About our Team
Each staff member at Move Dance Family is passionate about empowering people of all ages, shapes, and sizes to dance, move, and express themselves. Our dance instructors are educated, professional, and always looking to keep up with the current trends and styles of dance and fitness. We take great pride in our diversity and in selecting instructors that match the MDF Culture and Values.
THE TEAM
MALLORIE MARION
Owner – Company Director
Teaches: Adv. Company and Private Lessons
Bio
Mallorie Marion is a dance choreographer, teacher, studio owner and creative director with a passion for authentic creative expression through dance. She, along with her husband, Julien, owns and manages one of the top-rated dance studios in Texas, where 400+ dancers currently grow and thrive under Mallorie’s individualized direction and artistic vision.
Dance has always been central to Mallorie’s life. She grew up dancing at the Atascocita Dance Center and Call to Glory Dance Studios, which were owned and directed by her father, Jeff Lewis. With a strong foundation in dance, she was accepted to Belhaven University, where she pursued a dance major under Laura Morton (a former instructor for the Houston Ballet) and Ravenna Tucker (former principal for the Royal Ballet). After achieving professional-level technique and artistry at Belhaven, she was invited to join Ad Deum Dance Company, under the direction of Randall Flinn. Mallorie’s professional dance career brought her all around the world, where she had the chance to be instructed, inspired, and influenced by many diverse and noteworthy dancers and teachers.
Since 2013, Mallorie has dedicated her energy and efforts to building a space where dancers of all kinds can flourish and achieve excellence in a space where their unique minds, bodies and spirits are celebrated and supported. Mallorie brings a wealth of technical training and creative inspiration, which allows her to deliver unforgettable choreography that touches the hearts of dancers and audience members alike. Mallorie’s dance students have been accepted into dance programs at a number of top-tier universities, and achieved notable success as professional dancers and teachers.
JULIEN MARION
Owner – Director of Operations
Bio
Julien is the coach! He has tried everything physical from CrossFit to ballet class. He has an MBA from Belhaven University, and played basketball at a college and international level; he is competitive and knows how to push himself and others to achieve amazing results. He believes that in life we either put limitations on ourselves or allow others to limit us. His famous tagline is: Accept compliments from everyone's limitations from no one. He is an entrepreneur, author, coach, and college business professor; he is passionate about networking and helping others reach their goals both physical and professional. Julien has been teaching Boys Hip-Hop for the last 7 years and leads with Mallorie the MDF staff!
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him” 1 Corinthians 2:9
ASHLEY CRITTENDEN
Operations Manager, Teacher, Intermediate Company Coach
Teaches: Hip Hop, Jazz, and Private Lessons
Bio
Ashley Crittenden was raised in Sugar Land, Tx where she began as a competitive cheerleader and later began dancing at the age of 10, training in ballet, jazz, hip hop, and contemporary/modern at Sugar Land Dance Center and Danceworks.
In high school, Ashley continued her passion for dance as member of her high school dance team and served as an officer of her dance team for two years. She then discovered her love for jazz and hip hop and began training in different styles of hip hop including, locking, breaking, popping, waacking, street jazz, and many more. She soon began choreographing routines and teaching masterclasses for high school dance teams. She then moved to Austin, Tx to attend the University of Texas at Austin where she guest taught at studios in the Austin/ San Antonio area and was a member and later director of the co-ed professional hip hop company, Redefined Dance Company, where they won two-time World of Dance Champions and received many awards.
Ashley is thrilled to share her love for dance with all her students and help them find their voice through various dance styles.
GLADYS HOVIS
Ballet Mistress
Teaches: Ballet (1-6), Pointe, and Private Lessons
Bio
Ms. Hovis’ early ballet training was with Mary Clare Sale and Irina Kosmovska, both former dancers for George Balanchine. She has 12 years of performing experience with Los Angeles Junior Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, and Theatre Ballet of Brigham Young University. Ms. Hovis holds a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Dance, and a Master’s degree in Education. Her teaching experience includes six years with Brigham Young University, five years with The Jewish Community Center of Houston, three years with Galveston Ballet, eleven years with Live Oak Dance Center, and six years with Luce Conservatory of Fine Arts. Many of her students have been accepted to summer intensive and trainee programs throughout the United States. Several former students have become dance teachers, including teaching for Ballet Austin and Houston Ballet. Ms. Hovis has staged and choreographed many ballet productions including, Petruska, Les Sylphides, La Fille Mal Gardee, Rodeo, Cinderella, and Coppelia. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and of Corps de Ballet International which provides continuing ballet methodology instruction through traveling around the world learning from renowned dance pedagogues.
BRITTANI JOINER
Teacher, Performance Company and Movers Coach, Birthday Party Coordinator
Teaches: Lyrical, Kids Classes, and Private Lessons
Bio
Hello my name is Brittani Joiner, my artistic history as a dance student started at the age of 7. I graduated from Tompkins Highschool in 2017 . I attended dance studios in the Katy, Richmond , Stafford and Houston area growing up. In my career as a young dancer I have performed in the HEB thanksgiving parade, katy rice festival, Highschool football games, High school basketball games, Magical Christmas show in Galveston and pageants. I recently graduated with BFA in Dance from the University of Houston. GO COOGS !!! My goals are to be a studio dance teacher that can fulfill my students' needs with growth as well as precision. I want to go on with my journey and perform with Disney for a few years then possibly go for a Masters in Dance in Graduate school to start a new journey.
Abbie Lewis
Teacher, Advanced Elite, Coach, Movers Elite Coach
Teaches: Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, and Private Lessons
Bio
Coming soon
BLESSING YEMI-ESE
Teacher, Novice Company Coach
Teaches: Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, and Private Lessons
Bio
Coming soon
STEPHANIE RANDOPLPH
Teacher, Advanced and Advanced Elite Company Coach
Teaches: Ballet, Acro and Private Lessons
Bio
Coming soon
LAUREN BROPHY
Teacher
Teaches: Kids Classes, Tap Classes, Private lessons
Bio
Coming Soon
KATERINA DE LAWYER
Teacher
Teaches: Ballet 1-4
Bio
Katerina De Lawyer is excited to join Move Dance and Fitness as their new ballet instructor. She began her dance training under Yvonne Racz-Key at Ballet Lubbock. As a student she trained with CPYB, Kaatsbaan, Boston Ballet, Chautauqua Conservatory, Cincinnati Ballet, Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, and River North Dance Company. In 2016, she graduated cum laude from Texas Christian University with a BFA in Ballet and minor in Child Development. During her time at TCU, she performed soloist roles in various ballets including Le Corsair, Birthday Variations, Paquita and Giselle. After graduating, she joined the Central Illinois Ballet Company as a dancer and teacher in 2016 and performed principal roles in Dracula, Nutcracker, and Beauty and the Beast. In 2017 she joined The Tallahassee Ballet. Her featured dancing roles included Four Little Swans and Pas de Trois in Swan Lake and Spanish Chocolate and Russian in The Nutcracker. Katerina has taught at Tallahassee Ballet, Ballet Arts Conservatory of Tallahassee, Hodges Community Center, Joe Berry Dance Company, All-Star Dance Academy, the Peoria Park District, and Cornerstone Dance Academy. Her teaching curriculum includes ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, musical theater, modern, creative movement, and hip-hop to various ages. Special awards consist of the Nordan Fine Art’s Scholarship, Excellence in Lighting Design, and given Honorable Mention for her choreography When They’re Not Watching. Katerina currently serves as Houston Ballet’s Artistic Coordinator.
DARREN THOMPSON
Music Instructor
Teaches: Piano lessons
Bio
Coming Soon
TERRANCE VANDERBILT
Teacher
Teaches: Hip Hop and Jazz
Bio
Coming Soon
MARIANNE LOERA
Teacher, Front of House
Teaches: Adult Classes
Bio
Coming Soon
DIANE SUMMERS
Front of House
Bio
Coming Soon
JAIDA ROQUE
Front of House
Teaches: Camps, Birthday Parties,Adult Classes, and Parent Night Out
Bio
Coming Soon