Director
Ashley Wheeler
Featured in 2013 Morgantown Magazine article, “These Women Mean Business”, Ashley has taken pride in running a studio wrapped around compassion and community. This has brought focus to supporting ALL dancers and has earned AWDC a professionalism award five times during their competitive dance travels. Ashley studied Psychology at WVU and focused her studies on child behavior modification. She taught dance through college, graduated and opened AWDC in 2006 when she realized she wanted to merge her love of dance and child development together.
“May we choose to be the ones to give kindness to those who may not have many reminders that kindness still exists.”
Senior Instructors
Elizabeth Jones
Elizabeth is AWDC’s lead acrobatic instructor. She is incredibly knowledgable when it comes to constructing a timeline of building skills safely. Recently, she has helped our competitive Master Acro class earn awards and nods to choreography. She is also one of our energetic and amazing pre school program instructors. In addition, she helps build the competitive schedule along with registration, as well as coordinates social events for our competitive dancers and is a big part of the heart beat of AWDC.
Danielle Blosser
Danielle is AWDC’s lead tap instructor. She has had the pleasure of working with many industry greats while traveling as a convention teacher assistant during her time as a student. This cultivated her love for teaching tap. She teaches all ages at AWDC, recreational and competitive.
Melissa Ely
Melissa started dancing at a young age and continued her love for dance all the way through college where she served as a member of the WVU Dance Team from 2000-2003. While in graduate school, she went on to coach the WVU Dance Team for two years before moving to San Antonio. While in Texas, she remained active in dance by teaching Zumba. We are so honored to have Mrs. Melissa as our technique instructor and as a visionary in our competitive acrobatic classes.
Marriah Durgin
Marriah, a former dancer of AWDC who is now all grown up! She is married, has obtained her B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics at WVU and she is also the high school director for Young Life in Morgantown. She is a great role model and leader to our dancers. Her bright light is contagious and good for the soul! She recently worked alongside her sister and AW on a piece that earned choreography achievements as well as choreographing a top scoring teen and senior trio, and many more honors (2024).
Avary Hamilton
Avary has been dancing and teaching at AWDC for many years now. She has received her Bachelors in Global Supply Chain Management from WVU. She is working, teaching and yet still dedicates her whole self to her students while she conquers it all. She is talented in many subjects; preschool to high school; recreational and competitive. Recently, she shared in a contemporary choreography award at Believe Talent with AW. She has especially been an amazing and entertaining jazz choreographer, earning top placing jazz routines as well as achieving Believe’s Entertainment award for 12+ “Ballroom Blitz”. In addition, alongside AW, Believe’s Entertainment award for 12- (2024).
Mallori Straub
Mallori has been dancing since she was a tot. She has been instructing at AWDC for many years now and is such a bright light to work with! She works with all ages recreationally and competitively and also teaches in our preschool program. She’s currently graduating from WVU with a degree in education. She has put many hours in the school classroom and the dance classroom working with children. Recently, she earned the twelve and over choreography award for a stellar piece, “Mission to Mars”, as well as twelve and under award with her sister and AW at Groove (2024).
Summer 2020. A handful of our graduates, including Miss Avary, put on an ‘in-house’ showcase for our high school seniors that didn’t get to perform at a recital due to Covid. Sweetest moments caught on camera by Mckinzi of Moments Captured, LLC.
Staff
Kyra Mathews
Kyra is a former dancer and now instructor at AWDC. She is currently pursuing an education degree at WVU as well as carving time out to be a great instructor to our younger dancers. Her recent lyrical choreography for our junior division earned first overall and a “Golden Ticket” to compete against other top scoring routines from the East Coast (2024).
Grace Gutermuth
Grace is a high school dancer/senior on her way to WVU to pursue a degree in education. She has recently been working with all ages as a co instructor-choreographer as well as taking off on her own to create competitive and recital pieces. Grace is a ball of energy, love and light. She is committed and passionate about everything she works on. Recently, she has been a part of the creation of many top scoring routines as well as winning routines!
Aniyah Jones
Aniyah is a high school dancer/senior on her way to WVU to study nursing. She has been teaching and choreographing brilliantly for a couple of years now and has so much talent and passion to share. She is a dancer’s biggest cheerleader! Energetic and motivating, she is a mentor through and through. She is working with all age levels and genres of dance. Recently, she has created and had contributions to many top scoring and overall winning routines.
Lilly Mercer
Lilly is a high school dancer/senior on her way to WVU to study psychology with an emphasis on clinical child psychology. She has recently been working with all ages at the dance studio as a co-instructor and co-choreographer. Recently, she has begun to take off on her own in the classroom and we are so happy to have her! She is a patient and supportive leader. She wants the very best for her students and works hard to help them reach their goals. Recently, she has been a part of the making of many winning and top scoring routines.
Lilly, Grace, Aniyah
Dance friends are forever friends.