Faculty
We have an all-star cast of some of the best dance instructors in the area. Our instructors offer fun, structured, and engaging classes for children as well as industry leading classes that can prepare dancers for the professional dance world in both concert style and commercial style dance. We have a cohesive team of instructors who work together to help our students achieve and progress quickly.
Our instructors are not only experts in their fields, they are also chosen specifically for their leadership qualities, values, and desire to impact the lives of our students. We only hire instructors who can create successful dancers in a setting that builds self esteem and confidence for each student in the class. Each and every student in our classes will receive the same expert level attention, and students never have to fight for a front spot in class. Our instructors are able to set very high expectations for our students because we also lead with love and compassion. Instructors who do not share these values cannot work for us. At Converge, you can be confident that your child is in the healthiest learning environment with the opportunity to reach their highest potential.
Meet The Dream Team
Kellie Lightfoot
Masters degree in physical therapy from the Medical University of Ohio
BGSU Dance Team, Bachelors in Health and Human Science, minor in dance
Cleveland Cavalier Girl
Coached and choreographed with the Cleveland Cavaliers Dance and Entertainment teams.
Founded adaptive dance program for children with special needs.
Started the first ever NBA dance team for kids with special needs
Certified in dance-specific strength and flexibility and injury prevention and treatment for dancers.
Certified in pointe readiness assessment.
Victoria Amato
Victoria is a talented and accomplished competitive dancer who won many prestigious awards and national titles.
She danced professionally for the Cleveland Cavaliers organization for 4 years and had the opportunity to perform on national tv with performing artists from around the country.
Miss Tori is a key element to the success of the award winning Converge Company Team. She choreographs and perfects routines as well as teaches technique classes during the week that allow our students to perform elite level skills within our routines. Miss Tori is a "turning expert" and can often be found doing "turn-off" competitions with our students!
In addition to her high level technical expertise, Miss Tori also has a true gift for leading our preschool program. Tori has over 5 years of experience teaching dance in area preschools, and she is the Director of Preschool Programming at Converge.
Her energy is infectious and she can make even the most hesitant little one run into class with a smile.
Victoria also has special training and experience working with with children with special needs and leads our Inspirations program at Converge.
Missy Fuller
Certified acrobatics instructor through the USA Gymnastics organization.
Dance Specialist Certification from Fort Worth, Texas
Nationally established performer and choreographer since 2003
Performed on several national tours
Worked with and choreographed for Disney
Featured on America's Got Talent
Choreographed and performed for the Cavalier's Scream Team, the Cleveland Gladiators, and Cavaliers Q Spirit Squad
Featured in several national commercials
Featured in multiple music videos and performed with: Akron, Migos, B.O.B., Sugar Hill Gang, Chubby Checker, Machine Gun Kelly, and Teyana Taylor
Cailyn Mathis
Cailyn is a talented and versatile dancer who can do it all: jazz, lyrical, contemporary, classical ballet techniques, hip hop, modern, tap, and acrobatics.
As a competitive dancer, Cailyn won many awards and scholarships and toured the country assisting with various conventions.
Cailyn has worked with numerous industry professionals including Tessandra Chavez, Kyle Hanagami, Kevin Maher, Jaci Royal, and Andrew Winghart. Cailyn also was a solo contestant on Season 10 of America's Got Talent.
Cailyn is a 2020 graduate from the prestigious School of Dance at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a minor in Business.
Under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield, Cailyn worked with notable concert choreographers and educators including Tommie-Waheed Evans, Juel D. Lane, Shayla Vie Jenkins, Kim Bears-Bailey, Sidra Bell, and Jesse Zaritt.
Kathryn O'Connel
Kathryn O'Connell received her extensive training from Andre Eglevsky at The Eglevsky School of Ballet. Growing up just outside of New York City, she also had the opportunity to study at The Joffrey Ballet School, The Harkness Ballet School, The American Ballet Theater School, Ballet Arts Studio (Carnegie Hall), The Nuebert Ballet, The Hartford Ballet and The Orlando Ballet. The passion she has for the art of dance has led her to teach, choreograph, lecture, guest teach for summer workshops and judge dance competitions.
Kathryn has danced with such companies as The Eglevsky Ballet, The Hartford Ballet, The Dance Repertory Company, and The Orlando Ballet (N.Y.). Kathryn has owned and directed her own school as well as acted as the Artistic Director for The Central Ohio Dance Academy.
Kathryn was invited to be a guest teacher and choreographer with The Eglevsky Ballet Summer Intensive program. She also was a faculty member at Foothills Dance Conservatory and The Centre for the Performing Arts in South Carolina where she staged and choreographed a production of the Nutcracker for the Conservatory.
Students trained by Kathryn have gone on to dance professionally and have been accepted into many prestigious schools around the country including, The Kirov Academy, Julliard, The Joffrey Ballet, Harid Conservatory, School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Carolina Ballet Theatre, and Jilliana.
Kelly Korfhage
Kelly received her extensive ballet training under Joanne H. Morscher and Ana Lobe.
She attended summer intensives at ABT Detroit, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, BalletMet, Cincinnati Ballet, and North Carolina Dance Theatre.
She furthered her dance education at the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music as a Corbett Award scholarship recipient and graduated cum laude with a BFA in ballet performance.
Following graduation, Kelly became a member of Kansas City Ballet’s second company, KCB2, for two seasons where she had the opportunity to perform with the company in repertoire such as Septime Webre’s Alice (In Wonderland) and Adam Hougland’s Rite of Spring.
Kelly joined Verb Ballets in 2016 and has been featured in works such as Andante Sostenuto and Schubert Waltzes.
Kelly has extensive teaching experience and enjoys educating dancers by expecting excellence while also creating a positive environment for her students. Kelly is also a certified Progressive Ballet Technique instructor.
Madison Pineda
Madison Pineda began her early dance training in Sacramento, CA and Keller, TX. At age 16, she was recruited to The Joffrey Ballet School’s New York City Jazz & Contemporary Program. She then continued her education and training at The Julliard School where she graduated with a BFA degree in Dance. While at The Julliard School, she received the Martha Hill Award and the Juilliard Career Advancement Fellowship Grant.
Maddie has trained at the Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Dance Festival, the Nederlands Dans Theater, and the Arts Umbrella Summer Dance Intensive.
Maddie was chosen to present work in Juilliard’s 2019 ChoreoComp program and was Rena Butler’s choreographic assistant for Juilliard’s New Dances: Edition 2021production.
Madison has performed the dance works of Martha Graham, Crystal Pite and Paul Taylor as well as new choreographic creations by Ohad Naharin, Marne Van Opstal, Nijawwon Matthews, Bryan Arias, Desmond Richardson, and Rena Butler. She has performed with Barkin/Selissen Project and
Maddie recently appeared in the 2021 Warner Brothers film, “In the Heights,” and is a company member for Groundworks Dance Theater
Hannah Jackson
Hannah grew up all over the US and trained in as many different methods of ballet as she could get her hands on. She trained with Patty Hoffman and Holly Marble at Colorado Ballet Society, performing classical roles with CBS's preprofessional company.
Hannah graduated from Belhaven University with her BFA and joined Intersect Dance Theater, a modern company in Jackson, Mississippi.
She spent time in New York teaching and choreographing for local studios as well as performing with Genesee Dance Theatre and Sharing Space Dance Collective.
Hannah then continued her education at Middlesex University where she received her MA of Professional Practice in Dance Technique Pedagogy. Hannah also has recently began training and performing in Flamenco dance.
Hannah loves encouraging dancers to think and find their own voice. She welcomed our "Littlest Converger" into the world and is loving being a mother to her beautiful daughter, Gwendolyn.
Neje Chou
Neje Chou Is a versatile dancer and instructor. She began dancing very young. She trained in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary,Modern, Hip Hop, and Jazz funk. Neje Studied at multiple performing arts schools in Akron Ohio.
She was a competitive and convention dancer for 10+ years. She won many awards and scholarships at various competitions and conventions.
She went on and became and NBA dancer with the Canton Charge and also danced for The Gladiators.
Neje spent 4 Years In Los Angeles training in hip hop and heels. She joined The Vixens heels company based in Orange County California. With her expertise in photography she combined her two passions to start her photography business.
Michelle Jurecko
Bio coming soon...
Lexi Baines
Bio coming soon...
Nicole Feher
Bio coming soon...