top of page

Where Are They Now?

See where JDSD dancers have taken their careers. 

Their aspirations and success are inspiring to our current students. 

gahanna dance ohio columbus
Abby Leithart

Abby Leithart is originally from Gahanna, Ohio. She graduated with a BFA in dance from Wright State University in 2014, and was a member of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II (DCDCII) from 2010-2013. She joined DCDC, first company, from 2013-2015. In August of 2015, she moved to Washington D.C. and joined Company e. She has toured with "Speak Easy" by Robert J. Priore with Company e to Yekaterinburg, Russia, and Baku, Azerbaijan. While in Baku, she was a part of Company e's Broadway Bound program. She has had the pleasure of attending the Cedar Lake 180 summer intensive in 2014, and the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago summer intensive in 2016. She has worked with choreographers such as Donald Byrd, Ronen Koresh, Keisha Lalama, Adam Hougland, Jon Lehrer, and more.  She has choreographed on DCDC, DCDCII, South Dayton Dance Theatre, Judy Dollenmayer Studio of Dance, and Dayton Dance Conservatory. Her piece "When Trust is Without Borders", performed by South Dayton Dance Theatre, won the Regional Dance America's Northeast Josephine Shwartz award for best emerging choreographer. Her submission of a solo she created, "Hidden Hope", was accepted into VelocityDC Dance Festival. She continues sharing her love for dance by teaching at Rhythm in Motion in Arlington, VA, and City Dance Conservatory in Rockville, MD. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michelle Love

Michelle Love grew up in Gahanna, Ohio, and is now living in St. Louis, MO. Upon graduating from GLHS, she attended the University of Cincinnati where she was a member of the dance team there. She had an opportunity for an internship in St. Louis, took the job, and tried out for the St. Louis Rams Cheerleaders while there. Now in her fourth season with the team, second as a captain, she has been blessed with many amazing opportunities. Michelle has participated in Goodwill Tours at Cannon Air Force Base (Cannon, New Mexico), Camp Fuji Marine Base (Gotemba, Japan), Yakota Air Force Base (Tokyo, Japan), Sasebo Naval Base (Sasebo, Japan), and Scott Air Force Base (Belleville, IL). She was selected as the sole representative for the St. Louis Rams at the 2013 NFL Pro Bowl, and was part of a team of 26 other NFL cheerleaders from around the league. The St. Louis Rams have been selected to participate in several amazing events around the world. With these events, she was selected to represent the team internationally in Hong Kong, Mexico City, Cancun, London, and Montego Bay. Although getting selected to travel is a major perk, the amount of community service and charity events is what keeps her coming back year after year. Every season, each girl is required to complete at least 20 community appearances. Not being from St. Louis, this has been a way to really see the beauty of the little midwest city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeffrey Clark

Jeffrey Clark hails from Columbus, Ohio where he was a student at Judy Dollenmayer Studio of Dance for over 14 years studying Tap, Hip Hop, Jazz, Ballet and more. While at JDSD Jeffrey also served as an Assistant Instructor, a selected member of the Apprentice Program, an Elite Company member,and a Dance Instructor. Jeffrey has been a featured member of The Chocolate Nutcracker, Giant Eagle corporate events, both promotional videos and an assistant for Kids Artistic Revue dance competitionand conventions, and a performer in the New York City Tap Extravaganza 2011. He has also danced in benefit shows for the National Heart Association, Strides for Pride, JDSD’s Dancing for Life, and Relay for Life. Due to Jeffrey’s dedication to the arts he has earned numerous scholarships, regional and national High Point Awards including the National Title, Mr. Dance America 2011. Most recently Jeffrey was an apprentice with Tapestry Dance Company, the only full-time professional tap dance company in North America, under the direction of Acia Gray. Jeffrey performed as a principal dancer in Matthews Shields’ Anticipation of Next, and in Acia Gray’s Of Mice and Music: A Jazz Nutcracker, as the Nutcracker. With Tapestry he also did extensive dance training, performed in concerts, in youth outreach assemblies, and much more across the United States and Canada. Outside of the studio Jeffrey is a dedicated partner at Starbucks Coffee. He continues to further his own dance education at various workshops across the country such as the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Monsters Of Hip Hop and Soul to Soul and the Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival to name a few and has studied under Dianne Walker,Michelle Dorrance, Roxanne Butterfly, Ayodele Casel, Brill Barrett, Sarah Savelli, Acia Gray, and Derick Grant among others. Jeffrey will also continue to travel across the country and assist his mentor TiffanyFairchild Schlater with master classes and Choreography.

 

 

bottom of page