Nancy has been working in the field of movement education for over 20 years. She began her dance training at the age of three and continued to train classically.  Nancy studied at Meredith College where she completed a B.A. in dance education along with K-12 NC certification in dance. After completing her M.A. degree at New York University’s Steinhardt School for Education, Culture & Human Development, she began working in both dance administration and education in New York City’s public and private institutions. Nancy is proud to serve on faculty of Dreams of Wilmington as a teaching artist as well as the Leland Cultural Arts Center where she instructs classes to both adults and children.

Jameka Wrisbon Purdie is a native of Wilmington and an alumnus of New Hanover High School. Since the age of 8, she has always been fascinated by the design and creation of wearable art. After becoming a wife and mother, she rekindled her love for jewelry creation. In 2009, she began creating custom and one-of-a-kind jewelry designs under the name Alter Ego Designs. She started teaching jewelry-making classes at DREAMS in the Summer of 2021 and has thoroughly enjoyed sharing her craft with the DREAMers. When not teaching at DREAMS, she can be found in her studio, at local art festivals, or as a featured artist at Art in Bloom Gallery.

Over the past four decades, Roger Davis has provided the Port City with a sensational serving of musical talent. Whether performing for a crowd of weekend brunch-goers, a public gallery event, or the occasional night venue, Roger “Rog” Davis holds his melodic roots in the Wilmington area and remains a well-respected performer/composer within the local jazz community. A founding teaching artist of DREAMS, Rog still loves sharing his gift with new generations of musicians.

A native of Charlotte currently living in Wilmington, N.C., Batanides is an international fine artist and children’s book author/illustrator. Predominately working with acrylics, watercolor, and charcoal, her works have been featured across the United States and throughout Jamaica. Batanides’s use of rich, vibrant colors brings the art of music to life and invites the viewer to lose themselves in the rhythm of the moment. At DREAMS Batanides enjoys watching her students explore new ways of expressing their creativity. She believes in building community within the classroom and hopes to provide each DREAMER with the tools they need to continue to thrive.

Trey is passionate about using theatre, performance, and storytelling as a tool for education and community building. Trey has directed projects for Burning Coal Theatre (North Carolina), Hubbard Hall (New York), and Pauline Productions (Massachusetts) and has worked as an assistant director and administrator for South Coast Rep (California), Burning Coal Theatre (NC), North Carolina Theatre (NC), and the New Swan Theatre (CA). Trey is currently an Artist in Residence at UNCW through the Honors College program. Trey’s theatre company MoB Theatre (www.mouthsofbabestheatre.com) works with teens, young adults, and the young at heart to tell stories for and about their community.

Leah Versola Kallam is a graduate of The Alvin Ailey School in NYC. She hopes to pass on all that she gained in her training and create a space where students can express themselves freely through dance.