Keila Harvey

Mrs. Keila Harvey has over 35 years of dance experience in all forms of dance and 14 years of teaching various dance forms. She opened the Gift of Dance Studio doors in June of 2005, fulfilling her dream that she had since childhood: to own her own dance school.  In 2001, Mrs. Harvey received her BA in middle school education. She served as the leader of 7th Day Evangelism Dance Ministry with the Fishers of Men Outreach Ministry at New Birth Cathedral in Lithonia. Mrs. Harvey taught public school for nine years as a Clayton County Public School teacher (middle and high schools) and also received her certification with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission to teach PS/Dance in grades K-12. She was the Co-Director of the Mt. Zion High School Dance Academy and Mt. Zion Magnet High School in Jonesboro for four years. She also danced as a professional ballerina across the nation with Atlanta Festival Ballet Company. Mrs. Harvey has trained at some of the most prestigious dance institutions in the country, including Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education, the Atlanta Ballet, Ballethnic Academy for Dance Education, Southern Methodist University (Dallas, Texas) and the Governor’s Honors Program (Valdosta, Georgia).

As director of Gift of Dance Studio, Mrs. Harvey, her staff, and students were featured on MTV’s Made program and Bring It!. Under her tutelage, her trainees have achieved many honors, such as local talent shows, regional and national first-place and first overall competition winners, Governor’s Honors Program nominees and attendees, and impressive accomplishments on the hit TV show: So You Think You Can Dance. Mrs. Harvey continues to teach and choreograph classes at Gift of Dance along with the competition team. In fact, in the fall of 2012, she and her competition team were selected to compete and perform at the 2012 Scream (Concert) Tour.

Jelinda Ellis

Ms. Jelinda Ellis has been dancing since she was 3 years old. She began dancing at Robinson School of Dance (now T&K Dance Studio) in Jackson, Ga where she learned ballet, tap, jazz, and pointe. She is now 20 years old and attends Clayton State University in Morrow, Ga. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Dance. The past school year she was a member of Clayton State’s dance team, Loched in Motion. She also dances at her church as a liturgical dancer and began a YouTube page of her most recent dances. This is her first year teaching dance and she has truly enjoyed the experience. Ms. Ellis hopes to continue her passion for dance by attending more dance classes and someday traveling as a dancer and choreographer. She says that dancing is what keeps her going!

Jeremy Hunter

Mr. Jeremy Hunter was born in Memphis, TN and raised in Atlanta, GA. He is a dancer/ choreographer that fell in love with dancing at the age of 7 years old after watching Michael Jackson’s “Moonwalker” and the movie “Breakin’.” Those movies inspired Jeremy to pursue his love for foundational hip- hop dance, particularly popping and locking. As time went on, Jeremy started to get into hip-hop choreography and was unconventionally trained by watching and mimicking dance movies, music videos and concert footage. After meeting and receiving tutelage from Swagger Crew’s Jason Croom, Jeremy began to fine-tune his talents and gain experience as a dancer and choreographer by developing his ideas to create jaw-dropping choreography for stage and videos. Currently, Jeremy is an official member of ATL’s Swagger Crew, from America’s Best Dance Crew, season 5, and is making moves to become a top dancer/ choreographer, whose main goal is to aspire and inspire people of all ages to be themselves in their dance!

Karla Tyson

Ms. Karla D. Tyson began dancing at the age of five at Ballethnic Academy of Dance in East Point, GA under the direction of Nena and Waverly Lucas. She specializes in classical ballet, pointe and partnering, but it also trained in jazz, tap, modern, African, and hip hop. Ms. Tyson has performed in Ballethnic’s two main productions: The Urban Nutcracker and The Leopard Tale. In March 2009, she was featured as the first ever Quick Gem in Ballethnic’s premiere of Jazzy Sleeping Beauty. She was an apprentice at Ballethnic Dance Company for two years, performing such roles as Brown Sugar (also known as the Sugar Plum Fairy) in The Urban Nutcracker at just 16 years old and other various company roles. She was selected to the Governor’s Honors Program in the summer of 2005 as a dance major. Ms. Tyson has traveled across the country to perform and take master classes from renowned dancers in Metro-Atlanta; Dallas, TX; Durham, NC; San Diego, CA and in many more cities in the U.S. She also traveled to Barbados to teach master classes. Formerly, she was a back-up dancer for Cymia Telleria, an artist with Cash Money Records, and traveled to New Orleans, Miami, Washington, D.C., and throughout Atlanta to perform. Ms. Tyson was chosen to go to Las Vegas, NV to participate on the hit TV show “So You Think You Can Dance” in season 8. Ms. Karla also was chosen to perform ballet routines at, singer/rapper, Cardi B.'s (and "Offset's") baby shower, for their daughter Kulture, in Atlanta, GA. And for 3 years, Ms. Karla danced with the NBA, Los Angeles Lakers, as a member of the infamous Laker Girls!

Erin Moore

Mrs. Erin Moore is a Henry Co. native. She is happily married to her husband, Jason, and they have 3 children. She graduated from Clayton State University with a degree in business marketing and management in 2008. She received most her of dance training at Upstage Dance Center in Ellenwood, GA, under the direction of Jeanne Palpant. She also trained several seasons at The Atlanta Ballet and performed in their annual production of The Nutcracker at the Fox Theater. Mrs. Erin began assisting classes at the age of 13, and then teaching her own classes at the age of 17. She co-founded the now defunct dance program at Gym Tech 4 Kids. Thereafter, Mrs. Erin and her students found their home at Gift of Dance Studio, in 2017. Mrs. Erin loves teaching kids of all ages. She says, "The light that shines through them once they finally grasp a step is what all the hard work is for."

Victoria Spivey

Ms. Victoria Spivey started dancing when she was three years old. She started at Atlanta Festival Ballet under her instructors Nicolas Pacaña, Gregory Aaron, Jocelyn Buchanan, and later Keila Harvey. Victoria is currently majoring in early childhood education. She has been teaching at Gift of Dance Studio for several years.

J’Quevius Hand

Mr. J’Quevius Hand

Meredith Olivia

Ms. Meredith Olivia is a graduate of the University of Alabama where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography. While there, she performed with the University's student company, Alabama Repertory Dance and Theatre, where she performed in various cities throughout Alabama. Along with performing, she has taught ballet, modern, jazz, and tap at several studios in both Georgia and Alabama where her choreography has been awarded and recognized in various competitions. She has also had immensely rewarding opportunities to intern and work with companies such as: Now Next Dance (DC), Trisha Brown Dance Company, and The Georgia Ballet. She has also directed and produced her own dance production with MODCO Dance Company.

Jessica Booker

Ms. Jessica Booker started dancing at the age of 3. She began training in ballet, tap and jazz at Price Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, GA. In her later years, she received training in hip hop, pointe and lyrical at Gift of Dance Studio. She attended The Fort Valley State University, where she was a member of the Dancing Doll Divas for the Blue Machine Marching Band, as well as served as Captain of the dance line. Currently, Ms. Booker resides in Atlanta, Ga where she works as an Lab Analyst and teaches dance part time. She has also served as the Coach for our very own Majorette dance team,The Divine Dolls for 3 years now.