Our Faculty

Carlye Flieder

Owner/Director and Jazz/Hip-Hop/Technique

Carlye Flieder was born and raised in Philadelphia, and began dancing at the age of two. Once she danced her first duo at the age of six, she knew dance would be an integral part of her life forever! While studying dance at American University, Carlye realized there were more facets to the art form than she could have imagined. After graduating with a major in Broadcast Journalism and Dance, Carlye moved to Los Angeles to strengthen her craft before opening C-Unit in 2006. Carlye continues to attend classes, seminars, and workshops in Los Angeles and New York every year in order to stay up to date with teaching techniques, movement, and choreography. She is most proud of all of the dancers that have grown up with the C-Unit family, and seeing them develop up into outstanding young adults that have gone on to pursue a wide range of careers including dancing professionally!

Caitlin Maher

Jazz/Hip-Hop/Pre-school Hip-Hop/Resident Choreographer

Caitlin started dancing under the direction of Carlye Flieder since she was 8 years old. For 10 years, she studied ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and hip hop with Carlye, and was one of the earliest members of the C-Unit Company. From an early age, Caitlin began assistant teaching with Carlye, and taught her own class when she was 17. In 2009, Caitlin attended Occidental College in Los Angeles, where she continued her dance training. In 2014, Caitlin returned to C-Unit to begin teaching at C-Unit. She is happy to be home with her C-Unit family!

Kathleen Sabbatini

Ballet

Miss. Kathleen has been teaching ballet for over a decade. She taught at the The Washington School of Ballet for 6 years. Becoming Children’s Ballet Mistress and Repetitor for the Washington Ballet’s Nutcracker production.

Miss. Kathleen’s own training started here in DC. She had the honor of training at the Kirov Ballet Academy and the National Ballet of China. And was a finalist in the Shanghai International Ballet Competition.

In 2001, Kathleen toured China as a soloist with the Inwood Dance Company. While studying at UVA, she danced with Rhapsody Ballet Ensemble. After college she continued to perform. Dancing with Cirque Du Soleil, MOVEius Dance, Fusion Dance, and Olney Ballet Theatre.

Jimmie Manners

Hip-Hop Foundations

Jimmie Manners was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Maryland. His first ballet class was at the age of three and from then on dance was his life. Attending Thomas G. Pullen Performing Arts school from K-8th grade, Baltimore School for the Arts high school and University of the Arts on a full scholarship, Jimmie studied ballet, modern, jazz, tap and African dance. In 2006 he moved to New York City and was invited to be a member of Rhapsody the Company (a hip-hop based performance company), where he trained and performed in the authentic hip-hop style of dance. While being represented by Bloc Talent Agency, Jimmie has had an extensive career in New York City and California. Performing with many Iconic artists such as Eve, Ciara, Pharrell, Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar and even being a principal performer in Jennifer Lopez’s Vegas residency “All I Have” for two years, Jimmie has reached the summit of the dance industry. As a true renaissance man, Jimmie has also performed on television and the big screen, having a prominent role as Earl Johnson on HBO’s award winning show “The Wire” and being featured in “Step up Two” where he actually got to work with Channing Tatum choreographing the club scene. Jimmie has choreographed and taught all over the world, including Broadway Dance Center in New York City, Israel, Italy, Paris and Barcelona. He continues to teach and choreograph while also balancing his new management company Young Coco Management. His mission in life is to spread love and knowledge through the arts.

Mariah Appleton

Contemporary

Mariah Appleton is a professional choreographer, freelance performer, and dance educator, from Montgomery County, Maryland. She has been training in the art of dance since age two, in various genres including jazz, lyrical, ballet, contemporary, conditioning, tap, improvisation, composition, hip-hop, and modern. Mariah trained at Spotlight Studio of Dance, under the direction of Wyndee McGovern, who helped adapt her eye for technique. She attended summer programs, including New York City Dance Alliance, Hubbard Street Dance Intensive, Eastern Cheer and Dance Association, and many ballet intensives throughout the DMV area. She performed with the Backstreet Boys in 2006, at the NFL Pro Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she received a national college dance scholarship. Mariah traveled with Eastern Cheer and Dance Association, teaching dance clinics all around the country her last two years of high school.

She graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County with a double major in Psychology and Dance. While at UMBC, Mariah attended the American College Dance Festival, under the direction of Tzveta Kassabova. During her time in school, she was privileged to have her pieces, Fallen, in 2009, and her own solo piece, Bare, in 2011, featured in Misako Ballet Company’s winter showcase. For two years, Mariah served as a company member of ROOTED Dance Productions, where she performed with Shange Dance Productions, and at many venues including Dance Place, Howard University, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. She continued her education after graduation with Christopher K. Morgan and Artists, and performed with them in Takoma Park, Maryland. She has performed with Kinetics Professional Dance Company over the years, as well as becoming a guest choreographer for them in 2017.

Mariah has been spreading her love for dance with students all over Maryland and Virginia, for twelve years. She is a master teacher with the Mid Atlantic Pom and Dance Association (MAPDA) and has won numerous awards for her choreography in regional and national competitions, in the past decade. In 2018, she received the President’s award, highest scoring dance of the entire competition, at Dance Educators of America, for her musical theater piece “Big Time”. Mariah is a guest choreographer in the public school system in Anne Arundel, Howard, Baltimore, and Hartford Counties. She is currently working with many competitive companies, as an artistic director and choreographer, throughout Maryland, focusing on movement quality, technique, and proper education of the body. She looks forward to her first season teaching for C-Unit Studio!

Ana Tomioshio

Tap

One of today’s most popular dancers in Brazil. Known as the “tap dance fairy” for her lightness and charisma on and off stage.

One of the 25 tap dancers selected around the world to participate of the first Jacob’s Pillow Tap Program, directed by Michelle Dorrance.

Worked as a dance teacher and choreographer for 7 years at Sheila’s Ballet, one of the most prestigious dance schools in Brazil.

Featured faculty at the most important tap festivals in Brazil.

Received scholarships for DC Tap Festival, LA Tap Festival, UK Tap Festival and Jersey Tap Festival.
Choreographer of the piece that represented Brazil at the Annual DC Tap Fest Concert in the year of 2016. In 2018, choreographed for the same event with Charles Renato.
Two times champion of advanced tap dance solo at Joinville’s Dance Festival, the biggest and most respected dance festival in Latin America. Also nominated as best female dancer of the festival.

Jeremy Kozza

Boys Hip-Hop

Jeremy is a dancer/choreographer from Pennsylvania that specializes in Hip-Hop. He has attended to numerous studios, as well as Montgomery Community College to help broaden his horizons in styles such as Jazz, Ballet, Modern, and Tap. During his years in Pennsylvania, Jeremy has been awarded many first place finishes in competitions. Many of his accomplishments have come from the Born Into The Arts Dance Company. This company helped Jeremy to reach new levels of freedom of expression with movement and creativity. He has been very fortunate to proudly perform for notable artists such as R&B artist/actor Marques Houston, R&B musical group Jagged Edge, Hip-Hop/Rap artist T-Pain, and Latin/Pop artist Jason Cerda. Till this day Jeremy always seeks to improve as a dancer and teacher both physically and mentally.

Liz Bofill

Tumbling/Acro

Liz grew up as an elite gymnast at Universal Gymnastics in Miami training to represent her country Colombia shortly after graduating high school. She got into coaching because of her love for the sport, and nothing now gives her more pleasure than to pass on her knowledge to younger athletes and dancers looking to learn new skills. Liz has now been coaching for 8 years, and still finds it to be the most rewarding job she has ever had!

Monique Watson

Hip-Hop

Monique Watson was born and raised in the small town of Havre de Grace, MD. At a young age, she began liturgical dancing at St. James A.M.E Church and participating in local Baltimore club street dance culture at school and local events. Her early training consisted mainly of gymnastics, cheerleading, and musical theater performance. She went on to study Anthropology and Human Development at University of Maryland College Park where she discovered her passion for training as a hip hop, urban, and club styles dancer through choreography classes & sessions. From a member to the Artistic Director of Phunktions Hip Hop Dance Co., then moving on to be a member and current Deputy Artistic Director of Culture Shock Washington DC (Season 16 & 17), Monique has continued to pursue dance professionally as a dancer and choreographer in the DC Metro Area and beyond. Her creative direction and choreographic work can be seen on stages from Canada to San Diego and back to DC. She is a force in the collegiate and studio dance competition sector receiving high scores and StarPower Golden Tickets, StarQuest Choreography Awards, Monsters A-List Entertainment Awards, and more. Currently, she is heavily training in and teaching heels technique and performance with a focus on passion, patience, and persistence throughout class. You can find her on staff at ZD Dance Academy and The Dance Institute of Washington teaching a range of kids, recreational, competition, and adult classes. She hopes to continue growing as a leader in the dance community, expanding her mind, body, and soul to new experiences and various forms of presentation of that movement!

Teresa Whitemore

Pre-school

Teresa is currently a student at UMBC, pursuing her BA in Dance and Pre-Physical Therapy. In addition to her studies, she is an instructor at both Kinetics Dance Theatre and JMD Studios, devoting each day to what she loves most – teaching. She is a graduate of the Teaching Academy of Maryland, where she cultivated her love of education and pedagogy. She was recently promoted from Assistant School Director of Kinetics Dance Theatre to Interim School Administrator. Her choreography has been presented with Arts By the People, and the American College Dance Association. Her work was selected for ACDA’s Gala Concert, as one of two undergraduate works out of thirty-five adjudicated. She is looking forward to getting to know the community at C-Unit this year!

Elina Gordienko

Guest Teacher/Resident Choreographer

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Vladimir Djouloukhadze

Ballet

Mr. Djouloukhadze, a student of the legendary Vakhtang Chabukiani, was coached by Vaganova’s students Natalia Dudinskaya, Tatiana Vecheslova, Fea Balabina.

Mr. Djouloukhazde had an international career as a principal dancer with the highest awards and performances in over 20 countries in Europe, Asia, America and Africa. He partnered with prima-ballerinas of various leading ballet companies, including Nina Ananiashvili, Nadezhda Pavlova, Ludmila Semenyaka. Mr.Djouloukhadze has been teaching ballet for 40 years and holds Masters Degree in Ballet Teaching and Choreography from the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS). He has been developing his students into the winners of major international ballet competitions, including the Varna International Ballet Competition and the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson. His students have gone on to become principals, soloists and members of some of the world’s most prominent companies, including the Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre , Mariinsky Ballet, Washington Ballet. To name a few, Michele Wiles, Rasta Thomas, Brooklyn Mack, Matthew Golding, Melissa Hough, Jonathan Jordan, Danny Tidwell, Chauncey Parsons.

Mariana Gatto Duran

Contemporary, Ballet & Flamenco

Mariana Gatto-Duran is a versatile dancer and a ballet technique instructor.

She started her dance training at an early age and developed skills in classical and contemporary ballet, and flamenco.

Ms. Gatto-Duran studied at the Kirov Ballet Academy, the Washington School of Ballet, City Dance Conservatory, Dance Theater Harlem, ABT Summer School, Maryland Youth Ballet, Ana Martinez Dance Company, and Ellison School of Ballet.

She trained with internationally renowned Ballet Masters – Vladimir Djouloukhadze, Pamela Herera, Ludmila Morkovina,

Mariana Lobanova, Rasta Thomas, Sofiane Sylve, Victor Ullate, and Karin Averty.

Ms. Gatto-Duran is a winner and finalist of various international and national ballet competitions, including Grand Prix Award at the Balanchine International Festival (Competition), Kutaisi, Georgia (2018), Grand Prix Award at the Vienna International Ballet Experience (Competition), Vienna, Austria (2016), and YAGP (2014, 2015).

Ms. Gatto-Duran worked with renowned Ballet Masters, including Rafael Amargo and Soñia Dorado, and performed at the Teatro Calderón with Spain Espectaculo (Madrid, Spain), the Teatre Apolo with Dionisio (Barcelona Spain), the Kennedy Center with the Washington Ballet and Joffrey Ballet (Washington, DC), the Sydney Harmon Hall Center for the Arts with the Washington Ballet (Washington, DC), and the Wolf Trap with Gypsy Kings Concert Tour (Vienna, VA).

Trained in the Vaganova system, Ms. Gatto-Duran has been teaching ballet technique for the past 5 years with engagements at the Kirov Ballet Academy, the City Dance Conservatory, VD Ballet Intensive, and Bingfei Ballet Dance Academy