Coaching
Preparing for an audition? Want to make your singing voice stronger? Need to work on acting? We provide one-on-one private coaching with members of our staff. Some of our teachers primarily do voice lessons while others do acting lessons and some even do both! We can help guide you to the right teacher depending on what you hope to accomplish at your lessons.
Tuition
Tuition for recurring private coaching is based on 2 hours (broken up in either one hour or 1/2 hour increments) of private coaching (voice, monologue, etc.) The current rate is $150 for 2 hours; $85 for 1 hour and $50 for 1/2 hour.
Registration
If you are looking for recurring private coaching, please use the links below to register. The teacher, date, time is provided. The initial non-refundable fee ($150) will be assessed immediately. Once the initial 2 hours is completed, the next payment will automatically be charged. This will continue until notification, in writing, of withdrawing from private lessons.
If you are looking for a one-time private lesson (either 1/2 hour, 1 hour or 2 hours of coaching), please use the “private coaching” link below. Someone from our office will contact you to schedule your lessons. At which point, the appropriate charge will be processed.
Location
Private coaching is held at the Not Just Dance facility: 4425 Brookfield Corp Dr, #500, Chantilly, VA 20151
Closures
When the studio is closed, there will not be any voice lessons and this will not count against your two hours’ worth of lessons. This includes all holidays and closures due to inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances.
Some private lessons may be canceled due to performances being held at the studio. If this happens, parents will be notified. When Not Just Dance cancels a private coaching session, the student will not be charged for the missed class.
Absences
If we are provided with at least 24 hours’ notice you will not be charged for the lesson (essentially, you can “skip” a week). We ask for as much notice as possible so that we can use that time slot for other students. In addition, we have a policy in regards to missing because of illness. The specifics of the absence policy will be provided to parents upon registration. If you would like to see the specifics of this policy before registering, please contact us.
Adam LeKang
Adam is one of the newest members of the Not Just Dance staff. He began his acting career at the age of 6 and has appeared in over 28 local performances. He received a Cappie Nomination (2016) for Lead Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Sheridan Whiteside in The Man Who Came to Dinner. Adam appeared in Ford’s Theatre’s Production of A Christmas Carol back in 2009. Adam finished 2nd at the Virginia (2016) and Mid-Atlantic Regional (2016) NATS competitions and has been invited to the National (2016) NATS finals competition in Chicago, IL. He was a finalist in New Voices in 2015 for his script “A Teen’s Life”. He has appeared on radio, on TV (America’s Most Wanted and Fatal Attractions), in commercials and even as an extra in a couple featured films. Some favorite theatre roles include Sheridan Whiteside in The Man Who Came to Dinner (Chantilly High School), as Danny in Grease (Westfield Summer Stage), as Eddie in Lost in Yonkers (Chantilly High School), as Oliver Warbucks in Annie (Chantilly High School), as Picasso in Picasso at Lapine Agile (Chantilly High School), as Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Chantilly High School) as Charlie in Willy Wonka (Vienna Theatre Company), Wally/Ovington in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Westfield Summer Stage) and Doody in Grease (The Alliance Theatre). In addition, Adam has appeared in Not Just Dance productions as Captain Hook in Peter Pan JR and Nick in Fame JR. He recently worked on staff for Not Just Dance’s production of Shrek, JR.
Amanda Fish
Amanda Fish is a native of Northern Virginia who has been pursuing excellence in multiple genres of vocal performance her entire life. She studied at Elon University under the tutelage of Dr. Polly Butler-Cornelius. After graduating with her Bachelors in Music, Amanda attended George Mason University as a Master of Music student of the renowned Mezzo Soprano Patricia Miller. After receiving her Masters Degree in Vocal Performance, Amanda went on to Shannandoah University’s Contemporary and Commercial Music Institute, where she earned her certification in Somatic Voicework. Amanda is currently a member of the National Association of Teacher of Singing.
Amanda has been teaching private voice and piano lessons through multiple studios for the past five years. Her past students have earned starring roles in local school and community theatre productions, been admitted to competitive musical theatre training programs locally and in New York, and have been admitted into reputable Virginia Universities to study Musical Theatre and Vocal Performance. In addition to private lessons, Amanda has orchestrated voice camps, programs, and masterclasses. She was recently the Music Director for Not Just Dance productions of Cabaret Gone Wrong, Mulan Jr, Xanadu Jr, Lion King Jr and Anything Goes. She enjoys teaching multiple genres, and uses her classical training to provide her students with confidence in their vocal ability and a strong foundation in music theory. She believes singing is first and foremost a form of self-expression, and maintains a creative and collaborative atmosphere in her lessons. Amanda still performs locally, and has been seen most recently as Irene Malloy in Hello Dolly with Upper Room.
During her voice studies, Amanda performed in various fully-staged operas, opera scenes, musicals, oratorios, concerts, and recitals. She has participated in the Bethesda Summer Music Festival, the James Madison Opera Institute, the Bel Cantanti Summer Opera Festival, Signature Theatre’s Overtures Musical Theatre Summer Intensive, the Crittenden Opera Project, and the American Singers Opera Project. She has received multiple honors from the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition, where she recently won first place in the Musical Theatre Continuing Education Category at the regional level.
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Amanda Mason
Amanda Mason is a 2018 magna cum laude graduate of James Madison University. She received her Bachelors of Music in Music Theatre Performance. While at JMU, she performed in many stage productions including Guys and Dolls, Candide, The Merry Widow, The Barber of Seville, and Cosi fan Tutti. She was a member of the Madison Singers, JMU’s advanced choral chamber ensemble, for 2 years. She also was a member of the award-winning all-female acapella group Note-oriety for all 4 years of her college career. Prior to attending JMU, Amanda performed in community theatre at a very young age and continued throughout her high school years in productions with Chantilly Drama. Some of her favorite roles include Penny Lou Pingleton in Hairspray, Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, and Eva Peron in Evita. Although she is currently developing her professional performance career, Amanda also has a passion for teaching and supporting young actors in hopes of inspiring a new generation of performers.
Cathy Arnold
Cathy was the choreographer assistant for Not Just Dance’s productions of Xanadu, Mulan Jr, Lion King Jr, Anything Goes and Jungle Book Kids. She also was choreographer for Annie Jr, Nunsense, co-choreographer for Capital Cabaret, Little Mermaid Jr, and Grease, all for The Alliance Theatre; Kilmer Elementary School’s Annie, Jr and Franklin Middle School’s Little Mermaid Jr. She appeared as the Baroness in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (The Alliance Theatre) Paulette in Legally Blonde, The Musical (The Alliance Theatre), Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray (The Alliance Theatre), Mrs Cratchitt/Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol (The Alliance Theatre), the Wardrobe in Beauty and the Beast (The Alliance Theatre), Grizabella in Cats (The Alliance Theatre), Amelia Earhart in Flight of the Lawnchair Man (Taking Flight Theatre) and Claire in Bare (Taking Flight Theatre), for which she received a WATCH nomination. Cathy has worked for a local music company, The Lace Music, as a jazz vocalist and DJ assistant for 20 years. By day, Cathy teaches Pre-Kindergarten at the Ox Hill Baptist Church Pre-School. In addition, Cathy works on both the Not Just Dance Take After School Theatre program. She is currently working on choreography for Not Just Dance’s production of Madagascar Jr and Elf Jr.
Elizabeth Bemis
A native of Mobile, Alabama, Elizabeth Bemis received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of South Alabama and is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in Contemporary Commercial Music Voice Pedagogy at Shenandoah Conservatory. She has completed training at both the CCM Institute at Shenandoah Conservatory and University of North Texas Vocal Pedagogy Workshop and enjoys teaching all genres of music to students of all ages. A lifelong church musician, Elizabeth has served in churches as a pianist, organist, soprano, and choirmaster. She currently serves as Director of Music at Saint Andrew Lutheran Church in Centreville, VA. Elizabeth also works as a freelance collaborative pianist, playing primarily at Shenandoah Conservatory for undergraduate musical theatre students‘ private voice lessons.
Elizabeth has performed extensively in collegiate and professional operatic productions and was selected as a Madame Rose-Palmai Tenser Young Artist with Mobile Opera for two consecutive years. Her most recent roles include Gianetta in The Gondoliers, Suor Osmina in Suor Angelica, Gabrielle in La vie Parisienne, Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore, and Johanna in Sweeney Todd. While living in Alabama, Elizabeth worked extensively with the selective children’s choir Mobile’s Singing Children, coaching the group for tour performances at various venues, including Carnegie Hall. Most recently, she acted as the Music Director/Vocal Instructor at Levine School of Music in Washington D.C during their summer camp.
An avid researcher with particular interests in musical theatre education and cross-over pedagogy, Elizabeth recently presented her paper on the topic of riffing at the prestigious Voice Foundation‘s Annual Symposium. Her other research has been featured at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Women in Music Conference, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing auditions. Elizabeth currently maintains a private studio of voice students in Winchester, Virginia and Centreville, Virginia and is thrilled to be joining the Not Just Dance community.
Jennifer Farmer
Jen began theatre as a Chantilly High School student studying under Elaine Wilson and Ed Monk. She remembers getting the theatre bug after seeing a production in elementary school written by Elaine Wilson for the Just Say No Campaign. She is currently working with Not Just Dance on Newsies, Wizard of Oz, Madagascar Jr and Elf Jr. She recently directed Not Just Dance’s productions of Xanadu, Mulan Jr, Lion King Jr, Anything Goes, Jungle Book Kids, Annie, Into the Woods, 101 Dalmatians, High School Musical. She also had a cameo performance in last years production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. She has served as Stage Manager for several of The Alliance Theatre’s productions including A Christmas Carol , Willy Wonka, Art of Murder, Aladdin Jr, Mulan Jr, Camelot, Annie Jr. and Hairspray. Her directorial debut was Little Shop of Horrors (The Alliance Theatre) which received 5 WATCH nominations. She has also been the Stage Manager for Contemporary Music Center’s Rock Camp and City of Fairfax Theatre Company’s production of Pippi Longstocking. Jen is on staff for Not Just Dance and serves as the main Registrar, Head of the Musical Theatre Classes and provides private coaching. She also heads up the After School Theatre programs at several area schools in Chantilly and Centreville.