Faculty


Beverly Smithey
Beverly Smithey

Director Emeritus/Founder

What an amazing teaching career I have had for the past 57 years. I began teaching at the age of 15 in my Parent’s basement. In 1978 I opened Stage I Dance Academy on State Road 135. After 34 years at this location Stage I was moved to our present location. Over the years I […]
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Katie Stahlhut
Katie Stahlhut

CEO & Executive Director

Katie Stahlhut has the distinct honor of carrying on Ms. Beverly’s legacy of dance excellence. Ms. Beverly passed the torch after 55 years of ownership. Katie has been a part of Stage I Dance Academy since elementary school. She was privileged to be a part of Stage I’s Performing Company and participated in many excellent […]
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Rachel Newbrough
Rachel Newbrough

Artistic Director

Rachel Newbrough — BS Indiana University – Bloomington (2012) currently works as Artistic Director at Stage I Dance Academy in addition to being Adjunct Faculty at Indiana University. During her four years in the IU Contemporary Dance Program Rachel performed works by Martha Graham, Bella Lewitzky, Larry Keigwin and Nicole Wolcott, as well as Laurie […]
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Sarah Linn
Sarah Linn

Instructor

Sarah has called Stage I her second home for the past 27 years. As a dancer at Stage I, she was a member of the Performing Company for seven years. Through her time in Performing Company, she traveled to perform and study on two cruise ships in the Caribbean, as well as workshops in Las […]
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Paige Gray
Paige Gray

Instructor

Paige Gray has been a lifelong member of Stage I Dance Academy for the past 20 years. Throughout her years at Stage I, she was a member of the Performing Company for 13 years. Paige has performed and attended numerous competitions, workshops, benefits, and recitals. As a Performing Company member, she traveled to Myrtle Beach, […]
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Stephanie Beringer
Stephanie Beringer

Instructor

Stephanie is thrilled to be a Stage I instructor. Her mother, Michelle Harrell, was once co-owner of the studio. Stephanie grew up in the studio and began taking class at age two and continued at the studio through high school. She was one of three in the first Mini Performing Company. She began to assist […]
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Shelby Couch
Shelby Couch

PR Director/Zumba Instructor

This will be Shelby’s second year at Stage I as both a Zumba instructor and our PR Director. She thoroughly enjoys teaching Zumba as well as managing our social media, volunteering, fundraising, and customer appreciation efforts. Shelby grew up doing competitive gymnastics, cheerleading, playing the piano, and show choir. She has a B.A. in majors […]
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Robin Engelhardt
Robin Engelhardt

Gymnastics Instructor

Robin has 40 years of experience teaching gymnastics. She started taking dance when she was 5 and tumbling when she was 8. Robin had her own gymnastics center (offering both recreational and competitive) for 9.5 years before deciding to be a “stay at home mom”. At that time, she taught part-time and has been with […]
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Marie Kuhns
Marie Kuhns

Instructor

Marie Kuhns received her BFA from the University of Oklahoma in modern dance performance under the direction and guidance of Austin Hartel, while performing with Contemporary Dance Oklahoma. She grew up in Silver City, New Mexico, and trained at the Conservatory of Dance along with New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe. She has […]
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Paige Robinson
Paige Robinson

Instructor

Paige Robinson grew up dancing in the Chicago area, studying primarily at Dance Center Evanston, Chicago Ballet Arts, and Giordano Dance Center. Following high school, Paige spent two years in Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate Program. She then danced with Eugene Ballet Company under Toni Pimble’s direction. While living in Oregon she also danced with Polaris […]
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Emily Dyson
Emily Dyson

Instructor

Emily Dyson received her BFA in Ballet Pedagogyfrom the University of Oklahoma, where she performed with Oklahoma Festival Ballet and Contemporary Dance Oklahoma. She began ballet training in Houston, TX with Gilbert Rome and Victoria Vittum and was later inspired by Austin Hartel to study modern. She trained with Paul Taylor Dance Company, American Ballet […]
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Tammy Dorman
Tammy Dorman

Office Manager

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Jane Eckert
Jane Eckert

Office Staff

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Tammy Mobley
Tammy Mobley

Office Staff

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Maddie Nelis
Maddie Nelis

Instructor

Madison (Maddie) Nelis danced at Stage 1 for 10 years and was part of the Performing Company for four of those years. She was also an assistant dance teacher at the studio for two years. Maddie has attended many competitions, workshops, and has taken classes taught by numerous Master Teachers throughout her time at Stage […]
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Rebecca Heck
Rebecca Heck

Instructor

Rebecca is thrilled to be back again as an instructor for Stage I Dance Academy! Rebecca grew up dancing at Stage I since the young age of 3, along with her sister, Rachel. She trained in jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary, modern and lyrical. She attended IU Bloomington, and earning a Bachelor of Science degree in […]
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Morgan Johnson
Morgan Johnson

Instructor

Morgan Johnson’s dance training began in Greenwood, Indiana under the guidance of Beverly Smithey for the duration of fifteen years. After six years of weekly jazz and tap classes, Johnson joined the performing company with Stage 1 Dance Academy competing with dances of many genres, including jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary, and musical theatre. Throughout her […]
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Melanie Schreiber
Melanie Schreiber

Instructor

Melanie Schreiber began her serious ballet and modern training at Walnut Hill Performing Arts High School in Natick, Massachusetts. She went on to graduate from SUNY Purchase with a B.F.A. in dance in 2004. While in New York City she received two summer scholarships from the Cunningham School and studied with many established teachers such […]
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Lauren Eurglunes
Lauren Eurglunes

Instructor

Lauren Eurglunes has been part of the Stage 1 Dance Academy family for the past 18 years. After eight years as a studio class dancer, she became a member of the Performing Company for her remaining eight years as a dancer. Her years in Performing Company have allowed her many opportunities including performing on a […]
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Mariel Greenlee
Mariel Greenlee

Instructor

Mariel Greenlee, originally from Vestal, New York, received her early ballet training at Ballet Arts Theatre, Ithaca Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet School, and Ballet West Conservatory. Her Modern studies began at the University of Utah and continued at Point Park University where she received her B.A. in Dance and went on to study at Dance […]
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Holly Rodgers
Holly Rodgers

Instructor

Holly Rodgers is the proud wife of Brad and mother of Chloe. Her background is in competitive cheer and hip hop. She enjoys participating in triathalons as well as yoga. She also enjoys teaching fitness classes here at Stage One including Zumba, Zumba Gold and PiYo. She also teaches senior fitness classes including senior Pilates […]
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Roberta Wong
Roberta Wong

Instructor

A native of California having embraced hoosier heartland as her home, Roberta specializes in ballet and modern dance teaching using instructive guidance and high expectations grounded in reality of process, long term development and goals of her students. Trained at Davis Ballet, Theatre Ballet of Sacramento, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet and others, her professional […]
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Emily Kelsay
Emily Kelsay

Instructor

Emily Kelsay spent 14 years as a student at Stage I Dance Academy. During her 8 years in Performing Company she traveled to Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles for National Competitions and Conventions. After graduating high school in 2005 Emily moved to Los Angeles, CA and studied under the direction of Darryl Retter […]
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