Shana Maria Weaver

About Shana Maria Weaver

 

Shana Maria Weaver is a vocalist, musician, dancer, and educator who grew up in Oxnard, California. She began her musical journey at the age of 8 when she picked up the trumpet in her elementary school's band. After 3 years of playing, Shana decided to take music into a vocal route and joined her middle school choir where she discovered her love for song. When Shana entered high school she began acting and singing in Channel Islands High School's performing arts and appeared in the chorus of Evita when she was 16. In her junior year, she took to the stage playing one of the leads in Bye Bye Birdie as Rose Alvarez.

After high school Shana attended Santa Barbara City College to major in Theatre Arts and appeared in her first stage play Gunfighter: A Gulf War Chronicle playing Lt. Evelyn Erhard. After just one semester Ms. Weaver left Santa Barbara City College and attended Ventura College as a Music major but still actively performed in the arts performing in: Crossing The Bar (Margaret), A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (Tintinabula), Mozart In Love (The Magic Flute) (Ensemble/1st Spirit) and The Baker's Wife (Inez). Shana graduated Ventura College in 2009 and continued her undergraduate studies in Music at California State University, Los Angeles emphasizing in Jazz Studies. Though she did not continue acting at school, Shana actively participated in the jazz orchestra, small jazz combos, Afro-Latin orchestra, and choir at CSU Los Angeles. She graduated CSU Los Angeles in 2011 holding a Bachelor of Music: Jazz Studies. 

 

After graduation, Shana began teaching voice and piano at the School of Dance and Music in Manhattan Beach, CA. After 1 year, she decided to further her education and enrolled into the Master's program at CSU Los Angeles majoring in Afro-Latin music. In 2013, Shana moved to New York City to pursue her love in the performing arts and in December 2013 she landed a small east coast tour with Forever Motown. After a year, she left the show to continue her education.

 

Shana started swing dancing in October 2014 at Paul Pellicoro's DanceSport under the instruction of Milo Saidl. Shana also trained with Laura Jeffers, Chester Whitmore, Norma Miller, and Sonny Allen. 

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Shana is currently an NYC music teacher. She is also a board member of the Collective Voice for Change and can be found performing with The Jazz Continuum. 

 

Where you can find Shana: 

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Current dance company:

The Jazz Continuum

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Previous dance companies and work include:

• The Cotton Club Sophisticated Ladies

• The Harlem Swing Dance Society

• Gatsby Entertainment

• The Rhythm Ambassadors

• The Rhythm Stompers

• The Harlem Strutters

• Jazz at Lincoln Center

• The Wild Rhythm Dance Company

• Chorine 

• Black Beauties Chorus Girls

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Teaching with/at:

• NYC Department of Education

• Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy HS/MS 141 (special events - varies)

• Columbia University Swings (varies)

• Shana Weaver's Workshop Series (throughout NYC & Nationally)

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Swing/Lindy Hop Achievements:

• 1st Place 2018 Midsummer Night's Swing Ambassador Lindy Hop Dance Contest with Milo Saidl

• 3rd Place 2018 The Battle of The Big Bands at The Intrepid with Brandon Barker

• 1st Place 2017 ALHC's Strictly Lindy Hop competition with Brandon Barker

• 1st Place 2017 ALHC's Match Game competition with Orian Marx

• 1st Place 2017 Beantown's Intermediate Mix and Match competition with Cyle Dixon

• 2nd Place 2017 Beantown's Solo Jazz competition

• 3rd Place 2017 The Battle of The Big Bands at The Intrepid with Brandon Barker

• 2rd place 2016 The Battle of The Big Bands at The Intrepid with Brandon Barker

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Previous musical works:

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Simple Lovers 

Hokum Factory.

 

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To view Shana's Resume, click on the PDF icon.