Nicole has been dancing since the early age of two and began competing at the age of six. She has experience in tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, modern, pointe, musical theatre, Hawaiian, modeling, cheerleading, drill team, tumbling, gymnastics, hip-hop, and pageantry. As both a soloist and group competitor, Nicole has won many regional and national awards and titles. Nicole has danced in various venues including Myrtle Beach, New York City and Disney World.
Nicole has taught a variety of dance styles at studios in the Fort Wayne and Indianapolis area. She has worked with numerous tumbling and cheer students and choreographed competition cheer routines. Nicole most enjoys seeing young students accomplish their goals.
Nicole's teaching techniques are designed reach each student, regardless of the student's learning style, and it shows because her choreography has won awards in several age groups and categories.
Along with opening Premier Academy of the Performing Arts, Nicole graduated college with a major in early childhood education and is currently working on a degree in communications. She has worked with special needs students in a variety of settings and hopes to make performing arts experiences meaningful for all students regardless of their individual needs.
Maya Payne Instructor
Maya has an associates degree in choreography from Vincennes University. She has been trained in various types of dance such as hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, Latin dancing and color guard. Maya continues to take classes to stay up to date on new techniques and styles.
Maya used to own an award winning all star cheerleading squad, which made several appearances in Indianapolis. Maya has a lot of energy and students have a blast in her classes. Each student leaves feeling good about him/herself. Maya is USASF (United States All Star Federation), First Aid, and CPR certified.
Maya has been with Premier Academy since the spring of 2009.
Brianna Harvey Instructor
Brianna began her dancing career at the age of 3. She has had training in ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, tap, and tumbling. She was part of the competition team at her studio and also a member of her high school’s dance team. She enjoyed being a part of these teams and has won many awards with them. Brianna began teaching dance classes in 2002. She has taught ballet, tap, jazz, and combo classes and loved working with all of her students.
In 2004, Brianna began her formal training in ballet. She became a member of a junior ballet company and by 2007, she was asked to be an apprentice with Ballet Quad Cities.
Brianna has danced in a number of productions including The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Nightingale, and Coppelia. Brianna is currently studying social work at IUPUI.
Brianna has been with Premier Academy since the spring of 2010.
Carly Herring Instructor
Carly has been dancing since age 3 and has had extensive dance training in ballet, hip hop, tap, jazz, modern/lyrical and musical theater. She has won many scholarships and awards and has danced under the instruction of many nationally renowned choreographers such as Wade Robson, Mia Michaels and a variety of others. She has danced in “The Nutcracker” at the Murat Theatre, performed in “Oliver” as part of Hendricks Civic Theater, danced at Radio City Music Hall in NYC as part of a Jump scholarship and has had the opportunity to dance around the country in many other venues.
Carly has worked as a paid dancer for the WNBA Fever Inferno Hip Hop Dance Team for the last three years. She just finished her first year at Ball State University as a Fine Arts major and is interested in a career in Visual Communications/Graphic Design. She may stay in Indianapolis and attend IUPUI and Herron Art School in the Fall. She would like to continue to dance and teach so that she can “pay forward” her love of dance and bring her knowledge and experience to others who also enjoy expressing themselves through dance.
Carly has been with Premier Academy since the spring of 2010.
Vanessa Shah Instructor
Vanessa has been dancing for 23 years. She has 11 years of teaching experience in all areas of dance. She received extensive training in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, adagio and hip hop in Northern Nevada as well as from The Oakland Ballet, State Street Ballet, Ballet International and many others.
She has had the opportunity to dance in a Fox Searchlight film and learn from some of the industry’s best. She has experience in stage performance and was a member of the University of Nevada, Reno Dance Team. Vanessa is now the Junior Varsity Dance Team coach for Avon High School.
Vanessa has been with Premier since the summer of 2012.
Brittany Wiseman Instructor
Brittany Wiseman is from Indianapolis, IN and has over 18 years experience in dance. She is trained mainly in ballet, pointe, partnering, and modern dance but also has experience in jazz, Scottish Highland dance, and tap. She graduated with a BFA in Dance from Belhaven University in the Spring 2011. While studying at Belhaven she performed in many works with styles ranging from classical ballet, contemporary ballet, and modern dance as well as creating her own works. Also during her time at Belhaven she danced professionally with Talk Dance Co and toured Russia performing in the Shostakovich Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg and in the State Kremlin Palace Theater in Moscow. She has studied at the Ad Deum Dance Company Spring Intensive, Jordan Academy of Dance Summer Intensive, and Ballet Magnificat! Summer Intensive. She has taught ballet as well as other styles in studios around the Indianapolis area.
Kayla Klinefelter Instructor
Kayla started dancing at the age of three and continued her training from there on. She has more than 13 years of dance experience in jazz, tap, clogging, lyrical, modern, ballet, hip hop, contemporary, and musical theatre. While at her studio, Kayla performed at Disney World and along the east coast. Her solo and group dances won many awards and national titles. Kayla has teaching experience with ages 2 through adult.
Kayla also has more than 10 years of gymnastics training. She has traveled to many gyms and became the captain of her high school gymnastics team as a junior. She has been formally trained to spot and coach students in gymnastics and tumbling.
Kayla loves to see her students succeed and to learn new skills. Kayla is currently going to school for nursing and wants to become a pediatric oncology nurse at Riley Hospital.
Meaghan Molsberry Instructor
Bio Coming Soon...
Guest Instructors
Lauren Kruger-Patchin
Lauren began dancing at the age of two and has experience in a wide variety of dance styles. Lauren competed at a regional and national level and won many awards. Lauren was a member of the Premier Competition Team during high school and loves to help out at Premier when she can.
Lauren graduated from Avon High School and currently attends Ball State University. Lauren is double majoring in telecommunications and journalism.
Cessalee Smith-Stovall
Ms. Stovall is an accomplished musical theatre performer, director and choreographer. She has performed across the country in myriad regional theatres, on tours, and aboard cruise ships!
Most recently, Cessalee played Kala in the regional premier of Tarzan at Tuacahn Amphitheatre. Before relocating to St. George, Cessalee lived in Chicago where she created a dance program for the Northbrook Park District. There she choreographed 5 shows a year for the Northbrook Theatre for Young Audiences and taught ages 3-16.
In addition to working with young actors, Ms. Stovall has had a great deal of experience creating Theatre for Young Audiences. She has directed and choreographed for GMT Theatre, an award winning company dedicated to producing touring, educational, professional theatre for children. She is also the founding director of MusicDanceTheatre Workshops.
Cessalee currently lives and works in New York City and exclusively works with Premier Academy students when she's in town.