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Tamalyn Blackman

Owner and Founder

is a native of North Charleston, SC, and graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts degree from the College of Charleston. After relocating to Elloree as a newlywed, Tamalyn began teaching dance in Orangeburg through the Parks and Recreation Department in August of 1986. Ten years later, she and her husband, Lee Blackman Jr., built Tamalyn's Dance Centre which is in its twenty sixth year of operation. She founded the Orangeburg Civic Ballet, Inc. in 1993 as a non-profit, totally volunteer, community dance company.  OCB is still going strong and continues to cal Tamalyn's Dance Centre its home.

Tamalyn started her formal training with the Charleston Ballet School, becoming a member of the Charleston Ballet Company at age eleven. She then trained at the Charleston Dance Studio becoming a founding member with the Robert Ivey Ballet where she earned the title of Principal Dancer. During this time, several pieces were choreographed specifically for her. Tamalyn has also studied dance in New York, Seattle, Atlanta, and Augusta with such teachers as Robert Joffrey, Gus Giordano, Melissa Hayden, Edward Villella, Suzanne Farrell, and Valentina Kozlova. She has performed at the World's Fair; in Spoleto for both operas and ballet; with the Charleston Opera Company in West Side Story, Cabaret, and  A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum to name a few; and with the Orangeburg Part Time Players as a performer and choreographer. While building her business, Tamalyn taught dance and aerobics in Charleston, Walterboro, Estill, Santee, Elloree, and Holly Hill. Tamalyn's Dance Centre is proud to have been the on-site school at Mellichamp Elementary School. Tamalyn and Lee reside in Elloree.

Allison Bates  began her dance training with Tamalyn Blackman at Tamalyn's Dance Centre in 1999. Throughout her years
dancing at TDC, Allison had the privilege of dancing and performing with the Orangeburg Civic Ballet in numerous performances such as The Nutcracker, Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, and Coppélia to name a few. Allison also traveled with the OCB to perform in places such as Piccolo Spoleto, the North Charleston Arts Festival, and Amazing Feets. Allison began teaching dance at Tamalyn's Dance Centre in 2007, and that  experience led her to seek a degree in Dance Education at Winthrop University, where she studied under teachers such as Stephanie Milling, Margaret Schriffin, Mary Beth Young, and Bethany Tuffy. During her studies at Winthrop, Allison performed and choreographed in numerous shows such as Winthrop Dance Theatre, the Winthrop University Choreography Showcase, and the Rock Hill Rockettes Upon graduation, Allison returned to the Orangeburg Civic Ballet as an assistant director in 2011, and then took on the role of Artistic Director in 2013. She has helped create and direct performances such as Nutcracker, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, The Wizard of Oz, and Alice Allison has also had the opportunity to teach and choreograph at local dance events such as the Orangeburg Arts Consortium and the Orangeburg chapter of the National Liturgical Dance Association Convention. Allison resides in Orangeburg, SC with her husband, Dustin, and their sons, Noah and Levi and daughter, Eliza.

Cammie Bunch has studied dance for 26 years, mostly under the strict hand of Anita Ashley and Leigh Powell Buckley at the Columbia Ballet School. There she was a member of the Devine Street Dance Company. She has also studied dance at Columbia College with Patty Graham, Wrenn Cook, Martha Brim and Marcy Jo Yonkey-Clayton. She has performed roles such as a solo in Don Quixote and the lead in the ballet Sing, Sing, Sing, choreographed by Maurice Curry (former director of Jazz Dance America). She was also a member of Ann Brodie's Carolina Ballet. There she participated in many performances such as The Nutcracker The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and Mladosti to name a few. Cammie is a current member of the Columbia College Dance Company directed by Wrenn Cook and has also been a member of the Dreher High School Dance Company directed by Ann Richardson She has performed the role of Swanhilda in Coppelia and many other solos such as a jewel in Sleeping Beauty, and the role of the Spanish princess in Swan Lake. Cammie has also studied at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, Massachusetts, the Joffrey Ballet School, and The South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities.

Shannon Williams has danced since age 3 in many various styles including ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip-hop to name a few. She has not only taken from Tamalyn’s Dance Centre since the age of five but has since taught various classes at the Dance Centre as well. She was a member of the Orangeburg Civic Ballet for twelve years before becoming an assistant director. Growing up Shannon had the opportunity to perform in many area productions, such as the Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty ballets, and she also performed in area festivals such as Piccolo Spoleto, Amazing Feets, and the Festival of Roses. Throughout her college career Shannon had the opportunity to study with many master teachers and observe other dance teachers in area school across the midlands. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Dance Education in 2016 and was a dance teacher at Meadow Glen Middle School for the 2016-2017 school year. Dance has always been in Shannon’s life and she looks forward to sharing her experience, knowledge, and joy for dance with her students.

Mikayla Rider was born in Columbia SC, and currently resides in Orangeburg. She trained at Tamalyn’s Dance Centre in the following genres - ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, acrobatics, and tap for over 14 years. While there, she was a member of the Orangeburg Civic Ballet for 9 years. During most of her years in OCB, she was chosen to be a principal dancer.  She performed in numerous productions and was given lead roles in The Nutcracker, Frozen, Peter Pan, and An American Girl’s Story to name a few. She is now on the artistic staff for the Orangeburg Civic Ballet. Mikayla is a Level 2  Certified Acrobatic Arts teacher. In the past, she has taught at Studio Z in Hampton, SC and at Southern Unlimited Dance Company in Beaufort SC. Mikayla plans to continue to grow her teaching career, while continuing her training in dance. She strives to help her students to be the best dancer they can possibly be, by encouraging them to grow more everyday.

Lily-Katherine Felkel  has been dancing at Tamalyn’s Dance Centre since she was 3. She has taken many styles of dance ranging from ballet to acrobatic arts and hip hop. She is currently a member of the Orangeburg Civic Ballet where she has portrayed roles such as Spanish hot chocolate, snow crystal, and Chinese Tea in “The Nutcracker”. Lily-Katherine has also danced in many spring shows for the company, including “Frozen”, where she portrayed Olaf, and “The Lion King”, where she portrayed Nala, and "The Little Mermaid" where she brought Ursula to life. Lily-Katherine loves to teach dance just as much as she loves to perform it. She has been assisting Tamalyn Blackman for many years in primary level ballet classes, and she fell in love with the art of teaching. Lily-Katherine is more than excited to share her love for dance with her students and to help them learn to love dance like Mrs. Tamalyn did for her many years ago.

John Bates has been studying martial arts for over 40 years and has been teaching for more than 30 years. He has a 5th-degree black belt in Goshin Budo Karate and a 6th-degree black belt in Koga Ryu Ninjutsu and the Akeru System of Martial Sciences. In addition to these primary arts, he has studied systems from around the world such as FMA Escrima, Japanese jujutsu, and Kobudo.   As a compliment to Martial arts and other fitness skills, John has been training in yoga for 19 years.  He became a certified yoga instructor 10 years ago. He is committed to helping his yoga students find what they need in each class. 

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