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Jeanne Chelsen

Jeanne Chelsen, owner of Johnston Dance Academy, is a life time member of the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters and is certified to teach ballet, jazz, tap and pointe. She is a former student of her mother, Betty Dybdahl, and Beth Gaynes of Omaha, Nebraska. Jeanne attended business school before opening her own dance studios in Corning, Red Oak, Creston, and Carlisle.

Monika Peltz

Monika Peltz is a Des Moines native who has performed in the community and Midwest for 20 years. She trained and performed with Des Moines Ballet, Ballet Iowa, Iowa Dance Theater, and professionally with The Neuman Project. She has taught at Vine Street Ballet, School of Classical Ballet and Dance, and most recently, at Johnston Dance Academy. Her emphasis in teaching is on technique, vocabulary, and consistency.

Jill DeWeerdt

Jill DeWeerdt has been dancing for over 23 years and is a former student of Jeanne Chelsen. She attended Iowa State University where she studied Child Development and Dance. While taking college classes in all areas of dance, Jill competed and performed on a local, regional and national level. She is trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern and Pointe. Her training also includes master classes and conventions.

Mistie Metten

Mistie Metten performed for ten years with the Sarasota Ballet. Originally from Iowa, she began her training with the Des Moines Ballet School and continued her studies with Robert Thomas and Miyoko Kato. Ms. Metten was an instructor for the nationally acclaimed program Dance The Next Generation, which was awarded the Coming Up Taller award and for Allison's Dance Center in Bradenton, Florida.

Jessie Jo Smith

Jessie Jo Smith has been dancing for over 20 years. Her experience includes education from various midwest studios, including training and performing with the Iowa Dance Theatre. She has also studied in New York City & Los Angeles. She has performed, competed, choreographed and instructed locally, as well as nationally, for over a decade.

Jenna Freeman

Jenna Freeman has been dancing for over 20 years. She has a BA in Performing Arts Entrepreneurship with an emphasis in dance from the University of Iowa. In addition to studying dance with the professors at U of I she has also studied with faculty at Arizona State University and Iowa State University, and was a member of the Oklahoma City University Pep Stars Dance Team.

Alex Johnson

Alex Johnson started dancing at the age of 3 in Ankeny, Iowa. He was a member of Performing Edge dance company and competed in numerous competitions from age 8 during which he won scholarships including a 2 week scholarship to the Joffery Ballet School. Alex had performance opportunities including Dracula and was a finalist in the Iowa State Fair's Bill Riley Talent Competition.

Amber Odom

Amber Odom took tumbling for 5 years as a child. She was also a cheerleader for 5 years, for both football and basketball. She did sideline cheers and half time shows. Her squad did various tumbling and stunts, of which she was a base, requiring significant focus, strength and concentration. As a result, she was awarded head cheerleader her last year.

Angi Moss

Angi Moss is a busy mother of 4 children and very active in many activities including church, lactation education, childbirth education, and homeschooling. She is the office manager at Moss Family Chiropractic in Ankeny. Three of her four children have danced at JDA for over two years. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, scrapbooking, sewing, and reading.

Tami Thompson

Tami Thompson is a small business owner, stay-at-home, homeschooling mom whose oldest daughter has been at JDA for eight years and her son will be starting his fourth year this fall. In her spare time, she enjoys fitness, reading, rubber-stamping and scrapbooking.