Born in Colorado, yet raised in NJ, Shanna received her initial dance training at Art of Dance and then at North Jersey School of Dance Arts under the instruction of Christine Taylor and Luba Gulyeva. She received her BFA in Dance with a minor in ballet pedagogy at The Boston Conservatory. While in Boston, she also was a principal ballet dancer with the company Ballet Rox and found her love for musical theater while performing in regional houses there.

Although, she continued to freelance with various companies, Shanna then shifted her focus full time into the musical theater world where she performed in the Broadway National Tour of CATS, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, White Christmas, Grease, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Beauty and the Beast, 42nd Street, Singin’ in the Rain, Swing, Annie Get Your Gun, Carousel, Swing and many others. She also has had the privilege performing as a backup dancer for Ne-Yo, as well as appearing in various music videos and commercials. As a teacher, Shanna is extremely passionate about not only passing on her love for dance, but instilling clean, correct technique in her students, while building the confidence and grace needed to perform and thrive in or out of the performance world.