S FUNK SALEMI (DIRECTOR)

Shannon Salemi (a.k.a. FUNK) currently owns NYC Hip-Hop Dance Shock and Baltimore Dance Center. She has been training professional, competitive dancers and dance teachers for over 20 years while holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance and Visual and Performing Arts from the University of Maryland. She has done extensive professional choreography work for recording artists, music video production and corporate entertainment. Most recently she has trained dancers in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, NYC and at the Inner Harbor, Baltimore, as well as working in Personal Training combining her dance skills with her certification in Master Personal Trainer,  Certified Personal Trainer and Sports Nutrition Certification. She has worked as a national adjudicator for numerous dance competitions, and teaches all styles of dance, specializes in hip-hop dance.  Shannon has directed numerous dance camps and taught many master classes for universities.  Her love and passion for dance has remained constant since she was able to walk.  In her spare time, Shannon rescues Pit bulls from various shelters around the country, using her personal training skills to build their bodies into the strongest version of themselves as her first rescue Pittie, Nala, did for her many years ago I will never be forgotten.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance with a Visual and Performing Arts Emphasis from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Shannon spent most of her training at Towson University, Point Park College (rated #1 dance conservatory on the east coast for jazz) , University of MD (recently ranked in top ten America’s best colleges), and Broadway Dance Center-New York City in Manhattan, NY. Shannon trained in the styles of ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip hop, lyrical, dunham and folk dance with famous teachers such as A.C. Cuilla, Tony Stevens, Bev B, Jose (Broadway Dance Center NYC), Karla Wolfangle (Paul Taylor), Douglas Hamby (UMBC, Hamby and dancers, Phoenix, Martha Graham Dance Co.), Karen Muciolli and Gloria Lang (Towson University). Her Jazz training includes Funk, Luigi, Broadway, Modern: Cunninham, Graham, and Taylor, and Ballet: Royal Academy of Dancing, Vaganova and Cechetti.

A native of Baltimore, Shannon has taught for numerous private academies with her specialties being jazz and hip hop. She served as the jazz director and choreographer for three nationally renowned award winning competitive dance companies at Karen Sachs Academy of Dance. Shannon’s Choreography has received perfect scores and has been recognized for “high scores,” “best concept,” “high energy,” and “special effects.” Performance, Choreography and Training Credits include Lil Mo, Paula Campbell, Marc Clarke (92Q), Porkchop (92Q), along with working with Sonjay and Rob Base (92Q) on the Baltimore Dancing with The Stars produced by 92Q Jams, aired live on Fox 45. Here Funk and the Danceattack aired live on 92Q. Choreography for Mayor Martin O’Malley, Sheila Dixon with the BALTIMORE BELIEVE, Soac Entertainment, “Meyerhoff” Events, The Baltimore Entertainment Connection, Energy Entertainment, March of Dimes Citywalk and Charm City’s 5K Shamrock Race in Baltimore attracting 22,000 spectators. Shannon was featured in Devon Howard’s music video that aired on MTV Europe. More Performance/Choreography credits include Six Flags America, Closing Ceremonies for Johns Hopkins Culture Fest, Baltimore Sun Travel Expo, Club One, numerous fashion shows, Travis Nealy National Health Fair at the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore Tremont Hotel Events, Baltimore Greek Independence Day.

Furthermore Shannon has performed with Motion Mania (professional dance company D.C.), Harford Dance Theatre, Dimensional Dance Media, The Baltimore Entertainment Connection, Energy Entertainment and University of Maryland Showcases. She has instructed master classes for the University of Maryland, Greater York Center for Dance Education (PA), Towson University, and Gold’s Gym at the Power Plant (Baltimore Inner Harbor) where she founded, choreographed and directed the “Gold’s Gym Danceforce” promotional dance team. As a professional adjudicator Shannon is able to share her dance experience with other aspiring dancers across the country serving on a panel with American Ballet Theatre and Tony award winning Fosse dancers adjudicating for national dance competitions such as Dance Explosion, Rainbow Connection, Road to Broadway, Ticket to Broadway, The Washington Chiefs Dance Team, Headliners, Starpower, and Thunderstruck Dance Convention (Las Vegas). Shannon’s students have gone on to pursue college dance degrees, perform on Broadway (Annie), So You Think You Can Dance, Step up 2, music videos, commercials, pro dance companies in France, New Orleans Saints Dance Team, backup dancing for Bossman, Genuine, CR, Raheem Devan and have been featured on MTV and Showtime at the Apollo.

Before founding the Baltimore Dance Center, Shannon founded and directed the “Daycare Dance Institute” for seven years, a dance education built into childcare facilities. Most recently, Shannon founded and has been the owner/director of the Baltimore Dance Center for the last sixteen years. Here she choreographed and led both Baltimore Heat competition teams and the BALTIMORE DANCEATTACK professional dance team (10 years). Baltimore Heat received elite gold, 1st place and perfect scores in choreography. Shannon was given the opportunity to choreograph the Promo Justin Timberlake Launch Party for “Play” at Macy’s. Shannon funk also choreographed the opening act for Baltimore’s Got Talent produced by Brown Entertainment and Epic Center held at the Senator Theatre along with “Hunt for Haiti” fundraiser held at the “Clarence Du Burns Arena” (performed by BALTIMORE DANCEATTACK). It was from this opportunity that Shannon was fortunate enough to start a second BDC location at the arena. Finally, Shannon led BDC through contracting with the Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, Mayor’s office, for whom she and her team provided summer dance training camps to multiple city sites for the summer dance camps 2010 and 2011! Following, Shannon could be found teaching at BDC essex, Du Burns Arena and for “Higher Achievement Organization” after school program. She choreographed and coached many of her dancers and instructors in a music video for international artist, Gbenga Adenuga from Nigeria the song “I See You in Me”. She choreographed for the US military base and Baltimore Salsa’s performance “Salsaliscious”. Shannon was thrilled to choreograph for amazing hip hop youth dancer “Devan Patel” who performed his Indian hip hop dance in Chicago. This past summer, Shannon and her team completed teaching for the city of Baltimore Recreation and Parks Mayor’s Office for their summer dance camps. Next week, she will be teaching for Sharp Leadenhall in Baltimore and E-Dance in Pennsylvannia. Also, she will be at Johns Hopkins Kennedy Krieger Institute, Children’s Center, helping kids through dance therapy.

SHANNON SALEMI (aka FUNK) currently owns NYC Hip Hop Dance Shock and Baltimore Dance Center, she has been training professional and competitive dancers and dance teachers for over 20 years and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance and Visual and Performing Arts from the University of Maryland. She has done extensive professional choreography work for recording artists in music video production and corporate entertainment. Most recently she has trained dancers in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island NYC and at the Inner Harbor, Baltimore, as well as working in Personal Training combining her dance skills with her Master Personal Trainer, Certified Personal Trainer and Sports Nutrition Certification. She has worked as a national adjudicator for numerous dance competitions and teaches all styles of dance but specializes in hip hop dance. Shannon has directed numerous dance camps and taught many master classes for universities. Her love and passion for dance has remained constant since she was able to walk. In her spare time Shannon rescues Pitbulls from various shelters around the country and uses her personal training skills to build their bodies into the strongest version of themselves as her first rescue pittie Nala did for her many years ago and will never be forgotten.

“Her Mission”: “Youth Outreach!”

In the last six years of her career, Shannon has choreographed for Victoria’s Secret Conventions, Jim Beam, Launch Parties for the Skinny Girl Drink (Republic International), Out and Equal, Inc., Southwest Transplant Alliance, Big Hit Events, New York, Allegis Group Services, and Johns Hopkins KKI directing shows for special needs kids.  She has produced shows at the Baltimore Convention Center, The Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, The Grande Hotel (formerly The Tremont),  Inner Harbor Flashmobs for World Peace and weddings that were seen on ABC Channel 2 News. Following that she produced a show for the I Heart Health Expo promoting heart health and fitness.  Shannon recently volunteered and taught hip hop workshop classes to kids and adults at the Play Fit Stay Fit Expo hosted by Rodney Burris.  Last May Shannon did extensive volunteer work, in one week she taught kids at a non profit in Queens, NY (fri.), teens at Catholic Charities of Baltimore (mon.) and the kids in Federal Hill, Balto (tues.) while teaching her regular Inner Harbor classes!  Shannon currently can be found teaching at her home the Inner Harbor, Baltimore during the week and has expanded BDC to Manhattan, NY, where she can be found teaching her classes in Times Square, NYC sharing her passion and unique style with New York City Dancers!