User:Shelypackdancers

Shely Pack-Manning has been a dance educator for nearly forty years. She began her dance training in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with Miller School of Ballet(Carl Heindrick and Virginia Toth). She studied intensively with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater where she danced professionally. She also danced as a professional with Timepiece, a Pittsburgh based modern dance company. She trained in Modern Dance with Judith Leifer and Eric Hawkins. Shely also danced with the St. Jude Hospital Tour with Danny Thomas.

Shely was a member of the TTS (Teachers Training School)faculty at Long Beach University for two years and is currently a faculty member of TTS at the University of Buffalo. Shely is the chairman of the Modern Dance Education Committee for Dance Masters of America and is the co-author of the Modern Dance Training Manual. Along with her husband, Jim Manning, Shely was commissioned to produce the training DVD The Art of Teaching Modern Dance and the soon to be released The Art of Teaching Ballet, both for Dance Masters of America. Shely is also a member of Dance Masters of California Chapter 13, where she is a Past President. She also serves as Vice-President for Dance Masters of America.

Shely has taught master class throughout the United States and Canada. She has judged for American Dance Awards, Dance Masters of America’s Miss and Mr. Dance Solo Title Competition and for many DMA Chapters.

Shely has had many award winning students throughout the years, including the 2000 Miss Dance of America, 2001 Teen Mr. Dance of America, 2003 Mr. Dance of America, 2006 Teen Mr. Dance of a America and the 2009 Junior Mr. Dance of America.

Shely’s students can be seen on Broadway, in National Touring Companies, music videos, television commercials, professional ballet and modern dance companies. Her student JP Viernes has been cast in the title role of “Billy Elliot” in Chicago, Toronto, and San Francisco. JP appeared on "Oprah" with Sir Elton John and also appeared in People Magazine.

Another student, Kristin Oei, is currently appearing in Spiderman the Musical on Broadway.

Yet another student, Pater Chursin, not only appeared in the revival of West Side Story on Broadway but also appeared in the dance company "Complexions".

Two students with the studio have won the Beach Blanket Babylon Scholarship for the Arts in San Francisco and a $10,000 prize for their dancing abilities.

Shely's studio, the Shely Pack Dancers, was named one of the top fifty studio's in the country by Dance Spirit Magazine.