The Barretender

Sean Cheesman is an internationally renowned creative director / choreographer who has worked with the world’s top entertainers including Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, TLC, Vanessa Williams, Carmen Electra, Tina Turner, Queen Latifah, Cher and Britney Spears. Sean is a staple on the Canadian, US and British versions of So You Think You Can Dance as both a choreographer and guest judge. He was a Creative Producer / Choreographer on CBC’s Over The Rainbow – a competition to find Dorothy for the Mirvish production of The Wizard of Oz. Sean has previously appeared as the Host and Choreographer as well as the head judge on the reality show/dance competition Dirty Dancing: Time Of Your Life, currently playing on the Living Channel all over the United Kingdom.

Kathryn Burns recently won an Emmy award for her work on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and is currently one of the most in-demand choreographers in Hollywood. In the choreography category last year she was representing the only female nominee as well as the only episodic comedy and her peers undoubtedly took notice. Kathryn’s worked on a slew of hit television shows including Key and Peele, Netflix’s Wet Hot American Summer, 2 Broke Girls, and Children’s Hospital. She even worked with the multitude of dancers featured in Pharrell’s music video for Happy which won her and her team a Grammy award for Best Music Video of the Year.

Sara has been a principal dancer with the New York City ballet for almost 10 years and has no plans of stopping anytime soon. She was recently featured in Elle Magazine’s The Movement Series and in addition to her gorgeous dancing in the piece, Sara reminds her fans that ballet is her oxygen and that every opportunity to dance is a special one not to be taken for granted. After overcoming extensive injury throughout her career, she has come out on top stronger than ever. In addition to her full-time schedule at New York City Ballet has starred in the Broadway revival of On The Town and has collaborated with Cole Haan to develop footwear inspired by the studio-to-street lifestyle among many other special projects.

Kevin is one of Lady Gaga's dancers who most recently slayed the stage directly beside the queen in her iconic Super Bowl performance. In addition to dancing for her Born This Way Ball and Artpop Ball tours, he's also been featured in countless music videos and television performances with the pop diva. Kevin has worked closely with Emmy Award-winning choreographer Tessandra Chavez as an assistant and even helped her to develop a dance program in San Diego. His work as an assistant can be seen on hit shows like So You Think You Can Dance, Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition, Dancing with the Stars China, and the upcoming dance film Heartbeats.

Currently playing the role of Piper in the hit Canadian teen dance series The Next Step, Alexandra Chaves is magnetic on-screen not only due her incredible dance skills but also because of her fierce acting chops. She’s be awarded numerous titles at dance competitions around the world including Dance Network’s newest partner & world-renowned competition circuit, Star Dance Alliance.

- Gary Pate - Gary has been an active member of the entertainment industry for most of his life, one of his most beloved claims to fame being the co-founder and CEO of the Star Dance Alliance, one of the world’s most prestigious dance competition circuits. Star Dance Alliance is celebrating its 30th year and Gary makes dreams a reality for thousands of dancers around the world. He’s worn every hat imaginable in the business and is an inspiration not only to the dancers who attend his competitions in droves but to the parents and dance teachers who want only the best for their children and students. - Jill Wolins - After beginning her career dancing for Disney in Orlando, Jill Wolins went on the realize a career most artists only dream of including dancing for the Radio City Rockettes, performing in the screen and stage versions of The Producers, dancing with Chita Rivera at the Kennedy Center, and numerous other esteemed credits. She is also the author of the go-to book for dancers, dance parents, and studio owners entitled Dance Competitions: Are You Ready? Jill has been a longtime member of the Star Dance Alliance family as a faculty member, adjudicator, and choreographer. - Chuck Crist -Today’s guest has been a member of the Star Dance Alliance family for almost 30 years, meaning he’s seen this competition circuit grow from a newborn baby into a full-blown millennial. Chuck Crist may not come from a dance background, per say, but he has been entrenched in the world of dance almost every day for the past 3 decades.

Serge has become a familiar face to the So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars audiences, but he is currently making a name for himself on the East coast as the choreographer for the New York Knicks City dancers and working with Team USA’s World Champion Ice Skaters. Serge Onik began his dance career in the glamorous world of ballroom where he quickly became a National Champion and took home 8th place at the World Games in Taiwan in 2009.

Mihran has toured the world with several world-renowned artists including Britney Spears, Madonna, and Ricky Martin and has appeared in some of in of our all-time favorite music videos. He’s also a highly sought-after choreographer who’s created live performances for Selena Gomez, Nickelodeon, Kelly Rowland and works on NBC’s the Voice. Mihran has also developed a production company that utilizes his varied expertise and focuses on being the epicenter for all of the entertainment industry’s production needs.

Kristin has made a name for herself as an actor, dancer, choreographer, and designer- a career that most artists can only dream of. She’s danced for stars like Prince, Britney Spears, and Cyndi Lauper as well as appeared in national commercials for major brands like Pepsi. Her work in choreography, however, has skyrocketed Kristin to the top of the dance industry. She was crowned the winner of the choreography competition Make a Move and her work has been featured in the Capezio ACE awards, on So You Think You Can Dance, and on the hit Lifetime series Dance Moms.

Lyrik has traveled the globe as a performer, choreographer, master instructor, and Latin dance judge. He's worked in several medias most notably on Jane the Virgin, American Idol, Lip Sync Battle, the Special Olympics Opening Ceremony, & working extensively with dance legend Debbie Allen. He's also choreographed for RuPaul's Drag Race star Derrick Barry and last year's dance feature film Shine.