Meet Our Instructors
2011-2012
Vanessa (Johnson) Diaz began her career in dance at the age of five. At the age of seven, Vanessa visited the U.S.S.R., Denmark, and Sweden on a dance tour. At age nine, she joined a dance troupe and has competed and traveled to many places including Orlando, Dallas, Nashville, Las Vegas, Anaheim, and New York. Vanessa has taken classes from the Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway. She is a graduate of CMSU (now UCM) with a Bachelor of Science in Education – Special Education degree. Vanessa has been teaching dance for thirteen years, and is currently teaching her ninth year at By Grace. Vanessa is a co-owner of the By Grace Performance Studio and has been teaching for the Clinton School District since the Fall of 2006. Miss Vanessa is a co-director of the Performance Team.
Andrea Kostas began dancing at the age of three. She has studied with Jo Noth, at White Oak Dance Academy, Blue Springs, Missouri. Andrea started competing on a National level at the age of 7. She has received numerous scholarships to study in New York City, NY at the Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway. She has received many awards nationally including placing in competitions, high score awards, and technical awards. Andrea has been a Mule Kicker at the University of Central Missouri and currently attends Missouri State University as a dance major. Her focus of study is Tap, Ballet, Jazz, and Modern. She is currently teaching dance at Tiffany's Performing Arts Studio in Republic, Missouri while attending college. She has taught dance at By Grace Performance Studio for 6 years and is coming back to co-direct the Performance Team again this year.
Kathryn Fisher has been dancing for 20 years starting at age three. She was a part of Jo Noth’s White Oak Dance troupe for 10 years and competed in numerous competitions traveling from Las Vegas to New York City. Kathryn has competed in group routines in Dance Masters, Dance America and IDC competitions throughout the ten years with the dance troupe as well as solos and duets. She was the 2nd runner up in Teen Miss Dance for the Heart of America Chapter. In high school, Kathryn was part of the Blue Springs South dance team and competed at the State level. She then went on to dance for Rockhurst University competitive college dance team. The team traveled to Daytona Beach and won two awards. She has taught dance since age 11, helping in many classes ranging from pre-school to advanced work. Her passion is tap dance but she loves all types of dance just as much. Miss Kathryn will be teaching her 2nd year at By Grace. A favorite quote: “Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another”. ~Author Unknown
Eva Carpenter started dancing at the age of four. She has been trained in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, musical theatre, hip-hop, and acrobats. Eva joined a dance troupe when she was ten and has traveled extensively to local and national competitions in St. Louis, Kansas City, Florida, New York, and Las Vegas. During competitions, Eva has taken classes from renowned dance instructors. Eva attended the Missouri Fine Arts Academy at SMSU (now MSU) in the summer of 2005 and was the recipient of a scholarship to attend the Alvin Ailey Summer Dance Program in New York City. During the summer of 2006, Eva performed as a dancer/singer at the Legends Show in Branson. Eva was a student at UCM and a two-year member of the Mulekicker Dance Team. Eva graduated from Missouri State University receiving her BFA in Dance Performance. During her junior year at Missouri State University, Eva was in multiple dance concerts with the Inertia Dance Company. Eva would like to continue her dance career as an NBA Cheerleader, performer on renowned cruise ships, and/or be a dance company member. This is Eva's 7th year as an instructor at By Grace. She will be co-directing our Performance Team again this year.
Tia Burkhardt began dancing at the age of three. She has been dancing competitively since she was seven years old. She has competed in numerous places in the United States including Florida, California, Myrtle Beach, New York, Las Vegas, and many other places. Tia graduated from Blue Springs High School and was on the Glitter Girls Dance Team for all four years of high school. She is currently attending the University of Central Missouri and is double majoring in Secondary Education in Math and Business Management. Previously, Tia minored in Dance at Stephens College in Columbia. She has been teaching dance since the age of thirteen, and is a member of the Mulekickers at UCM.
Caiti Schmedding started dancing when she was two years old. She took ballet, tap, jazz, and acrobats. Caiti began competing in acrobats at the age of 6, with the Mid-America Tumbling Society, and later with the National Acrobats Competion. At age 8, she began participating in dance competitions as well. Throughout high school, Caiti was a 4-year varsity member of the cheerleading squad at Clinton High School, holding captainships her Junior and Senior years. She was competitive in cheerleading her Freshman and Junior years. After graduation in 2009, Caiti began college at Missouri State University in Springfield, and transferred to the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg after her first semester. Caiti plans to graduate with an English Education degree in May of 2012. Miss Caiti will be teaching acrobats and coaching the M.A.T.S. Team.
Riley Bradley started dancing at the age of three. She joined the By Grace Performance Team at the age of 10. She has performed in numerous dance competitions since 2006. Riley is a competitive soloist dancer. During dance competitions, Riley has been able to attend convention classes from renowned instructors from all over the nation. She is also a member of the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team. She has competed in acrobats with the Mid-America Tumbling Society for six years. In the summer of 2010, Riley attended classes at Broadway Dance Center in New York City. In the summer of 2011, Riley was named a 2012 Dance Olympus VIP which will allow her to travel, take classes, and perform with the 2012 Dance Olympus Summer Tour. She is a Sophomore at Clinton High School and is 16 years old. Riley is a Captain of the CHS Pom Squad and was named All-American at summer camp. She is now an Intern in the By Grace Apprentice Program in which she is beginning her eighth year. Miss Riley will be teaching Primary Combo I & II Classes and Basic Acrobats.
Brianna Schultz & Tammy Steele will be teaching Cheer Class. They are both members of the CHS Cheerleading Squad and have both received formal dance/cheer training.
Karen Page, born in Whidbey Island, Washington, resident of Clinton, Missouri since 2000, is the By Grace Performance Studio Vocal and Piano Instructor. Ms. Page has an eclectic and rich background in numerous theatrical and fine arts: vocal and piano technique, music composition, visual arts, theatrical costume draping and design, millinery, hair and makeup. She won the graduate and professional 2009 Region V KCACTF Award in Costume Design for Peter Brook's "Conference of the Birds", and was the UCM Highlander Theatre Costume Shop Manager 2006-2009, where she supervised and assisted theatre technology and performance students for all Highlander Mainstage productions and children's plays, was official assistant costume designer for mainstage musical "Cabaret", and official hair designer for Sophocles' "Electra" under Miss Ronnie Chamberlain, National KCACTF Award Winner in Theatrical Makeup. Ms. Page assisted students in costuming for the production mounts of the Blackbox Theatre at UCM, which hosts student-led one-act plays throughout the theatre production season. Ms. Page has also costume designed several events for the Historical Society of Johnson County, Missouri, 2006-2009. Ms.Page is also a winner of the National Choral Award, achieving her first of many Missouri State Soloist Vocal Music Rating I Awards at the age of 15, was nominated to Who's Who Among United States High School Music Students at age 17, competed in State High School Musical Theatre Competition, won numerous theatre awards in high school, performed as a jazz, blues, pop, classical and Christian vocalist/ instrumentalist since the age of 8, in locations such as Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Georgia, and throughout Missouri--predominantly in Kansas City, Columbia and Springfield. In her secondary school academic history, she studied, performed and accompanied under Sgt. J.J.Creamer, National Army Band Director. While attending art school at MU, Ms. Page accompanied and coached masters-level vocal students for Dr. Virginia Pyle, MU Vocal Music Department Chair. She attended Music Conservatory at Central Methodist University, where she studied under Metropolitan Opera singer, Dr. Donald Pyle and was accompanied by pianist Mr. Sam Lucas, currently Clinton Methodist Church Minister of Music. Ms Page also studied voice under German opera star, Madame Boehing, at the Conservatory of Music at UMKC, Ms. Mary Marshall, Missouri vocal educator and competition judge, and was student and piano accompanist to the late Mr. Richard Kemm- the vocal instructor to many accomplished musicians, such as Missouri-born Broadway composer, Bob James. In 2009, Ms. Page studied theatre history under Dr. Felicia Londre' at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and worked as teaching assistant to New York's Broadway costume designer-1987 Tony Award Winner, Lindsay Davis. She was the costume designer for a highly successful tragi-comedy by Tracy Letts, "Killer Joe", for the Kansas City Repertory Theatre in Fall 2009, did hair/wig technical work for KC Rep's 2009 production of Stoppard's "Arcadia", worked on the technical costume shop crew for Kansas City's 2009 Unicorn Theatre production of Christopher Durang's "Miss Witherspoon" and UMKC's innovative interpretation of William Shakespeare's "Pericles, Prince of Tyre". Other recent projects included preparing costume sketches/specs for popular band, "Weezer", and millinery work for the costume shop manager of the Metropolitan Opera, NYC. Ms. Page, a licensed cosmetologist of 28 years, owned and managed successful Missouri and Kansas Redken Premier salons in the late 1980's- 1990's, serving as a product educator and platform artist for 15 years. Ms. Page obtained the 2,100 hours cosmetology certificate from Salvador Salgado's College of Hair Design, Des Moines, IA, which boasted the first International Olympic Styling Team Gold Cup Award Winner for the U.S, and worked as makeup artist and nail technician for Mr. Patrick Day, President of the Iowa Cosmetology Association and two salons in Columbia, Missouri, immediately following graduation. Ms.Page has held cosmetology licenses in Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, and maintains a current license in Missouri. After retiring from active practice in cosmetology, Ms. Page worked as a paraprofessional in Early Childhood Special Education, instructed K-12 visual arts in Missouri public schools for several years, assisted at UCM and UMKC Theatre Departments, and is now a candidate to the Masters of Science in Educational Technology-Instructional Design, Spring, 2010, University of Central Missouri-Warrensburg. Having completed a previous Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia, as well as numerous computer science courses, Ms. Page has endeavored to incorporate those skills as site administrator and web developer of ArtsMerge.com, a digital library and educational membership website for visual arts, music and dance students of all ages. Ms. Page is devoted to the education of lifetime learners whom strongly desire a high performance level and competitive edge in fine arts. Actively involved in an area Christian music ministry, Ms. Page currently serves as assistant pianist to Ms. Helen Eager at Northeast Baptist Church, and as keyboardist/vocalist on a dynamic new worship team.
