Meet Our February Instructors

At AVA Dance Company, all of our weekly drop-in classes are taught by current and former professional NBA & NFL dancers or dance educators!

Click through to learn more about this month's instructors:

February 2, Jazz with Melanie

Melanie Jerome was born and raised in Eldersburg, Maryland. She began dancing when she was three years old. Melanie attended Baltimore School for the Arts where she had intense ballet and modern training everyday. After graduating from BSA, she received a dance scholarship to George Mason University. There she earned her BFA in Dance, graduating with “Outstanding Achievement in the Major”. Melanie graduated in the “glorious” year of 2020 which she actually considers a blessing in disguise. She took the opportunity to spontaneously audition for the Tennessee Titans Cheerleading Team and was fortunate to join for the 2021-2022 season. Becoming an NFL Cheerleader has opened so many unexpected doors including choreographing for the DUKE Dancing Devils and is now the Assistant Coach for Mount St. Mary’s Dance Team. Melanie is so happy to be back in the DMV teaching, choreographing and of course smiling with so many dancers.

February 2, Hip Hop with Nadeen

Nadeen Rollins is the Director of the Washington Spirit’s Entertainment Team, The Spirit Crew! She graduated from The University of Virginia in 2021 where she was a member of The Virginia Dance Team for four years and a captain for one. She is also a former 4X NBA Dancer and an assistant coach for NBA senior dance team, The Wizdom!

February 3, Pom with Jules

Julianna Rink is a classically trained dancer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She grew up training at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Lincoln Park Performing Arts High School, and graduated from Point Park University with a concentration in Jazz. She also trained at the Joffrey Ballet Chicago, Ballet Met, and Houston Met summer intensives, and has performed in works by Kate Skarpetowski, Mark Burrell, and Rocker Verastique, and many more. Julianna has also worked with Evolve Entertainment performing at places such as Heinz Field and Blake Shelton’s VIP concert event. She is now dancing professionally in the NFL as a 6th season vet and Captain of the Washington Commanders’ Command Force.

February 3 & 10, Contemporary 101 with Cierra

Cierra has been dancing for over 20 years and is trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, pom, and modern. Throughout her collegiate career, Cierra was a member of the Rutgers University Dance Team and competed on the jazz and pom teams at UDA College Nationals. In 2014, Cierra won the title of Miss New Jersey, in which she shared her dance talent with audiences all over the East Coast and was awarded the preliminary talent award three out of the four years she competed for the title. This led her to fulfill her dream of performing on the Miss America stage. She danced professionally in the NBA for the Washington Wizards for two seasons.  When she isn't dancing, Cierra leads storytelling workshops through Unlock Your Story and has completed her dissertation for her Ph.D. in education. You can visit her website at cierrakalerjones.com.

February 4, Jazz with Kyla

Kyla has been dancing for 17 years. She grew up dancing on a competition team and has trained in a variety of styles including jazz, contemporary, hip hop, ballet, and pom. Kyla has performed as one of the group headlining acts at World of Dance Philadelphia and performed with the headlining acts in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. She has also assisted choreographers in various cities. Kyla is a 3X NFL dancer for the Washington Commanders Command Force. Prior to making the Command Force, she performed with AVA at FedEx Field!

February 4, Hip Hop with Lindsey

Lindsey is a 3X member of the NFL’s Command Force dance team and was named the team’s 2023-2024 Rookie of the Year! She graduated from Elon University, where she was a captain of the national championship-winning D1 Dance Team. Lindsey is a DMV native who grew up training and competing in various styles across the country. She’s excited to be sharing her passion for dance with this community!

February 9, Heels with Julia

Julia is a 4x NBA Wizards Dancer with, including 2 seasons as fitness lead for the team. Off the court, she’s choreographed winning routines for high school pom squads and competitive dance teams, bringing her bold style to dancers of all levels. Her classes are a powerful blend of strength, sass, and sexy confidence, with a heavy dose of fun. Julia is all about creating a space where everyone feels welcome, empowered, and free to move unapologetically. Her classes are high energy, feel good, and FULL OUT. Expect to sweat, slay, and leave smiling.

February 9, Street Jazz with Ayanna

Ayanna is a 4x NBA dancer for the Washington Wizards. She began her dance career as a competitive dancer before attending Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC. Ayanna attended Marshall University where she was on their dance team for 3 years. She has over 20 years of dance experience in multiple styles such as hip hop, jazz, tap, ballet and contemporary.

February 10, Street Jazz with Kayo

Kayo’s passion for dance began at the age of two. She started competing at the age of six, and she sustained her competitive career for twelve consecutive years. Outside of the competition world, Kayo has performed on multiple stages such as the Apollo Theatre, in New York City, and the Kennedy Center, in Washington D.C. Kayo has trained in six genres of dance which include Russian Ballet, Cecchetti Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz and Lyrical. During her competitive years, numerous titles have been achieved, including the 2010 Miss Legacy award. In 2010, Kayo attended Marshall University, where she became a member of the Marshall University Dance Team. After holding the captain title for two years, she decided to extend her dance career after college. In 2014. Kayo was selected as a member of the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleading Team, where she entertained thousands of fans for four years. Today, Kayo shares her talents at local studios and continues to soar in her entrepreneurial journey.

February 11, Hip Hop Heels with Taylor (Valentine's Day Theme)

Taylor Forbes has over twenty years of dance experience in the DMV area and currently teaches and dances professionally. Since the age of three Taylor has trained in the style of hip-hop, jazz, pom, modern, contemporary, majorette, heels and ballet. In addition to having both high school and collegiate level dance experience, Taylor also had the opportunity of dancing and cheering for The First Ladies of Football, and the Washington Wizards Dancers.

February 11, Heels with Marquise (Valentine's Day Theme)

With 15 years of dance experience and 11 years of transformative teaching experience, Marquise brings unparalleled expertise to every studio and stage. A proud graduate of Kennesaw State University's prestigious dance program-Georgia's largest and most acclaimed collegiate dance institution, Marquise holds a Minor in Dance with specialized training in dance pedagogy.

Versatility defines Marquise's approach, with comprehensive training spanning classical and contemporary ballet, heels, jazz, modern, contemporary, lyrical, hip-hop, Afro dance, and Gaga technique, and more. Having collaborated with world-renowned choreographers, Marquise brings global perspectives and innovative methods to each class.

For the past seven years, Marquise has become a leader of the DMV dance community, nurturing technical excellence while empowering dancers to discover their authentic artistic voices. Beyond teaching steps, Marquise creates 1 of 1 experiences that build confidence, discipline, and creative expression-guiding each student toward their fullest potential.

February 15, Hip Hop 101 with Jaydee

Jaydee is a dancer and choreographer from the DMV. He is a former NBA Dancer for the Washington Wizards and has performed as a member of multiple local dance groups. He has choreographed HipHop, Jazz, Modern, and ballet for collegiate dance companies, dance teams, and  pre-professional dance companies. His style is energetic, full out, and FUN! Jaydee is excited to partner with AVA to create a fun experience for our dance community.

February 16, Hip Hop with Nicole

Nicole is a veteran NBA Dancer, former AFL dancer, dance cardio fitness instructor and current Assistant Coach for the Washington Wizards’ Dancers. She has been dancing and performing since the age of 3, and choreographing for over 7 years. Nicole is hard-hitting and energetic but will still give you sassy and sexy vibes! Oh, and bring your crowns because you will finish her class feeling like the royal kings and queens you are. Let’s werk!

February 16, Contemporary with Megan

Megan is a 4x NBA Wizards Dancer and 1x Wiz Kids and Mystics Mayhem assistant coach. In Seattle, she was an NFL dancer for the Seattle Seahawks and a 4-year member / 3-year captain of the University of Washington Dance Team. She spent three years as a USA dance instructor, traveling and teaching dance teams up and down the West Coast.

February 17, Contemporary with Sydney

Sydney is an accomplished competitive dance choreographer and former Director of Apex Friendship Dance Program in Raleigh, NC. She holds a degree in Dance Education from Meredith College, where she was a member of two pre-professional dance companies, and served as co-manager for the Jazz and Tap company.

February 17, Pom with Monica

Monica is a Boston native who grew up training & competitively dancing in jazz, tap, hip-hop, ballet, and contemporary. She was Co-Captain & Co-choreographer of the Bison Girls Dance Team at Bucknell University for two years. Currently, Monica is a third year NFL Dancer for the Washington Commanders’ Command Force. Full time, she works as a senior financial analyst in the Aerospace and Defense industry. She is thrilled about getting back into choreographing & teaching and excited about meeting & dancing with dancers in the DMV.

February 18, Technique with Olivia

Olivia Lou, a Jacksonville, Florida native received her early training from North Carolina School of the Arts. She graduated cum laude from Jacksonville University’s BFA dance program in 2011, where she had the opportunity to perform works by Jennifer Muller, David Parsons, Také Ueyama, Adrienne Clancy,and Christian Von Howard. She has toured nationally and internationally as a company member with Jennifer Muller/The Works of NewYork City, Surfscape Contemporary Dance Theatre of Florida, ClancyWorks Dance Company of D.C. , and Company Danzante of Virginia. She has been teaching & choreographing various styles and ages for 15 years including responsibilities as a Production Manager, Prop Manager, and an Assistant Director of the AD dance company. Olivia is currently based in Northern Virginia but travels nationally for masterclass & choreography opportunities!

February 22, Street Jazz with Alexis

Alexis Savage is a professional dancer who trained at her family’s studio, Savage Dance Company. Growing up, she was a competitive dancer who also toured with several conventions as a professional assistant. She pursued her passion of dance in college on the University of Maryland Dance Team, where she was a 2x Captain. After graduation, Alexis’ dreams came true when she became a professional NFL Dancer in 2024 for the Washington Commanders’ Command Force (where she was also named the 2024-2025 Rookie of the Year). She currently teaches/choreographs at Savage Dance Company and for high schools around Maryland. Alexis is signed to Clear Talent Agency and is very excited to share her passion of dance!

February 23, Musical Theater with Jeremy

Jeremy A. McShan is the creator/choreographer of J.A.M. the Revue, DC’s popular Top 40’s Music Concert and Dance Show. He also serves on the faculty at BalletNova Center for Dance as well at The Madeira School. He has a wide range of dance training and specializes in Jazz, Theatre and Hip Hop. He has choreographed for several theatres, amusement parks, professional sports dance teams, to name a few.

February 23, Tap with Rachel

As a seasoned dance educator and choreographer, Rachel brings over 20 years of dance experience. With a strong foundation in competitive dance, she specializes in jazz technique, tap, lyrical, and contemporary styles. Rachel has coached and choreographed for competitive teams, creating award-winning routines that showcase her dancers' strengths. Her passion lies in helping dancers push beyond their limits while maintaining their love for the art. With a blend of technical precision and expressive artistry, Rachel believes dance is a powerful outlet for the soul, meant to evoke deep emotions and connect us to our innermost selves.

February 24, Hip Hop with Anson

Anson began dancing in the hip hop freestyle and battle scenes as a breaker and popper. He later transitioned into hip hop choreography, joining competitive hip hop teams in college. After graduating, Anson joined Day One, a DMV-based hip hop dance team, with whom he regularly competes and performs across the East Coast. More recently, he and his team danced on tour in New York with DJ Manila Killa. He is also the co-founder of Project Gabson, a dance group he formed with his wife that aims to fuse various dance styles into one collective piece.

Beyond his performance experience, Anson teaches at various studios, working with both adult and youth students. He was recently awarded Outstanding Choreography at the Starpower and Imagine Dance competitions for youth teams he coaches. In addition to studio teaching, Anson regularly leads community workshops geared toward dancers of all levels.

February 24, Contemporary with Gab

Gab is a professional dancer, born and raised in Queens, NY, but currently resides in the DMV area where she received her BA in Dance from JMU in 2019. Currently, Gab coaches competition teams, is an instructor at other local studios, and teaches at numerous workshops & intensives. She most recently performed as a background dancer at MGM’s Legendary Nights for renowned Vietnamese artists and finished her season as a modern/contemporary dancer with DanceArtTheater. She also co-founded Project Gabson in 2023 alongside her husband, Anson, with the goal of bringing together various dance styles to create unique, thought-provoking pieces. She is trained in contemporary, jazz, various hip hop styles, street jazz, modern, ballet, and improvisation. As an instructor, her mission is to engage students with rewarding dance experiences, highlighting the importance of developing their own identity through movement.

February 25, Jazz with Jordan

Jordan Frauenheim is a Virginia native, she grew up dancing competitively with a local studio. She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Dance and Choreography. While at VCU, she was also on her college dance team the VCU Gold Rush dancers. Where she held leadership roles including being a captain her senior year. After graduating in May of 2018, Jordan began her life-long dream of becoming a professional dancer. That dream came true in 2019 when she became a member of the then Washington Redskins’ First Ladies! Since then, Jordan spent 5 seasons dancing for the now Washington Commanders and was named a captain for both the 2022 and 2023 seasons!