The Columbia Repertory Dance Company's mission is to broaden the experience of professional dance artists and patrons in Columbia, SC through multidisciplinary collaborative performances year-round. We aim to retain the talents of South Carolina dance artists and provide a spectrum of professional opportunities while inspiring and developing a broader and deeper understanding of dance in Columbia.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | CHOREOGRAPHER

Stephanie Wilkins is the Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer and Co-founder of the Columbia Repertory Dance Company in Columbia, SC. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Dance Performance & Choreography from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in NYC, where she lived for fifteen years. She has taught, choreographed and performed extensively in New York, San Francisco, Brazil, Kenya, Scotland and South Carolina. Stephanie is an adjunct Professor of Dance at Columbia College and has previously taught at the University of SC and Coker University, as well as a guest instructor at Princeton University and College of Charleston.  In January 2015, she premiered Woven, her first evening-length work, with jazz composer Mark Rapp. She performed her solo, Burned, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland in August 2022. Her works Forgiveness (part 2) and Agitato were selected to be performed as part of the Dumbo Dance Festival at the Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn, NY in June 2023, and Ache was selected and performed at the same festival in 2024. Stephanie recently choreographed Legally Blonde The Musical for Workshop Theatre, and is choreographing and performing with Jamie Scott in Dancing with the Palmetto Stars at the Township on June 21. Cola Rep Dance Company will perform two of Wilkins’ works at Piccolo Spoleto on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Cola Rep is currently rehearsing for their 6th season, with a concert in Columbia on August 16 and 17, 2025 at the Koger Center’s new lower level performance space.

MANAGING DIRECTOR | DANCER

Bonnie Boiter-Jolley is Co-founder and Managing Director of Cola Rep Dance Co. A graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts, Bonnie studied at the American Ballet Theatre in New York City, Kirov Academy of Ballet, Boston Ballet, Alonzo King Lines Ballet and the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Bonnie graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Honors College at the University of South Carolina with degrees in Dance Performance and Choreography and Political Science. She has performed in Italy under the direction of Anna Marie Holmes and the Czech Republic and in the Summer Stage series in New York City. Bonnie has performed with Wideman Davis Dance company and Donald Byrd’s Spectrum Dance Theatre and appeared in local theatre productions “Songs for a New World” at Workshop Theatre and “the Great Gatsby” at Trustus Theatre. Bonnie joined the Columbia City Ballet in 2011, was promoted to Soloist in 2013 and Principal Dancer in 2018. Bonnie has over 15 years of experience in dance education and is credited with developing the ballet program at the Columbia City Jazz Conservatory under the leadership of Choreographer and Master Teacher Dale Lam where she has been on faculty since 2011. Since Fall of 2022, Bonnie has been teaching in an Adjunct capacity in the University of South Carolina Department of Theatre and Dance. In 2019 Bonnie co-founded the Columbia Repertory Dance Company. The company is now in their sixth performance season and has since traveled to perform as part of the DUMBO Dance Festival  in New York twice, collaborated with the SC Philharmonic, artist Jordan Sheridan and 701 CCA and Historic Columbia. Bonnie is thankful for a life in the arts with her husband Chad Henderson.

DANCER

Erin is a graduate of Columbia College, SC (BFA) and Texas Woman’s University (MFA), where she received the Excellence in Choreography Award (2012) and the Pauline Bishop Leman Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement (2014). Erin is a graduate of the Integrated Movement Studies program (2016) and is a Certified Laban Movement Analyst and Somatic Movement Educator. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Moving Body Dance Company and is the FY21 South Carolina Arts Commission Fellowship recipient for Dance Choreography.

DANCER

Carrie Preus is a dedicated dance artist, educator, and arts leader originally from Augusta, Georgia. She began her formal training under Ron and Kathleen Jones before continuing her studies at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she graduated from the high school program with a concentration in ballet. Carrie went on to earn her B.A. in Dance with a ballet concentration from Kennesaw State University in 2015. From 2017 to 2025, she danced professionally with Ballet Spartanburg, performing numerous leading roles and contributing original choreography to the Professional Company. In addition to her performance career, Carrie holds a Master's degree in Arts Administration and Cultural Leadership from Colorado State University. She currently serves as a part-time Instructor of Dance at Converse University and is the Artistic Program and Development Director for ArtsUp SC. Carrie is excited to return for her fourth season with Cola Rep! 

DANCER

Megan Saylors has a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Columbia College in SC (2011) and her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College Chicago (2022). Megan lived in Chicago 2012-2021 where she performed with Innervation Dance Cooperative, Joel Hall and Dancers and others while apprenticing with Deeply Rooted dance company and continuing her studies. Currently, based in South Carolina again, Megan is performing with Columbia Repertory Dance Company and Moving Bodies, as well as other independent projects throughout the state. Megan is also an adjunct professor of dance at Columbia College SC, a Pilates instructor and a Dance/Movement Therapist and Counselor, combining her love of movement and human connection.

DANCER

Ashlee Daniels Taylor is an interdisciplinary artist specializing in somatics, dance performance, and interactive media design. Their work is centered in somatic practices that cultivate body awareness and reveal our interconnectedness. Taylor received their MFA in Dance with an interdisciplinary specialization in Fine Arts from The Ohio State University. She is a certified Alexander Technique Teacher. Their creative research employs rigorous, athletic movement, improvisation, and somatic investigation to explore how layers of experiences linger in our bodies. Through choreographic research, she strives to encourage personal well-being and foster connections between individuals to strengthen our communities. Taylor has performed works by Bebe Miller, Ohaf Naharin, and Tania Issacs. She teaches at UofSC and Columbia College, and performs with Columbia Repertory Company and Moving Body Dance Company.

DANCER

Jack Thompson currently serves as the dance teacher at Lower Richland High School in Richland School District 1, though he has taught in a variety of public and private settings for 10 years this May. He graduated from Winthrop University in 2017 with his BA Dance and received his MSEd in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment from Walden University in 2023. Starting this summer, he will attend Jacksonville University in pursuit of his MFA in Choreography. This season is Jack’s second year in Cola Rep. 

DANCER

Nathaniel is a recent graduate of Coker University, where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance: Choreography. He first began his dance training at Westwood High School, where he joined the dance program and eventually, the National Dance Honor Society. Nathaniel performed with the WHS Dance Company for three years, working with artists such as Cici Kelly, Sekou McMiller, Rosie Herrera, George Staib, and Nan Giordano. His work and artistry are deeply rooted in storytelling, particularly centered around Black narratives. Nathaniel is currently in his first season with Columbia Repertory Dance Company.

APPRENTICE

Shannon has her MA in Dance Education from NYU, facilitated the opening of Connecticut Dance Center and aided in creating the ABTtots program. She has also had the privilege of performing for some incredible dance companies such as Moving Bodies Dance, DanceKerr & Dancers, and Roza Dance Company. Shannon is joining Cola Rep Dance Co as an Apprentice for the 2024 season.

APPRENTICE

Kaela Coleman is a passionate and dedicated dance educator and performer originally from Hodges, South Carolina. Kaela is a graduate of Columbia College, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Studies with a minor in Psychology. While at Columbia College, Kaela was an active member of the Columbia College Dance Company, performed as a tap dancer and vocalist with Broadway Bound, and trained with Power Company Collaborative. Kaela has been the dance teacher at Heyward Gibbes Middle school since 2016, where she is committed to fostering both confidence and creativity in her students, inspiring them to explore their artistry and grow as individuals through the discipline of dance. This is her first season as an apprentice with Cola Rep Dance Company.

APPRENTICE

Kait’s love for dance began at Southern Strutt in Irmo, SC, where she trained and competed for 15 years. A Columbia College alum, she studied Dance with a focus on Modern, Contemporary, and Somatic techniques. From 2019 to 2025, Kait served as co-director of Ignited Dance Collective, which she co-founded. She currently is on faculty at Southeastern Ballet School and at Mrs. Jenkins Dance Academy.

APPRENTICE | YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHER

Trinity Oros is a dancer and college student, pursuing a degree in Creative Writing whilst dancing in Columbia. Passionate and persistent, she is always looking for opportunities to direct her creative energy towards. Trinity is also Cola Rep’s 2025 “Young Choreographer.”