Teacher Tami – Assistant Director

Sherilyn “Tami” Samuel-Matthew is an early childhood educator and dance instructor.  She is Antiguan born and started dancing at the age of 6. During her early years of training, she performed at many local events and hotels with the Contemporary Dancers and the Caribbean Cabaret and in later years she performed with the Ambikila Dancers and the National Dance Theatre of Antigua.  During this time, she was also able to perform in other Caribbean islands.

Eager to share her passion for dance she began teaching dance to younger children at the age of fourteen. This natural ability was enhanced by her career choice and studies in the field of Early Childhood Education. She taught dance at the Sunnydale School, Alpha dancers and to just about any child who expressed the desire to dance.  Additionally, she has also trained contestants for the Optimist Petite Pageant and Teenage Pageant.  In more recent years she has assisted many church groups with dance performances.

In 1997, Sherilyn decided to change her lifestyle and this affected her dancing as she felt that her commitment to her Christian faith was conflicting with the dance styles in which she was involved. While there were Christian dance groups, she did not feel that they were offering her the freedom to truly dance. She later became a member of Verity and has been a fervent member to date.

In 2010, the group’s director and long-time sister-friend asked her to assist with teaching the younger classes.  Here, she found a unique combination of three of her greatest passions…teaching, children, dancing and her Christian faith.  She enthusiastic immersed herself in this activity and now also serves as the assistant director of the group.

In addition she is the dance instructor at Sunnyside School, where she is also employed as the supervisor of the preschool department.

Sherilyn hopes to continue dancing for a very long time to come; and to continue to teach dance for even longer.  She hopes, even if in some small way, to be able to affect the thoughts and views of Christian dancing and ultimately take Christian dancing to the next level in Antigua.

Throughout all the stages and changes in her life, one thing remains constant and that is her love of dance!  She lives by the quote by Vivian Greene “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” and believes that anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.