Joanna Mizesko

Artistic Director

Joanna began dance training in Wilmington, NC at the age of 9 when movement was introduced to her as a form of worship. With training in modern, contemporary, & classical ballet, she danced in high school & earned a B.A. in Dance from Belhaven University in Jackson, MS. She and her husband moved to Grenada, West Indies where she danced & taught in St. George’s, Grenada before moving back to Jacksonville. Her heart is in creating a movement that inspires others to seek Christ, and she is the Director of Selah Dance Company. When not dancing, she’s a stay-at-home-homeschooling-mom of 5.

Natalie Sanchez

Spiritual Director

Movement has always been woven into Natalie’s story. From youth and collegiate athletics to adulthood, she competed in multiple sports, specializing in volleyball and strength training. Her love for movement eventually grew into a passion for whole-person wellness—caring for the body, mind, and spirit as one integrated whole. This passion led Natalie to become a BSN Registered Nurse, deepening her understanding of the body and the many ways our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being are connected.

Today, Natalie is married to her loving husband, Paul, and is a mother to incredible boys who keep movement and adventure part of everyday life. In this season, she is embracing a new kind of athleticism—one less focused on performance and more on presence. Natalie is passionate about helping others discover movement that strengthens, restores, connects, and awakens us to a more fully alive way of living.

Laura Moskevich

Laura grew up dancing in Southern Maine, studying ballet and tap at 3 years old. She trained at Maine State Ballet, working her way up through the company to becoming a soloist! She has enjoyed performing in many ballets, and some of her favorite roles have been the Lead Creature in Firebird, The Summer Fairy in Cinderella, The Moth in A Midsummer's Night Dream, and Clara in The Nutcracker. Laura moved to Jacksonville in 2020 and has enjoyed teaching both children and adult dance classes at NOVA.

Hannah Kaemmer

Hannah began taking ballet classes at the age of 4. Since then, her love for dance has only grown! As she moved around the country in adolescence and adulthood, she has taken classes with many teachers in a variety of ballet styles, including Cecchetti, Vaganova, and ABT. She is also trained in Pointe, Contemporary, and Modern. She has performed multiple roles in The Nutcracker Ballet, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Peter Pan, Aladdin, and The Jungle Book. 

Before joining the NOVA team in 2022, Hannah taught ballet in YMCA classes, private home lessons, and more. Hannah is an ABT® Certified Teacher who has completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

Darla Hernandez

Darla Hernandez is a Jacksonville local. She began her dance journey at 16 years old right here with NOVA! During her time at NOVA, she trained in the student academy, open adult classes, teacher training program, and gained administrative experience working reception. After deciding to pursue dance pre-professionally she trained at the Florida Ballet Conservatory for the 2024-25 season. Darla performed Le Jardin Animé from Le Corsaire, excerpts Don Quixote, and Russian Corp in The Florida Ballet's professional production of The Nutcracker. She also passed her ABT Lvl 5 exam under the training of Mrs. Katie Slattery.

Wanting to explore the dance world further she attended the 5 week summer intensive program at the Orlando Ballet in 2025, where she's currently training in their Academy program. At Orlando Ballet, Darla has had the opportunity to perform the Corp De Ballet for The Flower Festival from Genzano, Carnival of the Animals choreographed and set by Mr. Gonzi Espinoza, Act I Waltz from Raymonda, and the Corp de Ballet for Dance of the Willis.

Darla is working towards the goal of being a professional ballet dancer. Outside of the studio you'll find her watching Criminal Minds, painting, or exploring new local cafes and thrift stores!

Jenna Lett

Jenna Lett is originally from Knoxville, TN. In 2024, she earned dual undergraduate degrees in Chinese and Dance from Western Kentucky University. There, she performed with WKU’s dance company and had the opportunity to perform in pieces set by faculty and guest artists, guest in Kentucky Ballet Theatre‘s Nutcracker, and perform at Big Muddy’s Dance Fest Showcase and MADCO’s Dare to Dance Festival. During her time at WKU, she was also awarded the Faculty Undergraduate Student Engagement Grant, which she used to study and explore new perspectives on ballet and contemporary ballet. She has also received additional training at summer programs with Salt Contemporary Dance, Visceral Dance Chicago, Eisenhower Dance Detroit, and Gus Giordano Dance School. Additionally, she has trained and performed under Waterstreet Dance Milwaukee in their 2024/25 season. Under direction of Morgan Williams, she toured across the Midwest and performed in works by Morgan Williams, Lean Damasco Jr., Luis Vasquez, and Leila Henry. Currently, Jenna is a company artist at Jacksonville Dance Theatre. 

Tyra Dant

Tap & Jazz Instructor

A lifelong dancer and musical theater kid, Tyra Dant brings a rich and varied background to NOVA. Her professional credits include featured roles in Crazy for You, Anything Goes, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Will Rogers Follies with the former American Musical Theater of San Jose. She was a cast member of San Francisco's Beach Blanket Babylon, the world's longest-running musical revue, and performed as a singer and dancer, first on dinner cruises in NYC, and then all over the world aboard Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises.

Alongside her husband on guitar, Tyra leads worship at their church and fronts the blues band, Toots Lorriane and the Traffic. Their two children also dance at NOVA.

She is grateful to God for his generational blessing of creativity in all its forms and has a desire for all of her students to dance in freedom and joy! In Him, we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28

Crystal Stewart

Hip Hop & Acro Instructor

Sarava Dawson

PBT, Ballet & Acro Instructor

Sarava Dawson is a dancer, choreographer, and dance instructor residing in Jacksonville, Florida. Sarava has extensive training in a variety of dance styles and is certified in PBT and Acrobatic

Arts. She is passionate about dance and enjoys expanding her knowledge and experience through training and performance. She was a member of the professional dance company Selah Dance Ministries and is now the Experience Director for Three Hearts Dance. Sarava enjoys collaborating with dance instructors and dancers who enjoy sharing their love of dance as well as performing at various community events and festivals. As a choreographer, dance instructor, and competitive dance coach, Sarava instills in her students the importance of expressive and impactful movement and artistry while inspiring others through meaningful dance.

Maria Tucker began her love affair with the arts at the age of twelve, studying with and being mentored by Zetta (Shook) Alderman. She received scholarships to Gus Giordano Dance Center in Evanston, IL, and the University of Arizona, School of Dance in Tucson, AZ. She has been performing, teaching, collaborating, and creating for more than 20 years; with credits including Royal Caribbean Entertainment, Busch Gardens, Bodyvox, Northwest Dance Project, Broadway Rose Theatre Company, Oregon Children's Theatre, and Colorado Jazz Dance Company. For more info: MARIA TUCKER - Teaching artist, choreographer, performer

Peg Paschal

Tap Instructor

Stephanie Doherty

Tiny Dancer, Pre-Primary & Primary 2 Instructor

Stephanie Doherty is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and storyteller with a passion for using the performing arts to glorify God.

Inspired and active in performance and the arts from an early age, Stephanie began her formal dance training at 13 with Space Coast Ballet Academy, where she studied under world-renowned instructors from the Kirov and performed in their company productions in the corps de ballet. In 2012, she graduated from Storling Dance Theater's Artist Development Program, where she focused on expanding her dance vocabulary while exploring the impact the arts, dance and media have on culture, the human experience and in God’s Kingdom.

After moving to Jacksonville, Stephanie joined East Coast Ballet Company, where she performed and taught for many years. In 2014, she performed on Season 1 of the television series Fake Off with Todd Farley's YFX Physical Theater, a company with a focus on mime, blackbox theater and visual storytelling.

Today, Stephanie continues to dance, choreograph, and teach while also instructing a variety of visual and performing arts for ministry and enrichment. She is passionate about using creativity to communicate truth through storytelling and helping students grow in both skill and confidence.

 Outside the studio, she enjoys digital art, crafts, exploring nature, and serving alongside her husband, Dan, in local homeless and street ministry.

Takara Hart

Tiny Dancer Instructor

Mary Bishop

Tiny Dancer & Primary 1 Instructor

Mary Bishop is an adult ballet dancer and instructor who believes ballet can be joyful, challenging, and meaningful at every age.After restarting her ballet journey as an adult, Mary fell in love with the technique, artistry, and community of dance. She brings that enthusiasm into the classroom, creating a positive and encouraging environment where young dancers can build confidence, musicality, and a love of movement. Outside the studio, Mary holds a Master of Public Health and works in community health and prevention.

Sarah Kettritz

Tiny Dancer Instructor

Sarah grew up in Europe, where creativity from her mother and body movement from her father combined to shape her lifelong passion for artistic expression, physical movement, and overall health. From a young age, she explored the arts through theater, music, dance, visual art and a variety of sports—experiences that fostered her love for mindful movement and well-being.



As an adult dancer, Sarah discovered a deep affection for ballet. She believes it’s never too late to start dancing and delights in sharing the elegance, discipline, and joy ballet brings at any stage of life. Sarah cultivates a warm, encouraging environment where students feel inspired to explore movement, gain confidence, and connect with their bodies. She is devoted to helping others experience the happiness, strength, and creativity that dance can offer.

Outside the studio, Sarah, her husband, and their two daughters love spending time at the beach, surfing, and enjoying Florida’s natural beauty.

Cari Freiberger

Sub Instructor

Bio Coming Soon!

Megan Cotter

Sub Instructor

Megan has been a dancer for as long as she can remember! She was a competitive dancer for most of her life and continued her dancing career as a member of her college's dance team and dance company! She was born and raised in Queens, New York, and attended Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, for her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Dance. Megan then completed her master's degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, where she worked at the division I level in Student-Athlete Support Services! 

Megan and her mini poodle, Stark, moved here as her fiancé matched for his anesthesia residency at UF Health. She works in Human Resources and loves to spend her days helping others. In her free time, Megan likes to take long walks, read, watch Netflix, practice yoga, and enjoy the sunshine. She is so excited to teach and join our team as dance has always been an integral part of her physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being!

Taylor Jackson

Sub Instructor

Taylor Jackson began dancing in the 4th grade at a local studio in her hometown of Lakeland, Florida. There, she performed annually in The Nutcracker and competed as a member of the studio’s award-winning competition team. Her dedication to dance earned her acceptance into The Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, where she trained under a rigorous American Ballet Theatre (ABT) curriculum.

At Harrison, Taylor studied ballet, pointe, modern (with a focus on the Martha Graham technique), choreography, and dance anatomy as part of her core training. She performed in full-length productions of Don Quixote, Swan Lake (including the iconic “Four Little Swans” variation), Giselle, and The Nutcracker. Throughout high school, she also participated in USF’s Day of Dance for four consecutive years and had the honor of taking a master class at the Paul Taylor Dance Company in New York City.

Taylor’s love for dance is rooted in the way it brings together physical strength, creativity, and emotional expression. When she’s not in the studio, you’ll likely find her working with cows or practicing Pilates.