+ Jessica Holker Debes
Jessica started her professional career dancing for companies with Mia Micheals, Dee Caspary, and Odyssey Dance Theater. She then traveled to Japan to do several contracts with Tokyo Disney in Broadway production "Encore" and outdoor theater "Showbiz is!" Where she was also named Dance Captain . From there she was then honored to be selected as Assistant director in the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular with broadway legend Linda Haberman for 3 years. After finishing there, she had the greatest honor of joining Celine Dion in "A New Day" in the colosseum Ceasers palace Las Vegas where she was chosen to work side by side with the renowned choreographer Mia Micheals in the reVamp of the show. She then continued with Franco Dragones water spectacular "Le Reve" at the Wynn. She background sang and danced for Vegas staple Dian Diaz , performed with Elton John and Jerry Sienfield in a Katrina tribute and Completed her Vegas stay at Cirque du Soliel's "Viva Elvis". Jessica Loves Teaching, and has been sharing this passion throughout her entire Dance Career. She is experienced in many styles including Contemporary, jazz, lyrical, ballroom, hip-hop all extending from an extensive ballet background. Jessica is also a 500hr Yoga Alliance Certified instructor and had the oppurtunity to lead teacher trainings and act as Director at a local studio. She is excited to be teaching at Jazz’n Place again!!!
+ Staci DeVoogt
Staci Wilkinson-DeVoogt was born and raised in Utah. She received her ballet training at BYU as a Theatre Ballet Youth Artist under the direction of Connie Burton and Janalyn Memmott. She also trained in jazz, tap, tumbling, and hip- hop at The Dance Club on their Jr. and Sr. Company. Staci received her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts and Master’s of Fine Arts on full scholarship from the University of Utah Department of Ballet with an emphasis in teaching, performing and choreography. At the U of U she danced principal and soloist roles with Utah Ballet. Her favorite roles include The Snow Maiden in The Snow Maiden, Titania in A Mid Summer Night’s Dream and the Pas de Deux Soloist in George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco. Staci has been dancing professionally for the past ten years. She danced with Odyssey in 2005. She then left Utah to play Wendy and Sleeping Beauty in Japan at the Tokyo Disneyland Resort. She was the pointe soloist on Holland America’s MS Zuiderdam and MS Veendam where she sailed the Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean. She has performed with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in several different tours as a featured ensemble member and in 2011 Staci had the privilege of performing the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in NYC at the iconic Radio City Music Hall. Last summer she performed at the Hale Center Theater in West Valley in 9 to 5 The Musical. She has also performed in several industrials throughout the US, Australia and Japan. Staci has been teaching and choreographing jazz and ballet at privately owned studios since she was 18. She has taught and choreographed for several studios throughout the US and Australia. She has taught undergraduate classes at the University of Utah. A piece she choreographed for Utah Ballet was performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC for the ACDFA Gala. Staci is currently on faculty at UVU teaching ballet and jazz.
+ Savannah Reese
Savannah Reese grew up in Highland Utah and began her love of dance at the age of three. Throughout the years she began to excel in her skills and received many dance scholarships at conventions nationwide; one of which was a full ride performing arts scholarship at the AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts, located in Los Angeles, as well as the American Musical and Dramatic Academy located in New York City. Savannah started teaching at a young age and found a passion for helping individuals find confidence in themselves, while developing a love for hard work. She has choreographed many routines of all styles and loves to see those she is teaching to find success in their efforts. Savannah is upbeat, fun, and completely focused on individuals in order to help each member of the team to excel in the fastest way possible.
+ Jarica Befus
Jarica Befus is currently a 4th year student at The University of Utah studying Marketing & Advertising. Jarica grew up training at The Jazz’n Place Dance Studio under many qualified teachers such as Alan Salazar, Julia Miller Bryce, Angela Matson, Allison Debona and Jason Linsley. She is trained in contemporary, hip-hop, ballet and jazz. She now specializes in teaching and choreographing in hip-hop and contemporary styles. She has been awarded hip-hop CREW from Adrenaline Dance Convention in 2012 and 2013 and was the MVA runner up at Velocity Dance Convention in 2013. From 2013-2015 she was a part of San Diego State University’s hip-hop team, K.O, where she performed at many campus events as well as around the San Diego area. Jarica is passionate about teaching and has been doing so since she was 13 years old. Teaching is anything but a job to her and she hopes to continue to grow and influence the lives of many dancers for a very long time.
+ Mysti Rose
Mysti Tucker grew up performing and competing numerous group numbers and solos. She started assisting and teaching at the studio at the age of 12; from there she has taught and choreographed for many teams and studios, and assisted for many local conventions. In high school, Mysti was on the school dance company as well as the drill team. She attended the Pulse Protégé Convention in New York on scholarship and also received many other scholarships from conventions around the country. After high school, she continued training and performing on Bonnie Story’s pre-professional company, Expansion. She then was a part of Krissie Edwards’ company, Divinity. She’s had the opportunity to dance back-up for David Archuleta, be in NBA half-time performances, and be a featured dancer for a Miche Bag Fashion Show. Mysti then moved to Los Angeles to further pursue her dance career. She performed in Carnival under the direction of Chris Dupre, and again for Sam Allen. She’s had the opportunity to be a part of multiple movies and television shows including High School Musical 3, American Mall, Dexter, Dancing Fools, pilots for future TV shows, and more. Throughout her life, she has taken classes and worked with some of the top choreographers and dancers in the entertainment industry. She had the privilege of being a part of Justin Giles’ SoulEscape professional dance company where she was able to travel to perform shows as well as teach students as part of an intensive. Mysti was able to work with Ricky Palomino for his “Daylight Come” show, as well as Matt Cady for his Lana Del Rey/Disney submission and his very own show “It’s About Robots and Humans and the Meaning of Life”. She is now back in Utah teaching classes and choreography, and very much enjoys training and preparing students for their futures. She has judged many competitions and auditions, as well as taught and choreographed for multiple local camps, conventions, drill teams, dance companies, studios, and more. She specializes in technique, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, tumbling, and is a certified Acro Dance teacher from Acrobatic Arts.
+ Mandy Clearwater
Mandy Clearwater has over 14 years of dance training and has spent the last several years focusing on choreography; choreographing over 150 routines locally and also as a visiting choreographer out of state. She is committed to helping students develop their own creativity as well as their technique. She has had excellent instructors that have shown her how to be a teacher that inspires and motivates and that’s her ultimate goal. She continues to work on her own choreography and is continuing her training as a student and teacher at Brigham Young University.
+ Natalie Estrada
Natalie began her training at the age of three at Southern California Ballet formerly known as Black Mountain Dance Centre in San Diego, California. Under the directorship of Sylvia Palmer-Zetler and Ahita Ardalen where she performed both soloist and principal roles with Southern California Ballet. She attended summer intensives on Merit Scholarship at THE Royal Ballet School in London, England, Boston Ballet, Ballet Met and Cecchetti USA. Natalie was accepted into Julliard, the prestige institute of performing Arts in New York City. She trained in the Cecchetti Method where she completed all Cecchetti exams with honors. Natalie then relocated to Utah and continued her ballet training at the University of Utah at the highest level with Utah ballet where she continuing her education. Some of her lead roles include: Clara, Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen in the Nutcracker, Fairy God Mother in Cinderella and the Bird in Peter and the Wolf. In 2011, she was a part of Gregory Dawson’s original piece “In the Midst of a Southern Storm” and in 2013 she had the pleasure of working with Jay Kim on his original piece “Enrapture” as a member of Utah Ballet. Some of her teachers include Suzan Stone, Nancy Robinson, Maureen Laird, Jay Kim and Michael Bearden.
+ Alexis Pearson
Alexis Pearson has trained at The Dance Club since the age of 3 in ballet, jazz, hip hop, and contemporary. She has taught for over six years at the Vibe Performing Arts and three years at Bunker Dance Center located in Las Vegas. She has trained and performed with the professional company Origins for 6 years. She has been on television shows such as “Live to Dance”, “Dancing with the Stars”, and “So You Think You Can Dance.” She has been featured in music videos and other various commercials. Encouraging kids to seek their full potential and lifting their self-esteem is her specialty.
+ Kellie Messerly
Kellie won the title of Miss Dance/Drill Team Utah. She was then invited to Nagoya Japan where she won the title of Miss Dance/Drill team International and won top honors with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Award. Kellie then continued her education at the University of Utah where she was the head Cheerleader. Kellie danced professionally with the Odyssey Dance Utah for seven years. She was the director of Dance Utah Summer Camp. She had the opportunity to direct Odysseys Junior Company, O2, for two years. Kellie’s real passion is teaching and choreographing. She has been teaching for over 20 years. She was nominated for the Who’s Who among Top Teachers. She has choreographed for Odyssey Dance Theatre, Miss Utah, dancers in the Star Search, dancers on So You Think You Can Dance, and Dancing with the Stars. Kellie choreographed a music video “All for Nothing” for Mark Ballas. Kellie has choreographed Peter Pam, Footloose, Rag Time, and Wizard of Oz at the Scera Shell Outdoor Theatre. Kellie was a co-founder of The Vibe Performing Arts. In 2011 the Vibe was finalist on Paula Abduls dance show Live to Dance. She has choreographed and directed shows including Move, One Night Only, and Evolution of Dance. She took her dancers to Hong Kong China for Chinese New Year Parade.