
Creative Director
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Admin Director
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Managing Partner
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Jennifer Berrojo
Instruction at Jackie’s Jammin Studio often leads to fulfilling careers in dance, as Jennifer’s background demonstrates. She first took dance classes with Jackie in 1995. With this foundation, she later trained in classical ballet and Russian character dance under Suzanne Pomerantzeff and Lester Jacobson; studied at the Chicago City Ballet under Melissa Hayden and America’s Prima Ballerina, Maria Tallchief; and was awarded a scholarship to the Alvin Ailey Dance Center in New York.
Jennifer has toured throughout the U.S. and Germany as a dancer and assistant to illusionist Mark O’Brien. She has also performed with El Grupo Folklorico Mejicano throughout Florida; danced in the Nutcracker and Gisselle with the Tampa Ballet; performed and choreographed with the Ballet Folklorico of Ybor and at Busch Gardens; and danced in the Olympic Shows at Busch Gardens. Jennifer currently performs at the Columbia Restaurant (now in her 16th year) and works for Evention Show Productions. Now she has gone full-circle, back to where she began – at Jackie’s – where she has taught since 2004.
Karol Desort
More information coming soon...
Lisa Leonard
Performing is in Lisa’s blood, and the transfusion began at age 10 here at Jackie’s. Her boundless energy was obvious early on, during Bay area performances with the Tampa Jazz Company and then on tour as a principal dancer and singer in Up With People.
Her career in song and dance then skyrocketed at the Walt Disney World resort. While at Disney, Lisa performed on tour and in TV specials with such stars as Ben Vereen, Carol Lawrence and the Pointer Sisters. She was a member of Kids of the Kingdom, Diamond Horseshoe Revue, Mickey’s Starland, and EPCOT World Dancers. And, at Tokyo Disneyland, Lisa performed in The Diamond Horseshoe Revue, Swing & Sing, and the Hoop Dee Doo Revue. Disney then sent her to New York City for 10 years to stage special events, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and world premieres of the motion pictures Pocahontas and Hercules.
Recently, Lisa has served as show director for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Summer Nights and emceed for the national dance competition On Tour Dance Challenge. She has also been a guest host on the Home Shopping Network. Lisa and her husband Scott met at Walt Disney World, and they have two wonderful children, Jesse and Natalie. She is honored to join the staff at Jackie’s and hopes to instill a love in children for the challenge of Broadway jazz dance.
Rachel Lindstrom
Most of us learn to crawl first, then walk, and finally run. Not Rachel. For her, it was crawl, walk, and dance. (Or maybe just dance, dance, dance!) A member of the Jackie’s family since she was three, Rachel first began teaching ballet here when she was 15.
As she grew up, the dance training Rachel gained at Jackie’s prepared her for studies at the prestigious Steps on Broadway, American Ballet Theater, Broadway Dance Center, and Luigi’s Jazz Centre studios in New York City. She even earned scholarships to Steps and the Joffery Ballet School during her nine-year stint as a member of Jackie’s Competitive Team.
While on the team, Rachel placed second in state dance competitions for her jazz solo Fever. She and her teammates also gave memorable performances at Raymond James Stadium and the Columbia Restaurant. In 2006, Rachel took to the stage at Busch Gardens for their show Summer Nights.
Ashley MassicotteMore information coming soon...
Kelsey Nelson
Kelsey is a graduate of Oklahoma City University. She received her Bachelor of Science in Dance Management, which focuses on Professional Dance performance and Arts Management. Before Kelsey went on to receive her degree, she was traveling the country taking classes from the most well known and admired dance "creators" around. Kelsey has travelled to Vancouver, B.C., Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Orlando as a child to train along with receiving a grant from the state of Kansas to attend a three week workshop in New York City at the age of 15.
Some of her professional work includes Six Flags, Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA, Ballet Wichita, and most recently Royal Caribbean International where she performed on the Serenade on the Seas. Besides all of her different performance experience, she also does judging for different National Talent Competitions around the country. Kelsey has worked for Universal Dance Association for several years and was a Head Instructor for them in the state of Kansas. With UDA she also had the opportunity to travel the country teaching high school and college dance teams and working special events like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the World Dance Competition in Orlando. Recently, Kelsey was also given the opportunity through Universal Dance Association to travel over to India for two weeks performing in both Bangalore and Chennai. Being able to spread her passion for dance through teaching is something Kelsey has always loved to do and wants to enrich as many people as she can through the art of dance.
"Dance is the only art of which we ourselves are the stuff of which it is made."
Stephanie Pleva
By the time Stephanie joined Jackie’s as a ballet instructor in 2003, she’d already amassed impressive credentials. Dancing since she was very young, Stephanie grew up in Michigan studying at the Letha Fulton School of Dance, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, the Lou Conte Studio, and Alma College, and she has studied under such dance greats as David Howard, Donald McKayle, Mary Hinkson and Fiona Fuerstner of the Balanchine Trust. While at Letha Fulton, she performed in numerous productions, including Kids Jam USA with Raven-Symoné and Sam Wright (the voice of Sebastian in The Little Mermaid).
While attending Western Michigan University, Stephanie participated in the Orchasis Dance Society, performed in campus concerts, and attended the American College Dance Festival. At WMU, she was also a ballet teaching assistant in the dance department. Her dance instruction résumé began in 1994 at her alma mater, Letha Fulton. She would later teach at a winter Gifted and Talented program and once more at Letha Fulton before moving to Tampa.
Stephanie graduated from WMU in 2001 with a BBA in marketing and a major in dance. She currently attends USF, where she is completing the Master of Architecture program.
Tricia Pressley
A Jackie’s instructor for over 12 years, she specializes in jazz and acrobatics and currently co-directs the studio’s award-winning Competition Team and Just Kids performance troupes.
Her dance training began 35 years ago right here at Jackie’s. Since then, Tricia studied with many choreographers, including "Luigi" Faccuito and Anna Marie Sagi,. As a young child, she began performing with the Tampa Jazz Dance Company, the Acrolites and the Young Entertainers. Tricia also performed as a Super Bowl dancer during Super Bowls XVIII and XXV. In 1990, she was honored as one of six local dancers to perform at the Helen Hayes Theatre in New York City during a tribute to dance master Luigi on his 65th birthday.
In addition to her life of dance, Tricia holds a BS in advertising from the University of Florida and runs a freelance media consulting firm. She and husband Troy are the proud parents of their two dancing daughters, Sara and Mia.
Heather PriceMore information coming soon...
Roxana Sanchez-Horn
Roxana has been a permanent fixture at Jackie’s since age three, having studied all dance disciplines here. Since 1998, she has provided quality dance instruction – focusing on hip-hop, acrobatics, and cheerleading. She has also directed the Competition Team and has assisted with Just Kids, the Gasparilla parade, auditions, and summer dance camps. Roxana has studied hip-hop and other dance forms in New York, and she has been a national cheer competitor. She has coached dance and cheer teams, nationally and locally, and she continues to choreograph routines and attend dance and cheer workshops.
Roxana is a licensed and certified school psychologist at a Pasco county alternative school. She earned a bachelors degree in psychology from the University of Florida, a masters in Curriculum and Instruction and an Ed.S in School Psychology from the University of South Florida, and is pursuing a graduate certification and PhD in Educational Leadership from USF as well. She actively volunteers in her community and is a member of many organizations at work and school.
Roxana and her husband Adam reside in Tampa. Their two year old daughter, Mia, already loves to dance.
Tammy White
Tammy is following her heart by teaching young children the art of dance.
Her dance studies began with Jackie Loto 39 years ago, and she started teaching when she was 18. She has performed with several dance groups in the Tampa Bay area, including the Entertainment Edition and with the Jackie Loto Dancers. She also participated in numerous fashion shows, including those for Burdines, Maas Brothers and JC Penney. Tammy was a Super Bowl dancer during Super Bowls XVIII and XXV and has been honored to dance at Walt Disney World during many of their July 4th Main Street celebrations.
Tammy received a BS in computer engineering and recently began working at the Pre-Kindergarten Early Exceptional Learning program for Hillsborough County. She has four children, and her biggest joy has been watching her daughter Amanda, now 20, dance for the past 17 years and seeing her 8-year-old daughter Alana perform as she did at that age.
Kelsey Smith More information coming soon...
Chris Fields More information coming soon...
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