Meet Our Staff

Meet Arts International professional staff. All of our staff members are masters in their

area of expertise and bring to our classroom a level of professionalism with a heart of

worship that sets us apart from other art schools.

Prima Ballerina & Sensei
Susanne Sanders

Owner / Director, Master Teacher

Arts International Ministries Executive Director

Ordained minister, teacher, speaker, and author
B.S. in Biology and Pre-Med with an emphasis in dance from Charleston Southern University
World champion kick boxer, Black Belt Hall of Fame member and 3rd degree Black Belt
Former prima ballerina, principal dancer, and choreographer with both international ballet and jazz companies

Susanne has studied, taught, and performed nationally and internationally, Chicago, N.Y., Oklahoma, Atlanta, S.C., Germany, Switzerland, Africa, Israel, and Scotland. As a Principal dancer, choreographer, and producer with both: International Ballet & Jazz Companies.

Her principal roles include Le Corsaire, Don Quixote’, Chopiniana, Four Seasons, Coppélia, Carmen, Pas de Quatre, Facade, Grand Prix, Swan Lake, and many other original productions she has written, choreographed, and produced.

Education background: Virginia Intermont College, Oklahoma University, North Carolina School of Performing Arts, Reformed Theological Seminary and graduated from Charleston Southern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Pre-Med. Minor in English with an emphasis in Dance.

Honors: Susanne is an ordained minister. Tri-Beta National Honor Society, Who’s Who Among Colleges & Universities, Outstanding Young Women in America, Cambridge Whose Who, and has participated Spoleto, USA and in the Artist in Residence program for S.C.

Susanne is a former South Carolina’s Junior Miss (winner of four preliminaries) then represented SC at America’s Junior Miss, two-time finalist in the Miss South Carolina, and 1st Runner up in the Mrs. S.C. International Pageant. Through her extensive performing, pageant, television commercial, and modeling career she participates in all phases of pageantry and stage production.

Karate is another area of expertise for Susanne. She owns Arts International (Conservatory & Dojo) an affiliate school of Karate World under Master Gene Lewis, which trains Zen Ketsugo and American Tae Kwon Do Styles. Susanne was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame,

Won the World Title in Kickboxing and has the rank of a 3rd degree Black Belt.

Presently, she owns and operates Arts International (Conservatory & Dojo), which trains all levels of dance, karate, etiquette, manners, and modeling education, as well as a talent development and booking agency.

Founder and Executive Director of Arts International Ministries 501(c)(3) (non-profit professional company), an outreach touring performing arts company. Arts International offers scholarships for students that qualify for any of our class disciplines. We offer local outreach performances such as “The Lovely Ducklings” production about children with disabilities, and “Waging War” ministry production about learning to have a Braveheart, which is also being put into a Bible Study workbook.

Finally, Arts International has had the opportunity to travel to ten countries over the last 16 years taking our youth, as well as our professional company members, to perform and do outreach service to all peoples, languages, and cultures.

Brooke Spence

Instructor, Choreographer, Company Assistant, and

Executive Board Secretary

Brooke is a graduate from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Political Science and Pre-Law. She was one of the founding members and teachers of Arts International (Conservatory & Dojo) and Arts International Ministries and has extensive dance education and pageant experience. She is a Former Miss South Carolina Teen 2004. Along with being a proficient teacher in ballet, pointe, worship and lyrical, she is one of the studio's main choreographers. Her love for God and the arts has opened doors for her to travel with our outreach performing arts team on several missions' trips. Brooke is currently the Vice President with Cable Conveyor Systems her family business.

Ellen Neely Hinkle

Arts International Ministries Executive Vice President, Teacher, and Graphics Designer

Ellen is a mother, artist, registered nurse, and butterfly enthusiast.

She has worked in children’s ministry, graphic design, photography, pageantry, and has toured internationally as a professional dancer, teacher, choreographer, and minister. Ellen has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of South Carolina, and she does her best to advocate and care for her patients. She loves encouraging other parents through homeschooling ideas and sharing God’s word.

Ellen enjoys being outside in nature, having story time, and learning new Taekwondo skills. She was the founding member of Arts International formerly (Turning Pointe Centre for the Arts) and is currently Arts International Ministries 501(c)(3) Executive VP.

Abigayle McEntire

Teacher, Assistant Teacher NCA EEC,

Arts International Ministries Company and Karate Team Member

Abigayle (Abbi) has been training in karate for three years, dancing for eight years and her music, vocals, and acting for eleven years. This year she is bringing her gifts and talents to our students as a returning staff member.

She is originally from Knoxville Tennessee and has been training with Arts International for six years.

Abigayle has played lead roles in Arts International productions such as: The Lovely Ducklings - Addi, Aladdin Jr. - Aladdin, and Excerpts from Mulan - Mulan.

This year Abi will take the role of lead teacher for Arts International Combo classes; and assistant to Ms. Susanne at Northside Christian Academy EEC on site dance & karate programs along with helping write and direct production for the studio. She helped with writing, staging, and production in our 2022-2023 The Father’s Heart production and the 2023-2024 20th Anniversary Gala. She looks forward to working in this capacity this year.

Emily Goforth

Teacher, Arts International Ministries Company and Karate Team Member

Emily recently returned to Arts International. She started dancing in 2008 with Arts International. She danced with Arts International from 2008-2016 and 2023-current. She enjoys ballet, tap, jazz, and musical theater. This will be Emily's second year in karate. She has been in many productions through out her time with Arts International. These include The Lovely Ducklings , Waging War, Love on Fire, The Bride, Heaven, City Beats, and 20th Anniversary Gala. She helped create the program for the 20th Anniversary Gala 2024. Emily has travelled to Mullins, SC and Fort Myers, FL with Arts International Ministry. She looks forward to travelling to minister more this year.

She graduated in December 2021 from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She currently works as a Clerk of Court for Lexington County Central Court.

This year, Emily will be teaching Tap I-II and Teen/Adult Combination. She is so excited to start teaching and looks for to helping create this year's production.

Tori Schneider

Modeling, Etiquette, Makeup Artist,

Hair Stylist and Arts International Vocalist

Graduate of Lacy Cosmetology School
Experience: modeling, singing, acting
Special Events: weddings, proms, pageants, formal occasions, photo shoots

Tori is married and has three beautiful children and is the daughter of Susanne Sanders and has been raised around the love of the performing arts. She has been an assistant to her mother all her life and has traveled on several mission trips as a vocalist with Arts International Ministries 501(c)(3). Tori has experience as a Make-up Artist, Model, Singer, and Actor. She has traveled on the company missions' trip to Germany, Scotland, France, and Switzerland as a singer/actor. While on tour, Tori has instructed children’s acting classes and workshops, as well as sings many of the company worship songs the dancers perform.

Tori has a passion for horses passed down from her Nana and is a competitive Equestrian Horse Rider and loves everything to do with riding. She is a graduate from Lacy’s School of Cosmetology and has assisted in our stage make-up artistry for several of our major productions (The Lovely Ducklings, Waging War and recently Creation Story.

Currently Tori and her husband own and operate Southern Oak Construction & Design LLC where she is an interior designer.

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Lynette McCoy

Arts International Ministries Executive Board, Worship Company Vocalist,

and Prayer Support

Lynette McCoy is a wife, mother to three beautiful young ladies, grandmother and a vocalist and prayer warrior.

She has worked in our musical theatre children’s ministry, photography, and has toured internationally as a professional actress, singer, and on the ministry team. Lynette has a Bachelor of Science from the University of South Carolina. She has been a faithful supporter, and member of Arts International formerly (Turning Pointe Centre for the Arts) and is currently Arts International Ministries 501(c)(3) Executive Board Secretary.

Cayce Frierson

Volunteer Assistant at NCA,

Arts International Company Member

Cayce grew up in Blackville, SC. She later moved to West Columbia, SC in 2000. In 2007, she graduated from Brookland-Cayce High School. Cayce previously studied dance at Mary Jane’s School for Dance and Little Tippy Toes Dance Studio. She has been dancing with Arts International for 8 years and has been helping for two years as an volunteer assistant teacher with NCA West campus. Her favorite styles are ballet, jazz, hip hop, worship, and Bible study. Cayce took karate from 2020-2021. She has been a member of AIM/TPT since 2019.