About us
The LaNita Rocknettes School of Dance provides cultural arts & educational programming during non-school hours in various locations throughout Louisville for children and ages 3-18 and their Parents. The LaNita Rocknettes School of Dance has been a safe haven for young people offering more than just dance classes.
At the LaNita Rocknettes School of Dance, one of our main goals is to help build self-confidence, self-worth, self-value, and self-pride in the community as we assist with gaining life skills.
Dance is a demanding and complex skillset that requires patience and determination from both the student and teacher. With an emphasis placed on proper and strong techniques, creativity, self-expression, and music appreciation, we teach children to follow their dreams and believe in themselves. It is our goal as a dance family to work together with our students to help them fulfill their potential & live their dreams through hard work and determination.
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About Us
Anita Neil, Founder
Harlina Trumbo, Artistic Director
Harlina Trumbo, Artistic Director
The La’Nita Rocknette School of Dance is the vision of the founder and artistic director, Mrs. Anita Neil of Louisville Kentucky. She was introduced to the world of dance by Mrs. Jewel K. McNairy and her Dancing Dolls, the only African-American School of Dance in Louisville. She wanted to give that same joy, love and respect for dance tha
The La’Nita Rocknette School of Dance is the vision of the founder and artistic director, Mrs. Anita Neil of Louisville Kentucky. She was introduced to the world of dance by Mrs. Jewel K. McNairy and her Dancing Dolls, the only African-American School of Dance in Louisville. She wanted to give that same joy, love and respect for dance that she felt to children for free, so she created her dance school. For over 55 years in West Louisville she has taught hundreds of children, parents, grandparents to love creating and performing dance. She has received many awards for her work in the community from JCPS school system, 3 different Mayors of Louisville, the Louisville Metro Council & many other Louisville organizations.
Harlina Trumbo, Artistic Director
Harlina Trumbo, Artistic Director
Harlina Trumbo, Artistic Director
She is the founder & artistic director of Imani Dance and Drum Company. Ms. Churn-Diallo started dancing as a young girl living in the Park Hill housing project in Louisville Kentucky. She has degrees in Pan-African studies, Cultural Anthropology and a Master’s in Teacher Leadership Education with a focus in equity and diversity from the
She is the founder & artistic director of Imani Dance and Drum Company. Ms. Churn-Diallo started dancing as a young girl living in the Park Hill housing project in Louisville Kentucky. She has degrees in Pan-African studies, Cultural Anthropology and a Master’s in Teacher Leadership Education with a focus in equity and diversity from the University of Louisville. Additionally, she possesses a certificate from The Institute for the Study of African Culture, Senegambia Educational and Exchange Program in Senegal West Africa.
She is the dance educator at Lincoln Performing Arts School, Kentucky’s only elementary school with a full focus on the arts for students in grades K-5.
Ms. Churn-Diallo has studied and performed dance in six West African countries, London England, Japan, Canada, Paris France and throughout the United States.
In addition to African dance, she has studied, performed, and taught tap, ballet, liturgical, Native American, salsa, and jazz. She has choreographed for Stage One Children's theater in Louisville, Experimental Black Actors Guild of Chicago, Actor’s Theater of Louisville, University of Louisville Theater Department, Theater Workshop of Louisville, Epcot Theme park in Florida and Kentuckiana African American Arts Series.
She has taught African and modern dance at University of Louisville, taught dance at the Youth Performing Arts School (YPAS) in Louisville, and has served as Arts and Education Director for youth outreach programs at Louisville's Chestnut Street YMCA. She was the dance educator for the Kentucky Center for the Arts “Arts Academy for teachers for 15 years.
Delories Smith, Lead Instructor - Choreographer - Tap/Modern/Babies
Delories Smith, Lead Instructor - Choreographer - Tap/Modern/Babies
Delories Smith, Lead Instructor - Choreographer - Tap/Modern/Babies
Delories Smith joined the Lanita Rocknettes when she was 10 years old. A member of The Rocknettes class of 1969, Delories Smith has devoted her life to working with kids. When Delories is not working with the Rocknette Babies, some as young as 3 years old, Delories works as an Early Childhood Development Specialist. Along with specialized
Delories Smith joined the Lanita Rocknettes when she was 10 years old. A member of The Rocknettes class of 1969, Delories Smith has devoted her life to working with kids. When Delories is not working with the Rocknette Babies, some as young as 3 years old, Delories works as an Early Childhood Development Specialist. Along with specialized work with children ages 3 to 6 years, Ms. Smith also instructs the 12-18 year old students in modern, tap & liturgical dance.
Tanesha Washington, Instructor-Choreographer Hip Hop
Delories Smith, Lead Instructor - Choreographer - Tap/Modern/Babies
Delories Smith, Lead Instructor - Choreographer - Tap/Modern/Babies
Dancing since she was able to walk Tanesha has had a passion for hip hop since a young child. Born and raised in Chicago, Il Tanesha found her way to Kentucky by attending Kentucky State University where she was a member of the Golden Girls the universities basket ball dance team.
At 30 years young she has danced behind Performing artist
Dancing since she was able to walk Tanesha has had a passion for hip hop since a young child. Born and raised in Chicago, Il Tanesha found her way to Kentucky by attending Kentucky State University where she was a member of the Golden Girls the universities basket ball dance team.
At 30 years young she has danced behind Performing artists, been in parades to local performance to choreographing half time shows for the the Harlem Globetrotter games in Louisville and coordinating pageants Tanesha has done it all. Tanesha now resides in Louisville,Ky where she is an Administrative Assistant and Coach for F3 Entertainment. She is also a Dance Teacher for Upstage Dance Centre! Her dance style is Hip hop and she loves every minute of what she does!
John Keen, Instructor - Modern, Tap Ballet
Delories Smith, Lead Instructor - Choreographer - Tap/Modern/Babies
John Keen, Instructor - Modern, Tap Ballet
John Keen is a native of Louisville, KY. He has studied at the Ailey School, Steps On Broadway, and Broadway Dance Center in New York, NY, Gus Giordano Dance Center in Evanston, IL, Louisville Ballet, and Louisville Dance Academy Louisville, KY. John has danced with Modern Dance Companies: Art Art Barking Dog Dance Company (Louisville,
John Keen is a native of Louisville, KY. He has studied at the Ailey School, Steps On Broadway, and Broadway Dance Center in New York, NY, Gus Giordano Dance Center in Evanston, IL, Louisville Ballet, and Louisville Dance Academy Louisville, KY. John has danced with Modern Dance Companies: Art Art Barking Dog Dance Company (Louisville, KY), Heavens Radical Contemporary Company (Brooklyn, NY) and Seasons Dance Theater(New York, NY). John also starred in an Off Broadway show called "Miyorka' A Different Kind Of Love Story where he played a sassy, back talking butler. John has taught and choreographed for various small companies and dance studios in New York and Louisville. He started his own dance company, Keen Dance Theater in 2008 and traveled to Guyana in 2012 where his company was named Cultural Ambassadors of Guyana.
Lisa Peebles, Director of Administration & Enrollment
Brittany "Bee Bee" Patillo, African-Liturgical Instructor & Administration
Brittany "Bee Bee" Patillo, African-Liturgical Instructor & Administration
Lisa Peebles is the mother of 4 and grandmother of 2 Students currently participating in the Lanita Rocknettes Dance program. The Peebles Family joined LRSD in Fall 2010. Lisa Peebles goal as she works behind-the-scenes is to help all of the students in the program have a successful and wonderful experience.
Brittany "Bee Bee" Patillo, African-Liturgical Instructor & Administration
Brittany "Bee Bee" Patillo, African-Liturgical Instructor & Administration
Brittany "Bee Bee" Patillo, African-Liturgical Instructor & Administration
Rocknettes Class of 2014. Graduate of the University of Louisville BS Theater Arts. Currently, Brittany is a resident at Actors Theatre Louisville for the 2020 Season. In 2018 Brittany received the
Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship to study abroad in Brazil, where she also taught theatre in local underserved elementary schools. In 2019 Brittany was crowned the 2019 Kentucky Derby Festival Queen.