Meet the Team

Lindsay Giedl is a choreographer, teacher, and dancer. She was a founding member of CADE:NCE – Contemporary African Dance Ensemble: New Conscious Explorations under the direction of Tamara Thomas. A graduate of The University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance she can be seen in the indie film “The Last of Robin Hood”, “Honey 4” as well as Corey Smith’s music video “Honky Tonkin’ in My Blood”. Lindsay is also currently on faculty with Ignite Dance Competition and is also a 500 Registered Yoga Teacher. Lindsay is an Adjunct Faculty at The University of Georgia in Dance.

Lindsay was the 2020 recipient for the PANDEMIC ATLANTA Choreographer search with the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Her work was selected to participate in the Fall for Fall Dance Festival, a new socially distanced dance festival in 2020 and 2022. Lindsay was also the 2020-2021 recipient of the Kristel Rose Tedesco Residency with Mathematics-in-Motion.

Lindsay currently resides as the Dance Director at The Studio Athens, as well as is a guest teacher Ballet Hispanico’s Pa’lante Scholars and Adult Program. She was the Rehearsal Assistant for the UGA x Martha Graham Dance Company Project in 2023. Lindsay Giedl’s work can be seen with the UGA Theater and Opera Department and was recently nominated for a Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Award. Lindsay is in her tenth season with the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City and is currently the Administrative Director/Faculty of the Summer Programs – Joffrey South, Joffrey Colorado, and Joffrey Akron.

La'Brece Knox began dancing at the age of twelve years old. From there, he joined the competition team at New Attitude Performing Arts Center. You can see him taking the stage on America's Got Talent and becoming a quarterfinalist and finding new heights as a dancer. He then moved into doing contract dancing at King's Dominion and Cedar Point Roller Coaster Capital of America. There he was able to receive amazing and intense training with Debbie Allen, Twitch, and Wildabeast. La'Brece now is working as a dance instructor at Dance U and travels frequently for master classes and guest choreography. 

Jasmine Edney, a Columbia SC native, is the Owner and Artistic Director of Beyond Words Dance Academy and Beyond Words In-House Dance Convention. She's been dancing since the age of 3. There is debate among her family members as to whether she learned to dance before she learned to walk! That lifelong dancing spirit is evident in her teaching style, which is becoming a popular hit among studios in the southeast. Jasmine has the dance experience that makes her an asset, offering her teaching talents in jazz, tap, contemporary/lyrical, modern, musical theater, and hip hop.

Jasmine graduated from Coastal Carolina University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology. She was a competitive dancer for 17 years and has spent the last 18 years teaching across the United States. Jasmine has studied under some of the most well-respected names in the dance profession such as Jason Parsons, Mia Michaels, Brian Friedman, “Nappy Tabbs,” Chris Judd, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, Shiela Barker, Justin Giles, William Starret, Debbie Roberts, Kimberly Langley, Angie Baker, Anne Richardson, and Charlie Connolly. In addition, Jasmine has traveled, assisted teaching, and helped with choreography with dancers including Shiela Barker, Kimberly Langley, Charlie Connolly, and Christopher Robbins. Jasmine has been involved in several dance companies, dancing for the following: Carolina Dance Center, South Carolina Performing Arts Center- Company One, and Palmetto Center for the Arts. Through that time, Jasmine received countless special awards and scholarships from dance conventions such as: New York City Dance Alliance, SHOCK the Intensive, Pacific Coast Dance Fest, Apollo LIVE, Ailey II, Savion Glover IMPROV, Jazz Dance World Congress, and Broadway Kids to name a few.

Jasmine continues to judge for national dance competitions and choreograph for studios in the southeast. She looks forward to continuing to share her passion for dance with future students in the upcoming years.

Jennifer Loterzo is an accomplished graduate of George Mason University, where she earned a B.A. Honors Degree in Dance and Studio Management. During her time at GMU, she was a member of both the Masonette Dance Team and the GMU Dance Company, honing her skills under the guidance of esteemed instructors such as Susan Shields, James Lepore, Linda Miller, and Elizabeth “Buffy” Price.

Upon graduation from GMU, Jennifer took on the role of owner and director of Dance and Theatre Unlimited, a dance studio in Powhatan, Virginia, where she cultivated young talent from 1998 to 2004. In 2004, she returned closer to her roots to lead Premiere Dance Academy in Chesterfield County, where she has continued to guide dancers for nearly 28 years, nurturing their growth and passion for the art.

Her commitment to the art of dance extends beyond her studio, as she has furthered her own training Jennifer holds certifications in a range of dance disciplines, including Alixa Flexibility (Module 1), Progressing Ballet Technique (module 1), and Acrobatic Arts (Module 1, Aerials and Back Handsprings, Flexibility & Contortion, AcroDance Preschool, Module 2, Back Tuck and Back Layouts, and Acrodance Competition Adjudication). Additionally, she is certified by Danscend as a Mental Wellness Certified Dance Adjudicator. In 2024, she proudly became an alumni of Karida Griffith’s Tap Teacher Lounge, further expanding her expertise.

Jennifer’s exceptional work as both a choreographer and educator has earned her numerous accolades for her excellence in teaching, creative direction, and choreography. Notably, she was featured in Dance Studio Life Magazine in November 2015 for her innovative approach to integrating dance history into her teaching practices.
Through her dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to the dance community, Jennifer continues to inspire and shape the next generation of dancers, educators, and artists alike.

Kelsie graduated Magna Cum Laude from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance.  She has traveled all over the nation performing in both commercial and concert style dance works.  She spent several seasons performing at Cedar Point in shows such as Luminosity and Vertical Impact.  Kelsie also had the opportunity to perform at California's Great America in Ed Alonzo's The Second Greatest Showman.  Between contracts, she was dancing in Chicago for Chicago Dance Crash, Moonwater Dance Project, and Peckish Rhodes Performing Arts Society. She has also had the experience of opening shows for artists such as Andy Grammar, Colbie Callait, Hinder, and even basketball legend, Lebron James. Her choreography has been featured all around the country as well as internationally through various performance companies.

Kristen, a Fort Wayne, IN native and graduate of UGA, has been dancing and performing for over 25 years. Beginning her training at the age of 6, Kristen’s mother always knew she was a natural-born performer. She has studied ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical, cheerleading, acrobatics, and classical voice/musical theatre. Kristen was a member of the nationally recognized UNLV Rebel Girls 

Competitive Dance Team. While attending the University of Georgia, she was a three-year member/captain of the UGA Dance Dawgs. Kristen also performed at UGA Football games as a member of the Red Coats Marching Band dance line, The  

Georgettes. 

From 2012-2017, Kristen performed as an Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader. She led two seasons as Captain, was the 2017 Pro Bowl cheerleader representative, and awarded Cheerleader of the Year. In her last season, she performed at Super Bowl LI and married the love of her life! 

In her 9 years as Faculty at the Greater Atlanta Christian School of Ballet, Kristen started their Tap, Hip-Hop, and Acrobatic/Tumbling programs teaching various genres to kids ages 2-18. 

She has also worked with the GAC Spartanettes program for many years and became the Director of the competitive dance company from 2020-2022. Winning numerous choreography, costuming, and entertainment awards, Kristen is the Owner/Director of Kreative Movement Academy of Dance. A place where she can mentor those who aspire to dance at any level, from beginner to the collegiate and professional levels.

Cameron Thomas is originally from Wilmington North Carolina, where she began dancing at the early age of two. She attended the University of North Carolina Charlotte and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Choreography, Performance, and Theory. She currently teaches in the Winston-Salem area, where she teaches numerous styles of dance and is a choreographer. Cameron’s extensive teaching experience comes in various styles and she finds passion in the artistry that is within the dance industry. She is excited to share her passion for dance with young dancers, and she is passionate about creating a positive experience for all dancers!

Aliah is a graduate of East Carolina University with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health. She was a proud member of the ECU Club Dance Team in 2015 and earned double platinum and overall ratings with her team at

Showstoppers and NYCDA. She is a native of Clinton, NC where she trained for over 12 years in classical ballet, acrobatics, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary,

and hip hop at Quisan's Dance Academy (QDA), under the artistic direction of her mother, Quisan Parker. Aliah was a member of the National Champion QDA Dance Company for 10 years earning multiple platinum, high platinum, and overall high score awards. She has taught recreational and competitive

classes for the past 9 years and as a competition dance instructor, her students have earned numerous platinum, high platinum, diamond, Most

Entertaining, Overall High Score awards, and regional and national championship titles. In addition to her studio training, she has studied throughout the east coast with many dance "greats" including Frank Hatchett (Broadway Dance Center), and "So You Think You Can Dance" finalists Kameron Bink, Caitlin Finney, and Kent Boyd, just to name a few. She has also had the honor of performing at Madison Square Garden in NY for U.S.

Dance Days and at Disneyland in CA. In addition to dance training, Aliah has several years of voice and theatre training. She enjoys coaching young girls in pageants to be their best selves and has held several titles including Miss NC High School 2014, Miss Black NC Talented Teen 2015, and Miss Black Talented Teen USA 2016. Although Aliah has a love for many styles of dance, her specialties are jazz, acrobatics, conditioning and contemporary.

Brittany Caldwell has spent her life blending her passion for dance with a love of learning. After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Chemical Engineering, she went on to earn her master’s in Exercise Science, focusing on performance enhancement, injury prevention, and rehabilitation.  

Now based in Charlotte, NC, Brittany owns a beverage brand, Go Brazee Energy, and directs the Tap & Hip-Hop program at Brenda Cranford School of Dance in SC, where her own competitive dance journey began. She spent seven incredible seasons as an NBA Dancer for the Charlotte Hornets, serving as captain for five years and choreographing for multiple entertainment teams. She also backup danced for several artists, performed in halftime shows, and even took her skills to the ice as an AHL hockey dancer for 3 seasons.  

With a love for street jazz, tap, and hip-hop, Brittany is passionate about inspiring the next generation of dancers. Her goal is to encourage and equip performers to dream big, work hard, and create their own paths in the dance world.

Karson Vick was born and raised in Raleigh, NC where she grew up training with the

Triangle Academy of Dance. While there, she focused formally on ballet/pointe while

also training heavily in jazz, lyrical, musical theater, and acro. She gained serval lead

rolls with the Carolina Youth Ballet and performed heavily with Carolina Ballet.

Once graduating, Karson began working extensively with the Walt Disney Company and

Universal Studios. Following her time there she joined Feld Entertainment’s, “Disney

Live” and “Disney on Ice,” completing three states tours, one Japan tour, and one Africa

tour.

For approximately eight years, Karson performed, choreographed, costumed, and

managed work for a Performance and Production Company. Throughout her

professional career she has performed on several film sets, music videos, modeling

opportunities, and receiving choreography recognition.

In 2020, Karson received her certification from the National Academy of Sports

Medicine.

Karson still actively performs, teaches, and provides personal training to many clients.

Choreographer, consultant, educator, and adjudicator, Megan Montgomery currently based in Orlando Florida, is originally from Detroit Michigan where she received her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance from Wayne State University. There she was a recipient of the Harriet Berg Endowed Scholarship for Choreography. Megan was a touring company member of the over 40 year-old Limon-based company, DDCdances. She was an inaugural and long-time member of the contemporary dance company ChrisMastersDance, based in Detroit/New York. She enjoyed performing the works of artists Biba Bell, Sidra Bell, Harriet Berg, Stephanie Laipis, Sonya Tayeh, Colleen Thomas, and the late Marcus White. Megan studied on scholarship in Chicago at Giordano's Dance School, on scholarship in Detroit at Complexions Contemporary Ballet Intensive, and with Sidra Bell Dance NY.  Prior to concert dance, Megan performed in the NBA on the Detroit Pistons Dance Team, being recognized for outstanding performance quality and leadership. Megan’s performance credits also include recording artists Boyz II Men, Enrique Iglesias, Jax Anderson, and classical musicians Mark Cooney, James Cornish, and Topher Horn.  To enrich her dance training, Megan became a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (2017), leading classes inspired by contemporary dance movement. She continues to guest teach, clean and consult, choreograph for high school and college dance teams, and adjudicate for Platinum, Ignite, and various dance team events, bringing together a diverse background of concert, contemporary, and competitive dance.  Megan expanded her artistic endeavors by becoming an events coordinator and curating exhibits at a local art gallery. In her daily life, you can find her on a yoga mat and walking her dog, Ruby!

Kate is the owner and artistic director of Art of Dance Studio and the non-profit organization Art of Dance, Inc. She is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina where she started dancing at the age of two. Kate found her passion for dance with Classical Ballet and Pointe training as a member of the company at the Triangle Academy of Ballet, taking classes under instructors from the Carolina Ballet Company. Such technical education influenced her to have a strong focus on technique and conditioning for performance-based arts. At the Academy for Performing Arts and throughout college, she studied Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Contemporary, Choreography, Acrobatics, Pilates, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre and was a member of the UNCW dance team. Most of her time was spent traveling to conventions, performances, and competitions where she was awarded countless awards and scholarships through: New York City Dance Alliance, Showstoppers, SHOCK the Intensive, JUMP and many others. She was awarded a scholarship to attend Broadway Dance Center in New York under tap enthusiast Mike Minery. This memorable experience helped mold the choreographer, adjudicator, educator, and philanthropist she is today. In 2016, she created a non-profit company, Art of Dance, Inc that provides scholarships for children’s dance education and college dance education. Kate has a bachelor’s degree in psychology (child development emphasis), Philosophy and Religion and feels that dance unites different types of cultures in a fundamental way. She has also taught at dance conventions, judged for multiple competition circuits and dance programs. Kate truly loves traveling to choreograph, teaching, performing and inspiring others to be their best. She believes that dance is an enlightening form of expression that every child can learn and grow creatively from.

Emily Falcone began dancing at the age of two in Rhode Island and has been performing competitively since she was twelve. She holds a B.A. in Dance with a concentration in Performance and Choreography and a B.A. in Psychology from the College of Charleston. While at CofC, Emily performed in and choreographed for numerous mainstage productions, with her work selected for restaging in faculty concerts and showcased alongside distinguished guest artists. Trained extensively in ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, acro, and tap, Emily has also studied at prestigious intensives including Root Theory / Staib Dance Intensive, Ailey Extension, Joffrey Ballet School, Broadway Dance Center, and the Ground Grooves Workshop. She is a professional company member of Collective SC, performing in local productions such as Piccolo Spoleto. Emily has been teaching master classes and regular dance instruction since high school, working with students of all ages, including competition teams and adaptive dance programs. Her choreography has earned multiple awards, and she continues to teach and perform professionally in Charleston, sharing her passion for dance with both students and audiences alike.

Meredith Parks began dancing at the age of three and is now the Director of Southside Ballet,

where her love of dance was cultivated. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a

Master of Arts in Teaching. She has performed with The Chamber Ballet, Lost Colony, and The Charleston Ballet Theatre. Meredith served as a Dance Educator in both public school and studio settings. She has presented at state and local arts conferences and taught master classes in SC and VA. Meredith strongly believes in continuing education and holds

certifications in Acrobatic Arts, PBT, Alixa Flexibility, Cecchetti Council of America, American

Ballet Theatre NTC, and Danscend. She is overjoyed to return to the IGNITE team this season!

Jennifer Wooten has dedicated her life to the art of dance, beginning her journey at the Vidalia Academy of Ballet under the guidance of her mother, Christine Wooten. From the moment she could walk, Jennifer immersed herself in training, competing extensively throughout the south during her formative years.  In 2016, she took a significant step in her career by assuming ownership of Vidalia Ballet, now The Hive Dance Collective, where she has passionately shared her love for dance with hundreds of students over the last decade. As the proud owner of The Hive, Jennifer has cultivated a nurturing and inspiring environment for aspiring dancers.  Her commitment to excellence has resulted in numerous national titles and choreography awards, reflecting her talent and dedication to the craft. Jennifer hopes to use her experience and passion while judging to continue to inspire and elevate the next generation of dancers.

Heather Moffitt is a Georgia native who spent 15 years working as a performer, teacher, and choreographer in Los Angeles. During her time in Los Angeles, she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology Exercise Science from California State University Northridge with a pre-med concentration. As a triple threat she has trained with top industry professionals. Performance credits include Adam Parson’s Commonality Dance Company, Mandalone Project with Joseph Malone and Jackie Sleight, Jazz Dance LA with Doug Caldwell and Jackie Sleight, Medidanza Stage in Italy with Paula Morgan, The Choreographer’s Carnival at Key Club in Hollywood with Michelle Elkin and Meghan Way, Cabrillo Music Theater’s production of The King and I, the musical iChoose, and multiple Cabaret performances directed by Peisha McPhee. Heather has been teaching and choreographing in Los Angeles and Georgia for over 20 years in multiple styles – ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, acrobatics, musical theatre, and hip hop – for all ages and levels. Her students have performed in musicals, television, film, and national tours. In October 2021, Heather opened Integrity 360 Dance Center in Marietta, Georgia to provide dance education in a positive, inclusive environment for ages 2 through adult in all styles of dance.