Artistic Director - Michelle Davis
Michelle Davis serves as the Artistic Director of Miami Valley Ballet Theatre, where she shapes and oversees the organization’s artistic vision, guiding both its creative direction and long-term development. With a Master’s degree in Education, she brings a strong pedagogical foundation to her leadership, blending artistic excellence with a deep commitment to learning, growth, and student development.
A central focus of her leadership is MVBT’s outreach and community engagement efforts, particularly the Without Limits program, which expands access to dance education and performance opportunities for underserved and diverse populations. Through this initiative and others, she works to ensure that dance remains accessible, inclusive, and reflective of the broader community it serves.
In addition to her educational and outreach leadership, Michelle plays an active role in shaping MVBT’s repertory and production direction. She collaborates closely with faculty and artists to develop performances that are both visually compelling and emotionally resonant, supporting a company culture rooted in creativity, collaboration, and high artistic standards.
Through her vision and dedication, Michelle continues to cultivate an environment where artistry and education are inseparable, and where every dancer is encouraged to grow not only as a performer, but as a thoughtful, expressive individual.
MVBT Faculty
Assistant Artistic Director - Lydia Kim-Davis
Lydia Kim-Davis serves as the Assistant Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer of Miami Valley Ballet Theatre, where she helps shape and guide the company’s artistic vision. She is closely involved in MVBT’s creative direction, choreographing original works and full-length productions while also contributing to performance concepts, staging, costume design, and overall production development. Her work spans multiple areas of the creative process, resulting in cohesive, immersive, and visually engaging performances for dancers and audiences.
Lydia’s multidisciplinary background—holding degrees in Visual Art and Creative Writing, along with a strong passion for arts history—deeply influences her choreographic approach. These perspectives inform her storytelling, visual composition, and thematic depth, allowing her to create work that is layered, expressive, and visually intentional.
Known for her imaginative and theatrical approach to dance, making, Lydia blends technical rigor with narrative, emotional depth, and interdisciplinary artistry. She collaborates closely with dancers and faculty to develop productions that highlight individuality while maintaining strong ensemble cohesion, contributing to MVBT’s commitment to creating work that is both disciplined and creatively expansive.
Education and Outreach Expert- Teresa VanDenend-Sorge
Teresa is a faculty member at Miami Valley Ballet Theatre with a strong focus on community engagement and dance education development. Within MVBT, she plays a key role in expanding outreach initiatives and strengthening programming that connects the studio to the broader community, ensuring that dance education is accessible, meaningful, and sustainable for a wide range of students.
Her work is especially centered on developing and supporting MVBT’s partnerships with organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, as well as continuing to grow the Without Limits program. Through these initiatives, Teresa helps create pathways for students who may not otherwise have access to formal dance training, while fostering environments that emphasize confidence, discipline, and creative expression.
With extensive experience in dance education, Teresa brings a thoughtful, student-centered approach to curriculum and program development. Her work at MVBT reflects a deep commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and the belief that dance can serve as a powerful tool for personal and community growth.
Ballet Faculty - Clare Sherman
Clare Sherman grew up dancing with Miami Valley Ballet Theatre and has continued her connection to the organization as a faculty member. She currently teaches Creative Movement through Level 4, working with students at a wide range of developmental stages and helping them build a strong foundation in both technique and artistry.
Clare values MVBT’s commitment to teaching strong technical skills alongside hard work, dedication, and discipline, and she brings that philosophy into every class she teaches. In addition to her teaching, she also contributes choreography, creating work that reflects her belief in clear technique, musicality, and expressive, purposeful movement.
Ballet Faculty - Lilly Checchio
Miss Lilly Checchio is a proud alumna of Miami Valley Ballet Theatre, where her early training helped shape both her technical foundation and her lifelong love of dance. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Wright State University in 2016, continuing to build on her artistic and pedagogical training as she transitioned into a professional teaching career.
After graduation, Lilly moved to Orlando, Florida, where she shared her passion for dance by teaching ballet, jazz, and modern at several local studios. Throughout her teaching career, she has been especially drawn to helping students develop not only strong technique, but also a genuine appreciation and love for the art form of ballet itself. Her approach emphasizes joy, discipline, and personal connection to movement.
Having recently relocated back to Cincinnati, Lilly is thrilled to return home and rejoin MVBT, a program that played an important role in her own development as a dancer. She has a deep appreciation for MVBT’s strong sense of community, leadership, and commitment to high-quality dance education, and she is excited to contribute to the next generation of students within the same environment that helped shape her.
Ballet Faculty- Danita Scoggins
Danita Scoggins is an experienced dance educator with more than 30 years of teaching and professional performance experience. She holds a BFA in Dance from Wright State University, where she also taught for seven years, and her performance career includes featured work with Asuka (Japan) and Holland America Cruise Lines, as well as a three-year run in Branson, Missouri. She has also performed at venues including Kings Island, La Comedia Dinner Theatre, Sorg Opera, and with the Middletown Symphony, and served as children’s rehearsal assistant to Mrs. DeWeese with the Moscow Ballet Company.
Danita is a valued member of Miami Valley Ballet Theatre faculty and deeply enjoys working with its dancers as they grow in both technique and artistry. She finds great joy in watching students develop confidence and evolve through performance, and she is passionate about supporting their progress over time.
Grateful to be part of the MVBT community, Danita values the supportive, family-like environment and is proud to contribute to a program that emphasizes strong training, artistic development, and meaningful performance experiences.
Ballet Faculty - Christian Knopp
Christian Knopp is a ballet educator and professional dancer originally from Parkersburg, West Virginia. He trained through prestigious summer intensives on full scholarship with Cincinnati Ballet, West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts, and Bossov Ballet Theatre, and earned his BFA in Ballet Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
His professional performance career includes Ballet Pensacola, The Charleston Ballet, the Official State Ballet of West Virginia, Ballet Quad Cities, and most recently De La Dance Company. Alongside performing, he has an extensive teaching background at both collegiate and pre-professional levels across West Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, and Ohio.
Christian is excited to join the faculty of Miami Valley Ballet Theatre and is especially glad to serve as a male dancer on staff, offering guidance, mentorship, and support to young male dancers in the program. He looks forward to helping students build confidence, strength, and artistry while contributing to MVBT’s continued growth in excellence and training.
Modern, Jazz Faculty - Niarra Gooden-Clarke
Niarra Gooden-Clarke is a dance artist, educator, and choreographer originally from Toronto, Ontario, and raised in Kent, Ohio. She began her training at competition-based studios before continuing at Kent State University, where she performed with both the Kent State Dance Team and Dance Ensemble and served as Student Artistic Director, contributing to repertory and creative leadership.
Niarra has performed works by choreographers including Ray Mercer, Yoshito Sakuraba, Tiffany Rae-Fischer, and Gary Abbott, and has trained with artists such as Kayla Farrish, Juel D. Lane, and Baye&Asa. She has attended summer intensives with Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre, Emerge125, and BODYTRAFFIC on full scholarship, and has extensive experience teaching students ages 3–18 across multiple styles.
She went on to perform with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company as a Jeraldyne Blunden Fellow while completing her studies, earning dual B.A. degrees in Dance and Sociology in 2022 before joining the company as a full member. She also teaches with the Jeraldyne Blunden School of Dance.
Niarra is passionate about using dance to retell and preserve African American history and to explore the Black experience through movement. She is excited to continue her work as a performer, educator, and choreographer, bringing her artistry and perspective into new creative spaces.
Admin - Melissa Gettler
Miami Valley Ballet Theatre administrative staff member Melissa Gettler is dedicated to supporting MVBT through attentive, detail-oriented administrative work that helps keep daily studio operations running smoothly. As a proud MVBT parent herself, she brings a personal understanding of the student and family experience, and is committed to helping both dancers and caregivers feel welcomed and supported in the studio.
She believes deeply in MVBT’s impact on young dancers, valuing the way the organization fosters not only strong technical training in dance, but also confidence, discipline, and life skills that extend far beyond the studio.
Street Dance - Summer Hathaway
Miami Valley Ballet Theatre faculty member Summer Hathaway grew up dancing at MVBT, where she developed not only strong technical training but also lasting friendships and a deep sense of community. Her early years in the studio shaped her understanding of dance as both an art form and a source of personal growth.
As a teacher, she brings that lived experience into the classroom, aiming to pass along the same supportive environment that influenced her own development. She values the lessons MVBT instilled in her—discipline, creativity, and resilience—and is committed to helping the next generation of dancers grow both in skill and confidence.
Adult Classes - Cassie Wilson
Miami Valley Ballet Theatre faculty member Cassie Wilson is a valued member of the teaching staff who brings enthusiasm, care, and a welcoming presence to the studio. She is especially passionate about working with adult dancers, creating an encouraging environment where students of all levels can explore movement, build confidence, and enjoy the art of dance.
Cassie is proud to be part of the MVBT community and values the opportunity to share her love of dance in a way that is accessible, supportive, and rooted in joy.
Our Board
Miami Valley Ballet Theatre’s mission as a nonprofit arts organization is made possible and strengthened by the dedication of its Board of Directors. The board brings together a diverse group of leaders, artists, patrons, and community advocates who share a common belief in the power of dance to educate, inspire, and connect.
Through their guidance, support, and commitment to MVBT’s long-term vision, the board helps ensure the organization can continue delivering high-quality performances, expanding access to arts education, and growing impactful outreach programs. Their leadership plays a vital role in sustaining MVBT’s artistic excellence and deepening its service to the community across Southwest Ohio.
Temesha Corbin
Board President
Temesha Corbin serves as President of the Board of Directors for Miami Valley Ballet Theatre, where she brings both a personal and long-standing commitment to the organization. A former MVBT parent, she has remained deeply engaged in the life of the theatre, continuing to support its mission through active board leadership and annual participation in The Nutcracker tradition.
An avid supporter of MVBT and the arts, Temesha is passionate about sustaining accessible, high-quality dance education and performance opportunities for the Miami Valley community. Her dedication reflects a belief in the importance of the arts in building connection, discipline, and joy for dancers of all ages.
Samantha Andrews
Secretary
Samantha Andrews is a member of the Miami Valley Ballet Theatre Board of Directors and a proud alumna of MVBT, having grown up training within the organization. Her lifelong connection to the studio informs her deep commitment to its continued growth and artistic excellence.
She is especially passionate about MVBT’s service to the broader community, with a particular dedication to the Without Limits program, which expands access to dance education for individuals of all abilities. Samantha values the role MVBT plays in fostering inclusion, confidence, and connection through the arts, and she is honored to support its mission through her board service.
Isabel Dingeldein
Vice President
Isabel Dingeldein is a member of the Miami Valley Ballet Theatre Board of Directors and a proud MVBT alumna who grew up dancing within the organization. Her early training at MVBT helped shape a lifelong appreciation for dance and a deep commitment to the performing arts.
A dedicated patron of the arts—especially dance—Isabel is passionate about supporting organizations that make a meaningful impact through creativity and education. She believes MVBT is an exceptional nonprofit that enriches and strengthens her hometown of Hamilton, Ohio, and is honored to contribute to its continued success and community impact through her board service.
Jason Hauslein
Treasurer
Jason Hauslein is a member of the Miami Valley Ballet Theatre Board of Directors and works at MVBT’s home theatre, where he has had a front-row view of the artistry and dedication that bring each production to life. His close connection to the performance space has given him a deep appreciation for the care, collaboration, and creativity behind every MVBT presentation.
Jason is a strong advocate for MVBT’s impact in the community, believing the organization provides exceptional value through professional-level productions and meaningful arts education. He is proud to support MVBT’s mission of inspiring audiences and fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of dance.
Board Advisor
is a member of the Miami Valley Ballet Theatre Board of Directors and a longtime supporter of MVBT’s work. He is a devoted admirer of the organization, with a personal connection that runs deep—his three daughters danced at MVBT during the early years of the company.
He believes both his life and his daughters’ lives have been profoundly shaped by their experiences at MVBT, and he values the lasting impact the organization has had on their growth and appreciation for the arts. Steve is proud to serve as a board member and to support MVBT in its continued mission to inspire and enrich the community through dance.
Tanya Hibbard
Board Member
Tanya Hibbard is a member of the Miami Valley Ballet Theatre Board of Directors and a dedicated patron of the arts. She views MVBT as a creative powerhouse in Southwest Ohio, recognized for its artistic excellence and meaningful community impact.
Tanya is proud to support MVBT as a board member and values the organization’s commitment to inspiring audiences, nurturing artists, and enriching the region through high-quality dance performance and education.