Steps of Faith Dance Ministry was formed in June 1997 in order to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ through dance and music. In the Fall of that year, the dance school was formed to teach proper dance technique in Ballet, Tap, and Jazz. Over the years, we have added Worship dance, Modern, Pointe, Hip-Hop, Mom-n-Me, Ballroom, Musical Theatre, and Pilates/Body Conditioning, Christ-centered Tai Chi, to our curriculum. Workshops in Ballroom dancing and Irish Dancing are offered.

Steps of Faith uses wholesome, Christian music and prayer in each of its classes to inspire Godly values in our students. A comprehensive classical ballet program using the Vaganova technique has been developed to train young women interested in a professional career in dance as well as those who simply want to use the dance for recreation or for worship.  SOF is that place you can have the best of both worlds:  receive classical training and a passion for worship!

We are proud to have several of our graduates serving God in missionary roles, serving God through dance and missions, as well as being offered roles in regional professional ballet productions and nationally recognized training programs!  We have many studying dance in college as well.

Classes are available for ages two through adults and for all technical levels, including the pre-professional dancer! During the year, SOF offers early afternoon and morning classes for the convenience of preschoolers and homeschoolers. Scholarships and financial aid are available on a very limited basis.

Join us 2011-2012, as we begin our first FULL year in our own facility at 65 Walnut Grove Road in Cartersville, just off Highway 113!  We are expanding our classes and bringing the beauty of dance and exercise to our community in many different styles!  Call for a personalized tour and more information!

 Julie C. Reeves, Studio Owner/Instructor/Company Artistic Dir./Selah co-director, has been choreographing and teaching dance since 1983. Her experience includes dance teams, theater, talent shows, pageants, business shows, as well as studio and liturgical dance choreography and performances. She has a BS in Management from Georgia Institute of Technology (1990) and is a certified member of Dance Educators of America.  Her training spans most her life in ballet, clogging, tap, jazz, pointe, and modern. She is also the Artistic Director of Steps of Faith Dance Company, the non-profit performance and ministry group based at the studio, and has led the group on both stateside and international mission trips.  She is the Co-director of SELAH DTS housed by the Company.  She feels blessed by the Lord and honored to be director of SOF, which she has seen grow from 22 to 250 students in over fourteen years. Julie has 3 wonderful sons, Collin 17, Carter 15, Caleb 12, and adopted dear daughter from China, Caroline (almost 6yr old). She is honored to serve with the priceless support of her dear husband, Robby.  She is excited about owning her own facility this year, and about the expansion of classes SOF is able to offer!

Theresa Shampine, Company and Selah Instructor/Ballet Mistress, has worked for SOF since 2001.  Ms. Shampine has enjoyed teaching and choreographing at Steps of Faith for the last ten years. She has worked closely with Ms. Reeves to develop a sound and annointed ballet-training program. Theresa is originally from Syracuse, New York and was a scholarship student at The Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet. She is a graduate of Mercyhurst College, where she received a BA in Dance. Professionally, she has danced with the Erie Ballet Theatre, Charleston Ballet Theatre, and The Georgia Ballet where she enjoyed being a featured dancer.  She has one daughter Zella, and lives with her husband Jack in Canton. 

Tonya Veitch, Office Manager . Tonya began in 2001 as a receptionist and quickly moved into the position as Office Manager.  She now is responsible for all student accounts and registration.  She lives in Cartersville with husband, Gerald, son Phillip and daughter Lauren.  SOF could not run without her invaluable support!

Mary Binkley, SELAH Co-director/Company Instructor/Instructor/DanceCamp Instructor, has grown up at SOF, and has taught dance for over nine years at the studio, as well as in Florida and Texas, in preballet (preschool), tap/jazz, hiphop, and ballet. She trained for a year with Glory DanceMinistries in Tampa (now in HongKong) before returning to SOF for a year. Since 2008, she has been a vital member of a Discipleship Training School, and DanceCompany in Dallas TX associated with Dance Revolution, called Ingredients. Mary returned to SOF in Fall 2010 as an instructor and the co-director of SELAH!  She has recently performed with the Refuge Dance Company in Atlanta.  She is engaged to be married March 2012!

Ashleyanne Hensley, Company Instructor, currently dances professionally at The Georgia Ballet in its company.  Ashleyanne joined SOF in 2007 and teaches Company level ballet, modern, and pilates.  Since being a contestant in the Miss Georgia Pageant, she has also coached winning girls for local pageants.  She is married to Sam Hensley. She also owns and operates her own dancewear company.  She represented Cobb County in the Mrs. Georgia Pageant in January 2011, and competed again in 2012.

Natalie Jones, Instructor/DanceCamp Instructor, came to SOF in 2005 to teach HipHop.  She has since added company level jazz, preschool classes, and jazz/tap to her list. Coming to us from Houston TX, Natalie graduated from Prairie View A&M University with a minor in dance, and has performed and taught for many years in Houston.  She is most recently been a featured dancer in Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns, a full-length feature film.  She also performs "back-up" dancing to major vocal artists on occasion! 

Colleen Myers, Company Instructor, joins us officially on staff January of 2010.  She has been a favorite guest teacher for many years.  Colleen trained with the Atlanta Ballet, and earned her BFA in Ballet Performance in 2001 from Texas Christian University.  She danced professionally with the Georgia Ballet, and has taught at Eastside School of Ballet and First Baptist Dallas Celebration Company.  She is also a registered nurse at Kennestone Women's Services!  She is married and has one young daughter, Julianne.

Jocelyn Simpson, Pilates and TaiChi Instructor, is teaching Tai Chi and Pilates for a second year at SOF. More info to come....

Becky Borden Simmons, Company Instructor/Instructor, Becky is thrilled to be teaching at Steps of Faith this year. She most recently played Rita in Thoroughly Modern Millie, a Follies Girl in Will Rogers Follies, a napkin in Beauty and the Beast, was Chastity in Anything Goes, Phyllis in 42nd Street and was an Indian in Peter Pan with Regional Theatre, The Atlanta Lyric Theatre. She did two Nat'l tours in China as a magicians assistant and a dancer. She has been performing as a magicians assistant for over 10 years. A graduate of the University of Alabama with a BA on dance, she was involved with Dance Alabama and Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre, the pre-professional company at the University. She has performed with celebrities Usher, Jaci Velasquez, Peebo Bryson and Aaron Neville.  She will be appearing in upcoming films as well.  She is represented by Real People models and talent. Becky performs with Stella Entertainment, Bacchus, and Entertainment Design Group. She is represented by real People Models and Talent. Ms. Simmons also teaches with Impact Dance and Excel Christian Academy. "I am so excited about my first full year at Steps. God Bless and Roll Tide!!"  Becky will be returning to our staff fall of 2011.

Deanna (Dee) Baskerville, Instructor...has over 30 years of dance experience.  She credits her training to Frank Hatchett, studying both at the Frank Hatchett Center for the Performing Arts in Springfield, MA, and the Broadway Dance Center in NYC.  She was a memeber of the Frank Hatchett Dance Company  for more than 10 years, traveling throughout New England, New York, and Canada.  She has studied under such notables at the late Gregory Hines, Maurice Hines, and Connie Brazelton (ER).  She has performed with entertainers Bill Cosby, Billy Daniels, The Jackson Five, and others.  Deanna has choreographed for new musical artists, musical theatre, and various high school dance teams throughout Cobb County. She is happy to be joining the staff of SOF and to be teaching in Cartersville again.

Kristen Mallard, Instructor...Bio to come

Marybeth Lowe Purvis, Instructor.  Marybeth has been dancing since she was three years old. She trained at Bravo Dance Center in Acworth, GA, and has danced with their company for several years.  She has extensive training in ballet, jazz, lyrical, modern, hiphop, and musical theatre.  Marybeth has performed in numerous ballets under the direction of Marina Levasheva and Carolyn Perry. She has performed in many competitions, festivals and shows including Macy's Tree lighting at Lenox, the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, and most recently as an extra in the movie filming of Footloose.  Marybeth has certifications as a Zumba instructor, ACE (American Council in Exercise), and is CPR certified.  She has taught many young ones over the past few years, and is excited to start her first year with Steps of Faith.  She is married to Justin Purvis and they live in Paulding County.

Camille Jones, Instructor, has been an assistant teacher at Steps of Faith for many years.  She is excited to have her own class as an instructor for Ballet/Tap this year.  She is an Omega Company dancer at SOFDC, and performed as Mary in Nativity 2010 and 2011.  She recently augmented her training by attending Ballet Magnificat's Summer Intensive 2011.

Guest Instructors: Lauri Worril-Biggs, Katherine Gant, Ashley Harpster Lewis, Kim Linenkohl, Alicia Lee, Sarah Boise, Meredith M. Thomas, Angela Harris, Melissa Penn, Rhonda Oltjenbruns,  Jan C. Best/Irish Dance Instructor

Other Staff:

Lynne Newman, Costume Mistress.  Lynn is returning as costume mistress this year for the non-profit dance company.  She has been our seamstress and asst. costume mistress for a year or two.  She is responsible for keeping up with the thousands of costumes that we use for our local and international missions.  She is the mother of company member, Dominique.

We are proud of the superior training given of Steps of Faith that allows so many of our young women to achieve beyond our studio walls (this is only a partial list):

Miss Caroline Lloyd:   Georgia's Distinguished Young Woman (Georgia's Junior Miss) 2011/Bartow County's Junior Miss 2011, acceptance and/or participation in American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive, and Interlochen Michigan Summer Intensive.  Recieved "Outstanding Female Performer" in Dance at Woodland High School 2010, Miss Woodland 2009/2010. Dance Major at Texas Christian University beginning fall 2011.

Miss Anna Gilbert:  Miss Teen Rome 2008, Scholarship Recipient to Belhaven University, Freshman Outstanding Dance Student award 2010-Belhaven, participation in American Ballet Theatre and Joffrey Contemporary Summer Intensives.  Runner Up to Bartow's Junior Miss 2009.

Miss MaryClayton Gilbert:  Georgia's and Bartow County's Distinguished Young Woman 2012, Corp choral member of Fox Theatre's performance of Sound of Music 2010, participation in Interlochen Michigan Summer Intensive, acceptance to ABT Summer Intensive.  Acceptance to KSU Joint Enrollment/dance program. 2012 Georgia's Distinguished Young Woman

Miss Jessica Tracy: STAR Student and Valedictorian Cass High School 2011 (while part of Omega Company at SOFDC); Acceptance and participation in Georgia Ballet Summer Intensive

Miss Jacqueline Glass: Acceptance to ABT, Ballet Austin, and Georgia Ballet summer programs; Acceptance to and participation in  Governor's Honors Program in Dance Summer 2011

Miss Christina Alexandersen:  Full Scholarships in dance to Belhaven University and to Oklahoma City University.  Second Runner Up to Bartow's Junior Miss 2009; participation in Rockette Summer Intensive (NYC) for two years and to American Ballet Theatre for one year.  Organizer of dance mission trips to Charleston SC (2010) and Spain (2011).

Miss Mary Binkley: Acceptance to Ingredients Dance Company and training program as well as to Refuge Dance Company

Miss Emily Lloyd:  Summa Cum Laude graduate of Oklahoma City University and a scholarship recipient.  Currently a Walt Disney World Cast member and performed the summer of 2010 as the vocal/swing dancer in Celtic Fyre- Busch Gardens, Williamsburg.

Miss Abigail Lloyd: Acceptance into Florida State University Musical Theatre Program, transfer to Oklahoma City University, scholarship recipient. Performed summer 2010 in Italy at Busch Gardens,Willliamsburg.  Oklahoma City University dance team - 3rd place National dance alliance competition (hiphop and pom). Currently a cast member at Walt Disney World.

Miss Laura Mitchell: Scholarship at Belhaven University

Miss Meredith Moore:  Tap Dawgs at UGA; Restoration Dance Concert/Athens

Miss Ashley Crocker:  Ingredients Dance Company training program

Company Members Accepted to College and Summer Programs (Summer 2010/2011):  Heather Miller (Ballet Austin, Georgia Ballet), Sarah Keefe (Ballet Austin, Georgia Ballet), Bekah Moore (Joffery Contemporary, KSU Dance Program), Becca Teal (Joffrey Contemporary), Jordan Thompson (Joffery Contemporary, KSU Dance Program), Jacqueline Glass (American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Austin, Georgia Ballet), Caroline Lloyd (American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, Georgia Ballet), Katelyn Cameron (Belhaven University dance program, KSU dance program, SELAH), Natalie Castro (SELAH), Jessica Tracy (Georgia Ballet), Camille Jones (Ballet Magnificat), Dominique Newman (Ga. Ballet), Christine Fortin (Ga. Ballet), MaryKate Billings (Ga. Ballet)