Our Staff

Dianne Cheek, Owner

When Dianne opened Dianne’s School of Dance 41 years ago she wanted to give children a place to come and love to dance, learn life lessons, and stay busy and out of trouble! She has taught over 10,000 children, over 3 generations, and has loved every minute of it. Dianne started teaching at the young age of 11, under the direction of Ms. Vicky Moody. Dianne’s specialty is the art of tap dancing! She has trained under top instructors from around the country. Dianne’s students have appeared on Showtime at the Apollo, Showtime in Harlem, Choreographer’s Carnival in Los Angeles, Miss South Carolina, Miss North Carolina, and other National Events. She has former students currently studying at the prestigious dance schools: Juilliard and Alvin Ailey, both in New York City! She has influenced many in the community through the art of dance and through her dedication to community service. We are excited to have Ms. Dianne back in the classroom teaching pre-school combination classes!

Lacey Cheek McKinney, Co-Owner/Company Director

Lacey is a co-owner and artistic director of Starz Artistic Performance Company. She has been with our school for 26 years and has taught for 15 years.Lacey is a graduate of Greenville Technical College where she majored in Business. She studies under the top choreographers in the Nation including Travis Wall and Martha from So You Think You Can Dance, Caroline Lewis, Ray Leeper, Mia Micheals, Dee Caspberry, Frank Hatchett, and Mark Goodman. She has also studied under the ballet instruction of Sandra Miller, with the Balance Point, and Andrew Kuharsky with the Greenville Ballet.

Currently, Lacey judges on a regional and national level for various competitions and teaches master classes around the Southeast. She is also the director and choreographer for the Travelers Rest High School pageants.

Her companies have won numerous overall awards and have performed at numerous festival and events, including half-time entertainment at Furman Basketball Games. Last year “Starz” were National Champions winning the Top Studio Award in Myrtle Beach!

She participated in the 1990 Peach Bowl, 1994 and 2000 Citrus Bowl, and also was talent winner in 1998 Miss SC Pageant.

Hoyt Starkey, Clogging Company Director

Tasha Hughes, Company Co-Director

Cassie Batson

Jazz & Pre-school Instructor
Cassie is a Magna Cum Laude graduate from Anderson University where she majored in English. She has been with Dianne’s for 15 years, six of which she has been teaching. She has won numerous platinum, high gold, and gold solo, duo/trio, and group awards at regional and national competitions. She has trained at various dance conventions such as West Coast Dance Explosion, LA Dance Magic, and Shock and trained at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. She has appeared on MTV’s “Direct Effect” in New York and performed at Carnival—The Choreographer’s Ball in Los Angeles. Currently, Cassie teaches jazz and aspires to be a middle or high school English teacher.

Chad McCall

Hip-Hop & Contemporary Instructor
Chad McCall began dancing at the age of 15 and it has completely become his life ever since. After competing in the upstate area for 4 years, Chad moved to Los Angeles after graduating in 2005. While in LA Chad worked closely with, and assisted several of the countries top choreographers such as Erica Michelle Sobol (collidEdance), Chonique & Lisette (J.Lo, Britney Spears), Brooke Lipton (GLEE) and Gina Starbuck (Wicked, Americas Got Talent) just to name a few. In 2007 Chad was selected as a principal dancer in the motion picture "The Marc Pease Experience" starring Ben Stiller & Jason Schwartzman, choreographed by Joey Pizzi (Chicago, Hairspray) & Zach Woodlee (lead choreographer on GLEE). He also was a featured dancer in the move "Bolden!" (which is still in production) starring Anthony Mackie and choreographed by Hinton Battle (The Wiz, Idlewild). Chad also had the honor of being a part of Erica Michelle Sobol's LA based company, collidEdance. In 2009 he co-directed/choreographed her sold out company show "you.and.mE" at the famous Fox Theater in Hollywood. After moving back to South Carolina in 2010 Chad has been teaching and choreographing around the country non-stop. He has had the honor of choreographing for two top 30 dancers for So You Think You Can Dance, being named Kid Artistic Revues 2010/2011 teacher and choreographer of the year, and most recently his choreography and dancers placed fifth in the world at the 2011 World Dance Championships. Currently Chad is teaching the wonderful and talented students of Diannes School of Dance along with being faculty on EVOLVE dance conventions. He is so excited and blessed to know and be a part of Diannes School of Dance & Starz Artistic Performing Company.

Ryan Kirby

Jazz, Hip-Hop & Company Instructor
Ryan is 18 years old and was born and raised in Greenville, SC. He started dancing at the age of 7. He trained for several years in the upstate area in all styles of dance. He has won numerous scholarships and titles along with several first overalls. He has trained under choreographers such as Nick Lazzarini, Dee Caspary, Brooke Lipton, Chonique and Lisette, Laura Edwards, Nick DeMoura, Chad McCall, and Bobby Newberry. Just to name a few. At the age of 17, Ryan booked the highly sought after professional dance job Macy's Passport 2010. This was directed by Brian friedman (Britney Spears choreographer and Americas Got Talent choreographer) and choreographed by Tony Testa(Janet Jackson choreographer and Michael Jackson choreographer). Macy's Passport toured parts of the country performing shows in cities like Chicago, Minneapolis, San Fransisco, and Los Angeles. After graduating in 2011, Ryan began teaching at Dianne's School of Dance and Starz Artistic Performing Company working with the national award winning jazz companies and also teaching recreational dancers. He is very excited to teach and share his knowledge and style with the students of Dianne's School of Dance.

Ereaka Binns

Pre-school, Jazz & Hip-Hop Instructor
Ereaka Binns is a graduate from Clemson University. At the age of 7 she started dance at Dianne’s School of Dance. Her ambition to dance led to volunteering at the dance school and working as an Assistant Dance Instructor. After years of experience in 2005 she became a Dance Instructor. While on Starz Artistic Performing Company from 1999 until 2008, she won numerous Platinum, High Gold, and Overall Achievement Awards for Solo and Duo performances at local and national competitions. She performed on national television at the Apollo Theatre in New York City in 2002, and also held the title of Miss Teen Greenville-Northwest. While attending Berea High School, she won Grant Talent in the Miss Berea High School Pageant in 2002, 2003, and 2004. From 2000 to 2008, she won numerous dance scholarships from Paula Abdul Company Dance Convention, West Coast Dance Explosion, LA Dance Magic, Hollywood Connection, Tremaine, Company Dance, Stage One National Dance Competition, New York Dance Alliance, and Shock Convention. She has fourteen years of training in Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, and Clogging. Ereaka studied under Dennis Caspberry, Mark Goodman, Eric Campros, Ray leeper, Mike Minery, Sheila Barker, Jermaine Brown, Frank Hatchett, Rhapsody James, Doug Caldwell, Mia Michaels, Savion Glover, Dan Karaty, and Brian Friedman.

Farrah Norris

Pre-school & Jazz Instructor

Geri Leckie

Office Manager

Randi Revis

Ballet Instructor, Office Staff
I began dancing at the age of 3 and have been with Dianne's since age 5. I was a member of the original "Divas" performing team under Lacey McKinney where I performed in many shows and events; and won many top awards in competitions. I graduated from Lander University with a degree in Psychology with a counseling emphasis and a concentration on children. I have since spent my time working with children of all ages and adults who have physical, mental, and social/emotional handicaps. I am also the pre-school worship team leader at my church. Outside of dance and church, I enjoy spending time with my husband Jeremy, my son Pete, and all of my animals. I also enjoy cooking, scrapbooking, and horseback riding.

Brittany Williams

Pre-school, Jazz & Clogging Instructor, Office Staff
My name is Brittany Williams and I am a graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a minor in Legal Studies. I have danced for 19 years, the first 15 of which were spent at Dianne’s School of Dance, and am also a certified Zumba instructor. While I was at Clemson, I was a member of the Clemson University Rally Cats and was the Dance/Morale Chair for Clemson University Dance Marathon from 2007-2009. My future plans are to attend law school, all the while continuing to fulfill my passion for dance.

Tyquan Christie

Jazz & Hip-Hop Instructor

Blake Sanders

Clogging, Lyrical, Hip-Hop & Jazz

Heather Waldbart

Ballet Instructor

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