Meet our team

 

  • Sara began dancing at the age of 13. She had the privilege of studying under former Royal Ballet Principal Keith Martin at Ballet California in Northern California - an experience that taught her so much about discipline, consistency, and expression. Sara’s experience in dance shaped her as a person. Because her teachers never told her “you can’t” she always believed she could - and she did! She hopes that every student that comes to CSDA receives this kind of investment and encouragement. We strive to cultivate strong, confident, committed dancers who feel empowered to reach their full potential.

  • Laura began dancing at the age of 5. From there, it quickly became a passion. She danced from elementary to high school, and when she moved away to college, she still sought dance and found a studio to teach at. Now in her 8th year working at the Center Street Dance Academy, Laura continues to be passionate about dancing and teaching. She sees dance as a language that anyone can speak - it moves people, both on stage and off. She prays that dance is always a part of her life, as it’s been the creative outlet she can’t live without.

  • Genesis Garner has been gracing the stage through the art of dance for 16 years now. Her spectrum of experience has been far-reaching from competition dance to performing in professional musicals. She enjoys producing and directing choreography while teaching students of a variety of ages and genders. What fuels her craft most is encouraging and watching every student she teaches to connect with God and the experiences in their life in a more meaningfully, creatively charged way while also improving in skill and practice.

  • Moriah Olson, at 19 years old, has been teaching dance for the past five years. This year, she had the opportunity to teach contemporary dance, her favorite style, known for its expressive and fluid movements. Moriah’s love for dance stems from its ability to bring people together, offering a way to express emotions, share stories, and even connect with the Lord. She is passionate about inspiring her students to explore their own creativity and faith through movement, and finds joy in watching them grow as dancers and individuals.

 

  • Originally from Florida, Mallory began dancing as a child, learning from a woman who studied with the legendary Broadway and film performer, Ben Vereen. This led her to dance on school and competitive teams, with whom she won national titles as a team member and soloist. Also being a singer and actor, she discovered a love for Musical Theatre in middle school, then went on to earn a Musical Theatre degree from Belmont University. Her artistic career has taken her to various parts of the United States as a performer, choreographer, and educator. She loves being able to share her love of dance with her students. It is such a gift for her, to be able to share God’s truths of belonging, beauty, ability, and strength through such a stunning and fun artform.

  • Gabriella has been a dancer since the age of four. Dance has been a way of life for Gabby, starting from her first ballet recital all the way to the present. She has danced in the styles of ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip-hop, lyrical and musical theater. This is her third year of professionally teaching dance at Center Street Dance Academy. She has loved being able to grow in her abilities of classroom management as well as producing and teaching choreography. Her favorite part of being a teacher has been being able to see her dancers grow in their confidence throughout the dance year. Gabby also works as an administrative assistant for lower school programs.

  • Emma Lyons has been dancing for as long as she can remember. She always found it natural to move to the beat of a song, through tap, hip hop, contemporary or ballet. She began taking dance class when she was 5 and fell in love with the art. After dancing for multiple years both competitively and recreationally, Emma took a step back from dance after suffering an injury. However, dance is still a big part of Emma’s life and she loves encouraging young dancers to share their gifts in dance to serve the Lord. Emma has a passion to show dancers that everyone has a place in the dance world and is able to use their skills to praise God no matter what talents they may possess.

  • Haley Imholz joined the CSDA teacher team in fall of 2024 and is thrilled to be teaching here. Haley has been dancing since she was 2. She graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin with a Fine Arts degree in Dance. She has been consistently teaching dance for the last 20 years. Haley began her teaching career through her local church and ran her own program for a few years while living in Oklahoma. After moving back to Tennessee, Haley transitioned to the studio environment. She believes dance can be for all ages and all stages. All four of her kids have had their time on the dance stage and her daughter has continued the legacy and teaches in Hendersonville. Recently Haley took a break from teaching in order to support her boys in their sports programs at The Academy. However, it’s time to start baby stepping her way back into the studio. Haley’s goal in the dance world is for everyone to enjoy this art form, whether by dancing or spectating. Each dancer and performance is unique, but the real joy comes from enjoying dance as a whole with everyone watching!