Our Faculty
Debra Bricker
Director & Owner
Debra Bricker (Director) enjoyed a brilliant dance career with national ballet companies in the United States and Canada. Ms. Bricker’s poise, style and versatility were recognized early as she began her career in Rochester, NY. Ms.Bricker trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts, National Ballet of Canada and the prestigious American Ballet Theater where she was on full scholarship. Later, Ms. Bricker appeared with ABT and National Ballet of Canada including televised LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER performances of such ballets as Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beautyand Firebird. She has also delighted audiences in solo and guest artist performances with the Atlanta Ballet, Boston Ballet, Wilmington Ballet, New Orleans Ballet, Alexandra Ballet, SC Ballet Theater/Ballet Michigan and the Ruth Mitchell Dance Company.
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Ms. Bricker has inspired other artists as well. In fact, as Ruth Mitchell tells it, “it was her phenomenal jumps” that inspired Emmy-award winning choreographer, Dom Orejedos , to create a version of the magical Firebird solely for Debra in the title role. Debra was a principal dancer with Columbia City Ballet in addition to serving as Company Ballet Mistress and assistant to the director. She has taught at USC, the SC Summer Dance Institute, Tri-District Arts Consortium and Columbia College. Ms. Bricker has starred in local productions of a Chorus Line and West Side Story. She choreographed Town Theater’s production of West Side Story for their 90th season.
She has also been a winning contestant on the popular TV game show, Jeopardy! When she is not teaching dance, you may find her next door at her husband, Joe’s store, Brewer Decorating, or windsurfing!
Susan Hancock
Susan Hancock was born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina, and began her ballet training at the Columbia Conservatory of Dance under the direction of Debra Bricker. Her dedication and passion for dance led her to attend the prestigious School of American Ballet, where she studied for three consecutive summers. She later continued her training at the North Carolina School of the Arts.
In 1994, Susan joined Los Angeles Classical Ballet and went on to perform with Francisco Martinez Dance Theater while continuing her work with the company. During her professional career in Los Angeles, Susan was featured as a dancer on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the VH1 Comedy Hour featuring Wendy the Snapple Lady.
After returning home to South Carolina, Susan continued her studies at the University of South Carolina while performing with the USC Ballet Company. During her time with the company, she performed numerous featured roles in works by George Balanchine, including Apollo, Western Symphony, Who Cares?, Walpurgisnaught, Allegro Brillante, Mozartiana, and Serenade, performing alongside members of New York City Ballet.
Susan was also featured in SCETV’s documentary following the re-staging of Martha Graham’s Sketches from Chronicle. She represented the USC Dance Company at the American College Dance Festival and Spoleto Festival and was honored with the Director’s Award for Outstanding Artistic Merit. Susan earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Performance and Choreography.
Today, Susan brings her extensive professional experience and passion for dance education to Academy of Dance Arts, creating a studio environment where every dancer is encouraged to grow, dream big, and discover their love of dance. Her mission is to provide quality training while making every student feel welcomed, valued, and part of the ADA family. 💙
Alyssa Stephens
We are thrilled to have Alyssa Stephens at the Academy of Dance Arts!
Alyssa began her dance training in Columbia under the direction of Debbie Spivey at Footnotes. She continued her studies at The Center for Dance Education and performed with Carolina Ballet under the direction of Mimi Worrell. Alyssa was also a member of the Palmetto Center for the Arts Dance Program at Richland Northeast High School, directed by Nicole Czekalski, where she participated in both dance and theater productions.
With experience teaching at Footnotes and The Center for Dance Education, Alyssa brings a strong foundation in dance education and a passion for helping students grow. After graduating from the University of South Carolina, Alyssa joined the faculty at Dreher High School
We are excited to have Alyssa on the ADA team sharing her knowledge, enthusiasm, and love of dance with our students. 💙
Michael McManus
We are thrilled to have Michael McManus as part of the Academy of Dance Arts teaching staff!
Originally from Bennettsville, South Carolina, Michael began his dance training at Crystal McInnis School of Dance in Laurinburg, North Carolina. He continued his studies at the University of South Carolina, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in Dance. During his time at USC, Michael trained under renowned artists including Thaddeus Davis, Dale Lam, and Susan Hancock.
As a student, Michael performed at the American College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and his self-choreographed work Recrudescence received recognition from university faculty and was selected for performance at the American College Dance Festival regional event.
Michael currently serves as the Company Director at Mrs. Jenkins Dance Academy in Columbia, SC, and continues to share his artistry as a guest choreographer and instructor throughout the Southeast. He has had the privilege of mentoring young dancers through the University of South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory, where he helped foster the growth of more than 100 students and collaborated with Artists for Africa to train 11 dancers from Nairobi, Kenya.
As a professional artist, Michael has performed with Wideman-Davis Dance Company, debuting Migratuse Ataraxia in Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama. He is also a company member and choreographer with UNBOUND Dance Company under the direction of Caroline Lewis Jones and Morgan Holton in Columbia, SC. Additionally, Michael has performed as a guest artist with Salt Lake-based company Divinity under the direction of Krissie Edwards and Nikole Black.
Michael brings a wealth of professional performance experience, creativity, and passion for dance education to ADA. He is dedicated to inspiring dancers through movement, storytelling, and artistic expression while helping students build confidence and discover their own unique voices as artists.
We are honored to have Michael with the ADA family and cannot wait for our dancers to learn and grow from his expertise. 💙✨
Hannah Wood
We are so excited to welcome Hannah Wood back to the Academy of Dance Arts teaching staff!
Hannah has been a valued part of the ADA family and is an inspiring teacher and mentor. With 15 years of dance training, Hannah has an experienced perspective and brings passion and understanding into every class she teaches.
Hannah has served as our tap instructor as well as mentor for young ADA performance company members. She has also choreographed award-winning competitive group routines and solos, sharing her creativity and love of dance with our students. Hannah especially enjoys watching dancers learn, grow, and gain confidence both inside and outside of the studio.
Hannah was a member of the River Bluff Dance Company and is currently a student in the University of South Carolina Honors College. Her dedication to academics, dance, and mentoring young dancers makes her a wonderful role model for our ADA students.
We are so grateful to have Hannah continue as part of our teaching staff. Her passion, experience, and genuine love for our dancers make her such a special part of the ADA family. We can’t wait for another amazing season with Hannah! 💙✨
Ella Samellas
Welcome, Ella Samellas, to the ADA Family!
We are thrilled to welcome Ella Samellas to the Academy of Dance Arts teaching staff!
Ella recently graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a minor in Dance. During her time at USC, she was a proud member of the Carolina Dance Team for all four years, where she developed her passion for performance, teamwork, and excellence.
Ella is passionate about sharing her love of dance with the next generation of dancers. She believes dance teaches so much more than technique—it builds confidence, discipline, perseverance, and a strong work ethic that extends far beyond the studio. Her positive energy and dedication to helping students grow make her a wonderful addition to the ADA family.
Ella is excited to inspire dancers of all ages while creating a fun, encouraging, and supportive classroom where every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and Dream Big.
We are so excited to have Ella join our team and can't wait to see the impact she will make on our dancers. Welcome to the ADA family, Ella! 💙✨
Grace Bailey
Grace is a rising sophomore at the University of South Carolina, where she is pursuing a degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Dance. Her passion for dance began at a young age, and she trained for 15 years with Southeastern School of Ballet in ballet, pointe, modern dance, and Hungarian folk dance.
Grace is also a familiar face at ADA, having trained at Academy of Dance Arts for six years as a member of our Senior Competition Team. During her time as a student, she studied ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, pointe, and hip hop, gaining valuable experience both in the classroom and on the stage.
Today, Grace shares her love of dance by teaching a variety of styles at ADA, including musical theatre, ballet, lyrical, jazz, and tap. Her dedication to learning, performing, and inspiring the next generation of dancers makes her a wonderful addition to our team.
We are so excited to have Grace continue to grow as an educator and share her passion for dance with our students. 💙✨
Kaelee Christian
Coming Soon
Anna Sparrow
Coming Soon
Rain Hicks, resident choreographer
Rain has been a competitive dancer and performer for 15 years, beginning her dance journey at the age of five. She trained at Miss Libby’s School of Dance in Sumter, South Carolina, where she developed her passion for performance, choreography, and dance education.
Rain continues to pursue her passion for dance as a dancer and choreographer with UNBOUND Dance Company and as a member of Atlanta Contemporary Dance. Through her professional experiences, she continues to grow as an artist while bringing valuable knowledge, creativity, and real-world performance experience into the classroom.
Rain graduated from The University of South Carolina–Columbia, where she majored in Dance Performance and Choreography. Her extensive training includes contemporary, lyrical, modern, jazz, musical theatre, hip hop, tap, and ballet, allowing her to provide a well-rounded approach to dance education.
As an instructor, Rain is passionate about sharing her love of dance and inspiring dancers of all ages to build confidence, explore their creativity, and reach their full potential. 💙✨
