The faculty of To The Pointe is devoted to the well-being and development of young people. Their desire is to pass on their love of the arts to the students.

Lauren Bolick - Artistic Director/Owner

Lauren opened To The Pointe Dance & Arts Academy in July 2003. She is a 2002 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in Economics and Political Science. Beginning her dance training at the age of five and dancing competitively at eleven, she has studied all forms of dance with an emphasis on Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Lyrical and Modern. In addition to studying at various dance studios, Lauren spent a summer at the highly selective North Carolina Governor’s School intensively studying dance. She also continues to take classes on the convention circuit to keep up with the new styles. Some of her favorite master class teachers include: Mia Michaels, Dave Scott, Tabitha & Napoleon D’Umo, Wade Robson and Joey Dowling.

While a student at UNC, Lauren danced with Carolina Style Dance Company. During her tenure with Carolina Style, she founded the Ballet Company, served as the company’s Special Publicity Chair, Treasurer for two years, Ballet Director, and President. Under her direction, Carolina Style had its most successful year to date including the Company’s first performance at UNC’s largest performance venue, Memorial Hall. After graduation, Lauren took a job as a Branch Manager at First Union but continued to take dance classes and worked with the dance team at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Since returning to Hillsborough, Lauren has volunteered as the Cedar Ridge High School Dance Team Coach and as a choreographer for Orange County Players.

Alicia Curtis - Instructor

Alicia Curtis is a 2005 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BS in Clinical Laboratory Science. A dancer since the age of three, Alicia began dancing competitively at the age of nine. She received her early dance training with the Gary Walker Dance Academy and the Dance Center in Spruce Pine, NC studying Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern and Hip Hop. She studied at the School for Gifted Students in the Arts in Brevard, NC where she studied Ballet and Modern under Ann Dunn. Alicia also attended intensives with the Atlanta Ballet and the Ballet Magnificat, a tribute to the Moscow Ballet. She has studied under Joe Tremaine, Michael Minnery, Julie Walters and Beverly Shurley.

While in college, Alicia danced with Carolina Style Dance Company’s Tap and Jazz companies. She also served as Carolina Style’s co-Business Manager for the 2004-2005 season. Before becoming a teacher at To The Pointe four years ago, she taught Tap and Jazz as an assistant instructor for 4 years at various studios throughout the state. Alicia is also considered a guest performer/choreographer with the High County Youth Ballet.

In addition to teaching at To The Pointe, Alicia is working as a Medical Technologist at UNC Hospitals. She is also on the board of Orange Community Theatre and has served as their choreographer for the past three years.

Elise Hobbs - Instructor

Elise Hobbs is currently in her junior year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying Business Administration and History. A native of Wilmington, North Carolina, Elise began taking dance classes at the age of 3. She has studied all forms of dance with an emphasis on Ballet, Jazz, and Lyrical. She trained intensively under Mira Fox-Lamendola and was a member of the award-winning competitive dance company, Fox Troupe Dancers. Being a part of a traveling dance company, Elise was exposed to the highly demanding dance world and was fortunate enough to take classes from dancers and choreographers such as Joe Lanteri, Suzi Taylor, Jason Parsons, Doug Caldwell, Mike Minery, Gli Stroming, and Chris Jacobson. Throughout her competitive career, Elise has won many scholarships and overall awards at regional and national competitions such as New York City Dance Alliance, Tremaine, Star Systems, and Showstoppers.

As a student at UNC, Elise enjoys her time as a member and choreographer of the Carolina Style Dance Company. She has also been a part of the dance initiative at UNC to bring a dance minor to campus.

Fabia Simpson - Instructor

Fabia is originally from London, England and brings over 30 years of dance experience in her first year as an instructor at To The Pointe.

She is a graduate of the British Association of Teachers of Dance and not long after gaining her qualifications embarked on a performing career allowing her to travel extensively. As well as performing in London, Fabia has been in shows in Hong Kong, Japan and Korea and on board Chandris/Celebrity Cruise Ships sailing the Caribbean and Mediterranean seas. She was then selected as part of the production team to stage and produce entertainment shows for Thomson Holidays in Corfu, Greece and Almeria, Spain and was cruise director on board ships for Ambassador Cruises sailing from Cyprus to Egypt and Israel. This was where she met her husband, Keith, and not long after they were married, moved to North Carolina in 1995.

Fabia is the proud mother of two inspiring children, Gabriella and Corben, and is excited and honored to be a part of the To The Pointe family!

Hannah Frederick - Instructor

Hannah Frederick was born on August 17, 1988 in Raleigh, North Carolina.  She was the second child and first girl in her family so her mother jumped on the chance of enrolling Hannah in a summer dance camp to get away from the boys for awhile.  Luckily, dance stuck with Hannah and she has been dancing for seventeen years now.  She started her training at Premier School of Dance in Raleigh and then progressed to Cary Dance Productions where she finished her high school dance education.  Hannah has studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary and basically any other style of dance out there.  She has taken from world renowned choreographers at every convention from Tremaine and NYCDA to West Coast Dance Explosion and Jump.

Hannah began her choreography career in her senior year of high school with a dance for her studio's Junior Company.  After being their Teacher Assistant for a few years, she decided to test the waters of choreography and the students obliged.  The dance went on the place fourth overall at nationals that summer.  Since then she has choreographed various pieces for studios in Raleigh and now for To The Pointe.

Hannah is currently in her senior year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  On campus, she has danced with Carolina Style for three years and is now serving as the Jazz Director.  As a History major, Music minor, another degree of higher education is probably in her future but for now Hannah enjoys nothing more than working with the To The Pointe staff and teaching so many beautiful, bright-eyed dancers.

Laura Curtis - Instructor

Laura Curtis is a 2008 graduate of Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio. She earned a degree in Musical Theatre and Choreography, a degree program she created for the school that has now been added to the college’s majors. A dancer since age three, she received her early dance training with the Gary Walker Dance Academy and the Dance Center in Spruce Pine, North Carolina. Laura was also the 2008 North Carolina Rhododendron Queen.

Laura graduated from the extremely competitive North Carolina School of the Arts High School Drama Program. Among the many rolls she has performed, her favorites are the rolls of Little Bo Peep in Babes in Toyland, The Spanish Dancer and The Snow Queen in The Nutcracker.

Laura joined the staff of To The Pointe two years ago as a guest choreographer and master class teacher and last year as a full time instructor. In addition to teaching dance, Laura is certified through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America in group fitness and personal training.

Ashley Bell - Front Desk

Ashley graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Communication Studies and is currently a graduate student at the School of Public Health at UNC. She began dancing at the age of three and dancing competitively at the age of nine. While an undergraduate, Ashley danced with the Carolina Style Dance Company and was co-publicity chair her sophomore year and treasurer both her junior and senior years . Ashley looks forward to her first year working the front desk at To The Pointe!

Morgan Walker - Front Desk

Morgan Walker will be a 2010 graduate of Orange High School, has been a student at To The Pointe since the first year and a student of Miss Lauren’s for three years before that! She started dancing when she was two years old and dancing competitively at age eight. Morgan hopes to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to study Math or Science and eventually attend Medical School.