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. Currently, we are contracting with Amanda Fish (vocal); Beth Atkins (vocal); Jen Farmer (acting); and Cathy Arnold (acting). However, we can arrange coaching with any of our staff members. Let us know who you’d like to work with and we will find a time that works for both you and your coach.
Those who work, vocally, with Amanda Fish, will have the option of participating in the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Mid-Atlantic Region competition in March. More information will be provided to the vocal students.
Price
The cost for private lessons is 140 for 4 – 1/2 hour sessions. Typically, these meet once/week but we can work around busy schedules. We can also schedule 1 hour lessons every other week, if you prefer. If you only need one or two sessions, the cost is 40 for a 1/2 hour lesson or 75 for an hour lesson. (Note: If you are interested in weekly hourly lessons, please contact us for rates.)
Location
Private coaching is held at the Not Just Dance facility, 13931 Valley Country Dr, Chantilly, VA 20151.
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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Beth Atkins
Beth is a music teacher at Hunters Woods Elementary school. She has provided music direction for 25+ productions including for several children’s productions. Highlights include Elf The Musical Jr (Not Just Dance), Jungle Book Kids (Not Just Dance), Peter Pan Jr (Not Just Dance), Fame Jr (Not Just Dance), 101 Dalmations Kids (Franklin Performers Corner), The Three Prince Charmings (Elden Street Players TFYA), Flat Stanley Jr (Hunter Woods Elementary School), Alice in Wonderland Jr (City of Fairfax Theatre Company), Thoroughly Modern Millyie (Franklin Middle School), Annie Jr (The Alliance Theatre), A Christmas Carol (McLean Community Players), Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr (Not Just Dance) and The Nifty Fifties (Centerstage Academy).
She has also provided musical direction for the WATCH nominated show Musical of Musicals (the Musical!) (Elden Street Players) and Hairspray (The Alliance Theatre). Beth has also directed several Jr productions and has been seen on-stage, recently performing in Legally Blonde, The Musical (McLean Community Players). Having worked with many area schools and community theatres, she knows how to prepare for an audition, especially as it relates to children’s productions. Beth received her BM in Choral Music Education and Theatre from Christopher Newport University.
Beth is currently the music director for Madagascar Jr.
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.
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.