Patrice Commodore, Artistic Director and Servant Leader

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Patrice is a native of the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. She was baptized at Woodstream Church where she served as Director of the Judah Interpretive Dance Ministry before relocating to Charlotte, NC in 2005.  She has over 20 years of dance ministry experience serving in various capacities. Being in the community is an important aspect of her ministry. She has founded several programs in partnership with the Arts and Science Council, which includes Dance Without Limits for seniors, More Than Conquerors summer dance concert series, and Ignite a summer dance initiative for youth in the local Charlotte region. 

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In 2018 she founded The New Cultural Ballet of the South, a 501 c3 non profit organization established to provide dance scholarships for youth. In addition to teaching, she is a wife and mother of six lovely children. An alumnus of Howard University, she holds a BA in Fashion Merchandising. She also holds a Degree in Dance from UNCC and completed her student teaching in CMS public schools while interning in the Education and Outreach Division at Charlotte Ballet under April Berry before embarking on her own path. The 2023-2024 season marks 14 years of service in the Charlotte area.

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Shonda Hooper, Artistic Director

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Shonda began her passion for dance at Gaston Dance Theater under the direction of Pat Wall. She trained from 1993-2003 studying ballet, tap and modern. She also attended several summer intensives including University of the Arts in Philadelphia and American Dance Festival. She continued her training as a dance major at UNC Charlotte. Here she was trained in the styles of ballet and modern under the direction of Kim Jones, Delia Neil, E.E. Balcos, Sybil Huskey and Pamela Sofras. Shonda has received a BA in dance and a BS in Public Health. Since graduating she has taught several styles including: ballet, modern and tap. She has been with OMS from conception and is excited to see the program grow as a ministry.

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Sun Young Hwang, Instructor

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Sun Young Hwang has taught Ballet at Sejong University in south Korea. She has studied Method of classical ballet at Vaganova of Russian Ballet as well as contemporary Ballet, Korean dance and modern dance. She is also certified to teach Russian Vaganova Method Ballet technique. She is married to Jay, and has one child named Michael.

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Marsha Hancock, Instructor

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Marsha began her dance training in 2004 studying at Charlotte School of Ballet where her love for dance was sparked. She trained under Gay Porter, principal instructor, with a focus in ballet. She continued her training at Central Piedmont Community College and King David Conservatory. In 2006 she served as lead dance instructor for ages 9-18 at Victory Christian Center. There she instructed classes in creative movement, ballet, jazz, summer dance camps, and choreographed for various dance productions. She continued her training with Ojah Dance where the influences of jazz, modern and African dance were introduced under the training of Sitirian Elcock and Kimberly Sales. Over the years she has continued to perfect her craft. She enjoys sharing her love of dance with children and teenagers. She is passionate about her work and is so thankful to all of her students and their families for being a part of her life.

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Timisha Plummer, Instructor

Timisha Plummer has formal training in ballet, modern, tap, jazz, African, as well as, Flamingo dance. She attended Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School and later went on to join Harlem School of the Arts. Her heart for unique cultural art forms of dance drew her to the Education Center for the Arts. She would participate in Center for the Creative Youth dance program at Wesleyan University, to seek knowledge for the art form she loved. Upon completion of her Baccalaureate Degree, she transitioned to Charlotte, NC; where she began taking classes at her new church home, as well as, at Zion Center for Worship and the Arts (ZCWA). She was asked to lead the dance ministry at her church Life Center International (2015-2017) where her teaching and prophetic dance abilities were matured. In 2015 God sent her on her first dance mission trip to Israel with ZCWA. It was in this land she discovered she was created to disciple through dance to the nations. Through the relationships she developed while teaching at ZCWA she was later invited to teach with Seeds of Praise Dance Academy (current) and at Order My Steps Christian Dance School (2016 – current), both in Charlotte, NC.