About Shante...

Shante R. Forrest, is Co-Owner at the Dance Institute of Philadelphia. She began her formal dance instruction at an early age at the La Cher-Tari Dance Studio under the direction of such “greats” as the late Marian D. Cuyjet, Delphine Mantz, Jiva Rankins, Henry Roy, Carol Butcher, Melvin Purnell, the late Craig Moore, and Cheryl G. Jenkins.  For over 20 years of working with young people in the performing arts, Shante has instructed, choreographed and inspired young people to pursuit their dreams and to do it with excellence!  Throughout her career, Shante has captured the essence of disciplined instruction and has been both admired and revered by her dance peers and students. Shante continues to praise the Lord through dance and has taught and performed around the tri-state area in various schools, churches, and a host of Christian productions. Her professional attributes include the production of "Eve’s Battle, with Anointed Ones Productions, Evelyn Graves’ Drama Production’s "Black Nativity, the Africana Dance Troop in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania under the late Shona Shariff, and as a member of the T.H.J. Dance Ensemble. Shante studied comparative Dance Expression, the Katherine Dunham Technique, the Horton Technique, and the dances of the Caribbean, Africa and the Diaspora, during her studies at the University of Pittsburgh where she obtained both a Bachelor and Master Degree. Shante works as a Program Administrator at the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit. Her current commitment is in enhancing the lives of preschool aged children with special education needs and services.