Instructors
Owners/Directors
Jan Williams
Artistic Director/Owner
Jan Williams has instructed, directed and choreographed in classes, workshops and dance productions for over 33 years. In addition to B&W’s annual programs (including productions of The Lion King, Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Guys & Dolls, The Wizard of Oz, Grease, Aladdin and Beauty & The Beast) she has been the director of B&W’s award-winning performing group for over 20 years. Under her direction the B&W Company Dancers have performed at the Kennedy Center Open House, the Northern Virginia Tap & Jazz Festival, Walt Disney World, Capital Center and King’s Dominion. Students who have trained with her have gone on to perform in the Broadway touring production of ‘Aida’, Thodos Dance, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Dancin’ Unlimited, the Washington Redskinettes, Jacksonville Jaguar Cheerleaders, Washington Wizardettes, and on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance. Students have also won both regional and national titles at various dance competitions. Performance credits include live and televised work with West Coast Dance Theatre, Rec Russell Dance Company and the San Francisco Ballet (while in student program). Training includes study at Ballet Arts of San Francisco, San Francisco Ballet, Roberta Meyer (NYC Ballet Soloist), Rec Russel and NYC, LA and other instructors on faculty with NYCDA, WCDE, JUMP, SHOCK, Tremaine Dance in addition to Yogafit Certification and Pilates training. Jan currently instructs advanced class levels in addition to yoga and private instruction.
Teresa Barton
Administrative Director/Owner
Teresa feels very fortunate to have been able to combine her lifelong love of dance and dance training with working with young children. Teaching children to dance is combining the best of both worlds for her and she has been fortunate enough to do so for well over three decades. It is her belief that working with the younger dancer takes a nurturing nature and a desire for these little dancers to leave the dance room feeling good about themselves and what they have accomplished. It is also her goal to develop a love of dance and performing in each one of them that they will build on as they grow each year. Teresa has very much enjoyed and been inspired by taking continuing education master classes with children’s work master teachers such as dance icon Al Gilbert in NYC and the dynamic and talented Joelle Martinec, among several others. While she has incorporated some of their syllabus and programs into her classes to most effectively get across the fundamentals of dance to her younger students, Teresa feels it is the many years of experience in the dance room with each different age that has taught her the most of how to get each concept across to them. While Teresa feels that her work with the youngest dancers is her true calling in life, she has immensely enjoyed her work as director of Barton & William’s Mini and Petite Competition Teams. Her choreography with this age group has won many Top Overall scores at various regional and national dance competitions over the years. Many of her competition students have gone on to become members of Barton & Williams performing and competing companies and tap troupes, then on to their college dance teams-- and a few to joining the staff at B&W. Teresa knew at a young age she wanted working with children to be a part of her life, but changed her focus from childhood education to business administration in college, which served her well as she managed a successful dance school in Northern Virginia for 4 years before opening Barton & Williams School of Dance, Ltd. in 1989 with business partner Jan Williams. Teresa is so very proud of the wonderful staff they have assembled at Barton & Williams and of all of the wonderful training and experiences so many talented youth have experienced and grown from at B&W.
Teaching Staff
Kelly Barton
Kelly Barton has been dancing since the age of 4 and teaching dance since the age of 16. Kelly has received dance training in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and pointe and was a competitive dancer for several years as a studio dancer and also on her varsity high school dance team. Kelly graduated from James Madison University in 2000 with a degree in Media Arts & Design, Television Production and a minor in Advertising. After graduation, Kelly worked with Interface Media Group in Washington, DC for 5 years in the television field. Kelly has been at B&W since 2005 and is our Office Manager as well as an instructor. Kelly enjoys teaching young dancers and has choreographed routines for our Kid Company & Tap Troupe as well as our Teen Ensemble, Jr. Petite, Petite, Junior Mini, Petite Mini, and Mini competition troupes. Kelly lives with her husband Marc and their three children.
Megs Early
Megs Early is a former Washington Redskins Cheerleader and Wizards Dancer. She is currently a Sideline Coach for the Washington Redskin Cheerleaders as well as the Coordinator for the Junior Redskin Cheerleaders. Megs loves to help dancers of all ages and skill levels grow technically and find their passion in performing. She is so excited to be back teaching where she first fell in love with dance!
Claryssa Griffin
Claryssa Griffin started dancing and gymnastics at age 3 and began competing at the age of six. She attended Arabesque Dance studio and B-Funk Dance studio, where she took classes in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, pointe, hiphop and musical-theater. While dancing at arabesque and B.funk she performed in several community performances, showcases and competitions a year. She performed in half time shows for basketball and football games. Claryssa performed at the half time Super Bowl in Tampa FL. As part of her professional career She danced and worked at Universal Studios and Six Flags performing and choreographing multiple shows a day. While choreographing routines for cheer, tumble and dance teams and studios in southern FL. Claryssa has been coaching and teaching competitive dance and gymnastics and tumbling for almost 20 years. Winning several top awards, Judges Awards, Overall Awards and Choreography Awards. She is trained to teach several styles of dance, gymnastics and tumbling. Claryssa has been Acro Certified for 9 years.
Alex Herlig
Bio Coming Soon!
Trish Hill
Trish Hill has been teaching at B&W for almost 20 years. She currently teaches the hip hop classes, and also jazz and tap classes of all ages, including adults and an all boys hip hop. She has over 29 years of teaching experience, and over 45 years of dance training. Trish attended East Carolina University, where she majored in Dance Choreography. Trish has choreographed routines for our Kid Company for competitions across the area. She has judged for the Governor’s School of Virginia and local competitions. Trish has also coached for a local high school in Stafford for their Junior Varsity and Varsity teams. She resides in Stafford with her husband Randy.
Leah Morrison
Bio Coming Soon
Wendy Wahala Richards
Wendy grew up locally and began her dance training at the age of six. She had the opportunity to study at Pennsylvania Ballet at the age of 14, under the instruction of Lupa Serrano, Jeffery Gribbler and Gloria Govern. While attending Radford University, where she worked to earn a Bachelor of Science in Dance, she studied under Frano Jelincic (former Ballet Master of English National Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Pittsburg Ballet, Garden State Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, and The Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, Yugoslavia),and Dagmar Kessler (former ballerina with Pennsylvania Ballet, English National Ballet, Pittsburg ballet Theater, and Hamburg Ballet, and who partnered with world renowned artist including Rudolf Nureyev, Peter Schauffuss, Edward Villella, Ted Kivitt, and John Gilpin). While at Radford Wendy danced many roles including Odette, Swanhilda , Flower Festival Pas De Deux, Snow Queen and Sugar Plum Fairy. Wendy has also had training in jazz, hip hop, and lyrical. She was an instructor / Head Instructor for National Cheerleading Association, Dance and Pom division, right out of high school. With NCA she worked on Choreography for summer camps as well as college bowl game half time performances including the Citrus Bowl, Cotton Bowl, and Peach Bowl. She was also a guest teacher and judge for a sister company JSDA in Japan. While at Radford she also coached and choreographed for the universities dance team, the RU Rockers.
Lauryn Schiffrin
Bio Coming Soon
Amanda Skewes
Bio coming soon!
Kaelyn Speight
Bio coming soon!
Katie Speights
Katie Raziszewski has been dancing for over 19 years at Barton and Williams. She was a company and tap troupe dancer for several years, appearing as Ariel in "The Little Mermaid" recital 2006 and again in our 20th Anniversary Gala. She is a graduate of George Mason University where she received a BFA in Dance, with a minor in Events Management. Katie has danced for the NBA, for the Washington Wizards, and the NFL, for the Washington Redskins. In 2004 she was a part of the State Champion cheerleading team at North Stafford for the AAA division. Katie also danced with Capitol Movement Project, a nonprofit performing arts company. She has been teaching dance classes for over a decade. She has been fortunate to perform in many incredible places like Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruises, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Disney World, the Warner Theater, Hong Kong, Aruba, and Marco Island Florida.
Kelsey Timmerberg
Kelsey Timmerberg began dancing at the age of two and started training with DeGrasse Dance Studio when she was seven. Although tap is her favorite, Kelsey is extensively trained in ballet, lyrical, jazz, acro, and musical theatre. At her High School, Bishop O'Connell, Kelsey was on the dance team all four years and was the team's Captain her senior year. While on the dance team she trained in pom, jazz, hip hop and kick. Starting her Sophomore year, she became the team's choreographer and won many State and Regional titles with her routines. The team also qualified and participated at the National Dance Team Championship in Orlando, FL. After High School, she went to & graduated from George Mason University with a degree in Organizational Communication and started her career in Human Resources from there. In recent years, Kelsey has decided to focus on her creative career & work full-time as an instructor and coach. In 2006, Kelsey started coaching her High School's dance team, The Bishop O'Connell Royalettes, and still coaches them today. She is responsible for all the team's choreography, from pep rallies to competition routines. In 2013, Kelsey's choreography allowed for the team to be recognized as 21st in the nation at the The National Dance Team Championships. In March of 2012, Kelsey came on as DeGrasse's tap teacher and continues the classical style of her mentor and late DeGrasse instructor, Roberta Dale. Kelsey choreographs jazz, lyrical, hip-hop and tap for DeGrasse's competition team. Her routines have won many high adjudications and overall top score awards, while also being recognized for outstanding choreography and concepts. Students have used Kelsey's routines for and at events & auditions such as: National YoungArts Week, NYU Summer Intensive and World Dance Pageant. Four DeGrasse students have been recognized as "Future Star's" in Dance Spirit Magazine with Kelsey's choreographed solos. Kelsey loves inspiring and being inspired.