Staff Gallery

Lindsay (also known as Miss L) is thrilled to be returning back for her 7th season with Triple 7! Lindsay is a North Carolina native that was born and raised in Raleigh, NC. She has been dancing since the tender age of three, was in the world of competitive dance for 10 years, and has taught for six years. She received most of her training from Pierrette Sadler Danceurs and CC & Co. Dance Complex, voted one of the Top 25 studios in the nation. The genres of her training include ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, latin, hip hop, musical theatre and flamenco. She has had the pleasure to work with talented choreographers such as Tabitha and Napoleon (“So You Think You Can Dance?”), Nick Bass (“This Is It”), Lauren Adams (“So You Think You Can Dance?”), Mandy Moore (“So You Think You Can Dance?”) and Jason Parsons. After graduating from high school she continued her training by receiving a BFA in Dance Performance from East Carolina University, with a concentration in Jazz. 

Tamara Whitehead is the Owner, Director and Choreographer of Triple 7 Dance Studio, which began January 2002. Her mission is to heighten awareness of ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip hop dance through education, performance, competitions and productions. Tamara, a professional dancer who has been dancing for more than 25+ years in ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop, has had the opportunity to be trained by great teachers such as Robin Dunn (E.D Entertainment Broadway Dance Center), Wiggles (RocSteady Crew), Jacque D’Amboise (National Dance Alliance), Frank Hatchett (Jazz, Broadway Dance Center), Sheila Barker (Jazz Broadway Dance Center) and many others.

Tamara’s professional dance career started while leading her Junior High School in choreography for the Dance Department under the direction of Jamee Schliefer. After choreographing her first dance, she developed a deeper passion for the art and began assisting her dance teacher with classes. With the direction of her teacher, Tamara developed her own dance group with a friend. With the success of her group, Tamara was led to becoming a video and tour dancer/choreographer/Stage Director for such artists and labels as Missy Elliot, Lee Carr, 702, SWV, Gina Thompson, Case, Foxy Brown, Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs, The Braxtons, Naughty By Nature, Arrested Development, Rowdy Records, Jive Records, Mercury Records, Elektra Records, Bad Boy Records and Zomba Recordings. She performed on Live Networks including BET (106th and Park, Spring Jam and Teen Summit), and MTV (Spring Break and MTV Awards). Tamara was also given the opportunity to perform in the Off Broadway show “JAM ON THE GROOVE” as a Lead Female dancer; from there she grew into a dance educator.

Working with dancers has been Tamara’s passion and focus since 1998. She has been an Artistic Director to several dance companies before satisfying the desire to develop her own company. The launch of Triple 7 Dance Company increased her desire to educate dancers physically and mentally about the entertainment industry. She has successfully developed dancers that are flourishing in the world of dance and entertainment from performing on BET, Commercials, Print and Tour dancing for the likes of Lil Wayne and many more. Tamara states, “Loving to share my love of dance with another is what I have been placed here to do, and through that create a passion in a young girl or boy's heart to accomplish whatever they want, even if it’s not in dance. I am doing it every day, one dance at a time.”

I am Kasey Ora Griffin, a Georgia native. I fell in love with dance at the age of two and even now at the age of 22, our love is still going strong. As a Triple 7 Dance Alumni, I am super excited to return for my 2nd season as a staff member and Rehearsal Director…I love being a part of the Triple 7 staff and family. I am currently in school to obtain my Bachelor’s degree in  Human Services with a concentration in Adolescent Development. I do plan on obtaining my Masters and becoming a School Counselor for Middle or High School. I also love working with kids. I’ve worked as a camp counselor and a youth development professional at The Boys and Girls Clubs of America. It’s a pleasure seeing the kids come in and the confidence they gain from dance. I’m looking forward a wonderful season!

Debbie McNamara has been dancing in the Atlanta area for over 30 years. She joined Southern Ballet of Atlanta at the age of nine, where she received extensive training from noted dance masters Karen Conrad and Pittman Corry. She soon became an associate dancer and accomplished soloist. Debbie has taught at various dance institutions including Gwinnett Dance Academy, Southern Ballet, Druid Hills Dance Centre, Carolyn Fleetwood, Nancy Robinson, Sandra Butcher and started dance programs in several area day care centers.  Debbie has received scholarships to the Dance Educators of America Training School and Workshop and to the prestigious Joffrey Ballet in New York City.

In her dancing career, she has also studied at Birmingham Southern, North Carolina School of the Arts, and Duke University. She has been on staff at the Raleigh School of Dance Arts and was active in the Civic Ballet as Associate Director, choreographer and dancer. While associated with the Raleigh Civic Ballet, Debbie danced several leading roles including the role of Sleeping Beauty in “Sleeping Beauty” and the role of Cinderella in the ballet “Cinderella”.

KaShane Elmore was born in Brooklyn, NY but raised in the Bronx. He is one of seven children. As a child his idol was Michael Jackson, thus he consumed most of his time moonwalking around the house. He studied hip hop under the direction of Torey Nelson for three years before being introduced to other dance forms via an Alvin Ailey Summer Camp. At the end of the summer of 2003 KaShane received a full scholarship to the Ailey School but due to personal reasons he took a leave. He continues to have aspirations of becoming a professional dancer/choreographer and is working towards his goal.

Tameka Ruger began her dance career at the age of three and has been dancing for over 20 years, studying ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, modern and liturgical dance. Tameka has been involved professionally in the performing arts for several years through dance and acting. She has trained at several reputable dance schools in Georgia, namely Triple 7 Dance Studio as well as Spelman College. She has also studied under renowned choreographers at Alvin Ailey and Broadway Dance Center. Tameka has utilized her dance and acting skills through the Atlanta Hawks Dance Team, Rhapsody: The Musical, Cheesecake Boiz, the Diva Stageplay, tours, television commercials and talk shows. Through her training in dance, Tameka has become a confident, poised young woman which has allowed her to win several pageants. Tameka graduated from Spelman College in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics. Currently, Tameka is a Dance Instructor at Triple 7 Dance Studio and is the owner of Little Stars Dance & Tumbling. She is a member of Clifton United Methodist Church where she directs the dance ministry “A Time to Dance.” In her spare time, Tameka also works with dance ministries at other local churches. Dance is a major part of Tameka’s life and she enjoys sharing her talent and teaching the future stars of the world.