Education Program Supporters

This program is also supported, in part, by a grant from a private foundation

MEET OUR EDUCATORS

Sterling deVries
Director of Education

Sterling deVries, the Director of Education at the Charleston Gaillard Center is dedicated to supporting the educational community through the arts. Following fifteen years as a classroom teacher, deVries builds on the knowledge that arts are an integral part of classroom content. Her Master’s degree in Arts in Education changed her approach to teaching and resulted in a student-centered, arts-enhanced method of content mastery.

Stephanie Lancaster
Education Coordinator

Stephanie was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated from Flagler College with a bachelor of Fine Arts and College of Charleston with a Masters in Early Childhood Education. Stephanie was a classroom teacher for five years before joining the Gaillard Center three years ago. Stephanie currently lives in West Ashley with her husband and their pup, Hadley. In her spare time, she enjoys going to the beach, painting, biking, watching movies, and trying new restaurants.

MEET OUR ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE

Charlton Singleton
Artist-in-Residence Emeritus

A native of Awendaw, SC, Charlton Singleton began his musical studies at the age of three on the piano. He would then go on to study the organ, violin, cello, and the trumpet throughout elementary, middle and high school. In 1994, he received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from South Carolina State University. Since that time, he has taught music at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, as well as being an adjunct faculty member at the College of Charleston. In 2008 he co-founded and became the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra; an 18 piece jazz ensemble of some of the finest professional musicians in the Southeast and the resident big band in Charleston, SC. Mr. Singleton is also the organist and choir director at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Charleston, SC. In November of 2016 he was named the inaugural Artist in Residence at the recently renovated Gaillard Center in downtown Charleston. He remained in this position until July 2019; at that point he was named Artist in Residence Emeritus. In this position he continues to lead the Summer Youth Jazz Orchestra Camp as well as lead the “Jazz Through the Ages” assembly, which attracts a capacity crowd of students at the Gaillard Center.

Marcus Amaker
Artist-in-Residence
Poet Laureate of Charleston

Marcus Amaker is Charleston, South Carolina’s first poet laureate, the Charleston Gaillard Center’s Artist-in-Residence, and an Academy of American Poets fellow. In addition to poetry, Marcus is an award-winning graphic designer and musician. He’s published nine poetry books and has been recognized by NPR, the Kennedy Center, The Washington National Opera, PBS Newshour, and more. Learn more about Marcus here.

Dance.Laugh.Learn
Early Childhood Artist-in-Residence

Workshop details coming soon!

Dance.Laugh.Learn. combines music, dance, and theatre with proven methods in childhood development aimed at sparking a child’s creativity and establishing an early love for the arts. As a new program, we are constantly growing, and incorporating our own continuing education into the program. Each program offers different and unique objectives that are achieved in a positive and nurturing learning environment. Dance.Laugh.Learn. programs are designed to give your children the opportunity to express creativity, expand the imagination, strengthen communication abilities, and cultivate social skills through the use of the performing arts. All Dance.Laugh.Learn classes are educational and process-based and will develop skills in your child that will stay with them throughout their lives.

Simone Liberty
Lead Educator
Dance.Laugh.Learn

Simone has been dancing since the age of six, performing genres including tap, jazz, ballet, and Broadway Dance. She grew up in Connecticut and began her work as a choreographer and dance teacher at Kate’s Camp for Kids, a musical theater summer camp program hosted by the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. Simone holds a BA in Arts Management and a Master’s in Public Administration from the College of Charleston. She has become a strong advocate for high-quality arts education programs through her studies and various internships and job positions. As a certified Zumba Instructor, a choreographer, and a teaching artist for Dance.Laugh.Learn, she has experience teaching and creating choreographic works for students who range from 6 months to 20 years of age.

Rylee Coppel
Founder & Artistic Director
Dance. Laugh. Learn.

Rylee is a Pennsylvania native who followed her performing and teaching dreams to NYC. Rylee holds a B.A. in Music Performance from Ramapo College of NJ and has performed regionally and locally with such companies as; Charleston Stage, Joey Casella Productions, Theatre Rehabilitation for Youth, Roxy Regional Theatre, RWS and Associates and American Entertainment Productions. Alongside her performing, Rylee has been teaching Musical Theatre, Voice, Dance and Acting in the NY/NJ, and SC areas for over 5 years. CARI Background check; SLED Check, Certified Yoga Instructor, Aura Wellness Center; CPR/First Aid, American Red Cross; Trauma Informed

Kerri Ford
Founder & Managing Director
Dance. Laugh. Learn.

Kerri is a New York based performer who specializes in theatre for young audiences (TYA). She is an alumna of the educational theatre program at NYU where she graduated with a B.S. along with a certification to teach theatre in the state of NY (K-12;2004-2007). She has performed with a long roster of theatre companies who make it their mission to provide educational shows and assemblies to both children and adult audiences including: Winceyco, ArtsPower National Touring Theatre, Arithmitickles, and Periwinkle Theatre for Youth. Kerri is also professionally trained in movement and dance and has taught at private studios in the past. She continues to perform in the TYA field. CARI background check; NYC/DOE fingerprinted; CPR/First Aid, American Red Cross; Kappa Delta Pi member; Trauma Informed