Teresa opened Dublin Dance Centre & Gymnastics in 1984 (as Dublin Dance Centre) in an effort to find quality dance instruction in a safe and positive environment for children. Her love of the arts and passion for confidence-centered education has fostered the growth of Dublin Dance Centre to include a full program for all students from beginners to pre-professional. Teresa’s goal for top-quality instruction has brought DDC&G some of the finest instructors around- not only qualified and experienced professionals with varied backgrounds, but, instructors who are sincerely dedicated to the children they teach. “Moving in the best interest of children” is truly Teresa’s objective in all of DDC&G’s endeavors.
Mr. Alex moved to the U.S in 2007 from Yokohama, Japan. As he started middle school here, he became acquainted with a group of kids who introduced him to breakdancing. In 2009 the opportunity to compete out of the city allowed him to explore the scene in Cincinnati, and since then, he has traveled throughout the U.S. learning and competing in breakdancing jams. During the summer of 2017, Mr. Alex performed for American Crew’s runway event and had the pleasure to dance at the Columbus Museum of Art Wonder ball in the winter of 2018. Currently, a student of Brooklyn style rock dancing and footwork application, Mr. Alex is excited to introduce these ideas to his classes along with the origins of the steps. He looks forward to encouraging his students to use their creativity and develop their own original style as they progress from fundamentals.
Alexandra began her dance training in Pittsburgh, PA at The Dance Company for the Performing Arts under the artistic direction of Patricia McKeown. She attended Wright State University as a dance major before acquiring an apprenticeship opportunity at the Columbus Dance Theatre in 2005/2006. There she danced the title role in The Match Girl and numerous roles with the Company. In 2007/2008 she danced as a company member in Victoria, B.C. with the Canadian Pacific Ballet. She then moved back to Pittsburgh where she taught ballet at The Dance Company for the Performing Arts and became an AFFA certified group fitness instructor. She returned to Columbus in 2010 to continue dancing with The Columbus Dance Theatre and is excited to be teaching at DDC&G for her sixth season and sharing her love of fitness and dance with her students.
Amanda has trained in all dance art forms with a focus on Jazz. She received her BA in Dance from the University of Akron. She has instructed at the Miller South School of Performing Arts (an inner-city magnet school in Akron), performed with the University of Akron Repertory Company, and was the Dance Director for three years at Richland Gymnastics and Dance Academy. Amanda was the Dance Consultant for Mansfield City Schools for five years and is starting with us in 2001.
“I am blessed with the ability to share my knowledge and love of dance with others. When I watch my students dance, I am overwhelmed with pride. I know this is what I am meant to do. If my students walk away with love and appreciation for dance, and confidence in themselves, I have done my job. Dancing just makes you feel good. Everybody should feel the freedom of movement!”
"Working with children is a gift, a privilege, an honor never to be taken lightly!" Angela understands that parents and children choose to dance at DDC&G and the responsibility to them is great. She began sharing dance with the youth at DDC&G in 1986. The invaluable relationships created with her students continue to fuel her drive to educate, inspire and love children through the art of dance. While Angela has filled many roles at the studio, today you can find her with her students at the ballet barre or at Sunday's show rehearsals. Since 2006, she has been afforded the opportunity to lead The Nutcracker and June productions as the Artistic Director. Additionally, Angela is grateful to lead DDC&G's outstanding Ballet staff as the Placement Ballet Director.
Ariana has been dancing for 12 years in a variety of genres including ballet, jazz, modern and contemporary. Currently, she attends Olentangy Liberty High School. She started dancing in Bejing China, then continued in Melbourne Australia, before coming to DDC&G, where she has been for the last 6 years. She performs with the Repertory Company and Intensive Ballet Company in addition to numerous technique classes. Ariana has been an intern here for the last three years, which has allowed her to work with many classes and students. In addition to interning and teaching, she is also involved in the adaptive program here at DDC&G.
Ashton Wise is a Columbus-based dancer and videographer. Born and raised in Nashville, TN, Ashton grew up dancing competitively and went on to pursue her BFA in Dance at the Ohio State University. While there, she trained primarily in ballet, contemporary, and West African forms, with significant experience in modern, hip hop, house, and krump. Along with her degree in dance, she obtained minors in Human Rights and Video Arts, which aided her not only in exploring embodied movement possibilities, but taking care to engage with the choreography of the camera. She currently dances with WhirlWind Dance Company as a Community Artist and is the co-founder of a dance videography company called Blue House Productions. Over the past year, Ashton has worked with nonprofits such as Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and OhioDance, aiding in the preservation of dance history through video documentation and editing practices.
Bethany grew up in Lancaster, Ohio. She began dancing at a young age at the Baker School under the direction of Barbara Baker, studying with Melinda Baker and Kelli Mitchell. She was a member of the Lancaster Ballet Company and Melinda Baker and Company. Bethany received her B.S. in Landscape Architecture from The Ohio State University. While there, she continued her tap training, studying with Jessica Wilt. Bethany has been a dancer and choreographer with the Movement Mission dance group since 2015. Bethany loves teaching and sharing her love of dance with students of all ages at DDC&G. She lives in Hilliard with her two sons, husband, and dog.
A Central Ohio native, Cassia started her love for dance at Dublin Dance Center at the age of 3. Now, a current performer, choreographer, artist, teacher, and company director, Cassia is always excited to share her love for dance and experience with others. Engaging professionals and students in thought provoking movement that challenges them mentally and physically is her driving force. Cassia attended Point Park University where she exclusively studied the performing arts with a concentration in modern dance. She also holds a Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Strayer University. Cassia is the current director and principal dancer with Columbus Contemporary Dance Company where she's honored to offer dancers an outlet to display and grow their abilities in a professional company environment.
Courtney has been instructing fitness classes for over 20 years. She began teaching at the BGSU Recreation Center while obtaining her Elementary Education degree. A former kindergarten teacher for Olentangy, Courtney teaches fitness in the Columbus area and provides in-home care for teachers’ children. Courtney is AFAA Fitness Certified and also certified in Yoga. Courtney lives in Dublin with her husband, 2 children and their cats.
Ellie began taking gymnastics classes when she was three years old and dance classes at the age of ten. She studied tap, ballet, jazz, and many other dance styles under a wide array of instructors throughout her middle and high school years. She began working as a student teacher when she was 15 years old, teaching ballet and tap. She attended East Tennessee State University with a major in political science and a minor in theatre/dance. While completing her degree, she was able to take dance classes in many interesting styles, such as aerial dance, and she was heavily involved in the performances for the University. Ellie moved to Columbus in August 2020 to attend law school at OSU. She is so excited to be able to share her passion with the children at DDC&G!
Emily (Gotschall) Webb has devoted over three decades of her life to the art of dance. Recently having retired from a nearby 20 year career performing as a soloist and principal dancer with Dayton Ballet and Balletmet she now teaches in the Ohio area, and around the US and in the UK as a guest instructor and stager. Emily was fortunate to work with many of the great choreographers of our time and performed leading roles in Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Dangerous Liasons, Peter Pan and numerous neoclassical and contemporary works. She finds great fulfillment now sharing her knowledge with students and helping them on their training journey with positive and encouraging energy in the studio and beyond. Recent projects include co artistic directing the Bozeman Dance Project, an outreach program serving the community of Bozeman, MT in 2019 and staging Edwaard Liang’s full length Romeo and Juliet on Ballet San Antonio. Emily and her husband, dancer David Ward have two children and are based in Columbus, OH.
Erin has been with Dublin Dance Centre and Gymnastics since she was 7 years old. She trained in Modern, Ballet, Jazz, and Lyrical and performed as a member of the Repertory Company. Erin received her BFA in psychology with a dance minor at The Ohio State University. She has performed in several pieces around the Columbus community, including Columbus Movement (CM2), TUPACO Company, and Movement Mission. Erin is our Creative Director as well as Modern Department Coordinator. She has also taught performing companies at DDC&G, including the many loved years she directed Youth Company.
“As a past student of Dublin Dance Centre and Gymnastics, I love being able to help my students find the same confidence and self growth that I found taking classes here. Being able to express yourself through movement is the greatest joy, and I am very blessed to be able to share this passion with my students.”
As a central Ohio native, Faith is a well rounded dancer and teacher with extensive training in Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Modern, Creative Movement, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, & certified in Ballet Strength/Conditioning (PBT). In 2016 she began dancing at the professional level in Modern and Contemporary. Faith currently choreographs and performs as a company member with Columbus Modern Dance Company and special projects under the direction of Cassia Cramer. In 2017, she was one of three American dancers accepted to train pre-professionally in a Brazilian ballet trainee program. Faith had the opportunity to dance in the historical re-staging of Martha Graham’s “Heretic” in 2018 and Doris Humphrey’s “Water Study” in 2023. She enjoys telling a story with her movement and assisted in creatively producing “The Nutcracker Variation 2021” under Cassia Cramer. Faith has also won choreography and prop creativity awards at competitions. When not dancing, Faith & her husband enjoy taking their children to her In-laws 200 acre farm and caring for the animals.
“I’m excited to share my passion for movement, technique, and the emotional sides of dance with the students at DDC&G; helping them nurture their own love of dance!”
Gabby Starrett was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. Her love for dance began at the age of three when she had her first class at Dublin Dance Centre & Gymnastics. This soon became her second home where she studied and performed Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, and Modern styles. Her studies led her to a newfound passion for Musical Theater and Precision styles, working closely with Paige Dale Hartley and Nadia Kolda. At 17, Gabby moved to New York City to attend the Steps on Broadway Conservatory - training under many professionals including Mindy Jackson, Kenna Morris Garcia, Sarah Meahl, Billy Griffin, Rachel Leigh Dolan, Lizz Picini, Khori Petinaud, Kate Loh, Jess Leprotto, and many more. She also trained in Voice and Acting under Paul Peglar and Carl Danielsen. Gabby has had exciting opportunities to participate in performances such as "Steps in Concert" and several Steps Industry Showcases/Choreography Labs. When she is not dancing, you can find Gabby coloring, spending time with friends & family, golfing, or eating ice cream! Gabby is a dedicated performer who loves to bring joy to others through song and dance!
Born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, Hayden Summers currently resides in Columbus, Ohio, where she is a Community Artist with Whirlwind Dance. She started her dance journey at the age of 2 with The Academy of Arts at Januarys, where she trained in a variety of styles including ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern, contemporary, and more. In 2023, she graduated from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania with a BFA in Dance with a concentration in Performance & Choreography. While there, she developed her choreographic and artistic voice, performing many student works as well as choreographing her own. She also had the opportunity to work with guest artists such as Helen Simoneau, and Cameron McKinney from Kizuna Dance. Hayden values a safe and supportive dance environment, making sure every student feels seen and heard.
Izzy Bangert has been dancing since she was three years old. Izzy has trained in jazz, contemporary, ballet, lyrical, hip hop, tap, and musical theatre. She was very involved in a competition studio growing up and competed in many of the genres previously mentioned. In college, Izzy participated in the University Dance Alliance, a student-led dance organization at Bowling Green State University. Through this organization she had the opportunity to choreograph and teach dance classes. Izzy recently graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Exercise Science and is now pursuing her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy at The Ohio State University. Izzy is very excited to help direct the adaptive dance program here at Dublin Dance Centre and Gymnastics and to share her love of dance with the next generation of dancers.
Joseph Nguyen began taking classes at DDC&G at the age of five. During his eleven years there he participated in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and modern classes. He has attended summer intensive programs at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and BalletMet. He has participated in high school theater productions for Olentangy Liberty High School, including tap dancing in Mary Poppins, and choreographing the ballet scene for Anastasia. Joseph joined the BalletMet Trainee Program in 2023, performing roles in Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, Alice, and Études. He is very grateful and excited to be a DDC&G staff member.
Julianne received an MFA from The Ohio State University in Costume Design and a B.A in Theatre Performance from Bradley University. She has trained at Dell’Arte International for physical/devised theatre, and toured a mime performance to the D.C. and Boulder Fringe Festivals. Most notably, she has been awarded “Costume Design of the Decade '' from Broadway World Columbus, and “Excellence in Costuming and Makeup” from the Theatre RoundTable Awards. She has danced at Dublin Dance Centre since High School, and she is happy to have a place to merge her love for dance with her love for Theatre.
Katie Reith grew up in Chillicothe, OH, where she attended the School of Dance. She began tapping at the age of 3 and continues to love it today. After high school, she attended The Ohio State University, graduating with a major in Mass Communication and Film Studies (Journalism). Today, Katie is a para in a local school district. She specializes in experience and behavioral care/management and attends biannual conferences and conventions to stay informed and enhance her skills. As a special needs parent, she brings compassion and personal understanding to her work and community. Katie has been a dedicated DDC&G parent since 2012.
Kelly began dance and gymnastics at the age of three at Dublin Dance Centre & Gymnastics. She grew up at the dance center and continued with them until her senior year of high school. She is trained in modern, hip hop, gymnastics, tap, break dance, stilting, jazz, and theatre at the Pre-Professional level. She graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in Advertising and Graphic Design. While in school, Kelly choreographed and performed for The MSU Dance Association. Kelly is a member of The Movement Mission and loves to share her passion for performing with all of her students. Dance has always been a driving presence in her life; she intends to dance until she’s 92.
Originally from Knoxville, TN, Laura began her dance career with Go! Contemporary Dance Works as a high school performer. Then she earned her BFA in Dance from The Ohio State University with a focus on community engagement, choreography, and pedagogy. During her time at OSU, Laura had the opportunity to perform, teach, and choreograph both locally and internationally. She performed works by Ohad Naharin, Ann Sofie Clemmensen, Crystal Michelle Perkins, and many others. She taught movement workshops for medical students at OSU Medical School and choreographed many of her own works for OSU Dance Concerts. Laura was selected for both DanceBrazil and DanceDenmark while attending OSU. These opportunities allowed her to experience the joys of international touring, nonverbal cultural exchanges, and community building. After graduation, Laura moved to Utah to dance with SALT II, where she worked with choreographers Amy Gunter Lolofie, Ching Ching Wong, and Courtney Mazeika. Re-shifting her energy towards teaching, she is currently exploring creating a non-hierarchical class structure, combining different global dance styles, and bringing joy and honesty into her work.
Laura is new to Dublin Dance and will be teaching in the preschool movement class. Laura has lived most of her adult life in Columbus, but she is originally from Ashland, Ohio. She received her associates degree in early childhood education at Columbus State Community College in 2005. She taught preschool for 4 years, but decided to stay home full time after her first son was born in 2010. Laura is married to her husband Dave and together they live in Dublin with their 4 children. Their youngest took the preschool movement class last year and both Laura and her son loved the class! "Combining the 2 elements, both physical and cognitive, was so brilliant to me! For kids, this combination will deepen their ability to learn letters, sounds, numbers, etc... A few months into the class I could see how much our son was learning and I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of!" Laura is ready to be a teacher again! She is excited to watch kids learn and grow through this amazing program!
Lee Beitzel is a dancer from Dover, OH. She trained in multiple styles of dance at the Tuscarawas Dance Arts Center in Dover, OH for 15 years. She then continued her training at Youngstown State University where she graduated with a B.A. in Dance Management. Her senior year, she was awarded the Marilyn Koscinski award for creativity in dance. For the past 14 years, Lee has attended the All Ohio Dance Festival with TDAC to showcase her choreography and teach master classes in hip hop. Lee was also a member of a hip hop crew from Cleveland, OH called Pro2Jay where she later danced in a music video for Cleveland recording artist, Cali Miles. She also was involved in SMARTS, a community arts program in Youngstown. Over the years, Lee has taught at multiple studios in the Youngstown area as well as Pennsylvania. She choreographed and directed her own production of Peter Pan, which is performed annually. Lee has passed up through her Grade V Cecchetti exam and passed her Grade I Cecchetti teacher exam. She also received her certification as a Barre Fitness Intructor. Currently, Lee most recently was given a position at Momentum Dance (Columbus) and continues to teach at the Tuscarawas Dance Arts Center (Dover).
Liv Sexton is an artist out of Dayton, Ohio. She is a recent graduate from The Ohio State University Department of Dance where she graduated Summa Cub Laude with Distinction in Dance and with minors in Personality Psychology and Integrated Approaches to Health and Wellness. Liv has trained in many styles including Horton, Cunningham, House, Krump, West African, Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, and Hip-Hop. At Ohio State, she worked with many distinguished artists such as Momar Ndiaye, Abby Zbikowksi, Eddie Taketa, Crystal Perkins, Donald Isom, Nyama McCarthy Brown, Tanya Calamoneri, And Alfonso Cervera. Liv currently lives in Columbus, Ohio, where she was recently brought on to be a Mover | Maker for season III of Whirlwind. She has choreographed many award-winning works with dance studios in both Dayton and Columbus.
Madison began dancing at the age of 3 in Dayton, Ohio. She trained at Dayton Dance Conservatory for 15 years in various styles including ballet/pointe, tap, jazz, contemporary, modern, and hip-hop. Madison graduated from The Ohio State University in 2019 with a B.A. in Psychology while minoring in Dance and Criminal Justice Studies. Throughout her four years of undergrad, she served as the Education Coordinator for Dance Connection, a student organization at Ohio State, where she choreographed group pieces and organized master classes for the Columbus community. Madison completed her Master’s in Social Work from The Ohio State University in 2022 and is a Licensed Social Worker. She taught dance classes in various art forms at CDA for three seasons and is currently dancing with the Movement Mission and Columbus Modern Dance Company (CoMo). Madison is excited to be joining DDC&G and sharing her love of dance with students and families!
Mai began her training at BalletMet performing minor roles in major productions such as Gerard Charle’s ‘The Nutcracker’, Edward Liangs ‘Giselle’, ‘Cinderella’, and ‘Rhythm on the River’. From there, she moved to Osaka, Japan to study at Sumino Ballet, performing soloist roles in Ballets such as ‘La Fille Mal Gardeè, ‘La Bayadère’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘Alice’, Chikahisa Natsuyama’s ‘Dear Gershwin’, and Yuka Sumino’s ‘Etudes’. After a few years Mai moved back to the U.S. and last year, danced with Fort Wayne Ballet. She performed Corps roles such as Snow in ‘The Nutcracker’ and Villager in ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Some of her favorite roles to perform include Jumping girl soloist in ‘Etudes’, and Demi-Soloist in Chikahisa Natsuyama’s ‘Dear Gershwin’ Mai hopes to spread her love of dance to everyone no matter when they started their journey! She firmly believes that Dance and Ballet will forever be part of our culture, and can be enjoyed by anyone who wishes to partake!
Martine has trained in many dance styles and develops her classes and choreography with a broad perspective. She has taught and choreographed throughout Columbus and Chicago for both television and stage and brings her diverse dance background to each style of dance she teaches. Martine is a long-time faculty member, director and choreographer for multi-genre, pre- professional performing companies at DDC&G. Her students have been accepted to many prestigious summer and college dance programs including The Ohio State University, Indiana University, University of Cincinnati, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, BalletMet, Kent State and more. Martine was awarded the 2017 Columbus Dances Fellowship for choreography and continues to teach, direct and choreograph in a range of styles in the Columbus dance community.
Ms. Mary returns to DDC&G after completing her law degree at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. She previously taught gymnastics for DDC&G in 2012 and the summer of 2015. She decided to return to DDC&G because of her love for teaching and the family-oriented and welcoming atmosphere of the studio. In addition to practicing law, Mary brings a life-long passion of dance and gymnastics to the classroom. She has experience teaching Hip Hop, Jazz, Acro, and Gymnastics. Growing up, she was a level 8/9 National Competition Gymnast, and Senior Scholarship winner at Judy Dollenmeyer School of Dance. She was also a four-year member of the Ohio State University Dance Team. We are thrilled to have Mary back on staff and excited for all she brings to the classroom.
Originally from Youngstown Ohio, Miranda moved to Columbus in 2021 to attend college at The Ohio State University. There, she is currently working towards completing her engineering degree and obtained her associates degree in dance in 2023. She has danced since the age of two, specializing in contemporary, acrobatics, and gymnastics. Miranda began teaching at her hometown studio freshman year of high school up until graduating and attending college. Dance has been such a huge part of her life and it has taught her so many lessons throughout her life. She is excited to join the DDC&G family and continue to share her passion with others.
Miranda received her BA in dance performance and choreography from Hope College. She is a member of Whirlwind Dance Company, and was previously in the H2 dance company, and Striketime dance company. In these companies, she had the pleasure of performing many pieces including “Rite of Spring,” choreographed by Matthew Farmer and “We’re just Getting Started!” choreographed by Sharon Wong. She has trained in modern, jazz, ballet, and tap techniques with many wonderful teachers including Matthew Farmer, Sharon Wong, Jasmine Meija, Kara Brems, Heather Cornell, and Lindsey Hanson. She has the opportunity to premiere her choreography at the Knickerbocker Theatre, Brighton High School performing arts center, and the Centre de Danse du Marais located in Paris. In addition, she went to Costa Rica to receive yoga training for her 200 hour yoga teacher certification where she got to be enriched in the culture of yoga within the Costa Rican jungle experiencing all the beauty that nature has to offer. Miranda has had the opportunity to work with a variety of ages in a nonprofit program called “South Lyon Youth Assistance Summer Enrichment.” Within this program, Miranda has written scripts, directed shows, and choreographed dance routines. She has choreographed solo and ensemble pieces for dance studio students, and her choreography was a finalist in the Michigan Youth Dance Festival.
Monica is a current senior at Dublin Coffman High School. She has been with DDC&G for 13 years, participating in ballet, jazz, modern, and hip hop. She performs with the Repertory Company, Ensemble Company, and is starting her first year with Pre-Pro Ballet Company. On top of her dance experience, she has been a gymnast for 10 years and was a former performer with the performance company, Exhibition. Monica is a talented makeup artist and has helped as a stilt walker (stilter) for DDC&G events. She has been an intern with DDC&G helping in typical and integrated classrooms for the last 3 years and is excited for her first year as a teacher. Next year she will be attending The Ohio State University for Animal Science.
Paige Hartley is a professional dancer who began studying dance at age 6 at the Ruth Mitchel Dance Theater in Atlanta. She trained extensively with Trinette Singleton, Winthrop Corey, Stanislav Issaev, Jimmy Locust, Todd Eric Allen, Martha Goodman, and Caroline Cavallo. Her many ballet performance credits include Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Paquita. Paige moved to New York City to work at STEPS on Broadway and toured the US with Total Entertainment and Bacchus Productions as a dancer and choreographer. In 2006 she performed with Cirque Du Soleil’s Corteo and choreographer Cecilia Marta. Jazz is Paige’s favorite dance style and she always loves to incorporate technique from Giordano, Luigi, Jerome Robbins, and most of all Bob Fosse. Paige discovered Pilates in 2006 and earned a 600 hour comprehensive teaching certification through Power Pilates. She also holds certifications in Core Barre and Yoga. Paige and her husband live in Dublin with their two daughters and Basset Hound.
"Shoulders back and walk in like you own the place."
Rebecca grew up in Dublin, Ohio and has been dancing most of her life. She attended DDC&G for 15 years starting in 1997. While there, she participated in many styles, including gymnastics, jazz, hip hop, and ballet. After graduating high school, Rebecca attended Wittenberg University where she received a B.A in Early Childhood Education and a B.A. in Dance. While at Wittenberg she continued studying ballet and jazz, while also focusing more on modern and beginning tap. She also participated as both a dancer and a choreographer, choreographing pieces in 4 different dance concerts. Rebecca currently teaches second grade in Olentangy Schools. She is SO excited to come back to Dublin Dance, her dance home, as a teacher. “Dublin Dance was such an important place for me growing up. Teresa and her staff have such strong values about the importance of helping children love and explore movement, have fun, and feel confident. Coming back as a staff member, I am excited to combine my love of dance with my love of teaching. One reason I love dance is that it can be anything and everything; it is a great form of expression, exercise, artistry, and beauty.”
Rian has been with DDC&G; Gymnastics since the age of six. She trained in a number of dance styles, including ballet, modern, and jazz and was a member of the Senior Repertory company for seven years. Post high school, Rian continued her studies at The Ohio State University in Early Childhood Education. Rian is a former member of the GCAC award winning Anatomical Scenario, with whom she traveled to the New York International Fringe Festival for two consecutive summers, as well as a founding dancer with TUPACO dance. From 2006-2010, she danced professionally in the ‘Columbus Dances’ series (formally CM2), performing in critically acclaimed pieces by Kristina Isabelle and Jessica Tupa. Rian was also involved with SNAP! Performance Productions for three consecutive years as a dancer and created choreography for their original productions ‘Stealing the Show’ and ‘That Four Letter Word’. Currently, Rian has shifted her focus more towards her home life as well as nurturing her “dance babies” here at the studio as the Jazz Program Coordinator.
Originally from New York, Sofia started doing gymnastics when she was two years old and continued up until high school. Once she got to college at Ohio State she decided to try cheerleading. She was a four year member of the OSU All-Girl Cheerleading Team. After graduating in 2019 and coaching on and off starting from the age of 14, Sofia longed to be back in the gym. Gymnastics has taught her valuable life skills such as confidence, determination and self discipline. She believes the benefits of gymnastics have carried through to all aspects of her life. In addition to coaching she works at Cheryl’s Cookies and has a dog named Remi. She is very excited to be joining the DDC&G family!
Stephanie is an English teacher at Jonathan Alder High School. She studied English Education, Dance, Theater, and Vocal Music at the University of Wisconsin. Stephanie has performed in theater productions regionally in Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as internationally in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland. Sheis trained in classical and contemporary dance, choreography, and musical theater. In 2014, she performed in the American College Dance Festival Association Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That year, she also was named “Grand Champion” for choreographing a team in a “Dancing with the Stars” competition in Wisconsin. For two years, she taught and competed professionally as a ballroom dancer in Columbus in both American and International styles of dance. Stephanie has been involved with The Movement Mission since 2017, which led to meeting many of the amazing teachers at Dublin Dance Centre. In early 2019, Stephanie started subbing for creative and beginning ballet classes, and she is so excited to continue dancing and teaching at DDC&G!
Ms. Sydney grew up at Dublin Dance Centre & Gymnastics for over 15 years. While she was a student, she trained in jazz, modern, contemporary, hip hop, and ballet and was a part of the teaching intern program. “I am so excited about my transition from student to teacher. I can’t wait to share my passion and joy of dance to my students, and of course, have fun!!!”
From Grand Rapids, MI, Zach Bussert is a graduate of Grand Valley State University with his B.B.A in Dance & Marketing. He is a proud recipient of the Upper Division Dance Scholarship. Zach had exciting opportunities to work with several guest artists from around the country, including Yoshito Sakuraba, Wallie Wolfgruber, Paul Singh, and Brian Enos, to name a few. Post graduation, Zach has worked with The Big Muddy Dance Company, ConteXture Dance Detroit, and WhirlWind Dance. He has been able to perform works by notable choreographers such as Norbert de la Cruz III, Joshua L. Peugh, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, and more. In July 2023, Zach attended Dark Circles Contemporary Dance (DCCD) Arts Lab Desert Peaks summer intensive in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Currently, Zach is a Mover | Maker with WhirlWind Dance under the direction of Joshua Manculich and is excited to bring dance to the Columbus community.
In Loving Memory … Beloved wife, mother, dancer, teacher, mentor, and friend: Bonnie Jeanne Lavric began her study of dance with Louise B. Harrison in Pennsylvania and continued as a dance major at The Ohio State University. She danced at DDC&G for 16 years and taught for six – primarily Creative Dance classes for 3 – 5 year-olds, who loved her energy and ready smile. Bonnie became very interested in yoga and started teaching at DDC&G, with a loyal following. She played many character roles in the June performances, adding her special style to each. Bonnie touched many lives at DDC&G and everywhere she went. She is an inspiration, and it is a privilege for us to celebrate her spirit.
Our dedicated team of office staff, pictured from left to right, are: Kristen Starrett, Cathie Beuck, and Heather Hagerman.
