Dance Teacher (Assistant Manager)

Makenzie has loved performing arts for as long as she can remember. She started dancing at four years old at Dancers Edge, where she trained in a little bit of everything—jazz, ballet, hip hop, tap, lyrical, and flamenco—and performed with the studio’s company. Dance quickly became one of her favorite ways to express herself and connect with others.

She continued growing her passion at Millennium Middle School, a performing arts magnet school, where she spent all three years in Dance 4, the highest audition-based class. While there, she also participated in chorus and musical theatre, giving her a well-rounded background in the arts and a genuine love for being on stage.

Makenzie has always had a heart for working with kids. As the oldest of six siblings (and one of twelve total!), she naturally stepped into mentoring roles early in life. In high school, she completed all four years of the Early Childhood Education program and helped teach in the on-campus preschool. She also served as president of the ASL Club and earned her Associate of Arts degree with a focus in Sign Language Interpreting—skills that help her bring communication, inclusivity, and calm to her classes.

Makenzie has hands-on teaching experience from running a summer dance camp, where she choreographed routines, designed costumes, organized a showcase for dancers ages 5–15, and helped bring the whole event to life from start to finish.

She is excited to be part of the Starz Program team and hopes to create a class environment where dancers feel confident, supported, and excited to learn. She loves seeing kids discover new skills and have fun while doing something creative—and she’s grateful to combine her love for dance and children in one place.

Dance Teacher

Mackenzie has been dancing since the age of five and has trained in a wide range of styles including jazz, pom, kick, hip hop, ballet, lyrical, and contemporary. She trained at a dance studio in Longwood, Florida for nine years before joining the Lake Mary High School Dance Team, where she spent four years performing and competing at the varsity level. Mackenzie took on leadership roles as co-captain her junior year and captain her senior year. These experiences helped shape her both as a performer and a leader. She gained valuable skills in leading practices, assisting with choreography, teamwork, communication, and motivation.

Mackenzie has a deep passion for teaching and working with children. She currently teaches hip hop classes to elementary-aged students and is praised for her ability to make each class fun, energetic, and supportive. She focuses on making dance classes a space where students can express themselves, build confidence, and enjoy the learning process.

Now a college student majoring in Elementary Education, Mackenzie is committed to combining her love of dance with her desire to inspire the next generation. She hopes to create a space where young dancers feel confident, creative, and empowered to be themselves.

Cheer and Gymnastics Coach

Ainsley has been involved in cheerleading for over a decade. She began her journey as a competitive All-Star cheerleader at the age of 3. Over the last 13 seasons, she has gained experience in tumbling, stunting, and performing under pressure. In high school, she expanded her cheer experience by joining the Lake Mary High School cheer team, where she served as the sideline Team Captain and participated in the high school competition team. Over the years, Ainsley has competed at prestigious events including Cheersport Nationals, NCA (National Cheerleaders Association), UCA (Universal Cheerleaders Association), the Cheer Summit, the Cheerleading Worlds, and High School Nationals. She is a Summit champion, A Cheersport champion, a US Trials Gold Medalist, a Worlds silver medalist, and she placed third in the country at High School Nationals.

Ainsley’s passion for cheer goes beyond performance. From 2021 to 2023, she served as a Junior Cheer Coach at one of Central Florida’s leading competitive cheerleading and dance centers. There, she worked alongside coaches to help athletes build skills, gain strength and flexibility, improve confidence, and develop stage performance. She led practices, guided athletes through routines, and created a positive environment where young cheerleaders could grow. Ainsley is excited to share her love of cheer with new athletes, aiming to provide a fun, structured, and encouraging space for every child to succeed and shine!

Gymnastics Coach

Sandra was a competitive gymnast for nearly 15 years and proudly represented Peru as a member of the National Team for 8 years. During her athletic career, she competed in numerous national and international competitions across South America and abroad, gaining extensive experience and a strong understanding of what it takes to perform at an elite level.

Her years as a high-performance athlete instilled in her the values of discipline, resilience, and teamwork; qualities she now passes on to her students. After retiring due to injury, Sandra discovered a new passion for coaching and has spent the past five years helping young gymnasts build confidence and skill. She has coached athletes of all ages and levels, from beginners to competitive gymnasts, and has attended both national and international meets with her teams. In addition to her gymnastics career, Sandra is currently a student at the University of Central Florida (UCF), majoring in Health Sciences.

Sandra is deeply committed to creating a positive, supportive, and empowering environment where children, preteens, and teens feel valued and motivated to reach their full potential. Her greatest joy comes from watching athletes fall in love with gymnastics the same way she did… Through hard work, perseverance, and pride in every accomplishment.

Dance and Gymnastics Coach

Ava has been dancing since the age of two, developing a strong and versatile foundation in ballet, tap, jazz, acro, tumbling, hip hop, and lyrical. She began competing at the age of seven with her local dance studio, where she cultivated both her technical skills and passion for performance. Throughout high school, Ava was a dedicated member of the varsity Marionettes dance team for four years where she continued her dance training and adding, sideline, Pom and kick. Her leadership and commitment to excellence earned her the role of sophomore officer, co-captain her junior year, and ultimately captain her senior year. Under her leadership, the team achieved a national title for their game day performance, marking a standout moment in her dance career.

In addition to performing, Ava has a passion for teaching. She currently teaches hip hop at a local dance studio, where she enjoys inspiring and mentoring younger dancers. Ava will attend the University of Central Florida (UCF) this fall, where she plans to major in Elementary Education. She has a deep love for working with children and looks forward to combining her passion for teaching with her creative background in dance.

Dance and Cheer Coach

For Kherington, dance has always been more than learning choreography, it’s about building confidence, creating friendships, and inspiring the next generation of dancers. She began dancing at just two years old and started competing at the age of four while training at a dance studio. Throughout the years, she has trained in all styles of dance, developing both strong technique and a love for performing.

As a four-year member of the Lake Mary High School varsity Marionettes Dance Team, Kherington embraced every opportunity to grow as both a dancer and a leader. She served as sophomore officer, co-captain her junior year, and now captain her senior year. One of her proudest accomplishments was helping lead her team to a national championship. More importantly, she values being a positive role model for younger dancers, just as older teammates inspired her when she was growing up.

Teaching has become one of Kherington’s greatest passions and she has experience teaching dancers of all ages. She believes every student deserves to feel encouraged, challenged, and celebrated. Her goal is to create a positive environment where dancers not only improve their technique but also leave each class feeling more confident in themselves.

As she enters her senior year at Lake Mary High School, Kherington continues to pursue opportunities to lead, mentor, and inspire others. She is known for her faith, dedication, and genuine love for dance, she hopes to help every dancer discover their own potential while making memories they’ll carry long after dance class.

Dance and Cheer Coach

For Peyton, dance has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. Beginning at just 18 months old, she quickly discovered a passion for movement, performance, and the connections created through dance. Over the years, she has trained in nearly every style, allowing her to develop a strong foundation in technique while discovering the creativity and artistry that make dance so meaningful to her.

Entering her fourth year as a member of the Lake Mary High School Marionettes Dance Team, Peyton has embraced the challenges and opportunities that come with being part of a team. Through dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to growth, she has created unforgettable memories with her teammates, including the achievement of becoming a national champion. Beyond accomplishments, she values the friendships, lessons, and personal growth that dance has brought into her life.

Peyton has also found a passion for sharing her love of dance with younger generations. Through teaching dancers of various ages, she enjoys encouraging students to step outside of their comfort zones, build confidence, and find their own love for performing. She hopes to create an environment where dancers feel supported while continuing to grow both technically and personally.

As she begins her senior year at Lake Mary High School, Peyton looks forward to the future and the opportunities ahead. While dance will always hold a special place in her life, she plans to continue her education in college with the goal of becoming a dermatologist. She carries with her the values dance has taught her: discipline, dedication, confidence, and the importance of inspiring those around her.

Dance and Cheer Coach

Megan is an Equity dancer, performer, and passionate artist with a career spanning theme parks, theatrical productions, and international entertainment. Her professional credits include performing as an Equity Dancer in Festival of The Lion King at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom and in Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire at Magic Kingdom. She was recently an Elite Dancer with Royal Caribbean International, where she performed onboard multiple ships. She also performed as an NFL Jacksonville Jaguars Cheerleader and spent several years as a Company Dancer with Dance Theatre of Orlando.

Trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, musical theatre, tap, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary styles, and more. Megan brings a diverse skill set and a strong foundation of technique to her work. Alongside her professional performance career, Megan has shared her passion for dance through teaching at Marshall Ellis Dance School and dance studios helping students develop their technique, confidence, and love for movement. She is excited to continue inspiring young dancers as an instructor with the Starz program, where she looks forward to incorporating the knowledge, skills, and experiences she has gained throughout her journey as a performer.

Cheer and Gymnastics Coach

Mila Ching has been involved in cheerleading for nine seasons, developing a strong foundation in both All-Star and school cheer. She spent seven seasons as an All-Star athlete at Top Gun, where she trained extensively in tumbling, stunting, and performance. Over the past two years, Mila has continued her cheer journey in coed cheer at Cheerforward while also cheering for Windermere High School. With her high school team, she has competed at the state level and advanced to Nationals, gaining valuable experience performing under pressure.

Throughout her All-Star career, Mila has competed at several prestigious events, including The Summit, Cheersport, and Jamfest. These opportunities have helped shape her discipline, teamwork, and passion for the sport.

In addition to competing, Mila has developed a love for coaching. She spent a year coaching at Top Gun, where she gained hands-on experience working with young athletes. During her time there, she taught tumbling, stretching, and cheer choreography, while also learning how to create a safe, supportive, and positive environment for children. Mila is passionate about helping athletes grow both in skill and confidence.

Mila’s goal as a coach is to teach athletes skills they will carry with them for a lifetime, both in cheerleading and beyond. She strives to create a fun, encouraging, and structured environment where every child feels supported and inspired to succeed.

Dance and Gymnastics Coach

Desirae has been passionate about the performing arts and athletics from a young age. She began her gymnastics journey at 8 years old, and trained for 11 years, developing a strong foundation in strength, flexibility, coordination, and discipline. Her love for movement eventually expanded into dance, where she has spent the past six years training in ballet, jazz, hip hop, acro, and contemporary. She has also spent a year participating in cheer, giving her an even broader background in performance and movement.

Alongside her own training, Desirae discovered a passion for helping younger athletes grow. She spent four years coaching gymnastics, working with athletes of different ages and skill levels. Through coaching, she learned how rewarding it is to watch a student master something they once found challenging and gain confidence along the way. Her experience as both an athlete and coach has taught her the importance of patience, encouragement, and creating an environment where students feel comfortable learning and making mistakes.

With experience across gymnastics, dance, and cheer, Desirae loves bringing energy, creativity, and enthusiasm into every class. She believes that movement should be fun while also helping students build confidence, discipline, and a genuine love for what they do. She is excited to share her passion with her students and help them discover their own strengths both inside and outside the studio.

Dance and Cheer Coach

Claudia is an energetic and passionate instructor who brings a lifetime of dance experience, including 14 years as a competitive dancer. She is trained in all styles; however, her favorite is Tap! She trained at Performance Edge 2 in Boca as part of their competitive team for all 4 of her high school years. Through dance, she fostered her love for working with children as she would assist in teaching tap classes. In high school, she was also a member of the cheer team for 3 years and loved showing her school spirit mainly through chants and stunting!

Currently, Claudia is going into her second year at UCF as a Psychology major, also minoring in Nonprofit Management. She is involved in Knight-Thon, UCF's Dance Marathon, as the Outreach Director, which showcases her passion for helping kids and giving back to the community. On campus, she is also a member of Pi Beta Phi Women's Fraternity. She is thrilled to continue teaching kids through the Starz Program, inspiring the next generation of Starz!

Cheer Coach

Kiana began her journey in cheer and dance at the age of six and has continued to perform and train throughout the years. She has over nine years of experience in competitive All-Star Cheer; of those, six years were in All-Star Hip Hop. She has been part of her high school sideline team for the last two years.

Kiana was a part of a team that took home the gold in Summit, one of the most prestigious All-Star Cheer competitions in the world. She was a proud member of the USA Youth Hip Hop team, which also earned the gold medal at the ICU Championships. She was a junior cheer coach at one of Central Florida's cheer and dance gyms, guiding younger athletes through practices and competitions.

All-Star has taught Kiana to become a stronger and better version of herself, and what it means to be part of a team. She has a passion for guiding and helping others, and is excited to share her love for cheer and dance with everybody!

Cheer and Gymnastics Coach

Yeidi is a Communications major at the University of Central Florida with a strong background in athletics and youth coaching. She brings five years of experience in both sideline and competitive cheer, including time with Colonial High School’s cheer team, along with two years of gymnastics training.

She has also gained valuable experience working with young children, coaching gymnastics for ages 3–7 and serving as a junior varsity assistant coach for her high school cheer team. Through these roles, she has developed strong leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.

Yeidi is an energetic and positive instructor who is passionate about working with children and creating a supportive, encouraging environment where they can grow, build confidence, and have fun!

Assistant Coach

Zayda has a life-long love for dance and over 8 years of experience in performance arts. Her passion was first sparked at the early age of 6 when she started performing publicly across the state of Florida with a small group of hip hop students. This continued for years until she changed dance studios and began taking ballet classes around the age of 9. She participated in multiple recitals over the years and was even encouraged by her instructors to join a competitive team. The urge to be on stage continued as she got older, causing her to volunteer as a background dancer for her high school’s musical theatre productions.

After spending years training inside of a studio, Zayda is ready to share her enthusiasm for dance with others. Her background includes experience organizing children’s recitals as a summer activities coach. Although she’s worked with adolescents of all ages, Zayda has spent the most time around children between the ages of 2 and 10 years old. Now, she hopes to create an energetic environment where any young dancer can thrive to their fullest potential. With her extensive background in ballet and a bubbly personality, Zayda strives to teach the building blocks of dance while also having fun!

Assistant Coach

Leyla began her dance journey at just two years old in her hometown of Miami, Florida. From an early age, she developed a passion for dance and trained extensively in a variety of styles, including tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and musical theater. Her dedication and talent led her to compete at the national level as a member of a competitive tap team.

Throughout high school, Leyla began sharing her passion for dance with younger students at her home studio, where she volunteered as a teacher, choreographer, and camp counselor for children ages 3–13. These experiences sparked her love for teaching and inspired her to pursue dance education as a career.