Meet Our Staff


  • Studio Owner / Instructor

    Mrs. Jody began dancing at the age of five with the Bristol Ballet then studied for the next twelve years with the Academy of Performing Arts in Coeburn, Virginia & the Wise School of Dance in Wise, Virginia.  Jody graduated from Radford University with a Bachelors Degree in Dance in 1993.  While at Radford, she was a four year member of the Radford Ballet Theatre, three year member of Radford's Collegiate Dance Team & a varsity cheerleader for one year. Mrs. Jody opened Dance Etc. Studio in Prestonsburg in 1994.

     Jody's experiences include traveling & teaching dance camps across the Eastern United States as an instructor for Eastern Dance Association. She was also a member of their training staff, which included training other EDA Instructors as well as the EDA Curriculum Staff, choreographing dance routines to be taught at their summer dance camps. 

     Jody is a former seven year coach of the Prestonsburg Dance Cats & led them to many awards & honors including several national championships.  She keeps her dance training current by attending numerous dance conventions & teacher workshops where she has studied with master teachers such as Mia Michaels, Wade Robson, Brian Freidman, Art Stone, Joe Tremaine, Jo Rowan, & many others.

    Mrs. Jody currently instructs weekly classes at the studio as well as coaching the studio's five Elite All-Star Dance Teams who have won numerous national titles.  She also teaches & choreographs for other dance teams throughout the area. 

    Jody feels so blessed to be completing year number 32 with DE & to have been able to love & nurture thousands of dancers along the way. She hopes she has taught them not only dance but many life lessons during their time at DE & that they have made memories & friendships to last a lifetime. Jody her husband, Greg, and their two children, Gregory Chase & Makenna Kate, reside in Prestonsburg.


  • Instructor / Office Manager / Dance Shoppe Owner

    Miss Lauren was fortunate enough to have found her love of dance at the early age of three. As a young child, she attended several dance programs throughout the area, including The Dance Studio in Logan, WV, & Miss Jan’s Eastern Kentucky Dance Program. She found her home in 1994 when Dance Etc. Studio of Dance was founded in Prestonsburg, KY.

    Lauren has experience in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, pom, & lyrical, but her favorite style is musical theatre. While a student at Dance Etc. she served as an assistant instructor, traveled to numerous dance conventions, & performed in local shows including The Nutcracker. She competed as a member of the Elite All-Star dance team for 7 years earning multiple national titles along the way.

    During her college years, Lauren danced as a member of the Georgetown College Tiger Dance Team, served as choreographer for Belle of the Blue, directed/choreographed the independent Songfest performances, & continued to volunteer at Dance Etc. as an Elite coach. In 2009, she graduated from Georgetown College with her bachelor’s degree in Communication.

    Lauren is now a full-time instructor at Dance Etc., owns The Dance Shoppe, & serves as office manager to the studio. In addition to teaching dance classes she enjoys coaching the Elite Dance Teams, teaching summer camp, attending dance teacher conventions, & running the studio social media pages. She feels truly blessed to be teaching at her home studio & sharing the love of dance with her students. Her goal is to spark joy & confidence within her students, just as Dance Etc. did for her.


  • Instructor

    Megan found her love of dance early on when she was only two years old & has never looked back. She has trained in many styles including lyrical, jazz, hiphop, ballet, tap, & pom. She was on the Dance Etc. Elite Team for 11 years & was a PHS Dance Cats for four years.

    Along with her studio training she also had the opportunity to attend many different intensives, dance camps, caravans, & most recently, the Dance Teacher Summit. She has been teaching her own dance classes for several years now & enjoys every second of it! She also enjoys choreographing for her classes, the Elite Teams, & other dance teams in the surrounding areas.

    The only thing she loves more than dancing is being able to share the love she has for this sport with her classes. Megan hopes to give her students the same amazing experience that she had experienced growing up in the dance studio.


  • Instructor

    Ashton Sizemore began taking classes at Dance Etc. in 1999. From her very first class she was hooked. During her years as a student she was trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, & tap. She attended many dance conventions & intensives while also assisting with classes.


    Ashton was a ten year member of the Dance Etc. Elite teams. Some of her favorite dance memories were competing on stage with her very best friends. She was also a part of the first Senior Elite Team to compete at the prestigious Dance Worlds. While in high school, she was also a member of the Prestonsburg Dance Cats. Ashton was honored to have received the Destiny Renee Brewer Dynamic Dancer Award in 2012. She was also a graduate of Alice Lloyd College in 2016 with a degree in History.


    Currently, Ashton teaches classes full-time at Dance Etc. as well as working at Wildfire Designs in Prestonsburg, KY. She also enjoys coaching the studio’s Elite Teams as well as doing choreography in the area. Ashton is thrilled to be a part of the Dance Etc. staff. Watching her students thrive & succeed is something she hopes they will carry over into every aspect of their lives.


  • Instructor

    Molly Williams first became a part of the Dance Etc. family in 2007, taking classes in ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, & tap, & became a member of Dance Etc. Elite in 2009. As a member of Elite, she won many national titles, trained with many renown teachers & choreographers, & was part of the first Senior Elite team to advance to finals at the prestigious Dance Worlds & placed 8th among many of the world's best dance teams.

    After graduating high school, Molly studied as a B.F.A Dance Performance major at Northern Kentucky University.

    During her time there she was cast in several pieces choreographed by top choreographers in the show "Dance '18." Studying at NKU expanded her dance knowledge to include specific styles such as Fosse jazz & African under the tutelage of Mercedes Ellington, Tracey Bonner, Missy & Andrew Hubbard of Exhale Dance Tribe, Jay Goodlett of the Cincinnati Ballet, & more.

    Molly is currently back home with her Dance Etc. family as an instructor & coach. Since returning home, she has competed in the Open division at the Dance Worlds 4 times, receiving the bronze medal in 2021, & was named Lead Ambassador for Stage 8 Dance Brands. Molly recently graduated from the University of Pikeville with a Bachelor of Business Administration & is now putting those skills to work as part of the marketing team for Stage 8 Dance Brands.

    Molly is so thankful for the many doors dance has opened her, which couldn't have been possible without Dance Etc.

    She hopes to always be an example to her students of all the opportunities that can come through dance!


  • Instructor

    Mrs. Jennifer began her dance training at a young age before coming to Dance Etc. in 1995 where she is now a part-time dance instructor. Jennifer has extensive training in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, & other styles of dance. She also has received numerous national titles as a former member of the Prestonsburg Dance Cats & University of Kentucky Wildcat Danzers.

    Jennifer, her husband Matt, & their two children (Matthew Ryan & Delainey Grace) reside in Paintsville, KY. Jennifer is a teacher at Johnson County Middle School & currently serves as a coach to the Johnson Central High School Dance Team.

  • Instructor

    Kassidy has been dancing since she was seven years old and has grown up at Dance Etc. She trained and competed with the studio’s Elite team for many years, including two extra years on the Senior and Open teams. Kassidy has also competed at the prestigious Dance Worlds for several years and was part of the DE team what earned a bronze medal in 2021. During her time on Elite, she was honored with the Destiny Renee Brewer Dynamic Dancer Award, recognizing her passion and versatility. Kassidy has experience in jazz, lyrical, ballet, tap, and hiphop, and she loves sharing her love for dance with the next generation.

    Kassidy is currently a student at the University of Pikeville, majoring in Biomedical Sciences on the Pre-med track. Along with her dedication to dance, she’s also passionate about pursuing a future in healthcare and making a difference in people’s lives.

    As an instructor at Dance Etc., Kassidy aims to create a fun and positive environment where dancers feel supported, challenged, and excited to grow.


  • Instructor

    Kimi began dancing at the age of four and quickly fell in love with the art form. Over the years, she has trained in a wide variety of genres including ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, and hiphop. Her dedication and passion for dance led her to become a member of the Dance Etc. Elite Teams where she not only completed but also served as a role model for younger dancers. She was honored to extend her time on the Senior and Open teams for an additional two years, further refining her skills and deepening her connection to the studio.

    Throughout her competitive career, Kimi has represented her team at The Dance Worlds each year and was proud to help bring home a bronze medal in 2021. These accomplishments reflect her commitment to excellence and her drive to grow as both a dancer and a leader.

    Currently, Kimi is pursuing a degree in nursing at the University of Pikeville, where she continues to balance her love of both healthcare and the performing arts. As a dance instructor, she brings enthusiasm, technical knowledge, and a nurturing approach to every class, aiming to inspire the next generation of dancers just as she was once inspired.

Teaching Assistants

  • Kyria Barnette

  • Jasmine Castro-Skeans

  • Cali Cook

  • Jacey Goble

  • Lauren Griffith

  • Elisabeth Hampton

  • Piper Hess

  • Layla Howell

  • Livia Howell

  • Maddie Howell

  • Arayanna Isaac

  • Finley Jenkins

  • Lilly Maynard

  • Caroline Mills

  • Zoe Philpot

  • Mallie Risner

  • Kenli Rose

  • Riley Shepherd

  • Bray Slone

  • Kynle Slone

  • Delainey Smith

  • Katie Stanley

  • Destiny Taylor

  • Lyndsey Wireman