Judges

Gail Cannaday is a Professional Dancer, Teacher, Choreographer, and Adjudicator from Chesapeake, Virginia that now resides in Morehead City, North Carolina. Gail started training, competing, and setting choreography at an early age. Her training under Arnora Hummell, Melissa Moore, and Andre Yemelianov includes: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Character, Modern, and Contemporary. In 2010 she joined the Dance Program at East Carolina University where she continued her dance training under Tommi Galaska, Dirk Lumbard, Galina Panova, Clarine Powell, Teal Darkenwald, and John Dixon. While at ECU she performed in various works and toured such pieces in concerts throughout North Carolina, Virginia, and Chicago, IL. She was also selected to have her own choreography performed alongside faculty pieces as well as teach alongside her faculty mentors at ECU during the Day of Dance, the Roots Festivals, in Musical Theatre Tap Classes, and for the East Carolina Tap Ensemble. Gail graduated from ECU in 2014 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Performance. Gail’s further training includes the North Carolina Rhythm Tap Festival, Rhythm World Chicago, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Denise Wall’s Dance Energy, Millennium Dance Complex in Chicago, IL, #Taplife NY, and Broadway Dance Center in Manhattan, NY. In 2013, Gail was an apprentice with the Chicago Human Rhythm Project where she furthered her training and teaching career. She also had the opportunity to study closely under Tap Dance Masters Derick K. Grant and Charles Renato at that time. Since then, she has been teaching master classes and setting choreography at various studios along the East Coast in North Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts. Gail currently teaches Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Hip Hop at Justice Elite Dance Company in Morehead City, North Carolina.

Jada is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, and leader who has made a lasting impact within her community and across her state. She is a NAACP Silver Medalist and has earned numerous awards and recognitions through competitive dance throughout her career. Growing up immersed in dance, Jada trained and competed across multiple styles, building a strong technical foundation and a powerful performance presence.

Her experience includes traveling and competing as part of a hip-hop group, earning awards and scholarships through competition. In addition to performing, Jada is an experienced choreographer and has served as the leader of a professional dance team in her home city, where she has mentored dancers and helped cultivate confidence, discipline, and artistry.

As a dance judge, Jada is known to value clean technique, intentional movement, musicality, versatility, and authentic performance, and is so excited to be a part of this season.

Kaylie Bee grew up in southern Louisiana and began training at age 3 in various styles including tap, contemporary, and pom. She earned numerous scholarships and titles, including Miss Starquest 2017 and Miss Dance Mania 2018, which led to a scholarship at Broadway Dance Center in NYC. She became a full time choreographer at age 17 for multiple studios across the country winning numerous choreography, entertainment, and overall awards. Kaylie is also a licensed pediatric Physical Therapist Assistant and is dedicated to bringing her medical education to the dance world to further help dancers.