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The Dance Authority Staff

Darci Bray

My name is Darci Bray and I began dancing at the age of 3 and have been on the move ever since! I grew up dancing in Kansas City where I had the opportunity to compete locally, regionally and nationally with my home studio. I danced for 4 years on the Varsity Dance Team in High School and was a member of UDA’s teaching staff…

Megan Jones

My name is Megan Jones. Born and raised in Omaha, NE, I started dancing at the age of 3. In 2001, at the age of 5, I moved to TDA for their opening year to further my dance education. I eventually joined the TDA Competition Team in the 2008-2009 season…

Jason Shimerdla

I am Jason and I have been working at TDA since the beginning. My sister opened the studio and asked me to be a teacher and those 20+ years have been a blessing. I am a stay at home dad to my 2 kids, 2 cats, and a dog. I grew up in Omaha, most of the time living in Millard. I started out in college in the early childhood education field…

Jen McCarthy

Hi, my name is Jen McCarthy and I am originally from Grand Island Nebraska, but I’ve been calling Omaha my home for over 20 years. My husband, Cameron, and I have three children Thomas (18), Natalya (15) and Jacoby (10). We also run…

Kelsey Urban

Hello! My name is Kelsey Urban and this is my first year being part of the TDA staff. Prior to that I was an involved parent helping out with props, being a stage mom, and cheering on my kiddo. I…

Caitlin Hebrew

My name is Caitlin Hebrew, and my family has been with The Dance Authority for 10 years. I grew up as a highly competitive gymnast in the Kansas City area, competing at the local, regional and national level…

Jillian Belcastro

My name is Jillian Belcastro and this is my fifth year with TDA. I was proud to be a part of the Company Competition Team throughout my Junior and Senior year. Since then, I have been continuing my passion for dance by teaching. I am a demonstrator…

Cassie Jarmin

My name is Cassie Jarmin and this is my fourth year teaching at TDA and my tenth (I think!) year teaching dance! I was born and raised in Omaha and have been part of the dance community since I could walk! During the week I am a Kindergarten teacher…

Lisa Healy

I started at TDA in 2022 and has zero dance background, but I love being a dance mom to my daughter Chloe. My professional day job is as a Senior Brand Strategist at Daake, a branding and design agency. With my expertise…

Caitlin Gardner

My name is Caitlin and I am from Overland Park, Kansas. Although this is my first year at TDA, I’ve been teaching for about 4 years. Outside of TDA, I am a Junior Nursing student at Midland University and on the dance team. I’ve been dancing for 17 years…