Valerie Bailey
Valerie Bailey (director/dancer) is a dancer, creator, and movement storyteller who has a strong artistic desire to create work that illuminates topics often misunderstood, as first highlighted through her work Memories Live Within the Heart (2012) and continued with Porch Swing Melodies (2018). Her dance training began in Clarksburg, WV under the direction of Bonnie and Michael McGowan, where she was an apprentice for Kitchen Sink Dance Company. Graduating summa cum laude from West Virginia University with degrees in Exercise Physiology and Dance, Valerie has also studied in the US and abroad with teachers such as David Dorfman, Jen Nugent, and the late Betty Jones, and performed in numerous works, including three seasons of NYC Children’s Theater’s adaptation of Allegra Kent’s Ballerina Swan.
After seven years of living and dancing in New York City, Valerie (along with her sweet husband and tuxedo cat) returned to West Virginia in 2019 with a continued passion to connect to the community through Tinkered Dance, which she established in 2016, welcoming all to the limitless world of dance.
Olivia Allen
Olivia Paige Allen (dancer) holds a Bachelor of fine Arts degree in dance from the Florida State University, where she graduated magna cum laude. A native of Morgantown, West, Virginia, Olivia received her early training from the Morgantown dance studio, attended summers at Virginia School of the Arts, UNCSA, CPYB, Joffrey New York, the American Dance festival, and has performed original works by Rick Mcollough, Andre Zachary, Robert Steele, Keisha Lalama, Sharone Price and more. Olivia has taught beginning to advanced level dance classes at Morgantown Dance Studio for six years. Interested in conditioning for dancers, and injury prevention, Olivia is a certified Pilates Mat instructor, currently works within the healthcare system at Mapleshire Nursing and Rehab and has worked as a physical therapists’ aide for 5 years, working towards her Doctor of Physical Therapy. Olivia joined Tinkered Dance in 2019 and is committed to her performance career and pursuing a career in physical therapy to train dancers.
Andrea Gilreath
Andrea Gilreath (dancer) began her dance studies at the age of five; developing a love for performing onstage. At 14, she continued more formal ballet training under Kim R. Pauley at the school of the Charleston Ballet in Charleston, WV; apprenticing and performing throughout high school. Andrea was an original member of Alchemy Dance Project and Morgantown Ballet Company in Morgantown, WV dancing the past decade in countless ballets; including the lead as “Aurora” in Ashley Manzo’s 2011 modern dance retelling of the Sleeping Beauty ballet. Andrea is certified in the nationally renowned Leap ‘N Learn early childhood pre-ballet dance curriculum, and is proud to be in her 10th year as a dance teacher; having taught at Morgantown Dance Studio and currently at Artistry House in Morgantown, WV. She continues to study ballet, modern, jazz and contemporary dance; and enjoys the camaraderie of the women of Tinkered Dance!
Stacey Romano
Stacey Romano (dancer) graduated summa cum laude from Radford University in 2010 with a BS in dance education. She has had extensive training in ballet, jazz, and modern, and has participated in numerous workshops and intensives at Dance Alloy Theater, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Point Park University, WV Governor’s School for the Arts, American College Dance Festival, and West Virginia Dance Festival. She was an apprentice for the Kitchen Sink Dance Company, under the direction of Michael McGowan, and danced as a company member with d a n a h b e l l a DanceWorks and Full Circle Dance Company. Stacey spent six years teaching dance for Maryland Public Schools and throughout the Baltimore area. In 2016 she relocated back home to WV with her husband and two sons and enjoys teaching locally and sharing her passion for dance with others!