Charell Chestang a native of Philadelphia, PA began dancing at the age of 9 under the direction of Mrs. Cheryl Gains-Jenkins at the La-Cher-Tari Dance Studio.  Charell’s love for dance grew quickly as she extended her passion for the arts.  Charell studied in studios such as Progressive Center for Dance know known as Ms. Carol’s Center for Dance, Philadelphia Dance Arts,  Alvin Ailey, and the Pennsylvania Academy of The Ballet.  She also performed in dance companies: THJ Dance ensemble and Grace Dance Theater (Formerly known as The Company Grace) where her talent earned her the title of principle dancer.  

 

Ballet is Charell's forte and favorite genre of dance.  There are many great pioneers in dance that Charell has had the pleasure of studying under:

 

Marion Cuyjet (who took a special interest in Charell), John Hines, Craig “Spider” Moore, Elmer Skeets Ball, Delphine Mantz, Carol Butcher and Melvin Purnell just to name a few.

 

Charell’s commitment and dedication to dance was and still is inspiring!  After all of her teachings and experience it was destined for Charell to pioneer her very own dance studio and bring her unique vision to real life.  With humble beginnings in October of 1999 The Pointe! Dance Studio began in the basement of a Mt. Airy row home with 17 girls enrolled in the program.  Each year the program gained more and more students, and the recitals are known for leaving audiences in awe!.  

 

Charell’s love for the arts have touched the lives of many and remain in the hearts of the performers that she has so diligently trained.  

 

Ms. Charell is a Philadelphia Public school teacher that holds a BA in early childhood education, a masters in education and a master in leadership.  She loves spending time with her dancers, family, friends and most of al her daughter Alana and her fur baby Gabanna. 

Kareem B. Goodwin is a Philadelphia-based choreographer, educator, and arts leader whose work is rooted in legacy, storytelling, community, and the transformative power of dance. As Artistic Director of The Pointe! Dance Studio, he is committed to honoring the foundation that has made TPDS a home for generations of dancers while helping lead the studio into its next chapter.

 

A proud product of Philadelphia’s dance community, Kareem began his formal training at the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center under the guidance of Charon Mapp, Wayne St. David, Anthony Burrell, and the late Faye B. Snow. He later earned his BFA in Jazz Dance with an emphasis in choreography from the University of the Arts, where he received the Choreography Prize.

 

Kareem’s choreography has been commissioned and presented by organizations and institutions across the country, including Dallas Black Dance Theatre, MOVE|NYC|, Syracuse City Ballet, Dissonance Dance Theatre, Drexel University, DeSales University, West Chester University, SUNY Oneonta, and CityDance Conservatory. His work blends jazz, modern, contemporary, and ballet vocabularies with a deep commitment to musicality, humanity, culture, and storytelling.

 

A two-time Princess Grace Award nominee in choreography, Kareem was nominated in 2024 and 2026. He is also a 2026 New York Public Library Dance Research Fellow with the Jerome Robbins Dance Division, where his research explores Limón technique through Black embodiment and its relationship to jazz and Afro-diasporic movement traditions.

 

As an educator, Kareem has taught dancers throughout the country in studios, universities, conservatories, intensives, and professional settings. His teaching encourages dancers to build strong technical foundations while developing confidence, individuality, curiosity, and an authentic artistic voice.

 

At TPDS, Kareem believes dance education is about far more than what happens onstage. His leadership centers excellence, mentorship, accountability, joy, and community. Working alongside Founder and Executive Director Charell Chestang and the TPDS faculty, he is dedicated to ensuring that every dancer who walks through the doors feels challenged, supported, celebrated, and inspired to become the fullest version of themselves.

 

For Kareem, dance is more than movement. It is history, community, possibility, and a vehicle for becoming.