Our Team

ms jensyn
Jensyn is 27 years old. She is a Hickman High graduate and she studied at MACC where she found college wasn’t for her. She then became a nanny for a wonderful family, who instantly became her family. Jensyn has practiced dance for 24 years, has been teaching dance for 12 years and she also competed in acrobatic gymnastics for 15 years. She has studied multiple dance genres along the way, such as ballet, tap, jazz and her favorite, lyrical! She loves teaching all ages lyrical because she loves how different each age group can be. She loves watching kids open up and become more comfortable with their bodies and to watch them achieve the smallest of things! She has been a part of many ballet productions, including The Nutcracker, and Alice and Wonderland. She has also directed and choreographed ballet productions, including Cats and The Wizard of Oz. Cats was incredibly special for her because her parents took her to see the Broadway production when she was 3. They had to then buy the video shortly after so she could watch it every day and learn all the dances. Since then, it was always a dream of hers to be a part of/direct Cats. When she was just 21 years old, she made that come true! It was her first ever ballet production and it couldn’t have been more fitting that it was Cats. Jensyn has always loved the family aspect of dance, the relationships with teachers and students and watching everyone grow. So when the time was right, she opened up D.E.S and couldn’t be happier to make her very own dance family. Some fun things about Jensyn are- she LOVES Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings/Hobbit! She has a dog and 2 cats, she loves crafting and decorating for a themed party!
Jensyn is so excited to welcome everyone to the D.E.S family!!

ms emmy
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Ms. Emmy is 29 years old. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Liberty University and is a certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructor. She has over twenty-five years of experience in the performing arts with extensive training in classical ballet and numerous other dance styles, as well as acting. Her pre-professional and intensive training includes BalletMet, Indiana University, Kansas City Ballet School, Lexington Ballet School, The Culture House Conservatory of the Arts, and Manhattan Dance Project, among others. She has had the honor of training with instructors from all around the world, including London, Russia, France, China, Norway, South America, Mexico, Italy, South Africa, Egypt, and New York City, with such notable instructors as Michael Vernon, Dmitri Suslov, Luis and Nancy Dominguez, Chet Walker, Bill Hotaling, and Joshua Bergasse. Her teaching credits span over a decade and include City Ballet Theater Company and School, Missouri Contemporary Ballet Company and School, Muriel Battle High Arts Department, East Coast Ballet School in Florida, Elevate Art in Kansas City, and several others. Her choreography has been featured in multiple productions throughout the years, including the Branson International Film Festival, Störling Dance Theater Trainee Program, Reflections In a Puddle Arts Series, National Dance Week Kansas City, Project Dance, Manhattan Dance Project, and the Indiana University Intensive, as well as numerous performances with City Ballet Theater. She also served as the sole choreographer for entire musical productions of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Disney’s Tarzan for Muriel Battle High Arts Department. She has had the honor of performing with numerous professional companies, including The Minnesota Ballet, Moscow Ballet Company, Lexington Ballet Company, Störling Dance Theater, VidaDance Company, and her own past companies, Anazao Dance and City Ballet Theater. Her favorite roles and performances include the Sugar Plum Fairy and Clara in The Nutcracker, The Dark Fairy (Carabosse) and Blue Bird in Sleeping Beauty, Swanhilda from Coppélia, and Mary the Mother of Jesus in her original production of Unto Us: The Story of Christmas.
As the former Artistic Director of City Ballet Theater, Emmy produced and performed in several full stage productions and regional events. After closing CBT due to a sudden family health crisis, she refocused her directing and creative skills into a new avenue – City Dance Theater Company – which is now hosted by Dance Expressions Studio. She is very grateful and excited to join the Staff at D.E.S. as an instructor for several of their classes, including their upper levels of ballet and pointe, as well as work with them on their show productions. Emmy loves spending time with family, animals, and photography. She also enjoys Marvel movies, Star Wars, and traveling – especially to Florida and Walt Disney World!
Rachel is 25 years old. She is currently a student at Maryville University, studying Social work to be a CPS agent. She is also working full time as a Universal Banker at First Midwest, here in Columbia. Rachel has been in dance for 12 + years, studying ballet, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, tumbling & tap. She’s been in dance companies, that performed at project dance in Houston TX, & Dance Revolution in Dallas TX. She began her teaching journey after graduating high school in 2016, where she taught at a small town studio in Canton TX. Dancing has always been her passion & she knew at a very young age that she would want to teach her own classes, so she can encourage other lovers of dance to express themselves & be confident in their skills! Her favorite dance to teach is tied between lyrical & Hip hop, Which fits her personality perfectly because she “ goes with the flow” & is graceful, but is also hyperactive & loves to have fun in the classroom! She is new to the D.E.S family, but can’t wait to help grow the beautiful dancers & encourage them to be the best they can be.
ms rachel


ms ava
Ava is 21 years old and transferring from Mizzou to Columbia College to join the nursing school. She has been taking dance since she was 4 years old and she also competed in gymnastics and acrobatic gymnastics. She has practiced all styles of dance, but her favorite is lyrical! She is SO excited to teach the little tumblers at D.E.S because it was one of her favorite parts of gymnastics. Some fun things about Ava are- she is currently working as a veterinary technician and loves animals! She has a dog named Violet and they love to go on walks and go to the dog park. She also enjoys music, art and plants!
D.E.S is so happy to welcome Ava to our family!!