About Dancer's Edge
Philosophy
Welcome to Dancer's Edge! We believe in finding the hidden talent and potential in every student! Helping dancers achieve all of their personal and professional goals are essential to establishing a foundation for future success. Dance teaches us dedication, hard work, leadership, perseverance, teamwork and much more. Developing a well-rounded dancer with concrete life-skills enhances self-confidence and is the core of our curriculum. Using positive feedback, teacher analysis and self-analysis, students are encouraged to continually learn and grow through self-motivation, determination and a passion for excellence. Come dance with us and see the difference!
Dancer's Edge Instructors
Valerie P.
As the head coach of the nationally ranked University of Michigan Dance Team for 20 years from 2000-2022, Valerie Stead Potsos is the Director/Owner of Dancer's Edge in Dexter, Michigan. She has choreographed for professional corporate sponsors including Ford Motor Company and much more. Dancer’s Edge was named as “Top Studios on the Move” in Dance Spirit for 2007. Her articles on coaching and dance have appeared in Dance Spirit, American Cheerleader and in Motion Magazines. She is a seminar presenter, and consultant for AACCA (American Association of Cheer Coaches and Administrators) and staff member for Universal Dance Association on topics such as Motivation, Leadership, Team-building and many more!
Along with judging local and state competitions, Valerie has judged studio, high school, College Dance Nationals and Worlds as well for various organizations including Nexstar, Contest of Champions and many more. She coached The Royal Oak Kimball Dance Company and The Royal Oak Kimball Varsity Dance Team for 8 years and has been the coach of The University of Michigan Dance Team since 2001. She also teaches for the kinesiology department, “U-Move” at The University of Michigan. A choreographer for several teams and studios, Valerie has also choreographed for professional singers and for Ford Motor Company at Ford Field. She has been dancing since age three and teaching dance since age fourteen and was a member and captain of The University of Michigan Dance Team. Valerie graduated with a B.A. from the University of Michigan in Communication and Dance Education and has additional graduate studies in Secondary Education from Michigan State University. Valerie resides in Dexter, MI with her husband and three children.
Julia A.
Julia is in her second year as a dance instructor at Dancer's Edge! With a diverse background in Jazz, Ballet, Tap, and Hip-Hop, she brings three years of rich coaching experience. Her dance journey includes significant contributions as a member and captain of the EMU Dance Team, and as a staff member of the Universal Dance Association. Julia also holds a membership with the US All Star Federation (USASF) for club cheer and dance teams. Her dedication and diverse skill set make her a valuable asset to the Dancer's Edge team!
Jenn B.
Jenn has been teaching dance in the Dexter area for over 20 years. She specializes in the young dancer and teaches tap, jazz, ballet, and musical theatre. Jenn was the director of the Very Young Dancer program at Dexter Academy of Dance under Mollie Murphy for 7 years. She has 10 years' experience in private Summer Camp Administration and lesson planning/teaching in numerous subjects from reading to fine Italian cooking. She is an avid musical theatre performer and choreographer. She works with many area theatre groups such as Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, Dexter Community Players, Saline Area Players, Pinckney Players, and the University of Michigan Gilbert and Sullivan Society both onstage, as a choreographer, and as a dance captain.
Laney B.
With 14 years of experience in various dance styles including ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, and contemporary, Laney brings a rich background to her teaching. She started dancing at the age of 2 and has been passionately involved in dance ever since. Laney has been teaching students under the age of 13 for the past 2 years, sharing her knowledge and love for dance. Additionally, she is a proud member of the Dexter High School Varsity Dance Team. Laney's commitment to both her own dance education and the development of her students makes her an invaluable asset at Dancer's Edge!
John B.
John, originally hailing from Ann Arbor has made a return to Michigan from Los Angeles, CA bringing with him over 10 years of professional experience in Hip Hop movement and Jazz Funk. While getting his degree in Musical Theatre at California State University Northridge (CSUN) where he would star in the shows Urinetown and The Drowsy Chaperone, John was also pursuing his professional career as a dancer and choreographer, having danced with artists such as Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Luis Fonsi, and Zendaya as well as having choreographed for artists and networks such as Sammi Sanchez, Tyson Venegas, Got Milk?, Radio Disney, Disney Channel, and Disney Junior. After a long career in Los Angeles, John moved to New York City after being accepted into The Stella Adler Studio of Acting where he learned from world class faculty and starred in the shows August: Osage County, Troilus and Cressida, and Eastern Standard. John's first job after graduating from Stella Adler was an Off-Broadway production entitled Comfort Women: A New Musical which then invited him to do the production in Los Angeles which replanted him back in LA. But now John is back home in Michigan and is especially excited to be working with the elite staff and students at Dancer's Edge!
Rachel C.
Miss Rachel just absolutely loves being a dance teacher. She has been teaching at Dancer's Edge since 2016 and it truly feels like home. Miss Rachel has been blessed to do some pretty cool stuff including play Shelby in Steel Magnolias at The Purple Rose Theatre Co., dance in an NFL halftime show, choreograph shows like Mary Poppins and Hello Dolly for The Encore Musical Theatre Co., choreograph for Oakland University and Community High School in Ann Arbor, be a hipster in a Ford commercial, be a fit model for Carhartt, sing the national anthem at a CrossFit competition, be a CrossFit coach, do three shows in one summer at The Michigan Shakespeare Festival, be an assistant coach of The University of Michigan Dance Team, sing in an off Broadway Theatre, be a Core Leader for Community Bible Study, and get married to a pretty cool dude. Miss Rachel holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Oakland University and a certificate in Classical Greek Theatre from Hydrama (Hydra, Greece). Her two favorite humans are Giuliano and Giulietta. She also really loves Jesus. She hopes to teach her students to strive for a life of significance rather than success.
Jena D.
Jena is in her third year as a dance instructor at Dancer's Edge and serves as one of the Senior/Junior Edge All Star Coaches. She has been dancing her entire life and spent three years as a member of a college dance team. Currently, Jena is a senior at Eastern Michigan University, where she is studying Psychology and Social Work. With 15 years of studio dance experience, Jena brings a wealth of knowledge to her teaching role. Her philosophy centers on creating an enjoyable learning environment for her students. We're thrilled to have Jena back for another year at Dancer's Edge!
Morgan D.
Morgan is currently in her third year as a dance instructor at Dancer's Edge, where she has been in training competition students across a wide range of dance styles. She has been passionately involved in the dance community since the age of 3 and began competing at age 10. Morgan is proud to have been a member of the Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Dance Team for five years and has also served as a head instructor for the Universal Dance Association for four years. This year marks Morgan's third year coaching the Dexter Varsity Dance Team. Morgan graduated from EMU in 2022 and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Physician Assistant Studies at the University of Toledo. As a seasoned dance coach, Morgan brings a rich history of experience to her role at Dancer's Edge, and we are so happy to have her back for another year!
Mackenzie D.
Mackenzie has been dancing for a long time, since she was 3 years old in fact! She's danced competitively since age 8, and now dances as a part of Eastern Michigan University's Dance Team. She is currently an undergraduate student at Eastern Michigan University, and is getting a degree in business administration. She believes dance should be a fun activity, which expresses artistry and creativity, but that it is also important that it acts as a challenge, and creates a place where you can push yourself.
Ashley F.
Ashley is a competition and ballet instructor at Dancer's Edge. She has been dancing for over 30 years and teaching for 15. She has taught all ages at a variety of studios but is happy to have return to Dancer's Edge where she fell in love with teaching. She has extensive ballet training, but also enjoys jazz, contemporary, modern, and lyrical. Ashley received a Bachelor's of Science from Eastern Michigan University in Dance Studio Management. She began her dance training under Wendi DuBois and became a member of Youth Dance Theatre. Ashley enjoys choreographing for her students and has won choreography awards over the years. Ashley believes in building a strong technical foundation for her students to be able to develop their skills safely in a positive environment. Ashley lives on Belleville Lake with her son and two kitties.
Katy H.
Katy Hepner is excited to be back as an instructor at Dancer’s Edge! She began dancing at the age of nine and has not stopped since. Katy began teaching at Dancer’s Edge in 2005 and specializes in our youngest dancers as well as all levels of tap. When not teaching dance she works as the Director of Special Events for the University of Michigan Athletic Department as well as teaches Jazzercise. Katy lives in Dexter with her husband Aaron and two children, Jackson & Lucy.
Annie J.
Annie is a classically trained ballet dancer who trained at The Ballet Centre for seven years and Ballet West for five years, and later with renowned academies such as The Washington Ballet. Her teachers have included notable dancers such as Jeff Rogers, Catherine Batcheller, Evelyn Cisneros, Katherine Lawrence, and more. She is currently a student at the University of Michigan where she is majoring in Dance.
Julia K.
Julia Kirkey is a student at the University of Michigan. She is also a teacher at Dancer’s Edge. She was a student at Dancer’s edge for over a decade, and began working as a teacher in 2022. She was also a member of the Dexter HIghschool Varsity Dance Team for four years. She is a member of U of M’s Women in Math Club and Student Astronomical Society. Julia believes that dance should be fun while also teaching real world skills like hard word and discipline.
Ali M.
Ali's has been competitively dancing for 13 years, and has been teaching Solos, Private Lessons, and Group Lessons for 5. She began her dance education at a young age, and is well versed in a variety of styles, including Ballet, Jazz, Acro, and Contemporary. She is currently attending the University of Michigan and plans to minor in Dance.
Emily R.
Emily is from Howell, Michigan, and is a classically trained ballet dancer with thirteen years of experience. She also has training in improvisation, contemporary, and character dance. She has studied at the Academy of Russian Classical Ballet with Nikolai Morschakov and the Cincinnati Ballet with David Morse. Emily continued her training at the University of Michigan's School of Music, Theater and Dance, and was a member of the Michigan Ballroom Dance Team, where she danced ballroom competitively. She strives to help students find their strength and expression through dance.
Lainey S.
Lainey is so excited for her first year of teaching! She is a Dexter High School graduate and will be attending Michigan State University in the fall. Her goal for college is to become a child life specialist. Lainey grew up dancing at Dancer’s Edge and has won many awards for her dancing. Her teaching philosophy is that everyone should be treated with respect and that every child should go home excited about dance.
Claire S.
Claire is a current student of the University of Michigan, studying cognitive science. Originally from Macomb, MI, she's been dancing from the age of 3, and has been teaching for the last 3 years! Claire has been a member of the USPBL United Dance Crew for the past 5 years as a dancer, and a crew lead. Previously, she passed the Cecchetti Ballet Exams I through IV and has won may first place awards and national titles during her years as a competitive dancer. Claire believes that dance should be a safe space for self expression, and is excited to build up dancer's confidence and instill a love for dance like she has!
Kimberly S.
Kimberly has been an Instructor and Choreographer for over 15 years, and has been a part of Dancer's Edge since 2018. She is experienced in ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, modern, and tap. Kim trained as a competitive dancer for 10 years, where she also had the opportunity to perform with Jerry Lewis, Ricky Martin in Palm Springs, members from N*sync at Detroit's Hob Nobble Gobble and was featured in Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade. She attended The University of Michigan where she obtained her BFA in dance performance and choreography and was a member of The University of Michigan Dance team. Upon graduation, Kimberly accepted a scholarship to the River North Dance Company summer intensive in Chicago and relocated to NYC in the fall to further pursue her professional career. While in New York, Kim was a company member of The Next Stage Project, Jennifer Muller/ The Works, and Double Take Dance Company. She has performed throughout the east coast at renowned venues such as New York's City Center. New York's Summer Stage, Brooklyn Ballet Theater, and Peridance Theater. Her favorite project was a collaborative performance with her husband; a percussionist, at The Juilliard School. Kimberly hopes to pass on her passion for dance to all of her students, by giving them a solid technical foundation that allows them freedom and exploration in their movement. She is beyond grateful to all of her current and former students and to her Dancer's Edge Family for the opportunity to do what she loves! When Kimberly is not at Dancer's Edge she is a mom to two busy boys!
Anna W.
Anna is an exuberant dance instructor with over 8 years of professional experience, specializing in styles ranging from jazz and ballet to hip-hop and more! Her career includes stellar performances with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and as a Detroit Pistons Dancer. Currently enhancing her skills with a NASM certificate, Anna is passionate about inspiring her students to love dance, work hard, and have loads of fun! Residing in Northville, Michigan, Anna loves immersing herself in nature and exploring her community.
Dancer's Edge Administrative Staff
Katy B., Studio Manager
Jenn B., Administrative Assistant
Sabrina P., Front Desk/Administrative Assistant
Alicia J., Rachael K. Front Desk/Customer Service
