Faculty & Staff

Jess Naylon, M.Ed.
Director and Co-founder

  • Jess is a Maryland native and currently resides in Howard County. With over 25 years of experience, Jess has trained and taught in the styles of jazz, hip-hop, ballet, tap, contemporary, musical theatre, and pom. She attended the University of Miami in Miami, FL, studying Psychology and Dance Education, and was a 4-year member and Captain of the Sunsations Dance Team. Most recently, Jess completed 3 seasons in the NFL with the Washington Commanders as a Command Force Dancer. Jess is a sought-out instructor and choreographer in the DMV area, choreographing for national dance companies, studios, and college and high school teams.

    Outside of her dance career, Jess holds a Master’s degree in Counseling and works as an Elementary School Counselor and Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist. Jess enjoys working with children and families to foster an inclusive, positive, and versatile dance environment at MDDP!

    In her free time, Jess enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her husband, Devin, and miniature labradoodle, Jimmy!

Emily Whitacre
Director and Co-founder

  • Emily began dancing at the age of 4 in Columbus, Ohio. She attended the University of Dayton where she studied Graphic Design and Fine Art. While in college, she was head of the UD Dance Team and also taught an advanced lyrical class to college students. Before Emily’s senior year, she danced for New Vision Dance Co. in Columbus and continued with the company for three years after graduating. In 2016 she had the opportunity to join Seven Dance Company and was part of a project that was aired on PBS and shown at the Columbus science museum, COSI. Emily moved from Ohio to Virginia in 2020 to join Gallagher & Associates as an Exhibit Graphic Designer. She continued training and teaching at local studios in the DMV and auditioned for her first professional team. Emily danced for the Washington Commanders’ co-ed entertainment team, the Command Force, for two seasons were she trained with world-renowned choreographers. She was honored with the “Full-Force” award her second year, which was also the final Game Ball of the season. Emily is ecstatic for this next adventure with MDDP.

Lori Struss Weatherly
Youth & Adult Program Faculty

  • Lori Struss Weatherly previously owned her own dance studio for twenty-five years. A dance teacher of forty years, her degree in dance from University of Maryland Baltimore County was not enough to satisfy her taste for knowledge. She has certified in Vagonava and Cechetti Ballet styles, received High Honors from Dance Educators of America in her three-year Teacher Training under the direction of Charles Kelly, and completed her level 1 training with Acrobatic Arts. Ms. Weatherly has assisted dance luminaries Jo Rowan, Frank Hatchett, and Gus Giordano. She has attended numerous classes, workshops, and continues to train in dance and fitness. She just finished the Teacher Training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet ages six to pre-professional. She is a former modern dance professional, competition judge, and convention teacher. She teaches the International Baccalaureate Dance Program at St. Timothy’s School.

Jordan Turner-Bailey, M.Ed.
Youth & Adult Program Faculty

  • Jordan began her tumbling/acrobatics career when she was 4 years old in Maywood, IL. Growing up Jordan was apart of Mr. Ernie’s Flip Flop and Fly competitive team, Atmosphere of Tumbling, Tri-Star Gymnastics, and Jesse White Tumbling  Team. Jordan also has  10+ years of experience in competitive cheerleading and pursued her cheer career at Grambling State University and Bowie State University, where she received her Bachelors in Child Development Early Literacy and Masters in School Counseling. Instructing the youth and giving them an outlet to express themselves as an athlete and as a student has always been a goal of mine! Jordan has been instructing tumbling since the age of 16 at The Atmosphere Of Tumbling where her coaches had admired her phenomenal leadership skills. Jordan has been an instructor in states such as Chicago, Louisiana, Memphis, Maryland, and DC. In the near future Jordan aspires  to own a Recreational center that provides mental health services, improving physical fitness, and social skills. 

Katie Schinzel
Youth & Adult Program Faculty

  • Katie began dancing at the age of 7 in Westminster, Maryland. She attended the University of South Carolina where she studied Sports and Entertainment Management. During college, Katie was a member and choreographer of the Carolina Club dance team and taught at a local studio. With more than 15 years of experience across all styles of dance, Katie is looking forward to sharing her passion and energy with MDDP youth!

Alexandra Olson
Youth & Adult Program Faculty

  • Alexandra began her dance journey at just two years old, training extensively in all styles at the renowned Juliana’s Academy of Dance in Metro Detroit. She has showcased her talents on some of the nation’s largest stages, performing professionally with the Detroit Pistons Dancers (NBA), Detroit Pride Cheerleaders (NFL), and more recently the Washington Wizards Entertainment Team (NBA). Some of her career highlights also include touring and performing on stage alongside artists such as Calvin Harris, The Goo Goo Dolls, Jesse McCartney, Diplo and Kid Rock.

    With over 15 years of teaching experience, Alexandra has inspired students on high school dance teams and at private studios, specializing in jazz, hip hop, lyrical/contemporary, and pom. She has directed three different high school dance teams as head coach and has led some of her dancers to compete on the prestigious UDA National competition stage. Alexandra was also honored as Coach of the Year for Michigan’s Catholic League after guiding one of her teams to their first State Championship. Her innovative choreography has earned multiple awards, including Judges’ Choice at UDA’s DC regional competition.

    Alexandra's commitment to excellence extends to her academic pursuits; she is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. Complementing her performance background, she holds an Associate of Fine Arts in Dance from Anne Arundel Community College, where she was a soloist in the AACC Dance Company and graduated Summa Cum Laude. In addition to her dance expertise, Alexandra is a certified Pilates instructor, holding a comprehensive certification in Reformer, Chair Apparatus, Fuse Ladder, and Level I CrossFit.

    Alexandra has also combined her love of dance and craftsmanship by sewing and designing costumes for over two decades. She has won multiple awards for her costumes in the competitive dance community and her work has also been featured by professional teams, including those of the NBA and NFL, as well as collegiate dance teams across the country.

    Alexandra is passionate about helping dancers achieve their full potential and is thrilled to bring her wealth of experience and enthusiasm to Maryland Dance Project!

Hannah Evenson
Youth & Adult Program Faculty

  • Hannah started dancing at the age of 3 focusing on ballet, tap, jazz, conditioning, and lyrical. She attended high school at Archbishop Spalding High School where she was on the UDA nationally ranked varsity dance team for 4 years. She was elected senior captain her senior year, leading the team to nationals performing in pom and jazz. Upon graduation from high school, she attended Penn State University where she was a member of the Penn State Lionettes dance team, performing for thousands of fans during football and basketball games as well as preparing for nationals. Hannah also became a member of the Universal Dance Association Staff where she taught high school and college dancers pom, jazz, hip-hop, and kick during the year as they prepared for nationals. She has since been with the company for 6 years and has become a Head instructor with UDA. She has also taught young dancers ballet, tap, and jazz at various studios in the last few years. Most recently, Hannah has become a certified flexibility coach to help dancers reach their full potential in their movement and continues to teach conditioning/technique, pom, and jazz throughout the Maryland area.

Claudia Yanss
Youth Program Faculty Assistant

  • Coming Soon!

Jessica Fair
Studio Administrator

  • Jessica began her dance training in Flint, Michigan and has been involved in the dance community for over 25 years. She was trained in classical ballet at the Flint School of Performing Arts and performed with renowned companies such as the Joffrey Ballet, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the Grand Rapids Ballet. Her passion for dance extends beyond performance, as she now dedicates her expertise to supporting studio operations and providing an enriching environment for both students and instructors. In addition to her dance experience, Jessica has a Master’s degree in Public Health and currently works as a Health Scientist Administrator, supporting research to better treat and prevent diseases. Jessica is thrilled to assist MDDP and looks forward to promoting a positive dance community!

Imani Rollins
Adult Program Faculty

  • Imani started her dance career at the age of 3 at Studio A Modeling and Dance Studio and continued her dance education dancing competitively for 15 years at savage dance company. She became the assistant coach for Westminster and Winter’s Mill high schools dance team for 4 years (2014- 2018). After graduating high school, Imani taught hip hop, jazz, and tap at savage dance company for 5 years. Imani has been teaching drop-in classes at MDDP for the past year!

Caitlyn Owens
Adult Program Instructor

  • Caitlyn is currently the Dance Director at Marriotts Ridge High School. She also Co Directs the Poms team. Caitlyn is also a 4th year veteran on the Washington Commander’s Command Force! Most recently, Caitlyn earned her Master’s Degree in Dance Education at Towson University. One of her greatest accomplishments is having the pleasure of sharing her skills and abilities with the next generation of dancers!

Erica Anderson
Adult Program Instructor

  • Erica is a 5x NFL Dancer and 2x Captain for the Washington Commanders Command Force Dance Team. Erica was selected by her teammates to be their Pro Bowl Cheerleader representative in 2024. Erica also danced professionally for the Atlanta Hawks.

Briena Brinay
Adult Program Instructor

  • Briena Brinay, a 26-year-old Detroit and DMV native, has over 15 years of dance expertise, specializing in all styles of hip hop. She has also taught jazz, heels, and contemporary. Influenced by Black American media and Eastern Asian culture from a young age, she led a K-pop dance cover group in high school and began leading hip hop and step groups at just 13.

Gabby Grimaldi
Adult Program Instructor

  • Gabby is in her 4th season as an NFL cheerleader and Captain and has had the opportunity to choreograph multiple NFL endzone routines. She is a Towson University Dance Team alumni and was an instructor for the National Dance Alliance, where she traveled the country coaching, judging, performing, and providing technical and motivational leadership to dancers. She currently teaches various styles of dance to children and adults throughout the DMV!

Nicole Franks
Adult Program Instructor

  • Born and raised in Stone Mountain, GA, Nicole began dancing at the age of 3. She immediately fell in love with hip hop and jazz and danced throughout high school and college as a majorette dancer. Since then, Nicole danced 5 seasons for the Washington Wizards Dancers and served two years as Captain. She has also been teaching and choreographing around the DMV for about five years. Nicole is now in her 3rd season as the Assistant Coach for the Washington Wizards Dance Teams and works as a full-time project management consultant.

Holly D’Addario
Adult Program Instructor

  • Holly is a Professional NFL Dancer for the Washington Commanders. Prior to her professional career, Holly danced for the national winning, D1 Towson University Dance Team. She has 20 years of dance experience training in jazz, ballet, hip hop, contemporary, tap, and other genres. She loves sharing her passion for dance with others!

Shaun Samuel
Studio Administrator

  • Shaun began cheering at the age of 5 and continued through to age 19, developing a strong foundation in performance and teamwork. Throughout her life, Shaun has always had a deep appreciation for dance and the arts. As she got older and became more involved in fitness and exploring various forms of movement, she began taking dance classes and discovered a true passion for the community and positivity that it brings.

    Currently, pursuing her graduate studies in Human Resource Management at Towson University. She is excited to contribute to MDDP’s mission by fostering a supportive and inspiring environment for both students and staff. Outside of the studio, Shaun enjoys fitness, music, and travel, and is always seeking new opportunities to grow and learn.

Grace Fluckiger
Studio Administrator

  • Grace began dancing at age 5 in Wyoming at the local studio. She was instructed in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, and ballroom. While in college at Brigham Young University, she continued to take classes in Indian, modern, and ballroom dance and competed in BYU’s Dancesport. 

    In addition to dance, Grace studied Elementary Education and was a kindergarten teacher before moving to Maryland. She now works for Columbia Association, and enjoys reading, cooking, and getting outside in her down time. 

Erin Wiegman
Adult Program Faculty

  • Erin Wiegman, a South Florida native, is a PhD student at the University of Maryland-College Park. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Dance and Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dancing since age 3, Erin has experience as a competitive studio and concert dancer. She has performed at Summerfest with DJ BG Good, in original works by Jin-Wen Yu, at World of Dance with Barrio Dance Factory, and at UW sporting events with the UW club dance team. Her diverse training spans Vaganova, Cecchetti, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Heels, Jazz, Modern, Musical Theater, and more, under mentors from UW and Barrio Dance.

Shelby Kolar
Adult Program Instructor

  • Shelby Kolar currently dances for the NFL and is in her 4th season dancing with the Command Force for the Washington Commanders. Ms. Kolar is an extremely versatile dancer with training in ballet, pointe, contemporary, tap, jazz, hip-hop, heels, modern, character, and Spanish dancing. She graduated from Mercyhurst University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Dance and went to Baltimore School for the Arts for High School. She traded her tutus in for pom-poms and pastries her third year of college when she danced with the Erie Bayhawks (G-League Basketball) Dance Team and after college danced a season with the Canton Charge Girls (G-League Basketball Team) and later danced with the Baltimore Blast Cheerleaders during their Covid season. Shelby grew up dancing competitively with her home dance studio and is now blessed to say she is a professional dancer for the NFL.

Breanna Vaden
Adult Program Instructor

  • Bre is a 4x NFL Dancer for the Washington Commanders Command Force and 2x Co-Captain.

Gabby Petrozza
Adult Program Instructor

  • Gabby started dancing at 3 years old, growing up in North Jersey. She trained in styles such as contemporary, ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, musical theatre, and pom and continued her dance career at Towson University, dancing at all Football & Basketball games, as well as attending UDA nationals. This is Gabby’s third season dancing in the NFL where she has been awarded 2022 Rookie of the Year and got the opportunity to choreograph their routine for the 2023 home opener. She is so excited to teach at MDP, and provide a fun, and positive class to dancers in the DMV area.

Ashley Tillery
Adult Program Instructor

  • Ashley is a Baltimore native with over 30 years of dance experience. Growing up as a competitive studio dancer with a focus in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Contemporary Ashley later went on to perform in several musicals at local theatres. Ashley was a Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader for 5 years, during which time she was Rookie of the Year in 2019, a 2x Pro Bowl Nominee, represented the Ravens on two military tours, and had the honor of choreographing for 3 seasons. Prior to her time in the NFL, Ashley danced for 3 years with the Baltimore Blast Cheerleaders. She is excited to continue dancing and sharing her passion with other dancers at MDDP.

Kylie Snyder
Adult Program Instructor

  • Kylie is a Baltimore Blast Cheerleader, where she serves as Captain and Assistant Coach. She did not grow up in the dance world and instead was brought up as a competitive gymnast. Since she switched to dance, she found her love for performing, learning from others, and being a part of the supportive dance community. She says that this journey has been nothing short of incredible for her, and she hopes to inspire others to go for a dream they truly want to chase.

Ali Wolf
Adult Program Instructor

  • Ali is from Allentown, Pennsylvania and has been dancing her whole life. She attended Temple University where she danced for the Temple Dance Team for four years at basketball and football games, as well as UDA College Nationals in Hip Hop and Pom categories. She was captain her senior year and graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education. After college, she moved to the DMV after making the Wizard Girls. She continued to dance for six seasons and was on Cap Squad for three years . In addition to dancing herself, she coached the Wiz Kids and Mystics Mayhem for five years. Most recently, she has been teaching at C&C Dance Company and choreographing for high school and college dance teams across the country for UDA and NDA Nationals.