ARTISTIC STAFF

TAMALYN BLACKMAN

FOUNDER/ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Tamalyn Blackman is a native of Charleston, South Carolina, and graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts degree from the College of Charleston.  After relocating to Elloree as a newlywed, Tamalyn began teaching dance in Orangeburg through the Parks and Recreation Department in August of 1986.  Ten years later, she and her husband Lee Blackman Jr. built Tamalyn's Dance Centre, which has now been in operation for over twenty years. Tamalyn also founded the Orangeburg Civic Ballet, Inc. in 1993 as a non-profit, totally volunteer, community dance company.

Tamalyn started her formal training with the Charleston Ballet School, becoming a member of the Charleston Ballet Company at age eleven.  She then trained at the Charleston Dance Studio becoming a founding member with the Robert Ivey Ballet where she earned the title of Principal Dancer.  During this time several pieces were choreographed for her.

Tamalyn has also studied ballet in New York, Seattle, Atlanta and Augusta with such teachers as Robert Joffrey, Gus Giordano, Melissa Hayden, Edward Villella, Suzanne Farrell and Valentina Kozlova. She has performed at the World's Fair; in Spoleto for both operas and ballet; with the Charleston Opera Company in West Side Story, Cabaret and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum to name a few; and with the Orangeburg Part-Time Players as a performer and choreographer.

While building her business, Tamalyn taught dance and aerobics in Charleston, Walterboro, Estill, Santee, Elloree and Holly Hill.  Tamalyn is the recipient of "Outstanding Woman of the Year in the Arts" by the Girl Scouts of America, Lowcountry Council.

Tamalyn and Lee reside in Elloree and are the proud parents of son Bardin.

Cammie Bunch

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Cammie Bunch has studied dance for 29 years, mostly under the strict hand of Anita Ashley and Leigh Powell Buckley at the Columbia Ballet School.  There she was a member of the Devine Street Dance Company.  She has also studied dance at Columbia College with Patty Graham, Wrenn Cook, Martha Brim and Marcy Jo Yonkey-Clayton. She has performed roles such as a solo in Don Quixote and the lead in the ballet Sing Sing Sing, choreographed by Maurice Curry (former director of Jazz Dance America). She was also a member of Ann Brodie's Carolina Ballet. There she participated in many performances such as The Nutcracker, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and Mladosti to name a few. Cammie is a current member of the Columbia College Dance Company directed by Wrenn Cook and has also been a member of the Dreher High School Dance Company directed by Ann Richardson. She has performed the role of Swanhilda in Coppelia and many other solos such as a jewel in Sleeping Beauty and the role of the Spanish princess in Swan Lake. Cammie has also studied at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, Massachusetts, the Joffrey Ballet School and The South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities.

Shannon Williams

ARTISTIC COORDINATOR

Shannon Williams has danced for 21 years in many various styles including ballet, jazz, contemporary and hip-hop to name a few.  She has not only taken from Tamalyn's Dance Centre since the age of five, but has since taught various classes at the dance centre such as hip-hop and contemporary.  She was a member of the Orangeburg Civic Ballet for twelve years before becoming an Assistant Director.  Growing up, Shannon had the opportunity to perform in many area productions such as The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty ballets, as well as original dance productions created by the OCB such as Tammy and the Geek and Alice in Wonderland.  She also performed in area festivals such as Piccolo Spoleto, Amazing Feets and the Festival of Roses.  Throughout her college career, Shannon had the opportunity to study with many master teachers and observe other dance teachers in area schools across the midlands.  She graduated from the University of South Carolina, Magna Cum Laude, with a degree in Dance Education in 2016 and was a Dance Educator and Dance Coach at Meadow Glen Middle School for the 2016-2017 school year.  Shannon now teaches full-time at Tamalyn's Dance Centre, teaching ballet, tap, jazz and conditioning.  She also teaches tap part-time at Mellichamp Elementary School as part of a grant program.  Shannon is so thankful to hbe able to teach dance throughout the Orangeburg community and looks forward to many more years of teaching and dancing.

Mikayla Rider

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Miykala Rider was born in Columbia SC, and currently resides in Orangeburg. She trained at Tamalyn’s Dance Centre in the following genres - ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, acrobatics, and tap for over 14 years. While there, she was a member of the Orangeburg Civic Ballet for 9 years. During most of her years in OCB, she was chosen to be a principal dancer. She performed in numerous productions and was given lead roles in The Nutcracker, Frozen, Peter Pan, and An American Girl’s Story to name a few. She is now on the artistic staff for the Orangeburg Civic Ballet. Mikayla is a Level 2 Certified Acrobatic Arts teacher. In the past, she has taught at Studio Z in Hampton, SC and at Southern Unlimited Dance Company in Beaufort SC. Mikayla plans to continue to grow her teaching career, while continuing her training in dance. She strives to help her students to be the best dancer they can possibly be, by encouraging them to grow more everyday.