Phone: 702.778.8688
Email: info@merakidanceacademy.com
STAFF
Keri Seiger
Studio Owner/Director
Aside from being a long time dance teacher, Keri brings her experience from the business side of the dance world as well a degree in Special Education. She was a dance instructor in Minnesota teaching tap, jazz and hip hop to dancers ages 18 months-18 years old, as well as performing studio manager responsibilities for a local St Paul dance studio. She continues her dance education by attending numerous dance teacher conventions across the country including Fluid Dance Conventions, Rhee Gold’s Dance Life Teacher Conference, the Dance Teacher Summit and other regional and national workshops. Keri is so excited for her vision to become a reality with Meraki Dance Academy, bringing in extremely talented instructors and being able to offer a variety of classes at her studio.
Karly-Rose Dains
Studio Manager/Team Director
Karly comes to Meraki Dance Academy with nearly 20 years of experience that is both diverse and noteworthy. An award winning competition choreographer and judge, Karly has been running dance studios, designing programs, coaching and teaching dance and gymnastics to children and adults in Florida, Georgia and the Upper Midwest. Classically trained in RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) with experience in Cecchetti and Vaganova, Karly is a well rounded instructor and has taught classes in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Hip-hop, Acro, Lyrical, Modern, Cheerleading and Tap including classes that focus on strengthening, conditioning, flexibility and injury prevention.
Karly continued her dance training in Colorado dancing with the Denver Ballet and becoming a company member for Youth Ballet Colorado before eventually moving to Iowa. While still a high school student herself she worked setting up after-school dance programs for elementary students. She has choreographed award winning routine for High Schools cheerleading and competitive dance teams. Karly has worked closely with Any Given Child, a program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., to provide an equitable arts education by teaching Hip-hop in P.E. classes in Iowa.
Kasey Liscum
Instructor
Kasey began her dance training at age three, and is skilled in various styles of dance including
Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Musical Theatre, Hip-Hop, Improvisation, and
several styles of Ethnic dance. Along with seventeen years of performance based training, Kasey
competed nationally from age eight to age eighteen. She has received numerous scholarships and
prestigious awards from dance competitions, conventions, and master classes including New
York City Dance Alliance, Tremaine Dance, Dance America, Dance Olympus, Adrenaline
Dance, JUMP Dance, World Class Dance, and SHARP International. Kasey’s dance training has
provided her with opportunities to appear on television (the Paul Pepper Morning Show and
FOX5 Vegas) and model for dancewear stores (The Dance Shoppe), as well as participate in
“UNLV Dance Day” at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for two years in a row.
Jess Jourden
Instructor
Jessica Jourdan, a dancer and actor, originally from Chicago, Illinois. Has trained in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, and lyrical. Jess studied dance at the University of South Florida and was a featured dancer in performances choreographed by Micahel Foley and John Parks. She was also featured in CineView Studios "POPSTAR" video choreographed by Gabi Barra. Jess currently lives in Las Vegas and attends Theatre Arts Prepratory school, under Don Mirault.
Lucinda "L.Jay" Luevanos
Instructor
Lucinda (L.Jay) Luevanos has been dancing since she was four, and started her training with the Ballet Folklorico Mexicano Company. She is trained in the techniques of hip hop, contemporary, ballet, jazz, lyrical, improv, ballet folklorico, and modern. She has a B.F.A. in Dance Performance & Choreography from the University of Nevada Las Vegas as well as graduated with UNLV Department of Dance's "Outstanding Performer Award". She has experience training, teaching, choreographing, and performing all throughout Las Vegas, as well as experience performing in Indianapolis, New York, and South Korea. Her choreographic works have not only been premiered in four UNLV Dance Concerts, but also in concerts for dance studios and companies throughout Las Vegas. Her love for videography is shown through the visual choreographic art projects that she has choreographed, released, and has also been featured in. Her choreography draws inspiration from mixing the genres of contemporary, modern, and hip-hop.
Lonnie Chaney
Instructor
Lonnie Chaney III, 26, from Las Vegas, found his love for dancing at 18 years old. With a major interest in the hip hop company at High Profile Dance Academy, he auditioned and became a powerful leader and choreographer for the team. Chaney graduated with a Bachelor of fine arts in Choreography and Performance at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has training in multiple techniques including ballet, various modern and jazz techniques, West African, contemporary as well as hip hop styles. Lonnie has participated in many tribute shows (legends on tour) but a recurring performer for Moonwalker, a tribute show to Michael Jackson that travels all over the US: Las Vegas local full time job is MJ Live- a live show at the Stratosphere casino nightly in Las Vegas. He's traveled and performed at the International Association of Blacks in Dance conference and alongside UNLV dance performance ensemble to Seoul, Korea to train in ballet twice. Lonnie Chaney III has media credits with Cirque du Soleil "AMANZI", and many opportunities to work on dance concept videos and exhibitions with local artists. Lonnie is able to give back as a volunteer at The West Las Vegas Art Center with the performance and theatre company, where he began his training. He is directing The Village dance collective (2018), his very own dance collective for showcases and exhibition in Las Vegas as well as teaching community classes to the public to share his passion with the world through dance.
Laurie Belleume
Instructor
Laurie, has been teaching dance for over twenty years and is excited to share her talents with all of the littles at Meraki. After a career as a Romantic Classical ballet dancer, and raising her children, Laurie began teaching in dance studios. Laurie enjoys teaching all ages and has helped many studios develop a successful children's program based on combining imagination and dance skills. She looks forward to bringing her love of children and dance for another year to Meraki Dance Academy!
Mason Leech
Instructor
My name is Mason Leech, and I was born and raised here in Las Vegas. I began gymnastics at a young age and began dancing at just 8 years old. I competitively danced for 10 seasons including going to World Of Dance Las Vegas and Atlanta, and Monsters of Hip Hop in Nashville, where my crews and I took home 1st at World of Dance in Las Vegas and 2nd at the other two. My dance buddies growing up were always my brother, and my childhood friend “Bailrok” who has since won ‘So You Think You Can Dance’. I later went on to become a semi-popular pioneer dancer on the app, Tik Tok, in its early days. I got to collaborate and connect with a vast amount of talented dancers and influencers because of it !
I love to teach and inspire the next generation, and I’m so happy to be able to pass down everything I’ve learned.
Amadeus Luevanos
Instructor
Amadeus Luevanos is an emerging dance performer who has performed with Kravenko Youth Ballet for seven years since 2013, performed as a guest artist with Nevada Ballet Theatre in the Smith center since 2018 in four productions alongside the company members, and has been trained in ballroom under Tristen Sosa since 2017 and is competing in the Junior Ballroom Olympics. He is a Neo-classical and classical ballet dancer who has many years of experience in all forms of dance ranging from: hip hop, to modern, to ballroom. He has also received the Gateway Performing Arts Scholarship in 2019 for performing a New Works ballet piece. Amadeus has trained the past three summers at ballet intensives in: Austin Texas with American Ballet Theatre 2017’, New York with Ellison Ballet 2018’, and Seattle with Pacific Northwest Ballet 2019’. Amadeus has recently attended and made the top nine spots at the Juilliard audition in San Francisco and is awaiting results from admissions. He has also been accepted to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy as a musical theatre major and plans to continue his performing career in New York. Amadeus has accomplished all of these achievements while simultaneously attending a dual credit High School and College, and is currently on track to graduate with a Regents High School diploma and an Associate of Science Degree. Amadeus is a forward thinking innovative performer and is ready to flourish from every single day coming in his performing career.
Aly Nevarez
Instructor
As a former member of the Meraki Dance Company, Aly Nevarez is so excited to be teaching classes at Meraki as well as helping new and returning dancers and families at the front desk. This season Aly will be teaching Acro, Fairytale Ballet, and the Poms/Cheer classes. Aly is a former competitive gymnast and is so excited to be able to share her talent with Meraki dancers.
Jill Crook
Instructor
With a performance career that spans more than two decades and encompasses multiple disciplines, acclaimed Cirque Du Soleil Aerial Artist Jill Crook continues to amaze us with her artistry, style and professionalism.
Jill’s aerial career includes numerous corporate, TV award and special event performances taking her from New York to Hawaii and she has performed on nearly every type of aerial apparatus. In 2009 she was featured in Britney Spear’s “Circus” video And for the last ten years she has appeared in Cirque Du Soleil’s ” Zumanity” at New York New York Hotel in Las Vegas as “Mademoiselle Loup” performing the strap act. Jill also holds the rare distinction of having performed three different aerial acts on three different apparatuses, two of which she created specially for Zumanity.
Jill was the aerial choreographer and assistant dance choreographer for One Night for One Drop 2017 and repeated that role in 2018, a production created by Cirque du Soleil. She was also been given the role of artist coach at Zumanity, adding to her responsibilities on the show.
Annica Cano
Instructor
Annica Cano has been dancing since the age of 3, training in multiple technique styles such as ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, and hip hop. Annica has trained with Colorado Ballet, Colorado Youth Dance Theatre and Louder Than Words Theatre. She graduated high school from Denver School of the Arts as a dance major in 2015. At Denver School of the Arts her training was centered around ballet, modern, jazz and improvisation technique. Annica then received her bachelor’s degree in Biology Human Health from Hawaii Pacific University in December 2019. While receiving her degree she continued to dance and teach on Oahu. Annica moved to Las Vegas in 2020 and has continued her training and teaching in the Las Vegas dance community and is a Co-Director for MYL (Made You Look), a Kpop and hip hop dance team in Las Vegas. Annica cannot wait to continue her dance career in Las Vegas and share her passion with the students at Meraki Dance Academy!
Tiffanie Kalisz
Instructor
Tiffanie Kalisz, originally from Canonsburg, PA, began dance at the age of three! Tiffanie trained in ballet, point, contemporary, tap, jazz, lyrical, musical theater, clogging, modeling and acrobatics. By the age of eleven, she was a Junior Elite level gymnast. Tiffanie went on to receive a full scholarship at the University of Maryland Baltimore County for Gymnastics. After landing Radio City Music Hall the ‘Easter Extravaganza’, a lifelong goal to perform at ‘Carnegie Hall’ and becoming a member with New York based dance and Gymnastics Company; “Antigravity” Tiffanie spent several months working in NYC. Tiffanie was a member of “Spirit of Atlanta” performing in the closing ceremonies in the 1992 Olympic Games. Tiffanie has also been in several commercials as well as music videos. She enjoyed working in films such as National Lampoons Vegas Vacation, For Which He Stands, Oceans 11, Leaving Las Vegas, and Mars Attacks to name a few! Currently Tiffanie is co-owner and National Director of Dance USA Performing Arts Championships based out of Las Vegas Nevada.
Tiffanie shares these golden words with all fellow dancers; past, present, and future….Dream Big and Reach for the Stars!
Raven Miranda
Instructor
Raven Miranda is an alumni of the Theater Arts Preparatory School located in Las Vegas, Nevada. After graduation, Raven worked on Norwegian Cruise Line as a dancer, aerialist, and magician’s assistant on different ships from 2019-2022. Raven since, has moved back to Vegas, creating with many different agencies and corporations. She is excited to share her passion and love for all styles of dance with the young dance community.
Abbie Campbell
Instructor
Abbigail Campbell is a versatile artist from St. Louis Missouri. Starting her training as a competitive dancer and added education as an assistant for Tremaine Dance Convention where she learned from industry professionals. Passionate to pursue the industry, she continued her education at Theater Arts Preparatory School (TAPS) in Las Vegas Nevada under the direction of Don Mirault. During the 6 months training, dancing, singing and acting she was able to perform as a featured dancer in an Arethra Franklin and “A Time To Dance'' with Tony Coppola. Since Abbigail’s graduation of TAPS, she has danced her way aboard Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas and continues to perform a plethora of events, shows and productions. Pitbull’s New Year's Eve, Janet Jackson’s New Year’s Eve, Nissan Reunion, NFR Rodeo, and Salvage City at EDC to name a few. On top of her performing, she has become an emcee/host and started production management. She shows up as an official emcee at the Wynn Las Vegas for slot tournaments and giveaways, has hosted for Enchant Las Vegas and the Rock n’ Roll Marathon with SP Entertainment. She was the production manager for the release of Nun 2 at Cinemacon with Jaimee Gallego of JKay Choreography and various events on the strip.
Julia Zentmyer
Instructor
Originally from Michigan, Julia began her dance training at the age of 5. Later she studied in New York City at the Joffrey Ballet School as well as with Finis Jhung. Julia has danced professionally and continues her dance training in studios across Las Vegas. Julia’s dance teaching experience includes pre-school age to teens in the styles of ballet, pointe, jazz and tap. In addition, she has earned both her Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in the field of Early Childhood Education. Julia is excited to begin the next chapter of her dance teaching career this fall with Meraki Dance Academy.
Emy Guyard
Instructor
Emy began artistic gymnastics as a child, and pursued this sport up until the age of 16, ten years of which were in competition experience. She then decided to switch to taking circus classes such as Silks, Lyra and Straps. Now her main disciplines in circus are aerial hoop, and Chinese pole. Emy trains mostly at the Las Vegas Circus Center, and has taken many classes from professional performers here in Las Vegas. She has won many awards including: 2019 Level 6 Nevada State Champion in Women's Artistic Gymnastics, the 2023 Vive Fest Champion in Solo Lyra Category and the 2023 Viva Fest Champion in the Group Act Category. She is happy and excited to share the best of her acrobatic knowledge with anyone that takes an interest to it at Meraki!