Faculty Bios
Julie Emery (Owner/Instructor)
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Julie went to Charlotte Catholic High School where she was salutatorian and a National Merit Scholar. Her academic and dance achievements in high school helped her become a McNair Scholar, giving her a full-tuition scholarship to the University of South Carolina. |
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As an undergraduate, she was a member of the Pi Mu Epsilon, a National Honorary Mathematics Society, for which she served as treasurer. Among her awards in college were the College of Arts and Sciences Rising Senior Award and the Pi Mu Epsilon Award. Julie was also inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor of science in mathematics and a minor in dance.
Julie then continued her education at the University of South Carolina and obtained a master of science in mathematics. While obtaining her master's degree, Julie taught undergraduate mathematics at USC which helped her further realize her love of teaching all ages. Julie then went on to teach middle and high school students at Cardinal Newman School in Columbia, SC as well as college students at Midlands Technical College. Also during college she tutored elementary students through Carolina for Kids.
Throughout all of this, Julie never lost her love for dance. She started dance at a young age. Julie danced competitively for thirteen years, where she obtained numerous first place medals and overall scores. She has taken numerous classes up and down the East Coast, such as Broadway Dance Center in New York City and the Boston Ballet School, as well as competed up and down the East Coast. Her success has led to invitations to dance in the Pro Bowl and Citrus Bowl, and she has danced in Disney World (both Magic Kingdom and MGM). She danced on the Charlotte Catholic High School dance team for four years, during which the team placed first runner up in a national dance team competition. In college she performed with the USC Dance Company.
Julie’s passion for dance always shined through whenever she performed dance, and it is evident when she teaches as well. Julie’s strong work ethic makes her a great addition to Dancers Unite, and she is determined to help anyone improve in dance.
Elizabeth Emery (Owner/Instructor)
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Elizabeth began dance at the age of three, and started teaching dance at the age of thirteen. She taught dance throughout middle school, high school and college. She danced competitively since age seven and her routines won numerous overall awards. A personal favorite dance performance of hers was Disney World, a favorite vacation spot of her family. |
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In addition to teaching and dancing at her studio, she was a member of the Charlotte Catholic Dance Team for four years. She was the only freshman on a team that placed first runner up in a national competition.
She graduated Charlotte Catholic with honors, and her dance and academic achievements helped her receive the Thomas Cooper Scholarship to the University of South Carolina. She then graduated cum laude from the nationally ranked Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina with a bachelor of science in business administration. She double majored in business economics and marketing, and minored in sociology where she took such courses as Childhood Sociology.
Elizabeth’s combined loves of business, dance and working with children has made owning a studio a natural dream of hers. Elizabeth strives to provide children with self-esteem, but at the same time provide them with a good dance background. Elizabeth continues her dance education today, and has taken numerous classes up and down the east coast, most recently at Broadway Dance Center in New York City, the Boston Ballet School, the Dance Complex, and the Jeannette Neill Dance Studio in Boston. Elizabeth currently teaches hip hop and jazz for the after-school program for the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (St. Patrick Catholic School, St. Ann Catholic School, St. Gabriel Catholic School, St. Matthew Catholic School, and St. Mark Catholic School).
Monique Douglas (Instructor)
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Monique has a large variety of experience in performing, choreography and dance training. She was a member of the Western Carolina University’s dance team, where she performed in halftime and time-out routines for all basketball and football home games, in addition to the Southern Conference Tournament each year. She also choreographed routines for the dance team and was captain during the 1999-2000 season. She was a member of the Charlotte Bobcats “Lady Cats” and the Carolina Cobras “Snakecharmers”. |
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Monique has given her choreography skills to high school dance teams in the area. She choreographed the opening routine for Ardrey Kell High School’s very first dance team. She also served as a judge for the Company & Ensemble Dance classes for Ardrey Kell High School. She choreographed the competition routine for Charlotte Catholic High School’s 2005-2006 dance team.
Monique was professionally trained at Danceworks of Miami, and studied dance at Western Carolina University. Monique was also recruited to teach jazz and hip hop routines to middle school dance teams at summer camps throughout the southeastern region for the National Cheer Association. Monique’s vast training, choreography and teaching experience make her a great addition to the Dancers Unite Staff.
Carissa Hernandez (Instructor)
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Carissa Hernandez is a former member of the Ballet Hispanico of New York senior ensemble. She trained at the world famous Ballet Hispanico School in New York City. She was a recipient of the Bacardi Fellowship, Bacardi Scholarship, and Scholarship Palmolive for Ballet Hispanico of New York. Carissa attended Ballet Tech in New York City and Talent Unlimited High School, a performing arts high school located in New York City. Other training includes the Miami City Ballet and Broadway Dance Center. |
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Carissa has a vast amount of performing experience. She has performed in such prestigious venues as the Lincoln Center and the Joyce Theater in New York City. Other memorable performance experiences include Ballet Hispanico, Miami City Ballet, Hispanic Heritage Society, and People Magazine en espanol. She has also been a performer in the New York City 2006 Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City. Other internships and experience include the Martha Graham Dance Company of New York City, Brockport School internship, assisting at summer dance programs at Ballet Hispanico and Drama Zone in New York City.
Carissa has recently relocated from New York, and Dancers Unite couldn't be happier to have someone with her classical ballet background on staff.
Megan Magden Postle (Instructor)
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Megan graduated from University of Washington School of Music with a minor in dance. She was a principal member of Peninsula Dance Theater. Megan has also performed in numerous Equity and non-Equity productions in the Seattle, Washington and Hartford, Connecticut areas including The Music Man, Company and Out of this World. |
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Megan also has a lot of experience choreographing and staging musical productions. She was the choreographer for River Valley Youth Theater Collective, Inc.’s productions of Oliver!, Grease, and Annie. She was also the choreographer for Colchester Community Theater's production of Hello Dolly and for Bremerton Performing Arts Center’s production of Grease. Megan was the assistant choreographer for CLO’s production of Singing in the Rain. She was also the assistant choreographer for CSTOCK’s productions of Gypsy and Fame.
Megan was previously a dance instructor at Bremerton Dance Center in Washington and she currently serves as the Trinity Episcopal School Dance Instructor where she teaches students hip hop and musical theater classes. Dancers Unite is lucky to have such a gifted instructor with such a wide variety of experiences.
Nikki Spencer (Instructor)
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Nikki Spencer trained in both gymnastics and dance as a child. She excelled at both, participating in gymnastics meets and dance competitions, winning numerous awards in both. A highlight of her wins would be placing 3rd in the nation in amateur gymnastics. |
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Nikki continued performing as an adult. From 2006-2009, she was a member of the Charlotte Bobcats' Rally Cats and her gymnastic stunts entertained many fans. Nikki was also a member of the Kinetic Works Dance Company.
Nikki also taught dance and gymnastics here in Charlotte and in Norcross, Georgia. With her 14 years of experience coaching gymnastics, Nikki is a wonderful addition to the Dancers Unite staff.