Instructors

We believe the success of academy is largely due to its culture and the individuals who cultivate it. That is why are associate with where our academy is today with the people who have lead the way. See our instructors and all of their professional experience below!

Jenell Krites

Owner and Director of Center Stage
Jenell Krites, owner and director of Center Stage, has been dancing since the age of eight, taking instruction in ballet, tap, jazz and pointe. At the age of 22, she opened Jenell’s School of Dance in St, Mary’s Ohio and in three years grew the studio to 200 students. In the summer of 1989, Jenell sold the business and moved to Nurnberg, Germany where she continued teaching and taking instruction. While in Germany, Jenell also became a certified fitness instructor. Upon returning to the states, Jenell became an instructor at M Dance Centre in Wapakoneta, Ohio until she moved to Troy, Ohio in 1993. In 1997, Jenell opened Center Stage Dance Company with 75 students and has grown the studio to 300 students, ages three though adult. Throughout the years, she has studied under such dance greats as Doug Caldwell, Joe Tremaine, Desiree Robbins and Marty Dew…just to name a few. Ms. Jenell also enjoys assisting in local school productions. Past achievements include, 42nd Street, spring productions for Cookson and Heywood Elementary Schools and also Troy High School Show Choir. In addition, Ms. Jenell also served for three years as the Western Ohio Regional Director for National Dance Week.

Aliya Alspaugh

Studio Manager
Ms. Aliya danced as a student at Center Stage for 14 years and has been teaching at CSA since 2015! While in high school she also studied at the Dayton Ballet for ballet and pointe. Ms. Aliya spread her love of dance to an acrobatic duo team and choreographed their dance for the Acrobatics Nationals Competition! She currently teaches ballet, pointe, jazz, and lyrical. Ms. Aliya resides in Tipp City with her husband Nick, their daughter Willow and their new baby boy, Oliver! She is excited to continue her passion of dance by teaching at Center Stage and is looking forward to all the years ahead!

Belle Axton

Instructor
Ms. Belle taught various classes at Center Stage from 1998 to 2013, including Kinder Combo and all levels of Hip Hop. Her daughter, Miss Lotte, who is also an instructor was one of the first students at Center Stage. Miss Belle returns this year after a 10 year hiatus teaching French in Cincinnati. She is excited to be back home with the studio.

LeeAnn Black

Instructor
Ms. LeeAnn began her dancing career at the age of 6. After dancing all the way to her senior year, she went off to the University of Dayton where she took various dance classes while receiving her teaching degree. She has choreographed different school musicals as well as participating in dance exhibitions in Dayton through Sinclair Community College. She currently is teaching chemistry and physics at Brookville High School. This is her first year returning to CSA!

Sarah Ballard

Instructor
Ms. Sarah has been dancing since she was three years old and has studied tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and pom. Ms. Sarah danced at CSA for 15 years where she took numerous classes, as well as assisted with various classes. She went on to dance on the University of Findlay’s Dance Team for four years. This is her fourth year back at CSA since graduating college and moving back to the Dayton area. Ms. Sarah loves watching her dancers grow over the year!

Danny Choi

Instructor
Danial "Danny" has been with Center Stage for five years. He has self taught himself how to breakdance with other fellow breakdancers, and has been dancing on and off for 11 plus years, training at his church and throughout college.

Lora Current

Instructor
Ms. Lora started dancing at CSA when she was three years old. Growing up through the studio, she took took Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Pointe, and Lyrical. Lora has used the skills she gain at CSA to win the title of Miss Ohio 2021 with a tap routine. She then performed on the national stage of Miss America with a Jazz number. Now, as a masters student at Harvard University and pro-life advocate, she has returned home to CSA to teach in the dance styles she loves so much

Sydney Gerdeman

Instructor
Ms. Sydney has been dancing since she was in kindergarten. She began dancing at The Dance Center in Ottawa, Ohio. She continued to dance throughout high school, studying ballet, tap, jazz, and pointe. While there, she also taught several classes. In college, Ms. Sydney became a member of the Adrian College Dance Team (ACDT), which performed at football and basketball games, as well as competitions. ACDT performed a variety of jazz, hip hop, pom, sideline, and team routines. Sydney was a three-year captain at ACDT, and continued her involvement as a student assistant during her final semester of school. This is her sixth year teaching at Center Stage. She currently resides in the Tipp City area and teaches high school math.

Kari Hake

Instructor

Mindy Hampshire

Instructor
Ms. Mindy has been dancing since she was three years old. She grew up near Toledo, Ohio where she began dancing and then teaching at her mother's dance studio. She loves working with children and has a bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education from Bowling Green State University (BGSU). While attending BGSU, she was a member of the University Dance Alliance, which held performances each semester. Ms. Mindy is the building substitute teacher at Piqua Central Intermediate School. She has two sons and a daughter. She has been teaching at Center Stage for 14 years and loves being a part of the CSA family!

Chloe Howell

Instructor

Caitlin Marsh

Instructor
Ms. Caitlin began her dance journey as a young girl. She has competed in and studied dance for 20 years. She just welcomed her first little girl in January and is pursuing a degree in Public Health from Wright State University. This is her second year teaching at Center Stage.

Ryen Marsh

Instructor
Ms. Ryen is an alumni of CSA and danced for five years. She studied jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary, and modern. She is attending Edison and majoring in Entrepreneurship in hopes to get a business degree. She is so happy to be staying in Troy and being able to teach and share her love for dance with others.

Natasha Morrow

Instructor
Ms. Natasha started dancing when she was in sixth grade and started teaching after high school. She moved to Virginia for 4 years where she taught a dance club at a before and after school program. Ms. Natasha is happy to be teaching at CSA again!

Sadie Swank

Instructor

Lotte Welbaum

Instructor
Ms. Lotte began dancing at Center Stage at the age of four until she was 18 years old. After high school, she attended Kent State University and studied as a part of their modern dance program. While there, she participated in several performances. She resides in Piqua with her husband and her son. This is her 8th year on staff at CSA.

Adrianne Werling

Instructor
Ms. Adrianne grew up dancing at Center Stage Academy. She started dancing at the age of three and studied tap, jazz, and lyrical for 15 years. Ms. Adrianne attended Wittenberg University where she continued taking dance classes while earning her teaching degree. Ms. Adrianne currently teaches math at Tecumseh High School. This is her fourth year on staff at Center Stage. She teaches our intermediate level Jazz, and Lyrical.