Meet Our Team
Joyce
Owner
Joyce has been dancing since the age of five and started teaching at the age of sixteen. Joyce has studied and continues to study in Chicago, New York, and at workshops all over the United States. At the age of thirty, Joyce opened J.A.Z. Dance & More and it has been thriving ever since. Joyce has taught all different styles of dance to all different levels of students. She has had many Regional and National winners throughout the years. Joyce has many past students that continue to have dance in their lives. They study in college, perform, teach, judge, and own their own dance studios. Joyce's students are her second family and she loves watching her students grow each year into fabulous dancers and people. Joyce will always have dance in her life and loves sharing it with her students and their families.
Andrea
Teacher
Andrea has been a member of the J.A.Z. Dance and More family since she was three years old. She has studied various styles of dance such as jazz, tap, lyrical, ballet, hip hop, modern, and contemporary. Andrea was a member of the J.A.Z. Competition Team and during that time received many awards at both regional and national competitions. Andrea is a Bowling Green State University Graduate. She has a B.S. degree in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Dance. While at Bowling Green, Andrea was a member of both the Dance Repertory Ensemble and the University Dance Alliance. Andrea joined the J.A.Z. staff in 2008. She furthers her training each year by attending dance conventions, and often visiting New York City to take classes at Broadway Dance Center. With her training, she is able to use her knowledge to share her passion for dance with her students and also teach proper technique. J.A.Z. Dance & More has such a special place in Andrea’s heart and she feels so blessed to be a part of it.
Cheryl
Teacher
Cheryl has been teaching at J.A.Z. Dance & More since she was sixteen years old. She has trained dancers in all levels in tap, jazz, lyrical, ballet, and tumbling. Her dance training began at the age of three. At age 11, she joined the J.A.Z. family and loved being a member of the competition team. Throughout her teaching career she has attended dance workshops including JUMP, NUVO, KAR, CLI Studios, and has traveled to Broadway Dance Center in New York to learn from amazing choreographers. Over the years, Cheryl's students have won many Regional, National, and Title awards and recognitions at competitions. Teaching dance in Cheryl's passion. She believes that dance inspires children to build relationships and friendships. It pushes and grows their confidence. Dance also challenges their bodies and minds in new ways. Above all, Cheryl believes that dance is a fun and rewarding experience that teaches lifelong skills.
Chris
Teacher
Chris has been a member of the J.A.Z. Dance and More family since his daughter, Emma, was three years old (2016). Chris was bitten by the “theatre bug” in his middle school theatre program and went on to enjoy performing throughout his high school career. He attended The Ohio State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre in 2010. He went on to receive a Master’s degree in Drama Education (K-12) in 2012. During his time at Ohio State, he had the opportunity to perform in various semi-professional performances, in acting, design, and direction. After graduation, Chris taught in Columbus City Schools at West High School. He re-established and implemented a student-driven educational theatre program full of student original works and engaging theatrical opportunities and productions. Chris made the difficult decision and left West High School in 2018 and joined on at Whetstone High School. He co-created and artistically directs the mainstage productions for Whetstone Academy of Performing Arts. In 2019 they presented Hairspray the Broadway musical and were set to produce Beauty and the Beast this Spring. Chris thoroughly enjoys the free world of improvisation and directing scenes - pushing actors beyond their potential using Stanislavski methods. Chris loves engaging his theatre classes with kinesthetically-driven ensemble work in which every student can be successful by participating. He feels blessed to be among such an incredible staff of artists here at J.A.Z. and looks forward to seeing your student(s) in the Acting For The Dancer class!
Charlotte
Teacher
Charlotte began dancing at the age of 2 and continued to dance throughout high school and college. She studied tap, jazz and ballet. At the age of 15 she began teaching dance and continued to teach throughout high school and into her college years. Charlotte has continued to support her love of dance by watching her daughter, Avery, who was a member of J.A.Z. Dance & More until recently graduating, and by working in the office at the dance studio for many years. Charlotte has a passion for working with young children. She has many years of experience teaching young children at her church and also working at a preschool. Charlotte is looking forward to helping young dancers have fun while learning and developing a passion for dance.
Patty
Teacher
Patty moved to the area in 2019. She was born and raised in Painesville, Ohio where she studied dance at Studio Theatre. With over 25 years of teaching experience, Patty has taught various levels of pointe, ballet, acrobatics, tap, jazz and social ballroom dancing. During that time she has shared her love of dance with children as young as 2 years old and adults well into their 90’s. Her teaching career started at Studio Theatre as a young teenager and she has since owned her own dance studio, taught for non-profit school of Fine Arts, pre-schools, high school events, local events, nursing homes and choreographed Bride and Groom’s first dance. Some of her students have received scholarships to study dance in college, become dance teachers, perform with ballet companies as well as on Broadway. Patty believes in strong technique and that everyone can learn to dance. Patty is excited to be sharing her love of dance and being a part of the family at J.A.Z. Dance & More.
Jada
Teacher
Jada has been dancing for 12 years at J.A.Z. Dance & More. She has been dancing competitively for eight years. Jada loves to teach and has been assisting in classes with the younger dancers for years. She is currently homeschooling. When she gets older she would love to be on Broadway or own her own studio. She also loves to act and sing. Jada loves dancing and is looking forward to helping others grow.
Molly
Teacher
Molly has been dancing since she was five years old and has been teaching at J.A.Z since 2022. She has trained in ballet, modern, lyrical, tap, pointe, jazz, and musical theatre style dance competitively and recreationally throughout her childhood and continued at the University of Pittsburgh receiving a minor in dance while participating in the Pitt Dance Ensemble. She began teaching dance and choreographing musicals at 14 years old and has not stopped since. Her choreography and dance credits include Mary Poppins, The Wiz, Seussical the Musical, Bye Bye Birdie, Annie Jr. , Cinderella Jr., Lion King Jr., Alice in Wonderland Jr. and she is a The Hershey Theatre Apollo Awards nominee for Best Choreography in a Musical and Best Lead Actress in a Play. Molly is excited to bring her love of dance and storytelling to the dance family at J.A.Z. Dance and More.
Chanel
Teacher
Chanel started dancing at the age of 4 years old and she continued dancing wherever she could throughout elementary and middle school. Which led her to learning hip hop and hip hop history at Bretnell recreation center and winning several hip hop competitions with them. In high school she earned a degree of specialization in dance performance from Fort Hayes High School. She was accepted onto Wright State University’s Emerald Jazz dance team where she competed at NDA College Nationals in the hip hop category. After college, she joined Black Cultured Performing Arts, performing in many hip hop dance and acting productions. She then started teaching ballet to the younger team members in the company and that experience inspired her to continue to share her knowledge and love for dance with the youth at summer camps: TD2 Dance Camp and Camp Lead: a step in the right direction. Today, She is a member of the TruKingdom Mega Crew and professional hip hop dance Crew in Columbus, Ohio. She works with BalletMet teaching their community outreach dance discovery programs in The King Arts Complex Soar on Saturdays hip hop program and in Reynoldsburg schools teaching jazz/hip hop at their Reynoldsburg Summer Arts Camp. She gained a love for Heels dance when she traveled to New York City and took classes at Broadway Dance Center and Peridance Center and now she teaches adults how to not only walk in heels but confidently strut and connect with their feminine side.
Maria
Teacher
My name is Maria Peltier. I was born and raised the youngest of 7 in small town Marion, Ohio. I began dancing in the womb, but mostly started dancing as early as I can remember. My mom would play music for me as a baby and I would dance and bop around and when I became able to walk, I started dancing more and more. My mom put me in dance at 5 years old at a studio in Marion called Edye Cook School of Dance. I danced there from age 5 til I graduated high school in 2020. However, during my years of dancing there, I demonstrated/helped out in classes as well as taught my senior year til the spring of 2023. I taught there for 4 years and loved every second of my time there. I loved every student I got to connect so deeply with but I am very excited for my next journey at JAZ and to love on every new kid I meet! I live in Columbus, Ohio and currently not in school but plan to go back eventually! I am a nanny as well as a server and a dancer in New Vision Dance Company in Columbus. I joined NVDC in the fall of 2022! I absolutely love being apart of a dance company because my favorite thing is to perform. I love dancing so much. Dancing helps to reduce the stresses of everyday life! It helps me to listen to my emotions and understand my feelings. It connects my soul, body, and mind to the floor and helps me connect to my inner self. It has taught me self love and makes me very happy. Dancing helps me to understand who I truly am and it brings me so much joy. As a teacher, I want to express my love of dance onto my students. I want them to express themselves and be themselves. As a teacher I want to connect to my dancers and teach them to find confidence in themselves and perfect their performing skills. As a teacher, I want to help my students learn valuable life skills such as responsibility, persistence, communication skills, and accountability! I am so excited for my next journey of teaching dance at JAZ. I look forward to a wonderful year of dancing!
Check us out!
Watch our promo video, read about our staff, check out the summer & fall schedules....and then register to start dancing with us!!