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Shannon Martin Howell was born into the dance world. Her mother was owner and director of Martinique School of Dance in Richmond,
Virginia. Shannon begin dancing almost as soon as she began walking.
Shannon studied all forms of dance at her mother’s school her entire childhood . Shannon was also a dancer and then
soloist for the Richmond Ballet for 3 seasons. She graduated from Mary Washington College with a BA in dance and a minor in
education and then off to New York for intensive study with American Ballet Theater, National Academy of Ballet, and Steps
on Broadway, JoJo’s Dance Factory and Broadway Dance Center. In addition to her studies, Shannon was a dance instructor
at St. Margaret’s School in Tappahannock, Fredericksburg Ballet Center, Paul D. Camp community College, The Avery Ballet
in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the Tidewater ballet in Norfolk under the direction of Gene Hammett.
Shannon decided to get married and start a family which brought her back to Richmond where she took over her mother’s
school as Director and owner for the next 33 years. In addition to being Martinique School of Dance owner, she was adjunct
dance professor at the University of Mary Washington.
Shannon also founded Richmond’s Ballet Petit, a non- profit Ballet company for students ages 9-18. She created and choreographed
the Ballet “The Night Before Christmas” which performed seasonally at the Landmark Theater in Richmond for the
past 22 years.
Shannon has two daughters and one son and is proud to be the Grandmother of four wonderful grandchildren. Shannon’s
husband, Jim decided to retired which brought her to the Williamsburg area. She decided once she came to the area to sell
her schools in Richmond. She has a teaching history spanning over 35 years and teaching students dance has remained her passion.
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