Sharon Hollingshead is the Director of Holliday Dance. She began dancing with Patty (Kane) Roberts in Ebensburg, Pa at the age of 13. It was through Patty that Sharon learned not only about dance, but about the bond that is formed between a student and her dance teacher. She learned that a leap across the floor, when met with praise, is an exhilarating feeling.

In high school, Sharon’s favorite type of dance was jazz. It wasn’t until she attended The Pennsylvania State University, where she majored in Anthropology and minored in Dance, that Sharon discovered that ballet and lyrical would be her true passion. As part of the dance program at Penn State she began choreographing, producing performances, and teaching dance classes. Sharon was a member of Creative Expressions dance troupe and the Penn State Dance Company Orchesis.

After graduating from Penn State, Sharon began teaching dance and attending summer workshops at Allegheny Ballet as well as workshops at Dance Masters of America, Dance Educators of America, Co Dance and Urban Jamm. Sharon continues to expand her knowledge in classical ballet as well as keeping up with the growing trends in dance. She enjoys volunteering her time choreographing liturgical dances for various churches in the area & for local grade school variety shows. Owning a dance studio and having the opportunity to teach dance and work with a wonderful staff has been a dream come true.

Diana McGough has been dancing since the age of four, receiving her dance education at Encore Dance Center in Lancaster, PA, under the guidance of Alvina Kline, Marjorie Dougherty, and Karen Meyer. Diana attended Shippensburg University, and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in Marketing. Her dancing career also continued at Shippensburg, where she was a member, and became the Director, of Shippensburg’s In-Motion Dance Troupe.

Diana has had the unique opportunities of dancing on Royal Caribbean’s Nordic Empress Cruise Ship, dancing at Disney World’s Epcot Center, and taking master classes from the Radio City Rockettes and at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, New York City.

Diana began teaching at Holliday Dance in 2002, and specializes in musical theatre productions, jazz, tap, and lyrical. She has received 25 platinum and titanium awards for her choreography from the Dance Educators of America, Sheer Talent, and Starbound Regional Dance Competitions. Diana has also received 6 “Outstanding Choreography” judges’ awards for her competition choreography. In 2012 Diana’s Senior Production Water for Elephants was awarded the highest score of the entire competition, scoring a 299.5 out of 300 points, at Dance Educators of America Regional Competition, Lancaster, PA. Diana is proud to be a member of the Holliday Dance family and enjoys passing on her love and passion for dance on to her students. We are proud to have Diana as part of our dance family.

Marissa Carney began dancing at the age of two at Sharon's School of Dance in Indiana, PA.

As a high school student, she became an assistant coach for her studio’s gymnastics program, as well as an instructor in tap, jazz, and ballet. Marissa earned a bachelor’s degree in communications media and a minor in dance at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she was a member of the college's Concert Dance troupe.

Marissa found her home here at Holliday Dance in 2004.  She is an instructor of jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical, acro, and modern. She has won platinum and titanium medals at competitions for her jazz, hop hop and modern pieces.  Marissa is also the Media Relations Coordinator at Penn State Altoona. We are proud to have Marissa as part of our dance family.

Tessa began dancing at the age of 3 with the Pauline Baker Roger’s School of Dance in Altoona, PA.  She joined Andrea’s School of Dance in Bellwood, PA in 1992 where she was a member of the award-winning competition team.  She finished her training and found her dance home when she joined Holliday Dance in 2001.  She was also a member of the Tiger Paws Dance Team at the Hollidaysburg Area Senior High. Tessa is a graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has her bachelor’s degree in Communications Media with a minor in Public Relations.  She began teaching dance professionally in 2006 and has since been awarded numerous platinum and high-scoring medals for her competition choreography, including special judges-awards for performance and recognition for outstanding choreography.  At this time, Tessa teaches dance in the styles of ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern and musical theater. She also currently teaches at Dance Fusion in Tyrone, PA and One Good Turn Dance Company in Portage, PA.

Abigail Griffith, originally from Orlando, Florida, studied jazz, modern, ballet, and tap dance for 10 years. Abigail’s central focus in dance has been acro, for which she studied for 12 years.

Abigail is ecstatic about being able to teach something that she has enjoyed doing for so long, and cannot wait to teach the next generation of dancers at Holliday Dance! We are excited to welcome Abigail to our Holliday Dance family!