Drew Jones, founder and director of Dance & Company, holds a Bachelors of Education from JMU, where she studied dance on the master’s level. She trained privately with Robin Haig, former soloist, Royal Ballet Company, (London) and has studied with the following: Andahazy School of Classical Ballet (St. Paul) with Marius Andahazy, Luba Gulyava and Gabriella Komleva (Ballet Russe de Monte’ Carlo), Finis Jung (Harkness Ballet), Ted Kevitt and Michelle Lucci (Milwaukee Ballet) and Robert Atwood (Alvin Ailey School) She attended summer intensives with Boulder Ballet, Florida Dance Festival, Somerset Ballet (Kansas City) and Copley Ballet (Boston).
Addison Bridges is a former member of Jam Youth Project Performance Company (2016-2023). While a member of the company, Addison performed at RIFF Tap Festival (Dallas TX), DC Tap Festival, OC Tap Festival (Orange Co. CA.), and Spectapular in Washington DC. Concurrent to this, Addison was a member of Level Dance Project, a competitive performance company, for which she substituted in teaching Hip-Hop and Tap classes. Addison’s life-long dance training consisted of vigorous Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz and Tap Dance. Some of Addison’s awards include: AACPS ALL County Dancer (2021-2023), Maryland All State Dancer Honorable Mention, Maryland All State Select Choreographer, and AACPS Next Gen Showcase Select Choreographer, among others.
Riley Campbell Riley began dance training at age 3 and has spent her life dancing. Currently a SMAD Major at JMU, Riley intends to add a Dance Minor to her course of study in the fall of 2025. Riley is currently an active member of Mozaic Dance Team and Richmond Urban Dance Company. Riley’s early training includes Ballet, Tap, Irish Step, Lyrical, Modern and Jazz, at The Dance Company, in Mechanicsville, VA. In later years, Riley also began training at Richmond Urban Dance, Richmond, Va., where she began a concentrated focus in Hip Hop Dance. Riley is an officer in the JMU Hip Hop Organization, Mosaic, for which Riley also serves as a performer, choreographer, workshop teacher, and Public Relations Chair. Riley mentors middle school aged youngsters in Wyldlife Sessions, the middle school equivalent of Young Life, at Thomas Harrison Middle School.
Karmy Fellers trained at Dance & Company, Center for Dance Education (SC), Columbia Music Festival Association (SC) among other venues; for over 19 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication/Theatre from Bridgewater College, and completed accreditation requirements for the Virginia State teaching certification.
Merinda Hamblin Hutchison began Irish dance as an adult under the instruction of Jo-Ann Carle with the Carle school of Irish dance in 2010. She began competing shortly after and has achieved championship level while competing against dancers in their teens. She has won many local and regional feisanna and has competed at the regional Oireachtas. For the past six years, she has furthered her dance education by attending Camp Rince Ceol in NY, Camp Rince Ceol Elite camp, and the Irish Dance Festival in Carlingford, Ireland. She was instructed at these camps by some of the worlds best Irish dancers and principal dancers in both Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. She has also performed on stage with Scythian and Gaelic Storm, two very well known Irish bands. Merinda is currently a student of the District Academy of Irish dance in Washington, DC. District is under the direction of Joe Duffey, TCRG and Bernadette Deveraux Chichester, TCRG, both of whom are currently dancers in Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. She has a love for Irish dance that she hopes to share with and grow in Harrisonburg.
Jenna Heffner trained at Dance & Company for 14 years where she studied ballet, Pointe, Jazz, hip-hop, modern, and musical stage, and attended various master classes and intensives. She studied ballet under John Gill Seamen and Leo Clark, and danced along with Michele Wiles from American Ballet Theater in the Nutcracker. Before teaching at Dance and Company, Jenna worked as a preschool teacher’s assistant.
Alexis Henk joins our Dance & Company teaching team, from Halestone Dance Center, Lexington, Va., where she has taught various classes including Clogging, Creative Movement, and Modern. At Halestone Dance Center, Alexis also taught Jazz and Ballet as a substitute teacher, choreographed dances for Fall and Spring performances, and taught summer dance camps from 2020-present. Alexis is currently pursuing her B.A. degree at JMU, as a Dance Major. She is a member of both, The JMU Contemporary Dance Theatre and The Virginia Repertory Dance Theater. She serves our local community as a Young Life team leader. Although Alexis is highly skilled in multiple dance forms, she conveys Ballet and Modern to be her favorite dance styles.
Melodie May is Dance & Company’s office manager. Melodie holds a degree in Elementary Education and has danced for over 30 years: first at Dance & Company, where she was a member of the Shenandoah Contemporary Dance Theatre and later at Messiah College. While at Messiah, Melodie became Director and Head Choreographer for Acclamation Dance Ministry and taught advanced Modern and Tap classes.
Victoria Natale Miller has been immersed in the world of dance since the age of 3, training extensively at Dance and Company in various styles, with a focus in ballet and modern. She joined the Shenandoah Contemporary Dance Theater from 2015 to 2018, where she had the opportunity to perform and collaborate with other talented dancers, choreographers, and teachers in the world of contemporary dance. In 2021, Victoria completed advanced ballet training at Ballet Magnificat's School of the Arts, refining her technical skills and deepening her understanding of classical ballet. She continues her growth as a dancer today at Charlottesville Ballet, where she trains as an adult to stay connected to the artistry and discipline that inspired her from the beginning. Victoria began teaching at Dance & Company in 2016 and has continued to share her passion for dance with students there over the years. She is always excited to return to the studio that helped shape her own love for dance, thanks to the kindness and mentorship of many other teachers who continue to teach there today.
Anna St. Ours Morris grew up dancing at Dance & Company, where she developed a passion for dance, especially modern and improvisational dance. Anna received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from James Madison University and a Master of Arts in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Drexel University. Anna has over 15 years of experience as a dance choreographer and instructor. Anna believes in the art of dance as the ideal avenue for story-telling and confident self-expression.
Grace Mugica Grace holds a Bachelors of Arts in Communication with a Major in Theatre, and a Musical Theatre & Design Tech Specialization from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Her early dance training came from Jennifer’s Dance Academy and Center Stage Academy of Dance, where she studied Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary and Pointe. She earned the Miami County Visual Performing Arts Excellence Award (2020), and attended The American Musical and Drama Academy Summer Conservatory (2019). Grace holds numerous performance and production credits from 3B Theatre/ Maumee Indoor Theatre, Perrysburg Musical Theatre Company, Bowling Green State University, BGSU Elsewhere Theatre, Tippecanoe Arts Center, Horizon Youth Theatre (Director, Choreographer, Music Director), among others. At these venues, Grace performed roles in Chicago, Bright Star, Mama Mia, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Shrek: the Musical, and numerous others.She also has extensive experience in production roles at the aforementioned venues as Director, Choreographer, Music Director, Stage Manager, and Light Board Operator. Grace is a former dance instructor at Center Stage Dance Academy, where she instructed students ages 5-15 in Tap, Jazz and Ballet (2017-2019).
Emily Parkinson graduated from James Madison University with degrees in Dance and English as well as earning a teaching license in dance for the Commonwealth of Virginia. She was the recipient of the Dance Faculty Award at JMU and served as Student Technical Director for the Dance Department for the 2012-13 academic years. Emily is Director of The Shenandoah Contemporary Dance Theatre.
Drew Smith grew up dancing at Dance & Company. Drew studied various dance disciplines at the advanced level to include: Ballet, Modern, Musical Stage, Jazz and Hip Hop. Drew is a former member of The Shenandoah Contemporary Dance Theatre, the satellite performance company of Dance & Company. She began training to teach dance by becoming an assistant teacher in 2021 and now offers classes as a primary teacher at Dance & Company. Beginning in 2021, Drew was a member of Teachers for Tomorrow, where she served as a STEM Helper and Teacher’s Assistant. Drew was The Code of Ethics Award winner at East Rockingham High School (2016-2017), where she was also involved in SCA, FCCLA Cheerleading, NJHS and the STEM Academy.
Rebecca Thomas, the Educational Director of Dance & Company and was the founder and Director of Tappin’ Company, trained at the Wilkins School of Dance (Virginia Beach), where she later became a teacher. Rebecca graduated from JMU in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies with minors in Dance & Early Childhood Education. Rebecca teaches fourth grade at Peak View Elementary School.
Erin Alfree Williams holds an undergraduate degree in Dance from DeSales University and a master’s degree in Dance/Movement Therapy from Drexel University. While at DeSales University, she trained in ballet and modern technique under the direction of Vincent Brosseau, and performed with the university’s touring company and dance team. Over the course of four years, while at DeSales, Erin taught in the Conservatory of Dance, offering dance classes to children ages 4-12 years old. Erin has performed with the Brandywiners, Ltd. community theatre company in summer musical productions, danced for 3 years in the Philadelphia Mummer’s Parade, and served as assistant choreographer for numerous spring musical productions.
Julia Woolfrey is a senior double major in Dance and Media Arts and Design at JMU. Julia has been a performer since age 3, studying multiple dance forms, throughout her formative years. In 2018, Julia began studying with Raynor Van Der Merwe, former professional dancer and current owner of Encore Performers, Chantily, Va. By 2020 Julia was selected as a substitute teacher at Encore Performers, where she led classes of students ages 8-15 years old. In 2023 Julia was selected as a Judge Panelist for Fredericksburg Dance Studio, where she scored and gave positive and constructive critique to performers and choreographers and encouraged young dancers to perform with confidence and energy. During the summer of 2023, Julia served as an Administrative and Teaching Intern at Sophie Dance Studios, Los Angeles, CA., where her duties included aiding in teaching classes for 2-6 year- olds, in Ballet, Tap, and Pop. Additionally, Julia assisted in studio management details and in creating a content calendar for social media. Julia’s former teachers and mentors describe her as a well organized, natural-born leader, with a passion for teaching.
Ella Young acquired her initial dance training at Dance & Company, where she trained in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Musical Stage, Tap and Hip Hop, all at the advanced level, Ella was an active member of The Shenandoah Contemporary Dance Theatre, and a participant in the Fine Arts Academy at HHS. Ella also trained in voice and participated in numerous musical productions. Ella attended The Virginia Summer Governor’s School for dance. She is currently a member of Mozaic Dance for which she serves as Vice President. She attends JMU, where she is majoring in psychology and minoring in dance. Ella begins her fourth year of teaching at Dance & Company.