Meet our team

CMI offers an ALL ADULT STAFF, that will make you feel like you are part of the CMI family!

Our instructors are changing children's lives - one step at a time!

Amanda Shane

Owner & Voice Instructor

More Info About Ms Amanda

Amanda is not only the owner of the studio, but she is also a performer at heart! Although she spent her more recent years involved in the environmental industry - and managing Amazing Moments event entertainment company - she has continued to keep up with her craft and puts her performing arts knowledge from Otterbein University to good use.

Amanda received scholarships to attend Otterbein University in Ohio as a Performing Arts Major, with a concentration in vocal performance and was a double major spending time not only singing, but also playing piano and concert trombone in their orchestra. During her time there she was fortunate enough to travel to Holland, France and England to perform.

After college she spent several years singing with bands at weddings and other venues. More recently she participated in the Huron Playhouse performance of The King and I prior to their closing...which is another reason she was prompted to find a facility that would be able to house all forms of arts and entertainment.

Amanda is a wife and mother to two children, Cassie & Colton. Cassie spent her childhood as a dancer, and now as a young adult, she is working as one of the CMI Instructors - while Colton enjoying taking Acro and Jazz classes currently as well.

Amanda is sure to keep your kids on task and working towards their goals while entertained with her humor and and improv skills!

Madeline Hoag

Studio Director & Instructor

More Info About Ms Maddie

Madeline is both a class instructor and she is also our amazing Studio Director who is sure to keep things moving, organized, and full of fun! She has been in charge of everything from cutting music, ordering costumes, planning classes and organizing end of season shows to planning her own individual classes and assisting in choreography for other instructors for over a decade.

Madeline has always loved to perform and has been dancing since the age of 4. Her attention to not only technique, but also terminology is one of the many reasons her students love her classes. Educating kids on not only proper placement and movement techniques as well as what they are called and even the history of where they originated from is one of her many teaching passions! She is certified in the Acrobatic Arts Program as well as their Arial and Back Handspring program.

During her time in competitive dance, Madeline ensured she participated in every available competition workshop and intensive offered, as well as taking in-studio workshops at her locally attended studio. She has participated in ballet intensives instructed by previous members of professional ballet companies as well as long standing professional dancers.

Madeline will keep your dancer encouraged, excited and will ensure they set and reach the goals they desire! Madeline will be instructing Acro, Tap, Ballet, Lyrical and Jazz this season.

Cassie Shane

Instructor

More Info About Ms Cassie

Cassie is a previous CMI dancer and student who has graduated and has decided to stay on and join the CMI Staff. She spent the 22-23 season assisting and participating in our instructing training program, and we couldn't be more pleased she has decided to join us as an instructor for foreseeable future while continuing her dance education through workshops and certification programs!

Cassie danced competitively for 15 years. She achieved overall awards and top placements with her Tap, Lyrical & "Broadway Style" solos and has been a member of multiple award winning and National Title Winning Competition Groups.

She started with a basic ballet summer class at a recreational center and was instantly hooked - so she enrolled in her local dance studio and began her dance career with tap, acro, ballet and jazz. Later she added classes like Lyrical, Hip Hop, Pointe and even threw in Acting & Singing when her schedule permitted.

Cassie was also selected to perform in several shows over several seasons at the Huron Playhouse (prior to their closing) and held parts in musicals such as Carousel and The King and I during her time there.

Cassie will be instructing our Hip Hop, Jazz, Lyrical, Acro and Musical Theatre students this season - and will likely be assisting multiple other classes as well!

Amie Smarr

Instructor

More Info About Ms Amie

Amie’s got it all when it comes to a Cheer Dance program! Starting off her own education, Amie was a Cheerleader throughout Middle and High School, for a total of 7 years experience! In addition to cheerleading, Amie was a dancer for 12 years, focusing on Ballet and Jazz.

After graduating High School, she continued her passion through coaching Competitive Cheerleading. Over the course of her 8 years coaching, she not only gained hands on experience, but also, a USASF certification for tumbling and stunting. Amie has proudly helped lead her teams to gain State and National rankings in all 5 divisions of Competitive Cheer.

Outside of her coaching, Amie is a teacher of 1st grade, as well as a mother to two fun loving children. Amies positive attitude and encouraging personality provide a perfect environment for her students to learn their craft and stay excited every step of the way. She has made it her mission- “to instill confidence in all of my students. I want them to know that they can do absolutely anything they put their minds to.”

You can find Amie instructing our Cheer classes this season... and maybe even a jazz class or two!

Ashley Hillman

Instructor

More Info About Ms Ashley

Ashley was a dancer for most of her childhood years, focusing on Ballet, Jazz and Tap - which is where her love for dance started.

After high school, Ashley pursued a degree and career as an elementary school teacher as well as gaining a certification to work with students with special needs.

Ashley is a mother to two wonderful girls who love to dance, perform, play volleyball and enjoy spending time together as a family. They are super sweet and fun loving, just like their mother, and you will likely see them around the studio when Ashley is instructing a class.

Ashley's amazing smile and overall positive attitude provide a nurturing and welcoming environment for her students to learn their craft, which is why she is so great with our Combo kids!

You will find her leading our Pre-School and Kinder Combo classes this season as well as assisting some of our acro classes.

Allison Drumm

Instructor

More Info About Ms Ally

Not only has Ally been a dancer for 15 years; training in Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet, Tap, and Acro...but was also part of a Competitive Dance Team during her dance years as well.

In addition to dance, Ally also has 6 years experience holding membership of a Cheer Squad.

Having recently graduated from Huron High School and EHOVE Career Center with a certification in Cosmetology, she is currently a student at LCCC majoring in Business. She will be joining the CMI faculty this upcoming season as our newest Instructor! “My passion is helping people feel good about themselves and giving them a positive outlet to express their feelings,” Allison says.

Her sweet demeanor and warmth to others make Ally a wonderful addition to the CMI staff and our dance family... we are super excited to have her join us!

You will find her assisting many of our classes this season including cheer, acro and likely sitting in for training on many of our other classes.

Allison Pennell

Instructor

More Info About Ms Allison

Allison is an EHS Graduate where she spent her high school years participating in many plays, musical theatre performances and learning not only how to perform on stage but also how to create and run a show. During her time there she won multiple awards for costume design through state competitions and will be a great addition to our in-house costume creations.

Allison is a BGSU Graduate with a degree in Early Childhood Education and has spent the past year as a teacher of children in a local elementary school. In addition, she has been working the EHOVE career center to provide their onsite Drama camps and has assisted with various drama programs and productions.

Her sweet personality and creativity will keep your students engaged and interested while they are learning everything in Theatre and Drama from how to read a play to how to stage and mark spots. She will also be teaching "tech" such as sound, lighting, prop creation, costume creation, stage makeup and more! She will be offering several shorter seasons to join in AND two class levels to choose from (Ages 6-12 and ages 12-18) to ensure even our youngest performers are able to access drama and acting education.

Viktoria Straka

Instructor

More Info About Ms Tori

Viktoria has always has a passion for music and spent her high school years at EHS performing in the band and choir before moving on to Ohio University to pursue her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, with a major emphasis on Choral/Voice.

Most recently you will have likely seen her working at the Huron, Edison or New London schools helping to create and implement various music programs and performances.

In addition, Tori spent many years training with her Color Guard and practicing her baton skills to work with the majorettes. She has created routines, trained performers, and pulled off some great shows and we could not be more excited to have her join the CMI staff!

This season you will find her teaching several Voice classes for ages 6-12 and for Teens (12+). In addition, she will be teaming up with Ms Allison over the Summer to offer Baton Twirling Camps for our local up-and-coming majorettes!

Tori will be teaching her students not only how to sing on pitch and harmonize, but will be introducing concepts of how to read music and understand musicality.

Aubrey Wenzinger

Assistant & Receptionist

More About Ms Aubrey

Aubrey was a dancer for over a decade during her childhood exploring many styles including jazz, hip hop, contemporary and more! She found music and dance to be a wonderful creative outlet for her to stay active and express herself at the same time.

Aubrey joined CMI in our opening 2019 season as a student, and after graduating, joined the CMI staff as one of our class assistants and front desk receptionist.

Ms. Aubrey has assisted with many of our Combo classes over the past few seasons, and has played an integral part of our backstage help at our annual shows running line up, helping with costume changes and more.

Aubrey's kind heart, creative mind, willingness to help and overall desire to help our students and families is apparent when you meet her. She is sure to have a smile on her face, and be the first one to jump in and lend a hand whenever we need it!

This season you will find her at the front desk, assisting one of our classes or one of our Special Stars students.

Want to Join Our Team?

We are always looking to expand our team! If you have experience in the dance, arts, and/or performing arts world and enjoy working with children and families in a warm and welcoming environment - then reach out to us to discuss the possibilities of being a CMI team member today!

Email your resume to:

cmi@countmeinohio.com

Garnett Hoag

RETIRED INSTRUCTOR

Thank You for Your Service Ms Garnett

Garnett has officially retired at the end of the 2023 season after instructing for over 16 years. She has provided such dedication and service to the Acrobatic Arts Industry and Dance world, and we could not be more appreciative of her time and service.....but don't be surprised if you see her around the studio stopping in to say "hi" or lend a helping hand on occasion.

Garnett first found her love for instructing while her three daughters were enrolled in dance classes. She has been instructing acrobatic tumbling for 12 years.

In addition to her initial training, she has continued to grow as an instructor through participating in floor tumbling and acrobatic workshops. Not only does she have a Certification in the Acrobatic Arts program but in their Ariel and Back Handspring program as well.

Garnett has been known as "a stickler" for proper and safe tumbling technique - which is why her students are some of the most technically skilled around and are easily able to move up levels at an appropriate pace. More than a decade of educating kids on Acrobatic Arts techniques has taught her quite a few "tricks of the trade" that you won't find with the instructors who are new to the field. Just ask her students about doing their "doughnuts" and "bug belly balancing" and you will quickly find out why her classes are fun while still being structured.

Garnett is also a wife and mother to three beautiful daughters, Madeline, Emma & Lydia - and was so happy to finally be able to have a studio where she could work with her family as she had been hoping for for many years!

Garnett’s goal in all of her teaching was to emphasize proper technique as they are the building blocks to more advanced skills. One of her known sayings is "GRACE OVER POWER".