who are we?
Carrington & Crafton Academy of Performing Arts was founded by Molly and Chelsea with a shared vision: to create a training environment where serious technique, intentional artistry, and meaningful performance exist in equal measure.
At CAPA, we believe dance is both a discipline and a craft. Our program is rooted in rigorous, detail-driven technical training designed to prepare dancers for pre-professional and professional work, while also developing the artistry, musicality, and performance presence that set exceptional dancers apart.
We are known for our high standards and strong studio culture. Dancers are challenged, expected to grow, and held accountable—but always within an environment that is structured, focused, and deeply invested in their development. Our training emphasizes consistency, clarity, and refinement, ensuring that every dancer understands not just what to do, but how and why they do it.
Performance is a central pillar of the CAPA experience. Through full-scale productions, curated seasonal showcases, and competitive work, our dancers learn how to translate technique into compelling, confident performance. We believe that dancers should not only execute movement well—they should communicate, connect, and carry presence on stage.
Inside the studio, our work is intentional and purposeful. Rehearsals are structured to maximize growth, with an emphasis on clean execution, musical precision, stamina, and professional rehearsal habits. We aim to prepare our dancers for the expectations of the professional world—whether they pursue collegiate dance, company work, commercial opportunities, or competitive excellence.
CAPA is a place for dancers and families who value commitment, discipline, and excellence, while also appreciating the beauty of storytelling and performance. Our goal is not only to train strong dancers, but to develop artists who move with confidence, intelligence, and purpose.
We are proud of the work we do, the standards we uphold, and the community we are building—both within our studio and on every stage our dancers step onto.
We accept students of all ages and experience levels, and offer classes in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Contemporary, Jazz, Acro, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, Voice and Acting.
artists.
Founders Molly Williams and Chelsea Moss are professional performing artists who have studied and worked in Virginia and around the country in their chosen fields. They merged together in 2020 to create a new and unique performing arts space, with the goal of providing dance, voice and acting training for all.
teachers.
Molly Williams, Chelsea Moss, and their crew of talented teachers are committed to providing the best quality training to all students who enter their class. They have dedicated their lives to the belief that the arts are an integral part of development for any child or young adult. The discipline, dedication, creativity and self exploration that is garnered through these classes stay with students long after their time in the classroom.
friends.
First and foremost, CAPA 2 is a place for friendship. This space was founded as a way for friend to support friend, and is meant to foster artistic relationships and support systems both in and out of the classroom. We believe that every student has something special to offer our community, and aim to be a safe space to explore those talents with other likeminded artists.
MOLLY WILLIAMS
is the owner and artistic director of Carrington Dance Company. She was born and raised in Nottoway, Virginia, and began dancing at the young age of sixteen months old, under the tutelage of her grandmother, Ann Carrington, who founded Carrington Dance Company in 1967. Molly inherited her grandmother's love of dance and performing, and quickly became a familiar face at the studio- eventually moving into assistant and teaching roles as well. While studying at Carrington Dance Company, Molly also ventured into the world of competitive dance, where she performed and placed at celebrated competitions such as Dance Makers Inc. She also studied with celebrated New York instructor Frank Hatchett at Broadway Dance Center.
Upon graduating Nottoway High School, Molly enrolled in Radford University, where she studied performing arts. She was accepted into the Radford Dance Company during this time, and worked with notable instructors like Alexy and Inessa Plekhanova, Dana’s Bella, and Kyle Shukis.
After graduating at Radford, Molly moved to Virginia Beach to work with and choreograph for a variety of different dance companies. She has hosted dance intensives and workshops for studios all over the East Coast, and has received numerous awards for her choreographic work.
After five years of teaching and choreographing in Virginia Beach, Molly returned to her roots- this time as the new owner of Carrington Dance Company. Inheriting her grandmother's passion for arts education, she brought a new and exciting energy to CDC, tripling enrollment and offering many new and exciting classes. She also created an award winning competitive dance company, Adrenaline, which focuses on community engagement and fosters friendship and support within the arts. Adrenaline has won both regional and national titles in addition to numerous first place trophies, choreography awards, honor recognition for its students, and much more. Molly has worked with students of all ages and experience levels, and teaches a wide variety of dance specialties. Most importantly, Molly strives to instill confidence, leadership and discipline in each and every dancer she teaches. She believes that dance is a place for all, and hopes to continue inspiring students to love dance for years to come! Above all else, Molly loves being home with husband Ryan and son Markham.
CHELSEA MOSS
was born and raised in Midlothian, Virginia. She started dancing at age 3, and by age 11 was performing for sold out audiences at Richmond’s acclaimed Landmark Theater (now known as the Altria Theatre). Primarily trained in Ballet, she enjoyed dancing with Martinique School of Dance and their resident Ballet company, Ballet Petit, both under the brilliant direction of Shannon Howell.
At age eighteen she studied dance for a year in Greenville, North Carolina at ECU. She studied closely with ballet teachers Timour Bourtasenkov (Bolshoi Ballet, Carolina Ballet) and Galina Panova (Kirov Ballet). She then traveled to Harrisonburg, Virginia to study at James Madison University, where she studied psychology and dance.
Upon graduation, Chelsea moved back to Richmond, Virginia to tour the country with the Virginia Repertory Theatre. After lead roles in three tours, Chelsea auditioned and was accepted to train in New York City with Broadway Dance Center’s Summer Professional Semester.
Upon completion of BDC’s professional program, Chelsea made the permanent move to NYC, where she taught Musical Theatre and Triple Threat classes at Broadway Dance Center’s Children and Teen Program, and worked at Broadway Dance Center in the Education Department as the Educational Programs Coordinator. She also worked directly with Tony Award Winner Lindsay Mendez and Award Winning Composer Ryan Scott Oliver as the managing director of their successful acting studio, Actor Therapy. In addition to assisting with the day to day administration at Actor Therapy, she helped create and teach their dance program, Dancer Therapy, and assisted with song rep and coaching.
Chelsea has studied and worked closely with Tony Award Winner Lindsay Mendez, Tony Award Nominee Erin Dilly, Broadway veterans Kirsten Wyatt, Sierra Boggess and Adam Chanler-Berat, writers Peter Duchan and Ryan Scott Oliver, and Broadway Directors Stephen Sposito and Sammi Cannold. She has performed the works of acclaimed choreographers like Richard J. Hinds, Mark Kimmelman, Bronwen Carson, Emily Maltby, Jamie Jackson, April Cook, and more, in such celebrated venues as Symphony Space, Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Feinstein’s/54 Below, Ellis Island, Green Room 42, and more. She also created and performed her own work, Are We There Yet, with fellow NYC actors Claire Valletta and Shelby Andersen at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.
Additionally, she studied as a musical theatre lyricist at the prestigious and competitive BMI Workshop, and trained at the exclusive Esper Studio with Suzanne Esper herself (both by invitation only, located in NYC). Chelsea also teaches Ballet, Pointe and Musical Theatre at Carrington Dance Company. In her spare time, she throws a lot of tennis balls for her sweet rescue dogs, Sybil and Pippa, and is a full time wife and mom to husband Kyle and son Oliver..