Joanne Davidson opened Elite Dance Academy, Inc. in August 2002 where she teaches Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Leaps/Turns, Tumbling, and more.  Joanne has 29 years of training, to include studio training, numerous conventions (Tremaine, Co. Dance, Dance Olympus, I Love Dance, Hollywood Vibe, Jump, Nuvo, NYCDA, and more), Huntingdon College, Broadway Dance Center, Radio City Rockettes - Radio City Music Hall, and DanceSport in NY.

Joanne found her passion in dance as a child, winning numerous regional and national awards and college scholarships in dance. As a teenager, she was awarded as an American All Star,Universal Dance Star, International All Star, and NCA Collegiate Dance All Star.  She was also chosen to perform for Superbowl XXVI, in Nassau, Bahamas, and the 1996 Olympics Opening Ceremonies. Joanne performed as a member of ‘Georgia’s Dancin’ Machine’, the Springer Ballet Company (now known as Columbus Ballet) under prima ballerina, Sonia Manzi, as a member of the Huntingdon Dancers, the Golden Girls for the Columbus Indians baseball team, and more. Joanne has been a winner of many pageants including Jr. Teen Miss Lee County, Teen Miss Lee County, and Miss Phenix City, where she won the talent awards in dance. At Miss Alabama, she was awarded several scholarships including the Directors Award.

Since studying dance and theater at Huntingdon College, on dance scholarship, she became a dance instructor of Universal Dance Association, BJ’s Dance Factory, Columbus Ballet, Columbus State University’s continuing ed dept., and of course, Elite Dance Academy, Inc. as President and Director.  

She was chosen as a finalist for the Radio City Rockettes in NYC in 2002 but, declined due to the opening of her studio. Joanne was hired as the choreographer for the All American Football League cheerleaders. She has coached the Dazzlin’ Dolls to hundreds of trophies, awards, and scholarships over the last 7 years.  Her choreography has been sought after by dance teams, show choirs, pageant contestants, and stage productions across the SouthEast.  She managed and coached the Columbus Lady Lions, professional dance team for the 2008-2009 season. She also established an arts after school program for Brookstone School, in which she has taught dance and musical theater for the last couple years.  Joanne stays busy with seizing every opportunity to share dance with the community. She has been an instructor for Columbus State University for the past 7 summers where she teaches various dance disciplines, musical theater, and camps.

Joanne is a single mother of her pride and joy, Keely (age 5).  Her greatest accomplishments are the dancers she’s helped to produce over the past 15 years. She feels doubly blessed to have such a wonderful child and to be able to touch so many lives in a positive way, doing something she loves.  Joanne is proud of the success of Elite Dance Academy, Inc. in its first seven years and looks forward to many more successes!
 

Kelly Koch is in her second year as office manager at Elite Dance Academy. She also works at Columbus State University as an administrative assistant in the Center for Academic Advising and the Writing Center.

Kelly has been married for seven years to her husband, Christopher. Together they have one daughter, Sydney, who has been dancing at Elite for four years and on the Dazzlin' Dolls for two years.

Kelly received her B.A. in English Literature & Professional Writing from Columbus State University in December of 2007.

Ashley Kelly arrived at Elite Dance Academy, Inc. in 2003 aspiring to keep her passion for dance alive. She has been dancing for 15 years with training in Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Tap. She is a former Dazzlin’ Doll of 2 years with numerous team awards including Platinums, Elite Top 1st, High Golds, 1st Places, and Overall Special Awards. She is also an Overall Secondary Solo winner at KAR Regionals in Atlanta, GA. She is a two time dance scholarship winner of 2007 and 2008 at Celebrity Dance Competition.

Ashley graduated 4th in her class from Smiths Station High School. She is now attending Columbus State University where she is studying Middle Grade Education with a concentration in Math and Science. At CSU, she is involved in Servant Leadership Program and Phi Mu Fraternity while maintaining a high GPA to be on the Dean’s List.

As a former student and now a teacher at Elite Dance Academy, Inc., Ashley is very excited to now share her passion of dance with all the students.

Katie Nelson is a recent graduate of Southern Union State Community College in Wadley, Alabama, which she attended on a performing arts scholarship in dance. She was also Southern Union's work/study student for the dance department her sophomore year under Ms. Sonja Fincher, where she not only learned a lot in the art of dance itself but also helped with costuming, choreography, and teaching dance to students in the performing arts department. While at Southern Union, Katie auditioned and was chosen as a Show Choir Dancer for the Southern Union Sound. She was cast in the Annual Southern Union Christmas Show both years as a featured dancer and soloist, dancing the part of many roles, including the Sugar Plum Fairy. She took part in the school's production of Grease in 2008, and also performed and choreographed for Kaleidoscope, Southern Union's dance production for 2009. Katie was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for 2-year schools, as well as a member of the Student Government Association at Southern Union's Wadley campus. 

Katie was born in Sacramento, California and grew up in the Phenix City area. Katie first started taking dance classes at the age of thirteen at BJ's Dance Factory under the guidance of Ms. Joanne Davidson and eventually followed her to be a student at Elite. She competed as a Dazzlin' Doll for six years and won numerous awards in the group and soloist divisions. She was awarded with the title of Senior Miss On Tour at the On Tour Dance Challenge in 2006 and was named a Kid's Artistic Revue All-Star for three years in a row. Katie placed in the Top 12, Top 10, and Top 5 for many different convention circuits, including Hollywood Vibe, KAR, and Celebrity Dance Competitions. She was also given Company Dance's Leadership Award, representing Elite, in 2005.

Katie graduated from Smiths Station High School in 2007 and was the Page One Nominee for Art as well as a part of A.C.T.O.R.S. She was cast in the school's drama productions as a main character for Dogsbreath Devereaux and Zombie a Go-Go. She also won the Talent Award in Dance at the Smiths Talent Show her senior year.

Aleta Brant serves as a Ballroom instructor for Elite.  She teaches group classes and private lessons to singles and couples wishing to put on their dancing shoes in an effort to "dance like the stars." 

Aleta has trained extensively in Ballet and various ballroom styles.  She formerly owned and operated a dance studio in Florida. Her daughter, Anslie, has trained at Elite for many seasons. 

Aleta brings to our studio the elegant styles of Ballroom and the sassy styles of Latin dancing.  Sign up for her classes now!