Ms. Chynna: Lyrical/Contemporary & Tumbling

Miss Chynna Boddie is from Florence, Alabama. She attended Florence Christian Academy and was active in many social clubs.

Chynna has been dancing for twenty-six years. She began competing at Laura's Studio at the age of six. She was on Dance Company for many years and won several awards. She was also asked to compete in Orlando, Florida for nationals and numerous other state competitions. While performing her first solo "Make that Money," she won Miss Petite. She also won scholarships at Company Dance and a CTG award at CoDance in Memphis, Tennessee. Chynna started teaching at Laura's Studio in 2008 and has the privilege to teach so many amazing students. She enjoys teaching all styles of dance and just sharing her love and knowledge with her students. This year Chynna has worked with the Dance Company teams, and they won many platinums, high golds and numerous other amazing awards while also being recognized for outstanding choreography. This year will be Chynna’s third year teaching dance as part of Florence City School’s FAFA dance program.

Chynna would definitely like to say thank you to Mrs. Laura and the parents for making this year an amazing year for her and just being so supportive and helpful in every way possible and always encouraging her to do great things, and that means so much to her! To her students, you all have made  so many different memories from funny, crazy, sad, and just weird moments that she will keep forever. Her prayer is that you always follow your dreams and never let anybody take them away from you. Always try your best at anything you do in life and never give up because all things are possible through Christ, you just have to have faith and believe in yourself, and always be YOU because every single one of you has something special and unique about yourself! 

Mrs. Julie: Jazz, Modern, Musical Theater, & Adult classes

Julie Carter is a Florence native, growing up at Laura's Studio, competing for several years on the dance company. Her passion led her to study at Alabama Ballet, and she graduated from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA, with a Bachelors of Arts in Dance with a Jazz concentration. Julie has worked professionally for Royal Caribbean and Spirit Productions. She has performed works by Jason Sparks, Luam, Mike Esperanza, Jaclyn Buglisi, Merce Cunningham, Lisa Harvie, among others. Julie has taught on faculty at Steps On Broadway, PMT House of Dance, Peridance Center, Sacred Heart University, and has been a guest teacher for the Martha Graham School, Yale University, Steps Youth Programs, Beyond The Stars Dance Convention, and Liberate Artists. Her work has premiered at Leg Up on Life, Peridance’s APEX, and the Steps’ Professional Performance Workshop series. Most recently, Julie completed the training course with Dance Education Equity Association, which focuses on anti-racism, anti-othering, and anti-abuse practices within the dance space. Julie is a proud new mom and excited to be back in her hometown sharing her love of dance with the next generation of movers.

Mr. Cody: Hip Hop & Boys Hip Hop

Mr. Cody Foster has been dancing since the age of 2 and competing since the age of 4. He studies all genres of dance and has been part of many Regional and National winning competitions teams. He has won several Mini, Junior, Teen, and Senior Mr. Dance titles. He spends many weekends a year taking from renowned teachers and choreographers. A few of his favorites being Twitch, Randi and Hefa, and Nick Bass. He had the opportunity to dance in the music video "Sway" by Danielle Bradberry. He hopes to do more music videos in the future. Along with dancing at the studio, he also represented Florence High School with the FAFA Dance Company for four years and as the drummer for the Stage Band. Upon graduating, he was inducted into the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. He is excited to introduce his students to new styles of Hip Hop!

Ms. Fisher: Ballet

Ms. Susan Fisher started dancing at the age of three in Sheffield, Alabama under the direction of Marion Gossett and has served the Limestone county and surrounding areas for over 30 years. After graduating from Sheffield High school, she went to the University of Alabama/Birmingham where she earned a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Dance. While attending college and dancing with the UAB ballet under the direction of Steven Grebel, she taught for The Kathy Draper School Dance, the Birmingham Children’s Dance Foundation, and UAB Special Studies Program. Upon graduation from UAB, she taught for the Performing Dance Arts in Huntsville, Alabama.

While working in Huntsville, in November 1989, “The Dance Factory” was born at the Athens Recreation Center. The permanent home of “TDF” was officially opened in November of 1990. TDF closed it doors in 2014 and Ms. Susan has been on the staff of Dancer’s Inc. in Decatur, Alabama until March of 2020.

Ms. Susan is also certified to teach by Dance Educators of America and held the position of Chair Representative for DEA’s Southern/Eastern Region, traveling on weekends to work as a judge, teacher, or coordinator with DEA competitions and workshops. Ms. Susan had the opportunity to work as a judge for Thunderstruck Competitions as well as Danzamericas Convention/Competition held in Costa Rica where she had the pleasure of teaching students of all ages from Costa Rica, Honduras, and Peru.

Ms. Susan’s performing company students have won many awards at competitions as well as scholarships to New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and London. In addition, her students have been awarded acceptances and scholarships from the Alabama School of Fine Arts, the University of Alabama, Birmingham Southern, Ballet Magnificat, The Alabama Ballet, and the Orlando Ballet.

Ms. Susan's main focus is to give her students quality instruction and share her love of dance with future generations.

Mrs. Rachel: Tap

Mrs. Rachael Nelson is from Huntsville, Alabama. She graduated from the University of North Alabama with a degree in Secondary Education and until recently taught AP Biology at Florence High School. She currently works in the science department at UNA.  Rachael's love for dance started when she was three years old at Ann's School of Dance in Huntsville, Alabama. She continued her training at Bobby's School of Dance, Susan and Vicky's, and Jill's Studio of Dance. During her dance career, she competed at many conventions including Dance Master of America, West Coast Dance Explosion, and Company Dance Nationals in Orlando, Florida, where they received eighth overall for their senior tap number "Dangerous." Throughout her dancing career, she has taken master classes from Gregg Russell, Rhonda Miller, Brian Friedman, and Mike Minery. She has also had the privilege of dancing with Mark McGrath (Big Bird from Sesame Street), Samuel E. Wright (voice of Sebastian), and The Sugar Beats.

Ms. Hallie Kate: Pre-school

Hallie-Kate Sauls is an Alabama native. She has trained at Laura’s Studio of Performing Arts and performed on the award winning company at Laura’s Studio. She has trained in all forms of dance and ballet under the instruction of world-renowned teachers. She has trained at the American Music and Dramatic Academy in New York City and also performed in videos for summer program at AMDA. She is a currently a student at the University of North Alabama majoring in Fashion Design/ Merchandise and minoring in Performing Arts. She has worked with special needs children while attending Haleyville High School where she graduated with honors. She volunteered at ARC for children and adults in the community with special needs. Her love for children, movement and dance shines in every class she teaches. She brings great joy to the classroom whenever she enters!

Ms. Valentine: Acting

Ms. Lisa Valentine grew up in Florence, AL and graduated from FHS. She then moved to Illinois and graduated from Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL. From there, she moved to Nicaragua and graduated from Global Universidad Centroamericana in Nicaragua for Intercultural Studies. Her love for dance started at the age of 2, and during her career as a dancer she has had several amazing opportunities from master classes with Stacey Tookey and SYTYCD, and being a back up dancer for Michelle Williams from Destiny’s Child. She started acting in Kindergarten, fell in love and hasn’t looked back since. She has had the chance to perform on several different stages in the United States in plays and musicals always looking for opportunities to stretch and grow her career. She is now back in Florence where it all started. She can not wait to share her love for acting, dance, and the stage with her students.

Mrs. Tonya: Dance Technique, Ballet, & Pointe

Tonya King has classically trained in ballet, tap, jazz and modern for over 30 years. Tonya brings wisdom and knowledge to the classroom from master teachers around the world. She is a National Award winning choreographer in jazz, contemporary and modern. Choreographed musicals, “Ragtime”, “Annie”, “Big River" and “42nd street”. She has performed with Paramount Touring Productions. She was a signed model with Elite Modeling Agency. While in Los Angeles, she directed “T JAMZ” a weekly live show for Universal Studios that she developed for teens. She taught professionals and students at the Edge, Pepperdine University and many local studios in the city.  

Living in Las Vegas she worked as a Booking Agent for BESTAgency Models and Talent and RED Models. Tonya travels across the states and Central America judging and teaching for many competition and convention companies throughout the year. She has worked for Nevada Ballet Theater, where the Lyrical Repertoire was developed for her along with several local dance studios. 

Tonya began her training in pilates from master instructor Eva Font in Las Vegas while recovering from spinal fusion surgery. She spent three years under her instruction before beginning school to be certified as an instructor. Certified through The Pilates Studio Las Vegas and became PMA certified and continues education classes.