Our Faculty

Kristen Jansen   Kristen was born into dance, growing up under the guidance of her teacher and mother, Joan Seitz.  She continued her studies at Ohio State University and BalletMet Columbus while simultaneously pursuing a B.S. degree in Pharmacy.  As a dancer, she was a founding member of the JazzMet Dance Company, and performed with BalletMet Columbus, and Opera Columbus.  Most recently, Kristen has been a guest artist at Dansummer in Crested Butte, Colorado and at the Columbus Dance Theatre Ballet Intensive with her husband, Troy.  She has also taught at numerous conventions and dance festivals around the country.

Troy Jansen   Troy began his training when he was six under tutelage of Camille Sanfilippo in Westbury, NY.  Professionally he has performed with The Atlanta Ballet, BalletMet Columbus, The Florida Orchestra, Frank Sinatra, The Jazzmet Dance Company, Opera Columbus, The Pan American Games, The Tampa Bay Master Choral, The Yvonne Parente Theatre Company and as Director of the Sound F/X Tap Company. 

As a teacher, Troy created and was director of BalletMet’s tap program in Columbus, Ohio, and was Co-Founder/Co-Director of the New Tampa Dance Theatre in Tampa, Florida and Howland Dance Theatre in Warren, Ohio.  Troy has choreographed for the JazzMet Dance Company, the Southeast Chapter of AAA, Bob McGrath of Sesame Street, the Chocolate Nutcracker, the New Tampa Community Nutcracker and various musicals, including Anything Goes, Cabaret, Fiddler On The Roof, The Music Man, Oliver, and Once Upon A Mattress. 

He has also been invited to teach and choreograph at numerous schools, churches and dance organizations around the country.  In addition, Troy has been an adjunct faculty member at Otterbein College, the University of South Florida, and most recently at Youngstown State University. Currently, Troy is Artistic Director of the Jansen Dance Project, the Collective Soles Rhythm Festival and Co-Director of the Children’s Dance Workshop, with his wife and best friend Kristen, in Tampa, Florida.

Merry Lynn Morris holds a Masters of Fine Arts degree in dance performance and choreography from Florida State University. She is an instructor/professor in the dance program at the University of South Florida, and she serves as the Academic Advisor for the School of Theatre and Dance. Her background experience and training in dance includes extensive classical ballet training expanded by undergraduate and graduate study in various modern dance techniques/styles and other dance forms. Ms. Morris’s early professional performance background includes performance and study with the Tampa Ballet. Ms. Morris also serves as an adjunct faculty member in dance at the University of Tampa, and regularly choreographs for their faculty dance concerts.

Ms. Morris seeks out interdisciplinary opportunities in which her movement background and expertise can be utilized and expanded. She enjoys opportunities to utilize dance in diverse, integrative, and therapeutic ways. She began exploring the venue of “mixed ability dance” 5 years ago, and as caregiver to a disabled father for the past 19 years, her interest and awareness in disability needs has been ever-present. She has choreographed mixed ability pieces involving able-bodied and disabled individuals in the community and currently serves as coordinator between many individuals in the community interested in exploring/pursuing dance. She serves as resident choreographer for Revolutions Dance (http://revdance.org), a mixed ability company in the Tampa community. Recent performance locations/events have included the University of South Florida, the University of Tampa, HCC, PHCC, and the New Port Richey Library. Other venues have included educational outreach and special events at local schools, retirement/assisted living facilities and churches. Ms. Morris is currently working on an innovative collaborative project with the USF College of Engineering to develop a performance mobility device and (wheelchair) enhancement to allow individuals with and without disabilities innovative and interactive movement possibilities. The new chair design would be ideally suitable for many dance performance realms which may include stage, social settings, and other choreographic/theatrical venues (http://rdc.arts.usf.edu).

Ms. Morris continues to pursue research and study in the area of dance medicine/kinesiology and she is a member of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS), an organization which unites dance educators and physicians to facilitate the exchange of new ideas and research in the expanding field of dance medicine/science.

Merry Lynn will be teaching Ballet, Modern I and II at JDP this season.
 

Emily Bertrand Originally from Kansas, Emily was a state champion gymnast before deciding to pursue dance exclusively.  Pre-professionally, she studied on scholarship with SAB and Joffrey Ballet (NYC), the Kirov Ballet Academy (Washington DC), Pacific Northwest Ballet (Seattle), and the Houston, Atlanta, and Milwaukee Ballet programs, among others.  Emily began her professional career at age 15 with the Kansas City Ballet, and after graduating high school as a junior, accepted a position with the Atlanta Ballet Company where she danced for 7 years.  In addition, she has experience as a director, choreographer, and master teacher/instructor for various dance programs around the U.S., teaching classes in ballet, Pointe/variations, and jazz.  Emily relocated to Tampa and is currently pursuing her BFA/MFA degrees in dance at USF, adding academic credentials to her performance and teaching experience.

 As a teacher, she believes that dance is important to children not only for the obvious benefits of muscle development, flexibility, and rhythm but also for some less obvious benefits—the acquisition of grace, poise, and self-confidence; the development of self-discipline; the appreciation for adult, peer, and self respect; the exposure to all genres of music; and the use of complex intellectual skills that are required throughout training and professional work.  Emily will begin teaching ballet and Pointe classes for the Jansen Dance Project in Fall 2007.

Stefanie Bridges is a certified instructor with 13 years experience.  She is a certified fitness professional with a college degree in physical education and athletic training.  Stefanie is also certified through the American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine.  She loves what she does and it shows in every class.

Tracy Crews is a veteran with over 35 years of experience both on stage and directing. In addition to teaching in Indiana and Ohio, she was also the music and drama teacher at Carrollwood Day School here in Tampa where she produced and directed for 8 years such favorite shows as Oz!, The Secret Garden and the Pirates of Penzance at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. She has also performed locally at TBPAC with the Tampa group Spanish Lyric Theater. She is currently a member of the singing group The Tampa Oratorio Chorus. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Indiana University.

Tracy will be teaching Musical Theatre this season.

Shelly Dignum is a Tampa native and has been training and performing in dance for 21 years. She has performed with Sound F/X Tap Company, Rhythm in Shoes, and the University of Florida Dazzlers. She is currently pursuing her masters degree in Marketing at the University of Tampa and received her B.S. in Marketing and Minor in Dance from the University of Florida. Prior to attending UF, Shelley trained at Point Park College in Pittsburgh, PA as a dance performance major. 

Jasmine Jones is currently studying at The University of South Florida where she is majoring in psychology and sociology. Jasmine’s dance training has spanned over twenty years where she has performed various roles in The Nutcracker, The Chocolate Nutcracker, and was a founding member of The Rhythm Makers Improvisational Group.

Debra Loran is an adjunct professor at the Universities of South Florida (USF) & Tampa (UT) and a Faculty member at the Patel Conservatory through the PAC in Tampa.  She is active as a Championship Competition Adjudicator and Master of Ceremonies. She is also the organizer of the Florida State Fair Ballroom/Dance Sport Festival consecutively since 2000.

Debra's credentials include being a certified Championship Adjudicator with N.D.C.A. & N.A.D.T.A, Instructor, Dance Director, and Staff Trainer with Fred Astair Dance Studios from 1975 – 1986, Member “Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance”, and extensive experience in Ballroom/Dance Sport since December 1975.

Debra has many accomplishments, among them: 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2005 “Millennium” DanceSport Championship Adjudicator and Master of Ceremonies, 2005 “Fire & Ice Ball” Professional DanceSport Championship Adjudicator and Master of Ceremonies preformed on stage at the Tampa Performing Arts Center, 1997, 1999, & 2005 Adjudicator at USABDA Intercollegiate/Intercontinental Championships, 2001 – 2004 “Florida Supper Stars” Professional DanceSport Championship Adjudicator and Master of Ceremonies, 1994 – 1996 Executive Board Member for community service organization SHADO “Safety Harbor Alcohol and Drug Objectors”,  1993 Volunteered time to teach kids at Sheriff’s Youth Ranch, 1990, 1991, & 1992 Trainer of the U.S. National Amateur Jr. American Ballroom Champions, 1991 U.S. National Pro/Am Jr. American Division Champion, and produced, wrote, directed, and performed in the television program called “Dance Romance” that was aired on PBS and highlighted amateur and professional Ballroom dancing in 1987.

Debra will be teaching Ballroom this season.

Asha Nathan - bio coming soon!

Della Thompson is currently in her second season as a dancer and faculty member at Columbus Dance Theatre under the direction of Tim Veach. Della previously recieved training at BalletMet Dance Academy and American Repertory Ballet's Princeton Ballet School. She has been delighted to perform in numerous contemporary and classical works and work with choreographers such as Tim Veach, Kennet Oberly, April Berry and Stella Kane. Della loves to share her passion for dance as both a performer and teacher and also enjoys working a part time job with Starbucks.

Della will be teaching Ballet and Jazz this season.

Heidi Ulbricht began dancing at the age of 10 in St. Petersburg, Florida at the Judith Lee Johnson Studio of Dance. She spent several summers at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet as well as Colorado Ballet and Cleveland/San Jose Ballet. Heidi was a member of Les Jeunes Dancers for 5 years.

Heidi began teaching dance for the city of St. Petersburg in 1998. In the Fall of 2000, Heidi began at the USF department of dance. During her second semester, she was invited to join Nevada Ballet Theatre under the direction of Bruce Steivel. After one season she returned to Florida and is currently studying elementary education at The University of South Florida.

Heidi will teach ballet and creative movement this season.

Danielle Vaughan has been involved in music and dance since her teenage years, spending time competing with international drum corps and training at her local studio in Seminole, FL. This diverse background influenced her to go to the University of South Florida where she recently received her BFA in Modern Dance Performance. Upon completion of her degree, Danielle spent a summer dancing, choreographing and performing in Paris, France.

Since returning to the states, Danielle has been exploring the behind the scenes side of performances, gaining experience as both a stage manager and theatre technician. She has also continued to choreograph and perform in the area at venues such as Busch Gardens and the TBPAC’s Teco Theatre.  Danielle has a passion for choreographing authentic movement that expands a dancer’s range of movement as well as their emotional spectrum of expression. Her experience lies primarily in release technique, and she also incorporates gesture and partnering into her style.

Danielle will be teaching Modern and Ballet this season.

Kendra Andrews  (resident choreographer) Kendra is a native of Tampa and in 2004 graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Florida State University.  While at Florida State, she performed works by Lynda Davis, Alex Ketley, Brent Schneider, Jack Clark, and Millicent Johnnie.  In addition, she danced for Dance Reparatory Theatre, the Golden Girls dance team, and PHLAVA Dance Co.  She also enjoyed performing works at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., The Ringling Museum in Sarasota, FL as well as presenting her own choreography in New York at the "FSU in New York" showcase.

Kendra has had the pleasure to train with Troy and Kristen Jansen, Mitsie Kraak, John Parks, Luisa Meshekoff, Lynda Davis, Jane Wood Smith, Anjali Austin, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar.  Upon graduating from FSU, Kendra danced for Royal Caribbean for nine months onboard one of their largest Caribbean touring ships.