Faculty & STAFF

The faculty at Ballet Caliente is what sets us apart from other studios in the area. Our teachers have been trained by some of the best dancers and choreographers in the industry, and each member brings her own unique teaching style and passion for dance into the studio. In addition to excellent ballet training, Ballet Caliente teachers develop students into leaders by teaching work ethic, organization, self-confidence and social skills that will serve them all of their lives.

Discipline * Dedication * Determination * Devotion

Artistic Leadership

Sheryl-Marie Dunaway, Artistic Director

The owner and Artistic Director of Ballet Caliente, Sheryl-Marie Dunaway has taught dance for over 30 years. She began her training at the tender age of 3 with the British Ballet Academy studying RAD. At 16, she was invited to become an apprentice with the San Francisco Ballet Company and danced with it for five consecutive summers. She attended the National Academy of Dance in Champaign, Illinois, a performing arts boarding high school that was a feeder school for the American Ballet Theater. During the summer months, she furthered her dancing interests by attending dance sessions at several famous dance schools and companies. Mrs. Dunaway has received scholarships to study with an extensive list of well-known dance organizations. Some of the most prestigious are the San Francisco Ballet, Ballet West, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet; Dance Aspen and the School of American Ballet. She has studied with world-renowned teachers such as Lupe Serreno, Violette Verdy, Michael Maule, Harold and Lew Christiansen, Bene’ Arnold, Gus Giordano, and Joe Termaine. Mrs. Dunaway attended college on a dance scholarship at the University of Texas, El Paso, for one year then transferred to Southern Methodist University and received her BA, majoring in dance. Mrs. Dunaway has also performed as a professional dancer and a guest artist with several regional dance companies including Ballet El Paso, Ballet de Las Americas in Mexico, Ballet Fantastique, and the Monterey Peninsula Arts Company. Mrs. Dunaway enjoys writing and choreographing story ballets. Locally, she choreographed pieces and her troupe has performed with the St. Mary’s River Concert series in collaboration with Jeffery Silberschlag. Additionally, her group has performed the Nutcracker annually in conjunction with COSMIC orchestra, and the National Ballet of the Ukraine.
The wife of an active duty Navy man, she has moved 17 times in 26 years of marriage and has taught several hundred students everywhere the Navy has taken her family, including Japan. Although many of her students are dancing professionally, or are enrolled at highly accredited dance schools and universities, Mrs. Dunaway feels her greatest success is in touching others. Her fondness for children has led to her greatest joy . . .teaching.

Samantha Dunaway, Assistant Director

Sami is a three-year veteran dancer with the Washington Wizards. She attended Marymount University and enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as helping with Wizard Care charity events. Her favorite quote is: "Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must" - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Artistic Staff & Administration

Katrina Okoniewski, School Manager & Instructor

Katrina Okoniewski grew up in Harpers Ferry, WV and has been dancing since the age of five. She studied at the Mid-Maryland Performing Arts Center in Frederick, MD, the Charles Town Dance Studio in WV, and The Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts in Berryville, VA. After graduating from high school, Katrina began teaching at the Blue Ridge Studio in 2007. While teaching ballet, tap, and jazz classes she earned her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a minor in Music from Shepherd University. Katrina loves all genres of dance, but has a particular fondness for tap. She has taken master classes with tappers such as Julie Pentz of Kansas State University, Chris and Cassandra Baker of the National Tap Ensemble, and the New York City Rockettes. She loves to study old movies featuring legends like Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Ann Miller, and all the rest. In addition to instructing at Ballet Caliente, Katrina is the School Manager, regulating the business processes and administrative tasks that occur behind the scenes of Ballet Caliente, including the student database, registration, fees, orders, costumes, and ticket sales. If you have questions about your Jack Rabbit account, fees posted to your account, ticket sales, costumes or logo wear, you can reach her at [email protected] .

Jessie Walters, Marketing & Business Development, Instructor

Mrs. Walters began her life long love of dance at the age of 4. She studied under the tutilage of Mrs. Dunaway, Mrs. Gardiner, and Mrs. Daley while at Ballet Caliente for 6 years. Mrs. Walters was able to continue her dance training while she attended college at The American University in Washington, D.C., earning her B.A. in Graphic Design. She danced under the direction of artists such as Chirstopher K. Morgan, Ralph Glemore, Maurice Johnson and Melanie George, and was a member of both the American University Dance Company as well as the student run AU in Motion dance club. Mrs. Walters is thrilled to return to the studio where she grew up, to continue dancing, and share her love of dance with the next generation of ballerinas.

Julie Daley, Instructor

Mrs. Daley received her early Cecchetti training in Massachusetts from Irene Merrill, DMA, and former director of the Cape Cod Conservatory. She later studied the Russian method at the Performing Arts School of Worcester, the Dance Academy Westport, and the Hartford Ballet. Julie began teaching ballet in high school for various studios in Massachusetts. Additionally, she enjoyed dancing in musical theater productions and performed with the Southern Maryland Modern Dance Collective. Julie earned a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy from Tufts University, and combines her love of teaching, dance, and science. Teaching with Ballet Caliente since 2005, her knowledge of kinesiology, French, and expert teaching makes her a valuable member of our teaching staff.

Lindsay Gasaway, Instructor

Lindsay Gasaway began her training at the age of 10 in Ventura, CA under the direction of Clarissa Boeriu, studying Classical Russian Ballet. At the age of 11, she was accepted to the School of American Ballet Summer Intensive in New York City on a full scholarship. She went on to attend the summer program the following two years. At the age of 14, she was accepted to the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive on a full scholarship, and continued her training there for the 2013-2014 school year. Following her training with PBT, Lindsay attended the Princeton Ballet School Summer Intensive. At 16, she was accepted to the University of North Carolina's School of the Arts Summer program on a full scholarship. For her junior and senior year of high school, Lindsay returned home to California to study with Pacific Festival Ballet in Westlake. She performed in the company's production of The Nutcracker as the Snow Queen, and the production of Camelot, as a Lady of the Court. Following her graduation in 2019, Lindsay attended the Summer Intensive at Nashville Ballet, and continued there for the following school year.
In January of 2020, Lindsay married her high school sweetheart and became an active duty Navy wife. She is excited to join the Ballet Caliente family and is looking forward to getting back into the studio!