Alyson Veit | Owner/ Director
Alyson graduated from Wittenberg University with a B.A. in Psychology and a Dance minor. During her years as a Wittenberg Dance Company member, Alyson choreographed numerous works including Number 4, El Jardin de Aquarila, Bane, and Weather, which was adjudicated at the American College Dance Festival in 2001. After graduating, Alyson attended The Ohio State University as a graduate student in Clinical Counseling. In 2006, Alyson opened Powell Dance Academy with the support of many, many friends, family, and dancers. Her goal is to provide an ever-improving, healthy, environment for children and adults to learn the many joys of dance. Her passion is Modern dance and she has trained in various forms including Graham, Cunningham, Taylor, and Horton. Over the years, she studied with professionals such as Shih-Ming Li Chang, Ligia Pinhiero, Karen Eliot, Susan Van Pelt Petry, and most notably, Carmen De Lavallade, former principal dancer with Lester Horton Dance Theatre and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. As a teacher, Alyson presents her students with the basics of Modern using contraction, fall and release, momentum, and internal connection. As the students gain confidence in class, improvisation is incorporated and eventually becomes a staple in class and advanced student choreography. Through improvisation, students develop their own unique way of moving through space; students develop a sense of their own body's true, genuine dance. Her choreography has been recognized and awarded at regional and national level competitions. As a small business owner, Alyson prides herself in running a successful program that helps produce well-rounded and strong-minded young people, fosters a sense of familial well-being, and, quite frankly, sustained a steady growth throughout the economic pitfalls of the past two decades, all while raising four children. Alyson and her husband Corey live in Powell and enjoy spending time with their 3 sons, Beau, Cullen & Tanner and daughter, Baya.
Megan Forlenzo | Billing Dept., Virtual Staff
Angela Higgins | Office Staff
Darlene Teague | Office Staff
Kathy Ramsey | Office Staff
Valerie Anthony | Office Staff
Natalie Lopez | Dance Team Coordinator, Instructor
Natalie began dancing at the age of two. At four, she began studying with the River Cities Dance company and TJS in Greenup, KY. There she studied jazz, lyrical, contemporary, tap, modern, and ballet. She competed at regional and national competitions winning national titles nearly every year. She was also involved with the company's production of "The Nutcracker" each year holding many prominent roles. Natalie also toured the US as a "Caravan Kid" and studied at Ballet Met's summer intensive. In addition to dance, Natalie was a member of her high school's varsity cheerleading squad for four years and served as captain. After high school, Natalie went on to study dance at The Ohio State University where her focus was modern and ballet. She was also a member of the OSU Dance Team, was an NDA Collegiate All American, and was captain for two years. Natalie also worked as a Head Dance Instructor for the National Dance Alliance, traveling the country teaching students from elementary age through the collegiate level. Natalie is very excited to work with students here at Powell Dance Academy!
Rachel Cahayla-Wynne | Public Relations, Instructor
Rachel Cahayla-Wynne is originally from New Jersey where she studied ballet with Irine Fokine and attended summer programs at Kaatsbaan Extreme Ballet and Ballet Academy East. She continued her training and education at the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music where she earned a BFA and graduated Magna Cum Laude. While finishing her degree Rachel joined the Louisville Ballet and danced with the company for 7 years performing soloist and principal roles in numerous ballets. Rachel has also performed with California Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Fokine Ballet and the Sedona Chamber Ballet. Rachel has over 20 years experience teaching ballet and pointe for all ages. Recently she was Associate Producer of a short dance film that will be premiering at as part of the Reflections Festival in Sedona, AZ. Rachel currently also teaches at Lifetime Fitness and is guest Ballet Mistress for the Sedona Chamber Ballet in Sedona, AZ.
Jenna Moomaw | Instructor
Jenna has been dancing since the age of three. She began her career at Dance Reach where she trained in Modern, Jazz, Tap, Ballet, and Lyrical. She competed in Regional and National Dance competitions through High School. Jenna attended The Ohio State University where she recieved her BSD in Industrial Design and a Minor in Dance. In 2018 she recieved her MFA in Dance from Sarah Lawrence College in New York City. While in NYC Jenna had the opportunity to study Post Modern and Modern dance with John Jasperse, Trisha Brown Dance Company, The Merce Cunningham Company, and many others. This year will mark Jenna's 10th season with PDA, and she is so excited to see dancers that she taught in PreDance now dancing on Jr and Sr team!
Amber Geiser | Instructor
Amber has been dancing for 28 years. Amber studied dance at Bowling Green State University and Kent State University. She also trained at the Broadway Dance Centre in New York and from various master teachers, including Savion Glover. Amber has recently studied under Ayodele Casel, Jimmy Tate, Sarah Savelli, Jason Janas, and Jumanee Taylor. One of Amber's proudest moments is when she danced side by side Gregory Hines at a literacy banquet in Columbus, Ohio. Amber has been a member of Columbus Taps and Hoofin' Rhythms, performing Tap Companies in Columbus, Ohio. Amber was also a featured dancer for John Kunkle's Miss America Road-Show and LeVeck productions, dancing state-wide for national causes. Amber has also been a choreographer for various Miss America preliminaries as well as being the Assistant Choreographer for several Miss USA State pageants. As a student, Amber holds many National Dance Competition titles, including Top Soloist at Starstoppers in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Amber Grauer | Instructor
Amber began her dancing career at the age of 3 and dancing with Miss Alyson since she was 6 years old. She began competing with dance at the age of 6 and then competed up until she graduated from high school. Miss Amber attended Ohio University and graduated receiving her B.S. in Early Childhood Education before beginning her teaching career. She has taught several grade levels for Columbus City Schools, including third grade for 3 years, kindergarten for 4years, and will be teaching first grade in the fall. During 2019-2020 school year, Amber was nominated by her colleagues and won the "Teacher of the Year" award, for all teachers in Columbus City Schools! Teaching is a passion for Miss Amber, whether it be in the classroom or out on the dance floor. Helping children grow in any way possible is important to her and something that she hopes to do all of her life. Amber is excited to be teaching for Miss Alyson and working with the students and families here at Powell Dance Academy.
Alexandra Clark-Stilianos | Instructor
Alexandra Clark-Stilianos (she/her) holds a multidisciplinary Master of Fine Arts in Dance degree from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Science in Dance Education from Bowling Green State University. Her research contains intersecting threads of dance, immersive and interactive theatre, technology, women and gender studies, contemporary and commercial dance forms, and choreographic methods. Alexandra has been a guest artist and choreographer at College of DuPage, Wittenberg University, Ohio Northern University, Bowling Green State University, Ohio State’s Brazil Tour Group, the School Tour Performing Company and she recently held the position of Dance Program Coordinator at Harold Washington College in Chicago, IL. Alexandra has trained with Bebe Miller, Eddie Taketa, Ohad Naharin, Susan Petry, Erica Sobol, Nico O’Connor, Sabrina Phillip, and Tammy Starr. She has also performed for Mashup Contemporary Dance Co., Mattidance, Silverlake Contemporary Ballet, Open Window Dance, and Norah Zuniga Shaw. Alexandra has presented original work at the Going Dutch Festival, Detroit Dance City Festival, RAD Fest, Mix Match Dance Festival, American College Dance Festival Gala, Choreographers Carnival Los Angeles, and RAW Artists. She has been teaching and choreographing for over thirteen years at private studios, dance festivals, community programs, student organizations, and university departments. Additionally, Alexandra has been serving as a regional, national, and international competition judge for over six years. She currently is the Artistic Director and founder of STILGO dance + tech, a Columbus based professional multidisciplinary dance company.
Madelyn Biro | Instructor
Madelyn is originally from Dayton, Ohio. She began dancing at the age of three at Dayton Dance Conservatory, where she studied ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and modern. During her 16 years in Dayton, she danced competitively, attended conventions, performed in Oz the Musical by Todrick Hall, was a student assistant, and trained at surrounding ballet programs. Madelyn attended The Ohio State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. During her time at Ohio State, Madelyn studied the dance minor program focusing on jazz technique, improve, and contemporary classes. Over the past several years, Madelyn has taught and choreographed for multiple studios around central Ohio. Currently, Madelyn works as a Certified Neurophysiological Monitoring technician. This year she is excited to share her passion for dance with her students at PDA!
Kathy Miller | Instructor
Began taking gymnastic lessons at age 4 and began tap and ballet at the age of 9. She began student demonstrating for her teacher at the age of 12 and student teaching at age fifteen. She taught for her instructor for many years before opening her own dance and gymnastic studio in her hometown of Sandusky, Ohio. She was trained in the Cecchetti method of ballet and was tested in both the student and teacher syllabus. She was also tested and certified in Dance Masters of America and Dance Masters of Ohio. Through the years she has continued to teach, choreograph, direct many recitals, and attend many Regional and National dance and gymnastic conventions and seminars to stay current. Since moving to the Columbus area 20 years ago, her specialty has been teaching the young dancer and gymnast. After more than 40 years’ experience she still loves to work with the very young child and hopes to continue to teach them the joy of movement and dance. She lives with her husband of 43 years, and has raised 3 children and has 3 grandchildren.
Giovanna Scopetti | Instructor
Miss Gia started dancing at the age of three right here in Columbus, Ohio. She trained and danced competitively through high school before receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Wright State University. After college, she moved to New York City where she continued her studies at Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway and Peridance Center. She performed professionally in NYC in a range of styles, venues and on tours. Her favorite dance performance there was with The Tap Factor Company at Carnegie Hall and her favorite musical theatre role was as the Dance Captain in Aladdin at West Virginia Public Theatre! She has taught and choreographed for many studios throughout Ohio and New York for over ten years but she has finally found her home right here at PDA! While dance was her first true love, she also enjoys bowling, beach volleyball, her job as a Graphic Web Designer and her two kittens Sushi and Cinnamon.
Libby Welch | Instructor
Libby graduated from Elon University with a BA in Dance and minor in Sociology. Libby performed, choreographed, and assisted in many musicals and dance concert pieces during her time at Elon. Professionally, Libby joined the California Theatre Center company touring the West coast in multiple shows. She was a part of the San Francisco premiere cast of "Oh My Godmother" in addition to teaching at Studio 10 Dance before making the move to New York City. While in NY, she was a member of Germaine Salsbergs' tap company Les Femmes performing in many concerts including Tap City at Symphony Space, Tap Extravaganza, and Tradition in Tap. She also performed in "Singin' in the Rain" at the Westchester Broadway Theatre, and taught at Shuffles Tap Studio. In addition to her time at PDA, Libby works as a clean beauty advocate with Beautycounter, as well as a postpartum mentor for new moms with POEM: a non-profit aligned with Mental Health America of Ohio. She lives in Dublin with her husband Kyle, daughter Izzy & frenchie Jordy.
Taylor Breen | Instructor
Taylor is originally from Pittsburgh, PA where she started dancing at the age of 2 at the Abby Lee Dance Company. She joined the competition team at age 6, competing in tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop. At age 13, Taylor moved studios and began competing with Dance Expressions By Erica in Irwin, Pennsylvania. Taylor danced there for 5 years until she graduated high school and went on to Ohio University. She joined the Ohio University Dance Team and was a part of the team for all 4 years of her college career. During her junior year she competed with OU at NDA in Orlando, Florida. Taylor has taught for her previous studios in Pittsburgh and began her career in Columbus as the head coach of the Liberty High School Dance Team. She is excited to be a part of PDA & to share her passion with all of her students!
Brandie Maxwell | Instructor
Allison Ayers | Student Instructor
Ella Link | Student Instructor
Kendall McGraw | Student Instructor
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