Bonnie is an award-winning choreographer and teacher. Her “Starfire Tap Dance Company” is a multiple-time National Champion in the Adult Tap Dance and Musical Theatre Divisions, and she and her students regularly perform for local events.
Bonnie is a Certified Master Teacher for Balletone Standing Flow since March 2012 and calls her program “Dance Infused Fitness.” Since 1982 she has been the owner, artistic director and choreographer of “That’s Dancing – Dance Education For Adults” now based in Bradenton, Florida.
Dance Bio
Originally from Indianapolis, Bonnie’s early dance training included Ballet, Tap, and Tumbling later adding Jazz and Polynesian, and eventually Ballroom Dancing. She began dancing as a specialty act with the Jimmy Bennett Show (supper club band and show) at age 11, and was the assistant choreographer for her high school productions of “Lil Abner” and “110 Degrees in the Shade”. (Choreography has been her passion ever since.) She attended a half day of classes during her Senior year of high school, while attending dance and music classes at Butler University’s Jordan School of Music, as well as performing, choreographing and teaching dance locally.
An award-winning choreographer in Tap Dance and Musical Theater, and adjudicator for auditions and competitions, She choreographed for St. Petersburg Little Theater (winning a Best Choreography Award for “Nunsense”), as well as Manatee Players “Quilters”, Charlotte Players “State Fair”, Sarasota Players “Man Of La Mancha”, and provided her vocal talents as well as choreographed dancers for “Saturday Night Out”. For many years Bonnie produced, choreographed and performed in her That’s Entertainment! Shows (USO Show Tributes, and Andrews Sisters Tributes, and her solo tribute shows).
Performance Bio
Bonnie Gray has appeared in the opening acts for G. David Howard, Foster Brooks, Ray Petersen and Lenny Dee.
She was a featured performer in “The Best of Burlesque” 1994-2004 starring “Miss Armed Forces” Vietnam: Miss Sandy O’Hara, as well as comedians Bill Johnson, and Broadway/ TV Icon Frank Gorshin.
She was also featured at the Clearwater Jazz Festival 25th Anniversary, The Tampa WWII 60th Anniversary Celebration, the Philadelphia 9/11 Memorial Concert, and aboard several ships on Scandinavian World Cruises and Empress Cruise Lines.