Ann Bradey began studying dance at the age of five while enrolled at Center of Performing Arts in Graham, North Carolina. While at COPA she was a founding member of The Ballet Theatre of Graham under the direction of Lindsay Tilley.  In the fall of 1999 she participated in the Triangle Youth Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker while studying with Lauren Lorenz de Haas. The following spring she auditioned for several summer programs including North Carolina School of the Arts, Atlanta Ballet, and North Carolina Dance Theatre. She was accepted into all three but chose to spend the summer studying at NCSA. While at NCSA she studied closely with Gina Vidal, Gyula Pandi, and Jacob Brent.

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Following that summer Ann Bradey began studying at Walkerdance Ballet Theatre with John Walker. While a student at Walkerdance, she performed such roles in The Nutcracker as, Snow Queen, Dew Drop, Marzipan, and the Sugarplum Fairy. She also participated as a leading dancer in two Walkerdance works that appeared at Festival Park in Manteo, North Carolina. Ann Bradey graduated from Walter M. Williams High School in 2005. While at Walter Williams High School, Ann Bradey was involved in the musical theater program under the direction of Laura Sam for three years. She was a featured dancer in Crazy for You; You Can’t Stop the Beat, and The Nicest Kids in Town. 

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After graduation she continued her dance studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she was involved in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Ballroom, Contact Improvisation, and African dance. While at UNCG she was active in a variety of dance programs including, three MFA Thesis Concerts, BFA Thesis Concerts, Faculty and Departmental Concerts. Ann Bradey was an active member of Prime Movers, a dance organization run by students of the dance department. She studied under the direction of Jan Van Dyke, Duane Cyrus, Karla Finger Coghill, Larry Lavender, John Gamble and BJ Sullivan. In May of 2010 she graduated cum laude from UNCG with a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance, along with her K-12 teacher licensure in dance. 

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In the Spring of 2010 Ann Bradey performed at the Weatherspoon Art Museum for professional artist Leonardo Drew in his Existed: Leonardo Drew exhibition. Ann Bradey has also spent a summer at the notable American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina where she studied with Gerri Houlihan, Ming Yang, and Ishmael Houston-Jones. Ann Bradey has choreographed several original dance pieces and continues to enjoy the process of choreography. She has enjoyed being a guest artist at several dance studios around the Triad area.  

 

 

 

 

Emily Lewis began studying ballet with John Walker at the age of three.  She continued her training at Walkerdance until graduating from high school.  While a student at Walerkdance, Emily performed various leading roles in The Nutcracker.  She also performed with Walkerdance on several occasions at the Stevens Center in Winston Salem and was fortunate enough to participate in the UNCSA School of Dance Summer Intensives. 

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Emily attended The University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she was awarded the June P. Galloway Scholarship for Excellence in Education in the area of Health and Human Performance.  While at UNCG Emily studied under the direction of Jan Van Dyke, John Gamble, BJ Sullivan, Sherone Price, Eluza Santos, and Rick McCullough.  She was active with Prime Movers, and performed in various BFA and MFA Thesis Concerts, as well as Faculty and Departmental Concerts.  She was also a featured dancer in the opera Hansel and Gretel performed by the UNCG Music Department.  She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance Education in May 2000.  After graduation, Emily taught dance at Hilburn Drive Elementary School in Raleigh, NC, where she implemented a before school Kinderdance program for kindergarten students. 

In August of 2001, Emily moved to Randolph County where she taught dance at Randleman Middle School for seven years.  While there, she had the opportunity to collaborate with the choral and theatre departments at Randleman High School where she choreographed their musicals, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Anything Goes, and High Society.  During this time, Emily also taught dance at Shelly’s School of Dance in Asheboro, NC under the ownership of Shelly LaCoss.

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Emily obtained certification in 2008 to teach English as a Second Language and joined the Alamance-Burlington School System teaching at Woodlawn Middle and Eastern Alamance High schools.  In May 2014, Emily earned her Masters of School Administration from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She is currently employed as the ESL Program Specialist for Secondary Schools in ABSS.  An active participant in community theatre, she also enjoys choreographing musicals for local theater groups including The Gallery Players and Randolph Summer Vacation Playhouse (RSVP). 

Emily began teaching at Walkerdance Ballet Theatre in 2006 under the mentorship of John Walker and has been around to see many exciting changes since she began her dance training here as a small child.  She considers herself fortunate to now be working with Ann Bradey as they carry on the quality instruction and traditions that have always been a part of Walkerdance. 

 

 

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John Walker was one of the original students at the NC school of the Arts studying in both the Modern and Ballet Departments. From there he went on to become an apprentice with the Joffrey Ballet Co. in New York City before joining the Atlanta Ballet Company. After returning to New York, John had the opportunity to study with teachers and choreographers such as Leon Daneilian and Patricia Wilde at the American Ballet Theatre School and with the "dancer's teacher" Maggie Black. His modern studies included training with Pauline Koner, Alice Condadina, and Betty Jones in the Limon technique. At the Ailey Studio (Alvin Ailey Dance Co.), John worked extensively with James Truitt. John then performed all over the United States and Canada. He was a guest member of the New York City Opera Ballet Co., both in New York and Los Angeles, and continued to guest perform with the Atlanta Ballet Company and the Miami Ballet Company.

 

John has been Assistant Choreographer and Featured Soloist to Donald Sadler and featured performer for the West Coast production of "Knickerbocker Holiday" starring Burt Lancaster, and also toured in the Broadway production of "The Rothschild’s" starring Hal Linden. He has appeared in concerts at Town Hall, Clark Center of Performing Arts, Riverside Theatre, and an educational film for the Lincoln Center, all in New York. Prior to his return to Elon in 1979 to open Walkerdance, John operated his own studio in Elizabeth City and Manteo, NC. John has also taught in New York, London, and on the West Coast at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. He has performed, choreographed, and taught extensively throughout NC, including The Lost Colony in Manteo, Theatre on the Park in Raleigh, Dance Theatre in Winston-Salem, 5 years as choreographer for the outdoor drama "Horn in the West" in Boone, NC, UNCG Dance Department and North Carolina School of the Arts, where in 1995, John was sponsored by being presented the school's Distinguished Teacher Award at the 30th graduation ceremony.

 

John has most recently been choreographer for the outdoor drama "The Lost Colony" in Manteo, NC. In November 2004, he was awarded the prestigious Morrison Award from the Roanoke Island Historical Association "for demonstrating the highest standards of excellence, exemplary leadership, dedicated support and personal generosity in the advancement of the Performing Arts throughout the state of North Carolina." Although retired from daily teaching, he remains as Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus of his Studio Walkerdance Ballet Theatre in Burlington, NC.

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