TAMI MATTISON earned a BA degree with a minor in dance from U of O in 1995. With two children to raise, she established an in-home private pre-school/day-care, which she operated for 8 years. Miss Tami began training and teaching at Discovery in 2005. Both her son and daughter are dancers at the studio as well. In the winter of 2007, Miss Tami added another precious son to her family. Miss Tami's particular dance interests range from classical ballet to multicultural & creative dance forms. She delights our young students with dance activities that contribute to the development of body and spatial awareness, musical sensibility, flexibility, motor co-ordination and healthy social interactions. Miss Tami is alovely dancer and a patient, gentle teacher.
CHRISTY ROGERS studied dance at Discovery School for 10 years and then began teaching Jazz and Hip-Hop classes in 2000. She continues to train and perform with the advanced ballet and pointe class at Discovery School. Miss Christy also augmented her dance training in technique, choreography and pedagogy classes at WOU and in Las Vegas in specialized Jazz/Hip-Hop classes. Miss Christy was a captain of the Sprague H.S Olyannes dance team where her ability to choreograph fun, funky dance movements was a real asset to the team. She now coaches South Salem HS dance team. Miss Chrisy's youthful exuberance, high energy and genuine ability to relate to pre-schoolers through teenagers makes Miss Christy a favorite with her students.
HOLLY HOEMbegan dance trainingas a youngster in Eugene, Or.From 14 years of age she performed with the Carousel Concert Dancers, including lead roles in several ballets.Miss Holly received a full scholarship to Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle where she studied ballet, lyrical, jazz and modern dance through Graham and Cunningham techniques. She alsowas accepted into the prestigious performing company, Cornish Dance Theater, where she performed severalprincipal roles. Miss Holly continued her education at U of O in Eugeneas a dance major and she taught at the Eugene School of Ballet. After becoming a mother to four children, Miss Holly operated an in-home daycare for several years. Since moving to Salem, she is excited to return to teachingand she joined the faculty atDiscovery School in 2007. Miss Holly's greatest desire as ateacher is to share her love of dance with young children, incorporating creative play and animated music to help her students discover movement. For older students, she encourages them to find joy in dance while utilizing proper technique.
TOBI BODWAY has a BA degree in Psychology from OSU and she grew up as a student at Discovery School where she also taught for ten years before moving to Portland. Most recently, Tobi has been performing in Portland and the surrounding area, as well as commuting to Salem to perform at some of our Elsinore programs. Tobi has had the pleasure of appearing with several local companies. She danced with the late Portland Community Ballet, under the direction of Cynthia Tosh, Maria Tallchief’s prima ballerina. She also performed with The Portland Ballet Company, The Clackamas Youth Ballet, Abernethy Performing Arts, and The Modazz Dance Company. She enjoys dancing with her partner and dear friend, Ethan LaFrance, and will perform the role of The Sugar Plum Fairy with him as Guest Artists for the Northwest Conservatory of Dance Nutcracker Season of 2009. Principle roles Tobi has danced include Odette of Swan Lake , Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella of The Sleeping Beauty, The Flower Fairy of The Nutcracker, The Dewdrop Fairy of Hansel and Gretel and The Harlequin Doll of The Toyshop. We are happy to have Miss Tobi as a guest teacher for both ballet and Jazz/Lyrical classes at Discovery School.
ERIN KINGSLEY is the younger daughter of Dr. Madame and she was raised as a student in the school since her toddler years. Miss Erin trained, performed and taught in dance forms ranging from classical Ballet to Jazz & Tap. She was a member of the Sprague Olyannes dance team and a captain her senior year. Miss Erin earned her BS degree from Oregon State University in 2000 as aSpeech Communications major. She served as an officer in the US Air Force, including overseas duty in operation Enduring Freedom. Miss Erin has two children. Her son, Milo,performed in our Elsinore Theater production for the past two years. He and his brother, Dominic, are growing up as dancers at Discovery School, just like their mom. Their new brother, Brody, born in March of 2009 will join them in a couple of years. Miss Erin's interests include developing young children's cognitive skills and muscle coordination through the art of dance and she particularly is excited to welcome boys into her classes. Miss Erin's classes are a good mix of high energy and calming structure. Miss Erin also is happy to return to her Irish roots teaching Irish dance this year.
LYNN SUNDERMIER "Dr. Madame", has BA degrees in Speech Pathology & in Theater Arts, and MS and Ph.D. degrees in neuromotor control. She also is certified as an EMT. Lynn is the Oregon State representative for the Classical Dance Alliance, a group whose mission is to improve dance training nationally. Lynn specializes in balance for stance & gait across the life span, and she taught graduate classes at U of O. She has several articles published in respected scientific journals, and Lynn's research has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Lynn also has published papers on the neuromotor and biomechanical aspects of dance movement & training. As a young adult, Lynn danced professionally on both east & west coasts. But now, her greatest joy is challenging her students, to learn & grow as dancer-athletes & performers.She is excited to teach a young group of tappers this year in addition to her serious classical ballet students.