The Team
Who We Are
Cody Foster
HipHop Teacher | Drum Teacher
Cody Foster is a dynamic performer and passionate teacher whose journey in dance began at just 2 years old. He started competing by age 4 and has since earned numerous Mini, Junior, Teen, and Senior Mr. Dance titles while being part of multiple national and regional championship teams. Cody was also a member of DC Dance Factory’s elite company team, where he trained and performed at the highest level alongside some of the top young dancers in the country.
Trained in all styles of dance, Cody has a special love for Hip Hop and performance. He continues to train under top industry professionals—some of his favorites include Twitch, Randi & Hefa, and Nick Bass. One of his favorite moments so far: dancing in Danielle Bradbery’s music video “Sway,” and he’s eager for more opportunities like it in the future.
In addition to dancing at the studio, Cody represented Florence High School for four years with the FAFA Dance Company and played drums in the Stage Band. Upon graduating, he was inducted into the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. He is currently studying Business at the University of North Alabama while continuing to pursue his love for both dance and music.
Cody’s passion for drumming shines through not only in performance but also in teaching—both in private lessons and in worship at his church. Whether he’s leading a dance class, giving a drum lesson, or mentoring a young student, Cody’s heart is centered on inspiring kids through movement, rhythm, and most importantly, faith. He’s excited to share his love for Dance, Drums, and God with the next generation.
Florence & Athens Location
Hallie-Kate Sauls
Pre-School Director
Hallie-Kate Sauls is a radiant Alabama native whose passion for dance, children, and ministry lights up every room she enters. From an early age, she was captivated by the joy of movement and the power of expression through dance. Hallie-Kate trained extensively at Laura’s Studio of Performing Arts, where she performed as part of the award-winning company and honed her skills in ballet and a variety of dance styles under world-renowned instructors.
Her love for the arts took her all the way to New York City, where she studied at the prestigious American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) and appeared in filmed performances for their summer programs. Her creative journey continued as she pursued a degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising at the University of North Alabama, with a minor in Business and Digital Marketing. Her talents even took her across the globe to Italy, where she spent three unforgettable months working alongside renowned fashion designer BenHeart—an experience that deeply inspired her, but her heart ultimately led her back home to pursue her true calling.
Now, Hallie-Kate is stepping boldly into a new season, studying Pastoral Ministry at Highlands College with the dream of combining her deep faith, creative gifts, and passion for children into a life of impactful service. She also lends her marketing skills to support the studio’s online presence, blending artistry with strategy to inspire even more hearts.
Whether she's leading a dance class, mentoring children, or sharing her faith, Hallie-Kate brings infectious energy, warmth, and purpose to everything she does. Her journey is just beginning, and her mission is clear: to love, to lead, and to lift others higher—one step, one child, and one joyful moment at a time.
Florence & Athens Location
Julie Carter
Contemporary Teacher
Julie Carter is a native of Florence, AL, and is a graduate of Point Park University with a BA in Dance and a Jazz concentration. She has worked professionally for Royal Caribbean, Spirit Productions, and performed works by Jason Sparks, Luam, Mike Esperanza, Jaclyn Buglisi, Merce Cunningham, and Lisa Harvie, among others. Julie has taught on faculty at Steps On Broadway, Peridance Center, PMT House of Dance, and Sacred Heart University. She has been a Guest Teacher for the Martha Graham School, Yale University, Steps Academy, Beyond The Stars Dance Convention, Liberate Artists, Troy University’s Summer Spotlight, and the North Alabama Dance Festival. Her work has premiered at Leg Up on Life, Peridance’s APEX, Steps on Broadway’s Professional Performance Workshop series, and the Alabama Dance Festival. She recently 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 mom and loves her husband, daughter, and their sweet Havanese, Nella.
Florence & Athens Location
Kristan Andrews
Ballet Teacher
Kristan Andrews is a native of Tuscumbia, AL. She began her training at age 5 and studied all genres of dance and tumbling at Beverly’s Dance Studio in Huntsville, AL. She continued her education while attending major conventions across the states. To date she continues studying ballet and all dance techniques through workshops, classes, virtual classes, and seminars.
Kristan taught at a local dance studio in Muscle Shoals, AL before opening her own studio Movement Extreme Dance Center in 2014-2016. She trained her students in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary and tumbling. Her dance students flourished winning many high score awards at competitions including Starpower, Fusion and Talent on Parade, to name a few. Currently, Kristan is teaching and assisting ballet and tumble classes at Laura’s Studio of Performing Arts.
Florence Location
Chynna Boddie
Tumbling | Stretch & Conditioning | Leaps & Turns
Chynna Boddie is a passionate dancer and inspiring teacher whose journey in dance has come full circle—from student to mentor, competitor to educator. She began her lifelong love affair with movement at Laura’s Dance Studio, where she trained rigorously throughout her childhood and adolescence. Those formative years at Laura’s laid the foundation for her unwavering dedication, technical excellence, and artistic expression.
After transitioning from student to teacher, Chynna spent numerous years guiding Lauras’ performance and competition teams. Under her leadership, her students consistently showcased discipline, innovation, and flair—earning many first-place titles across regional and national competitions. Her coaching approach is deeply rooted in mentorship: she emphasizes strong fundamentals, fosters confidence, and celebrates each dancer’s unique strengths.
Today, Chynna brings that same enthusiasm, creativity, and high standards to Florence Middle School, where she serves as the school’s dedicated dance teacher. Her supportive, fun-loving classroom has become a place where young dancers thrive—learning technique, teamwork, and the sheer joy of movement. Whether she’s preparing her competition squad or introducing middle schoolers to dance, Chynna continues to uplift every student through her boundless energy, commitment, and love for the art.
Florence Location
Alyssa West
Tumbling Teacher
Joining LOSPA as a tumbling instructor is Alyssa West, who now calls Athens home with her husband Jackson and their two children, Garrett (9) and Josie (7). Alyssa's movement journey began in eastern Pennsylvania with early gymnastics training and continued through middle and high school with competitive cheerleading. While this marks her first year teaching tumbling, it has quickly become a source of immense joy for Alyssa. Witnessing the growth and development of her students has been incredibly rewarding, and she is enthusiastic about furthering her teaching experience at LOSPA. Family life keeps Alyssa busy, cheering on Garrett in his sports and supporting Josie's passion for dance.
Athens Location
Kara Foster
Tumbling Teacher
With over a decade of experience in both gymnastics and early education, Kara brings energy, creativity, and a love for learning to every class. Currently serving as a Tumbling Coach at Cheerville in Madison, AL, she designs fun and challenging skill progressions tailored to each athlete’s individual needs. Her teaching approach emphasizes building strong relationships and creating a positive, encouraging environment for growth.
In addition to coaching, Kara is an Early Education Teacher at Wall Highway Christian Academy, where she develops engaging curriculums and fosters foundational learning through hands-on, interactive lessons. Her background also includes experience as a kindergarten teacher with Nixa Public Schools and as a gymnastics coach at the YMCA in Springfield, MO.
Kara holds a Master’s in Literacy and a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education from Evangel University, with a minor in Elementary Education. She is passionate about helping children grow both in and out of the classroom—and the gym.
Athens Location
Susan Fisher
Ballet Teacher
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.
Florence Location
Alyssa Sutherland
Technique Teacher
Dance has been a constant in Alyssa Sutherland's life since she was three years old. A native of Florence, Alyssa danced for years at Laura's Studio where her passion for dance began to develop. She later became a member of the competition team at D.C. Dance Factory in Franklin, Tennessee, for four years before attending the University of Alabama and earning dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Dance and English. During her years in high school and college, Alyssa always found herself back at Laura's where she continued to work as a teacher and improve her craft as a choreographer for new generations of dancers. She also served as a guest teacher at other local studios. Post-undergraduate study, Alyssa moved to New York City where she participated on scholarship in Broadway Dance Center's Professional Semester Program and danced for industry professionals such as Cherice Barton, Richard Hinds, Joanna Numata and Cat Cogliandro. She was a founding member of Cat Cogliandro's Catastrophe. While in NYC, Alyssa became a writer and editor for Dance Media and wrote for publications like Dance Spirit, Dance Teacher and Dance magazines. She continues to write on a freelance basis for some of those publications today. After returning to the Shoals, Alyssa earned her Master's of Arts in English. She is currently on the the board of Dance Alabama!, a nonprofit student-led organization at the University of Alabama. By day, Alyssa is still a writer, but she has loved having the opportunity to once again share her knowledge and passion with young dancers.
Florence Location
Rachel Nelson
Tap Teacher
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.
Florence Location
