Meet Our Staff
Brandi Ellard
Studio Owner
Brandi Ellard is the owner and artistic director of Next Generation Dance Center. Brandi found her love of dance at the age of three and has been dancing, competing, and choreographing ever since. Brandi is trained in the areas of ballet, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, tap, clogging, gymnastics, and cheerleading. She was a teacher/choreographer at her mother's studio, Robin's School of Dance, for over 15 years. Brandi was a professional cheerleader/dancer for the Mobile Admirals Regional Football League and a professional cheerleader/dancer/choreographer for the Mobile Admirals Arena II Football League. She earned her bachelor's degree in Secondary Education from the University of South Alabama and worked as a teacher and cheerleading coach for 11 years. Brandi has won numerous overall regional, national, and choreography awards as a dance and cheer instructor. She continues to travel all over the United States sharing her love of dance and judging at the regional and national level. Brandi is inspired daily by her daughter Laurynn.
Dance Instructors
A teacher and choreographer for over 14 years. Brynn found her love of dance at the age of 3. Brynn is trained in the areas of gymnastics, cheerleading, lyrical, ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, and clogging. She has been an instructor for the Training Ground in Jacksonville, FL, MCCS Youth Center in Beaufort, South Carolina, and company choreographer for Robin's School of Dance for over 10 years. Brynn has trained under professional choreographers such as Dena Rizzo, Carissa Seaman, and Julian Thorn. In addition, Brynn was a cheerleader for the Mobile Wizards Arena II Football League. Brynn has won numerous choreography, overall, title, and top teacher awards at the regional and national levels.
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Brynn Burkmier
Choreographer
Brooke Burkmier
Choreographer
A teacher and choreographer for over 10 years. She was an All-American cheerleader for UCA for 5 years and was invited to attend the Hula Bowl in Hawaii. Brooke has performed at the Grand Ole Opry, trained in New York City and competed and performed in regional and national competitions all over the United States. She competed for the Mobile Gymnastics Team for 4 years. Brooke has won numerous awards for choreography, overall, and title and top teacher awards at the regional and national levels. Brooke has trained under professional choreographers such as Dena Rizzo, Carissa Seaman, and Julian Thorn. She is trained in the areas of ballet, jazz, hip hop, gymnastics, cheerleading, contemporary, lyrical tap, and clogging. In addition, she is a regional judge for DMI.
Laurynn Ellard
Choreographer
Dancing since the age of 3, she is the daughter of Brandi Ellard and granddaughter of Ms. Robin Rhodes. She is a competitive dancer at Next Generation Dance Center and Sheffield's School of The Dance. Laurynn is trained in the areas of ballet, tap, clogging, hip hop, tumbling, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, pointe', and cheerleading. She is the captain of the Theodore High School Cheerleading Squad, 4-time All-American Cheerleader, Jump off winner and finalist, UCA applicant and has received the UCA pin-it-forward award for 3 years. Laurynn has won numerous awards at the regional and national levels. She was recently named Senior Miss NYLA. Laurynn has traveled and continues to travel the US training under professional Choreographers such as Twitch from SYTYCD, Joe Tremaine, Colby Shinn, Derrick Schrader, Tiffany Maher from SYTYCD, Marty Dew, Tony Bellissimo from STEP UP and SYTYCD, Laurie Johnson, and Keri LaGrand, just to name a few. Her passion for dance and love of children inspired her to help others. Laurynn will attend college in 2015 and pursue a career as a Nurse Practitioner. NGDC is proud to have Laurynn at our studio this year as an assistant teacher / Choreographer. she is a recent graduate of the University of South Alabama where she receives her BSN in nursing. She currently works at USA children’s and women’s as an RN.
Kaleigh Collins
Choreographer
Kaleigh Collins Roberts fell in love with dance at the age of 4 as a student at Kelly's Dance Academy. She spread her wings further at the age of 9 when she began training with Mobile Ballet and Sheffield School of the Dance. For nine years, she traveled the country training and competing with the award winning Sheffield competition dancers. Kaleigh competed nationally in New York City, Las Vegas, and Orlando where she performed for ‪Paula Abdul‬, Kenny Ortega, Mia Michaels, Twitch, and more. She had the great opportunity to go to the Tremaine LA Intensive where she trained under professional choreographers like Mark Meismer, Liz Imperio, and Keri Legrand. Furthermore, she won scholarships at numerous dance conventions such as the Tremaine Convention Scholarship and the Elite Dancer Scholarship at WCDE. After graduating as Salutatorian from Alma Bryant High School, Kaleigh continued her education at the University of South Alabama where she was on the Prowler dance team. She is currently a Physical Education Teacher at Grand Bay Middle School where she is head coach of the outstanding Tiger Dance Team. Kaleigh began working as an instructor and choreographer at NGDC in 2015. Since then she has been awarded numerous choreography awards and has choreographed many award winning numbers. Kaleigh strives to create humble, hard working, disciplined dancers here at Next Generation Dance Center.