INSTRUCTORS 2024-2025
Vanessa 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 and a Masters of Science in Education - Elementary Math Specialist. Vanessa recently graduated with an Education Specialist degree as an Educational Diagnostician from Northwest Missouri State University. Vanessa has been teaching dance for twenty-six years and is currently teaching her 22nd year at By Grace. She continues to further her dance education each year by attending convention classes specifically designed for dance instructors. She 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 By Grace Performance Team and the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team.
Catheryn Guterman has been a dancer since the age of 10. She has performed in Branson for about 80% of her career. Catheryn was in a group called American Kids for eight years and graduated from her Dance Academy when she was 18 years old and has always had a special place in her heart for helping children learn. She trained in many disciplines including jazz, ballet/pointe, ballroom, modern, contemporary, lyrical, and tap. Along with her dance team, she performed all over Branson from doing flash mobs downtown to kick lines in front of the Christmas tree for Santa. Catheryn believes that failure is just your first attempt in learning. She likes to teach that no one should give up on something they love. Catheryn began teaching at By Grace in the Fall of 2023.
Jess LaRue began dancing at the age of two and has been dancing ever since. Starting competitive dance at 12, she quickly grew into a prominent member of her studio and began teaching at 14. Jess went on to dance and choreograph for her high school dance team while being co-captain and captain. She made the all star team both her junior and senior years and was invited to dance with the UDA team (United Dance Association) in the 2005 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and the 2005 London New Year’s Parade! After graduating, Jess opted for a smaller school experience and went to Missouri Valley College where she studied business marketing and dance. She competed with the college dance team at the NAIA nationals all four years. Jess was also part of the Repertory Dance Ensemble, performing and choreographing for the fall and spring concerts each year. She became the school’s first dance major and went on to coach dance and cheer in Nebraska. She took a non-competitive team to nationals and placed 2nd in their first ever competition! After a year, she came back to Missouri to start her life with husband, Austin. Stepping back from dance full time, she continued to do freelance choreography in her spare time. In 2020, Jess joined By Grace and this year will be teaching classes and co-directing the Performance Team and the M.A.T.S. Team.
Alex Markham is a Senior at Clinton High School and has been in tumbling classes since preschool. She loves tumbling and hopes to help others enjoy it as much as she does. Alex has been an apprentice for 5 years and was a member of the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team for 5 years. Alex plays the trumpet, mellophone, and french horn in band, is on the Varsity Cheer Team, and a member of the CHS Tennis Team.
Emily Meeker began dancing at the age of 5 at By Grace, just the second year of opening and has been here ever since! Emily started competing on the Performance Team in 5th grade and continued all through high school. She had opportunities to travel all over to national competitions in cities like Chicago, Kansas City, Branson, and Charleston. In 2015, Emily was a nominee for Dance America’s Dancer of the Year. She has had the honor of taking classes from many professional dancers and choreographers in genres of tap, ballet, pointe, jazz, hip hop, lyrical and contemporary. Emily says she felt like she used to “live at the dance studio” and now she is so happy to have had the opportunity to teach classes since she was 16. She is now 25 years old and also teaches high school at a district nearby.
Rikki Mesh started dancing at the age of 2, and she attended Clinton Dance Academy and By Grace Performance Studio. During high school she was a member of the Flags Squad with the Cardinal Pride Marching Band. During her senior year she was captain of the team, and led them through a successful competition season. She attended the University of Missouri where she attained both a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Education in Learning, Teaching and Curriculum, and she has been teaching since 2012. She recently graduated in 2024 from Northwest Missouri State University with an Educational Specialist Degree in K-12 Educational Leadership and Superintendency. During her undergrad, she was a member of the Mizzou Ballroom Dance Team. This experience allowed her to travel to other universities to compete. During this time she was also able to further her study of ballet at Studio B in Columbia. Upon graduating from Mizzou, she coached the John Boise Middle School and Warsaw High School cheerleaders for 2 years, and then became the coach of the Crimson Girls Dance Team until the end of the 2022 season. During her time as head coach of these squads she took her teams to regional, state, and national competitions where her teams earned top placements and championships. Rikki began teaching at By Grace in the winter of 2022, and is excited to return.
Maycee Wray has been dancing with By Grace Performance Studio since the age of 5. During her time as a student, Maycee enjoyed learning many forms of dance including tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical/contemporary, musical theater, pointe, and tumbling. During high school, Maycee was a member of the Flags Team and the Crimson Girls Dance Team where she earned many awards even the All- American award. With that award she was invited to dance with the UDA staff all around the world and in many different parades. Maycee was also a part of the Performance team for four years and on the MATS Team for three years. She is attending State Fair Community College to obtain her LPN and RN License. Maycee has always loved helping out in any way she can. She is excited to share her knowledge and passion for dance with the students at By Grace.
Catheryn Guterman has been a dancer since the age of 10. She has performed in Branson for about 80% of her career. Catheryn was in a group called American Kids for eight years and graduated from her Dance Academy when she was 18 years old and has always had a special place in her heart for helping children learn. She trained in many disciplines including jazz, ballet/pointe, ballroom, modern, contemporary, lyrical, and tap. Along with her dance team, she performed all over Branson from doing flash mobs downtown to kick lines in front of the Christmas tree for Santa. Catheryn believes that failure is just your first attempt in learning. She likes to teach that no one should give up on something they love. Catheryn began teaching at By Grace in the Fall of 2023.
Jess LaRue began dancing at the age of two and has been dancing ever since. Starting competitive dance at 12, she quickly grew into a prominent member of her studio and began teaching at 14. Jess went on to dance and choreograph for her high school dance team while being co-captain and captain. She made the all star team both her junior and senior years and was invited to dance with the UDA team (United Dance Association) in the 2005 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and the 2005 London New Year’s Parade! After graduating, Jess opted for a smaller school experience and went to Missouri Valley College where she studied business marketing and dance. She competed with the college dance team at the NAIA nationals all four years. Jess was also part of the Repertory Dance Ensemble, performing and choreographing for the fall and spring concerts each year. She became the school’s first dance major and went on to coach dance and cheer in Nebraska. She took a non-competitive team to nationals and placed 2nd in their first ever competition! After a year, she came back to Missouri to start her life with husband, Austin. Stepping back from dance full time, she continued to do freelance choreography in her spare time. In 2020, Jess joined By Grace and this year will be teaching classes and co-directing the Performance Team and the M.A.T.S. Team.
Alex Markham is a Senior at Clinton High School and has been in tumbling classes since preschool. She loves tumbling and hopes to help others enjoy it as much as she does. Alex has been an apprentice for 5 years and was a member of the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team for 5 years. Alex plays the trumpet, mellophone, and french horn in band, is on the Varsity Cheer Team, and a member of the CHS Tennis Team.
Emily Meeker began dancing at the age of 5 at By Grace, just the second year of opening and has been here ever since! Emily started competing on the Performance Team in 5th grade and continued all through high school. She had opportunities to travel all over to national competitions in cities like Chicago, Kansas City, Branson, and Charleston. In 2015, Emily was a nominee for Dance America’s Dancer of the Year. She has had the honor of taking classes from many professional dancers and choreographers in genres of tap, ballet, pointe, jazz, hip hop, lyrical and contemporary. Emily says she felt like she used to “live at the dance studio” and now she is so happy to have had the opportunity to teach classes since she was 16. She is now 25 years old and also teaches high school at a district nearby.
Rikki Mesh started dancing at the age of 2, and she attended Clinton Dance Academy and By Grace Performance Studio. During high school she was a member of the Flags Squad with the Cardinal Pride Marching Band. During her senior year she was captain of the team, and led them through a successful competition season. She attended the University of Missouri where she attained both a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Education in Learning, Teaching and Curriculum, and she has been teaching since 2012. She recently graduated in 2024 from Northwest Missouri State University with an Educational Specialist Degree in K-12 Educational Leadership and Superintendency. During her undergrad, she was a member of the Mizzou Ballroom Dance Team. This experience allowed her to travel to other universities to compete. During this time she was also able to further her study of ballet at Studio B in Columbia. Upon graduating from Mizzou, she coached the John Boise Middle School and Warsaw High School cheerleaders for 2 years, and then became the coach of the Crimson Girls Dance Team until the end of the 2022 season. During her time as head coach of these squads she took her teams to regional, state, and national competitions where her teams earned top placements and championships. Rikki began teaching at By Grace in the winter of 2022, and is excited to return.
Maycee Wray has been dancing with By Grace Performance Studio since the age of 5. During her time as a student, Maycee enjoyed learning many forms of dance including tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical/contemporary, musical theater, pointe, and tumbling. During high school, Maycee was a member of the Flags Team and the Crimson Girls Dance Team where she earned many awards even the All- American award. With that award she was invited to dance with the UDA staff all around the world and in many different parades. Maycee was also a part of the Performance team for four years and on the MATS Team for three years. She is attending State Fair Community College to obtain her LPN and RN License. Maycee has always loved helping out in any way she can. She is excited to share her knowledge and passion for dance with the students at By Grace.
Apprentices 2024-2025
Miss Alex see above.
Miss Jasmyn is fourteen years old and is in the 9th grade at Clinton High School. She has been dancing for thirteen years! Jasmyn is enrolled in tap, jazz, ballet, tumbling, Pre-Pointe, lyrical, ballet technique, stretch & strength/leaps & turns. She is a member of the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team and an 9th year member of the By Grace Performance Team. Jasmyn says she wants to be an apprentice to help others. She likes to be around little kids a lot. Jasmyn says she wants to be a elementary teacher when she grows up.
Miss Morghean is twelve years old and is in the 6th grade at Davis R-12. She has been dancing for seven years. Morghean does ballet, jazz, tap, tumbling, and lyrical. She is a member of the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team and a first year member of the By Grace Performance Team. Morghean wants to be an apprentice to help train her to someday be a teacher.
Miss Haysel is eleven years old. The classes she is currently enrolled in are tap, jazz, ballet, Pointe, MATS, tumbling, hip hop, and lyrical. She is apprenticing in the Preschool & Primary Tumbling class. Haysel was a member of the By Grace Performance Team for five years and it is her 6th year on the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team. She has been an apprentice for 3 years.
Miss Kary is ten years old. She has been dancing for seven years. Kary attends Clinton Intermediate School and is in the 5th grade. She is enrolled in tap, jazz, ballet, tumbling, hip hop, stretch and strength building/leaps and turns, ballet technique, and musical theatre. This is her 3rd year on the M.A.T.S. Team and 1st year on the By Grace Performance Team. This will be Kary's 4th recital with By Grace. She loves helping kids in dance and tumbling.
Miss Alex see above.
Miss Jasmyn is fourteen years old and is in the 9th grade at Clinton High School. She has been dancing for thirteen years! Jasmyn is enrolled in tap, jazz, ballet, tumbling, Pre-Pointe, lyrical, ballet technique, stretch & strength/leaps & turns. She is a member of the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team and an 9th year member of the By Grace Performance Team. Jasmyn says she wants to be an apprentice to help others. She likes to be around little kids a lot. Jasmyn says she wants to be a elementary teacher when she grows up.
Miss Morghean is twelve years old and is in the 6th grade at Davis R-12. She has been dancing for seven years. Morghean does ballet, jazz, tap, tumbling, and lyrical. She is a member of the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team and a first year member of the By Grace Performance Team. Morghean wants to be an apprentice to help train her to someday be a teacher.
Miss Haysel is eleven years old. The classes she is currently enrolled in are tap, jazz, ballet, Pointe, MATS, tumbling, hip hop, and lyrical. She is apprenticing in the Preschool & Primary Tumbling class. Haysel was a member of the By Grace Performance Team for five years and it is her 6th year on the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team. She has been an apprentice for 3 years.
Miss Kary is ten years old. She has been dancing for seven years. Kary attends Clinton Intermediate School and is in the 5th grade. She is enrolled in tap, jazz, ballet, tumbling, hip hop, stretch and strength building/leaps and turns, ballet technique, and musical theatre. This is her 3rd year on the M.A.T.S. Team and 1st year on the By Grace Performance Team. This will be Kary's 4th recital with By Grace. She loves helping kids in dance and tumbling.