All About
Xpressions Dance Center
Xpressions Dance Center is committed to providing dancers of all ages an encouraging environment in which they can grow and excel in their dance education. We are dedicated to inspiring our students to appreciate learning, living, and creating. This inspiration will build individual self-esteem and confidence and will build a team that has respect for each other and themselves.
We are proud to offer an array of classes for dancers of all ages, beginning at age 2. Dancers will learn all about the movement, expression, technique, discipline, and fundementals that are all part of dancing. We have classes for everyone, including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, and more.
We are conveniently located in Fishersville with easy access to Staunton, Waynesboro, and other surrounding areas right off I-64 with ample parking in our well lit parking lot. Xpressions Dance Center features three dance rooms inside our custom designed facility. Each room includes full wall mirrors to help students visualize proper body placement and technique. Our dance floors are composed of professional sprung floors, which are CRUCIAL for our dancers' well being. These specialized floors help absorb and distribute the impact that dancers create during jumps and leaps and other dance movements. Dancing on a solid surface can damage the dancer's muscles and joints and cause a lifetime of injuries. Each room also includes a double barre for ballet and other technique training that is suitable for dancers of all heights. Our lobby includes a waiting area, bathroom, reception desk, and storefront that features Xpressions swag from water bottles to dance bags to studio apparel. In addition, we have a space for our dancers to hang their coats and store their dance bags while they are in class.
At Xpressions Dance Center, we stress the importance of school and family. Since our studio is founded by moms, we understand that our students require personal time for homework and studying as well as time with their family and friends. We will continue to make every effort possible to allow flexibility in our dancers' and our staff's personal lives.
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Our Staff
Amanda Sullivan (Owner/Business Director) ~ Amanda graduated from James Madison University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management. Her concentration was Human Resources. In 2012, she earned her Masters of Art in Special Education from James Madison University. She has over 15 years experience in financial and accounting management. Amanda also believes in supporting her community through volunteerism and has participted in various capacities in several non-profit boards. Amanda and her husband live in Fishersville and have three children and four cats.
Jessy Martin (Owner/Artistic Director, Instructor) ~ Born in NJ, Jessy began dancing at age 3 at Totowa Dance Center in Totowa, NJ under the direction of Barbara Bruno and began competitive dance in 1994. She continued her dance training at For Dancers Only in Little Falls, NJ under the direction of Kelly Allen, Ed Phalen, and Michael Minery and competed in New York, New Jersey, and along the east coast. During her four years at Passaic Valley Regional High School, Jessy was a member of their high school Girls' Show dance team, serving as Team Head for two years. She graduated from Keiser University in 2004 with an Associates of Art in Accounting. She began teaching and choreographing recreational and competitive dance in 2013 in tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, musical theater, and hip hop teaching students ranging from preschool ages through adult. In 2014, she branched out and joined the choreography staff for the Stuarts Draft High School spring play Thoroughly Modern Millie and again in 2019 for their spring play Newsies. She has also partnered with Company 360 in Fredericksburg, VA as a guest choreographer. Jessy currently lives in Waynesboro with her husband (a US Navy Veteran), their two daughters who are both competitive dancers, and their dog.
Kristina Winn (Instructor) ~ Kristina is a native of Augusta County, Virginia. She has trained for over 20 years in local dance programs studying ballet, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, tap, musical theatre, and hip hop. As a student and a teacher, she went on to win both regional and national dance and choreography titles in these categories. During high school, Kristina gained teaching experience by assisting in instruction in numerous dance classes. After graduation, she went on to study dance and arts management at George Mason University. Then, she received her Associate of Arts and Science degree, focusing in health and exercise sciences, from Blue Ridge Community College. In 2019, Kristina received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Mary Baldwin University majoring in Marketing and Communications and minoring in Film Theory. Her studies mainly focused on performing arts marketing and management. For the past 7 years, she has taught ballet, lyrical, and contemporary dance classes and choreography for competitions. She has also had experience working as a backstage assistant for numerous local and college productions. Kristina currently lives in Waynesboro with her family and dog.
Keyairra Talley (Instructor) ~ Keyairra is 28 years old and originally from Richmond, Va. and currently lives in Waynesboro. She is working on completing her Bachelors degree in Elementary education and works at William Perry Elementary School. As a child, Keyairra joined her first dance team at 6 years old and dance has been a huge part of her life ever since! She has 12 years of experience in choreographing and teaching students of all ages. Her focus is jazz but she has been trained in ballet, contemporary, hip hop and a little bit of tap over the years. Keyairra has also spent the past 8 years being an active choreographer for musicals in various community theaters in the Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County areas. She is so excited to continue her journey with the Xpressions Dance Center family!
Candice Beck (Instructor) ~ Candice is a Waynesboro, Virginia native and has been involved in the performing arts in the area since she was a young child. Candice started dance training in Ballet, Tap and Jazz at J’Mars Dance World under the direction of B.J. Harding and Mary K. Smith. It was there that she became an assistant dance instructor in high school. During that time, Candice also trained in Classical Ballet at Staunton Academy of Ballet and at several studios in Charlottesville. Candice auditioned for the dance program and was accepted to Virginia Intermont College, where she was a member of The Virginia Intermont Performing Dance Company for four years. While earning her degree in Business Administration from Virginia Intermont, Candice studied Ballet, Jazz, and Modern under Constance Hardinge, founder and director of Bristol Ballet, and many other world-renowned guest and resident artists. Candice has also danced in and choreographed for many local musical theater groups over the years. Along with teaching dance classes, Candice teaches special education in Augusta County and is currently studying to get her Masters Degree in Teaching. Candice lives in Stuarts Draft with her husband, three boys, dog, and cat. She is very excited to be a part of the Xpressions family!
Caroline Kempfer (Instructor) ~ Caroline has been dancing since she was two years old. Her main focus has always been ballet but she is trained in modern, contemporary, jazz, and character dance. She grew up dancing in Bridgewater and attended many summer intensives including The Rock School, The Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and The Joffrey Ballet school. After high school Caroline moved to New York City as a trainee at The Joffrey Ballet School, and then moved on to Indiana where she competed in the Youth American Grand Prix. Following an injury Caroline has returned to the Valley. She is working towards a degree in Early Childhood Education. She is very excited to be able to share her love of dance as part of the Xpressions team.
Mary-Faye Browning (Instructor) ~ Mary-Faye began dancing at the age of 4 at the Charlotte Boom School of Dance in Fayetteville, NC. There she studied ballet and tap. Later when she moved to Staunton, Mary-Faye continued her study of dance under the direction of Mary Kay Smith. At the age of 11, she began to study at the Ballet Box under te direction of Jann Shenk. During the seven years at the Ballet Box, Mary-Faye studied ballet, jazz, modern, and tap. She participated in master classes and summer workshops in many areas with the acclaimed Richmond Ballet. Mary-Faye also studied at the Staunton Academy of Ballet. She studied dance at Goucher College and at James Madison University, where she completed coursework for a Virginia Teacher Licensure in Dance. After college, she taught at the Ballet Box for 11 years. She has also choreographed for ShenanArts, Waynesboro Players, Oak Grove Theater, Buffalo Gap High School, Staunton High School, and Shelburne Middle School. You may have seen Mary-Faye in performance with the Staunton Civic Dancers, ShenanArts, Waynesboro Players, and Oak Grove Theater. Currently Mary-Faye is a Special Education teacher at Shelburne Middle School.
James Brown (Instructor) ~ James is an enthusiastic, outgoing, and energetic dance instructor with creative energy and talent in a wide variety of social dances. He has built a Social Media Brand Name (ANi) that caters to all ages and was populated from a style called Jersey Club that he helped create and develop. He carries strong leadership and communication skills with 15 years of experience in choreography and creative directing of all ages and professional dance performances. He's a YouTuber where growth and successes are shown and is a multi-talented dancer who is seeking to inspire expression through body movement. He has experience teaching all over the East coast including NYC, NJ, PA, Atlanta, and Miami. James has toured with Chris Brown's "Heartbreak On A Full Moon" Tour and "Indigo" Tour and Justin Beiber's "Justice" Tour in addition to others and some of his highlights include American's Best Dance Crew and Michael Jackson Tribute to Joe Jackson to name a few.
Catherine Sullivan
Class Assistant
Julie Martin
Class Assistant
Morgan Chu
Jr Class Assistant
Lindsey Martin
Jr Class Assistant
Lexi Elgersma
Jr Class Assistant
Birthday Parties
Looking for a great place for your child's birthday party? LOOK NO FURTHER!!!! Host your party at Xpressions Dance Center. Enjoy an hour in one of our studio rooms dancing away and learn a fun routine featuring the birthday girl/boy! Followed by an hour for presents, cake, and more birthday fun. Send us an email, give us a call, or stop by the front desk for details and pricing information.
