Our Faculty

Ms. Meghan is the owner and director of VDC, which is now in its 14th season! She has a degree in Dance Management from Oklahoma City University and is a member of More Than Just Great Dancing®. A self-described “personal development junkie,” Ms. Meghan is an alumna of Darren Hardy’s High Performance Forum and is constantly listening to growth-minded books in the car. Her favorite thing about the VDC community is seeing all the great friendships that develop, especially the ones among parents! Ms. Meghan loves that she gets to serve this fabulous community of parents, students, and staff.

From Ms. Meghan: “I love getting to see our dancers grow from small children into young people. I’m passionate about challenging children to do and be their best, even when it is hard. It takes a long time to build the kind of mental strength they will need to be successful adults one day.”

Four Fun Facts about her:

• – She loves to give away books at parent meetings
• – Her favorite colors are pink, navy, and teal
• – She loves chips and dip
• – Her go-to Starbucks drink is an iced vanilla coffee or latte

Ms. Courtney has been teaching with VDC for twelve years, working with classes of all ages as well as the dance company. She earned her degree in Dance Performance from the University of Central Oklahoma and also studied Dance Education. Ms. Courtney previously performed professionally and enjoyed a stint as a magician’s assistant! When she’s not at VDC, Ms. Courtney is a public school teacher at Epic Charter Schools. One of the things she loves most about VDC is that the teachers and staff make an effort to invest in each student as a whole person, not just as dancers.

From Ms. Courtney: “I love sharing my knowledge of dance and how the body works. I think it’s so important that dancers see that their bodies are always capable of more, no matter what obstacles are present.”

Four Fun Facts about her:

• – She can quote just about any Disney movie
• – Her favorite color is purple
• – She hates pineapple
• – Her favorite Starbucks drink is a vanilla latte

Ms. Ria is an instructor for VDC’s ballet classes and dance company. She has been at VDC for eight years and holds a BFA in Ballet Performance from Friends University. Ms. Ria was an original member of the Midwest Regional Ballet in Joplin, Missouri, where she performed principal and soloist roles and served as Ballet Mistress. She also enjoyed a performance career with Sesame Street Live, touring nationally and internationally. One of her favorite parts about working at VDC is the sense of family the studio offers and the opportunities she has to get to know so many wonderful dancers and parents.

From Ms. Ria: “I love sharing the joy of dancing with my students and watching those “lightbulb” moments happen when something finally clicks. I love the time I can spend with my students and am so grateful for the parents who allow us to share in their kids’ lives.”

Four Fun Facts about her:

• – She has two cats named Wednesday and Killer
• – Her favorite color is purple
• – She loves Crabtown (or anywhere she can find good Cajun food)
• – Her favorite Starbucks drink is a vanilla latte

Ms. Yukino is an instructor for VDC’s ballet classes and dance company, and she’s been teaching at VDC for 14 years—plus three previous years with Ms. Meghan! Ms. Yukino began dancing at the age of five when she lived in San Francisco and started studying ballet at age 13. She later became a member of the Mid-Columbia Ballet Company in Richland, Washington. Ms. Yukino has a degree in Dance Performance from Oklahoma City University, where she was a member of the American Spirit Dance Company and OCU Pep Dancers. She loves that VDC has created a family-like atmosphere, where dancers are growing through life together.

From Ms. Yukino: “As a teacher, I love seeing when a movement or concept clicks for a dancer. It’s not just a sense of accomplishment for the student; they realize their growth and potential! It’s such a special opportunity to share and participate in.”

Four Fun Facts about her:

• – She’s one of five lefties in her immediate family
• – Her favorite color is green
• – She loves chips—all the chips! She has a weakness for salt and vinegar kettle chips.
• – She likes to switch up her Starbucks drinks but enjoys going back to old faves like vanilla latte or iced coffee with almond milk

Ms. Sammi is in her third year as an instructor and is a former VDC student! After studying ballet for two years at Friends University, Ms. Sammi is a member of Oklahoma City Ballet’s Studio Company, where she is pursuing a professional ballet career. She is studying for her Pilates certification through Balanced Body Education, under the instruction of Amanda Holt-LeNaire at The Pilates Body. One of Ms. Sammi’s favorite parts about working at VDC is the extra events during the year because she loves getting to know the dancers and their parents outside of weekly classes.

From Ms. Sammi: “I love getting to watch my students grow as dancers and as people throughout the year. I also enjoy seeing kids challenge themselves and put effort into something that they care about!”

Four Fun Facts about her:

• – In her spare time, she likes to sew and study French
• – Her favorite color is baby pink
• – She loves Vietnamese food, and her favorite fruits are pineapple and grapefruit
• – Her preferred Starbucks drink is a caramel macchiato

Ms. Sarah is in her second year at VDC, and she is a graduate of Oklahoma City University with a BFA in Dance Performance. One of Ms. Sarah’s passions in dance is tap, and she is a two-time World Tap Dance Champion. She has studied with notable names like Savion Glover, Mike Minery, Gil Stroming, Tommy Tune, Henry LeTang, and many more! Something she loves about VDC is its family culture, and she appreciates getting to share her joy for dance with VDC students.

From Ms. Sarah: “My favorite thing about teaching is watching my students learn and master new steps or techniques that they once struggled with. The look of joy and sense of accomplishment is something you can’t replicate.”

Four Fun Facts about her:

• – She loves scary movies and baseball!
• – Her favorite color is pink
• – Chick-Fil-A is one of her all-time favorite restaurants
• – Her preferred Starbucks drink is the vanilla sweet cream cold brew coffee

Ms. Marriah has been working here for five years. She started dancing when she was just two years old and grew up studying dance at the Midwest Regional Ballet in Joplin, Missouri. She is an Interior Designer in Edmond. One of Ms. Marriah’s favorite parts about working at VDC is getting to know her VDC colleagues and students on a deeper level.

From Ms. Marriah: “What I love about teaching is seeing my students learn, each in their own unique way. Whether it’s when they are learning a new dance move or learning a new way to interact with their peers, it’s the most inspiring thing to me!”

Four Fun Facts about her:

• – Her favorite form of dance is aerial
• – She loves the color sienna
• – Her favorite food is queso
• – She loves the chai tea latte from Starbucks

Ms. Kelli has been at VDC for one year as staff, but a member of the VDC family for 14 years, watching her two daughters dance. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from OCU and has been teaching for 17 years! Ms. Kelli has been dancing since she was four years old and still loves it to this day! Her favorite part of being a teacher, at the studio or in her classroom, is seeing the lightbulb click when a child understands what they are learning!

From Ms. Kelli: “I have loved watching Briley and Addison grow up at VDC, not just as dancers but as awesome human beings.”

Four Fun Facts about her:

• – She enjoys scrapbooking her daughters’ lives to give them one day
• – She loves flamingos
• – Her favorite colors are pink and teal
• – Her favorite foods are brownies or nachos, and she loves cold-caramel macchiatos or hot- white chocolate mochas from Starbucks

Ms. Caroline is in her second year as a member of the VDC staff! With a degree in Dance Management from Oklahoma City University, she has worked for the dance companies Mark Morris Dance Group and the Radio City Rockettes! Ms. Caroline has also been a stage manager throughout her time at college and for the performing shows on a Carnival Cruise Line. She has also choreographed at various dance centers and local events in Oklahoma!

From Ms. Caroline: “What I love most about working at VDC is that it is so caring towards staff, families and students. VDC wants what is best for everyone, and is more than a business. It’s truly a family.”

Four Fun Facts about her:

• – She is a newlywed, and she and her husband are celebrating their first year of marriage!
• – She started as a piano performance major and still plays and teaches
• – Her favorite color is Tiffany blue
• – Her favorite foods are Panera and Olive Garden, and she loves a London Fog with chai or cappuccino with a hint of vanilla from Starbucks

Ms. Briley is starting her second year as a teacher with VDC. She is attending UCO and
majoring in Speech-Language Pathology! Ms. Briley graduated from Deer Creek High School in
2020. She has danced for the past 14 years and has been a member of VDC’s competitive
team for the past eight years. Ms. Briley loves watching the children succeed, overcome
obstacles, grow into young performers, and create lifelong friendships.

From Ms. Briley: “My favorite memories with VDC include the events that occur outside of the studio such as Chester’s Party Barn, roller skating night, and fundraiser nights. I love seeing the kids outside of the studio just as much as in the studio!”

Four Fun Facts about her:

• – She loves animals and being outdoors
• – She has a younger sister Addy who also dances at VDC
• – Her favorite color is purple
• – Her favorite foods are Cheez-Its or Olive Garden, and caramel macchiatos or white chocolate mochas from Starbucks

Ms. Ashley is VDC’s Office Manager, and she’s been working at VDC for 14 years. She grew up dancing at Dance Innovations with Susan Webb. In addition to her work at VDC, Ms. Ashley also assists in the office at Speech Pathway, a local Speech-Pathology practice. She enjoys being a part of the VDC team because everyone on staff is so invested in the students’ growth and wants to provide an excellent experience for their families.

From Ms. Ashley: “I love working at the front desk at VDC and watching the kids grow from year to year! The family atmosphere we have at Velocity is truly the best.”

Four Fun Facts about her:

– Her favorite part of the day is interacting with VDC’s students

– Her favorite colors are teal and yellow

– She loves Texas Roadhouse

– She loves caramel macchiatos from Starbucks—hot or cold!

Ms. Emily has been at VDC for three years and has a background in journalism, music, and art. She attended Baylor University and holds a BA in Journalism and Public Relations, with a Minor in Studio Art. Ms. Emily grew up in Houston, where she developed her love of playing the violin and became a member of the Houston Youth Symphony. In college, she worked at the school newspaper, the Baylor Lariat, and completed an internship as an editor at Texas State Technical College. When Ms. Emily joined VDC, her first week was during recital, and she loved getting to see the “behind the scenes” work of the staff and students. From that moment, she was all-in!

From Ms. Emily: “What I love most about working here is seeing the students grow throughout the season. It’s so wonderful at recital to see how proud they are to showcase their dances!”

Four Fun Facts about her:

• – She and her husband have two dogs, Pancake and Puddles. They will be welcoming the newest member of the VDC family in 2021!
• – She loves spending her spare time traveling, trying out new restaurants, and playing board games. Her hobbies include calligraphy and gift-wrapping.
• – Her favorite color is yellow.
• – Her favorite foods are chips and guacamole or queso, and she loves the blonde roast coffee and chai tea lattes at Starbucks!