Meet Our Instructors
Experienced professionals guiding every student to succeed.
Justine Protopapa—Owner/Director
Born and raised in London, England, Justine was invited to join The Royal Ballet School at age 9 and quickly discovered her lifelong passion for dance and choreography. By 15, she was named England’s Young Choreographer of the Year and earned scholarships in Los Angeles with Joe Tremaine and Jackie Sleight, later teaching for Millennium Dance Complex (Los Angeles).
As a former upper-level instructor at Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, Justine has trained dancers who have gone on to perform with professional ballet companies, star on Broadway, and make their mark on international stages. Her teaching style—spotlighted in both the LA Times and the London Times—is known for blending elite technique with accessibility and inspiration. She has also shared her expertise as a writer for Dance Studio Life Magazine and as a sought-after adjudicator at major dance competitions across the U.S.
Her choreography has been honored nationally and internationally, and she continues to return to London each year to teach and create. At Pure Dance Center, Justine brings unmatched artistry and passion to every class, teaching Contemporary, Ballet, Musical Theater, Pointe, Lyrical, Jazz, and tumbling—while pushing students to discover not only their technique but also their voice as artists.
Shannon Schurman — Front Office Manager
Shannon Marie Schurman is an accomplished dancer, dance teacher, choreographer, and children's musical theater director with over 30 years of experience inspiring students to bring stories to life onstage. Her love of dance began in a ballet class at the age of 3 and led to train with Pennsylvania Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Alvin Alley.
At 12 years old, Shannon performed in The Nutcracker at the Claridge casino in Atlantic City, NJ, setting the stage for a vibrant career.
She went on to perform in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Shanghai, China, in Vegas-style productions. For 7 years, Shannon graced the stage in Donn Arden's Jubilee! At Bally's Las Vegas. Her diverse experience includes public speaking for charities, Miss America pageants, and performing as a magician's assistant, sharing the stage with white tigers. Shannon believes in the discipline, confidence, and inspiration dance gives all children.
Brooke Harper
Brooke Harper is a highly versatile and technically trained dancer, choreographer, and performer now based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Originally from Somerset, Massachusetts, Brooke discovered her love of creating and performing at a young age. After graduating high school, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her passion and earned her BFA in Commercial Dance from AMDA LA in 2021. Her dedication and strong work ethic have led her to build an exciting and diverse career.
Brooke is represented by Go 2 Talent Agency and is a proud member of HMG, the Company by Hannah Gallagher. One of her greatest professional achievements includes touring both nationally and internationally with Cirque Dreams as a dancer and dance captain. Her style emphasizes athleticism, power, and creativity, giving her performances an intense and dynamic energy that engages audiences worldwide.
Since relocating to Las Vegas, Brooke has continued to expand her artistry beyond commercial dance into circus arts, acting, stage combat, producing, and creative direction. She is also actively training in circus stunts, choreographing new works, and exploring opportunities behind the camera. With her passion for performance and her versatile background, Brooke brings a unique perspective to the Las Vegas dance community—making her a standout teacher and role model at Pure Dance Center.
Josie Lindle
Josie Lindle, originally from Iowa, began her career as a member of the Nationally Ranked Iowa State University Dance Team before transferring to UNLV, where she proudly performed with the renowned Rebel Girls & Company. She graduated with a degree in Kinesiology and is currently pursuing her PhD in Neuroscience at UNLV, working as a Graduate Research Assistant.
From a young age, Josie trained rigorously in all styles of dance and tumbling, earning multiple national titles and top honors. Her professional experience includes performing across the country with Vibe Company, assisting The Platinum Dance Experience, and being selected as an NRG Dance Project Prodigy.
Josie is widely recognized for her dynamic, high-energy performances that captivate audiences and for her choreography that has led teams to top-scoring, award-winning performances. At Pure Dance Center in Las Vegas, she brings that same passion into the classroom—teaching with energy, encouragement, and a focus on inspiring young dancers to push past their limits and grow in both skill and confidence.
Jalen Lybbert
Jalen Lybbert is a Las Vegas-based dancer, choreographer, and educator represented by GO2 Talent Agency. A graduate of the prestigious CLI Conservatory under the direction of Teddy Forance, she has trained with renowned industry professionals including Codie Wiggins, Eric Delgado, and Kenichi Kasamatsu, while also building a strong competitive foundation at The Base Dance Center and continuing her professional development with Meccamee.
Specializing in tap, Jalen is also highly trained in contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, ballet, ballroom, breaking, and musical theatre. Her versatility has led to performance and choreography credits in film, concept videos, and live entertainment, including Universal Horror Unleashed, Impermanence, No Excuses, DEVO, and DIOR.
As an educator, Jalen teaches and choreographs throughout the Las Vegas community while serving as an assistant for PHNX Dance Convention. She is also the founder and host of the Fuku Fam Dance Battle & Jam, reflecting her passion for building community and creating opportunities for dancers to grow. Through performance, choreography, and mentorship, Jalen is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of artists with creativity, authenticity, and excellence.
Brooke Sahawneh - Instructor
Brooke is a versatile dancer with extensive training in jazz, hip hop, contemporary, ballet, tap and modern. She just graduated from Theater Arts Preparatory School (TAPS) in order to pursue a professional dancing career.
She has performed in Las Vegas shows with Old Dominion as a Showgirl dancer and featured dancing in the film “Is Anyone Receiving The Data” by Andrew Winghart. Brooke was also seen preforming live with Joffrey Ballet School, Zeitgeist Dance Theatre, as well as the Varsity Spirit Spectacular Disney World Parade. Certified in American Barre Technique, Hatha/Vinyasa Yoga, and Personal Training.
Brooke reflects her dedication to physical excellence and self growth. She loves traveling and exploring new places, and enjoys meeting new people and creating connections with others. She cherishes the little things in life and always keeps a positive mindset.
Tina Lindle - Social Media Manager
With more than 37 years of experience owning and directing a successful dance studio in Iowa, Tina Lindle brings unmatched expertise to the Las Vegas dance community. She has spent her career as a dancer, performer, educator, choreographer, and adjudicator, shaping generations of young artists with her passion for the performing arts.
Tina is certified through Dance Masters of America, the founder of the Quad City Dance Network, and the Sharing the Art Scholarship Foundation. She also serves as a Lead Judge for KAR (Kids Artistic Revue) dance competitions, one of the most recognized platforms in the nation.
Her early training included dancing with the Cassandra Manning Ballet Theatre, and she later developed her own studio curriculum designed to foster strong technique, artistic growth, versatility, and confidence in both faculty and students. Over the years, Tina has earned national recognition for her entrepreneurship, leadership in the arts, and dedication to youth programs, as well as her work producing benefit showcases for organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Dancers Against Cancer.
At Pure Dance Center in Las Vegas, Tina is committed to using her lifelong passion and expertise to empower young dancers, helping them become not only skilled performers but also the very best version of themselves on and off the stage.
