Melissa Hathway - Director :
Melissa Hathway, founder and director of Arts 'n Motion, grew up dancing and competing in the Baltimore/Washington area. She began dancing at the age of 3 at the Linda Natoli Dance Studio and later joined one of Maryland's premier dance studios as a PM Dancer at Fran Peter's Studio of Dance. Between the ages of 16 and 19, Melissa performed professionally for the West End dinner theater in Alexandria, King's Dominion Paramount Productions and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. She then spent two years in the international production of Andrew Lloyd Weber's "CATS" in Hamburg, Germany.

Melissa was invited to return to the U.S. to join the national touring company of "CATS". During two years performing on the road, she became the company's assistant dance captain and taught master classes and workshops in cities around the U.S. and Canada. Melissa's dance skills and work ethic earned her a role in the Broadway company of "CATS" for two years where she also became assistant to the dance captain. In the final performance of the longest running show in Broadway history, Melissa had the honor of performing the role of Victoria the White Cat. During her time in New York, Melissa appeared with the "CATS" company in performances on Good Morning America and Saturday Night Live.

After the birth of her first child, Melissa shifted her focus to writing articles about dance education and competitions for Lifestyle Media, publishers of Dance Teacher, Pointe, Dance Spirit and American Cheerleader magazines. As a member of Dance Masters of America (DMA) she has also served as a judge for dance competitions.

In 2001, Melissa and her husband moved back to Maryland to raise their children around their extended family and Melissa rejoined Fran's Studio of Dance as a ballet, jazz and tap instructor. Melissa also taught music and movement classes for two years for musicKids, Inc. in Bethesda, MD, and developed their Movers and Shakers program for early childhood creative movement and motor development. Melissa maintains her membership in the Actor's Equity union.

After the birth of her second child, Melissa turned her creative energy, talent, skills, and love for the arts and working with children to the opening of her own dance, music and art studio, Arts 'n Motion.

Cass Harrington:
Cass Harrington started ballet at the age of 3. Being an"Army Brat", she started her dance career at many studios. At the age of 12 she was awarded a dance scholarship to the summer dance program at the School of American Ballet - the official school of the New York City Ballet. She was invited to continue at the School of American Ballet for the winter session. She continued to study ballet there being promoted to apprentice and then a soloist under George Balanchine.

She has performed in numerous ballets such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Midsummer's Night Dream, Sleeping Beauty and Symphony C in second movement. She has been a guest performer with San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Boston Ballet.

When an injury ended her career, she went on to study at the University of Vermont earning a degree in Public Relations. She then followed on with a degree in early childhood education for grades 1-3.

She is married to Dennis a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army. She has 5 children; Matthew - 12; Michael - 10; Jacob - 8; McKenzie - 4 and Brady - 9 months.
She is still very much involved with the New York City Ballet - George Balanchine Trust.

 

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