Meet Our July 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!

In July we are excited to welcome our newest instructors, 2X NFL dancers Avonie & Meredith this month! Both Avonie and Meredith dance professionally for the NFL's Command Force.

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

July 1, Street Jazz 101 with Audrey

Audrey spent 1 season as a Wizards Dancer (2023-2024) and started off her dance journey in DC by taking AVA classes!  She has trained at the professional level in countless dance styles from Dallas to Duke University to DC, but she specializes in hard-hitting contemporary, dynamic jazz, and empowering heels choreography. Audrey teaches a high-energy class that is designed to empower every kind of dancer to take on new choreography with confidence and push the boundaries of their movement quality and style.

July 1, Contemporary 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!

July 7, Hip Hop with Avonie

Avonie Bell is a 2x NFL dancer with the Washington Commanders’ Command Force Dance Team. Prior to her NFL career, she performed alongside artists including Doechii, Jennie of BLACKPINK, Lil’ Kim, DaBaby, and more. She is so excited to share knowledge and experience back with her DMV community!

July 7, Jazz Pom Fusion with Maya

Maya is a professional dancer with over 25 years of training. Maya is a 4X member of the Washington Commanders Command Force, including one season as Captain and one as co-captain. She has toured internationally with Tour 66, performing for military communities in Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Turkey. She has also led as a Junior Force coach for two years and served as fitness committee lead for one.

Maya is also a 305 Fitness dance cardio instructor, where she leads high-energy classes centered on self-love and joy.

She is a proud graduate of St. John’s University, where she was a four-year member of the dance team and part of the UDA Hip Hop National Championship title in 2016. In addition to her work on the field and in the studio, Maya serves as lead choreographer for the Congressional Chorus, now in her second year.

July 8, 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.

July 8, Pom with Meredith

Meredith Foley is a Southern California native trained in jazz, contemporary, jazz funk, hip hop, tap, ballet, lyrical, and pom. She began dancing at the age of 2 and started competing at age 5. Meredith trained at the Orange County School of the Arts in the Commercial Dance Conservatory for six years before continuing her dance career as a four-year member of the Villanova Dance Team. She is currently in her second season as an NFL cheerleader for the Washington Commanders.

Throughout her career, Meredith has performed on some of the nation's biggest stages, including Madison Square Garden and Disney's D23 Expo, and has appeared in special performances featuring artists such as Natasha Bedingfield and Matthew Morrison. Her passion for dance, performance, and community continues to drive her both on and off the field.

July 11, Pure Barre Collab - Hip Hop with Ashleigh

As a former 5-time NBA dancer for the Washington Wizards and SoulCycle instructor, Ashleigh loves the way dance blends together athleticism, rhythm and the joy of motion! Her goal is to  challenge you to unlock a deeper version of yourself, while spreading positive energies and having fun in the process. Ashleigh’s music tends to lean towards high-energy, so you know every class will be a party!

When you take class with Ashleigh, expect nothing less than an energetic, hard-hitting combination that will move you past your comfort zone and leave you feeling victorious! Her class is MUCH more than eight counts and choreography, to her, it is about spirituality! She will push you to find strength in vulnerability, encourage you to tap into a deeper threshold of power and help you pull the fighter out from within. Ashleigh's love for dance started over 20 years ago and she hopes that her love radiates through her choreography and teaching style. Come join us in her upcoming class, as we celebrate our love for dance and the fabulous souls of the AVA community!

July 12, Jazz 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 fourth 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.

July 12, Birthday Pom with Wendy

Wendy grew up in a small town in Upstate New York where she began her dance career at the Marya Kennett Dance Center. Her love for dance quickly grew as she expanded her training to a variety of styles including ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, modern, lyrical, and hip hop. She often traveled to Broadway Dance Center in NYC for classes and workshops. She graduated from Penn State University where she earned a BS in Finance and was a member of Rêve Dance Company for four years, serving on their executive board. After graduation, Wendy moved to the DMV to work full-time as a federal consultant and continued her dance training with AVA Dance Company. Most recently, she has been named part of the inaugural Spirt Crew, the official dance team for the National Women’s Soccer League’s Washington Spirit. Wendy loves sharing her passion for dance with the amazing dancers in our community and is excited to be a part of the AVA team!

July 14, Contemporary 101 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.

July 14, 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!

July 15, 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 7th season vet and Captain of the Washington Commanders’ Command Force.

July 15, Heels with Joey

Joey is a professional dancer from Bristow, Virginia and a 3X NFL dancer for the Washington Commanders’ Command Force! He graduated from James Madison University in 2017, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in dance. After graduation, Joey landed his first professional job, completing seven contracts as a dancer with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Joey’s diverse background in dance has allowed him to gain knowledge and experiences that he is excited to share!

July 19, Pro Dance Workshop with Victoria Kalina

Victoria Kalina is a former fourth year veteran of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC) and a four year member of the DCC traveling show group.

She was featured on seasons 1 and 2 of Netflix’s “America’s Sweethearts,” a documentary about the DCC as well as CMT's "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team". While she was a DCC, she attended the Joffrey Ballet School in Texas.

Victoria now lives in New York City to continue dance training! She started her own company, Victoria Kalina Dance, and teaches privates, dance classes and masterclasses.

July 21, Tap 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.

July 21, Contemporary 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.

July 22, Pom with Megan

Megan is a 4x NBA Wizards Dancer and 1x Wiz Kids and Mystics Mayhem assistant coach. During her final season with the Wizards Dancer, she held the title of Captain! 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.

July 22, Street Jazz 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!

July 26, Hip Hop with Marcel

B. Marcel Smith’s interest in the arts began after performing in Missoula Children’s Theatre’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk in Bern, Switzerland. After moving back to the U.S., Marcel was cast as a Principal Dancer in Debbie Allen’s Alex in Wonderland at the Kennedy Center. After graduating from Penn State University with a B.A, in Theatre, he continued to pursue musical theatre being involved in a revival of Rent the Musical in the tri-state area. In 2018, Marcel made history as the 1st male dancer and captain of the 1st coed NBA dance team, the Washington Wizards Dancers; spending 5 seasons with them. Marcel has been an educator for over a decade and currently serves as a Performing Arts teacher and A/V Technician at Georgetown Day School in Washington D.C.

July 26, 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!

July 27, Street Jazz with Lindsey

Lindsey is a 4X 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!

July 27, Heels with Lexx

With a mastery of advanced heels dancing techniques and a passion for blending hip hop, jazz, and sultry sounds, Lexxrated brings a mesmerizing experience to the floor. Known for infusing each performance with energy, elegance, and a touch of sensuality, Lexxrated brings a unique vibe that captivates audiences and leaves them craving more. She has cheered professionally for the Washington Wizards and also served as the coach for the Howard University Bisonettes Dance Ensemble. Prepare to be enchanted by the dynamic and unforgettable performances of this talented advanced heels dancer.

July 28, Contemporary with Tanner

Tanner Fant is a Mississippi native who has devoted her life to advocacy through dance and the performing arts. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and minor in psychology. Tanner performed internationally with Creative Studios by NCLH on Regent Seven Seas Cruises and was featured in works by Patti Wilcox, Chase Benz and Britt Stewart. She then went on to serve as Assistant Cruise Director, performing with world-renowned guest entertainers and choreographing works on the onboard entertainment team.

Her accolades include the title of Mississippi’s Distinguished Young Woman (DYW) and Top 10 at America’s DYW, 1st runner up to Miss Mississippi (Miss America Organization) and overall talent winner, and Top 100 finalist on So You Think You Can Dance.

July 28, 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.

July 29, Pro Dance Workshop with Natalie Kirkland

Natalie Kirkland is a professional choreographer specializing in the sports entertainment industry. With a focus on pro cheer choreography, her work spans NFL and collegiate dance teams, live events, Amazon Prime productions, and international digital campaigns. She is also the founder of ProCheerLA, a bi-monthly training experience for dancers pursuing professional pro cheer training in Los Angeles.

Professional Dance Credits: Daddy Yankee, Zendaya, New Kids on the

Block, Mario, Too $hort, Ava Max, San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush,

San Jose SaberCats SaberKittens

Choreography: NFL Super Bowl, NFL Pro Bowl, Nike, Pro Action Dance, San Francisco 49ers GoldRush, Miami Dolphins

Cheerleaders, Clippers Spirit Dance Team, UCLA, USC, Stanford, UC Berkeley, United Spirit Association