Office Managers
Heather DeGarmo
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Chris McDonald
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Our Student Assistants
Meet Our Qualified Teaching Staff
Jill Pickens McDonald (Owner)
Hip Hop, Tap, Clog, Musical Theatre, Baby Bop Hip Hop, Soul Burn Cardio, & Adult Classes
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Jill McDonald is a qualified Hip Hop choreographer with ten years teaching experience involving competitive and non-competitive classes. She specializes in hip hop, clogging and tap, and has received extensive training in several genres over the years. She is a dedicated leader with demonstrated ability to train dancers, motivate our youth, and maintain an award winning team.
One of her most memorable accomplishments to date was receiving an invitation to serve as the guest "hip hop" choreographer for the prestigious Dance Masters Convention in February, 2014. Jill began dance at the age of 5 with Marjorie Sellers and continued her dance career with Darla Fox until the age of 17. Through out her youth, Jill was blessed with opportunities to dance all over the United States, such as; Ameri-Flora (Columbus, Ohio), Opryland Hotel (Nashville, Tennessee) and was even invited to dance in the Olympics in Seville, Spain. Jill has been happily married to her husband, Chris for seventeen years. Together they have four beautiful children. Christopher, Lexi, Austin, and Gracie. They currently reside in the Tri-Valley School District. In their spare time, Jill enjoys volunteering to work with our youth at North Terrace Church of Christ, working on crafts, OHIO STATE FOOTBALL, and spending time with her family. The famous quote by Dr. Seuss, "Why blend in when you were born to stand out?" is something she very much believes in and has always strived to live by. She believes in dreams and helping every child's dreams come true! She gives 100% credit for all their success to our Lord and Savoir, Jesus Christ! |
Megan Sheppard
Tiny Tot Tumble, Tiny Tot Ballet, Hip Hop, Tap, Clog
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Megan has fourteen years of dance experience. She is trained in ballet, tap, clog, hip hop and jazz. She danced for Darla Fox starting at the age of three years old and continued her dance career with Kompany Dance with Karlie Bishop and Amity Ryan until the age of seventeen. She was a dance assistant for two years with Kompany dance and was a competitive dancer at both studios.
Megan is honored to have had the opportunity to dance two years on the Miss Ohio stage in Mansfield, Ohio as a featured performer. She also danced at President Kerry's election (Zanesville, Ohio), The State House (Columbus, Ohio), and numerous other performances throughout the years. She is the proud mother of her beautiful baby girl, Maci, which is also enrolled in our mini competition hip hop and tap, baby jazz, clog, and tumbling at A2J Crew. Megan is so excited to be a part of our dance family. She's most excited to help teach and watch our students grow this year, and in the years to come. |
Frankie Zimmer
Contemporary, Kickline, Jazz, Jazz Tumble
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Miss Frankie has ten years of dance studio experience. She has experience in tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop and kick-line! She was a cheerleader for four years in high school at Sheridan, and one season for ISU Hockey! She has danced and also choreographed several numbers for Orchesis II at Iowa State University. She was also the President of ISU TAP! Miss Frankie and Miss Lexi work together as co-teachers and make a wonderful team!
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Lexi McDonald
Baby Jazz, Jazz, Jazz Tumble, Contemporary Assistant
Miss Lexi is currently attending Ohio University- Zanesville. She is majoring in Early Childhood Education and is working to become a school teacher in the near future! Besides being a student in college and teaching our Jazz program at the studio, she is also employed at Vista View Golf Course in Nashport, Ohio. She is also soon to be married this July and changing her last name (#theHUNTisover)!
Lexi has been raised in a home with a family full of dancers. She began her dance career at four years of age at Patty's Dance Center, and has spent many hours in her family owned studio over the years. Her favorites are bonding with the children, creating unique relationships with each child, learning about them, and lending a hand to do whatever needs done.
Over the years she has trained with Ohio Dance Masters Instructors, KAR dance Instructors, and has even trained at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City and performed in Miss Ohio. As a dancer herself, she took Hip Hop, Tumbling, Clog, Tap, Jazz, and Kickline. Lexi has also taken a pilates course for college credit and has taught fitness classes herself, too. Lexi has much experience in numerous areas of dance and is so happy to be able to share her love for dance with our students at the A2J Crew Dance Kompany!
Lexi has been raised in a home with a family full of dancers. She began her dance career at four years of age at Patty's Dance Center, and has spent many hours in her family owned studio over the years. Her favorites are bonding with the children, creating unique relationships with each child, learning about them, and lending a hand to do whatever needs done.
Over the years she has trained with Ohio Dance Masters Instructors, KAR dance Instructors, and has even trained at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City and performed in Miss Ohio. As a dancer herself, she took Hip Hop, Tumbling, Clog, Tap, Jazz, and Kickline. Lexi has also taken a pilates course for college credit and has taught fitness classes herself, too. Lexi has much experience in numerous areas of dance and is so happy to be able to share her love for dance with our students at the A2J Crew Dance Kompany!
Katie Willey
Ballet, Pointe, Modern, Acro, & Lyrical
Miss Katie is a motivated instructor with a decade of experience teaching dance and fitness education. She has taught a range of genres including: ballet, modern, lyrical, jazz, tap, acro, belly dancing, tumbling, cheer, pilates, yoga, and cardio.
Her background includes: Tri-Valley High School for four years as their Flag Core Instructor, she worked as an instructor at "Melody and Motion" dance studio for three years (she taught private lessons for eight years), and has also taught as a personal instructor.
She is a devoted, loving, qualified instructor with an abundance of teaching experience. She is looking forward to the upcoming season with her competition dancers as well as her recreational dancers!
Her background includes: Tri-Valley High School for four years as their Flag Core Instructor, she worked as an instructor at "Melody and Motion" dance studio for three years (she taught private lessons for eight years), and has also taught as a personal instructor.
She is a devoted, loving, qualified instructor with an abundance of teaching experience. She is looking forward to the upcoming season with her competition dancers as well as her recreational dancers!
Gracie McDonald
Teacher Assistant- all genres
Miss Gracie is a young asset to our team. She has been raised in the studio and is currently finishing high school at MidEast to be a cosmetologist. She trains at Patty’s Dance Center and assists our studio by working at the front desk, assisting Miss Jill, and leading our students to become the dancers that they are today as their peer.
Gracie has trained in New York City with the Rockettes, Broadway Dance Center, attended World’s in NYC, trained with Mia Michaels, and many others! Gracie is planning to pursue dance in some aspect of her life in the future. Her dream is to take a large part in A2J Crew Dance Kompany one day!
Gracie has trained in New York City with the Rockettes, Broadway Dance Center, attended World’s in NYC, trained with Mia Michaels, and many others! Gracie is planning to pursue dance in some aspect of her life in the future. Her dream is to take a large part in A2J Crew Dance Kompany one day!
Danielle Simross
Baton Twirling
Danielle has been sharing the joy of twirling and dance with her students for the past 20 years. Her teaching styles include baton twirling, acro, tap, jazz, and ballet. She is currently a member of the United States Twirling Association.
She began as a student at Reinita's Baton and Dance Studio, then joined the teaching staff during college. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in business from The Ohio State University, she purchased the studio and operated the business for 14 years. Her students have performed at the Cleveland Cavelier's pre-game show and in Disney World.
Danielle has been married to her husband Kurt for 8 years. They have been blessed with 2 children, Addison (6) and Jacob (3). They live on a farm in Licking county and enjoy camping at the various state parks around Ohio.
She began as a student at Reinita's Baton and Dance Studio, then joined the teaching staff during college. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in business from The Ohio State University, she purchased the studio and operated the business for 14 years. Her students have performed at the Cleveland Cavelier's pre-game show and in Disney World.
Danielle has been married to her husband Kurt for 8 years. They have been blessed with 2 children, Addison (6) and Jacob (3). They live on a farm in Licking county and enjoy camping at the various state parks around Ohio.
Scott Ritchie
Our amazing tumbling instructor!