 Jill Sailors, Director
Miss Jill enjoyed a professional career in Musical Theater as she performed in the National Broadway Tours of "Will Roger’s Follies," and "My One and Only." She also performed in the European Broadway Tours of "42nd Street" and "Crazy for You," and in a Broadway Revue in Tokyo, Japan. As a dance major, Jill attended Oklahoma City University, College of Performing Arts, where she performed with the American Spirit Dance Company, and the Lyric Theater of Oklahoma. Jill won scholarships to study at the Joe Tremaine Dance Center, Hollywood, California; The Broadway Dance Center, NYC; and Gus Giordano’s Jazz Dance Chicago. A daughter of a dance teacher, Jill began training at an early age. She studied ballet at the Royal Academy of Ballet, and went on to join the Omaha Ballet Company where she performed in many Ballets on the Orpheum Theater Stage. Jill began her musical theater career at the Omaha Community Playhouse where she was awarded Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anytime Annie in "42nd Street." Jill enjoyed playing Cinderella in Blair Community Theater’s production of "Into the Woods". The Blair Dance Center was originally the Judy Howard Dance Studio. Jill’s mother, Judy, opened the studio in 1978. Judy’s love of dance and special love of children wove itself into Jill’s life as well, so she followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a dance teacher. In 2005 the studio moved into its current location and was renamed the Blair Dance Center. Jill is happy to be sharing her love of dance and music with the next generation. .......................................................................................................................................................
 Miss Shari
Shari graduated from UNL with a Bachelor of Science and Biology and a Minor in Dance. Shari studied ballet and modern dance as she worked towards this degree. Shari introduces fresh innovative choreography each year in our Spring Concert. Shari began her training with Judy when she was eight years old. She fell in love with dance, and in a few short years she was a student assistant. Shari went on to join the teaching staff and has been involved in the studio for the past 10 years. Shari teaches pointe classes and combination core classes. She puts her Biology studies to work at Monsanto during the day. When Shari isn't working, she enjoys riding her horses.
.......................................................................................................................................................  Miss Heather
Heather brings her special love of ballet into the classroom. As a youngster, Heather studied ballet several days a week and also kept up with her musical theater dance training. She studied at Marquette University in Milwaukee where she majored in political science and dance. She performed in several dance concerts through the Theater Department at Marquette, including Cinderella. Heather furthered her dance training at Creighton University as a dance major in ballet and musical theater tap/jazz. Heather teaches the advanced pointe class and combination core classes. Her ballet choreography is always a treat to see in the spring concert.
.......................................................................................................................................................  Miss Emily
Emily is the Hip Hop Diva at our school. Although she enjoys all dance forms, Hip Hop and Funk tap are the dance styles she gravitated towards as a student. Emily has been teaching hip hop for several years now, and her classes continue to grow in popularity. Emily is in demand as a hip hop teacher/ choreographer in Omaha as well. Hip hop is a culture style of dance most often seen on TV and in music videos. Miss Emily makes sure she is always keeping up on the current styles by attending master classes given by nationally known Hip Hop choreographers. Emily completed her degree in Radiology and works at the Community Memorial Hospital in Missouri Valley. .......................................................................................................................................................  Miss Anna
Miss Anna is our newest addition to the Blair Dance Center faculty. Anna graduated from Northwest Missouri College with a degree in education last December. In college, Miss Anna was a member of the Northwest Dance Company for four years, performing jazz, clogging, pom, lyrical and salsa dance styles. She also choreographed pom routines for the dance company. Anna teaches the Intermediate and Advanced pom classes in addition to core classes. In high school, she was a varsity cheerleader and the Captain of her squad. She received first place at a competition for a pom routine that she choreographed. She was a UCA (Universal Cheerleading Association) All Star recipient for three consecutive years and she performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. Miss Anna is also a first grade teacher in the Elkhorn school district. She brings a fresh energy and enthusiasm into the studio. .......................................................................................................................................................  Miss Abbie
We are pleased to have Abbie back at the studio teaching beginning pom this year. Abbie started the very successful pom program for the Blair Dance Center in 1996. She was a member of the Blair High School pom squad and the U.N.O. Maverick girl’s dance team. Abbie was an All American with the National Cheerleading Association; she was also a Universal Dance Association staff nominee. She performed in the Day of Revolution Parade in Cancun Mexico and in the half time performance at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, GA. Miss Abbie is especially proud of her most recent accomplishment, her daughter, Quinn.
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