APA FACULTY

Our teachers and support staff are the core of APA - we teach different styles with different approach but the love of dance and our students makes us a great team!

Ms. Emma, a native of Elk City, OK, is a sophomore at Northeastern State  University. She has been teaching dance for four years. 

Ms. Emma  teaches ballet and pre-ballet and is excited to teach a musical theater  class, and jazz/contemporary 1 this year, along with VOICE lessons. 

She loves to sing and dance, and cannot wait for this  year at APA! 

 Rachel Chancey is a native of Durant, OK, and a dance instructor at the  Academy of Performing Arts. She is the owner emeritus of Texarkana Dance  Academy and has taught dance across Oklahoma and Texas. Rachel was a  member of the Southeastern Sparks Dance Team and has trained extensively  in Los Angeles, New York City, and Canada—studying tap with the  legendary Arthur Duncan and contemporary with world-renowned artists  such as Mandy Moore and Mia Michaels.

She holds certifications in  Progressing Ballet Technique and Rhythm Works Integrative Dance, a  program designed to support dancers with learning differences and  special needs.

Beyond the studio, Rachel is a strong advocate for  individuals with disabilities and is deeply involved in community  engagement. She has a background in education and recently earned her  Master’s in Secondary Special Education and Transition. Her favorite  part of teaching dance is seeing the “lightbulb moments” when students  grow in both confidence and skill. 

 Junior is a highly accomplished and talented dancer and artist with a  strong passion for hip-hop and music. He has three years of experience  as a member of Abstrakt Mindz Dance Company and Self Motivation. Junior  has had the privilege of choreographing and performing alongside  renowned artist Majeste Pearson. As a natural-born freestyler and true  artist, Junior’s unique style and creativity shine through in every  performance. Inspired by the greats in Hip-Hop culture and musical  upbringing, Junior has dedicated himself to pursuing his dreams. Since  2021, he has also excelled as an instructor and choreographer,  continuously seizing new opportunities to share his love for dance and  art with others. 

Mr. Kevin has been fencing since his college days. He has created NEOK Fencing program in 2016 and enjoys providing this exclusive service in our area to those who want to learn this  Olympic Sport. Adults and children alike enjoy his classes and are very excited about this opportunity at APA.

Kevin is married to Ms. Lena and cant wait to teach fencing to his daughter, Kat. Kevin is an Eagle Scout 1975, and is proud that his son Nikolai finds time to work on his scouting adventures, which they share.

Ms. Lena began dancing at age 7 in Volograd, Russia. She  continued her rigorous Vaganova-style ballet training until she began medical school. While in med school, she studied ballroom and competed  frequently.

After moving to the U.S. in 2007, Lena  began studying Irish dance at the McCafferty School, and quickly rose to  the highest competition level. She acquired the prestigious Irish dancing  international TCRG (Teacher) status in 2018. 

Ms. Lena has been teaching the Vaganova-style  ballet since 2008, and founded Academy of Performing Arts-Tahleuqah in  2012, and in 2012 she created Encore Performing Society, the nonprofit organization dedicated to immersion in arts through education and participation. Ms. Lena is certified in Progressive Ballet Technique and in Alixa Flexibility program. 

Ms. Lena believes in individual approach to each dancer and helping everyone reach their own potential. Ms. Lena has a big heart, dreams big and teaches dancers to follow her example.

Ms. Lena is happily married to Kevin Stretch, and her 2 children, Nikolai and Kat are training at APA.

 Ms Rylie teaches the tiny dancers -and more at APA Wagoner. She loves watching  their little personalities grow with their love for dance! This is her  5th year teaching, but she has danced all different styles since she was  6 years old!  Ms. Rylie grew up as a dancer at APA Wagoner (when it was named KE Dance& Tumble).

Ms. LaNice teaches all things classical musical to aerial yoga! 

She is teaching Stretch/Flexibility class at APA Tahlequah this year. She  loves to share the gift of movement with every body through  encouragement, reassurance, and effective adjustments. Her background is  in education and she is a dual state certified music teacher for OK and  TX. LaNice has taught in Texas studios (San Antonio, Pleasanton,  Austin) and now teaches locally at APA, The Yoga Station and Northeastern  State University’s Fitness Center! 

Ms Mackenzi is an assistant teacher in Irish dance program until Ms. Lena, TCRG. She has been training and competing for 15 years, but has done other styles of dance as well. She is currently working on getting her TCRG. She has a one year old daughter that she’s excited to introduce to dance world soon. She’s been teaching for 5 years. Her favorite part is watching her students grow through classes and outside performances the studio offers. 

Ms. Saundra has always had a deep love of music, dance and helping  others. Being able to be part of a community guiding kids to finding and  learning how to express themselves through music and dance has been one  of her biggest dreams. In middle and high school, she took piano and  advanced music theory and has been a dance mom of 10 years. This is her  second year being a studio manager at APA Wagoner and we are grateful for her help: she keeps all of us updated and organized, while her daughter Jessica takes classes in both locations, and her son Thaddeus enjoys Irish Dance, Fencing, and Tumbling.