Coaches Page
Dawn Adams (Director/Head Coach)
Dawn C. Adams is a native of College Park, Maryland, began her dance training at the Washington School of Ballet. Dawn earned her Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Psychology and double minored in Sociology and Dance at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, VA.
While attending ODU, Dawn was accepted as a hip-hop video/tour dancer finalist for Chancey Black (Blackstreet). She was also a former Norfolk Nighthawk Professional Football Arena Dancer as well as a Universal Dance Association (UDA) instructor. On a national level, Dawn has taught middle and high schools students as a UDA instructor. She has competed on a national collegiate level, and choreographed for the nationally ranked Virginia Dazzlers All-star dance teams on a local and national level. Dawn has choreographed and performed for the 2002 and 2003 Afram Festivals and at the 2002 Virginia Hip-Hop Awards. She has danced and choreographed performances as well as a music video for Kazual an up and coming Pop/R&B singing group. Dawn has worked at several area dance studios such as Maureen’s School of Dance and Oceanfront Dance Company. The summer of 2006 Dawn was named the Head Coach for the Virginia Beach Mariners Professional Soccer Dance Team. As a Certified Pilates Instructor and Director of the Pilates Reformer Program, Dawn currently teaches private and group Pilates training sessions at the Newport News Gold’s Gym. She has taught Pilates Master classes at Transitions Dance Studio and Salem High School. In addition she also taught Pilates training classes for Norfolk State University in 2006. Dawn is currently in the process of finishing her Nutrition Specialist Degree.
Meredith Hernandez (Assistant Coach)
Meredith Hernandez is a native of Chesapeake, Virginia, began her dance career at the Academy of Contemporary and Classical Arts and continued through high school.
Through her University career at Old Dominion University, many of her works were selected by faculty to be performed for the University Dance Theatre Faculty Concerts. Her senior project was one of two student pieces selected to be shown and adjudicated at the American College Dance Festival in 2004. Meredith later relocated with her husband to Manchester, New Hampshire. While in New Hampshire she expanded her teaching career by teaching for City Dance Studio in Manchester, New Hampshire from 2005-2007. With the modern dance background that Meredith possesses and under her direction, two of her former students in New Hampshire were accepted into the Boston Conservatory Modern Program and one dancer was accepted into the Alvin Ailey Summer Intensive. Meredith is currently the Assistant Coach of the ODU Monarch Dance Team and plans on continuing her career in the dance community.
