Michelle Smith, Founder and Executive Director, has a background of over 24 years of ballet training including the New York City Ballet and San Francisco Ballet and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Texas Christian University. After college she joined the Delia Stewart Dance Company working first as principal dancer and then as Manager of the company and Director of the school where she established a children’s program and diversified the adult’s program that became the base for the Houston Metropolitan Dance Center. She has been involved in the Houston arts and dance community now for over 30 years. In the business world, Michelle was office manager of several real estate firms for her first 10 years in Houston.
jhon Stronks, Director of Programming
The Houston Metropolitan Dance Center is proud to introduce jhon r. stronks as our inaugural Director of Programming. The creation of this new position signals our continued organizational evolution. Through three areas of programming; open public dance classes, educational outreach and support for choreographic development, creation and presentation, HMDC is commitment to defining our footprint and impact on the Houston dance sector. Originally from Fresno, California jhon arrived in Houston through CORE dance and has works with HMDC for 15 years. jhon’s tenure with The Houston Metropolitan Dance Center includes service in artistic, educational and administrative capacities. Most recently jhon has been the catalyst for much of HMDC’s new programming, working with Executive Director, Michelle Smith and HMDC’s board of directors to collectively redirect the organization. “HMDC has been my creative home since I moved to Houston in 2006. In addition to the artistic and administrative opportunities HMDC’s support has allowed me to engage with the greater Houston dance sector which led me to the deeply community driven work I do on behalf of Dance Source Houston, Houston’s dance service organization. I’m looking at the Houston Metropolitan Dance Center through community service-oriented eyes. If HMDC’s organization and facility is intended to serve a specific purpose, then what are the programs that are going to facilitate the access necessary to make that happen? We need both intention and action. My motto right now is: Lead with programming" The Houston Metropolitan Dance Center is grateful to have such a passionate artist committed to developing and facilitating the direction of our programming.
Lori Yuill, Director of Curriculum
The Houston Metropolitan Dance Center would like to introduce its Director of Curriculum, Lori Yuill. Lori joined the staff of the Houston Metropolitan Dance Center in 2019 as a resident artist and faculty member, however has been associated with HMDC since 2015. Lori is developing the curriculum of all genres of dance and for all ages, working to coordinate with the administration and faculty the pathway for students to move through the Houston Metropolitan Dance Centers, whether they start as a child, teen or adult. Lori's background includes teaching children of all ages (from 2-100yrs) in a variety of situations and organizations including Education in Dance and the Related Arts, Essex Community College, Houston Community College, Hopestone Inc., and Society for the Performing Arts. She is also an independent artist choreographing work for spaces such as Tranquility Park, Finca Tres Robles, and Hermann Park. The Houston Metropolitan Dance Center is excited about the knowledge and perspective that Lori brings to the class programming and its ability to guide students to successfully achieve their dance goals.
Nicole Rajkumar, Director of Educational Outreach
The Houston Metropolitan Dance Center would like to introduce its Director of Educational Outreach, Nicole Rajkumar. Nicole comes to The Houston Metropolitan Dance Center with a background of thirty years of teaching in Europe, New York and Connecticut, including five years of Special Education focus. She has been with The Houston Metropolitan Dance Center for five years developing and expanding the educational and outreach programs from one offering to ten. Her emphasis now is the continued development of a special education program coordinating music and dance in HISD as well as community centers. HMDC greatly appreciates the continued work and passion that Nicole brings to the organization and its programming.