OUR TALENTED INSTRUCTORS
JACKIE WILLIAMS
Owner & Director/Acro Director
Jackie
became the Owner & Director of Dance Connection Performing Arts Center in 2005. She is safety certified by the USA National Congress. She has attended classes on spotting, drills, and creative teaching. She has been a member of USA Gymnastics since 1993.
Jackie was the Program Director and taught gymnastics to children ages 15 months to 18 years old at All Star Gymnastics from 1992 to 2008.
She was a gymnast from 1973-1979.
Jackie is a mother of three children: Shana, Sarah, and Erik, and a grandma to Trevor, Landen, Alayna, Gavin, Aiden, Julian, and Elliot. Running the studio and enjoying every minute she can with her family, keeps her very busy.
SARAH BARRETT
Company Director/Master Teacher
Sarah
began dancing at the age of two, and she has been with Dance Connection Performing Arts Center since the age of seven. During her competitive years she trained extensively in all genres of dance, and she had the opportunity to work with well-known choreographers from all over the United States. Sarah also won numerous overalls, scholarships, and titles from many competitions and conventions.
Sarah began Assistant Teaching at 12 years old, she became a Master Teacher at 18 years old, and she has been DCPAC’s Company Director for 13 years. She really enjoys playing such an important role for the team who is more like her family. Sarah continues her training by observing classes of all genres and attending local dance conventions. Her choreography has also won numerous awards.
Sarah is excited for the upcoming 2023-2024 season! She has a true passion for dance, and she can’t wait to continue passing along her dedication, love, and training to all of her students. “I want to inspire people. I want someone to look at me and say, “Because of you, I didn’t give up.”
MISSY SHOCKLEY
Ballet Director/Master Teacher
Missy
has been training in Ballet since the age of seven. She became a Principal Dancer with Gateway Ballet St. Louis and was a Silver Medalist in the Amilita Hoffman U.S. Ballet Competition. Going on to dance with Joffrey Ballet in New York City, on Broadway in Legs Diamond and Club MTV, the Muny St. Louis and Fox Theater. She ran a division of Starlight Productions Dance Competition and apparel for LA Dance Magic. Missy's students have gone on to dance in Las Vegas and Los Angeles performing in commercials and dancing on tours.
Missy is very excited to be back teaching in a place she calls home and is looking forward to a wonderful year of sharing her love of dance with the students of Dance Connection Performing Arts Center!
ANGIE MAHLIN
Recreational Director/Master Teacher
Angie has been a part of the Dance Connection Performing Arts Center family for five years now. She is starting her fifth year as the Recreational Director and continues to grow within her role. Her love and passion for dance has resonated through her teaching and students.
Angie began dancing at the age of seven years old at Dufrenne Dance Academy. She studied ballet, tap, and jazz and grew a fondness for jazz while there. She moved to Berkley Evans and American Youth Performing Arts later in her dance training. Both studios had a foundation of ballet which Angie has carried with her throughout her teaching.
She studied dance while in college at UMSL and performed in various showcases the college had put on.
She attended and studied at Dance Masters of America.
She attributes a lot of her teaching style to these classes and teachers she studied from. She is excited to bestow more of these teachings onto the next generation of dancers.
STEPHANIE REESE
Office Manager
Stephanie
has been working as the Office Manager at Dance Connection Performing Arts Center since 2005.
If you need help or have any questions, then she's the person for you. If she doesn't have the answer, then she will find it for you.
Stephanie loves all of her dancers and families and considers DCPAC home!
GINA BON-PEREZ
Master Ballet Teacher
Gina is a passionate and dedicated dance educator who’s mentored and trained dancers for over thirty years. Her extensive dance training began in St. Louis where she trained with Norma Beutell and Sylvia Granneman (Gateway Ballet) and later Anne Johnston. She received her BA in Performing Arts from Lindenwood University and during that time also studied ballet with Gary Hubbler at Webster University. She lived in New York City for ten years and studied at Broadway Dance Center and Steps and also on scholarship in L.A at Tremaine Dance Center and The Edge Performing Arts Center. She’s had the privilege of training with some of the very best in the field- a few who left an indelible mark in her dance journey include Joe Tremaine, Jackie Sleight, Marcea Lane, Doug Caldwell, Andy Blankenbeuhler, A.C Ciulla, Mia Michaels, Peter Schabel, Finis Jung, Madame Darvash, David Howard, Germaine Salsberg, Barbara Duffy and Ray Hesselink. Professionally, she’s performed in stock and regional theatre as well as several Broadway National and European productions. Career highlights include touring the country in productions of State Fair, My Fair Lady, Evita, The King and I and the European tour of Grease as well as singing in the opera Die Fledermaus in Rome, Italy. She’s also performed in regional productions of Chicago (Velma Kelly), Nunsense II (Sister Leo), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Rosa Bud), A Chorus Line and the world premiere of Prince and the Pauper. She’s been a faculty member and guest choreographer for many prestigious performing arts centers and choreographed productions for high schools and colleges in the East Coast and St. Louis region. In addition, she’s served as faculty member for several national dance conventions including Dance Masters of America and Kids Artistic Revue. She continues to study with the great master teachers of dance with yearly trips to New York City and has completed Vaganova teacher training with ballet great Mr. Peter White and the accredited Broadway Dance Center teacher workshop. Her greatest joy, besides spending time with her beloved family, is walking through that studio door where all the magic happens. There’s nothing in the world she loves more than sharing her passion and love of dance with this next generation of dancers.
EMILIE HATFIELD
Master Teacher
Emilie is from Cottleville, Missouri, where she began her dance training at the age of four.
Throughout the years Emilie has won numerous scholarships and awards for competitive dancing. She has attended dance conventions and competitions from New York to Los Angeles. Emilie has taken classes from many well-known choreographers such as Mia Michaels, Shannon Mather, Joe Tremaine, and Mark Meismer. Emilie has spent numerous summers training at intensives and taking classes at Broadway Dance Center in New York and Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in Los Angeles. She traveled across the country with the Tremaine Performance Team as a company member for eight years. As a company member of Tremaine, she assisted well-known choreographers in a classroom environment. One of her most rewarding moments is watching young dancers look up to her as she is teaching and sharing her love of dance.
Emilie graduated from Lindenwood University where she studied Dance and Political Science. During her time at Lindenwood University she performed in the dance program concerts and choreographed her own work. Emilie attended and performed at the American College Dance Association. She was also a member of the Lion Line dance team who won the 2017 title of Jazz National Champions in the Open division.
This will be Emilie’s fifth year teaching at Dance Connection Performing Arts Center, and she looks forward to the 2023-2024 season! Emilie’s passion is dance. She loves teaching dance and having the privilege to inspire and see growth in the students that come to her class.
AMBER RICHARDS
Master Teacher
Amber is a Lindenwood University 2021 BFA in Dance graduate with an emphasis in Contemporary. Prior to attending Lindenwood, she was a part of her high school dance team for four years. During her time with Lindenwood's Dance Program, Amber performed in the Informal Concert at the American College Dance Association's Conference in Springfield, Ohio. She also had the opportunity to perform in the Gala Concert in Madison, Wisconsin. Amber has had the opportunity to perform at the Detroit Dance City Festival and the Big Muddy Dance Festival, along with the Fall, Winter, and Spring Dance Concerts at Lindenwood. After graduation Amber was a part of Ashleyliane Dance Company, where she had the opportunity to dance at Fall DanceFest, Saint Louis National Dance Week, WashU’s Master’s Showcase, and three of the companies dance concerts.
This will be Amber’s fourth season with Dance Connection Performing Arts Center, and she is eager to see what this new season brings!
RACHEL PROSSER
Master Teacher
Rachel fell in love with dance when she was 10 years old when she received dance lessons as a Christmas present from her mom. She never looked back. She has been dancing for 30 years and teaching since the age of 12. She has trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop musical theatre, and pom. Rachel has won multiple local and national awards for her performances and choreography. She was also a part of the Francis Howell Central Sensations Dance Team in high school.
After high school, Rachel danced in Las Vegas, Chicago, and Los Angeles before moving home and meeting her husband, Brian. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and her Master of Business Administration degree from Lindenwood University. She works in healthcare administration and has three wonderful children Mason, Evie, and Declynn.
She is so excited to teach dance again and looking forward to building new relationships while sharing her passion for art and movement with the Dance Connection Performing Arts Center family!
BRITTANY GUZMAN
Master Teacher
Brittany has been dancing since she was a small child. She was a part of the competition team at the studio she grew up dancing at. She took ballet, hip hop, jazz, tap, and tumbling classes. Her favorite classes were jazz and hip hop, but ballet always held a special place in her heart. She started student teaching at a young age which then led to her teaching her own class. Her favorite thing about teaching a dance class is seeing the kids light up when they have been working to master something. She loves being a part of a dance family and watching young children find their second families within the dance community. It is such a great way for a child to express themselves. She is very thankful to be teaching at Dance Connection Performing Arts Center!
ASHLYN REINHOLD
Master Teacher
Ashlyn
has been dancing since she was four years old. She has taken ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, pom, acro, cheer, and musical theatre over her dancing career. In the fall of 2023, this will be Ashlyn’s eighth year as a dance teacher at Dance Connection Performing Arts Center. She started out as an assistant teacher and has progressed to a master teacher as of the 2022-2023 dance season. She is excited to continue teaching dance this upcoming season!
Ashlyn graduated Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education degree from the University of Missouri, St. Louis in May 2022. She is certified to teach from Birth-3rd Grade and K-12 Special Education. Ashlyn spent the 2022-2023 school year substitute teaching in the Francis Howell School District in order to continue practicing in and learning more about the teaching field.
STEPHANIE GREEN
Master Teacher
Stephanie started dancing at the age of three at Joan Brown School of Dance. There is where she started her passion for dancing and tumbling. At the age of eight she moved to St. Charles and continued to dance at local dance studios, where she started on the competition team. She loved to perform, and she really excelled in tap. She continued dancing until high school and then took a break from studio dancing to be on her school's dance team, where she continued to dance and continued learning.
After she graduated, she went back into dance and began to assist teaching. After a very short time she began teaching full time. She taught a little bit of every genre, and she taught all ages from three year olds to adults. During the time she taught, she continued to take classes herself and she taught dances to the competition classes as well as recreational classes and choreography for many solos. She absolutely loved teaching and sharing her passion with all of her students. After the studio closed, she ended up having her kids and took a break from teaching dance for a short time. However, her three year old daughter, Addy, followed in her footsteps and began dancing at the age of three and competing at age four. She began teaching again and has been teaching ever since. She loves working with all ages and in all genres of dance. She also continued to take classes and further her dance education. Dance has always been in her blood, and she loves sharing her passion with others. She feels anyone who wants to dance can dance, and she would love to be part of their journey on the way.
TABITHA SCHACHT
Apprentice Master Teacher
Tabitha was born and raised in Lake St. Louis, Missouri. At the age of three she began dancing, and shortly thereafter she started competition dance and continued through her senior year. Her training over the years has consisted of ballet, tap, jazz, musical theatre, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop, and tumbling/acro. Throughout her years as a competitive dancer she has won many top ten overalls, titles and special awards in group dances, duets/trios, and solos. She has attended master classes in a variety of genres and her attendance at dance conventions has led her to be awarded numerous scholarships and opportunities.
In 2023 Tabitha graduated from Timberland High School with the highest honors, Summa Cum Laude. There she was a part of Timberland’s Thespian Troupe where she was the President and Choreographer for the school's musicals for two years, awarded as a six star Honor Thespian, and chosen to receive the Theatre Arts Departmental Award.
In the fall she will be attending Lindenwood University and will be a part of Lindenwood's Lionettes Dance Team. Her plans are to pursue a major in Elementary Education and minor in Theatre. During that time, she also plans to begin substitute teaching in the local area schools with her Para-Professional and Substitute Teaching Certifications.
In 2022 Tabitha received her first teaching job at Dance Connection Performing Arts Center as a Student Teacher. She is excited to begin teaching as an Apprentice Master Teacher to help dancers find a way to impact audience members through their own unique story!
GRETCHEN JOYNER
Master Teacher
Gretchen was born and raised in the eastern suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri. She was trained in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, and acro at Starz Studio of Performing Arts and was a member of their competition team from 2001-2009. During her time as a competitive studio dancer, Gretchen was able to travel, compete, and take classes from choreographers in Los Angeles, New York City, and many places in between.
In high school, Gretchen also danced for the Blue Springs South Touch of Silver Dance Team. She won a Missouri State Championship with her team in 2005 and was a captain from 2008-2009.
Following high school, Gretchen attended the University of Missouri and was on the Golden Girls dance team from 2009-2011. She competed with the Golden Girls in Anaheim, California in 2010 and 2011. She later went on to help the Golden Girls as an assistant coach during their 2015 season. While at Mizzou, Gretchen also danced with the Greek life production group and was a dance liaison for her sorority, Pi Beta Phi. From 2009-2013, she organized productions for homecoming, RAMS, and Greek Week performances.
Gretchen will be teaching English at Truman Middle School in the Lindbergh School District. She was married in July 2021 to her longtime partner Michael Joyner, and they welcomed a baby girl in December 2022.
NICKI BEIER
Master Teacher
Nicki earned her MAT and BA in dance and performing arts from Lindenwood University, where she taught for five years. While teaching dance educational programs in public schools for MADCO (Modern American Dance Company) and teaching dance to autistic adults, she was inspired to share her passion with students and got her certification in Dance and PE.
She received the Dance Award for Lindenwood University’s dance program and studied on scholarship at the Joffrey Ballet School, the Edge Performing Arts Centre in Los Angeles, the School of Hartford Ballet and Rivernorth Chicago. Mrs. Beier has performed for several companies locally and abroad such as the Opera Theatre of St. Louis and MADCO.
Nicki Beier Certified Dance/P.E. Teacher Grand Center Arts AcademyAlso, Ms. Nicki has been teaching at a charter school for ten years at Grand Center Arts Academy.