The staff of Joy’s School of Dance consists of highly qualified group of instructors whose primary concern is education, enjoyment and enrichment of their students. Their specialties include Classical Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Musical Theater, Modern and Hip Hop.
Natalie George
Owner/Director, Dance Company Director; Ballet, Tap, Lyrical and Jazz Instructor for all levels; TATD Board Member; Member Teacher and Guest Faculty Teacher; BA Public Relations Baylor University; Former JSOD Dance Company Member; Baylor University Faculty HHPR Dance Professor; Baylor Dance Company Advisor; More than 20 years of teaching experience
Amanda McKethan
Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Hip Hop Instructor; Miriam’s Army Director; TATD Board Member; Member Teacher and Guest Faculty; BS Elementary Education Baylor University; Former JSOD Dance Company Member; 10 years of teaching experience
Amara Annick
Hip Hop, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Tap, and Ballet Instructor, Baylor University student studying Interior Design, Footlights Dance Studio’s Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Modern Competitive companies, Former FMHS Pop Show Dance Captain
Nicci Arentsen
My name is Nicci Arentsen and I am a jazz, contemporary, ballet, and tap teacher, studying Public Relations and minoring in Business at Baylor University, Baylor Songleader, about 5 years of teaching experience
Eliza Bearden
Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Musical Theater instructor, front desk assistant. Registered nurse in the BSW ER, graduated from UMHB. 20 years of studio experience, dance captain for musical theater and marching band for 3 years, and 7 years teaching experience
Ellinor Bearden
Ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and drill team prep instructor. Baylor student majoring in health, kinesiology, and leisure studies on the pre- physical therapy track. Previous Waxahachie High Cherokee Charmer Captain
Megan Braswell
Junior Company instructor, graduated with a minor in Dance from Texas A&M, Waco Civic Theatre Choreographer, six years of teaching experience
Jordan Camacho
Baylor student majoring in biochemistry with minors in dance and a minor in leadership. 16 year of dance experience, and three years of teaching experience
Megan Daily
Ballet, Tap, and Jazz Instructor, Baylor University student studying Child & Family Studies, JSOD company Alumni
Mikayla Del Rio
Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary and Drill Team Instructor, Baylor University student majoring in Health Kinesiology and Leisure students with a minor in Dance, 6 years of competitive dance, 14 years of training at Deborah Case Dance Academy, Showtime International Kick Club member, 6 years of teaching experience
Devoney Duclow
Devoney Duclow is from Dallas Texas and has been dancing her whole life. She will be a Sophomore at Baylor University and will also be a second year member on the Baylor Songleaders spirit squad
Emma Ethridge
Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary and Drill Team Prep instructor, Baylor University student studying Public Relations and Communications. Emma is from Austin, Texas where she trained at Dancers Workshop and was a member of the Anderson High School Trojan Belles Dance Team. She has 15 years of dance experience and 5 years of teaching experience
Eryn Flood
Eryn is from Waco, Texas where she attended Midway High School, and was a two year lieutenant of the Goaltenders. Eryn is also a former JSOD Company member. After high school, Eryn attended Kilgore College where she was a member of the 82nd line of Kilgore College Rangerettes. Eryn now attends Baylor University where she is majoring in Secondary Social Studies Education
Emma Gooch
Ballet instructor, BA in English from the University of Missouri, ten years classical ballet training and performance, over six years teaching experience
Emma Kate Graham
Junior Company, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Dance/Drill Team Instructor, Baylor University student majoring in Business Fellows and minoring in Dance, current Baylor Chi Omega Choreography Sing chair, former Midway Goal Tender 1st Lieutenant, JSOD Alumni, 2 years of teaching experience
Sloane Guthrie
Hip Hop, Tap, Jazz Instructor and Dance Company Director, Baylor University Graduate in Integrated Studies, Former Baylor Dance Company member and Vice President, 14 years of competitive and recreational training at Rhonda’s School of Dance, Former Fredericksburg High School Red Hott member, Co-Captain and Captain, entering her 7th year teach overall and 6th year teaching at JSOD!
Olivia Hansen
Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Hip Hop Instructor, Baylor University student majoring in Communication Sciences & Disorders, JSOD Company Alumni
Claire Harris
Ballet, Pointe and Contemporary Instructor, Ballet Magnificat! Company Artist, Baylor University student majoring in Biochemistry, 8 years teaching experience
Elizabeth Hooten
Ballet, Tap, and Jazz Instructor, JSOD Alumni
Sydney Johns
Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary Instructor, Baylor University student majoring in Psychology, minoring in Dance, Ann Carroll School of Dance Company Member, Liturgical Dance Program Co-founder and Instructor at local church, 3 years of teaching experience
Katy Jones
Ballet, Tap. Jazz and Hip Hop Instructor, Baylor University student majoring in Viola Performance, JSOD Alumni
Kaija Kennedy
Kaija Kennedy is a JSOD Alumni currently in Graduate school at Baylor University. She has over 10 years of dancing experience in various styles along with company performances at local fairs and events
Kristen Knapp
Hip Hop and Dance Company Instructor, BA in Psychology Baylor University, Dallas Mavericks Dancer, Texas Legends Dancer, Baylor Songleader, Baylor Dance Company, MCC Dance Team, Former JSOD Dance Company Member, more than 15 years of teaching experience
Rainey Lowe
Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Parent & Me Instructor. Studying at Baylor University, majoring in Great Texts of the Western Tradition, minoring in Religion. Former Captain of the Hudson Highlights Drill Team. Former student and staff member at Susan’s Studio of Dance, six years of teaching experience.
Leelee Nelson
Ballet, Tap, Jazz. Dance Team Prep, and Hip hop Instructor, Junior Company Instructor, BBA Human Resources Management Baylor University, Baylor University Admissions Counselor, Dance minor, 8 years of teaching experience
Julia McGuire
Tap, Hip-Hop, and Ballet instructor, Baylor University student double majoring in Business and Spanish. She serves as Baylor Dance Company Chaplain. Formerly danced with Eden Prairie Dance Team (Captain), Kaleena Miller Dance Company 2, and Prairie School of Dance. 7 years of teaching experience
Samantha Peters
Hip hop instructor. Competed on industry and national competition hip hop teams for six years in Orange County, CA. Studio trained in ballet, pointe, contemporary, jazz, and hip hop! Four years of teaching and assisting experience! Hip hop danced in a televised commercial. Math education major at Baylor University
Hannah Qsar
Jazz, ballet, tap, and hip hop teacher from Orange County, CA, studying Business and minoring in Corporate Communications at Baylor University
Hannah Requa
Ballet, Pointe, and Modern Instructor, Principal Soloist with the Corpus Christi Ballet, BFA Ballet and Modern Dance from Texas Christian University, Baylor Adjunct Dance Faculty, 10 year of teaching experience
Sarah Schaffer
Preschool and Mommy and Me Instructor, MBA Tarleton State University Management Concentration, BBA Harding University in Marketing, MS, ABD PhD Learning Technologies from the University of North Texas, Information Systems and Data Analytics Lecturer in Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University. Over 15years of teaching experience
Kirsten Schatz
Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Mommy & Me Instructor, Baylor University student majoring in Biology with a double minor in dance and religion, Baylor Dance Company Treasurer
L. Brooke Schecte
L. BROOKE SCHLECTE was born and raised in Waco, Texas. Schlecte earned with her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance with honors from the University of Texas at Austin and hold’s a a Master’s of Fine Arts in Dance from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. In 2007 Schlecte the founded Out On a Limb Dance Company (OoLD Co.) and moved back home to Waco, Texas. Upon first moving back Schlecte taught at Baylor University. In 2012, Out On a Limb collaborated with Waco Cultural Arts Festival and created {254}Dance-Fest, a curated multi faceted dance festival. In 2013, Out On a Limb Dot Buds (children’s program) was formed and offers a creative dance classes for young children. After producing two collaborative concerts in 2017 and 2019 and welcoming her third child in 2019, Schlecte has been at home raising three children continues teaching at Baylor University, teaching her children’s program at a local school, and teaching an adult dance class at her childhood dance studio, Joys School of Dance.
Lydia Spano
Advanced Ballet/Pointe Instructor, Ballet Magnificat Omega Company Member, Assistant to the Artistic Director, Master Teacher in USA, Belize, Honduras, Czech Republic, and Prague, Ballet Austin Company Member, Northwest Pacific Ballet, More than 15 years of teaching experience
Lasalette Sumbe
Jazz and Hip Hop Instructor, Baylor University student majoring in Interior Design
Savannah Streenz
Ballet, Tap, and Jazz Instructor, Baylor University student majoring in business with a minor in dance and member of Baylor Dance Company. 16 years of dance training in all styles with 9 years of competitive performance. Formerly a dancer at All Out Dance Academy on the performance company. 3 years of assisting experience followed by 3 years of teaching experience
Summer Sexton
Summer Sexton is a dancer with years of experience, and she is working at Joy’s School of Dance as ballet, tap, and jazz assistant. Her skill set lies in the strict technique of ballet, learned from many years of studio training. She trained at The Dallas Conservatory and had many opportunities through her studio training. Some of these include: attending the YAGP ballet competition finals and dancing at the Rockettes Summer Intensive in New York City for multiple years. Currently, Summer is a Junior at Baylor University and continuing her dance training as a Baylor Songleader. She is entering her third year on the team and her love for dance continues to grow everyday. Summer is studying business and has a passion for connecting and helping others. She has knowledge to share with her students and cannot wait to encourage them throughout the year!
Manning Thrower
Ballet, Jazz, & Contemporary instructor; Baylor University Graduate in Sociology/Child & Family Studies and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Lamar University; 18 years of dance experience, 10 years of competitive training; Former student at the International Ballet of Houston; Former Lieutenant & First Lieutenant on the Tomball Memorial High School Silver Stars Drill Team; Former Crowd Pleasers Dance Teaching Staff; Former Head and Administrative Sing Chair for Zeta Tau Alpha at Baylor University (All University Sing 2023/2022); entering her 4th year of teaching at Joy’s School of Dance!
Hayley Ward
Ballet, Tap, and Jazz Instructor, MCC student, JSOD Company Alumni
Cora Zika
Ballet, Pointe, Jazz instructor. Baylor University student studying Exercise Physiology with a minor in Dance. Eleven years of dance experience, two years as a Company Trainee with Central Illinois Ballet Company, and two years teaching experience
Joy Burkhart
Student Assistants 2023-2024
Coming soon!