About Shamene

Shamene began her dance training in Chicago at Bataille Academie of the Danse, competing and winning scholarships to places such as L.A. by age 9.. She trained in baton twirling and was on her middle school cheerleading team and pom squad as well as her high school orchesis, dance team, and  elite troupe called Fly Girls (based on the professional group that JLo danced in).  Her family moved to Blair Nebraska where she continued her training and began teaching her own classes by age 15.  In High School, Shamene competed in cheerleading and earned a scholarship to perform in the Aloha Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii. After being on her high school cheerleading and dance teams, she continued that experience by dancing for the Huskers on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Scarlets Dance Team.  As a Scarlet, Shamene competed nationally for three years, placing third and second and second again. During college Shamene worked for Universal Dance Association teaching summer camps across the country to high school dance teams and she began teaching dance and cheer classes in Lincoln, which she has continued ever since. Shamene met her husband Dan in college, they married in 2000, and they began teaching TaeKwonDo together for Tiger Rock in 2002.  She has earned her 2nd degree level 4 black belt in TaeKwonDo. This opportunity also allowed her to earn her level 2 certification in YogaFIt. While teaching dance and taekwondo, Shamene also worked for Lincoln Public Schools as a Special Education para and worked as a preschool teacher for Knowledge Beginnings. Shamene coached the Pius X  High School Thunderettes dance team for 10 years, expanding the team and helping them support two more sports than they previously danced for. Shamene won coaching honors for her work with the Thunderettes. Shamene also choreographed material for the Millard North Dance team, Lincoln Lutheran Blue Angels, Lincoln Lutheran Inspirations, Meridian Cheer team, Pius X Cheer team, and Omaha Central dance team and she judged several high school tryouts as well as the UNL Scarlets tryouts. She has had opportunities to further her craft in continuing education seminars for dance teachers in Boston, New York, and Phoenix, providing her with valuable insight she brings to her classes.   Shamene and Dan have four children, so as her family grew, her career path narrowed to teaching only dance classes while raising children and beginning her volunteer work.  Shamene currently sits on the board of the Scarlet Alumni organization, is a member of the Lincoln Midwest Ballet Guild, and is the president of the Scott Middle School PTO. Shamene’s oldest son, Andrew, helps her at the academy while her other two sons, John and Bryan, dance competitively, perform in the Nutcracker and play select baseball in Lincoln and Seward. Her youngest, Susie, dances at Elmwood Dance Academy in the Sprouts class. Shamene’s husband Dan is a Senior Engineer for the international power industry research company EPRI    Shamene’s 32 years of  teaching experience includes instructing adults in ballet, hip hop, tap, yoga, aerobics, prep for wedding parties in ballroom basics, ballroom solo competition choreography, and First Wedding Dance choreography for to-be-married couples. She has taught children’s classes ages 2-18 in creative movement, tumbling, acrobatics, ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, musical theater, ballroom, pointe, cheer, pom, yoga, technique class, and conditioning.  Shamene’s experience includes working in large cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, Omaha, Lincoln, Emporia, and Kearney as well as communities like Blair, South Sioux City, Morill, and Elmwood. Shamene is so very excited to start a brand new chapter, becoming a small business owner, and opening the Elmwood Dance Academy to serve your community!