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.

Kim Barnard hails from Bloomington, IL. Having over 38 years of dance experience behind her, Kim received her training from two incredible studios in Bloomington/Normal and in the Dance/Musical Theatre department of Illinois State University with focus on ballet, jazz, lyrical and contemporary extensively. She has also trained with such notable choreographers as Spencer Liff, Dorianna Sanchez, Harrison McEldowney, Jeremy Plummer and Laura Dunlop. Her professional credits include: Dancing on the 66th Annual Tony Awards, dancing for the Chicago Bulls basketball team, dancing at Six Flags St. Louis and many other incredible experiences! Kim was also a dancer for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines for many years, dance captain for Broadway style shows and has been teaching dance for the past 10 years. Kim has been a judge for NexStar for 14 years and LOVES being the owner of her studio in Bloomington! Have FUN. Be YOUNG. DANCE Forever!

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.