Director:

Ms. Shannon Carlton

Professional Experience

• Current Director of the Lake Highlands High School Highlandettes in Dallas, TX.
• Former Director and Assistant Director of the Westlake High School Hyline Dance Team in Austin, TX.
• Current Senior Level Instructor for Starmakers Dance and Performance Camps, Inc.
• BA in Dance from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX.
• Associate of Arts Degree – Kilgore College in Kilgore, TX

Personal Performance / Choreography Experience

• Kilgore College Rangerettes (98-00)  Captain (99-00)

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York City, NY

St. Patrick’s Parade, Dublin, Ireland

Gubernatorial Inauguration Parade – George W. Bush, Austin, TX

Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Classic, Dallas, TX

Kilgore College Rangerette Revels

• Choreography for numerous teams – parades, halftimes, and competition routines
• Most recently coordinated choreography for the 2007 Cotton Bowl Classic involving the Rangerette Forever Organization.

Awards Earned Under Ms. Harty’s Direction: (annually, except where designated)

• Invitation to Perform Pre-game and Halftime at 2005 SBC Cotton Bowl Classic
• Winner’s Circle (team and officers)
• Excellence in Technique (team and officers)
• Excellence in Choreography (team, officers, ensembles, and soloists)
• Excellence in Showmanship
• Team’s Choice Award
• Most Admired Officer Squad (2002, 2003)
• Invitation to perform in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland (2006)

Professional Organizations

• Texas Dance Educator’s Association, Member
• Kilgore College Rangerettes Forever, President-Elect

Philosophy

          "I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. My personal approach

creates the climate. My daily mood makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's

life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.

In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child

humanized or dehumanized."
                                                                                                   - Haim Ginott

          I’ve aspired to be a drill team director since I first stepped on the field myself  years ago.  I loved to dance, but

even more, I loved the camaraderie, the pride in performance, and the adrenaline felt through sheer hard work.  It wasn’t

until I had the opportunity to reflect on my own high school and college experiences that I knew how important this

activity could really be.  Drill Team has the opportunity to change lives.  I’m fortunate to see this reality in action every

day in my rehearsals. 

           I am a dance teacher and dance is the vehicle through which I teach a multitude of life skills.  My dancers learn

punctuality, self-confidence, persistence, public speaking, manners, discipline, and peer-to-peer responsibility.  I started

several years ago with dance technique at the top of my list, and it didn’t take long for molding and shaping these

young women to quickly take its place. 

           I am certain that I do, in fact, have one of the most influential jobs in the world.  After all, who else has the

opportunity to spend so much time with 46 amazing young ladies? I feel most fortunate and I am looking forward to

the opportunities this year will bring.