Staff

	Stephanie Kibler - Owner stephanie@kiblerdance.com Stephanie founded Kibler Dance Academy in 2004. She began her dance career at the age of seven and trained at the Susan Powel Dance Center and the Canton Ballet. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance Management from Baldwin-Wallace College and has studied in New York City at Broadway Dance Center. Stephanie resides in Charleston, SC with her husband, Kyle, and daughters, Kenna and Kira – both dancers, of course!
	Jennifer Kibler - Studio Director & Dance Instructor jennifer@kiblerdance.com Jennifer is the director of Kibler Dance Academy as well as an instructor and artistic designer. She began her dance career at the age of three and studied at the Melissa Popovich Dance Studio, Al’s Gymnastics and Susan Powell Dance Center. Jennifer attended Baldwin-Wallace College and received a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Business and Minor in Studio Art. She continued her dance education throughout college where she performed on the dance team and in dance concerts. Jennifer is a competition choreographer at KDA and has earned numerous awards for her dance pieces including the Nexstar Dance Excellence in Choreography nomination for Choreographer of the Year 2020. Jennifer is the co-choreographer of the Hudson High School show choir, Vocal Impact, with Amanda Hahlen. Jennifer combines her love of dance and art to share with the studio, community and beyond. Kibler Dance Academy is Jennifer’s second home and the students are her family. She is excited for another amazing year at KDA!
	Amanda Hahlen - Dance Instructor Amanda began dancing at the age of three at The School of Canton Ballet and later became a company member. She has attended summer intensives to train with professional ballet companies in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, and Ohio. Amanda earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Kent State University and during her junior year was awarded a scholarship as Outstanding Dance Major. After college graduation, Amanda gained teaching experience at private dance studios, preschools and public schools including Plain Local Schools and Akron Public Schools. For the past six years Amanda has choreographed Summer Stage at Young Actors Studio; “Chicago” being her favorite musical to choreograph to date! She is also the choreographer for the Green High School fall musical and co-choreographs the Hudson High School show choir with Jennifer Kibler. At KDA, Amanda instructs recreation and competition level classes. She enjoys choreographing for the competition team and her dances have won numerous special awards. Amanda loves being a part of the KDA family and sharing her passion for dance with her students!
	Rachael Palermo - Dance Instructor Rachael is a dancer, choreographer, and educator from Northfield, Ohio. As a performer and choreographer, she has enjoyed working with area dance companies, schools, and theater companies throughout Northeast Ohio. Rachael has taught in private dance studios, non-profits, and higher education, specializing in ballet training for all ages and levels of experience. She previously worked as a dance studio Owner/Director for 10 years and is a member of the National Dance Education Organization. Rachael holds a B.F.A. in Dance from The University of Akron, where she performed with The University of Akron Dance Company. She went on to New York University for graduate studies, and received her M.A. in Teaching Dance in Higher Education and the Professions in 2013. Additionally, she holds her Statement of Eligibility for Alternative Resident Educator License in Dance from the Ohio Department of Education. Most recently, she enjoyed choreographing Rubber City Theatre’s productions of Matilda and Mean Girls. Rachael is excited to be a part of Season 20 at KDA!
	Izzy Bielamowicz - Dance Instructor Izzy graduated from Miami University in May 2020 with a degree in Political Science and is currently in her second year of Law School at Case Western Reserve University. Izzy is originally from Naperville, IL and began dancing at three years old. While growing up, Izzy danced with Vaughan Dance Academy in Plainfield, IL, training vigorously in ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, tap, and jazz. In addition to competitive dance, Izzy performed with and choreographed for her high school through the Neuqua Valley Orchesis Dance Company. Once in college, Izzy was a member of Miami University Dance Theatre from Fall 2017 to Spring 2020, choreographing three pieces for the company as a student, and returning in Fall 2021 and Spring 2023 as a guest choreographer. Izzy adores working with children and watching their passion for dance blossom. Izzy has loved working with the students at Kibler over the last few years and is looking forward to another successful and rewarding season with the KDA family!
	Michael Musarra - Dance Instructor Michael has been invested heavily into the Dance world since the very beginning of his life. Early on, he competed year after year, achieving numerous overall and high score awards during his competitive tenure. Michael holds a handful of Titles, including Jr. Mr. Dance of Ohio 2003, Teen Mr. Dance of Ohio 2005, as well as Mr. Dance of Ohio in 2012. Aside from the competition scene, Michael was highly active in choir and musical theater during his school years, while also landing the lead role of Ren McCormack in Footloose the Musical. In 2015, he went on to audition for the hit TV show, "So You Think You Can Dance", where he advanced past the first round of more than 600 people, into the television round to perform in front of celebrities like Nigel Lythgoe, Paula Abdul, and Jason Derulo. He is currently a member of the New Vision Dance Company based in Columbus, Ohio, where different styles and cultures come together to put on amazing shows and workshops throughout the year. Michael is incredibly passionate about his work, and is persistent on making sure that his students not only unleash their full potential, but also have fun learning, and celebrating this incredible art form that we’re all able to experience together.
	Kelly Saucier - Dance Instructor Kelly began dancing at the age of four and quickly moved on to dancing competitively just two years later at the age of six. She has trained in a diverse range of styles with many experienced dance instructors in the Akron/Cleveland areas. Her areas of training include Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, Musical Theater, Hip Hop, Pom, beginner-intermediate Acro, technique, Cecchetti and other styles of Ballet. Kelly attended the University of Akron where she continued her dance career with the University of Akron Dance Team (UADT). With UADT she performed at football games, basketball games, special events, and competed at the National level. Kelly has attended camps and Collegiate Nationals with Universal Dance Association and the National Dance Alliance as well as many other conventions and competitions throughout her dance career. To continue her dance training, Kelly participated in her first showcase with Cleveland Dance Project in Season 7 and continued with Cleveland Dance Project for Season 8 and 9 as both a choreographer and a dancer. Outside of the studio, Kelly is a 2nd Grade teacher with the Stow-Munroe Falls City School District. Kelly loves getting to combine her two passions of education and dance through being a dance instructor and works hard to continue to learn and grow as both an educator and a dancer.
	Celine Agnor - Dance Instructor Celine has been a part of the Kibler Dance family since 2005. She grew up dancing at KDA and has loved giving back to the studio through her roles as office administrator and dance instructor. Throughout her dance career at Kibler, she competed in jazz, lyrical, hip hop, tap, and musical theater. Celine went on to graduate from The Ohio State University in 2022 with a degree in Health Sciences and a minor in Dance. During undergrad, she choreographed and taught the hip hop class for the Studio Dance Club. Currently, she is studying to get her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Cleveland State University. Celine is excited to be back in the Cleveland area and working at her happy place! She is looking forward to sharing her love for dance and having fun with all the Kibler dancers this season!
	Megan Lifford - Office Administrator/Dance Instructor Megan Lifford is a native from Connecticut, who just recently moved to Ohio. She began her dance training as a competition dancer with the Anita Deprey Studio of Dance. During her time dancing at her home studio she has worked closely with Anita Deprey, Jason Warley (owner of Man in Motion Dance Company in NYC) and all the faculty staffed under Anita Deprey. In 2011 her home studio was selected to be a part of the Wizard Of Oz National Tour that performed at the Bushnell Theater. Megan also attended the National Association of Dance and Affiliated Arts convention and was one of the most attended students with 44 sessions. She has won 4 National Titles, received Overall High Score Awards and awarded Best Dancer Award for 2015. She was awarded Youth Rep, representing all dancers throughout the state of CT. She was also awarded numerous ballet scholarships, perfect attendance and outstanding dancer awards. In 2015 she was fortunate enough to attend and graduate from both her public High School and the Greater Hartford Academy of Performing Arts Half Day Program with a focus in Dance. During her time at the Academy she has worked with Kim Stroud, Jeanene Giori, Thomas Giori, Leslie Maietta, Katie Stutter and Lynn Peterson of SYREN Modern Dance Company in NYC. Megan attended and graduated from Montclair State University in May 2019 receiving her Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Performance. During her time at Montclair, she has had the opportunity to perform in works created by Camille A. Brown, Kathleen Kelley, Nancy Lushington, Jessica DiMaro Marks, Fredrick Earl Mosley, Stacey Tookie and Abby Zibikowski. In 2019 she traveled to Houston, Texas where she was a part of the METdance Professional Company Summer Intensive where she was featured in a new repertory piece created by Joe Celej. Megan has taught throughout the state of Connecticut teaching all styles from: acrobatics, ballet, contemporary, jazz, lyrical, conditioning and technique. She has her level 1 Acrobatic Arts Certification and is also a certified Flexologist through StretchLab. She is excited for this next chapter in her teaching career and is excited to work alongside the staff at KDA.
	Ashley Frounfelker - Dance Instructor Ashley Frounfelker has trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and modern, with additional training in pointe and hip hop. Since the age of three and throughout her childhood, she took classes from teacher of 60 years, Wally Dashiell, at her studio in Kent Island, Maryland. She attended several dance festivals, including Dance Masters of America and Maryland Council for Dance, and was a junior member of DMA, Regional Chapter 17. Ashley trained as a member of the children’s cast of the Nutcracker for the Joffrey Ballet. Ashley attended Baldwin Wallace University, where she was a part of the dance program under the direction of Gregory Daniels. She was trained by teachers Sara Whale, Rebecca Leuszler, Gregory Daniels, and Heidi Glynias. She also attended two summer intensives with The Movement Project, directed by Rebecca Leuszler and Megan Gargano. Ashley choreographed and performed in her dance program’s informal show Testing Grounds, as well as in the annual dance concert, fyoo zh en. Ashley graduated from BWU with a B.S. degree in Early Childhood Education and a minor in dance. She is now a 3rd grade teacher at Roxbury Elementary School in Solon, Ohio. Ashley has taught dance classes at several studios, varying in styles and levels, throughout Northeast Ohio since 2017.
	Renee Clippinger - Dance Instructor Renee started dancing at the age of three at Midwest School of Ballet in Amherst, Ohio. She trained there in styles of ballet, contemporary, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, and hip-hop. She competed as a member of their company team from the ages of 10-17. After graduating from Firelands Highschool in 2021, she went on to further her education at The University of Akron. Studying Psychology and Dance, she has had numerous opportunities through this institution. At UA, she was a member of The University of Akron Dance Team for two seasons, performing at UA football and basketball games furthering her training in jazz, hip-hop, and pom. In the dance program at UA, she has had the opportunity to perform in numerous works as a member of The University of Akron Dance Company working with various professors and guest artists. She is also an active member of Terpsichore Dance Club, which she is the current president of. Through Terpsichore, she has had the opportunity to choreograph and perform in various works for their Underclassmen Showcase and their annual Spring into Dance concert. Outside of UA, she recently performed in CDF Akron as a member of Frtrss Dance Theatre, and had the opportunity to be a Seasonal Trainee with The Movement Project. She is looking forward to this season at Kibler!