidence, technique, and a passion for movement. She continued pursuing dance throughout college while attending Auburn University, where she served as the Greek Sing Director for Delta Gamma. In this leadership role, she choreographed large-scale dance productions and led her team through performances that combined creativity, teamwork, and performance excellence.

Now, Gabrielle is excited to be back at Debbie’s Dance, sharing her passion with the next generation of dancers. She teaches dancers of all ages and levels and strives to create a positive, encouraging environment where students can grow both as dancers and individuals. Gabrielle is grateful to return to the studio that shaped her love for dance and is honored to give back to the place that has always felt like home.