We are so excited to welcome "Ms. Shelby" to our Elite staff this year! Shelby Nelson Burcham grew up dancing at Elite Performance Academy where she trained in Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet, Pointe, and Acro-Tumble. Shelby went on to attend the University of the Arts where she graduated with her BFA. Working between West Virginia and New York, she is currently teaching dance at Marshall University, as well as other local dance studios and companies. Shelby enjoys investing her time in building up the dance community in her local hometown, and sharing her love of dance and movement exploration with all those around her.

Professional Work: Shelby has worked with Donna Faye Burchfield, Helen Simoneau, Andrea Miller/Gallim Dance, Netta Yerushalmy, Bobbi Jene Smith, Sidra Bell, Paul Matteson, Jesse Zaritt, and Katie Swords. Her work: "being, not a phase," was presented at the 2018 Theorist Festival in Austin, TX. Since moving to New York, she has performed at The Performa 19 Biennial, ISSUE Project Room, Center for Performance Research, Fertile Ground, and FEAST: A Performance Series. Shelby was recently featured in the film ‘Aviva’, directed by Boaz Yakin and choreographed by Bobbi Jene Smith that premiered June 12th, 2020.