Dance Faculty

Holly Allwein James

Director of Dance has been teaching at the Yocum Institute for Arts Education since 1999, where she also began her dance instruction. Holly was an original member of Berks Ballet Theatre and has an extensive background as a performing ballerina, dancer, and instructor. She studied at Point Park University, and received her BFA in Dance / Ballet from The University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. She also pursued her MA in Dance at The University of Cincinnati. She has trained under numerous teachers including David Howard, Melissa Hayden, Luigi, James Truitte, Nicholas Petrov and Ken Johnson. She has performed professionally with the Cincinnati Opera Ballet and semi-professionally with The American Dance Ensemble of Pittsburgh. Holly also holds her PA certification as a Special Education Paraeducator and facilitates inclusion in the arts whenever possible. Holly is currently working at Governor Mifflin High School as a Transition Aide with special needs students.

Meghan Blevins

is a 2006 graduate of Kutztown University where her major was in Dance and Psychology. Meghan started at the Institute in January 2006 as an intern and moved on to be the tumbling and hip-hop instructor. She also teaches dance through the Institute at the Olivet Boys & Girls Club's PAL Center for the Arts, where she holds her full-time job as Program Coordinator of the Mentoring and the Arts Program (MAP). Meghan has trained with the Universal Dance Assocation (UDA), MgM Dance Studio, and Broadway Dance Center in cheer dance, hip-hop, lyrical jazz, Broadway jazz, and tumbling. She has also choreographed "And the Beat Goes On" and "Grease" in local theaters.

Nicole Bucks

is a 2002 graduate of Point Park University with a BA in Dance, concentrating in Modern and Contemporary Jazz. She attended the Summer Intensive at the Boston Conservatory (2002). She is a certified Holistic Health Counselor graduating from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, NYC. Nicole has also completed her training at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in DansKinetics and Yoga. She has been teaching, acting, dancing and choreographing in the Reading area for the last eight years. She has performed in original works by Michelle Wasik, as well as with the Metamorphosis Performing Company, Reading Theater Project, the Institute’s Primary Stages, and in the Philly Fringe Festival with the aerial dance company Apparatus Collective. She is currently a member of the Revolution 9 Dance Company, based in Lancaster, and enjoyed her role as Valerie Solanas in their production of Factory, about the artistic life of Andy Warhol. She adores teaching dance, preschool movement, and yoga at the Institute both throughout the school year and during the summer arts camps.

Karen Houck

is a 2007 graduate of Wilkes University with a BA in Elementary Education and a minor in Dance. She was the recipient of the 2007 Wilkes University Dance Award. Karen has trained with Ballet Northeast under the direction of Kristin Degnan dancing various soloist and lead roles in ballets including the Nutcracker, Coppelia, Giselle, The Fire- bird, Les Slyphedies, and Etudes. She also trained with the Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (formerly the Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley), under the direction of Oleg Briansky and Mirelle Briane. She has been with the Institute for three years now teaching traditional ballet and various summer camps. Karen also holds her PA Certification as a K-6 Elementary Educator and is teaching fourth grade at Cumru Elementary. Karen had completed her Masters degree in Reading.

Daniel Egusquiza

Stephen Jackson