Owner, Ballet, Pointe, Turns & Jumps & SCD Company Choreographer/Director

Shannon Crites founded SCDance in the summer of 1989. Shannon received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma. While at OU, she performed with both the Ballet and Modern Dance Companies. She was also an instructor for the National Cheerleading Association.

She has studied dance in New York City and Los Angeles and continues to take master classes with some of the most renowned dancers in the country. Her expertise is often called upon to judge dance competitions throughout the United States. She was selected and served as an Oklahoma Guest Artist in Residence.

Since opening her studio in 1989, Shannon has received top choreography honors at L.A. Dance Force, Stage One Dance Productions, Show Biz Talent, Encore Performing Arts and Starlight Dance Productions.  Her award winning SCD Company has been fortunate enough to perform at an OU Football Halftime, Six Flags over Texas, Walt Disney World, Radio City Music Hall, Los Angeles Theater Center, and Universal City Walk. They have also been featured performers on Warner Bros. 34 Fourth of July Special and on PBS with the Oklahoma Centennial Parade.  In 2002, Shannon was awarded the Dance Educator Award of Excellence.

While Shannon has received several honors in the dance community, nothing makes her happier than to watch her students succeed. To date, Shannon has had students earn both dance scholarships and/or degrees from Arizona State University, East Central University, Oklahoma City University, Texas A & M, University of Central Oklahoma and The University of Oklahoma. Shannon prides herself on making a college education a priority and will be featured in the September 2011 Issue of Dance Teacher Magazine discussing the importance of an education.

Shannon looks forward to this 22nd season at SCD and watching the dancers grow both physically and mentally. Here’s to another successful year!

Ballet, Jazz, Pre-K, Tap and SCD Company Choreographer

Annie Harlow began dancing at the age of six and has been a member of the SCD Family since its beginning in 1989. She was even a member of the “Original” SCD Company!

While dancing with the SCD Company, Annie performed at Six Flags over Texas, a University of Oklahoma Football Halftime, Walt Disney World, Los Angeles Theater Center and Universal City Walk. She spent two summers dancing in Los Angeles at the Edge Performing Arts Center, Encore Performing Arts Showcase and Clifton Dance Project.

Annie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Oklahoma City University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. While at OCU, she was Vice President of Recruitment for her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, an OCU Cheerleader and danced in the annual Choreography Showcase.

For the past two summers, Annie has traveled to New York City to continue her training as a dance instructor at the Dance Teacher Summit with some of the best dancers in the nation!

Annie has been married to her wonderful husband, Andy for 9 years and together they are raising 3 little maniacs; Molly 5, Henry 2.5 and Lucy 1.

Ballet, Preemies, Tap, Turns + Jumps & SCD Company Choreographer

Emily Orr began dancing at the age of 4 and has been moving and shaking ever since. She is an SCD Company Alumni and former student helper.

While dancing with the SCD Company, Emily had to opportunity to perform at Universal City Walk and the Los Angeles Theater Center. She trained at the University of Oklahoma Saturday Youth Program and also attended Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute in Modern Dance. Emily also danced in Los Angeles at the EDGE Performing Arts Center on Scholarship from LA Dance Force Convention.

After high school, Emily attended the University of Central Oklahoma as a dance major. She was a 2 year member of their Company, Kaleidoscope. Currently, Emily is getting her degree in Elementary Education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. She plans to graduate next fall.

Emily is not only a fabulous dancer and teacher but a wife to hubby, Justin and Mom to 3 little sunshines; Cameron 6, Corbin 2, Cruz 7 months.

Contemporary, Hip Hop, Jazz, Tap, and SCD Company Choreographer

Michelle Rambo has been an instructor at Shannon Crites School of Dance since 2005 but a member of the SCD Family long before that. As a student at SCD, she was a member of the SCD Company, a 3D Dance Network Scholarship Winner and recipient of the SCD “Spirit of Dance” Award.

In 2008, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science with a Dance Minor from East Central University. While attending ECU, Michelle was the first ever recipient of the ECU Dance Scholarship, a two year captain of the Collage Dance Troupe and named the 2008 Outstanding Senior Dance Minor.  With the Collage Dance Troupe, she performed in the National Dance Association’s Gala Performance in both Baltimore, Maryland and Wichita, Kansas. She has also performed for Habitat for Humanity, Black and Gold of Ardmore, OK and in the Oklahoma Centennial Parade. Michelle is also a member of the Ardmore Contemporary Dance Company.

Michelle has received choreography awards in hip hop for her SCD Company Routines “Elevator” in 2009 and “She Ain’t Got” in 2010. “She Ain’t Got” also received the Dance Spirit Magazine’s Video of the Month Viewer’s Choice Award in August 2010. And in January 2011, her high school hip hop class’s routine “Do You Remember” received the Dance Teacher Magazine’s Video of the Month Editor’s Choice Award.

Most recently Michelle has been traveling weekends with The Pulse on Tour Dance Convention as an Advanced Pro Protégé. She just completed her year of travel with them by performing in a Dave Scott hip hop routine at the Pulse NYC Gala.

• Alex Morales
• Allison Miller
• Anna Haas
• Blake Barnes
• Brandon Stahlbusch
• Cayman Oaks
• Claire Gallagher
• Livy Simms
• Paige Kriet
• Paxton Little
• Schuyler Henderson
• Stacie Ott
• Tatum Bowker