Meghan Wham
Owner/Artistic Director
Jazz/Contemporary/Hip-Hop
Meghan Wham was born and raised in Winston-Salem. She began dancing at the age of three at the Ballet and Performing Arts Centre under Natalie Mizell-Calvano. While studying at Queens University of Charlotte, Meghan joined the Queens Dance Club. She became the ballet and lyrical choreographer and choreographed pieces for multiple shows at Queens. She graduated with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Spanish. Meghan taught second grade for ten years in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. During her time in education, Meghan taught jazz, ballet, contemporary, and hip-hop classes at BPAC. Meghan has won two Choreography Awards at Bravo Competition and Star Talent Competition. One was for a jazz piece entitled “Bossa Nova” inspired by Elvis Presley. The other was entitled “A Good Day for Dreaming” in honor of her late grandfather. In August of 2023, Meghan became the new owner of The Ballet and Performing Arts Centre. She is excited for this new chapter in her life!
Faculty
Our faculty possesses a shared passion for the performing arts and is fully committed to the development and training of our students. Our instructors come from various training backgrounds with an impressive list of credentials including dance degrees, professional dance careers, and countless years of teaching experience. Having worked in various aspects of their field, they each bring their expertise and knowledge into the classroom. BPAC's faculty members place a strong emphasis on technique, proper placement achieved through anatomical awareness, and overall performance quality. Our instructors strive to develop strong, versatile dancers who will be recognized for excellence.
BPAC has created a carefully structured program designed to produce technically proficient dancers within each class level. Our friendly, motivating staff members use positive reinforcement to help inspire and challenge BPAC students as they advance through our progression of class levels. BPAC is dedicated to offering each student a solid technical foundation within a safe, nurturing learning environment. BPAC promotes a positive learning atmosphere in which dancers are encouraged to excel and challenged to reach their full potential. Our goal is to cultivate young dancers into well-rounded individuals who have not only an appreciation for dance but who reach for high achievement in academic and community service, as well. We are deeply committed to helping create and nurture lifelong values in each of our students.
Whether your child dreams of pursuing a dance career or simply attends class just for fun, BPAC's amazing staff is sure to instill strong character qualities and inspire a passion for dancing that will last a lifetime.
Natalie Calvano
Ballet-Pointe-PBT
Natalie Mizell Calvano was the former owner and artistic director of the Ballet & Performing Arts Centre for 30 years. Natalie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet & Modern Dance. She attended Meredith College for two years and was also a member of the Meredith Dance Theater. She studied at the Raleigh School of Ballet, Greensboro Ballet & UNCSA. She has had the honor of working with Rick McCullough, Jan Van Dyke, John Gamble, Carol Richard, Liz Lerman and Jack Arnold to name a few. Along with her degree in dance, Natalie has also taught in various studios throughout NC. In 1997, she received a grant through Smart Start with which she developed a creative movement program for preschoolers called "Storybook Dancing". She has also been the director of dance at Forsyth Country Day School Summer Quest program. In 1998, she was the Owner & Artistic director at Sandhills Dance and Performing Arts where she staged full productions such as "The Nutcracker,” “Sleeping Beauty” and "Cinderella". She produces the full length ballet, The Nutcracker annually at Reynolds Auditorium. She recently became certified to instruct Progressing Ballet Technique classes with Marie Walton-Mahon, and has also developed a preschool dance program called “Little Leapers” at St. Paul’s Preschool.
Erik Floor
Tap & Musical Theatre
A native of Cary, Il, Erik started tapping with his older sisters at age 6. After graduating from Cary Grove High School, he attended Millikin University and earned a BA in Theatre. While at Millikin, he was a member of their Dance Ensemble and also sang with the award winning vocal jazz group, “One Voice”.
In association with the Entertainment Design Group, Erik was a featured Dancer in many industrials across the country including Ceasar’s Palace, the Indianapolis Pacers, and Atlanta’s 4th of July Parade.
After college, Erik moved to New York and has performed in over 25 regional productions including: Singing in the Rain, The Producers, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, Avenue Q, The Drowsy Chaperone, West Side Story, Evita, The Will Rogers Follies, Dames at Sea, I Do! I Do!, Backwards in High Heels, and Jesus Christ Superstar. His commercial and television credits include: Shoe Carnival, Target, Samsung, Gossip Girl, Kings, Cupid, HBO's Boardwalk Empire. Erik is a proud member of Actor's Equity and the Screen Actors Guild.
Erik and his talented wife Annie left NY in 2011 to pursue a different career path, and raise their 3 beautiful girls. More recently, Erik has focused on being a Musical Theatre clinician, dance teacher and Dad. He is focused on helping young dancers broaden their skill sets and become more complete people, students, and performers.
Madeline Douglas
Madeline Douglas is a North Carolina based dancer, teacher, and choreographer. She started dancing at the age of 7. She graduated from East Carolina University in May of 2022 with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography as well as a Certificate of Entrepreneurship. While at ECU, Madeline performed in numerous student and faculty works. She was selected as the Student Choreographer in 2021 to present her work in a faculty show. She also received an Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Award where she created a stunning 21 minute long piece. Madeline received additional training from the UNCSA Choreographic Residency Summer Intensive in 2019, Virtual Urbanity Summer Dance Intensive in 2021, and Visceral Dance Company Summer Intensive in 2022. Additionally, Madeline owns and runs her own dancewear business, Alinement Dancewear. Madeline received an Accelerate Rural NC summer grant, an ECU I-Corps summer grant, and an Innovation Design Lab Fellows summer Grant in 2021 for her business. She was also a finalist at ECU’s Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge. Madeline plans to passionately pursue her business, continuing to make custom and ready-to-ship dancewear, as well as custom costumes, alongside her dance career. Madeline is so excited to work with BPAC!
David Hawk, a hip hop dancer, has been dancing since the fourth grade. This included being the leader of various dance groups and dance ministries throughout middle and high school. He then traveled with the recording artist Eddie James where he was the leader of the hip hop dance group Excalibur. David is the founder of the Hip Hop Out the Box dance workshop. He has been teaching hip hop dance to students around the triad from ages 6 to adult since 2006. From old school, new school, popping, locking, animation, krump or the latest viral dance craze, David is a constant learner of the Hip Hop dance scene. You may have also found David teaching ballroom dancing within the local school system as a Dancing Classrooms teaching artist.