Meet Our Team
Ashley Schwyn- Marysville/Bellefontaine
Studio Owner and Choreographer
Ashley began dancing at the Dance Academy in Marysville at age 4 and joined her first show choir, Electric Youth, at age 8. Ashley continued to dance throughout high school both recreationally and competitively. She was involved in numerous community and school musicals growing up. She was also a member of the Marysville Mini Swingers and the Marysville Swingers Unlimited. She attended Ohio University where she earned a bachelors degree in Psychology and a masters degree in Administrative Social Work. Ashley is active in her local community serving as a director and choreographer of Encore! Union County since 2010 as well as serving on the board of directors for the Union County Chamber of Commerce, the Union County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Distinguished Young Woman of Ohio. Ashley, her husband Derek and their daughters, Callie Jean and Garrett Lynn, live in Marysville.
Rachel Larkin- Marysville/Bellefontaine
Instructor and Office Administrator
Rachel started dancing at the age of three in Marysville, and grew up training and competing in styles of ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, modern, and lyrical. Additionally, she was a member of both the Marysville Mini Swingers, and the Marysville Swingers Unlimited throughout middle and high school. Rachel graduated from Ohio University in 2019, with a B.F.A in Performance and Choreography, then returned back to central Ohio to choreograph at The Academy. She teaches ballet, jazz, contemporary, musical theater and lyrical.
Madii Keever- Marysville
Instructor and Office Administrator
Madison graduated from Ohio University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance and Choreography. She began dancing in 2000 and has trained in many styles including, ballet, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, hip hop, musical theater, as well as tumbling and acrobatics! She is an alumnus of the award-winning Marysville Swingers Unlimited show choir, directed by Jeremy Alfera. Most recently, she performed, Residuum, choreographed by Christi Camper Moore, which premiered in the Winter Dance Concert at Ohio University (2020).
Lucy Robinson- Marysville
Instructor
At three years old, Lucy fell in love with the Nutcracker ballet and watched the video countless times. A year later her mom signed her up for dance class and she’s been dancing ever since. Lucy came to the Academy as a student in 2016 and danced with the Academy Dance Company for 3 years. Outside of dance she works as a nanny. And in any free time she has she loves to crochet and bake.
Ellie Osterholt- Marysville
Instructor
Ellie began dancing at the age of three and has trained in ballet/pointe, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, modern, hip-hop, tap, and musical theater. She started dancing at the Academy in 2016 when it first opened, competed with the Academy Dance Company, and was an assistant teacher during her Junior and Senior years of High School. She went on to dance in college at Miami University with the Miami Shakerettes, where she had the privilege of performing at a college football bowl game and at the Bengals Paycor Stadium. She recently graduated from Miami with her B.A. in Psychology and is so excited to get back into the studio and share her passion for dance in the place where she fell in love with it.
Greta Robinson- Marysville
Instructor
Greta began dancing at age three, and it has been her passion ever since. She has danced at The Academy since 2016, and is a member of the Academy Dance Company. Greta is currently a senior in high school, and she takes ballet, jazz, lyrical, tap, and contemporary. She is very excited to be teaching tap this year!
Kenzi Jackson- Bellefontaine
Instructor
Kenzi found her passion for the performing and fine arts at a very young age and began dance lessons when she was six years old. Kenzi has performed in nearly 25 theatrical productions and enjoys singing, tap dancing, and acting most of all. She currently studies Creative Media Production through Arkansas State University and runs her own watercolor art business, Colors By Kenzi. In her free time, Kenzi loves reading, writing music, and journaling.
Jordan Perry- Marysville
Choreographer and Guest Instructor
Jordan started dancing at the age of five, training and competing in all styles. She also had the opportunity to choreograph Fairbanks High School's musical, 'Shrek', and assistant teach at The Academy for several years, until she graduated in 2023. She's currently studying Athletic Training at the University of Cincinnati, in hopes to focus on dance athletes. She continues to stay involved in the dance community at college through UC's Dance 2 Enhance club, and teaching at a nearby dance studio.