Candace’s dance life started – like most do – at a very young age, and has covered a wide range of disciplines, including tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, modern, hip-hop and pom.  She has been dancing for over 30 years as part of performing troupes, dance teams, and competition teams, and has been choreographing and instructing for over 15 years.

As a teenager, Candace attended the year-long Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts, where she studied Musical Theater and served as the group’s dance captain for two years.  As a member of the group’s select troupe, she traveled to Japan for a performance tour, and participated in dozens of Broadway revues and shows, including Will Roger’s Follies and Chicago.  At the collegiate level, Candace was a member of the James Madison University Dukettes, a very competitive and nationally ranked dance team.  Over the years, she has studied with several notable dancers and choreographers, including Dianne Walker (Black and Blue), Baakari Wilder (Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk) and Denise Wall (Denise Wall’s Dance Energy), and her own routines have received several awards at both regional and national competitions, for both choreography and high scores. She continues to perform with the high-level performance group, Sundays on Tap, and serves on the board of the non-profit Knock On Wood Tap Studio in Washington, D.C..

After receiving a Bachelor’s Degree from James Madison University, Candace began her professional career working with political campaigns across the country, serving in capacities ranging from Campaign Manager to Media Consultant. She has a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in American Politics and Political Methodology, specializing in voter psychology and behavior, survey methodology, and experimentation. She has taught a variety of political science courses for New York University, American University, and the California State University in Northridge. Candace is currently a faculty member at the University of Maryland in College Park