Meet Our Teachers!

West Chester Academy of Music and Dance Faculty

Music instructors | Dance/acting instructors

Patsy Rabinowitz - Piano, MYC

Patsy Rabinowitz is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music with a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the University of Cincinnati of the College Conservatory of Music where she was a recipient of a Van Cliburn Scholarship. She studied with David Bar-Illan and Bela Siki and has taught privately for 30 plus years. She has appeared as soloist with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and was named Ohio Music Teacher of the Year for 2005-2006 by the Ohio Music Teachers Association. She has served as the president of the Ohio Music Teachers Association, Southwest District, and has served on the executive board of the Ohio Music Teachers Association.

Alundra Childs - Piano

Alundra Childs has been playing the piano for most of her life, and has taught piano professionally for over eleven years. She is the music director at the Refreshing Spring Church in Hamilton, Ohio. Alundra studied piano at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and has studied internationally at the Universidad Ateneo de Monterrey in Saltillo, Mexico. Alundra is currently completing studies in Spanish Education and Music Education.

Benjamin Hansen - Piano

Benjamin Hansen studied piano with a student of Peter Frankl at Yale University where he received his B.A. He also has a Master's Degree in voice from Catholic University, having studied with Jason Stearns, understudy to Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera of New York. In addition, he completed his Master's in Conducting at the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. He has taught piano and voice lessons to all ages for 7 years and is known for his patience and ability to motivate. He also is director of the Cincinnati State Chorale, an instructor in their Humanities Department, and directs the Covenant Choir at Knox Presbyterian Church in Hyde Park. He is the previous director of the Washington Collegium, in Washington, D.C., conducting such works as Howell's Requiem, Poulenc's Exultate Deo, and Weelkes's As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending. He was a Conducting Fellow at the Chorus America Conducting Symposium in 2010, Houston, Texas.

Rick Humphreys - Piano

Rick Humphreys received his Bachelor of Music degree in music education from Ohio University in Athens, OH in 1974. He has had the opportunity to both teach and direct individuals and groups of all ages. His piano students have ranged from 3 to 60+ years old. His vocal coaching has encompassed children, youth, and adults. He spent 3 years as the American musical trainer for the India Children's Choir. Rick has taught preschool music education classes as well as general elementary music classes. Rick's approach to music education is one of facilitating enjoyment and early success, combining the interests and desires of the student with proven technical, rudimentary, and theory skills. Though teaching music is a serious passion with Rick, he encourages and fosters a relaxed, fun approach with his students.

Joanna Klett - Piano, MYC, Cello

Joanna Klett, originally from Strawberry Point, IA, began studying piano at the age of six. Initially she pursued a degree in Piano Performance at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI before transferring to Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI where she received a Bachelors in Music Performance. After moving to Oxford, OH, she completed her Masters in Cello Performance at Miami University. Throughout her high school and college careers, Joanna has enjoyed serving as both a vocal and instrumental accompanist in addition to teaching private students.

Susan Little - Piano, Flute

Susan has a Bachelor of Music from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio with a concentration in piano, flute, and voice. She received her Masters in Education, with honors, from the College of Mt. St. Joseph, with a concentration in teacher effectiveness. During her 30 years in public school music, Susan was responsible for introducing and developing programs in vocal & instrumental music and Broadway musicals. She also hosted OMEA Solo & Ensemble Contests, co-hosted National OMEA-MENC Conventions, was the chair of National MENC performance groups, and developed the private instruction programs at many high schools. While Susan was teaching at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati for 18 years, she performed with her choirs and bands in London, England; Paris, France; Granada, Spain; Merida, Capital of the Yucatan Pen, Mexico; Quebec City & Montreal, Canada; and throughout the continental United States.

Juanita Luginbuhl - Piano, Voice

Juanita (Compton) Luginbuhl, originally from Columbus, has lived in the Cincinnati area since 1976.   She began studying piano at an early age and, as a teenager, continued piano and began vocal training at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, while attending high school. She received a BA of Music from Central Bible College, Springfield, Missouri. Throughout her high school and college careers, she has been in numerous small vocal groups, appeared on local TV programs, in church dramas/musicals as well as being a vocal and instrumental accompanist.  Juanita also provides vocal coaching for those interested in public speaking, but needing a little encouragement to get started.

Mari Nishihata - Piano

Mari Nishihata graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Master of Music in harpsichord performance. She received her Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the University of Dayton. Mari has been teaching private piano for over six years and has taught music history courses at the university level. Additionally, she has taught music theory, ear training, and music appreciation courses. Performance experiences include playing basso continuo in baroque ensembles, accompanying instrumentalists, vocalists, and choirs, and performing as a soloist in master classes and concerts. Her goal is to develop a love for music in her students by creating an enjoyable and productive environment in which students can learn the necessary technical, musical, and theoretical skills to become well rounded musicians.

Jenna Schwenk - Piano, MYC, Music Pups Director

A graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, Jenna Schwenk has studied piano since age five. Jenna is certified as a Music for Young Children instructor and a Music Pups instructor. She has won numerous competitions, and has attended summer camps and workshops. She is a member of the Music Teachers National Association and serves as the Event Chair of the OMTA Masquerade Musicale. She teaches private and group piano lessons.

Xiaoming Zhu - Piano

Xiaoming Zhu started his piano career at three years old. At age 12, he entered the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in China for his professional piano training. At age 18, he entered the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music where he pursued two Bachelor degrees in Piano Performance and Music Education; and Master degree in Piano Performance. Mr. Zhu is a gifted and highly accomplished pianist, and a winner of international and national piano competitions. Zhu’s achievements in the Missouri Southern International Piano Competition and the German Ettlingen International Piano Competition, major piano competitions, are notable. Mr. Zhu has participated in many high status national competitions and important music festivals among mainland China, Hong Kong, Canada, and United States and received numerous national awards. Mr. Zhu recorded a CD in Canada at 1998, and his concert Autumn of the Nation, was broadcast by Sichuan Broadcasting and Television Station nationwide in 1999. Zhu’s excellent music qualifications have been recognized by the Associate Conductor of the New York Philharmonic, Xian Zhang. Zhang stated Zhu as “an artist and great pianist of incredible ability and has arisen to the top of his field”. Mr. Zhu has worked with the Cincinnati Children’s Choir for two years and has been dedicated to piano teaching since 2004. His teaching experience includes Suzuki and traditional. His students have achieved great success in competitions and festivals.

Molly Hanes - Voice, Piano

Molly Hanes is a graduate in voice performance from the University of Houston.  She has appeared in several roles at the Moores Opera House, including Miss Wordsworth in Britten's Albert Herring, Pauline in Offenbach's La Vie Parisienne, and the soprano soloist in Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem. She has also appeared at the Wortham Theatre as Lady Saphir in the Houston Gilbert and Sullivan Society's production of Patience, and at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston as La Musique in Charpentier's Les Plaisirs de Versailles.  Currently she is pursuing her Master of Music in voice at the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. Molly has taught privately throughout the Houston area and enjoys helping students meet their goals in all genres of singing.

Melissa Harvey - Voice

Melissa Harvey is from Richburg, NY. She obtained a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, where she also received her Bachelor’s Degree. Ms. Harvey covered the role of Lucinda in the premiere of Nico Muhly’s opera Dark Sisters with Gotham Chamber Opera. In the summer of 2011, she made her debut with the Cincinnati Opera as the First Spirit in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, as well as the chorus in John Adams’ A Flowering Tree, and Tchiakovsky’s Eugene Onegin. In the summer of 2010, Ms. Harvey performed the role of Lucia in Benjamin Britten’s opera The Rape of Lucretia with the CCM Spoleto Music Program. While at CCM, Melissa performed the roles of Sister Constance in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites (2011), Testo in Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda by Monteverdi (2010), Eurydice in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld (2009), Papagena in Die Zauberflöte (2008), Amor in L’incoronazione di Poppea (2008), Amahl in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors (2007), and Le Rossignol in Ravel’s L’enfant et les Sortièges (2007). Concert works at CCM have included the soprano soloist in Carl Barnett’s The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Fauré’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Hear My Prayer, Tehillim by Reich, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Rothko Chapel by Feldman, and Bach’s Cantata 78. Ms. Harvey has also performed as a soloist with Catacoustic Consort in Cincinnati.

Elisabeth Jetter - Voice, MYC, Music Pups

Elisabeth Jetter received her bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Wittenberg University, where she received the Elmer Blackmer Award for Excellence in Music Theory and Skills and the Jan Bender Award for Contributions to the Music Department. She has performed works by composers such as Handel, Fauré, Mozart, Bernstein, and many others. Her vocal ensemble experience includes time with the Wright State University Collegiate Chorale, Miami University Choraliers, and Wittenberg University Choir, the last of which toured in California, New York, and several states in between. Jetter’s familiarity with the stage extends further to the Wittenberg and Wright State Opera Studio ensembles, having collaborated in scenes from A Little Night Music, The Fairy-Queen, King Arthur, The Pirates of Penzance, The Sorcerer, Susannah, Lakmé, Die Zauberflöte, Così fan tutte, Gianni Schicchi, and Le Nozze di Figaro. Other experiences include studying and playing piano, as well as performing with the Miami University Steel Band and Southwestern Ohio Symphonic Band.

Mary Ann Powers - Voice

Soprano Mary Ann Powers is a performer of a diverse variety of repertoire from a Modern Music Chamber recital to a Bach Chamber Music recital at the historic King's Chapel in Boston, MA. She has premiered works by Matthew McConnell, Derek Jacoby, and Stanly Hoffman at the Lily Pad, Jordan Hall and the Boston Center for the Arts, and has also sung with Schola Nocturna, which is a group that specializes in Early Music. Some of Ms. Powers' operatic repertoire includes Lucy from The Telephone, La Musica from L'Orfeo, Josephine from Story of an Hour (premiere). Her most influential vocal training has been from Constance Rock, William Cotten, Patricia Pease and Christina Wartenberg. She has been coached by Sylvia McClain, Matthew Larson, Michael Strauss, Terry Decima, and Patricia Weimann, and worked under the stage direction of Gary Durham, Marc Astafan, Bob Winters, and Roger Stephens. Ms. Powers holds a MM in Vocal Performance and a MM in Vocal Pedagogy from New England Conservatory of Music, and a BM in Vocal Performance from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Michael Young - Voice

Michael Young, called “an authentic Verdi baritone” who is praised for his “dark molten tones,” is originally from Cortland, Ohio, where he began his vocal studies with Wade Raridon. He continued his vocal studies at The University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music with Kenneth Shaw, where he completed his Bachelor of Music in 2009, continuing on toward a Master of Music degree. While at CCM, Michael performed the roles of Papageno in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Musiklehrer in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, and Geroge Milton in Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men. He also performed selections from Floyd’s lesser known works, including the title role in Willie Stark, during An Evening with Carlisle Floyd, which took place under the direction of Carlisle Floyd himself. Michael is a first place winner of the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition, has placed twice in CCM’s Corbett Vocal Scholarship Competition as a top prize winner, and has won first prize in CCM’s Undergraduate Vocal Scholarship Competition. Most recently, Michael has performed the role of Scarpia in Opera Western Reserve’s production of Tosca and a concert of operatic selections with the Warren Philharmonic Orchestra in Warren, Ohio.

Analicia Perkins - Music Pups

Analicia Perkins took voice lessons for 6 years as well as Tap, Jazz and Dance for 10 years. She was a member of the Award Winning Fairfield Choraliers. Analicia competed in the Fine Arts program at church with voice solo and Group along with Human Video solo, and duet and Group during her high school years. While attending Lee University in Cleveland TN, she was a member of Ladies of Lee, a traveling ministry choir. Analicia is currently a singer on her church worship team and frequently sings solos in weddings and other special events. For the past 6 years she has worked with pre-school and school age children. She is excited to be using her music talent and love for children here at the academy.

Davis McKinney - Trumpet, French Horn, Piano

Davis McKinney has been playing trumpet for 18 years and piano for nearly as long. A graduate of Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH, he completed his Masters Degree in trumpet performance there while studying with Charles Saenz. He also accompanied many students for various juries, recitals, and other performances. Davis first attended school at Miami University in Oxford, OH, studying with James Olcott and Dr. Robert Thomas while working on his Bachelors Degree in Music Education. While in school he had the privilege to perform with various orchestras in the area, specifically the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, the Middletown Symphony Orchestra, and the Lebanon Symphony Orchestra. After student teaching and graduation, he taught private lessons in the Dayton, OH area before moving to Bowling Green to further his education.

Jeff Brown - Guitar, Bass Guitar, Garage Band

Jeff obtained a Bachelor of Music from the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati (UC). His degree concentrated in classical repertoire and in performance under the stewardship of Professor Clare Callahan. Before his training at UC, he studied privately with a variety of teachers. From those influences he absorbed a number of styles including blues, rock, progressive, bluegrass, country and classical. Jeff has been a performer for over ten years, performing solo and in rock n roll bands throughout the city of Cincinnati. In addition to private instruction, he would often organize concerts for his students in which to perform. Through his instruction, Jeff's students learn to appreciate the value of the performance as the ultimate goal of learning how to play. He welcomes anyone who is willing to learn.

Chad Fagerland - Guitar

Chad's love for guitar began as a middle school student in the dorm rooms of the Ivory Coast Academy in West Africa. His development process ranged from the basement to the stage. With 25 years of experience, Chad has taught guitar in homes and academies across the Tri-State. In 2000, he recorded a live album entitled "Life of Fire." He has played in bands and led worship in a variety of venues from coffee shops, auditoriums, gymnasiums to churches. His passion is to develop students in their appreciation for music and talent for playing guitar.

Jeff Garrett - Guitar, Bass Guitar, Trumpet

Jeff holds a bachelors degree from Miami University. He has played guitar, bass guitar, and banjo in various musical and theater productions at Mount St. Joseph, as well as collaborating on and composing original pieces for church services and for rock groups around Cincinnati. His music performance experience on trumpet includes concert bands such as the Miami University Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and the Mount St. Joseph Community Band. His teaching philosophy is to focus on the individual in order to help them find what they are seeking in their own unique journey with music.

Bob Ross - Guitar

Bob Ross grew up in a small town in Ohio called Patriot. He began playing trumpet at the age of 11 and continued for 7 years. While playing trumpet he came across the guitar at the age of 14 and realized that he had found his life's calling. Never having a guitar lesson, he decided to study the instrument in depth at college. Bob graduated from Morehead State University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Music and went on to get a Masters degree in Jazz Studies at The Univeristy of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. He has also had the opportunity to study with one of todays best jazz guitarists, Jimmy Bruno. Besides teaching private lessons, Bob has taught guitar classes at the college level, lead jazz bands, and directed jazz groups. Several more prominent performances include Philadelphia's top jazz spot, Chris' Cafe, and other venues in the Philadelphia area as well as the Jenny Wiley Theater in Pikeville, KY. Bob is currently performing around the Cincinnati area in churches and as a solo jazz guitarist.

Michael Maher - Drums

Michael is a passionate and enthusiastic musician who has been playing drums since 1998 and has had various experiences along the way. Performing in two different bands throughout high school in college, going on multiple tours throughout the country and playing the Cincinnati circuit, he has much on stage experience. Recording various demo CDs and an EP with the bands, as well as helping compose the songs, Michael's experience doesn't end there. Currently he plays several different instruments, has programming experience and is a vocalist as well. He's open to new music, ideas, styles and is driven by his willingness to learn.

James Middendorf - Drums

Music has been a way of life for James as long as he can remember. Exposure to a variety of bands and instruments at a young age developed into a passion for music. He picked up guitar at age twelve and at age fifteen took his seat behind his very first drum set. James felt a deep connection to the sounds and rhythms created on a drum set; this appreciation set the course for his music career. He attended Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA to further his study of drums and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Professional Music with a concentration in education and performance. James has been teaching since 2003 and believes in the importance of a music education. He also works as a session musician, recording and performing a variety of genres such as funk, rock, reggae/ska and jazz with different artists throughout the Cincinnati and Boston areas.

Tera Hamilton - Violin, Viola

Tera Hamilton graduated from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with a degree in Music Education. She also pursued graduate studies in violin performance and education at Kent State University. She has studied with Ronald Konieczka (Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra), Si-Hon Ma (Kent State University) and Bernhard Goldschmidt (Cleveland Orchestra). Tera directed the orchestra program in Wooster, Ohio and later joined the faculty at Kent State University, Stark Campus, and taught Suzuki violin. She helped start a Suzuki Program at Southern Illinois University, while she was teaching at Unity Point School District and directing the Carbondale Community High School Orchestra. Currently, Tera maintains a private studio through Princeton High School in Cincinnati since 1982 and has taught many outstanding young people. Her students have been in Cincinnati Jr. Strings, Cincinnati Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Regional and State Orchestras. She has performed with the Canton Symphony Orchestra and is currently performing with the Middletown Symphony Orchestra, Clermont Philharmonic Orchestra, Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra and Lebanon Symphony Orchestra.

Lori Honer - Cello

Lori Honer is currently finishing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in cello performance at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She received a Bachelor’s Degree from DePauw University and a Master’s Degree from The Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. An experienced teacher, she has coached chamber music, conducted youth orchestras, taught undergraduate music education string methods classes and studio cello for over twenty years. As a performer, she is active as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player and has performed throughout the Midwest and Northeast. Her principle teachers include Cassel Grubb, Adriana Contino, Rostislav Dubinsky, Lee Fiser, Helga Winold, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, and William Grubb.

Minhwa Kim - Violin, Viola

Minhwa Kim received a Masters Degree in Violin performance and is soon to receive Doctor of Musical Arts from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She has extensive experience teaching Violin and Viola, chamber music, music history, and theory. As a performer, she is active as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player. As a soloist, she has international experience which includes recitals in South Korea, Poland, China, and the United States. She performed the W.A.Mozart Violin Concerto No.5 with the University of Ewha Womans Orchestra in Korea and the E. Lalo Symphonie Espagnole with the Korean-American Symphony Orchestra. Minhwa teaches a wide variety of students ranging from young children to graduate level. She plays with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Kentucky symphony Orchestra and Clermont Philharmonic Orchestra. She was awarded the Starling Scholarship at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and was a Concerto Competition winner at the Ewha University in Seoul, Korea.

Adam Butalewicz - Clarinet, Saxophone

Adam Butalewicz, a native of Richmond VA, is a high-energy and passionately driven clarinetist. Currently working on his doctorate in clarinet performance at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, he maintains a busy schedule of performing and teaching both nationally and internationally. He is a winner of numerous concerto and chamber music competitions. A strong advocate of music education, he is continually searching for new ways to inspire and enlighten students to the joy of music. Adam holds a bachelors degree in clarinet performance from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Masters degree in clarinet performance from Ithaca College. His principle teachers include Ixi Chen, Michael Galvan, and Charles West; additional studies with Richie Hawley, Kenneth Grant, David Neithamer, and Sandra Rivers.

Becky Morris - Saxophone, Clarinet, Piano

Becky Morris has a master's degree in saxophone performance from the University of Colorado where she was a graduate teaching assistant. She has a B.A. in Music Education from California State University Fresno in which she graduated suma cum laude with honors in the Arts and Humanities. Her past instructors include Professor Tom Myer and Dr. Alan Durst. She also studied with world-renowned pedagogue and performer, Jean-Marie Londeix in a master class. An active performer, Morris has performed at national and international conferences. For four seasons, she has played with the Idyllwild Summer Arts Wind Ensemble, which performed at Los Angeles Disney Concert Hall and the Idyllwild School of Music in California. She has taught private saxophone, clarinet and piano for six years and has organized and taught master classes for middle school and high school students.

Hee Jin Yoon - Harp

Harpist Hee Jin Yoon graduated in 2006 with a Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music as a student of Gillian Benet Sella of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. She also received her Performance Diploma from Indiana University with Distinguished Professor, Susann McDonald, and a Bachelor's Degree from Seoul National University. She has won Honorable Mention in the 2007 Victor Salvi Awards, 2nd prize in the 1998 Kyung-won Music Competition, and 3rd prize in the Busan MBC Broadcast competition. She was among the 12 finalists of the American Harp Society Anne Adams Harp Competition in 1006. Yoon is a very active harpist as a solo, orchestra and chamber musician. As an orchestral soloist, she performed Debussy's Dance sacree et profane with the Lancaster Festival Orchestra, Handel's Concerto Op. 4. No 6 with the Korean Symphony Orchestra, and Ravel's Introduction and Allegro, Lutoslawski's Double Concerto for Oboe, Harp with the CCM Concert-Chamber Orchestra. Yoon is the principle harpist of the Lancaster Festival Orchestra and she has played in many orchestras. Currently, she is pursuing her Doctoral Degree from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music.

Dance and Acting Instructors

Terah Herman - Acting

Terah Herman completed her Master's Degree in Theatre at the University of Kentucky where she received a full tuition fellowship. While at UK she worked as a teaching assistant for Vocal Production, Directing, and Theatre History. She has presented her research at several professional conferences including The Comparative Drama Conference in Los Angeles, California. She received her undergraduate degree in Theatre and Religion from Capital University where she was a Collegiate Fellowship winner. Terah has acted, directed and taught professionally in various theatres around the region. Her favorite leading roles have included Nina in The Seagull, Alice in Closer and Inez in No Exit.

Savannah Biedenbach - Ballet

Savannah Biedenbach of Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, trained at the New Paltz Ballet Theater with former New York City Ballet members Peter Naumann and Lisa Chalmers-Naumann. One of her favorite performances includes the ballet/opera Carmina Burana where she performed the leading role of The Girl in Red with New York City Ballet member Nilas Martins. In 2005, Savannah danced with the National Broadway tour of Contact throughout the United States and Canada. Later that year she enjoyed a season of varied repertoire with the Cincinnati Ballet. She has worked with such choreographers as Mark Godden, Shelly Washington, Graham Lustig and Alun Jones with Louisville Ballet. Some of her perfomances include Eight Ladies in Vespri in the production of Visionary Forces and the pas de trois of Chinese in The Nutcracker. Savannah joined Columbus Dance Theatre in 2008 as company member and continued as ballet instructor and choreographer throughout 2010.

Jennifer Cole - Senior Comp Team, Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Lyrical

Jennifer has been teaching dance in the Cincinnati area for over 15 years. She first pursued her interest in dance at the age of three and was trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Pointe, Lyrical and Adagio. She was also very accomplished in the competition arena. While in high school, Jennifer was captain of her dance team and was invited to perform at the Blue Bonnet Bowl in Texas and the Hula Bowl in Hawaii. Jennifer attended Ohio State University where she continued to study dance and performed with the OSU dance team. With a degree in education, Jennifer started her work with young adults as the Director of the Centerville High School’s dance team and helped lead them to several State titles. She has also been awarded many national choreography awards in both Lyrical and Jazz. Jennifer has choreographed and taught many award winning teams; many of them taking overall awards at competitions both regionally and nationally. She has had many of her students further their dance careers at colleges throughout the country and several of them working in the dance field post-graduation. Jennifer truly loves working with her students and brings that passion to the classroom.

Erin Foltz - Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Ballet, Tumbling

Erin Foltz has been dancing since age three. She was trained in her hometown of Canton, Ohio in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip-Hop and Irish Step dancing. Erin performed in the Larry Wilgus Productions at age 7 and became noticed as an accomplished tap dancer by age 12. She began taking workshops from various rhythm tap dancers such as Elec Simon from New York’s Stomp. While in high school, Erin became dance captain for two years with Larry Wilgus Productions. She also did free lance choreography for the various productions put on by the North Canton Playhouse, including High School Musical. Erin has taught various styles of dance to students of all ages including those with disabilities, and was a principal dancer with the Eternity Irish Dance Troupe.  Erin has also attended workshops in African dance, ballroom and break dancing, performing with the break dance group illStyle Rockers. She received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Cincinnati, and incorporates teaching techniques she learned there within her dance classes.

Katherine Pixley - Ballet, Tap

Katherine Pixley began dancing at the age of 5 after her mother found her attempting to make a balance beam from the dining room chairs. From that point on she followed her innate passion for dance by participating in multiple summer programs including the Taylor Project at Jacob's Pillow in Massachusetts when she was 17 years old. Choosing to pursue a formal education, Katherine enrolled in Wright State University's dance program where she was a member of the dance ensemble. During her undergraduate years she was also a member of Dayton Ballet II (DBII) which is a pre-professional program. As a member of DBII she had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Dermot Burke and Septime Webre as well as perform in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet. Although Katherine's formal training in dance and the many performing and teaching opportunities were fulfilling she felt there was more she could do with her passion for dance. With this intent she attended graduate school at Antioch University New England where she earned a MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling in order to become a counselor to children and their families. Katherine is delighted to be part of the artistic staff and looks forward to another year full of creativity with her students.

Lisa Rich - Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Tumbling

Lisa Rich has been dancing since age five, and quickly became inspired by a troupe of baton twirlers at a local parade in her home town of Omaha, Nebraska. She continued learning jazz and tumbling and added twirling to her repertoire. She joined the Joyce Dalton Baton & Dance studio in Dayton, Ohio and began to twirl competetively at the USTA twirling association events. Their team finished third at the National USTA competition for their division in her last year as a twirler. She later studied at the Dance Extension studio located in Westerville/northern Columbus, many of whose teachers were professional dancers with the Columbus Ballet Met. Lisa received her B.A. in Spanish Education and began to teach at the high school level, and later at the middle school level. During her school teaching years, Lisa attended several annual dance workshops in a newly developing style, becoming known as Dance Worship/Ministry. She looks forward to utilizing her teacher skills in the dance classroom this year and sharing the passion and fun of dance with her students!

Holly Sargent - Junior Comp Team, Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Tumbling

Holly Sargent has been dancing and cheerleading since she was three years old. Throughout her years as a student, she studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Musical Theater, and Hip Hop. Holly was a competitive dancer for over 10 years and has won many regional and national competitions. She has traveled around the country instructing cheerleading clinics and has attended numerous dance workshops including LA Dance Force, Access Broadway, and Dance Masters of America. Holly is excited to be sharing her passion for dance with the students at West Chester Academy of Music and Dance.