Jenny Rogers
Owner/Director
Jenny Rogers was able to fulfill her life-long dream when 24 years ago, she and her husband purchased the Safford Dance Academy (SDA). As an Alumni of the very studio she now directs, Jenny seeks to inspire each dancer just as she was inspired by her teachers. Jenny has spent the last 30+ years teaching dance in many capacities. She loves to teach all ages of dance from the little 3 & 4 year-olds through her college age students. She loves the interaction and happiness she finds with each and every age group she has the opportunity to teach. She finds joy in all kinds of movement and teaches many genres including jazz, tap, clogging, pom, lyrical, contemporary and ballet. She has had many wonderful opportunities to study with well known master teachers and continually seeks to take classes at workshops and conventions including Tremaine, Jump, Nuvo, West Coast Dance Explosion, Hollywood Connection, Radix, Jazzdance Showcase, and Dance Life Teacher Conference. Jenny has been blessed with three children, Bodie, Callie and Gavin and an amazingly supportive husband, Isaac. Together, they strive to make SDA a place where children can learn to love dance and to be inspired to become beautiful people.
Rena De La Cruz Holguin
Instructor
Rena started dance training at Safford Dance Academy (SDA) when she was five. She studied several dance styles such as ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, contemporary, clogging, pointe, swing and salsa. She started teaching dance classes when she was sixteen and has been teaching at the academy ever since. After high school, she continued her education through Eastern Arizona College (EAC)where she received an AA degree in Theater Arts. During her time at EAC, Rena continued to study ballet and theater dance as an assistant choreographer and teacher under the direction of Rachael Jacob. She also performed in several of the college's main stage plays as a featured dancer. Some of these plays included Anything Goes, South Pacific, Cry for Love, and A Portrait of a Hunchback. Rena studied ballet and modern dance through Arizona State University in 2006. In 2008, she traveled to Australia where she took contemporary, jazz and hip-hop classes in Adelaide. She also joined a cheer and stunting team, which took second place at the Adelaide State Cheer Competition. After her adventure in Australia, Rena furthered her education through Northern Arizona University pursuing her passion for teaching. In 2012, she earned her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, graduating with honors. Now, Rena continues to teach ballet and other forms of dance at SDA and EAC. Rena truly has a passion for teaching and inspiring students to express themselves creatively by getting up to dance! Throughout her life, she has studied and continues to glean all styles of dance by going to conventions held under the direction of top notch teachers such as Joe Tremaine, Denise Wall, Greg Russell, Roni Mahler, etc. Rena is truly dedicated to her profession and wants to continue to grow and become the best she can be, not only for herself, but for all her students that she sincerely loves. She wants to be an inspiration . . . as well as . . . to be inspired.
Kacie Lee Shelton
Instructor
Kacie started dancing at age seven and enjoyed ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary and clogging. Kacie started teaching at age 16. She was also a cheerleader/dancer in high school for four years. She was spiritline captain and elected as an All-American dancer her senior year. She has been a choreographer for the Thatcher High School Spiritline and Show Choir during her high school experience. Later, she attended Maricopa Community College as a dance major and was a member of the MCC dance company. Currently, she is attending Eastern Arizona College and teaching contemporary, ballet, jazz and tap at the Safford Dance Academy.
Shannan Miller
Instructor
Shannan started dancing at Safford Dance Academy at the age of six. She studied many dance styles including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, contemporary, clogging, pointe and also trained in gymnastics. From her first step onto the dance floor she fell in love with all things dance. She was also a member of her high school dance team for 3 years. Shannan stared choreographing at the age of 15. At the age of 18 she captured the title of Arizona State Cinderella Teen where she was able to perform around the state of Arizona. Teaching dance is one of the highlights of her life, watching young dancers reach their goals is the one of the most rewarding experiences she's ever felt! If she isn't teaching or choreographing she is staying busy chasing after her two young boys Drake and Owen.
Katie Udall
Instructor
Katie grew up in St. Johns, AZ and began dancing at the age of 4. She loves all dance, but has a true love and passion for the preciseness and elegance of ballet. Katie attended Brigham Young University where she took as many ballet and modern dance classes as she could, while obtaining a degree in Elementary Education. One of her favorite things about dance is the way it can make all your worries disappear, and turn a horrible day into a great day. Katie currently teaches 3rd grade in Thatcher, and is the mother of 4 amazing kids.
Callie Rogers
Instructor
Callie Rogers started dancing at Safford Dance Academy when she was 2 years old. She has enjoyed training at SDA and has trained in all styles of dance that are offered at the studio including ballet, contemporary, tap, jazz, hip hop, pom, clogging, and tumbling. She has competed in many competitions over her years of dancing and has won awards and recognitions such as Teen Elite Soloist at Starbound, 3rd place in Senior Duos at Jump, and was invited to audition for Hollywood Connection Teen Company as well as many overall awards for her group numbers. At age 16 she started assisting and teaching baby classes, 5-8 year old classes, and later younger company classes. After graduating in 2021, she was offered a dance scholarship and moved to Idaho to attend Brigham Young University Idaho and continued her dance education. While in Idaho she studied modern, ballet, and tap. She also participated in BYUI Collegiate Dancers for two semesters where she worked on Jazz and World Dance styles.
Callie is back home this semester to teach at the studio as she prepares to move to Jacksonville, Florida where she will be serving a mission for The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints and will learn to speak and teach in Spanish. Upon returning after 18 months, she will return to BYUI to continue her education.
Lexi Henderson
Instructor
Lexi began dancing when she was five years old and has had a passion for it ever since. After moving from Florida at the age of nine, she was enrolled at Safford Dance Academy where her love for dance would continue to grow and last a lifetime. Safford Dance Academy quickly became a place that felt like home and attending her dance classes was a great light in her life. Dancing both on and off the stage has provided Lexi with some of her most special childhood experiences. After graduating from Thatcher High school in 2021, Lexi wanted to help other children have some of the same amazing experiences with dance. Getting to teach has been her dream come true as Lexi continues her education at Eastern Arizona College.
Ryann Rothlisberger
Instructor
Ryann began dancing when she was 3 and fell in love with it. Safford Dance Academy is a second home to her and she has loved being a part of this dance family for so many years. Ryann has loved being trained in many styles of dance such as ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop. Her favorites are ballet, pointe, and contemporary. Along with being a dance teacher, Ryann is also a 7th grade English teacher at Safford Middle School. She loves to teach and loves getting to know each and every student that walks into her life.