Amanda Beard
Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Amanda has been dancing for 12 years and teaching for 7 years. Her experience is in all types of dance, including ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, lyrical, and hip-hop. She danced competitively through middle and high school receiving numerous awards. She attended OSAI at Quartz Mountain for five years, attended many workshops, and performed all over Oklahoma.Amanda attended the University of Central Oklahoma as a dance major and was a member of the Kaleidoscope Dance Company for two years. In 2008, Amanda trained in Chicago on scholarship with Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. She then became a company member with the hip-hop company, Culture Shock Chicago, and a member of the contemporary jazz company, Matter Dance. She is excited to come home and teach once again at Victory and loves to share her passion for dance with others.
Mindy Cash
Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Mindy has been training in dance for over 15 years and enjoys teaching her students to worship through dance. Mindy has performed with numerous competition teams from various studios, Oklahoma/American Kids, Victory Church Illustrated Sermons, and performed with the Mike Miller Dance Team in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC. Mindy is also a full-time Special Education teacher at The Children's Center in Bethany. VDance is proud to have Ms. Mindy on staff, teaching tap, ballet, jazz, and coaching the Silver Company.
Jesi Conder
Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Jesi Conder has over 15 years of dance experience in the areas of tap, jazz, ballet and lyrical. She danced competitively through middle and high school where she won multiple awards at the local and national levels. In 2001, Jessica joined the staff of Victory Dance as a children's and teen's teacher teaching jazz and tap classes. From 2003-2005, she enjoyed coaching and leading the Junior Company team here at VDance. Jesi was also privileged to dance in many illustrated sermons for Victory Church and VDance dance performances. Returning after a hiatus, Jesi is excited to be back teaching tot, children's and teen tap classes as well as working for the studio as an office assistant.
Christine Riesenweber, Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Christine Riesenweber, a recent graduate from the University of Central Oklahoma, has been dancing since the age of 3. Her passion for dance and love of children lead her to teaching at the age of 14. By 16, she was choreographing theater production numbers as well as competition numbers. At the age of 17, she won her most treasured award "Up and Coming Choreographer" at I Love Dance Competition. In college, Christine honed her technique in Jazz, Modern and Ballet; she also took several classes to enhance her teaching ability. Christine's most recent performances include Victory's Worship DVD "Wait", Perpetual Motion's annual concert, and played "Anybodys" in Midwest Regional Ballet Theatre's production of "West Side Story."
Brandi Jene'
Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Brandi Jené has taught ballet for 18 years in Oklahoma, Texas, and the surrounding areas. She has studied under James Clouser, Yvonne Chouteau, Rosella Hightower, Stanley Zompakos, Una Kai, Richard Thomas, David Howard, Anna Krassovska, and many others. She has performed with the Ballet Jeunesse in France, where she received her certification to teach ballet in France. Brandi Jené has performed as a soloist for the Russian Ballet Society, North Central Ballet Company, The Dallas Opera, and Ballet Jeunesse, just to name a few. Some of her many choreography experiences include choreography for Southwestern Christian University, El Reno Community Theatre, Victory School of the Arts, Central Oklahoma Ballet Theatre, North Richland Hills Ballet Company, and The Dallas Opera.
Kayla Jenkins
Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Kayla Jenkins, a native Oklahoman, received her BFA in Dance Performance from the University of Central Oklahoma, where she was also a member of the Kaleidoscope Dance Company. Kayla is currently a guest performer with Perpetual Motion Modern/Aerial Dance Oklahoma and served as captain/member of the Okc Yard Dawgz Arena Football Dance team for five years. Her teaching experience includes Victory School of the Arts, Legacy Ministries, and National Dance Alliance along with choreography for Unfold, Resonation, Wait, and Fixed On You Praise and Worship DVD's affiliated with Victory Church. Kayla's solo work "Inside" was selected for the 2007 American College Dance Festival at Texas Christian University and was also featured in the Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival. She also served as a teaching artist for the 2007, 2008, and the upcoming 2009 Dancewise project, a pilot dance education program through the Putnam City Public School District. Kayla recently moved to New York City and is excited to be dancing for Nicole Calabrese in affiliation with Danzare. Kayla’s own choreography will also be seen in affiliation with Danzare, in Works In Progress at Dance New Amsterdam in NYC, and also in the EXCHANGE: Choregraphy Dance Festival in Tulsa, Ok.
Starla Jones
Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Starla has been dancing for over 15 years, studying since she was a child in her home state of New Mexico. While in New Mexico, Starla performed in The Nutcracker with guest performers from National Classical Ballet of Mexico and Lubbock Ballet Theatre. She served as an Assistant Teacher for several years before moving to Oklahoma. Starla has been a faithful member of VSA as a dancer and Assistant Teacher for many years, as well as a member of the Victory Church Worship Dance Team. She attends Victory Church and is also involved with Hannah's Promise, a ministry that provides childcare for parents of children with special needs.
Lorriana Lee
Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Lorriana started ballet and gymnastics at 5 years of age at The Madame Edgcumbe School of Dance in California. She danced in the Vallejo Ballet Company's Nutcracker at 7 years old. At age 8, she moved overseas to Turkey. She took dance and gymnastics on base at the AYA on Incirlik AFB, Turkey. Later moving to Oklahoma City, Lorriana danced at Ballet Oklahoma for one year. At age 12, she began dancing at The Dancenter and stayed until age 25, eventually teaching there. In 1987, she was accepted to the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain for Modern Dance. She has acted and performed in musicals at USAO in Chickasha, including Oklahoma!, The Music Man, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In 2003, she began taking classes at Victory School of the Arts and joined the Victory Worship Dance Team. This is her fourth year on staff at VSA teaching Worship Dance, Ballet, and substituting in other dance classes when needed. We love Lorriana’s spirit and are so honored to have her as part of our team.
Ashley Murphy
Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Ashley has danced for 20 years and has taught for 13 years. Ashley graduated Summa Cum Laude with her degree in Dance Education from the University of Central Oklahoma where she was a member of the UCO Kaleidoscope Dance Company. She has danced professionally with Prairie Dance Theatre and choreographed for Council Road Baptist Church, Moore Public School Choirs, and Perpetual Motion Dance Company.
Jennifer Stevenson
Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Jennifer has studied dance for over 20 years and studied at the collegiate-level at UCO. In 2005, Jennifer received her teaching certification through Dance Masters of America. Jennifer is on demand as both a teacher and choreographer as she has choreographed for Jewel Box Theatre, Frontier City, American College Dance Festival, UCO's Kaleidoscope Dance Company, and remains on staff as a choreographer for Six Flags Theme Parks. In Summer 2006, Jennifer served as Director for the Edmond Summerstock production of 'Grease'.
Brittany Morse
Brittany L. Morse…graduated Cum Laude under the direction of Gay Nardone with a double BA in Communications and Theater & Dance from the University of New Hampshire in 2003. She was a scholarship winner and member of the UNH Dance Company all four years. Her aerial dance training also began in New England under the direction of Elsie and Serenity Smith of Nimble Arts (Cirque du Soleil; Saltimbanco).
Since graduating Brittany has been performing, teaching and choreographing all over the east coast including Portsmouth NH, Boston MA, Savannah GA & Jacksonville FL! She has had the privilege to dance for Disney at the Magic Kingdom, Celebrity Cruise Lines touring the Caribbean Islands; in addition to being a member of Contemporary Dance Company "The Next Stage Project" Directed by Jana Hicks & Marijke Eliasberg performing internationally (New York City, Hawaii and Amsterdam, Holland). Her choreography has received many overall high scores including awards for choreography, concept, & costume from regional competitions. Brittany is also the Founder and Artistic Director of the UNH Summer Dance Intensive and continues to choreograph for the UNH Dance Company.
Brittany is brand new to the mid-west and is very excited to be dancing and teaching in Oklahoma! She and her husband Adam and there pup Bravo and looking forward to making this a new home! Brittany is simply gleeful to be joining the Victory Dance family!!
Carmen Downey
Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Carmen Downey grew up in Bellevue, WA, and began dancing at age 3. As a teenager, Carmen trained extensively in dance at Elizabeth's Dance Dimensions. In 1998, Carmen earned a Full Summer Scholarship to train at Westlake Dance Center in Seattle. She continued her training as a young adult at Westlake Dance Center. In 2001, Carmen moved to New York where she earned Broadway Dance Center's Richard Ellner Scholarship. In addition to her love of dance, Carmen also fell in love with teaching while working as an assistant teacher at Elizabeth's Dance Dimensions. Carmen is entering her 16th year as an instructor of dance.
Carmen was allowed the opportunity to choreograph at a young age through All City Dance Company. These pieces were showcased at local Seattle-area events including Seafair and Winterfest. Carmen has choreographed for several dance companies and events throughout the US including: Westlake Dance Center, EnL'air, The Vibe, R.A.C.E., and Bishop McGuiness High School's Dance Visions. Carmen was also the assistant director of The Vibe Dance Company. As a performer, Carmen has been a member of dance companies; Mo-Dazz, Westlake Performing Group, Cruz Control, Phoenix Rising and Oklahoma's own R.A.C.E. Dance Company.
Carmen also has a heart for community service and is so blessed to have recently had the opportunity to dance with R.A.C.E. at an event that raised over $13,000 for Other Options, INC. Carmen was also a Corps Member with the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps in 2003, which is one of the coolest non-dance things she has ever been a part of. Carmen is married to her wonderful husband Scott. Together they are parents to two very playful dogs, Armani and Lucy.
Chanel Roland
Dance Instructor for Victory Dance
Bio coming soon!