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TINKA PATTON – tinka@tinkasdance.com
has a BBA from U.T. Austin and is a Real Estate Agent in her spare time. Tinka is also very proud to be a member of “Cert”, The City of Austin Emergency Response Team. She has been teaching dance for over 30 years and is a member of Texas Association Teachers of Dancing, Dance Educators of America and Professional Dance Teachers Association. Many of her students have gone on to become professional dancers, choreographers and teachers.  Tinka hopes all her students will find the love of dance, as she did, and that it will last a lifetime.


DAISY THOMPSON
began dancing at the age of 3 in her mother’s dance studio in Oregon. Daisy’s proudest accomplishment includes being selected to the 4A Oregon All State Dance team, instructing for the United Spirit Association. She was chosen as one of 2 teachers from the United States to teach Jazz and Hip Hop in South America for a year, dancing and choreographing for shows in the Dominican Republic, The Bahamas, and Aruba for over 3 years. Being selected to the Lady Jax Dancers for the NLL of Portland, and of course her four seasons as a “Blazer Dancer” for the NBA’s “Portland Trailblazers” was another wonderful experience in her career. Daisy has choreographed the Blazer’s court routines and BlazerDancer auditions. Daisy is beginning her fourth year as teacher and director of our Dance Teams at Tinka’s. Daisy is attending the University of Texas pursuing a degree in Psychology. Daisy’s newest accomplishment was the birth of her son, Gabriel, in December 2009.

 

Melvin

 
 
 
 
 
MELISSA HARVEY
graduated from Sam Houston State University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance.  She returned in 2006 to get her Masters and completed her first year.  Melissa returned to Austin hoping to start a family with her husband, Leon, and has a beautiful baby girl.  Melissa has been sharing her love for dance at Tinka’s for eight years.

 

 
 
ANNIE WATTS
is starting her first summer with Tinka’s.  Annie trained all over the world in New Orleans, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Indianapolis.  She has danced at theme parks, on cruise ships and for magicians and too many other venues to mention.  She was also a featured dancer in a Lindsey Lohan film, “Just My Luck.” Annie trained since the age of 9 with Ballet Internationale in Indianapolis IN., under the direction of Eldar Aliev. where she Danced with and was trained by several of the company dancers.  She also toured with the company each year performing the Nutcracker in several roles over the years and was in various other Ballet performances  with the company as well.   She also Danced with Stage One Dance Studio from the age of 3.  Annie   is a joy to have at Tinka’s!

 
DANI STRAUS
has a Bachelor of Arts & Theatre in Dance From U.T. Austin (2000).  She was a 4 year member of the TEXAS POM SQUAD and assistant cheer and pom coach.  Dani was a member of the Universal Dance Association and instructed high school and college dance teams throughout the united States in all levels of jazz, hip hop, kick, pom and field routines.  She has also been an instructor and choreographer for several award winning dance teams.  Dani has taken a few years off to have 3 wonderful kids, but we are so glad she’s back.
 

n1393032571_7581 SALLY TOMASEK
is  a Speech Therapist at Pflugerville ISD.  Sally danced for over 15 years in North Carolina as a child and continued at Catawba College minoring in Theater Arts.   Sally’s talented  daughter, Jillian, is a member of the “Starlettes” and “Star Crew” Dance Teams at Tinka’s.  Sally can choregraph a mean tap number among other things!!