Our Dance Instructors

Sherry’s New York experiences include: television special with Brooke Shields, an Esprit clothing commercial, MTV’s The Real World New York (the first season – 2 episodes), danced with Jennifer Lopez and Lane Napper (co-star and choreographer on Victorious), and was the primary demonstrator for internationally known jazz teacher Frank Hatchett at dance conventions. Other performance opportunities: Disney World and Universal Studios Florida. She has performed locally in numerous York Little Theater and Fulton Theatre productions, and was the lead dancer for the Lancaster Dance Company.

Sherry began her dance training in York, PA at her great-aunt Darleen Paddison’s Dance Studio, where she eventually became an instructor. In 2008, she and fellow teacher Karen Adamson purchased the business, creating Innovations Dance Center.

Karen has performed in Universal Studios and Disney’s Magic Kingdom.  She has attended the Dance Teacher Summit in New York City in 2006, 2008 and 2011, and has taken class at the Broadway Dance Center.

Teaching young dancers is her favorite part of what she does. They are eager to learn, uninhibited, and enthusiastic.  She loves to watch them grow into not only beautiful dancers but respectable and independent, young people.  Dance gives them a place of their own, as they learn to express themselves and be comfortable with who they are.  It is her hope that they will call the studio home the way she and her fellow staff do.

After high school, she attended Point Park College in Pittsburgh, PA for dance, and in 1996 rejoined Innovations Dance Center as a teacher. Shelley was also the Assistant Director with Innovations Dance Company from 1996 to 2011, and has been the choreographer for York Suburban High School’s Musicals since 2005.  She has attended Dance Masters of America Master Classes and taken classes at Broadway Dance Center in NYC.

Shelley loves working with children and young adults and helping them explore the world of dance.  She says, “The students and the staff are truly my extended family and I love being part of such a wonderful team.”

katie bollinger

Katie started dancing at Darleen Paddison’s Dance Studio in 1997. Through her journey of dance she has taken jazz, tap, lyrical, ballet, and her favorite, pointe. She started assisting classes in high school and became Innovations Dance Center’s Company captain in 2008. She graduated high school in 2009 and shortly after joined Clarion University’s dance team. During her senior year she became caption of the team. She choreographed dances the team would perform at football games, basketball games, wrestling matches, as well as parades. Once Katie graduated college with a degree in Early Childhood and Special Education her dance journey seemed to slow down resorting only to Zumba classes at a local gym. However, that just didn’t seem the same. Four years later after graduation she was asked to teach summer classes and found absolute joy during that time and was asked to be a part of the family at Innovations Dance Center.

Melissa Emschweiler

Melissa’s dance background is very extensive. Starting at a young age she discovered her passion for dance at Darlene’s Dance Studio and is excited to return to where it all started for her. While growing up she also took gymnastics which lead her to be an All American Cheerleader in high school.

Melissa graduated from Shippensburg University where she was on the college dance team. She is currently a math teacher at York Catholic High School where she coaches cheerleading. When she’s not teaching she enjoys spending time with her husband, Matt and French Bulldog, Bruno.

Samantha Thomason

Samantha is a recent graduate from Eastern University with a B.A. in Dance and a B.S. in Environmental Science. Her early training began at Innovations Dance Center, where she studied jazz, tap, ballet, and modern. At Eastern University, she continued her technical training, performed in numerous dance concerts, and set choreographic works for the stage.

In 2019, Samantha performed her original work “As the Water Rises” and co-choreographed work “Progression.” In 2020, she prepared to present her senior thesis entitled “Again, My Mountain Calls.” In addition, she was co-president of Eastern Dance Ministry and president of Eastern Dance Club. In 2018 and 2019, Samantha attended various workshops and performed at two American College Dance Association (ACDA) festivals adjudicated by dance professionals, including Thomas F. DeFrantz, Loretta Livingston, Christine Knoblauch-O’Neal, Charles O. Anderson, Leslie Kraus, and Michael J. Morris. Recently, she prepared to present “Progression” at ACDA 2020. In addition, Samantha is a company member of NetCo Dance Company in Lancaster, PA and a dance instructor at Innovations Dance Center.

Drew Whitehead

Drew’s dancing experience started 16 years ago at Darleen Paddison’s Dance Studio which became Innovations Dance Center in 2008. In those years, she found her love for hiphop. Drew also has many years of experience with tap, lyrical, jazz, acro, modern, ballet, pointe & musical theater. At the age of eight, she joined Innovations Dance Company, and in her last 2 years, she supported the team as co-captain.

Since Drew’s first dance class, she knew dance would be a part of her life forever. In her graduating year of high school, she decided to further her education in dance. Drew had the honor to dance with Rennie Harris, Tyrone Proctor (Soul Train dancer), Tweet Boogie (dancer for Janet Jackson) and many more. She was also featured as a dancer on TruTV. Drew’s training includes locking, house and current hip-hop styles. Hip-hop is an ever changing style of dance that always encourages her to learn more and to teach.