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Pavielle Versalles

Owner & Director

“Relationships are cultivated and body finds harmony. This is the community that I’ve reverently contributed to since I was 3 years old. Before offering instruction, I was trained by internationally acclaimed dance figures. Now, through a nurturing and motivational approach, I elevate my students by empowering them to access their fullest potential.”

Pavielle Versalles is a Minnesota Native who trained with Minnesota Dance Theatre & School (MDT) and later performed in company at MDT. She has studied at Miami City Ballet and under the fellowship program at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Pavielle has had the honor of performing works by Loyce Houlton, Lise Houlton, Jean Emile, Dwight Rhoden and Hope Boykin.

After teaching in several dance schools in Minnesota, Pavielle recognized a need for technical training and mentorship for dancers looking to pursue their passion beyond the studio. Under her training, Pavielle's students have gone on to receive scholarships to premiere ballet academies and have received national recognition at Youth America Grand Prix.

meet the team

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riley thomas weber

Riley moved to Minneapolis in 2008, where he received his first professional contract soon after. Riley danced with Ballet Minnesota for 5 seasons and also with Saint Paul City Ballet, Cities Classical Dance Ensemble and Continental Ballet. His rep includes solo and principal roles in a wide range of classical repertoire: Don Quixote, Raymonda, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Peter and the Wolf and La Esmeralda. Riley did this all while completing his Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Dance from The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

Riley has been instructing ballet for almost ten years. He is in his eighth season as the resident Ballet Master for the Mankato Ballet Company, where he teaches intermediate and advanced ballet and pointe and restages classical repertoire for the company. He is also in his fourth year on the ballet faculty at Larkin Dance Studio.

Riley's students have gone on to receive acceptances and scholarships to the leading ballet institutions in the country and have appeared on TV in shows like "World of Dance" and "So You Think You Can Dance".

Riley is an American Ballet Theatre(R) Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT(R) National Training Curriculum.

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Jeffrey Hankinson

A South Carolina native, Jeffrey is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He also studied at the School of American Ballet in New York.

Jeffrey was a Principal dancer with Ballet Des Moines and Soloist with Ballet D’Angelo directed by Joffrey Ballet’s Prima Ballerina Ann Marie D’Angelo. He danced with Alvin Ailey’s Repetory Ensemble directed by Sylvia Waters, The Elisa Monte Dance Company, The Joyce Triscler Dance Company, The Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, and toured throughout the US, Europe, and Asia. Jeffrey has taught at The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater under direction of Denise Jefferson. (Broadway Credits: “THE KING AND I” (starring Lou Diamond Phillips), “LITTLE ME” (starring Martin Short), “RAGTIME”, “JEROME ROBBINS BROADWAY”(Starring Tony Roberts), “DAMN YANKEES” (starring Jerry Lewis), “FOLLIES”, AND SUSAN STROMAN’S “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”.)

Jeffrey has appeared in film and television. He wrote his first short film “Obedience”, which premiered at the New York International Independent Film Festival in September 2002, and has was at six major festivals worldwide.

Jeffrey currently is the Ballet Master for Ballet Collaboratory and former Ballet Master for the Saint Paul Ballet. He is the company ballet teacher for James Sewell Ballet, TU Dance, and Woodbury Dance Center. Jeffrey is a former faculty member of the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists. Jeffrey is also an abstract painter with works in many private collections around the country. www.hankinsonart.com 

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Jibreel Hakeem Khumas

Coming soon…

Kasianay Johnstone

Kasianay began dancing at the age of five. Throughout her childhood she was immersed in competitive dance within the Twin Cities until her senior year of high school. Throughout her training she naturally gravitated towards hip-hop as her most prominent style, while maintaining involvement in other forms of dance.

After departing from high school, Kasianay continued to exercise her creative outlets while attending the University of Minnesota’s College of Design. During the pursuit of her undergraduate degree she continued to be actively involved in dance. She graduated with a bachelors Degree in Architecture and a minor in Landscape Design in 2021.

Kasianay’s backgrounds in dance and design are the leading assets at her distinct position at Concept Pavielle and in her blossoming dance career.

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brennan Benson

Brennan began his dance training in South Dakota at age ten and continued with Los Angeles Ballet, Ballet West, Cecchetti Council of America International Summer School, Brigham Young University, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB). He attended CPYB on full scholarship for two years.

His favorite roles include Prince Desire (Sleeping Beauty), Franz (Coppelia), and the roles of Billy, in Zoe Henrot’s, To Billy, and Escamillo in Carmen, both of which he premiered with St Paul Ballet.

Brennan is currently a company dancer at Minnesota Ballet Theatre (MDT), and during his time there he has performed lead roles in ballets by Robert Gardner and Sal Aiello. He is on his second season with MDT.

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brittany Rowell

Brittany Rowell is a new York city based yoga, pilates and corrective exercise instructor who specializes in injury prevention, pain management, and efficient and sustainable movement for dancers.

Brittany has trained with several Physical Therapists and Chiropractors, and has studied Alexander technique, Feldenkrais Method, Melt Method, Franklin Method and anatomy with FAMI (Functional Anatomy for Movement & Injuries Workshop) and master teachers such as Leslie Howard, Tom Myers, Annie Carpenter, Ellie Herman, and Irene Dowd.

As a dancer, Brittany sustained several injuries and found herself in the world of movement rehabilitation. Brittany has been a student of anatomy for nearly a decade and enjoys sharing her passion for functional movement with others. Brittany currently works with students at School of American Ballet and throughout the country and will be spending one week per month in Minneapolis training Concept Pavielle members.

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MerSadies McCoy

MerSadies began to pursue Dance at the age of 12. In high school she trained intensively by day at Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists and as a  scholarship student with TU Dance Center at night. 

     She graduated in May 2017 with a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree from SUNY Purchase College in New York, where she was a Dance scholarship recipient, campus leader and peer advocate devoted to community building.

     Since graduation MerSadies received her Yoga Certification followed by three seasons with TU Dance Company touring and performing for prestigious choreographers and indie/alt sensation Bon Iver. During the pandemic MerSadies faced countless hardships and set backs that motivated her even more to finally start her own Yoga business and shifting to focus on the entrepreneurial growth and partnerships.

MerSadies currently offers her gifts in teaching Dance and Yoga  while also lending her services to up and coming  Small Black Business all over the Twin Cites. 

seylon versalles-shiggs (Intern)

Seylon has always been a creative at heart but never a dancer. However, by watching her sister perform ballets over the course of their childhood she was mystified by the beauty of the art and the skill of the dancers. As an advanced piano student at MacPhail Center for Music the relationship between music and movement captivates her, extending her interest in dance. As a non dancer she finds plenty of ways to appreciate the art form, primarily videography. Video creation has always been a pastime of hers and exploring the techniques used to capture the essence of dance and the beauty of the dancers delights her. 

Seylon is currently a senior, attending Highland Park High school. Over the course of her education she has participated in many extracurricular activities such as piano and music production, gardening, woodworking, theatre, sewing, band, soccer and climbing. 

She has hopes to attend film school in New York next fall. Correspondingly, collaborating with Concept Pavielle has allowed her the opportunity to expand her creative portfolio as she edits, drafts, and pitches videos and video ideas. In addition to video production she lends a different facet of herself by sewing branded merchandise for Concept Pavielle. 

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jill LaBrasseur (Intern)

Jill LaBrasseur has been dancing all her life. At a young age she immediately fell in love with the art. Jill met Pavi in middle school and has trained with her ever since. She is a senior in high school training at The Dance Complex. Upon graduation, Jill plans to attend college and continue dancing.

Our esteemed guests

  • Stephanie Williams

    Dance Theater of Harlem

  • Dylan Wald

    Pacific Northwest Ballet

  • Alexa Maxwell

    New York City Ballet

  • Daphne Lee

    Dance Theater of Harlem

  • Breton Tyner-Bryan

    Freelance

  • Katie Deuitch

    Ballet Austin

  • Christian Warner

    Freelance

  • Elle Macy

    Pacific Northwest Ballet

  • Juliet Prine

    Pacific Northwest Ballet

  • Anthony Santos

    Dance Theater of Harlem

  • Mindy Jackson

    Steps on Broadway

  • Angelica Generosa

    Pacific Northwest Ballet

  • Jessica Howard

    Freelance