Faculty
Maggie Collum
Owner/Founder/Operations
Maggie began studying dance at Rose Thayer Academy of Dance in Orange, Texas, training in ballet, jazz, lyrical, tap, hip-hop, character, acrobatics. She began dancing competitively at the age of eight and won various scholarships and awards from regional and national dance conventions and competitions. She studied at the Houston Metropolitan Dance Center and was a member of the Orange Jazz Company under the direction of Lorna Badon Knaus for four years, studying under Steven Boyd, Pattie Obey, Joe Celej, Michelle Smith, and Dorrell Martin. Maggie continued dance at Sam Houston State University and was a member of the Orange Pride Dance Team for many years, winning a national championship. After college, she continued to teach dance and choreographed for high schools and dance schools across Texas. In 2004, Maggie began coaching the Orange Pride Dance Team at her alma mater, bringing the team to another national championship in 2005. Before opening a dance studio Maggie worked for Sam Houston State University as the Director of University Events for the President's Office for over 12 years. She is a Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP). She has been certified in Leap N Learn, a early childhood dance curriculum. In addition, Maggie has brought many competitive teams to regional and national competitions as well as coaches individuals for pageants and professional dance team auditions. She believes in contiuing the education of her self and staff regulary by attending workshops, conference, conventions and online training. She also teaches a course, Appreciation of Dance, at Alpha Omega Academy, She is a member of Dance Studio Owners and has been recognized as the STUDIO OF EXCELLENCE AWARD in 2021 by Elite Dance Cup. She is also proud that for the past 6 years since MC opened it's doors we have been named "The Best in Walker County"! In addition to teaching dance, she also has a strong commitment to the fitness industry with over 15 years experience teaching group classes and personal training. She enjoys teaching all kinds of group fitness, from small group, strength training to larger groups. She loves all the options for getting and staying fit. She has a bachelor’s degree from SHSU in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction. Maggie loves spending time with her husband and three children. Dance has always had a special place in her heart and she is excited to share her passion with others.
Alyssa Andrews
Assistant Director
Paula Aragon
Assist Competitive Teams
Tiny Tot/Pre-K/Kinder/Acrobatics
Paula started dancing at the age of 3. She trained in Pearland, Texas where she found her passion for dance. She later moved to Santa Clarita Valley, California where she joined the competition team and trained in every style with teachers and choreographers in the Industry. In high school she made the Valencia Dance Team and won several National Titles with choreography by Tiffany Burton Rojas and Mark Meismer. At age 16 she moved back to Texas and stopped dancing due to a spinal fusion surgery. Her surgery sparked her interest for health. She is now a senior at Sam Houston State University studying Health Science and Business. Paula believes that dance has played a big role in making her the person she is and she is grateful that she is able to share her knowledge and passion for dance with her students.
Blythe Ernst
Tiny Tots & Diaper Dancers
Blythe has been a part of the Huntsville community for over 30 years. The Ernst family has owned their jewelry store since 1893, in which Blythe currently helps her husband operate. She attended Sam Houston State University and gained a position on the Orange Pride Dance team. Her passion for dance began at a very young age and has continued throughout her life. The discipline, hard work and physical conditioning required for dance has helped her throughout life challenges. Blythe loves to be active and was a group exercise instructor and believes in the power of movement. She has a love for teaching preschool children and has served in her churches preschool ministry for over 15 years. Blythe is so excited to be part of the amazing MC Dance family and can not wait to introduce the love of dance to precious little ones!
Dorothy Jeffries
Ballet & Pointe
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Dorothy fell in love with ballet when she was seven years old and never stopped dancing after that! She grew up in Northern California, training primarily in ballet and pointe, and she began teaching in 2009. Dorothy co-founded and co-directed a pre-professional ballet company in California that focuses on telling stories in the form of “mini” ballets. She has choreographed and coached numerous classical and contemporary ballet pieces for competitions and shows, assistant directed productions, established a scholarship program for dancers, and built up adult ballet programs. In 2017, Dorothy received a Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition and is also now a comprehensively trained Pilates instructor and works as a rehab movement coach. She is passionate about sharing the art of ballet and walking alongside her students on their unique journeys as dancers and humans.
Virginia Mathiews
Ballet & Pointe Instructor
Virginia Mathiews has studied ballet since the age of 3. She trained under Victoria Ayers, former principal of the Atlanta Ballet. She began teaching ballet at age 16 at the Ballet Conservatory in the Dallas area. She is a trained Leap N' Learn ballet instructor. In addition to ballet, Mrs. Mathiews has taught 1st through 4th grade in the public school system for the last 16 years. She holds a bachelor degree in Elementary Education from Baylor University with a specialization in Early Childhood Development. She and her husband, Shawn, have two children, Hannah and Haylee, and many fur babies.
Cheyenne Curry Logan
Contemporary/Jazz/Hip Hop
Cheyenne is a contemporary, hip-hop, alternative and drill choreographer based out of Huntsville, TX. Cheyenne began her training as a competitive dancer at Hot on Your Heels Dance Prod. at the age of 5 ,under former Texans Cheerleader, Dana Sullivan and Convention/Studio owner Ambler Blezinger She continued her competitive dance career at Carpe Diem Dance at the age of 14. Cheyenne competed at competitions such as Dance Showcase USA, Showstoppers, and KAR with both her dancing and her choreography all while receiving scholarships and company invites from dancers such as Nick Lazzarini and Mia Michaels. In 2018, following high school, Cheyenne attended The Univ. Of Mary Hardin-Baylor as a Sadderbelle Dance Team member where she ventured into drill and pom. Cheyenne has judged auditions and guest choreographed for a plethora of high schools and studios. In only the past 6 years she has been awarded 9 choreography awards for group dances, 4 for solos and duets, and 3 for her drill teams. Cheyenne is the owner of the one day dance intensive “Escape Dance” and most recently an instructor for Relevé Dance Conventions and The Meckka Dance Project.
Taylor has been dancing since the age of three. She loved her ballet, tap, and jazz classes, but at age 7, when a clogging studio opened up closer to home, she began shifting her focus to clogging with Absaroka Mountain Thunder in Powell, Wyoming. From 2nd grade to 10th grade, Taylor performed and competed all around the US. She won many national solo titles for freestyle and was named part of the America on Stage (Nationals) All-American team in 2009. Taylor was trained by some of the best cloggers in the country including Joel Harrison, Blake Bartlett-Dunn, and Gary Larsen. Some of her favorite memories come from being a performer at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. In college, she assisted with beginner and intermediate university clogging classes. Taylor has seen how clogging is a type of dance that is enjoyable for every age and body. She loves sharing her passion for clogging with anyone willing to get out of their comfort zone and try something new!
Allyson Millier
Kindergarten & Pre-K
Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Ally has trained for seventeen years and is an alumna of Marjorie Jones School of Dance and competition team. She has studied at various schools and companies across America including the Joffrey School of Ballet, Giordano Dance Chicago, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Currently, she is completing her BFA degree with a dance major and a kineseology minor at Sam Houston State University.
Jasmin Velasquez
Lyrical, Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet
Hi everyone !!! My name is Jasmin Velasquez. I’m from Victoria texas, I currently attend Sam Houston for my BFA in dance and I’m also apart of the Orange Pride Dance Team. I have been dancing since I was 2 years old, immediately falling head over heels for the artistry and sport. I quickly learned that dancing brought a lot of outlets to my life by allowing me to express myself and be who I was meant to be. It taught me growth and responsibility out of dance as well. I love teaching and also challenging individuals, only because we are all capable of so many things that we do not know yet !!! So excited to meet everyone and to be apart of the family !