Donna Lane has been chosen for the TDEA Distinguished Service Award. She has been the Director of the Gilmer High School Stars drill team for 36 years. She taught for American Drill Team School for 10 years and owned Gilmer Dance Studio for 10 years. She has been married 43 years to husband Larry and they have 3 children and 6 grandchildren.

Gabrielle Aufiero (Gucciardi) is an Adjunct Professor in the Dance Department at Austin Community College and a dance teacher at Round Rock High School where she directs Dragon Pride Dance Company. Gabrielle holds an MFA in Dance from Texas Woman’s University and a BA in American Studies from Franklin Pierce University. She has performed, showcased choreography, presented scholarly research, and taught professional development both nationally and internationally throughout her career. As an educator, Gabrielle recognizes that there is just as much responsibility in sharing the art of dance as there is in mentoring the future of the dance field and the members of our greater community. By sharing her passion for dance, creating a space that holds students to high expectations, and teaching students the tools they need to be successful in their lives beyond the classroom, Gabrielle hopes to enrich each student’s understanding of their individual potential and empower them to create significant contributions to their chosen career fields.

Rosey Fortenberry is serving in her 25th year as a dance educator and dance team director. She is currently at Obra D. Tompkins High School in Katy, Texas, where she founded the Crimson Cavalettes dance team in 2013. Rosey strives to create an environment where creativity flourishes, discipline is instilled, and teamwork is celebrated. Prior to opening Tompkins, Rosey was the director of the Clear Lake Flairs from 2007-2013 and served as the assistant director from 1999-2007. Rosey completed her Bachelor of Science in education at the University of Houston (1999), where she majored in kinesiology and minored in dance. Many of Rosey’s dancers have continued to pursue dance after college, becoming dance educators/directors. She currently has nine former dancers who are directors/asst. directors and three who are currently pursuing a degree in dance education. Rosey resides in Katy with her husband, Clint, of 26 years. Her sons, Tyler (32) and Lane (21) are her pride and joy, she has always loved being a boy mom. You can find her most weekends loving on her grandbabies, Cali (4) and Joshua (2.5). Being ‘roro’ has quickly become one of her favorite things. 

Stephanie Trevino-Felan is in her 19th year of directing spirit teams at the high school level. In 2008, she established the dance program at the newly opened Claudia Taylor Johnson High School in San Antonio, TX. Under her consistent leadership, Stephanie has built an award-winning dance program. In 2017, she led her JV team to their first NDA High School  Nationals title, which was the first National title for the entire Johnson Spirit program. Continuing this success, Stephanie led her Varsity team to NDA National titles in 2020 and  2021. Johnson Dance has also been recognized as NDA’s “Go Be Great” winner and has received the overall “Team Sportsmanship” award. These specific accolades mean the most to Johnson Dance because they extend beyond the dance floor. They encompass  Stephanie’s passion for building ambassadors within the community.

Shelby Young-Polansky is currently in year 26 of her teaching career. She received her Bachelors from Sam Houston State University and is certified from PreK through 12th grade in multiple subjects. Shelby has taught at the Elementary, Intermediate, and High School levels. She began her directing career with the Spring HS Starlettes for 8 years. In 2007 she returned to her alma mater as director of the Klein Oak Strutters where she is in her 17th year and the longest-tenured director. Shelby is blessed to lead a dance department offering 28 different courses/levels with 3 dance teachers. Shelby served the TDEA Executive Board from 2014 to 2022 in multiple Board positions, including 2 years as TDEA President. Shelby is living her best life teaching what she loves, building a positive team culture, designing costumes, coaching hard-working athletes, and wearing leggings daily! Shelby’s Motto: If you don’t like where you’re headed, kick ball change & pivot turn!

A tireless worker, Kim continually challenges herself and constantly raises her own bar. Her successes can be attributed to many things but perhaps most of all to the way she embraces each day with the heart of an educator and the spirit of a true competitor. Kim began her career in education in Keller ISD and remained in that district for 32 years. Twenty-five of those years she served as the Director of the Keller Indianettes. Under her directorship, the Indianettes garnered numerous national titles, were frequent performance guests for the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks, and performed in multiple commercials. While at Keller, Kim received Keller HS Teacher of the Year and the Baird Friedman Award honors. After retiring from directing the Indianettes to spend more time with her family, she agreed to serve as the assistant director at Central High School in Keller ISD until she formally retired in 2011. Upon retiring from directing the Indianettes, Kim jumped to the other side of the fence and began building her business, Rain Ponchos Plus. She has owned Rain Ponchos Plus for 16 years. She isn’t finished yet! Kim continues her commitment to the dance industry as a business owner, adjudicator, consultant, and workshop presenter.

Kim started in the dance industry when there were few resources and when directors were acknowledged as sponsors. She states, "There is a strong sisterhood amongst the directors she worked with and that continues today. We learned from and relied upon each other." She, along with her many colleagues, worked hard to give the dance/drill team industry the notoriety and acknowledgment all of you experience today. She agrees there is more to be done BUT… she says, "We have come so far!" During her tenure as a director, Kim was actively involved with the past organization, Dance Drill Teams of America, and served on the board in multiple capacities through the presidential position. She has also volunteered on multiple TDEA committees, was the very first Director of the Year, and has been honored with the TDEA Distinguished Service Award. She continues to be passionate about dance education and believes that sharing your precious gifts with your various communities is paramount. She is grateful for the opportunities this industry has offered to her and is indebted to her extended dance/drill team family for sharing their gifts and love with her. So very proud of her family, Kim is the wife to a very loving husband, Kyle, who grants her an incredible amount of independence. She and Kyle have two children-a wonderful daughter - Brooke and son-in-love, Daniel who have gifted to the family their first grandchild, Weston, and now a granddaughter, Hayden, and an amazing son, Brandon, and daughter-in-love, Sydney who have had their first child, Lainey, and of course, her two one-year-old Golden Retrievers – Biskit and Cinnamon!

With over 36 years in the industry, Holly Knight is the epitome of a versatile dance educator. While earning her BA in dance at the University of North Texas, Holly began her tenure with MA Dance as an adjudicator, choreographer, and camp instructor. She was the director at Lamar Consolidated HS and is the founding director of the National Champion Elkins Elite dance team. Holly served numerous positions in TDEA from 1994-2000, ultimately serving as President. Expanding her career, she worked for Leapin’ Leotards for 14 years in various capacities before returning to education. In 2017, she became part of the Alvin ISD family and spent two years as the Assistant Director of the Manvel HS Majestics, as well as the Manvel JH Dance Teacher. Currently, Holly finds joy teaching 200 MJH dancers and holds the position of AISD Junior High Lead Dance Teacher. For 30 years, Holly has been married to Jamie and raised two Aggies, Cody and Riley. 

Louisiana native T.J. Maple graduated from Iowa High School in 1997. As a member of  the yearbook staff, Maple oversaw the dance team pages. During this time, his genuine love for the craft and curiosity of its competitive community took hold. After high school graduation,  Maple began his career as a choreographer for the Prancers Pee Wee Drill Team in Dayton, Texas. Selecting 12 Prancers, he created the Sensations All-Star Team and took them to the American Dance/Drill Team Galveston Island competition in 2000. Volunteering as a technique coach, Maple soon became director for the Dayton High School Dazzlers in 2000. No degree, no training, and no boundaries – he directed the Dazzlers, creating a solid foundation for progress,  for two years. In 2002, Maple joined the McLennan Community College’s dance team, where he danced until 2004. Maple was MCC’s first Assistant Director from 2004 to 2005. In April 2005, he became the Coach at Stephen F. Austin State University and is currently in his 19th season with the program. Maple’s teams at SFA have won 15 national championships under his leadership. A true role model and trailblazer for the industry, Maple knew a college degree was necessary to continue flourishing in this field. He obtained a Bachelor of Science and Master of  Science in Kinesiology from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2008 and 2021 respectively. Maple joined the Texas Dance Educators’ Association membership in 2001 and was the  TDEA All-State Choreographer in 2013. He has served as an adjudicator, master instructor, and presenter for numerous companies; was on the ESP productions staff for the college football Citrus Bowl in Orlando; and served as a panelist for The Dance Worlds in 2016, 2017, and 2023. Maple, with the assistance of the SFA dance professors, created the first-ever dance team coaching minor at SFA in 2018. He also is an adjunct professor in the University’s School of  Theatre and Dance, teaching the Theory and Practice of Dance Team Coaching and the Choreography for Dance Teams courses. His company, T.J. Maple, LLC, encompasses all things related to dance teams, including his choreography endeavors, Pom Perfection Workshops, and the Texas College Dance Team Connection, which assists Texas high school seniors with finding their college dance team home. Maple’s philosophy is simple, “We do not need some dancers, but some dancers need  us.” He chooses to focus on what is most important and satisfying to him – “the development of the student-athlete/dancer and the family which is created each year within a team.” His favorite quote is, “If it doesn’t challenge you; it will never change you.”