Staff & Faculty

Diane Matthews, Executive Director

Diane began her dance training at the Philadelphia School of Dance Arts, where she was awarded a full scholarship studying Ballet, Modern Jazz, Tap and Gymnastics for 10 years. She continued her education at West Chester University and the Philadelphia College of the Arts. Her professional background includes being one of the original members of Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco) and a featured soloist with the Philadelphia Civic Ballet Company. Ms. Diane has been a dance instructor throughout the area for more than 30 years. During the past few years, in addition to directing West Chester Dance Works, our resident dance company, Diane has been teaching, performing and choreographing for various schools and organizations including West Chester University. She continues to broaden her dance spectrums by participating in various workshops and symposiums including Vaganova and dance medicine.

Candace Matthews-Bass, Artistic Director

Candace Matthews-Bass trained at the Diane  Matthews School of Dance Arts for 16 years, studying ballet, tap, jazz and tumbling. While at Drexel University, Candace was captain of Drexel’s first Dance Team and a member/choreographer with the Drexel University Dance Ensemble. She graduated with a BS in Psychology and went on to complete her MA at Eastern University.  Candace has danced professionally with Body Language Modern Dance Company, Freedom Theatre and West Chester Dance Works as both a corps and principle dancer for over 20 years. Additional performing includes freelance projects and contracted performances at colleges and sports venues throughout metropolitan Philadelphia. “Ms. Candi” is entering her 23rd year as director of West Chester Dance Works’ dance team “DM Dance Machine” and serves as the Artistic Coordinator and choreographer for “Expressions of Praise”, the inter-generational dance ministry of Grace Baptist Church of Germantown. Candace has taught jazz and hip hop at DMSODA for over 30 years!

Guillermina “Gigi” Rios- Office Manager (picture coming soon)

Ashanti Meaux- Company Manager

Stacey Sheer- Receptionist

Shareese Asparagus

Shareese is a 2015 graduate of California University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Gerontology.  She is a West Chester native with strong ties to Diane Matthews School of Dance Arts. She joined the studio in 1996 and throughout the years participated in almost all of the various disciplines therein; ballet, jazz, tap, modern and hip hop.  Shareese was a member of the Junior Performers, DM Dance Machine and Signature/Training Company of the West Chester Dance Works. Among her highlights is as a performer in Rachel Harris; a featured story of a runaway slave, choreographed by Diane Matthews. Dance arts saturated home and church life as she formed a dynamic duo with her sister Aja, dubbed the “Asparagus Sisters”.  In addition  she danced in community based groups known as Joyful Praise, Diamond Girls and projects developed by herself and colleagues.  Miss Asparagus has been a summer assistant and instructor of Diane Matthews students. Dance has had a significant impact in her life, changing it, molding it, while also allowing her to share this passion with the world.

Isabella Brun 

Bella began dancing at West Chester Dance Works when she was three years old and is excited to start her thirteenth year with the studio. Over the years, Bella has enjoyed studying a variety of styles, including ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, lyrical, tap, and hip-hop. Bella has participated in several West Chester Dance Works’ performing groups like the Junior Performers, DM Dance Machines, Anointed Too, and Signature Training. She also worked for two years as a teaching assistant for junior/senior and pre-dance classes. Bella is excited to share her love of dance with her pre-dance students and encourage creativity this year.

Kelly Butterworth-Dhamo

A Long Island native, Kelly graduated from Adelphi University where she studied dance and psychology. She continued to earn her M.A. in Childhood Education with the Advanced Certificate in Special Education. Kelly has been teaching ballet, tap, modern dance, contemporary, and dance composition at various schools for 15 years, and obtained her New York State Dance Teaching Certification in 2014. Kelly was a dance educator at her alma mater, Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts (LIHSA), where she worked with gifted and talented students interested in pursuing a career in the arts, as well as coordinated a collaborative program that brought dance to students with special needs. Since 2011, Kelly has had the privilege of dancing professionally with companies including Patricia Kenny Dance Collection, Dance Householder, H.T. Chen and Dancers, and Jamal Jackson Dance Company. Having the opportunity to tour both nationally and internationally has made Kelly a better dancer, teacher, and person. This is Kelly’s fifth year as a teacher with DMSODA and West Chester Dance Works.

Antoinette M. Coward-Gilmore 

Antoinette M. Coward-Gilmore is the Founder, CEO and Artistic Director of Danse4Nia Repertory Ensemble. She holds a BFA from University of the Arts & an MA from New York University both in Dance Education and Performance. Coward-Gilmore is a founding company member of Eleone Dance Theatre (Phila. PA.), former member of Forces of Nature Dance Theatre Company (NY.) and Rod Rodgers Dance Company (NY.). As an established choreographer, Coward-Gilmore’s works have been seen on such stages as Aaron Davis Hall, New Victory Black Box, Kimmel Center, Strayhorn Theatre and the Prince Music Theatre just to name a few. Currently,Coward-Gilmore is a newly appointed adjunct instructor at Drexel University and the Director of Dance at The MLK Talent Center, a Philadelphia School Board initiative.

Audrey Hammit

Audrey began her ballet studies at the age of 3, and has been dancing ever since. In addition to ballet, she studied modern, jazz, and hip-hop at the West End Academy of Dance, in Richmond, VA, where she also began to teach and choreograph. Audrey spent her summers at ballet intensives with Richmond Ballet, Carolina Ballet, and Indiana University. Audrey received her BFA in Dance from Belhaven University, and has attended Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s Summer Intensive while working as a Resident Advisor. This Fall, Audrey moved to PA to begin her first season as a soloist with Glorify Dance Theatre and to teach at the Diane Matthews School of Dance Arts. When she teaches, Audrey strives to cultivate an enjoyment of dance while pursuing excellence in an atmosphere of encouragement, positivity, and passion.

Susanna Lijoi (Picture and Bio coming soon)

Lauren Linder

Lauren Linder is a West Chester based dance artist. She began dancing at the age of 2 at The Dance Academy in Holland, PA. Lauren obtained a B.A. in Dance from DeSales University in May 2023. There, she performed in, choreographed for, and managed various shows. Her main genres of focus are Modern, Contemporary, Ballet, Lyrical, and Somatic Improvisation. Lauren’s teaching hinges on her values of inclusion, community, individuality, and personal expression. She encourages her students to embrace curiosity and creative exploration throughout their dance training. Lauren is so excited to teach and work with the incredible artists at the Diane Matthews School of Dance, a program of West Chester Dance Works this year!

Mary Lynch

Mary’s love of dance began in 2013 at the Diane Matthews School of Dance Arts where she trained in the principles of ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, and modern. She began teaching at DMSODA in 2018 and has continued to hone her dance skills and develop as a dance instructor ever since. Mary is also a former member of West Chester Dance Works’ DM Dance Machine, Annointed Too, and Signature/Training Company. Mary is entering her final year at West Chester University as an undergraduate student majoring in psychology and minoring in dance. At WCU, Mary is a member of the University Dance Company where she is a three-time student choreographer and currently serves in a leadership capacity as the secretary of the organization. Through her studies at WCU, Mary has continued her love of dance and has also further advanced her technique and artistic abilities in modern and contemporary styles. Dance has made a monumental impact on her life and played a significant role in the woman she has become today. Ms. Mary is ecstatic to be teaching this year and can’t wait to share her passion and joy for movement and artistry to all her students.

Adrianna “Nikki” Matthews

Nikki has a long-standing training and performing background. She is a former student of the Diane Matthews School of Dance Arts where is studied Jazz, Ballet, Modern and Hip Hop dance styles. She began teaching as a high school student specializing in our youngest dancers ages 3.5-6 years old. Nikki  has trained and performed with West Chester Dance Works’ Junior Performers, Dance Team, Signature/Training Company and Annointed Too (liturgical dance group) where Nikki was a youth leader and choreographer. Nikki is additionally the choreographer and director of Annointed Too, one of West Chester Dance Works’ performing groups.

Sadye Scheer

Sadye has been at Diane Matthews School of dance arts for 14 years. Throughout these years she has studied Modern/Contemporary, Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, and Hip-Hop. Sadye is also apart of West Chester Dance Works performing group, where she started as a Junior Performer and has now moved on to being in DM Dance Machine. Sadye has been a teachers assistant for 3 years and she now has a class of her own teaching the pre- elementary level. Sadye is so excited to be teaching this year and can not wait to create a fun and enjoyable atmosphere for her students!

Kacei Womack (bio coming soon)