Faculty
Kathy Bunker
Kathy is the Owner and Artistic Director of Bunker Dance Center. She has a Master's Degree in the Arts from American University in Washington, D.C. Kathy's choreography has received top review as well as National Awards in Dance Competitions. Kathy has danced in such exotic places as Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Paris, Monte Carlo, and Rome (to name just a few cities) with Brigham Young University Folk Dance Performing Arts Company. Kathy has also trained and performed with renowned flamenco dancer Luisa Triana and loves flamenco as well as all world dance. Kathy is married to Chris and they both are the proud parents of four children: Blake, Kenady, Dylan, and Easton.
Aaron Turner
Aaron returns for a third year of teaching here at Bunker after taking a year off to perform in Stomp where he took on four different roles! While dancing in Stomp, Aaron continued his studies at UNLV majoring in business with a music production emphasis and a minor in Entrepreneurialship. Aaron grew up dancing at Bunker and has made Kathy feel like a "proud mom" when she watched him sign autographs after his first performance with Stomp!
Alison Marsh
Alison has been teaching Pilates since 2002 and is certified in the DK Body Balancing Method. Alison earned a BA in Dance Education and Bachelors in Social Work from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She danced professionally in various productions throughout Las Vegas including Folies Bergere. She currently teaches private Pilates lessons at Pilates by Dolly and mat classes at Gold's Gym. This is Alison's second year teaching the talented dancers at Bunker Dance!
Charmaine Hunter
Charmaine began her training at the Hartford Ballet School and after years of intense training moved to New York to study at the Dance Theatre of Harlem where she was a principle dancer. Charmaine relocated to Las Vegas to work with Cirque du Soleil. While here, she founded the Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater. We are very excited to have Charmaine teaching Ballet this year!
Cheri Forte
Cheri began performing as a National Artistic Roller Skating Champion. Her interest then turned toward dance where she was a member and soloist of a top Performing Arts Dance Company. She passed advanced Cecchetti ballet exams, and studied jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, tap, ballet, and pom-pom. She has 13 years of experience teaching recreational and competitive dancers, eight of which were for her own dance studio Cheri's Dance Academy in Michigan. Cheri has set choreography for numerous competition teams, organized and taught workshops and dance camps, and has been an active volunteer with National Dance Week Celebrations. This is Cheri's second year at Bunker Dance Center working as the Office Manager and as an instructor.
Cheryl Slader
Cheryl has been a professional dancer for 18 years appearing in such shows as Jubilee and Les Folies Bergere. She has been teaching dance, exercise, and yoga for 26 years. Cheryl has been teacher certified by yoga masters Erich Schiffmann, Doug Swenson, and completed her National Yoga Alliance Jivamukti yoga certification with Sharon Gannon and David Life. Upon completion of her Jivamukti certification, Cheryl apprenticed under Jivamukti's senior teacher, Ruth Lauer Manenti at New York City's Jivamukti Yoga Center. She is the founder and owner of Blue Sky Yoga, Las Vegas. Cheryl is the yoga professor for the dance department at the College of Southern Nevada and also teaches at Blue Sky Yoga, Las Vegas Recovery Center, Spa Bellagio, Green Valley Ranch Spa, and Redrock Casino Spa. Cheryl is delighted to teach yoga to dancers adding a developed focus, flexibility, concentration, strength, relaxation, and injury prevention to their artistry. Welcome Cheryl!
Christopher Jarosz
Chris attended the prestigious Southern Methodist University dance program on scholarship. While at SMU, he performed works by Twyla Tharp, Alvin Ailey, William Forsythe, Paul Taylor and many others. His choreography was featured in best of student choreography performances. After his second year at SMU Chris auditioned for the hit reality TV show So You Think You Can Dance and made it to the top 20 of Season 4 where he had the honor of working with Mia Micheals, Tyce Diorio, Wade Robson, and Shane Sparks. Chris then graduated with a BFA in dance and booked a job with Cirque Du Soleil on a new show called Viva Elvis and has been performing in the show ever since. He has been chosen by Cirque Du Soleil to represent Viva Elvis on many television shows such as So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars. Welcome Chris!
Diane Underwood
Diane comes to Las Vegas from Spokane, WA, where she taught tap for twenty years. This will be her ninth year at Bunker Dance. She has a total of over thirty five years of teaching experience. She danced in the Golden Horseshoe and the Electric Parade at Disneyland, as well as many convention shows. Her students have won many top awards at competitions, and she is most proud of her most accomplished student, her daughter Stephanie. She is also a grandmother of three. Diane is the Competition Team Accountant.
Dylan Bunker
Dylan begins his third year working the front desk at Bunker Dance Center. Dylan is Kathy's second oldest son and grew up dancing hip hop at the studio with Napoleon Dumo, Kevin White, and Pebbles Johnson…the original Culture Shock Crew! He is an outstanding hockey player and ran track in high school. Kathy is so glad to have Dylan working with her again this year.
Emily Mcternan
Welcome Back Miss Emily! Emily began her dance career right here at Bunker Dance Center at the sweet age of five and continued dancing through her senior year. She was one of our top dancers on the Senior Performing Arts Company and won many scholarships and titles at National Dance Conventions/Competitions while she competed, including Senior Elite Dancer Titlist at West Coast Dance Explosion Nationals and a college scholarship from LA Danceforce! Emily attended LVA during her high school years and has recently been attending the University of Arizona as a dance major for the last two years focusing on ballet, modern and jazz. She recently signed a dance contract with Cirque du Soleil in the resident show here in Las Vegas, Mystere. We are so excited to have Emily teaching!
Erina Noda
Erina is currently dancing as a soloist dancer in the Phantom the Las Vegas Spectacular.. She's a former company member of Cincinnati Ballet where she danced many leading roles as well as performed with many ballet companies in the US and Europe. She was a faculty member of Academy of Cincinnati Ballet for six years, and has taught master classes for ballet all over US, Tokyo and Zurich, and guest taught master classes at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in Michigan. This begins Erina's second year on staff with Bunker Dance!
Janelle Jaehn
Janelle has danced with Bunker Dance Center for twelve years and for years was one of the top dancers in the main Performing Arts Company. This is her eighth year teaching classes. Kathy has loved watching Janelle "grow up" over the years! She is thrilled to share her love of dance with your children and is truly one of the most versatile teachers at Bunker Dance Center. She easily teaches combo classes and is a student and parent favorite! Janelle is the Assistant Director of the Performing Arts Companies.
Jennifer Williamson
Jennifer is happy to return to Bunker Dance Center. She previously taught several of our baby ballet classes, musical theatre, and ballroom classes. Jennifer also enjoys performing, competing and teaching with Arthur Murray Dance School. She majored in dance at UNLV, and competed with the UNLV'S Ballroom Dance Formation Team. She was the director of the North Las Vegas Region Talent Team, a non-profit, nationwide group that teaches the fundamentals of dance, music, and drama to kids. She wrangles three adorable boys who also love to sing and dance and a talented husband who you may have seen behind the camera at the dance shows or fixing computer related problems in the studio. Welcome Jennifer!
Jessica Poma
Jessica has been a performer her whole life. She has studied dance, piano, and vocal performance from the time she was young, and had her first solo debut at age three. Jessica began teaching private piano lessons at age 15 and then began teaching private vocal instruction at age 18. She has toured the country with multiple choirs performing under the direction of: Craig Jessop of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Brady Allred of the University of Utah, Weston Noble of Luther College, and composer Eric Whitacre, as well as many others. She has performed in places such as: Chicago, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and Hawaii. Some of her musical theater credits include: Kate in The Taming of the Shrew, Lady Larkin in Once Upon a Mattress, Ethel in Footloose, and Mary in The Savior of the World. Her directing, choreographing, and musical directing credits include: Annie, Aladdin, High School Musical, South Pacific and Beauty and the Beast, as well as multiple review shows. She absolutely loves teaching and is so excited to work with your children.
Johanna Sapakie
Johanna is currently dancing for Cirque du Soleil performing in Viva ELVIS. She has choreographed and worked with various artists such as Miley Cyrus, Madonna, and many others. Johanna takes much pride in her teaching while always trying to expand her horizons. We are very excited to have her teaching Contemporary and Lyrical here at Bunker Dance Center. Welcome Johanna!
Michelle Szoke
Michelle Szoke is the General Team Manager for all Recreational Dance Teams and Performing Companies at Bunker Dance. Michelle has three children: Evan, Haley and Jenna. Haley and Jenna are members of our Teen and Junior Performing Arts Companies. Michelle grew up in Sagus, CA and moved to Las Vegas in 1993 when her husband was hired with the Clark County Fire Department. Michelle has been at Bunker Dance Center since the Ann Road location opened in 2002. Michelle tapped for three years at Bunker Dance with the adult tap class and had several smashing performances! This is Michelle's 2nd year working at Bunker Dance Center.
Miguel Perez
Miguel Perez started dancing at the age of 18 at the University of Arizona where he received a 4year scholarship for dance. He then went on to dance for both River North Dance Company and Hubbard Street 2 in Chicago. Miguel then moved to Las Vegas to dance for Celine Dion "A New Day" at Caesars Palace. While living in Las Vegas Miguel also did some modeling print work, and filmed two commercials, one for McDonalds and the other For "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". Once the Celine show closed in Vegas Miguel went on Celine Dion's world tour called "Taking Chances." He has danced for three companies Body Traffic, Lumanario, and Terry Beemans circus show. He has also filmed two workout videos for Hip Hop abs and Dancing with the Stars. This year he was top 30 on "So You Think You Can Dance", appeared on Americas Got Talent as a back up dancer and danced with Leona Lewis on Dancing with the Stars." He is currently dancing in the new show "Viva Elvis" for Cirque de Soleil. When Miguel is not dancing he is also teaching at Universities and studios all over the US and also working on his Choreography.
Nastasia Morris
Nastasia, also known as Stasi, danced with Bunker Dance Center for seven years and performed with the top Performing Arts Company. She's been dancing since the age of three and enjoys passing on her knowledge of dance to others. After graduating from BYU with a Broadcast Journalism major and a Dance minor, she spent a year as a news reporter in Texas. Stasi is excited to be back home in Vegas and at Bunker Dance Center. Welcome Stasi!
Nicole Minervini
Nicole returns for a fourth year here at Bunker Dance Center. Nicole started dancing when she was five years old, and was a member of our top Performing Arts Company for six years. She will be attending UNLV while working on her degree in Special Education. After living on the East Coast for a year, she is very excited to be back teaching and working at the desk! Nicole is also the Coordinator of the Recreational Dance Teams.
Nicole Monlineri
Nicole has danced professionally for 14 years with Hartford Ballet, and Les Ballet De Monte Carlo in Monaco. She has studied dance all her life and is currently teaching and choreographing for local show choirs and performing Glee groups. We welcome Nicole to our teaching faculty!
Paul Franklin
Paul is a native of Charlotte, N.C. He choreographs and teaches for numerous organizations in Japan, and the U.S. such as: DEA, Dance Olympus, Boston's Teachers' Club, and UNLV. His performing background includes musical theater, cruise ships, theme parks, national commercials, and major Las Vegas shows. Paul teaches jazz to our top performing companies and there is a saying at Bunker: "Once a dancer passes through Paul's hands they are on to the next level!"
Stephanie Minarchan
Stephanie is the main tap teacher for the Performing Companies. This will be her thirteenth year at Bunker Dance. She graduated with a B.A. in Dance from UNLV with a choreography and teaching emphasis. Stephanie trained with Dr. Henry LeTang for four years, choreographer of the Tony Award Winning Show Black and Blue and teacher of Gregory Hines and Savion Glover and many other tap legends. She has also taught for DEA and UNLV. Coming from a family of teachers, she has had the opportunity to see the the incredible impact a teacher can have on their students and can think of nothing she would rather be doing than building those relationships. Stephanie wears many hats at Bunker and also edits music and assists with overall choreography in many classes. Stephanie is a jewel at Bunker Dance Center with her incredible talents as a superior teacher and choreographer in the dance world.
Teresa Moody
Teresa has been dancing since she was three years old and found the love for teaching along with dance. Teresa has performed at many professional events such as LA Lakers, Utah Jazz, Dallas Cowboys, and St. Louis Rams half time shows. Teresa is a mother of five and all of her girls have gone through classes at Bunker. This is Teresa's third year teaching at Bunker!
