Teaching Staff

Amanda Tkach Leonhard is originally from Buffalo, NY. She trained from age eleven under Ginger Burke. She danced with Buffalo City Ballet for 5 years, performing in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Firebird. She also has a Masters in Education. She is currently a special education teacher. This will be her seventh year on staff at DBS.

Camille Izard Morris danced professionally with American Ballet Theatre, the Maryland Ballet, and the Cologne Tanz Forum (Germany). She holds an MFA in Dance from NYU. She is the recipient of choreographic
fellowships for both the Ohio Arts Council and the Montgomery Regional Arts and Cultural District. For five years, she was the producing artistic director for Art from Every Angle benefiting the Josephine Schwarz Dayton Dancer Fund. She currently directs the OCC dance program.

Jackie Gantt Wisecup was a student of Dayton Ballet School. She was a member of the DBII Junior and DBII Senior companies. Jackie has been the recipient of the Josephine and Hermene Schwarz Award. You have seen her perform with Dayton Ballet in The Nutcracker, Peter Pan and Swan Lake. Jackie went to Point Park College as a dance major. This is her sixth year teaching for DBS.

Janet Hartsock began her performing career with the Appalachian Ballet Company as well as the University of Tennesse Ballroom Dance Company while studying for her BFA in speech and theatre. After several years in the television industry, Janet returned to the world of ballroom dance and dancesport. She is a certified Zumba dance instructor.

Layla Cooper has a BFA in dance from Wright State. She graduated Cum Laude. Layla performed extensively
with Wright States Dance Ensemble. She was a guest choreographer for DBII Senior this past season. She
choreographed several pieces for their dance concerts. It is her fourth year with DBS.

Gabrielle Sharp danced with Dayton Ballet II Senior for 4 years and Dayton Ballet for two years. She has received The Dancer Peer Award, The Walter J. McCaslin Memorial Award and the Josephine and Hermene Schwarz Award. This will be her fourth year of teaching for DBS. You saw her perform in Dayton Ballet’s Dracula, The Nutcracker, Tales from the Shadow, There Was a Time, and America’s Robin Hood.

Jodi Villars studied with Dayton Ballet School. She performed in Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker as a member of DBII Senior. It is her sixth year of teaching for DBS.

William R. Hoppe, Jr. is a former member of Dayton Ballet. He has studied with many of the great teachers, such as Edward Villella, Violette Verdy and Stephen Mills to a name a few. He studied at the Virginia School of the Arts, Houston Ballet and finally ABT New York.

Jennifer Fester is a graduate of Concordia University in Minnesota with a fine arts degree, Jennifer begins her fourth year teaching at DBS. She taught extensively in Minnesota. She has also studied tap with Carol Jean Heller.

Michelle Baker began her dance training in Buffalo, NY. She graduated from Wright State University with a BFA in Dance. She performed on the Walt Disney Cruise Ship The Wonder. She has taught at DBS for over ten years.

Annalise Woller is a member of Dayon Ballet. You have seen her perform in The Nutcracker, Hyding Inside and The Butterfly Suite. She graduated from Goucher College.