Huff ‘n Puff in Jacksonville is home to Jacksonville Dance Company, Jacksonville Cheer Company and Jacksonville Gymnastics USAG Junior Olympic Competitive team. Over two hundred performers, three years old to adults, entertained the audience for over two hours. Director of the recital was Dance Department Head and Lead Instructor, Laurel Spears and she was assisted by the other very talented instructors, Naomi Bratton, Lois Bryan, Kimberly Holladay and Chris Williams.
The Tap ‘n Tumble Preschool Dance Department was represented by 41 three-four and five-year-old dancers from six different classes. They danced in colorful costumes to lively music with different themes. Dancing to “I Enjoy Being A Girl” were Grace Bowerman, Amber Cadie, Ahlana Gibbs, Dena Hallum, Savannah Harper, Shelby Haver, Lora Jackson and Alyssa Warren. Dancing to “Hey, Good Lookin’” were Trinity Dole, Megan Drause, Anna Holley, Jordan Nelson and Kacie Smith. Dancing to “The Candy Man” were Olivia Hall, Elizabeth Handy, Madeline Houben, Anna Marie Lucas, Claudia Ritchey, McCall Walker, Carson White and Lexi Wilkerson.
Other preschool dancers who were also the highlight of the evening were Grace Davis, Skylar Kreps, Lauren Portillo, Keie’ra Smith, Allie Taylor, and Mattie Taylor who danced to “Hakuna Matata.” Dancing to “Little Red Riding Hood” were Dee Dee Baxter, Morgan Blanchard, Emily Horn, Hannah Jones, Chloe Lay, Jordan Oliver, Presley Wintz and Eden Young. Dancing to “Baby Love” were Madison Baugh, Devyn Britt, Savannah Hogue, Julia Johnson, Alexandria Leirer and Emily Sundermeier. The last group of preschoolers, who danced to “Trot the Fox” were Carson Alvarez, Jillian Bratton, Miranda Chambers, Alyssa Hagewood, Naje’Harper, DeShauna Lemmons, Emily Snell and Katie Turner.
Other students, ages five to adults (mothers of students), performed more difficult routines of tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical and hiphop. Additionally, four different groups--who ranged in age from five and six, seven to ten, and eleven to nineteen--performed routines of cheer and cheer dance.
Also, the Jacksonville Dance Company Dancers, ages six to sixteen, performed their thirteen dances that had been performed at various competitions in January and April, adding their taste of near professionalism to the excitement.
Also adding to the professionalism of the evening, were the solo and duet numbers that were performed. Lindsey Sweet, a senior company dancer, performed a beautiful lyrical dance to “Cellophane.” Bailey Jo Rhodes, a junior company dancer, appearing delightfully n her first solo, tapped to “Mockingbird.” Instructor Lois Bryan performed an exciting and perfectly executed hiphop-jazz dance to “Rumors.” “Lois Bryan and Hiphop Instructor, Chris Williams, performed a humorous and beautifully executed partner jazz dance with a latin flavor to “Johnny Mambo.” Taylor Canfield, a senior company dancer, performed a fast-paced, wonderfully entertaining tap dance with a country flavor to “Cowboy Troy.” The last performance of the evening was a fun-filled hiphop dance to “One, Two Step” performed by Jennifer and Kimberly Holladay. The twins who have been students and instructors at Huff ‘n Puff since they were in the second grade, were performing in their fourteenth recital with Huff ‘n Puff, and have been a focal point of every Huff ‘n Puff recital for the past ten years.
There were many highlights during the recital – several being the fast-paced hiphop performances. Just one of the exciting performances was the guest appearance of the Price Crew and their eight backup dancers, five from Jacksonville Dance Company. The Price Crew consists of four brothers who are well known in the area for their Michael Jackson-style of dance; the boys are eight-year old Caleb, nine-year old Jacob, fifteen-year-old Zachary and eighteen-year-old Philip. The five backup dancers from Jacksonville Dance Company are Kelsea Bruce, Lois Bryan, Brittany Everett, Camille Holliday, and Lindsey Sweet. This is the second year that the Price Crew has made a guest appearance at the Huff ‘n Puff Recital. The older boys, Zach and Philip, also dance with the eleven Jacksonville Senior Dance Company Hiphop dancers to “Destiny’s Rhythm,” choreographed and taught by Chris Williams.
Always a crowd pleaser, was “Ain’t Goin’ Down ‘Til the Sun Comes Up” the Senior Company Tap music that was choreographed last year by Laurel Spears for a recital finale. The choreography was greatly changed and expanded last fall by Laurel for the Senior Tap Company to take to competitions. This dance, along with many other Company dances, won gold and first places at the competitions attended this year.
Receiving some of the loudest encouragement and loudest applause were the gymnastic feats and skills demonstrated and performed by the Jacksonville Gymnastics Competitive Team gymnasts. Level Four and Level Five gymnasts, who ranged in age from only six to eleven years old, all performed such skills as front and back walkovers and double back handsprings to “Super Model.”
The ever-increasingly difficult feats and skills demonstrated by the Level Six, Seven and Eight gymnasts highlighted the beginning of the Second Act. These talented athletes performed on stage such difficult feats as front and back tucks, front and back handsprings and half-twists. Especially breathtaking were the basket tosses as Coaches Kelly Adams and Daniel Allen tossed several gymnasts in the air. The gymnasts, who flew at least fifteen feet up in the air before coming down to land safely in the arms of the coaches, were Courtney Ellis, Stephanie York and Taylor Rai Johnson. Kimberly Holladay back spotted the gymnasts for safety purposes. A hiphop number performed by the nine of the gymnasts also showed how multi-talented these athletes are.
The evening culminated in the exhilarating and moving finale, choreographed by Laurel, and performed by the 43 Jacksonville Dance Company members to “I Believe.” It was especially moving for the Company parents and grandparents as they all knew what it took, especially for those youngest dancers, to be able to learn in about four sessions and to be able to perform some of the same routines with the older dancers. This grandmother could not hide the emotional tears that came with such feelings of pride for the children, for the instructors and for the twenty-five years that went into the recital.
Sheryl Zimmerman began Huff ‘n Puff over 26 years ago when she began teaching Rhythmic Aerobics, a type of aerobic program based on dance. The business soon branched out into dance and then into gymnastics a few years later. The business especially began to expand and grow when daughter Laurel returned to Jacksonville in 1996 to teach and to take over the programs in the business two years later. Laurel established the Jacksonville Gymnastics Competitive team almost seven years ago and the team has grown from eleven Level Four gymnasts to over 90 to 100 gymnasts, ranging in age from six to fifteen and competing at Levels Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight and above. Two years ago, Laurel formed the Jacksonville Dance Company that began winning top awards even in its first year and continued to win first and gold awards this year. Jacksonville Cheer Company is in its infancy as five coaches take over the helm – Kelly Adams, Lois Bryan, Jennifer Holladay, Kimberly Holladay and Chris Williams. The coaches have over 158 years of combined experience and three of the coaches have seven national championship titles among them.
Huff ‘n Puff holds Silver Anniversary Dance Recital to Celebrate 25 years of dance and business in Jacksonville. Some of the dancers who performed in the recital are shown here as they practice Curtain Call at Robinson Auditorium. Other performers in the recital were Jacksonville Dance Company dancers and the Jacksonville Gymnastics Competitive Team members. Over 200 students performed in this recital.
Taylor Canfield Samantha Martin
Jenna Cummings Ashley McCutcheon
Brittany Everett Jessica Raines
Kelsey Lerner Nichole Tackett
Amber Cadie Shelby Haver
Ahlana Gibbs Lora Jackson
Dena Hallum Alyssa Warren
Sarah Chesser Briyana Isaac
Megan Drause Jordan Nelson
Photograph Temporarily Unavailable
Kira Jinkins Jazmin Square
Jessica McCauley Emily West
Bailey Jo Rhodes Bria Wiggins
Kaitlyn Ford Kristina Martin
Stephanie Hamilton Taylor Mays
Lisa Kent Alexus Smith
Taylor Canfield Jessica Raines
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“the candy man”
Elizabeth Handy McCall Walker
Madeline Houben Carson White
Anna Marie Lucas Lexi Wilkerson
Danielle Leal Joi Smith
Jenna Cummings Lauren Payer
Kelsie Hite Mandy Sellars
Ashley McCutcheon Kari Williams
Rebecca Johnson Kendall Redwood
Meagan Kelly Hannah Reynolds
Haleigh McDonald Katie Warner
Jessica Holeman Bailey Jo Rhodes
“some where over the rainbow”
Sarah Kielty Lauren Shillcutt
Darby Lottner Sarah Shillcutt
Skylar Kreps Allie Taylor
Lauren Portillo Mattie Taylor
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MISSY’S JAM
Brittany Everett Lindsey Sweet
Whitney Holeman Tori Underwood
“LITTLE RED HIDING HOOD”
Emily Horn Presley Wintz
Hannah Jones Eden Young
“MY BOYFRIEND’S BACK”
Hannah Moler Madi Spears
“opposites attract”
Cassidy Eberle Terionna Stewart
Bailey Gibson Amy Threat
Samantha Gray Erica West
“britney’s jam”
“rumors”
“cold-hearted snake”
Tinthy Harper Kendra Leirer
Anna Haver Kimberly Holladay
“super Model”
Haley Edgin Shelby Matney
Mackenzie Ellis Tiffany Maxwell
Kelsy Founds Lauren McKibben
Samantha Gray Kaitlin Soderlund
Lara Beth Green-Bunch Madi Spears
Bethany Gunnell Tori Spears
Terra Johnson Meagan Trotter
Sarah Jane Womack
Morgan Colvert Bailea Jones
Caitlyn Dillon Mackenzie Powers
Cassidy Eberle Stephanie Scroggins
Marisa Grissom Samantha Sobba
Tori Hanley Carol Walters
Sydney Hickerson Erica West
Act II
Morgan Bussard Kelsey Lerner
Kierra Daniel Sarah McAlister
Kayla Edgin Bria Wiggins
Courtney Ellis Hannah Womack
Madison Ellis Stephanie York
Non-Performing Level Six, Seven and Eight Gymnasts
Sissy Ghormley Audrey Nettles
Alison Guthrie Brooke Nevins
Elise Guthrie Emily West
Rene’e LaFort Missy Whittecar
Shannon Mavity Jessica Wilde
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Mallory Harris Shayla McPherson
Devyn Britt Alexandria Leirer
Savannah Hogue Emily Sundermeier
“100% Pure love”
Jessica Holeman Tori Spears
Hannah Moler Madi Spears
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“dangerous”
Jacob Price Zachary Price
“dangerous”
and Dancers
Lois Bryan Brittany Miller
Brittany Everett Sara Rettstatt
“trot the fox”
Jillian Bratton DeShauna Lemmons
Miranda Chambers Emily Snell
Alyssa Hagewood Katie Turner
Sarah Chesser Kaitlin Soderlund
Tinthy Harper Kendra Leirer
Anna Haver Kimberly Holladay
Kira Jinkins Jazmin Square
Danielle Leal Joi Smith
Bethany Grant Jessica McCauley
Christina Hensley Jordan Morgan
Terra Johnson Maddy Shirley
Tessa Johnson Madi Spears
“ain’t goin’ down
‘til the sun comes up”
Taylor Canfield Jessica Raines
Brittany Everett Elizabeth Shepard
DeAnna Johnson Lindsey Sweet
Kelsey Lerner Stephanie York
Kaitlyn Ford Kristina Martin
Stephanie Hamilton Taylor Mays
Lisa Kent Alexus Smith
Megan Threat
Jessica Holeman Tori Spears
“real cool”
Kailee Ayers Jordan Kucksdorf
Alexis Boyle Hannah Moler
Kinley Burrows Micah Perry
Elizabeth Clark Chloe Risher
Kaitlynn Coleman Tatum Stanley
JieNa Funk Paige Watlington
Lauren Hagewood Katie Wilson
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“hamster dance”
Sarah Chesser Kaitlin Soderlund
“yeah”
Madison Ellis Emily West
Taylor Rai Johnson Missy Whittecar
Kimmie Raymond Bria Wiggins
“destiny’s rhythm”
Taylor Canfield Ashley McCutcheon
Brittany Everett Brittany Oliger
Kelsie Hite Brittany Rodgers
Whitney Holeman Lindsey Sweet
"BRAVE NEW WORLD"
Cassidy Eberle Terionna Stewart
Bailey Gibson Amy Threat
Samantha Gray Erica West
Rebecca Johnson Kendall Redwood
Meagan Kelly Hannah Reynolds
Haleigh McDonald Katie Warner
“one, two step”