playbill vip

Joshua Krohn (Co-director) 

This year will be Josh Krohn’s seventeenth year of teaching with the majority of those years spent at the elementary level.  He spent some time teaching high school as well as college and found that singing, dancing, playing instruments with young children — and getting to be a bit sillier — has made him a much happier music teacher. He celebrated his five-year anniversary this past summer and still feels like a newlywed. Favorite shows to watch include Fiddler on the Roof, Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, and any show his students perform in. He has directed more than thirty musicals during his career and plans on directing many more at Brent.  Currently he serves as president of the Washington DC Music Educators Association under the umbrella of the National Association for Music Education. Nominated for D.C. Teacher of the Year seven times (including the 19-20 school year), proud nominee of the National LifeChanger Of The Year award three times, and nominated three times for a Grammy award for Music Educator of the Year.

Chanel Colbert (Co-director)

Chanel Colbert (Choreographer/ Co Director) is delighted to be making her directorial debut in musical theater. Chanel has trained in dance since the age of three and has been part of several dance schools, programs, and organizations. The “Best Friends Foundation” however was the one that is most memorable, teaching young girls (self-respect through self-control). This is where she found the confidence for her passion. Later, Chanel studied musical theater at both Shaw University (Raleigh, NC) and University of the District of Columbia. Working with amazing industry choreographers Tuluv Price, Dr. White of Alvin Ailey, Marcellus. She performed in many plays and dance concerts; “The Wiz” as a part of the dance ensemble and “Annie” with lead role (Grace Ferrell) just to name a few. Through her hard work and talent exhibited at the University, she was one of 5 selected to be a camp counselor at the 2010 Julliard Summer Arts Camp. From 2009-12 Chanel was brought on as the director of dance for Friendship Collegiate Academy “Marching Knights” a.k.a. “Solid Gold Divaz”. In 2011 she started an after-school contract with “Spring Board” teaching the Jazz dance style and Capitol Hill Montessori teaching 60 students at one time. Since then the class has moved to Brent Elementary where it continues and has even newly added the “Hip-Hop” dance style. In June 2015 Chanel Dance Company was founded. The company will be celebrating its 5-year anniversary. Chanel has been professionally instructing dance for the past 10 years; having taught 100s of students in the DMV area. She gets the most pleasure from student’s growth and development. Not only development in dance skills, but also growth with confidence and character building. Chanel teaches a variety of dance styles under her company. Including ballet, modern, jazz, African and contemporary just to name a few. For 5 consecutive years she coached and choreographed her own competition teams. They traveled near and far clean sweeping the East Coast through creativity and dance techniques. The mission of Chanel Dance Company is to empower and define self- esteem, creativity, discipline, and self – confidence. Passionately promoting no dancer left behind. We enrich, inspire, and transform lives.