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Our Staff:

 

How we got started:

Gin and Nancy Genys - Gin and Nancy first met when assigned to teach a dance class together at the University they both attended. As teachers and also members of the same performing company they were in the perfect environment to forge a bond that has lasted more than 27 years. Both Gin and Nancy have extensive training in the performing arts, and have performed all over the world.

Gin no longer teaches dance, but predominantly helps Nancy with studio operations. Nancy teaches Talent Team (and is the National Director and founder of it) as well as private voice students. She created Totality and Totality 2 (though she no longer teaches them), has taught musical theatre camps in several states, has directed numerous community plays, started the first professional dance team in Australia (for the National Basketball Association - the Canberra Mazda Cannons) and taugh music, dance and drama in 2 Mesa schools. She has written many productions and loves the performing arts as a whole.

Gin and Nancy have shared a vision of having a studio where the performing arts could be taught in a wholesome atmosphere, free of questionable lyrics and movement. Class Act is the result of that quest, and one that they both hope will help restore dignity and refinement to the arts and bless the lives of it's students.

One of our most recent developments is becoming a Millie Lewis Affiliate. It is our hope that through this association we can take the 'hopeful potential professional' and give them a great foot forward with an organization so unique - and with similar values.

Dance Instructors: 

 Laura Udall Millett  Director of the Class Act Dance Company and Totality for 2 years, she teaches Hip Hop,  Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, kickline, Talent Team, Totality, Totality 2, Cadco,  Violin,  voice and more.  She has  over 15 years of various studio/choreography training. She spent four years dancing on the Stars National Dance team, Cheered for 3 yrs., MHS Euporea Dance Co., 5 years with Christian Dance Co, 2 years Musical Theater group, 3 years Allstate choir, 1 year SCC "S.A.J.E." (Scottsdale AZ Jazz ensemble), many competitions including FAME world showchoir cup in Branson ,and 3 years with the adult hip hop company, Dance Adrenaline. An accomplished vocalist, pianist, and violinist, Laura has spent the majority of her life performing. She truly has a love for the arts. She is a well qualifed, fun teacher and all her students love her.

Emma England - Director of Totality. Teaches Hip Hop, Partnering, kickline, Lyrical, Jazz, Talent Team, Totality, and Totality 2.  She has dance training  in Ballet, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Tap, Jazz,  Dance Education (with a dance teaching degree from ASU), Dance Production and Choreography.  Additionally, she has participated and performed in many musical theater productions, is a master pianist and drummer, helps produce Talent Team shows with Nancy and is an important part of the Class Act and Talent Team studio.  Emma has a rich background in the arts and is a great teacher.

Kortnee Johnson - Teaches Clogging and Hip Hop.  She has been dancing since since she was 5 and has been on competitive championship and pro teams.  She has been teaching dance for many years - including at a studio she owned in Utah prior to moving to Arizona. She is a nice addition to the team at Class Act. 

Jennie Karr Maruschak- Teaches tap, jazz, ballet, pilates, adult fitness and talent team. Jennie has been dancing for many years. She studied with Hubbard Street and River North dance companies in Chicago. She also worked with modern companies in New York, and was on scholarship at Broadway Dance Center. She has worked with various choreographers here in Arizona and is certified as a personal trainer, group fitness, and pilates teacher. She is a fun teacher and is great with kids!!

 

C-C Braun- bio coming soon!!

Debbie Ritter-Williams- Debbie  has two daughters who have been involved with “triple threat” performing since they were 3 & 5 years old (Talent Team, T2, Totality). Besides her children, she’s also been involved in singing, dance, and acting since an early age. She concentrated on voice and piano, singing and playing for choirs and as a soloist since high school and initially majoring in vocal performance in college. Debbie has taught dancing, singing, and drama for Talent Team since 2004. She has taught vocal technique and production for Totality & T2, and does private vocal coaching. Debbie loves helping children discover the joy of singing, dancing, and acting! She believes in the mission and values of Class Act so also serves as the liaison between the Parent Advisory Board and the studio staff.

 

 Rachael Jacobs - Teaches Talent Team, Jazz, tap. She is a triple threat performer who has been involved with the Talent Team program for many years. She was a member of the One Image dance company, Totality, and has traveled all over the world performing.

Private Lessons Teachers:

Tracie Jones -has been playing piano for 25 years.  She is fluent in Classical, Broadway, country, pop, sight-reading and theory  as well as being a singer/songwriter.  She has been teaching piano for the past 14 years and voice for the past 8 years.  She has written over 30 songs in the past few years which some have been recorded on  albums. She has been an accompanist & musical director for various theatres and origanizations around the valley.  She has been a featured soloist with local bands as well as many music theatre shows.  Her areas of vocal focus are classical, music theatre, opera, jazz, country, pop, theory, sight-reading and ear training.She has taught students from small children up through adults. Unlike many piano teachers she teaches with a flexible style, adapting  lessons to each students' abilities and levels of learning. Her teaching philosophy is to help each student reach his or her full potential.

Mary Anne Asciutto - Teaches Drama, Voice, and Talent Team.  She has Improvisational Comedy & Acting training, Commercial Acting, Scene and Monologue, Acting TV and Creative Drama training on top of Theatrical Arts, drama and Musical Comedy training at Mesa Community College.  She is also an art agent, and does major publications throughout the U.S. (including work for Highlights magazine and more). Mary Anne is a very talented woman and we are so grateful to have her teach at our studio.

Karen Udall - Karen has been teaching piano lessons for more than 20 years! Besides piano, she is an accomplished vocalist and director. Since 1984, has directed numerous performing arts productions in school and church choir  programs and really knows how to make them classy. She was the lead singer in a local swing band for 3 years, has been an accompanist for school and church choirs for over 30 years, and is currently an organist for her church.  This exceptional teacher has a love of music, and a fantastic ability to teach the new and more experienced student. We are happy to have her on board.

 

 

 


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