Our Faculty

I have been involved in dance for over 30 years, both in recreational and competitive settings. When Ms. Pam and I discussed starting a business 18 years
ago, we chose to open a dance studio. Ms. Pam took charge of the studio’s operations, while I managed the business and financial aspects. When our daughter
began dancing at age 5, our experiences with various studios taught us valuable lessons about what works, what doesn’t work and the areas for improvement. With the unexpected passing of Ms. Pam in 2021, I became sole owner of the studio. As a studio owner, my role is to ensure that our customers have the best possible experience by creating a positive atmosphere, providing consistent communication,
and offering passionate, caring, and experienced dance instructors. Before diving into the dance world, I spent my career in the automotive industry,
starting in design and engineering during my senior year of high school. Working full-time during the day while attending school at Macomb and then Oakland
University at night. Within 15 years, I was managing three engineering offices across the country. Entrepreneurship kicked in and I started a design, engineering, and staffing company of my own with locations in Michigan and Indiana. I ran these operations for nearly a decade. After selling the company, I worked as a plant operations manager in the automotive sector until I retired in 2024. Throughout the life of the studio, I balanced my day job with evening responsibilities at the studio. I firmly believe that a successful business relies heavily on a strong, dedicated team and providing excellent service to your customer.

Ms. Andrea started dancing at the age of 7, in jazz, hip-hop, tap, and lyrical over seven years. My experience includes both competitive and recreational dancing. I graduated from Baker College in 2016, I earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a focus on healthcare. In addition to my educational background, I quickly discovered my passion for creating organized and welcoming spaces where creativity and efficiency can flourish. I have  been with Drop Everything and Dance for 5 years. My genuine love for children further enhances my role, making me an integral and beloved part of the dance community.
 

Miss Sarah has been part of the dance industry for over 30 years and has spent the last 20 years teaching, training, and developing dancers of all ages and levels. She is the Artistic Director and Competition Director at Drop Everything & Dance, where her passion is developing strong, versatile, confident dancers.

Throughout her career, Sarah has trained and choreographed dancers who have earned multiple National Championships, top honors, and choreography awards. She also has a strong connection to the dance team community, working with high school, middle school, and collegiate programs throughout Michigan, Ohio, and surrounding states.

Sarah is a professional competition judge, choreographer, and convention teacher, working with Reaction Dance Force, Beyond the Stars, KAR, and Rainbow Dance Competition. She loves traveling and having the opportunity to teach and work with dancers from across the country.

Sarah holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a minor in Business Administration from Wayne State University. Her professional performance experience includes the Goo Goo Dolls, Jesse McCartney, Taylor Swift, and Rascal Flatts, along with training at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City.

After 20 years of teaching, Sarah’s greatest passion continues to be training dancers, challenging them to grow, and helping them become confident, well-rounded performers

Ms Jessica was born in southeast Michigan and grew up dancing since the age of 5. She trained in many different styles of dance, with a focus in ballet. She was in the Macomb Ballet Company for 5 years, danced on her high school’s Varsity dance team for a year, and then went on to further her education in dance at Western Michigan University. Miss Jessica danced, choreographed, and was stage manager for an interactive Disney-affiliated company for 10 years, traveling around eastern Michigan. She has been a dance teacher since she was 16 years old at various studios throughout Michigan. She also taught group fitness classes and personal training since 2013. Since graduating in 2015 with a BA in Dance and a BS in Exercise Science, her passions for teaching dance and conditioning dancers for injury prevention have coincided. Miss Jessica’s goal in teaching is to integrate correct anatomical positions with proper dance technique to develop strong bodies that can enjoy movement for a lifetime. When she is not teaching dance, she loves spending time outdoors with her husband and two little girls.

Ms. Shelby has been passionate about dance since the age of three and went on to compete for nine years before transitioning into teaching. She has been instructing competitive dancers since 2011, bringing a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion to every class. Ms. Shelby teaches all styles of dance and has led Drop Everything & Dance Studio’s competition team to countless accolades, including Overall National Champion, World Series of Dance Champion, multiple choreography awards, Best in Category honors, and numerous 1st and 2nd place finishes. In 2026, Ms. Shelby was honored as Choreographer of the Year, adding to her many accomplishments as a choreographer and educator.

In addition to her work at D.E.D., Ms. Shelby also coached varsity dance, where she made history by leading her team to become three-time Catholic League Champions—a first in the school’s history. Her outstanding leadership and contributions to the sport earned her an induction into the Detroit Catholic League of Michigan Hall of Fame.

Dedicated not only to performance but also to the long-term health, safety, and success of her dancers, Ms. Shelby prioritizes continuing education in dance instruction. She is committed to staying current with evolving techniques, training methods, and safety practices to ensure her students can thrive both artistically and physically.

Outside the studio, Ms. Shelby is a talented graphic designer and Social Media Coordinator. She is a graduate of Lawrence Tech and Macomb Community College. When she’s not creating or choreographing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their beloved puppy, Birdie.

Ms. Lindsay graduated from Central Michigan University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Interpersonal and Public Communication along with minors in Dance and Recreation. She worked 14 years in the event industry with experiences in sales, coordinating, catering, and decor. She had her first son, Jace in 2017 and her second, Cade in 2018. 

Her dance career began at age 2.5 in ballet and tumbling classes at Borgo Sisters School of Dance in Royal Oak Michigan. She moved into Linda Desment's Dance Class in Sterling Heights taking various classes in jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical and modern.  At age 11, she was moved into the advanced ballet training and was on pointe by 13 years old.  

Spent 4 years dancing with the Warren Mott High School Dance Team focusing on Jazz and Pom competing with the Universal Dance Association. At Central Michigan University she performed with the Orchesis Dance Theater. 

Most recently, Ms Lindsay Choreographed Fraser Dance Team Pom and Jazz routines for the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons.
So far she has 16 years teaching dance at Drop Everything & Dance Studio. She is most proud of her overall placements including several place finishes and multiple judges awards including Most Entertaining, Broadway Bound, and best in Musical Theater in a National Competition in 2015, 2022 Junior Soloist Champion, and 2024 Teen Small Group National Champions.  On her own, Ms Lindsay has received 6 choreography awards.  In 2022, Ms Lindsay assisted in developing the choreography of Rudy Abru and in 2024, Anna Miller.  Both of which also received choreography recognition during their respective seasons. Most recently for the studio, she has been helping out with many of the studio in house events as well as promoting the studio at local events.

I’m a graduate of Alma College, where I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Business Sports Management and Dance. While at Alma, I was a member of the Alma College Dance Team and served as captain for three years. During my time on the team, I had the opportunity to help lead us to nine national championship titles.

I’ve been dancing for 20 years and have spent the last five years teaching and choreographing dancers of all ages and skill levels. I’m also a certified dance judge in both Wisconsin and Illinois. Dance has been such a meaningful part of my life, and I love being able to share that passion with my students while helping them grow, build confidence, and become the best dancers they can be.

Alynne began dancing at the age of three at DuHadway Dance Dimensions in Alma, MI, where she trained in multiple styles and was part of the studio’s competition team. Alynne went on to attend Central Michigan University, earning a degree in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in Dance Studies. She was a member of the Central Michigan University Dance Team, and created dance films for the Theatre and Dance Department, with one project going on to be featured at film festivals around the world. Alynne is dedicated to making learning dance enjoyable and welcoming for all dancers. When she’s not in the studio, she enjoys hiking, spending time outdoors, and being with her husband and dog.

Ms. Ally has been with Drop Everything & Dance for 14 years. She spent seven of those years as a dancer on the competition team, winning multiple regional and national titles with her team. The past seven years, Ms. Ally has been teaching the instructional classes at DED with ages ranging from three to seventeen. She attended Oakland University for two years, majoring in Elementary Education, but later decided her passion was with insurance and is now a licensed insurance agent. She had her daughter Harper in 2021, who now dances at the studio. Her goals when teaching any age are to make them feel like the studio is a safe space to be themselves and feel comfortable to express themselves through dance. She hopes that any child, any age, walks away from her classes feeling accomplished and confident!

Ms. Nicole graduated from University of Detroit Mercy B.S. in Nursing and R.N. Ms. Nicole has been dancing since 4 years old where she started Assistant Teaching at 14 years old. Ms. Nicole also was a dance Instructor in Mental Health Facilities for 2 years. She also was the captain and Solo Performer with LCN Guard. Ms. Nicole performed in Disney World’s Pre-Electrical Parade and participated in Disney's Performing Arts Clinics.

Ms. Marissa graduated from Wayne State University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science,
majoring in dance and a minor in business administration. She is currently enrolled in a
program to obtain her teaching certificate in elementary education. Marissa started dancing at 5 years old and began dancing at Drop Everything & Dance when she was 6. At the age of 9 she began dancing competitively and during her time competing she won awards for her solos, trios, and group dances. One of her biggest achievements was winning the technical excellence award for her solo. She also had the opportunity to recompete her solo after making it into the top 5 in her category. Many of the group dances she was a part of had the opportunity to re-compete for higher placements as well as winning national titles. Marissa had the opportunity to perform in many parades, at numerous pistons games, Minor league baseball games, gymnastics championships, and flash mobs. Marissa has trained in ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, pom and modern.
While at Wayne she had the opportunity to take classes under many professionals in the
industry. Marissa began assisting classes at 14 and has been teaching at Drop Everything & Dance for the past 4 years. She currently teaches all ages in various styles of dance. While teaching she has found her passion for working with kids and love helping them develop a love for dance.

Ms. Madelyn, also known as “Madz” was trained as a recreational, competitive, and all-star dancer since the age of three at Dancer’s Edge Studio in Shelby Township, MI. She was trained in a variety of styles with a focus on the dance team industry. During her tenure at DES, she achieved 15 UDA National Championships, 6 USASF World Championships, and several individual accolades at regional competitions. She is a recent graduate of Alma College earning a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Dance. During her time at Alma she served two seasons as one of the captains on the Alma College Dance Team. With ADT, she was named a 2 time NDA All-American and earned 6 NDA National Championships, 2 DTU College Classic Championships, and a 2022 DTU Battle Cup Championship. As well as partaking in dance team, Madz was also a member of the Alma College Dance Company performing in works choreographed by guests such as, Winston Dynamite Brown and Laura Kalzack. Outside of teaching, Madz travels the country as a choreographer for BTuck Choreography and a staff instructor for National Dance Alliance. As a teacher and mentor, she strives to empower dancers by providing expert guidance and technical excellence, while pushing the boundaries of the dance industry. Madz is dedicated to teaching and inspiring dancers to express their indivduality and acheive their fullest potential.

Ms. Emily began dancing at the age of 5 at D.E.D. and joined the competitive team when she was 9. She also became an assistant teacher at the age of 14. Throughout her time on the competition team, she won multiple national and regional titles with her teams. She was also awarded several overall placements for her solos over the years, including one she choreographed herself. Emily has worked with multiple high end choreographers during her time on D.E.D.’s competition team which has advanced her training. She has also had multiple opportunities to dance at Piston’s games, Minor League Baseball games, and local parades. Emily is well-trained in ballet, lyrical, jazz, contemporary, pointe, and modern. She is currently pursuing a career as a Physical Therapist Assistant at Macomb Community College. After graduation, Emily hopes to work with athletes and dancers to help them rehabilitate from their sports related injuries.

I began dancing at the age of 2 and entered the competitive world by the time I was 7. In 2020, I joined D.E.D., where I had the privilege of competing alongside my team and earning numerous overall placements and national titles. During my years at D.E.D., I’ve had the opportunity to train with several well-known choreographers. Beyond competitions, I’ve performed in a variety of parades and holiday events, and I was a proud member of the Anchor Bay Varsity Dance Team from 2020–2024. During my senior year, I was honored to serve as team captain. I am trained in a wide range of styles including ballet, pointe, jazz, hip hop, and contemporary. Currently, I am attending Oakland University and pursuing a degree in Nursing. I am excited to continue sharing my passion for dance while working toward a future of helping others through healthcare.

My love for dance began at just eight years old when I started dancing at Drop Everything and Dance. From that moment on, dance became an important part of my life, and I continued training and performing all the way through my senior year of high school. Dance gave me an outlet for creativity, self-expression, confidence, and discipline, and it helped shape the person I am today.

I have always had a passion for dance, art, fitness, and, most importantly, helping others. Those passions are what ultimately inspired me to become a teacher. I love being able to encourage students, help them build confidence, and watch them grow as they accomplish goals they may not have thought were possible.

After high school, I continued pursuing my interest in health and fitness by studying Exercise Physiology at Macomb Community College, with a focus on fitness training. My career eventually took me in another direction, and I became a licensed Realtor while continuing to work part-time in fitness training.

Although my professional journey has taken a few different paths, one thing has always remained consistent: my joy comes from helping people achieve their goals. Whether I am helping someone find a home, improve their fitness, or discover their confidence through dance, I find fulfillment in motivating and supporting others.

Returning to dance as a teacher feels like coming full circle. I am excited to share my lifelong love of dance with my students and to create an environment where they can express themselves, challenge themselves, build confidence, and most of all, have fun doing something they love.

I started dancing at Drop Everything and Dance when I was 5. I later joined the competitive team when I was 8 and continued until I graduated high school in 2025! Throughout those years, my team and I won many national/regional titles, overall placements, and judges choice awards! Back in 2023, I was also apart of a dance that won the Industry Dance Awards in the Lyrical/Modern/Contemporary category! I have had many great opportunities while being at D.E.D. like working with professional choreographers, dancing in local parades and more! I became an assistant teacher during this time as well, starting when I was 15. Outside of D.E.D., I am an assistant coach for all of the L’Anse Creuse Youth Dance Teams! I also go to school full time at Oakland University, double majoring in Criminal Justice and Psychology. After graduation, I hope to become a criminal psychologist and to continue to share my passion for dance with others!

Ms. Katelyn began dance at the age of 5 and joined the DED competition team at 14 years old. While on the DED competition team she won multiple national and regional titles, as well as worked with well known choreographers. Ms. Katelyn has been an assistant teacher at DED for almost two years. She was apart of the USPBL dance team for 3 years and was also a member/choreographer of a club dance team at Central Michigan University known as Infusion Dance Team. Ms. Katelyn has her bachelors in Psychology and is currently working towards her Masters in Child Psychology, and will soon be working towards getting her teaching certificate. She is trained in a wide range of styles including ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and contemporary. Her passion for teaching has grown in huge amounts over the years, and she is so excited to help students reach their fullest potential while having the most fun possible!