Shannon Kennedy teaches the High School and Middle School jazz classes as well as the Boys Hip Hop.  She grew up in Albany, Oregon and is 27 years old.  She has been married to Brian Kennedy for 4 years and loves animals.  She loves to ride horses and train dogs and horses.  Shannon attended Linn Benton Community College and is a dental assistant in Fruitland.  She has been singing and dancing since she was 3 years old.  Her dad's favorite memory is of Shannon singing Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl!"  They moved to Vale last year and have enjoyed getting to know you through the Studio.  She is also involved as the coach of the Vale Cheerleaders - Go Vikings!

 

April Johnson teaches the ballet/jazz combo dance classes.  She grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. She comes from a very musical family. Her dad was a band teacher and performs professionally, and her mother teaches piano and sings semi-pro. She has five sisters and it was a rule in their family to always be in a dance class and music class. She began dancing when she was 4 years old in ballet and tap classes. As she continued, she added jazz and tumbling classes until high school. April played soccer in college while she studied Communications and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Television Broadcasting with a minor in Photography. She worked in live television and video production for four years before becoming a mom.  April and Travis have been married for five years and have three children. They moved to Vale in 2005. April’s hobbies include sports, sewing, gardening, photography, and reading.   

 

Rachel Johnson is our clogging teacher. Rachel was born and raised right here in Vale. She has seven brothers and sisters. She was involved in lots of sports and dance classes growing up. She took tap and gymnastics when she was little, and then got busy participating in sports in jr. high and high school. Her high school basketball and volleyball teams always went to state, and won! She admits that volleyball is her first love and life revolved around that for many years. Rachel also went to Rick’s College (currently BYU-Idaho) to study elementary education. Her first semester she took a beginning clogging class, and it came so naturally to her that she auditioned for the performance team and made it! The USA Showcase Dance Team toured many places, including China, representing American dance. Rachel married her high school sweetheart, Jason Johnson, and they have been married eleven years. They have four children. Rachel’s hobbies include hanging out with her kids and family, sewing, singing, and exercising.  Rachel remembers loving to play outside when she was little. Rachel and her best friend would find bugs and then squash them, just so they could perform a bug funeral! Her students will not be surprised by this since Rachel loves the clogging step “Squished Bug!”

  

Rachel Romans is the director of the Super Stars and teaches private  piano classes. Rachel grew up in many different places, mostly overseas. Her dad works for the State Department, so she attended eight different schools between kindergarten and graduation. Her high school years were spent in Nepal and Virginia. Rachel’s mom was her first piano teacher. She loves playing show tunes, or songs that she can sing with. She was always involved in choir growing up. In high school she auditioned for Madrigals and became part of the elite, a cappella performing group. She also took private voice lessons.
Her college years took her to Rick’s College (currently BYU-Idaho) where she completed her Associates Degree in Social Work. She met Kurt Romans at college and they quickly fell in love and were married.
Now, Rachel and Kurt have four children. They moved here last summer to open up Romans’ Parts & Machinery. Rachel’s hobbies include scrapbooking, running and laminating. One of Rachel’s most proud moments happened in elementary school. She tried out for the school play “The Little Red Hen.” She was one of the youngest to try out, so she was very excited when she got the lead!