~ Jamell Jacobs CEO~ JamellJacobs@danceplus.org
Jamell is the owner of Dance Plus! She has studied dance for 18 years. Her areas of study include Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Gymnastics, Tap, Cheerleading, Pointe, Modern, and Dunham. Prior to college she competed in many gymnastics, cheerleading, and dance competitions and received many top honors. Jamell went to Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville on a dance scholarship and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education and a Minor in Dance. In college, she performed in many dance productions along with touring with the University Dance Company. Following graduation, Jamell began working as a third grade teacher and danced professionally with the IBL St. Louis Swarm dancers. Jamell spent almost 11 of her 16 years studying and teaching, at Dance Plus. She later moved west to diversify her dance experience, and studied in many prominent places with leading instructors and choreographers in the Los Angeles area. While in L.A. Jamell also retained a position as a Healthy Lifestyles Director of a YMCA, in which she helped to develop health and fitness programming for children and adults. While there, she was also able to launch the Gardena-Carson branch youth dance program. These experiences offered her the opportunity to work with over 2000 community members to aid in their efforts to better health! Jamell is truly excited about this chapter and challenge in her life at Dance Plus!

~ Stacey Jacob-Gerst  ~ 
 Stacey Jacob-Gerst is a native of St Louis, MO. She learned her B.F.A. in Dance from Stephens College and then went on to pursue a professional career in dance. She performed with various modern dance companies such as Donlevy Dance Company, Louise Reichlin and Dancers in L.A., and San Diego Dance Theatre while on the west coast. She then went on to study at the Alvin Ailey school thru their summer intensive program in NYC. While in NYC she expanded her experiences by studying from the Bill T. Jones, Paul Taylor, and José Limón companies. Stacey then brought her career back home to St Louis where she studied and performed with aTrek, AnnonyArts, Angela Culbertson, and other independent choreographers for eight years. Stacey has also had the pleasure of working with a variety of youth in dance thru Urban Arts programs, and dance schools both in Los Angeles and St. Louis. Her work has been set on children as young as five years of age, competition groups, university dance programs, pre-professional and professional companies. She is a proud member of Chi Tau Epsilon, Phi Kappa Phi, and MOAHPERD, and a certified Pilates Instructor. Stacey’s most recent project and position is co-founder of St. Louis’ newest professional company, Arrive Dance Company. Stacey has been on staff at Dance Plus since 2006 and has taught Modern, Ballet, Lyrical, Tap, Jazz and the competition groups during this time. Stacey received some of her initial training at Dance Plus and enjoys giving back at a place where it all began!


~ Brittany Wallace ~ BrittanyWallace@danceplus.org
Brittany has danced for 9 years at Dance Plus. She has studied Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Modern, Hip-Hop and Poms. She has competed in many competitions receiving a highlight award with the title of “Stand out Dancer” in 2003 at State-Wide National Dance Competition. Brittany is a senior at Hazelwood Central High School and has been a Hawkette for 3 years. In the summer of 2005, she was selected as an “All Star” dancer at UDA Dance Camp. After graduation, Brittany would like to pursue Nursing in college and minor in Dance. She has worked as an assistant teacher for the past 3 years. Brittany teaches “baby” combination classes this year and is very excited about working with her “tiny” dancers!