Our Teachers

Jamie Adams - I've been dancing for over 25 years and am in my 3rd year of teaching children. I studied choreography and dance at Middle Tennessee State University where I majored in music. I previously taught ballet, tap, jazz and theatre dance at St. Edward's School in Nashville and am so excited to be teaching at Jump for Joy!

LeEllen Claud - I began dancing at 13 years old. I was the only older teen in my class after 2 years so I, basically, was given "private lessons" for several years. Kathy Carmon taught me everything about stage presence, proper technique, but mostly, being a good teacher. I started student teaching at 14 and I caught the bug. I've loved showing others how to dance at "performance level" for 30+ years. I was a member of the first dance team at Gallatin High School in 1976. Over the years I've choreographed a variety of routines for various cheerleading squads and dance teams. In the late 1990's I was choreographer for the Beech High School show choir for two years. I've seen many students come from other studios. My biggest gripe is seeing poor technique. I strive to explain thoroughly all terminology and explain why we do steps the way we do. I want my students to dance anywhere and hold their own in any class.

Laura Driver Fritz - Laura started dancing at 4 years old. She had so much fun that she hasn't stopped for over 18 years. She has taken everything under the sun such as: pointe, ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and modern which is a form of lyrical. She have taken with or was taught by most of the people who work here at Jump for Joy. She has done routines for the little league cheer leading squads in Gallatin and they have done wonderful at the competitions they did compete in. Her passion is dance and making routines for recitals and basically just teaching dance to the kids. She loves kids and loves to share her joy and happiness with the kids she has in her class and hopes that they have the same enjoyment that she has had since she started dancing. This is her 5th year of teaching and hopes to make each year count.

Michelle Rippy Heinen - Michelle has been dancing for over 22 years. She has been teaching for 12 years after having student taught for 3 years. She trained under Paula Hinton, Renee Ritter, Terri Wilder, Siamir Avdyli, Thom Yzaguirre, Nadalie Marsh and Sharon Helms. She is a certified member of Southern Association of Dance Masters. She has taught the most beginning level of 1 1/2 year olds to the most advanced 50+ year olds and everything in between in the areas of ballet, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, and hip hop. Michelle has taken various classes over the years including ballet, tap, jazz, acro, modern, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and belly dancing. She still attends regular classes to further her teaching abilities. Over the years, she has attended numerous conventions, workshops, and competitions; and still continues to attend some, such as Southern Association of Dance Masters, Tennessee Association of Dance, the PULSE and Dance Makers, Inc.

Celia Hosse - Ms. Celia has had about 20 years of dance altogether, beginning with Miss Betsy Boyers. She has been teaching for about 17 of those years. She started teaching an aerobics class and then was asked to teach a combination class. She started teaching a Mother/Daughter class when her girls were small to be able to dance with them. Ms. Celia loves dance but feels her gift is teaching the little ones and giving them a good foundation in dance. She also loves seeing others enjoy dance!

Allison Johnson - Allison has been taking dance for 15 years (ballet, pointe, jazz, tap & hip hop). Allison is welll-rounded in all areas of dance and loves teaching the little ones. She has helped with church performances, summer workshops, performing arts camps and taught for Jump for Joy last year.

Susan Penfield - Susan started her dance career at the age of 3 and has now been dancing for over 45 years. She started her teaching career in Birmingham, Alabama; then taught for Fort Worth, Texas Park & Recreation and also owned her own dance studio in Frederick, Oklahoma. Throughout the years, she has coreographed several community theater shows and many church productions for children, youth and adults; and won some talent awards. She has taught in Gallatin for over 10 years now. Dancing is her passion and she loves passing that on to her students.

Britanny McCullough -

Kasey McCormick -

Stacy Jones Stover -

Sondi Trenkler - Dr. Sondi Trenkler is a dancer, actress, choreographer, author, and educator of dance for over 30 years. She received a Bachelors degree in Dance from the University of South Florida, and a Masters degree in Communication through Dance from Florida State University. She received a Doctorate in Physical Education with an emphasis in Dance Curriculum from Auburn University. Dr. Trenkler taught at Auburn University and was Head of the Dance Department at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. Most recently, she has been choreographing musicals for the Steeple Players, a drama ministry of the First United Methodist Church in Hendersonville, Tn. Dr. Trenkler has attended numerous dance workshops in the U.S., Africa, the Orient, Hawaii, Europe, and the West Indies.

Sylvie Wingert -