INSTRUCTORS 2026-2027
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 degreeand a Masters of Science in Education - Elementary Math Specialist. Vanessa also has an Education Specialist degree as an Educational Diagnostician from Northwest Missouri State University. Vanessa has been teaching dance for twenty-eight years and is currently teaching her 24th 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.
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.
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.
Jasmyn Diaz has been dancing for fifteen years! Jasmyn is currently 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 a 11th year member of the By Grace Performance Team. Jasmyn is beginning in her second year as an instructor for By Grace Performance Studio. Jasmyn loves working with kids and helping others. Jasmyn hopes to become an elementary school teacher when she graduates high school.
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.
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.
Jasmyn Diaz has been dancing for fifteen years! Jasmyn is currently 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 a 11th year member of the By Grace Performance Team. Jasmyn is beginning in her second year as an instructor for By Grace Performance Studio. Jasmyn loves working with kids and helping others. Jasmyn hopes to become an elementary school teacher when she graduates high school.
Apprentices 2026-2027
Miss Morghean is fourteen years old and is in the 8th grade at Davis R-12. She has been dancing for nine years. Morghean does ballet, jazz, tap, tumbling, and lyrical. She is a member of the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team and a third 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 thirteen years old. The classes she is currently enrolled in are tap, jazz, ballet, Pointe, MATS, tumbling, hip hop, and lyrical. Haysel has been a member of the By Grace Performance Team for six years and it is her 8th year on the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team. She has been an apprentice for 3 years.
Miss Morghean is fourteen years old and is in the 8th grade at Davis R-12. She has been dancing for nine years. Morghean does ballet, jazz, tap, tumbling, and lyrical. She is a member of the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team and a third 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 thirteen years old. The classes she is currently enrolled in are tap, jazz, ballet, Pointe, MATS, tumbling, hip hop, and lyrical. Haysel has been a member of the By Grace Performance Team for six years and it is her 8th year on the By Grace M.A.T.S. Team. She has been an apprentice for 3 years.