March Spotlight: The Guild of Avant Garde Theatre of Dance
Shown in photo (Back Row, Left to Right): Samantha Lopez, Samantha Honza, Lori Henderson, Jodi Christian, Jessica Gerloff, Hector Monreal.
Like with any new business, here at Avant Garde Theatre of Dance we are constantly on the move – working hard to build up our brand, establish our roots and to bring high quality dance instruction to the Ennis community (and beyond as we learned in our last Spotlight).
There is so much to be done and the workload only continues to grow as we do! Today, we want to center the attention on a group of individuals who volunteer their time and energy to help us reach our goals. It is with great pride that we present to you, our Avant Garde Parent’s Guild!
We are very fortunate to have such a committed group of parents who share our passion for dance and who champion for our local business as if it were their own. Let’s meet them!
Tiffany Metcalfe - Guild Chief
“Tiffany has been such a great addition to our Guild and to our school! She and Erica are always so excited to come to class. We can’t wait to see Erica win some trophies soon!” – Miss Sarah
As Guild Chief, Tiffany works in our office and assists with marketing for our school. Her 10 year old daughter, Erica, is a competitive dancer in our Apprentice Program – training in Intermediate Ballet, Contemporary and Jazz.
Tiffany and her family moved to Ennis in July 2017. Not long after moving, Erica shared with her mom that she really wanted to get back into dance. According to Tiffany, after looking into local dance companies, she couldn’t find one that provided the structure and opportunity for each student to really master their God-given craft. But that wasn’t the case for long!
Once Avant Garde opened its doors, Tiffany explains “ After talking with Chris and Sarah, I knew this was the place where she (Erica) would be able to live her dream of being on a dance team and maybe one day have a studio of her own!”. As a former dancer herself, it only made sense for Tiffany to join the Guild in hopes of inspiring a love of dance in others!
“I want to be as involved as possible, not only with Erica’s classes, but in any way possible. I hope that I’m able to bring smiles to the kids and families of the community!”
April Foust – Communications Officer
"Communication is extremely important to us. Luckily, we have April on our Communications team; she does an amazing job with our Spotlights! Her daughter Brynn is super adorable and always pays such close attention in class to make sure she gets every step right!" – Miss Sarah
In her role as Communications Officer, April works on writing and editing some of our broad communications (including writing this very article!). Her 4-year-old daughter, Brynn, attends our recreational Beginner Ballet class.
April and her husband, Jonathan, are from Ennis and are thrilled to be raising their family here. Besides Brynn’s participation in dance, they also have a 6-year-old son who loves to play baseball! “There is nothing more amazing than watching your kiddos grow and develop their own passions. I love that Ennis now has a dance program that is classic and elegant.” says April.
Not knowing anything about dance before enrolling her daughter, April immediately joined the Guild in an effort to be involved and supportive of Brynn and the other dancers – but also so she could learn along the way!
Samantha Honza – Competition Officer
"Miss Jensen and Samantha are one in the same. We love seeing them come in because we know, when we see either one of them here, its time for business!"– Miss Sarah
Samantha takes her role as Competition Officer very seriously and it shows! She is always working on ways to spread the word about Avant Garde. In her role, she oversees all competition teams including helping with enrollment, organization and preparation for competitions. Her daughter, Jensen, is a competitive dancer in the Apprentice Program – practicing Intermediate Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Acro.
Samantha and her family are lifelong Ennis residents! She and Jensen were very excited and eager to enroll when Avant Garde opened. Samantha shares “The moment I walked into the school, I knew this was not your average small-town dance studio. They cater to their students in every way possible. Jensen enjoys her instructors and classes so much. We are so thankful they chose Ennis to put their roots down!”.
She takes pride in being a very involved parent, so joining the Guild wasn’t even a second thought. As Samantha explains it, “I pride myself on staying very involved with my daughters and doing what I can to support their dreams and aspirations. Being a part of The Guild allows me to have a voice and make an impact on not only my daughter, but her team, the school, and our community."
Lori Henderson – Performance Officer
"Lori is one of our Grandparents that always goes out of her way to give her granddaughter the opportunity to live out her dream. It warms my heart to have Whitney and Lori as part of our school. Miss Whitney works so hard every day!" – Miss Sarah
As the Performance Officer, Lori assists with all our shows and in-studio performances. Her granddaughter, Whittney, is a competitive dancer in our Apprentice Program and her love for dance is evident! Whittney is enrolled in Intermediate Ballet, Contemporary and Jazz.
Lori has lived in Ennis for over 30 years. Her granddaughter Whittney, or “Whitt”, danced for 7 years before her studio closed and there were no other local dance programs. She was thrilled when Avant Garde came to town and couldn’t wait to rejoin the dance community.
When explaining why she joined the guild, Lori says “I want to be a part of Whittney’s growth in dance, and I enjoy helping when I can.”
Jodie Christian – Community Connections Officer
"I love seeing this family come in because they all wear their Avant Garde Shirts and come in with huge smiles! Miss Ramsey and Miss Finley are both so dedicated to learning and it shows that they practice at home!" – Miss Sarah
Jodie is our Community Connections Officer, helping us extend our reach in the Ennis community and beyond. She has 2 daughters, Finley and Ramzey, who can always be found around town sporting their Avant Garde T-shirts. Both of these sisters are members of our competitive team in the Apprentice Program. They both take classes together and study Intermediate Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz and Acro.
Jodie and her girls are from Blooming Grove, where Jodie has lived her whole life. Avant Garde checked all of their boxes when they were on the hunt for a good dance program. Jodie says “It’s very affordable, which is priority for us, and its only a thirty minute drive”. During orientation Jodie and her daughters immediately felt ‘at home’.
“Every day we walk in for class we are greeted by the smiling faces of Chris, Sarah and Sydney – which makes me and the girls feel welcome and that they are truly happy to see us”.
Samantha Lopez – Fundraiser Officer
“Samantha has helped us with our previous fundraisers and is always asking when the next one is so she can help out. She is a great addition to the Guild and the Fundraiser Officer is the perfect fit for her! Her daughters are both very intent on learning and I can't wait to watch them grow at Avant Garde!" – Miss Sarah
The role of Fundraiser Officer may sound simple, but here at Avant Garde we often have several fundraisers going on at once. This doesn’t deter Samantha though. She is always willing to jump in with a positive attitude! She has 2 daughters, Isabella (Isa) and Gabriella (China), who are each enrolled in classes. Isa takes Intermediate Ballet, and China is in our Beginner Ballet class.
Samantha and her girls call Ennis home. According to Samantha, “I chose Avant Garde because of the friendly staff and welcoming environment. As well as the amazing experience/background Ms. Sarah has in dance.”
Seeing the passion and excitement Chris and Sarah have towards their students sparked Samantha’s interest in joining The Guild. “I would love to help the studio grow and succeed in our small town!”, says Samantha.
Kayla Martinez – Secretary
"Abigail is always here a little early for each class. She always brings her lunch with her after school because she just can't wait to get to class. She is super attentive and her mom, Kayla, is always there checking in to see if we need anything. We are happy to have them at our school!" – Miss Sarah
As the Secretary for the Guild, Kayla is the person keeping track of all information for our fundraisers, shows, meetings and more. Her daughter, Abigail, is enrolled in Intermediate Jazz and Contemporary.
Kayla and her family have lived in Ennis for 12 years. Kayla explains “I love that Avant Garde focuses on the art of dance. Here its not about current dance trends, but rather it is about the beauty of dance in its purest form”. When she learned about the Guild, Kayla enthusiastically signed up because she wants to help mold and shape the next generation.
When reflecting on why she wanted to join the Guild, Kayla shared, “I wanted to support these talented kids and encourage them to chase after their dreams. I want them to know they can be anything they want to be with hard work, dedication and a tu-tu!”
Jessica Gerloff – Treasurer
"Without having a treasurer, we would not be able to have such great shows and events. Jessica is a great addition to the Guild and her daughter, Adalyn, is always super happy to be in class and always does a great job!" – Miss Sarah
In this role, Jessica tracks all funds coming in from our fundraiser events and sponsorships. She also helps ensure we are prepared for future fundraisers, shows and competitions! Her daughter, Adalyn, studies Beginner Ballet here at Avant Garde!
Jessica and her family are from Ennis. Her daughter, Adalyn, was just old enough to begin getting involved in extra-curricular activities. When Avant Garde opened, a close friend shared they were joining. Jessica knew it was the right time and was happy to have a local program, so they wouldn’t have to travel far.
When asked why she wanted to join The Guild, Jessica explains, “I want to be as involved as possible to help with the success of the dance studio and my child’s journey through dance!”
Bridget Luna – Competition Team
"Bridget is always checking to see if we need anything. Her daughter, Kaitlynn, has really opened up since she started! She has improved so much and is a very hard worker in our Competitive Program!" – Miss Sarah
As part of the Competition Team, Bridget helps us organize and prepare for upcoming events. Her daughter, Kaitlynn, is a competitive dancer in the Apprentice Program here at Avant Garde Theatre of Dance. Kaitlynn is currently training in Intermediate Ballet, Contemporary and Jazz.
The Lunas planted their roots in Ennis! “Kaitlynn has been so inspired by the studio, we’ve loved it from day one – its home!”, says Amber.
She joined The Guild in order to be a positive influence for her daughter and the other students.
Amber Espino – Fundraiser Team
"I love seeing the new Behind The Mask episodes and Amber does such a great job with them! Miss Alina is always there on time with her ballet bun perfectly in order and always in uniform ready to start classes. She does such a great job and I can't wait to watch her grow in Ballet!" – Miss Sarah
Amber Espino is part of the Fundraiser Team at Avant Garde Theatre of Dance and is also the host of our ongoing series Behind The Mask. Her daughter, Alina, attends Beginner Ballet classes.
Amber and her family are Ennis natives. Having lived in Ennis her whole life, Amber strives to support local businesses and was so excited when our studio opened!
Amber shares “I am so glad you guys are here and have been very pleased even with it being so new to us. I love being involved in any way I can for my kids and their teachers”.
Hector & Mary Ann Monreal – Fundraiser Team
"Every week, Mary Ann and Hector come in with the girl’s dance bags, everyone wearing their Avant Garde shirts and sometimes baring gifts! We get weekly picture updates of the girls at home practicing. They all just love it so much and we are so happy to have them as part of the family!" – Miss Sarah
Hector & Mary Ann are both members of the Fundraiser Team for Avant Garde, where they assist us in implementing, organizing and promoting our fundraisers. Their granddaughter, Eden, attends Combo Ballet & Tap and Eliana attends Intermediate Tap!
Hector and Mary Ann make the most of their time with their granddaughters, Eliana and Eden, when they’re visiting from their home in Cedar Hill. Their commitment to their granddaughters is very apparent when you see them together.
Hector and Mary Ann explain “We are all very happy to be a part of the Avant Garde family!”.
Carolina Salazar – Recruitment Team
"Carolina is always someone we can count on during a fundraiser. She was the mom that purchased more shirts and items than any other parent in the school! She is at the school almost every day we are opened and her daughter, Alyssa, just can't get enough, which is exactly what we love to see!" – Miss Sarah
As a member of the Recruitment Team, Carolina assists with recruitment for our Recreational Classes. Her daughter, Alyssa, is a Competitive Student at Avant Garde enrolled in the Apprentice Program. She currently takes Intermediate Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, and Hip Hop.
Carolina is from Corsicana, where she has lived for over 20 years. She was excited to sign Alyssa up because the program was close to home and it was a great opportunity, as she loves to dance! Carolina shares, “We love it! Everyone here is so friendly.”
She decided to join The Guild because she wanted to be involved and a part of her daughter's success. She also shares “I want Avant Garde to be the best and I want to help make that happen!”
Jennifer Cheshire – Community Connections Team
"Jennifer helped out during our Valentines Fundraiser by contributing the DIY Cookie Kits that were a huge hit! She is always asking if there is more she can do to help. Her daughter, Lynny, always does a fantastic job in class and is always super happy to see me, as I am to see her!" – Miss Sarah
Jennifer is part of the Community Connections Team, helping us gain and maintain our connections with the Ennis Community! Her daughter, Lynny, is one of our competitive students and is enrolled in the Apprentice Program. She takes Intermediate Ballet, Contemporary and Jazz!
Having lived in Ennis most of her life, Jennifer was very excited when a new dance studio came to town. She couldn’t wait to sign her daughter, Brailyn – aka “Lynny”, up for recreational classes. Jennifer and Lynny were immediately hooked on Avant Garde’s program. “Within our first five classes we learned so much about Ms. Sarah and her background. We went from taking classes for fun to joining the Competitive team!”, says Jennifer.
After seeing how much Sarah and Chris put into the school, and their love for their students, Jennifer knew she had to become part of the team so she joined The Guild.
Destiny & Ascension De Leon – Community Connections Team
“From the moment we met this family we knew there would be a great connection with our school. They provide such beautiful works of art, which is what we are all about here at Avant Garde. Their daughter, Kora, always has a huge smile on her face and does such a great job in all of her classes." – Miss Sarah
Destiny De Leon and her Husband Ascension are the owners of AyD Imagery and members of the Community Connections Team for The Guild. They take most of the photos and videos you see on our social media! Their daughter, Kora, is a member of our competitive team for the Apprentice Program. Miss Kora takes Intermediate Ballet, Contemporary, and Jazz.
Their family has lived in Ennis for about 8 years. Their daughter, Kora, absolutely loves Avant Garde and, as busy parents, Destiny and Ascension appreciate having a local option for dance. According to Destiny, “What keeps us coming back is the care Chris and Sarah take towards each student and the success of the studio”.
She was excited for the opportunity to join The Guild because it provided a chance to get involved and not just be waiting behind the curtain.
JOIN THE GUILD AND BECOME A PART OF YOUR STUDENT'S SUCCESS!
We appreciate all of our parent volunteers! If you are the parent/guardian or close relative of a student and you would like to get involved, please follow the link below:
https://avantgardetheatreofdance.com/guild
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