| Meet The Academy of Dance Team |
Theresa Mckeon
(Owner/Studio Director)
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Rachael Nardozzi
(Teacher/Choreographer)
Ms. Rachael has been dancing since the age of 2, started assisting at age 14, and began teaching her own classes at age 16. She completed schooling at UNLV for the 3 year "Dance Educators Of America" program. Here she learned methods for teaching dance to all ages and levels. This included many different dance styles and subjects, the anatomy of the body, and the business aspects of running a dance studio. During her time at Academy of Dance she has received numerous choreography awards for her competition pieces. Both group and soloist pieces that she choreographed and coached have been overall winners at National Dance Competitions. Ms. Rachael loves caring for people and animals which is evident in her other chosen career paths. She manages a banquet hall, is a manicurist, and even pets-sits on the side! Dance is her life's true passion and inspiring children of all ages to feel confident, successful, and happy is her ultimate goal.
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Jessica "JJ" VanVoorst
(Teacher/Choreographer)
Ms. Jessica started dancing at age 3 and knew from a young age that she wanted to teach dance when she grew up, so she started assisting her first dance class at age 13. Competition was a big part of her life as she competed in both dance and Varsity Poms until her graduation from Pinckney High School in 2006. JJ then went off to college to study many different styles of dance including the usual syles and African, Bhangra and Folk Dances. Ms. Jessica graduated from Hope College with a Bachelor's degree in Dance Education and Physical Education while recieving the Cavenagh Choreography Award. During college JJ was featured in People Magazine for being a member of the "All For One" dance group, helping children get off the streets after school and dance. After college she toured the country with "Veggie Tales Live" as a professional dancer and Puppeteer, staring as "Bob the Tomato". Ms. Jessica started teaching at Academy of Dance in 2010 and has loved every minute of it. JJ choreographed for the Brighton High School Dance Company from 2011-2020. She recently Choreographed the Scranton Middle Schools Musicals "Into the Woods Jr", "Lion King Jr" & "Alladin Jr." And in her free time, Ms. Jessica loves to draw and paint and has two kids that currently dance at AOD as well!
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Kori Snow
(Ballet Director/Choreographer)
Ms. Kori comes from a dancing family that includes her grandpa, mom, brother, and sometimes her reluctant dogs Cash and Colt. She graduated from Alma College with a Dance Major (as well as a Business Administration Major and Psychology Minor) and held positions at the local dance honors fraternity, Pi Delta Chi. Ms. Kori is primarily trained in tap, jazz, modern, kick line, and ballet, but ballet was and remains her first love. When not at the dance studio or working, she can be found spending time with her family, cooking, or gardening. She has loved every minute teaching ballet at Academy of Dance since 2012 and is extremely excited to continue to direct the annual Nutcracker and Spring Ballet Productions. “See you at the barre!”
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Geri Elise Conner
(Teacher/Choreographer)
Geri Elise Conner has been teaching for 27 years competitively in the Metropolitan Detroit Area. She is certified by Dance Masters of Michigan and Dance Masters of America in Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Acrobatics. She is also the resident choreographer for Warren Civic Theatre and has worked for the Ringwald, Open Book and several other High School and Middle School Theatre Companies. Geri has adjudicated for various competition circuits and has designed costumes for nationally ranked studios and college dance teams as well. In addition to professional training, she is CPR, AED and American Red Cross trained and had taken several classes in Injury Prevention. She has attended Teachers Training School through Dance Masters at NYU. When she is not at the studio or any of the theatre companies, she works as a claims auditor. Geri lives in Fenton with her husband, Brian and is a proud mom of 4 children and 4 fur babies.
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Theresa Mitchell
(Teacher/Administrative Assistant)
Theresa has danced “pretty much her entire memory”, she likes to joke, and has participated in competitions since the age of 11. Thanks in part to moving around a lot as a child, Theresa was able to study many forms of dance. It was in North Carolina that she discovered clogging, the dance she considers her specialty. She graduated from the Howell College of Cosmetology with a license in Cosmetology in 2005. Theresa arrived at Academy of Dance by way of needing an activity for her son James, who is now a current member of the Elite Competition Team here at the studio, and immediately felt at home in the studio. She manages the front desk, as well as teaching jazz, tap, clogging and preschool classes, and enjoys participating in the adult classes at the studio as time permits. In her spare time, she enjoys trying new recipes, spending time on the internet, and spending far too much time and money trying out new makeup!
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Marissa Gabriele
(Teacher/Choreographer)
Marissa has been with Academy of Dance since 2011, starting on the competition team and transitioning to a staff member after high school. Marissa loves every style of dance with Tap and Hip Hop being her favorites. Marissa graduated from Douglas J Aveda Institute with a License of Cosmetology, so when she’s not at the studio she’s doing hair. Marissa has always had a love for teaching as well as dance and that really took off her freshman year when she started assisting and substitute teaching. She is so excited to get to continue to be a part of the Academy of Dance team and loves to see her love of performance shine through in her students.
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Amelia Dahline
(Teacher/Choreographer)
Amelia Has been dancing since she was 2 years old and was a competitive dancer by age 7. She has always enjoyed the art of movement through dance and feels that Contemporary is where she is most expressive. She loves Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Modern as well. Being en pointe for over 5 years and participating in numerous ballet productions Academy of Dance shows her love for ballet. She enjoyed competing in a variety of styles over the years as a competition dancer. At 14 she started choreographing her own competition solos, and found a love and a talent for choreography. She hopes to get certified in the upcoming year, and grow as much as possible as a new teacher!
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AOD's Administrative Assistants
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