December 2022 Student & Mentor Features

Published On: December 13th, 2022
Categories: Mentors, Student Features5 min readViews: 1040

MUSIC STUDENT OF THE MONTH

STUDENT OF THE MONTH: Kayley Pottmeyer | Voice | Band (Vocals)

“Kayley is a sincerely dedicated student and has worked super hard over the past 6 months! She volunteered on Student Crew for RMA festival 2022, sang a beautiful solo, and also performed with her OnStage Band. She is such a hardworking detail oriented and selfless individual who never seeks the spotlight but strives to learn, grow and serve. I’m so proud of her!” – Victoria Taylor, Voice Mentor

FEATURED MUSIC MENTOR

Ben Boddy | Guitar, Bass/Upright Bass, OnStage Bands

Teaching for 20+ years | Joined ROOTS in May 2022

“Ben Boddy brings the absolute BEST energy wherever he goes! He has a true passion for teaching and mentoring that’s apparent in how he shows up to every lesson and Band rehearsal. Ben’s love for music inspires his students to be excited about learning, and we are so grateful to have him on our team guiding the next generation.”- Emily Lindsey, Music Director

FEATURED DANCE CLASS

Acro II | Mentored by: Kylie Koeppen

This class works on strength, flexibility and confidence! Our acro classes are for dancers working on enhancing their tumbling skills such as backwalkovers, aerials, and stationary elbowstands, cheststands, and handstands. A prerequiste for Acro II is the dancer must be able to do a cartwheels and backbends independently. These dancers are ready to learn the mechaniques of a proper aerial and front and back walkovers.

FEATURED DANCE MENTOR

Joyanna Noelle

Joyanna Noelle is a dancer, choreographer, singer and aspiring actress. For the past five years, she has been a dance team coach, instructor and choreographer for local dance studios in South Florida. Joyanna has choreographed for many competitive soloists, ensembles, and dance groups. Her choreography has placed in the top overalls at competitions such as Nuvo, Radix, Intrigue, Hype, KAR, Starbound and Platinum. She has also received choreography awards and other special awards for her pieces.  In addition to teaching, Joyanna performs as a featured soloist and choreographer for women’s conferences, church events and corporate conventions.  When presented with the challenge of a world-wide pandemic, Joyanna chose to utilize her time by training virtually with The Radio City Rockettes, precision dance and fitness trainers, Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway instructors as well as vocal and acting teachers.  In 2021, she was given the incredible opportunity to be a lead choreographer for Concert Ministries’s production of “Christmas Is..”. Not only did she choreograph, but she also performed in the show as an ensemble member and featured dancer. She looks forward to joining their 2022 production as the Lead Choreographer again. Before moving to Nashville, TN this summer, Joyanna had the privilege of assisting Broadway veterans and choreographers, Lloyd Culbreath, Ashley Bachner and Sergio Trujillo for The Broadway Artists Intensive’s 3-week program at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. She looks forward to continuing to combine her passions in future projects and productions.

Joyanna has trained extensively in ballet, tap, jazz, precision dance, musical theatre, contemporary, modern, Latin jazz and hip hop for over 20 years. Her dance training began in Atlanta, Georgia where she studied under acclaimed teachers and choreographers who helped her discover her love for dance and choreography. After relocating to South Florida, Joyanna continued her dance training with some of Florida’s finest instructors as well as began teaching the next generation of young artists. She has attended numerous master classes with instructors from Alvin Ailey, So You Think You Can Dance, Broadway and Fosse.  Joyanna also competed at the local, state and national levels and was named the Universal Dance Association’s Georgia State Champion Senior Soloist and placed in the Top 30 at Contest of Champions Nationals, both with original choreography.

Additionally, Joyanna has studied voice and acting privately with Jason Gillman and Jackie Bayne Gillman of The Broadway Artists Intensive. To further develop and improve her craft, Joyanna has frequently traveled to New York City where she has attended The Rockettes Summer Intensive, Paige Chamber’s Broadway and Beyond Workshop, and Broadway Dance Center’s Winter Intensive. Attending these workshops and master classes have given her the opportunity to learn from director/choreographer, Chet Walker, Broadway veterans, Dana Moore and Lloyd Culbreath, renowned choreographers, Mia Michaels and AC Ciulla, and many more. While in the city, she was also able to train privately with Rockette dance trainer and fitness coach, Rhonda Malkin, and Broadway vocal coach, Dan Thaler.

Joyanna looks forward to a long, successful career working professionally in the dance, theatre and TV/film industry. She hopes to inspire other young artists to pursue their passions relentlessly until they see the fulfillment of their dreams.

FEATURED DANCE MENTOR

Holland Dillon

From Birmingham, Alabama, Holland started dance classes at two years old and began competing just three years later. She won numerous regional and national competitions throughout the twelve years she competed and studied all genres of dance. Her absolute favorite is tap, and she considers this style her speciality. A lover of performing, she also fell in love with musical theatre and has over twenty show credits. Her first job was at her dance studio teaching musical theatre and tap classes. This fostered a love of teaching that she never expected.

In college, Holland danced for Auburn University’s Tiger Paws dance team, majored in elementary education, and minored in musical theatre. She continued to choreograph for local dance studios and community theaters while in college.

Holland taught school for seven years before having her daughter Brie. She absolutely loves teaching dance classes of all ages, and is thrilled to be joining the ROOTS family!

Last Updated: December 14th, 2022