Judges

Abby has spent 15+ years as a choreographer, artistic director and dance educator. For
over a decade she has been working professionally in the entertainment industry while
simultaneously managing the esteemed dance studio in Los Angeles, Movement
Lifestyle. Abby has spent a large portion of her career touring the world educating
artists, and her greatest joy has been her work in building sustainable programs that
promote arts education for youth throughout the country. In 2020 she co-founded a
company called Æ Creative to continue cultivating experiences to inspire artists. These
days, Abby spends a majority of her time traveling to studios, schools and universities
sharing her love of dance.
Credits include: Nike, Mini Cooper, Herbalife, Walk The Moon, Aerial Experience, Aerial
Conexions, Believe Performing Arts, Æ Creative Arts, The Young Americans

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.

Kyle Kershner is a professional dancer, instructor, and choreographer based in Central New York. He grew up dancing at CMC Dance Company in Cicero, New York. Following his high school years, he attended the University at Buffalo with a double major in Dance and Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. While at UB he participated in several performances as both a dancer and choreographer. He was also a part of the prestigious pre-professional Zodiaque Dance Company, which is going on its 50th anniversary this year. Following graduation, he received a contract to perform on a cruise ship with Norwegian Cruise Lines. Over the last two years, he has completed three contracts with the company working with world-renowned choreographers and directors. Cruising has fostered his love of traveling taking him to all seven continents and over 50 different countries. Kyle is thrilled to be back on land spreading his love of dance to the next generation of dancers.