faculty
Don Francis
Founder & CEO
Write a bio for each team member. Make it short and informative to keep your visitors engaged.
123-456-7890
Katie Li
Owner
Katie Li is a professional choreographer and educator based in her hometown of Niceville, Florida.
She started dancing at Niceville High School at the age of 14, and by her senior year she was named captain. During her time in high school, she trained in a local studio, and choreographed competitive solos for her peers. Shortly after graduation in 2007, she became the assistant coach and choreographer for multiple middle schools and high schools in Okaloosa County.
Katie on a dance line scholarship, under Joe Taylor at Northwest Florida State College was captain of the dance line and choreographed a piece for the Dance Facets in 2009.
Nationally, Katie is an award winning choreographer and has presented her work throughout Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi where her choreography receives critical acclaim.
She is a 5 time nominee for the People’s Choice Award at Kids Artistic Revue for the Industry Dance Awards.
The Verve, in its inaugural year the team has proved her choreography to again, be award winning. Both team ensembles as well as soloists, have competed and performed in many venues in the southeast winning high scores, high point and scholarships to conventions. She has been invited as a master teacher/ choreographer to various venues including schools as well as many private studios along the southeast coast.
Katie's class style is an an eclectic mix of pure athleticism and sheer technique with an emphasis on dynamics, musicality, emotion and performance. She specializes in contemporary, lyrical, jazz funk and stretch/strength training. Katie believes that instilling proper muscle memory is crucial for technical growth and teaching progressive methods are key to a dancers success!
Mary Frances Broughman
Born and raised in Southwest Virginia, Mary Frances started dancing at the age of 2. Growing up, she studied ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pointe, modern, character, hip hop, liturgical and heels. She danced with numerous studios over the years including Floyd Ward School of Dance, Roanoke Ballet Theatre and Southwest Virginia Ballet. As a competitive dancer, Mary Frances won numerous awards at both Regional and National levels as well as numerous accolades including various scholarships, an invitation to Richmond Ballet’s apprenticeship program and her selection as a summer resident at Virginia’s Governor School of the Arts. While attending she was able to train with many world renowned instructors and learn from industry leading choreographers allowing her to sharpen her prowess of the arts.
She continued her ballet education as a company member and principal dancer with Roanoke Ballet Theatre, training extensively with Michelle Goucher, Janelle Tatum, Jennifer Davies, Frano Jelincic, Dagmar Kessler and countless guest artists, choreographers and master instructors from Moscow ballet, Alvin Ailey and other prestigious companies.
Mary Frances’s teaching career began at age 16 with Roanoke Ballet Theatre. From there she went on to direct the ballet program at Floyd Ward School of Dance. As the director she dedicated several years to groom dancers in proper ballet and pointe; simultaneously choreographing numerous award winning competitive pieces.
Mary Frances transitioned from Floyd Ward to Blue Ridge Performing Arts Academy continuing to share her knowledge and love of ballet, pointe and conditioning with numerous dancers.
When she married her husband, Michael, and added their daughter, KK, Mary Frances stepped back from teaching for a bit but continued to train and take classes as she firmly believes that you can never stop learning or know enough.
While teaching at A Time To Dance in Navarre, FL, Mary Frances was inspired to expand her knowledge and skill set even further; becoming certified in Progressing Ballet Technique and receiving her ACE certification as a personal trainer. This focus on efficient and proper training methods ultimately assists her students to train intelligently, preventing injury and extending the longevity of their performing arts careers.
Mary Frances continues to cultivate the next generation of artist by sharing her passion and knowledge of the fine arts as a gateway to inspire students to broaden their skills as an artist, to do their best, and always strive to reach their goals!
Jordan Parrish
Ms. Jordan currently works at three different locations including our home studio Verve Dance Company. She teaches at Studio A Dance Center in Panama City Beach as the Flexibility + Body Shaping and Acro Instructor for ages 2+. In addition she teaches Intro to Technique and Baby Ballet/Tap. She also teaches at Push Athletics in Panama City as a Tumbling Coach. Including Stretch + Strength, Flyer training, Jump technique, and Cheer basics.
Ms. Jordan is Acrobatics Arts Certified, a Flexibility + Body Shaping specialist, and a Flexibility + Body Positions specialist. She has 14 years of tumbling experience, 12 years competitive cheerleading experience, attended the Cheerleading Worlds at the ESPN center from 2011-2014, and is a Cheersport National Champion.
Aubrey Morgan
Aubrey Morgan is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana and obtained her early training with Giacobbe Academy of Dance. She studied at The School of American Ballet in New York before joining The New York City Ballet professionally at age 16. She danced with NYCB for 5 years, and most recently was an ensemble member of The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway at The Majestic Theater in NYC for over 8 years.
Aubrey has an English Degree from the University of New Orleans, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, and she has also performed as a Principal dancer with New Orleans Ballet Theater, Los Angeles Ballet and Company C in San Francisco. She was previously a guest artist on So You Think You Can Dance and performed Balanchine's "Man I Love" pas de deux on the popular tv show in 2008. Her other television credits include Fox's "House," "Beverly Hills 90210," a 2015 Under Armour commercial starring ABT Principal Misty Copeland, and an acting role as "Suzanne" on Starz's ballet drama "Flesh and Bone."
Aubrey has been teaching young students and conducting master classes across the country for over a decade, and hopes to continue teaching the next generation of young, hopeful performers for years to come!
PHOTO COMING SOON
student teachers
Hannah Jones
Kylee Ausdran
BIO COMING SOON