Charleigh France

Charleigh France discovered her passion for dance at just three years old. By the age of five, she began competing, which ignited her dream of becoming a professional dancer. During high school, she trained at the San Jose Ballet School and later earned a place in the prestigious Dance Department at San Diego State University's School of Music and Dance.

Her training included national and international opportunities such as the World Dance Festival in Poland, a summer intensive at Tisch School of the Arts in New York City, and master classes at Juilliard. After moving to Las Vegas, Charleigh was cast in Cirque du Soleil and the iconic show Jubilee. Her professional journey also includes choreographing and performing for Barcelo Resorts and CoCo Bongo in Mexico, where she gained recognition from renowned artists including Ciara, Christina Aguilera, and Busta Rhymes. She has appeared in music videos for LaMont Wheat and served as a principal dancer with Twisted Movement Dance Co.

Charleigh is a sought-after choreographer and educator, working with programs across the U.S. to develop choreography and refine technical skills. She has adjudicated for numerous organizations, including DX Events and the USASF Dance Worlds, and has had the honor of working with Team Australia.

Now based in Arkansas, Charleigh continues to perform, choreograph, direct, and teach. Charleigh has been an integral part of the DX = 3D Convention since its inception, serving as the featured choreographer for the DX Disney Tour and creating the opening number for DX Nationals’ Xtreme Team.

Her specialties include lyrical, contemporary, jazz, modern, pom, musical theatre, technique training, routine cleaning, and dancing in heels. Charleigh’s passion for teaching and connecting with dancers of all ages shines through in every DX class she leads.

Crystal Zibalese

Crystal Zibalese is a California born dancer, choreographer and educator. She received her BFA in Dance from Chapman University in 2004.

Upon graduation, she went on to dance professionally with Backhausdance under the direction of Jennifer Backhaus. She also toured both nationally and internationally while performing with Diavolo Dance Theater.

Crystal has a true passion for teaching and choreography.  She specializes in contemporary, jazz and modern. Her work has won national dance titles and earned prestigious recognition. Her choreography was nominated for Choreography of the Year by the Industry Dance Awards in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2023. In 2016, her work was selected as a finalist by The McCallum Theater’s annual Choreography Festival and went on to win the grand prize. Her piece “Pathways” was selected as a finalist for the same event in 2022.

She is thrilled to be working with DX and all the amazing talent here.

Daniel Tardibono

Daniel Tardibono has worked in the arts world for nearly 25 years, in various capacities: teacher, choreographer, judge, coach, administrator, and more. 

Daniel worked as Director of Schools for Texas Ballet Theater, Dallas-Fort Worth's resident professional ballet company. He is a State of Oklahoma K-12 Certified educator in Dance and a certified teacher through Dance Masters of America, where he also served as both an officer and board member.

For 18 years, Daniel served as Founding Director of Victory Dance of Oklahoma City, where his students went on to study at some of the most prestigious dance universities in the country, as well as, perform professionally with companies such as Ballet Magnificat!, Oklahoma City Ballet, Steps on Broadway Conservatory, and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

In 2007, Daniel served as Lead Consultant for the development and launch of the Dance Performance degree program at Oral Roberts University. Daniel has choreographed and coached several award-winning competition teams, and received numerous top awards, including State Champion Dance Teams and National finals groups. During Oklahoma's State Centennial Celebration, Daniel choreographed for country star Ty England's performance on the live TV broadcast of the Oklahoma State Centennial Parade.

Daniel is passionate about dance education and believes strongly in challenging and inspiring students of all ages and technical levels. He is excited to share this with our DX dancers.

Jensen Freedman

A proud Los Angeles native, Jensen Freedman is a versatile and passionate dancer whose training spans all major styles. Deeply influenced by her West Coast roots and a strong foundation in House dance, Jensen’s unique style and perspective have especially shaped her artistry in tap.

Jensen’s teaching philosophy blends feel-good movement with meaningful conversations about creating a more inclusive, sustainable future for all dancers. Her energy and insight make her classes both joyful and empowering.

As a young dancer, she was awarded multiple scholarships and featured in two renowned LA-based tap companies: Tap Sounds Underground and Rithem Dance Co. Her talents also took her internationally, including teaching and judging at the Congreso de Danza in Mexico.

For over 15 years, Jensen has been a core part of the Tap INto the Network (TITN) Intensive, training under industry icons Gregg Russell, Angela Carter, and Ryan Lohoff. As a performer, her specialties lie in Tap and House, and she believes that the essence of a strong performance begins with a deep love for the music. Her commercial credits include national spots for Dunkin’ Donuts and Kikkoman Soy Sauce.

Jensen’s energy inspires all DX dancers through her convention instruction and verbal critiques.

Misty RasconSmith

Ms. RasconSmith has been professionally working in the dance industry for more than sixteen years. Specializing in jazz/funk, tribal funk and hip hop genres, she brings amazing choreography and demands the best from each dancer.

She has worked with numerous recording artists, such as; Natasha Beddingfield, Janelle Monae, Vanessa Hudgens, Kirk Franklin, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Britney Spears, Snoop Dogg, and Daniel Powter. You may recognize her from national television commercials for, Sunkist, Pepsi, Nike, or Sears. She can also been seen in the popular Robin Sparkles episode of the CBS hit show “How I Met Your Mother” and as a dancer and body double on Nickelodeon’s “Taina.” 

She has danced for several award shows, including; the American Music Awards, Soul Train Awards, and the Latin Grammy’s. She has appeared in print ads and as a model for Adidas, Tarbell, American Greeting Cards, Best Buy, Avery, and countless others. 

She is proud of her extensive dance training in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, salsa, hip hop, and more. She feels like an innovator and has created her very own style of “Tribal Funk,” and feels that she has developed something that many describe as “a movement that impacts people through dance, music, and clothing.” 

As an instructor at numerous conventions and locations across the United States, including; Edge Performing Arts Center, Debbie Reynold’s, Word In Motion’s Urban Dance Festival, Groove Street, and Project Dance New York, her various styles of choreography and classes have been described as challenging, yet inspirational.

Currently, Ms. Rascon Smith teaches for Dance Revolution, and is a dancer for, and directs, Word In Motion Dance Studio. Since discovering the meaning and purpose of her dancing and choreography, she is devoted to challenging and encouraging others to do the same in both life and dance.

Misty enjoys providing feedback to young DX dancers to inspire and encourage them as they grow as artists.

Kelsey Nelson

Kelsey has over 25 years of dance experience ranging from major motion pictures to teaching students all across North America, judging for several prestigious dance competitions within the United States, and creating her own conditioning program for dancers. She received her Bachelor of Science in Dance Management from Oklahoma City University and is well-versed in all genres of dance.

​Some of Kelsey's professional performing credits include working with choreographers like Fatima Robinson on Anchorman II: The Legend Continues, Mia Michaels on Rock of Ages,  Disney's Million Dollar Arm, HSN, Royal Caribbean International, Feld Entertainment/Feld Motor Sports, Cirque Productions, Universal Orlando, Busch Gardens, Hardrive Inc., Event Show Productions, D Squared Productions, Cirque USA, and many more.

​Along with performing, Kelsey has a passion for providing quality instruction and choreography. She has had the opportunity to continually develop both her teaching and choreography portfolio by working with St. John's University, Wake Forest University, McKendree University, University of South Florida, New Bern High School (NC), Father Lopez High School (FL), Barron Collier High School (FL), Oviedo High School (FL), Victoria's School of Dance, USA Ambassador Pageant, Cirque USA, BookAFlashMob.com, Universal Dance Association and many studios located within the United States and Canada. Kelsey has been honored to be a Master Instructor for National Dance Alliance, Universal Dance Association and Dance Team Union in the past few years.

​You can find Kelsey on the judging panel of several different national competitions and as a member of Impact Dance Adjudicators. She has had the honor of judging for the USASF Dance Worlds. She is always working to provide the most beneficial and valuable critiques possible to help both students and teachers alike grow and develop. Her passion for dance spreads wide and far and is always looking for new ways to continue to expand her wings in the entertainment and education industry.

Kelsey is excited to see the talent on our DX stage this season.

Raven Gantt

Raven Gantt is a seasoned choreographer and creative director with over 20 years of experience in the dance industry. A Southern California native, Raven has trained under some of the top professionals in the field.

Currently, she leads as the owner and director of Define Dance Space in Riverside, CA, a thriving dance studio known for its innovative approach to dance education. In addition to her work at the studio, Raven is the choreographer and creative director for the Acrobots, the groundbreaking acrobatic hoverboard dance group that made waves with their appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and their opening performance for Justin Bieber.

Raven's choreography was recently recognized with a nomination for Best Jazz at the Industry Dance Awards. For the last three years, she has held the position as the Jazz Choreographer for San Diego State University, where her choreography, including the iconic routine to “Proud Mary” which has left a lasting impact on the team and social media.

Raven continues to influence the dance community as a judge, teacher, and choreographer for studios and teams at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels both in the U.S. and abroad. She currently serves on the USASF Dance Worlds Panel, where she adjudicates dancers from across the globe on one of the world’s most prestigious stages.

As a performer, Raven was a member of Points of View Theatrical Dance Company under the direction of Terry Schulke and appeared in numerous television shows, films, music videos, and print campaigns. Her credits include ABC’s No Ordinary Family, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and commercial print work for Happy Jewelers.

Raven is thrilled to share her passion this season with DX dancers.

TJ Jacobs

TJ Jacobs is a dynamic force in the dance community, currently based in New York City. Originally from Northern Virginia, TJ began cultivating his love for dance through training with Culture Shock DC and Freestyle, developing a strong foundation in street and club dance styles.

His passion for movement and culture has led to an impressive array of accomplishments, including a TEDx Talk, a Bessie Award nomination, and the founding of Pace Setters Dance Company. TJ has performed with renowned artists such as Crystal Waters, Betty Who, and Wyclef Jean, and has appeared on platforms like World of Dance and The Wizards. Most recently, he completed residencies with Ladies of Hip Hop and Dance Lab NYC.

TJ is extensively trained in styles such as House, Hip Hop, Waacking, Popping, and Locking, having studied under some of the most respected figures in the industry. He is also a featured dancer and collaborator with the TRPNYC Movement Ensemble.

During the recent economic recession, TJ’s commissioned work with the Stephen Petronio Dance Company received high praise and was featured in The New York Times. That same production was nominated for a Bessie Award for Outstanding Production, alongside celebrated artists like Bill T. Jones.

TJ’s broad experiences across performance, choreography, and collaboration have deeply influenced his artistic philosophy. He is passionate about using dance as a vehicle for education, empowerment, and expression, and he brings that passion into every class, critique, and mentorship.

TJ is part of DX’s convention faculty this season and will adjudicate as well.

Maddie Jamieson

A veteran adjudicator with extensive international experience, Maddie has judged dance competitions across the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and France, including the prestigious ICU European Championships.

As a competitive dancer, Maddie earned 27 national titles across pom, jazz, lyrical, and hip hop divisions. She proudly represented Scotland at the ICU European Championships, IASF Dance Worlds, and ICU World Championships, making her a standout figure in the international dance scene.

Her performance credits include appearances in BBC's Clique, campaigns for IKEA, and the major motion picture Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Since retiring from competition, Maddie has become an award-winning choreographer, working with studio dancers and elite dance teams across Europe. In 2022, she coached Team Scotland in both the Jazz and Youth Pom divisions at the ICU World Championships, where her team’s achieved 4th and 3rd place finishes, respectively.

Maddie brings a global perspective, deep technical expertise, and a passion for excellence to every event she is part of.

She loves spending time in the US and teaching at our DX Conventions and adjudicating our competitions.

Kaya Doyle

With three decades of dance judging experience, Kaya Doyle is an asset to the DX judging panel. After receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Performing Arts from Northern Illinois University, her devotion to the art of dance motivated her to pursue a Master’s Degree from the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Kaya’s desire to share her enthusiasm and expertise led her to become certified as a United States All Star Federation (USASF) Dance Legality Official and has been honored to adjudicate competitions World-wide including Korea, Toyko, England, Scotland and Canada. Her expertise earned her a position as Secretary of the Dance Rules Committee for the USASF and has been a Worlds Dance Judge for thirteen seasons.

Kaya is also a proud member of the DX Hall of Fame.

Melissa Kidd

Throughout her career Melissa Kidd has trained under members of Cincinnati Ballet, Boston Ballet and New York City Ballet. She has also trained under Finis Jhung (Alvin Ailey instructor & famous for Broadway's 'Flower Drum Song'), Savion and Abron Glover (tap-'Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk') and many more famous names in dance.

Melissa has performed and trained with the Manhattan Dance Project the years of its inception in the late 1990's.  She has also choreographed for Cincinnati based RoJo productions, the rapper 'Gyfted', danced/choreographed for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and choreographed for schools/studios/soloists across the country. 

Ms. Kidd holds several certifications in early childhood dance education and currently teaches a certification program for studio and program owners. She also is a consultant for studio, high schools and college teams across the country.  

Melissa is a USASF Dance Worlds certified legality official, judges for both the all-star and studio circuit where she serves as a judging trainer/coordinator. She has a decade of experience as a judge and has been nominated and served on USASF Worlds panels every year since 2018.

Melissa Kidd is the owner of Dance Technician, a private strength training facility for dancers located near Cincinnati Ohio. Her facility is a unique style of training rooted in Pilates, Aerial Yoga, and Strength/ Flexibility Training. 

Melissa is thrilled to return to DX and all the talent on our stage.