MusicWorks! Studio of
Performing Arts
9 Forga Plaza Loop
Waynesville, NC 28786
828.456.ACT3 (2283)
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Faculty | Facility Established in 2002, MusicWorks! Studio of Performing Arts is a comprehensive arts program for students and adults ages 3 and up. The year round, non-competitive format includes intensive training classes in all areas of the arts, dance, music and theatrical productions, workshops, and master classes. It is the belief of the MusicWorks faculty and staff that the Arts are for everyone, regardless of background, age, or experience. We strive to provide a variety of opportunities to encourage creative thinking and self expression, while working to bolster self-esteem. Just like any sport or other activity-the more you do it, the better you become!
Our Faculty Lynne Wells-Meyer
Artistic Director, Musical Theater, Voice, Harp, Piano, Tap & Jazz Lynne Wells-Meyer’s love for the performing arts began early in life, starting with dance instruction in tap, ballet, and acrobatics at age 5. She also received formal training on piano for 12 years, flute for 6 years, and classical voice for 8 years. At the age of 9, she began pedal harp studies with retired concert harpist, Elsa Jennings of NYC, and the late Linda Booth of Charlotte. She began performing for weddings and special events by age 14, and at age 17, she made her symphonic debut with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. Upon graduating from high school, she attended Appalachian State University where she studied harp with nationally acclaimed harpist Jacqueline Bartlett. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Vocal Music Performance from Western Carolina University and was awarded a full scholarship for graduate music studies at the prestigious Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she studied harp with Dr. Ulli Brinksmeier. Her musical talent served her well in her pageant endeavors as she won the titles of Miss Blue Ridge Valley in 1987 and Miss Greater Asheville in 1992. Both of these titles qualified Lynne to compete in the Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant held in Raleigh. Mrs. Meyer has a wide range or professional performing experience. She was employed for five years by the Dollywood Theme Park and Music Mansion Theater in Pigeon Forge as a singer, dancer, and instrumentalist in several shows. She has also performed with numerous symphony orchestras including the Knoxville Symphony, the Knoxville Opera Company, the Oak Ridge Symphony, the Huntsville Alabama Symphony, and the Asheville Symphony. She has performed with recording legends Ray Charles, Lou Rawls, the late Victor Borge, Paige O’Hara (“Belle” in the animated children’s film, Beauty and the Beast), the Four Tops and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). Other regional performances include the Biltmore House Candlelight Tours, the Singing Christmas Tree at Arden Presbyterian Church and numerous weddings, parties, theatrical shows, special church services and other occasions. She has been an instructor of harp at the University of Tennessee and Western Carolina University and has been teaching private harp students for 15 years and private voice students for 8 years. In 2002, Lynne opened MusicWorks! Studio of Performing Arts. At the studio, and in her positions as arts instructor and active member of the Musical Theater Advisory Board at Western Carolina University, Lynne enjoys working with young people to develop their talents, and to instill confidence in them as performers and individuals. Lynne resides in Haywood County with her husband, Dan, and their two sons; 7-year old Eric, and 1-year old Matthew. Marilyn Cloutier
Ballet and Ballet en Pointe, Production Assistant Mrs. Cloutier was born in Michigan, raised in Kentucky, and at the early age of fourteen, joined a ballet company in New York. Her early training was with Mme. Casson of the Anna Pavlova Company. She was also a student of George Balanchine, Michel Fokine, Ted Shawn, and Luigi. She was a scholarship student at the School of American Ballet and attended classes instructed by Muriel Stuart, Pierre Vladimirov and Anatol Vilzak. She brings to the artistic field an expertise which includes all phases of show business…actress, dancer, choreographer, and production coordinator. Mrs. Cloutier performed as an actress-dancer in many night clubs, revues, Broadway musicals, and theaters across the United States, Canada, and Central America. As a choreographer and producer, her long list of credits includes productions for the Tropicana Night Club in Las Vegas, the Carillon, Eden Roc, and Deauville Hotels on Miami Beach and special, intricate staging of underwater ballets for Weeki Wachee Springs and Sea World in San Diego. Mrs. Cloutier also produced extravagant productions for international firms, fund-raising gala events, fashion shows, beauty pageants, was instrumental in bringing lavish dance productions to the Orange Bowl Festival in Miami and assisted in the development of the inaugural ceremonies at Walt Disney World. Sarah Jane Baker
Dance Educator; Lyrical Miss Sarah Jane began training at age of 5 at The Dancer’s Pointe under the expert tutelage of Shelia Radford Sumpter and Marilyn Cloutier. She also studied at Center Stage Dance Studio in Asheville with Michele Lee and Elliot Bradley, as well as working with choreographers Dale Lamm and Jason Parsons. Sarah Jane attended UNC Chapel Hill where she was a member of the Carolina Dance Team (ranked #3 in the nation) for two years, then became choreographer and performer with the Carolina Style Jazz Company and Blank Canvas Dance. She graduated from UNC-CH in 2009 with a degree in Psychology and is excited to be back in the mountains! She currently resides in Asheville where she works with AmeriCorps teaching at-risk youth.
Mr. Joseph Calebrais
Tap Master and Dance Educator; Adult Tap, Adult Jazz and Adult Musical Theater
With extensive training in dance, acting, voice, and music, Mr. Calebrais toured nationally and internationally at the Japan Worlds Fair, Italy, Disney World, and was a featured dancer in An Original Musical Comedy in Hershey, PA. Mr. Calebrais performed on the David Frost Show in 1970 with Miss Roberta Flack. In 1973, Mr. Calebrais was given the opportunity to perform at the Vatican for the last Pope. Major roles include Paul in A Chorus Line, Chuck Baxtor in Promises, Promises, Young Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees, and Bernardo in West Side Story. Before joining the SMDC team, Mr. Calebrais taught tap and musical theatre performance at Western Carolina University and Thomas School of Dance in Bangor, ME.
Michael Conard
Piano, Jazz Improvisation for Piano Bio still to come... Jessica Humphrey
Dance Educator; Ballet, Tap, Acrobatics Bio still to come… Krysta Scott Kirsch
Dance Educator; Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop
Krysta comes to MusicWorks with over 10 years of teaching experience, a BFA in Theatre Jazz Dance Performance and a minor in Early Childhood Development from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Her training has included teachers who danced with the Paul Taylor Company, Pilabolus, Momix, the Graham Company, Koresh, the Romanian State Ballet, Gyori Ballet and the musical Fosse.
Dance is deep in Krysta's roots coming from a dancing family in Pennsylvania. Her mother owns a dance studio which Krysta managed and co-directed. She teaches jazz, tap, hip hop and ballet, and has a specialization in Creative Dance and Pre Ballet tying her dance training to her work in early childhood education. Her easy and amenable nature fosters great devotion in her students and her attention to detail ensures their impeccable training.
Krysta also has significant performing experience having performed in theatres throughout Philadelphia, University of the Arts productions and WNC in choreographic productions by Balance Pointe director Sandra Miller. She is also a choreographer herself having created award winning work for both individuals and groups.
Recently married, Krysta is devoted to family and friends and has a keen love of animals. Not only have she and her husband rescued several dogs, they work with Chain Free Asheville to provide animals with a loving and protected environment. She is also an outstanding visual artist, creating beautiful jewelry and beadwork pieces.
Ms. Debralee Lyndon
Dance Educator; Ballet and Ballet en pointe
Ms. Debralee comes to MusicWorks with 25+ years teaching experience. She trained under ballet greats like Jeorge Samaniego and Risa Oganesof of Los Angeles, to name a few, and others like Alexander Gudonoff of Moscow, New York and Los Angeles, and Roseanne Ridings and Jimmy Reardon of Boston, Ms. Debralee performed for many years in dance corps and as a principal dancer in Los Angeles. After retiring from performance, she taught classical ballet in the Asheville area. Local instructional facilities include Asheville Center of Performing Arts and Center Stage One.
Logan Simone Labbe-Jarrell
Body Lyrics Bellydance Instructor, Performer, and Producer
Baraka Mundi Bellydance Performer Logan trained in ballet for 14 years with Raleigh’s first ballet school, Lehman Studio, under the instruction of John and Terry Lehman. She also studied tap, jazz, character dance, and became a member of the performing group, Ballet Lehman USA, during her early teens. Logan also participated in a performing tap group, Tapestry, where she danced at Wake County elementary and middle schools. Logan pursued musical theater and acting classes at the North Carolina Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh for several years under the instruction of Hal Hudson and STAS. She was seen in plays such as Annie, The Sound of Music, and As Butterflies. In 1992 Logan took the role of Helen Keller in the Peace College production of The Miracle Worker. After graduating high school, Logan studied anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology and earned her certification as a Licensed Massage Therapist from the Medical Arts Massage School of Raleigh, NC. She began her massage practice in 1999 and has served Haywood County since January of 2000 as a self employed massage therapist, now working under the business name Family Centered Massage. This knowledge of body mechanics has been quite useful in educating others how to use their muscles correctly in dance. Logan began studying bellydance 6 months after the birth of her son, Malachi Larson, in 2004 under the instruction of Crystal Lewis of Solshine Bellydance. Logan began teaching bellydance classes at the Waynesville Recreation Center in January 2006 and has continued her practice and instruction ever since at various locations including Mountain Yoga Center and most recently, Smoky Mountain Dance Center. Logan has performed several times at an Asheville Indian restaurant called Mela, and is excited about the possibility of dancing at Asheville’s Jerusalem Garden restaurant in the near future. In October of 2008 Logan produced her first show called the Blue Ridge Bellydance Showcase on the stage of the Old Armory in Waynesville. This brought professional bellydancers from all over WNC to the local stage and also featured two of Logan’s Body Lyrics Bellydance students.
Kathryn Millis
Creative Movement, Tap, Jazz Bio to come... Linda Rathman
Music Educator; Piano
Ms. Linda comes to MusicWorks from Alaska but grew up in Pennsylvania. She began private piano instruction at the age of 6 and continued her instruction in piano and organ for the next 15 years. At the age of 18 she began her own private piano studio and taught up to 80 students per week in both solo and group instruction. She recently retired from nursing and is thrilled to be returning to her first love as piano instructor!
Herb and Sally Roach
Ballroom Instructors Herb and Sally Roach have been dancing together since graduate school, where they started teaching dance to defray the costs of schooling. The Roaches both received a Master’s degree from Tulane University in New Orleans. While living in New Orleans, Herb and Sally became Arthur Murray certified through the gold level in 10 major dances. They also owned and operated ballroom dance studios in New Orleans and Greensboro. In addition to owning studios, they have worked on several major cruise lines including Celebrity Cruise Line, Royal Cruise Lines, World Cruises, and Princess Cruise Line. Shelia Radford Sumpter
Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Musical Theater Bio still to come...
Facility
MusicWorks! Studio of Performing Arts recently opened in a brand new location featuring two large dance studios equipped with parent observation windows, a comfortable, spacious lobby, one private music studio, two bathroom/dressing areas, and a dance wear boutique. Central heat and air-conditioning is available throughout the building. Ample parking is available. MusicWorks is centrally located just off of US Hwy 23/74 at 9 Forga Plaza Loop in Waynesville. From our studio you will also have easy access to several local businesses including Wal-Mart, K-Mart, several grocery stores, downtown Hazelwood and Waynesville shops, the Waynesville Library and plenty of restaurants and fast-food establishments!
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