PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND RETAIN FOR REFERENCE

 

OUR GOAL: We want your child to enjoy the pleasure of learning the art of dance or the skills of gymnastics while also experiencing the joy of achievement.

INSTRUCTORS:  Huff ‘n Puff has very talented and responsible instructors.  We are very proud of the programs that we offer and we feel that with our positive attitudes and your child’s talents, your child will be inspired to learn.

PAYMENT:  Class payment is due the first lesson of each month and is considered delinquent after the tenth of each month.  A late fee of $15 WILL BE ADDED AUTOMATICALLY to all accounts not paid by the 10^th day of the month.  (Please be sure to discuss with Laurel if more time or different pay schedule is needed or if installment payments need to be made, etc.)  PAYMENT by any manner—check-cash or debit card—is acceptable at the desk, or in the office, so a receipt may be issued.  Please note on your check the child’s name, the month for which payment is being made, and what classes your child is taking.  For our accounting purposes, receipts are written for each payment and copies are furnished for you for cash or by request for any payment.  We also accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover credit and debit cards.  And soon, payments may be made by credit/debit card on the internet.

A student beginning a class any time other than the first monthly lesson will pay for the number of lessons remaining in that month.  We do not charge extra for months when there are five lessons, nor do we deduct when we have only three lessons due to holidays, inclement weather, etc.  If we owe two lessons due to a combination of the above, we will schedule make-up lessons.

REFUNDS/MAKE-UPS:  No refunds will be given.  Students dropping out for any reason will forfeit the remainder of that month’s payment.  Also, registration fees are non-refundable.  Students are expected to attend each offered lesson.  However, we realize there are times when a lesson must be missed.  If your child must miss his/her regular class, please check with Ms. Laurel as to whether a make-up class may be taken. 

WE HAVE NO CONTRACTS; HOWEVER, YOUR CHILD IS CONSIDERED ENROLLED AND PAYMENT IS DUE FOR EACH MONTH UNTIL TWO WEEK’S WRITTEN NOTIFICATION IS MADE TO THE BUSINESS THAT YOUR CHILD IS DROPPING.  NOTIFICATION MAY BE MADE BY COMPLETING A DROP CARD (AVAILABLE IN OFFICE) OR BY CONTACTING THE OFFICE.  YOU WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY CHARGED UNTIL NOTIFICATION IS MADE. 

CANCELLATIONS DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER AND HOLIDAYS:   Decision regarding whether classes will be held when we have snow or ice, will be made between 2:00 and 3:00 in the afternoon and posted on the website.  If you have a question and cannot get to the website, please do not hesitate to call the gym for information.  (A note, however, I am the only one who has access to the website and if I should be out of town and a posting is not on by 3:00, then please call the gym, if you are in doubt as to classes.)  Many times, school will be cancelled but by mid-day, the roads will be fine.  If we have more than two bad-weather cancellations, we will offer makeup classes on a Saturday.  Regarding holidays, we close for six holidays:  Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving, Labor Day, Fourth of July and Memorial Day.  When in doubt about classes, please check our website, www.huffnpuffgym.com or call.

ATTIRE – DANCE:  Students must be on time for class and students will wear proper dance attire - leotards and tights or leotards and shorts for older girls, or jazz pants and shirt, and proper dance shoes.  No loose clothing and absolutely NO JEANS.  (Black pants or warm-up pants for boys).  Hair, long enough, must be pulled back from the face or worn in a ponytail.  Your instructor will be able to tell you what type of shoes are required for your classes or you may call the front desk and they will find out for you.  Tap shoes should be worn in the dance rooms only, and not in the halls.

ATTIRE – GYMNASTICS:  Girls will wear leotards or unibikes.  Boys will wear shorts or spandex.  No jean shorts, please.  Hair should be pulled back out of face and long hair must be tied up.   No rings, necklaces, dangling earrings or watches, etc. will be worn.  Students must be on time for class warmups.

 

RULES AND POLICIES

1.  Parents are not allowed in the gym or the dance rooms without invitation from an instructor or coach.  Please use the outer hall to take your children to their area of instruction.  

2.  No running or horseplay will be allowed!!!!

3.  PLEASE BE PROMPT IN PICKING UP YOUR CHILD.  All students are asked to remain inside the front area, while waiting for class to begin or to be picked up by the parents.  CHILDREN MAY NOT WAIT IN THE BIG GYM OR OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.  Huff ‘n Puff cannot be responsible for students who wait outside the studio.  If your child’s class is the last class of the evening and the instructor has to wait for you to pick up your child, you will be charged the fee to pay for the instructor’s time.

4.  Misbehavior will not be tolerated.  If your child is disruptive to the class, he or she will be sat down until ready to participate in the proper manner.  The instructors will handle disciplinary problems and will discuss the problem with the parent, if necessary. 

5.   NO FOOD, DRINKS OR GUM will be allowed in the Huff ‘n Puff gym or dance studios.  SNACKS AND DRINKS SHOULD BE CONSUMED IN THE AREA BY THE DRINK MACHINE.

6.  Parents may observe classes through the many viewing windows.  PARENTS AND SIBLINGS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE CLASS ROOMS OR GYM DURING CLASS TIMES.   PARENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO “COACH” FROM THE OPEN BALCONY.

7. IMPORTANT:  CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED ON ANY EQUIPMENT WITHOUT A QUALIFIED INSTRUCTOR. Team members, Levels Five and above, may work out on equipment with specific instructions from instructor. 

8.  Cell phones are not allowed in the class rooms or instruction area;  also, Huff 'n Puff cannot be responsible for theft or loss, so it is better for the child to leave the cell phone with their parents or at home.

IMPORTANT:  When you take the instructor’s class time for anything over one minute, you are taking instruction time from the other students as well as from your child.  Please feel free to call the studio to make an appointment with the instructors to discuss matters that might take more time. 

In early December, we will participate in the Jacksonville and Sherwood parades.  Our dance recital and gymnastics special skills meet will be scheduled for late May or early June.

We look forward to a continued successful year at Huff ‘n Puff – and if we can be of assistance at any time during the year, please do not hesitate to ask.  If you have any questions, or if any problems arise regarding our classes, please feel free to discuss them with Laurel.

Thank you for choosing Huff ‘n Puff as your dance, gymnastics, and cheerleading studio.

 

Sheryl L. Zimmerman, Owner

985-1818

 

HUFF ‘N PUFF DANCE INSTRUCTORS

 

Instructors for Huff ‘n Puff dance classes are highly qualified and experienced.  Please see later paragraphs.

 

                                                  

                                                       DIRECTOR OF DANCE             MS. LAUREL SPEARS

       

        INSTRUCTOR                                          MS. LOIS BRYAN

        INSTRUCTOR                                          MS. SARA RETTSTATT

        INSTRUCTOR                                          MS. LINDSEY SWEET

        INSTRUCTOR                                          MS. APRIL KISER

        INSTRUCTOR                                          MS. MICHELLE MCGOWAN

       INSTRUCTOR                                           MS. LAUREL SPEARS

 

Huff ‘n Puff offers classes in dance, gymnastics, and cheerleading.   Depending on age and skill level achieved, your child may choose to participate in either the recreational or the competitive programs offered within each program.  Be sure to consult class schedule for times offered.

 

Ms. Lois, Ms. Lindsey, Ms. Laurel and Ms. Sara

After a hard day of teaching and auditioning Jacksonville Dance Company Members

 

           Ms. Michelle

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                       Ms. April

 

 

DANCE

We are very proud of our dance department that has continued to grow under the tutelage of our instructors.  Our dancers and gymnasts proudly represented Huff ‘n Puff with their performances for Wing Ding in Oct.  Then, the Huff  ‘n Puff dancers, young and older, participated in the Jacksonville and Sherwood Christmas parades.  The younger dancers won the Second-Place Award and the older Dancers won the First-Place Award in Jacksonville for the parade performances.  The Sherwood parade has become quite a bit larger in the past several years and Huff ‘n Puff was pleased to win both first-place performance awards.   

We also look forward to the talents offered to our dancers by our instructors:  As Director of Dance, Ms. Laurel has always encouraged her dancers and teachers to be even better; We will miss Ms. Kim who had been with us for seventeen years and was so talented and helpful - Besides teaching kindergarten, Ms. Kim is also going to work on her master's degree; Ms. Lois has been with us for thirteen  years and works so very successfully in both areas of instruction—competitive dance and team gymnastics.  Ms. Lindsey who has also been with us for thirteen years and, who last year, taught both dance and team gymnastics for us will be teaching even more dance classes this year.  Ms. Sara Rettstatt, with her many talents, will be in her third teaching for us - besides teaching dance classes at LRAFB TCAC, Ms. Sara will be assuming more responsibilities with both recreational and company programs at HnP.   Ms. April Kiser will be in her third year of teaching for us, having also taught years in the past.  Ms. Michelle McGowan will also be taking on some of the responsibilities of the dance department, as well as being so invaluable in the gymnastics area.  We are indeed fortunate to have this level of experience from these instructors and we are looking forward to a wonderful year in the dance department.

 Dance classes are held for girls and boys, ages three to teens and adults.  We have added a ballet and tumbling class for 3-4-5- years olds to the ever popular Tap ‘n Tumbling classes, which are combination dance and gymnastics classes for 3-4-5 year olds.  One-hour combination classes of ballet, jazz and tap are offered for five to six-year and seven to nine year-olds.  Separate classes or a combination of the different genre are offered for different age groups.  A combination class of tap and hiphop/jazz for adults is also offered.

Class breakdowns are listed:

BALLET AND TUMBLING, Ages Three, Four and Five

TAP ‘N TUMBLING, Ages Three, Four and Five                                               

COMBINATION:  BALLET-TAP-JAZZ, Ages Five and Six; Ages Seven to Nine

BALLET-LYRICAL, Ages Five to Nine; and Ten and Up

JAZZ-HIPHOP, Ages Five to Six; Seven to Nine; and Ten and Up

TAP – JAZZ/HIPHOP, Ages Ten and Up

CHEER POM, Ages Five to Nine; and Ten and Up – classes include cheer technique.

ADULT CLASSES - Tap and Hiphop/Jazz Combo Classes

 

The dancers are grouped by level rather than by specific age.  The ages of each performing group or level are averaged for competitions.  Technique classes are also required for each genre of dance competed by the student. 

 Selection to company is made by audition once a year – usually in late July or early August, in each of the dance genre listed above. Company dancers will participate in several competitions yearly.  For additional information on company dance, please contact Ms. Laurel.

 

Dance classes are also held at LRAFB TCAC.

 

GYMNASTICS

GYMNASTICS COACHES AND INSTRUCTORS

 

             DIRECTOR OF GYMNASTICS AND HEAD TEAM COACH      LAUREL SPEARS

                                    ASSISTANT HEAD COACH      ERIN WUNDERL

                                          

TEAM COACHES CHRISTY ELLIS, LOIS BRYAN, MICHELLE MCGOWAN,

SISSY GHORMLEY, LINDSEY SWEET AND TORI SPEARS

 

HEAD RECREATIONAL COACH          BOBBY CHURCHES 

                                MICHAL HODSON           MICHELLE MCGOWAN                                   

LINDSEY SWEET AND SISSY GHORMLEY

 

PRESCHOOL INSTRUCTORS:  DENA GORDEN,

 MICHELLE MCGOWAN, SARA RETTSTATT

ERIN WUNDERL and JACKIE YORK

We have offered more classes and levels in every age bracket for preschool and school-age classes in an effort to keep the ratio of students to instructor as it should be.  Hopefully the times will meet your needs.

 

MOMMY AND ME         FUN TIME AT THE GYM FRIDAY (A.M.)

PRESCHOOL GYMNASTICS

Preschool Classes are offered mornings, and early and late afternoons for ages two to five.  The Mommy and Me classes for ages eighteen months to two years old (and Mommy) are offered in both morning and evening classes.

 

RECREATIONAL GYMNASTICS – AGES FIVE – ADULTS

Pre-Level One, Level One and Level Two

 

JUNIOR POWER TUMBLING  SENIOR POWER TUMBLING    ADULT POWER TUMBLING

 

LRAFB RECREATIONAL GYM

 

GIRLS COMPETITIVE TEAM – LEVELS THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX,

 SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE AND TEN

 

Preschool gymnastics classes are also held for girls and boys, ages two to five years of age and are held in the Preschool Gym with some trampoline and pit use.  Beginner and ongoing recreational gymnastics classes are held for girls and boys, ages five (school-age) to teens and adults.  School-age students may want to take two hours or more a week in order to progress at a faster rate.  Advanced classes and private lessons are also available. 

Junior and Senior power tumbling classes are offered for both girls and boys, for beginners, intermediate and  ongoing students.  Boys older than preschool age may wish to take the boys junior power tumbling class,  as opposed to recreational classes.  Classes for boys and girls are also offered in advanced power tumbling.  A special Advanced Senior Power Tumbling Class is also offered by Coach Laurel.

 

Competitive team classes are offered for Levels Three to Ten.

 JACKSONVILLE USAG JUNIOR OLYMPIC

GYMNASTICS COMPETITIVE TEAM

HEAD COACH LAUREL SPEARS

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH - ERIN WUNDERL

 CHRISTY ELLIS, LOIS BRYAN, MICHELLE MCGOWAN,

SISSY GHORMLEY, LINDSEY SWEET AND TORI SPEARS

 

Level Three   Level Four   Level Five   Level Six   Level Seven   Level Eight  Level Nine Level Ten

  

We at Huff ‘n Puff are very excited about the progress our gymnastics team continues to make.  Our girls’ team has been actively competing for ten seasons and our team continues to grow in number and accomplishments. 

Our USAG Junior Olympic Competitive Team, known as Jacksonville Gymnastics, participated in nine competitions, including the Shreveport Meet, Memphis Meet and the Tyler, Texas meet, although not all levels attended each competition.  The Level Four gymnasts ended their competition year at the Level Four Fun Meet at Ft. Smith and Levels Five to Ten ended their regular 2008-2009 in March at the Arkansas State Competitions, which was held in Pine Bluff.   Additionally, gymnasts from our Level Eight team and Level Nine Team went on to compete at higher competitions - discussed later paragraph.  This will be our eleventh year to compete and our team has continued to grow and thrive each season.   

We began competing Level Three gymnasts four years ago and these young gymnasts have been doing so well.  Team awards are not always given for Level Three teams but our Level Three gymnasts had great scores and won many first-place all-around awards and we feel the team could have taken first place in several of their meets, had the team awards been given.

 

In the 2008– 2009 competitive season, the team won seventeen  First-Place Team Awards;  eleven Second-Place Team Awards; six Third-Place Team Awards; four Fourth and  one Fifth-Place Team Awards, (including winning team awards in the out of state meets.)  As stated above, none of the meets that our Level Three team attended gave team awards, but we know that our Level Three Team did very well.  In the 2008-2009 competition season, the team members earned 151 Top (first or second place) Individual All-Around Honors for the season and 558 Event Top (first or second-place) Awards.  (Wow!  that even impressed me when I figured it all out.)

In addition to Level Nine Team winning 2009 State Championship and Level Seven tieing for State Championship, and Level Six Team winning Second-Place State Championship, we also had eight individual All-Around State Champions and 39 Event State Champions, (counting Level Four Fun Meet event winners.)  Additionally, one of our Level Eight gymnasts competed in the Level Eight Regional Three Competition in Norman, Oklahoma, and four of our competing Level Nine gymnasts were chosen to attend the Regional Three Championship Meet in Denver.  From that championship, for the first time in our history, we had two Level Nine gymnasts compete in the Western National Championship held this year in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. 

Much credit is also attributed to Mr. Bobby and our recreational coacheas who inspire the young gymnasts in the pre-level one, level one and especially Level two classes to work even harder to achieve the skills to make it to the Level Three Team.            

With the help of our team parents and Huff ‘n Puff personnel, Jacksonville Gymnastics hosted our ninth annual competitive meet.  In the past, we have hosted the Annual Sweetheart Invitational Meet in February, but this last year, we hosted the First Annual Emerald Classic Meet, which we held at the Cabot High School on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The meet was again a very, very  large meet with over 623 gymnasts competing over three days.  We very much appreciate the sponsors who were so beneficial to our hosting the wonderful meet that has come to be expected of us.  It has been a very busy and fun-filled season for us this past competitive season.  We certainly appreciate the team parents who have helped us and we especially appreciate the assistance of the Jacksonville Gymnastics Parents Association.  These parents are part of a non-profit parents organization that was formed to raise funds to help defray costs for the competing gymnasts, and they are always first to aid us in our efforts.  Our Jacksonville Dance Company parents are also included in this parents association.

Our recreational program, power tumbling, and preteam classes continue to grow stronger under the tutelage of Mr. Bobby and our staff.  Our May 2009 Skills Revue, which was divided into three parts by age and ability, was a huge success.  We had many gymnasts participate and it was such fun for all of us, as well as for the parents and grandparents.   

With your child’s skills and hard work and with the continued encouragement from our very talented staff members, we continue to anticipate even greater strides this year in all our programs (from preschool through recreational and on through competitive gym.)

 

 

                 CHEERLEADING - POM

Huff ‘n Puff offers age-appropriate cheerleading-pom classes that help prepare your child for cheerleading and/or dance teams.  Classes offered are for ages five to nine; and ten and up.  Students are taught the basic techniques in cheerleading.  The skills taught are:  cheers, motions, jumps and basic stunting.  Dance similar to cheer dance is taught as the students learn to be proficient with pom.  It is also strongly recommended that your child either be enrolled in a dance class or in junior power tumbling as an additional aide to learning to be a cheerleader. 

Advanced cheerleading classes will be offered as needed.

 

INSTRUCTOR:  Ms. Lindsey Sweet

         

 

 

LITTLE ROCK AFB YOUTH CENTER CLASSES

 

Huff ‘n Puff Fitness, Dance and Gymnastics Center, Inc. is contracted to teach dance and gymnastics at Little Rock Air Force Base.  Registration for gymnastics is made at and through the LRAFB Youth Center.  Registration for dance is made at the TCAC where the classes are held.  Monthly class fees are paid at the location and checks should be made to Huff ‘n Puff.   However, you may also pay at the Huff ‘n Puff location if that is convenient for you.  For Information, call Laurel or Jackie at 985-1818.

 

LRAFB YOUTH CENTER INSTRUCTORS

                       DIRECTOR OF DANCE AND GYMNASTICS                     Laurel Spears

 

 

 

 

HUFF ‘N PUFF INSTRUCTORS

DANCE

 

Laurel Zimmerman Spears - Chief Operations Officer

Head Competitive Coach

Director of Dance

Ms. Laurel Zimmerman Spears, our head gymnastics coach and director of dance, has been associated with Huff ‘n Puff from its beginning in 1980.  She began taking dance and gymnastics at age three and became a serious student of dance and gymnastics at age ten with the opening of Huff ‘n Puff.   Ms. Laurel began assisting Huff ‘n Puff dance instructors at a very young age and as a young teenager, she began teaching ballet and tap to young students and jazz and tap to adults.   Her background in dance comes from many years of study with well-known Arkansas instructors, through studio classes, college courses and private lessons.  She also began teaching gymnastics at Huff ‘n Puff at age 14.  

Several years ago, Ms. Laurel and her family returned to Arkansas so she could once again be a part of the business.   She is a member of the professional USA Gymnastics Federation and is our head gymnastics and competitive team coach and director of both dance and gymnastics.  Ms. Laurel is safety certified by USAG and is a USAG Skill Evaluator; she has also been a USAG Junior Olympic Judge.  She has completed her Kinder Accreditation, a preschool gymnastics certification. She teaches advanced gymnastics and prepares the more advanced students for competitions.  Ten years ago, she began the Jacksonville Gymnastics Competitive Team with eleven Level Four members.  This summer our competitive team, Levels Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and ten, numbers around 65 competitors. 

Laurel also oversees the dance programs and will again teach; she will co-teach the Large Tap Group and will also assume some of the recreational classes.  It is difficult for her to teach as much as she would like due to her heavy administrative and coaching schedule.  We all have so much confidence in our instructors; they are fantastic and they know what is expected (having grown up in the business) and they accomplish it.  Laurel formed the Jacksonville Dance Company six years ago and it continues to grow and succeed.

While managing Huff ‘n Puff, Laurel earned her second associate degree in 2003.  Her first associate degree from the Art Institute of Dallas was in interior design and her second was in Business Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, in which she graduated magna cum laude.  She is the mother of fifteen-year-old Tori and soon-to-be eleven-year old Madi.  Both girls are active in team gymnastics and dance company.  Tori, having grown six inches this year and dropping competitive gymnastics, will still be extra busy this year as she made High School Cheerleader. 

Ms. Laurel - 2009

 

 

 

 

Ms. Lois Bryan, who has been with us for thirteen years, joined our staff five years ago.  Ms. Lois has worked with all three departments – dance, gymnastics and cheerleading.  She has been coaching team gymnastics, and is again teaching lyrical and hiphop this fall to company dancers.  Lois took dance for thirteen years, with eight of those years being at Huff ‘n Puff.  Her four years of gymnastics were taken at Huff ‘n Puff and she was on Ms. Laurel’s first competitive team, as well as the original competitive Dance Company.  She had been a cheerleader since the 8^th grade, was co-captain in the ninth grade, was named top all-american cheerleader in tenth grade and also cheered in the eleventh and twelfth grades.  Lois was chosen after her senior year to be a member of the Universal Cheerleaders Association Staff for 2004 and traveled to five or six nearby states to help instruct cheerleading camps for high school and junior high squads.  Ms. Lois attended Pulaski Tech for three years on scholarship, and is now in the Registered Nursing Program at Baptist Health School of Nursing and Allied Health, with plans to graduate in December 2009.  She also works at the hospital as a Patient Care Tech ll.  She will continue to teach dance, and coach gymnastics, working with Level Five, Six and Seven Gymnasts.  Ms. Lois' company dancers have continued to excel in the competitions and are so enjoyable to watch.  The hiphop and jazz dancers were as exuberant as the lyrical dancers were graceful.

Ms. Lois - at 2009 National Dance Competition - Branson, Missouri

 

 

 

Ms. Lindsey Sweet has been a member of the Huff ‘n Puff Family for thirteen years.  She took dance from Ms. Laurel for ten of those twelve years and was one of the original Gymnasts on the Competitive team, as well as one of the original dancers to dance competitively in the Jacksonville Dance Company.  She also took from Chris Williams, Senior Dance Instructor at Huff ‘n Puff, for four years. She danced for several years in the Company Senior jazz, tap, hiphop and lyrical groups.  She has been known for being a beautiful lyrical dancer and became a member of the company lyrical group that Ms. Laurel formed several years ago.  As one of the original Team gymnasts, Ms. Lindsey competed for five years, Level Four through Level Seven.  She was a junior high cheerleader for two years and cheered at Jacksonville High School for three years.  Ms. Lindsay has worked daycamp for three years and she taught recreational gymnastics classes for three years.  She began assisting with team five summers ago.  She has taught lyrical to team members and others for the past two years as well as teaching Company technique last year.  Ms. Lindsey has taken on more Dance Company responsibilities and will be sharing her many talents with dancers this year in both recreational and competitive classes as well as instructing in the recreational gymnastics department.  Ms. Lindsey will again be attending Pulaski Technical College as well.

Ms. Lindsey - Recital 2009

 

 

Ms. Sara Rettstatt, who joined our staff two years ago, has an extensive background in dance and cheerleading.  She had taken dance for sixteen years, with the last twelve being from Ms. Karen’s School of Dance in North Little Rock.  She was a North Pulaski High School Cheerleader for four years.  Her dance specialties are tap, jazz, lyrical, hiphop and clogging.  She was a competitive gymnast for several years and she also competed in pageants for a number of years.  Ms. Sara will be teaching both recreational and competitive dancers this fall at Huff ‘n Puff and recreational dance at the base.  Ms. Sara is the proud, proud mother of sixteen-month-old boy--Brandon Michael-- who was born April 27^th, 2008 just before recital last year.   Ms. Sara is currently enrolled at Pulaski Technical College.  After receiving her associate degree there, she plans to enroll in medical school to achieve a degree in radiology.  We are happy that she chose to  share her talents with us here at Huff ‘n Puff and much responsibility has been placed on her shoulders this year.

Ms. Sara at 2009 National Dance Competition, Branson, Missouri

 

 

Ms. April (Atkins) Kiser is teaching in her third year at Huff 'n Puff, having worked here different years from 1996 to 2003.  She has taught intermediate/advanced levels of ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical and modern dance.  Ms. April began dancing at the young age of eight, taking dance courses in Little Rock, North Little Rock, Conway and Jacksonville.  During her high school years, Ms. April attended dance classes six days a week.   April danced with the Arkansas Dance Company for several years and her style of dance and manner of teaching was deeply influenced by such well-known dance instructors as Antonio Mesa, Pamela Dowd, Jennifer Maddox (who incidentally also taught for Huff ‘n Puff for several years) from the Arkansas Arts Center, and the late Sally Riggs of Studio One.  Ms. April had featured roles in such productions as “The Nutcracker,” “Red Shoes,” “Cinderella,” “Oklahoma,” “Wizard of Oz,” “Grease,” “Fame,” and “42^nd Street.”  She won state, regional and national dance competitions, solo and group divisions.  She also won numerous pageant titles and talent awards on the local, state and national levels.  Ms. April has also been in several nationally published magazines such as “Pageantry,” “Dance,” and “Modeling” as well as local Arkansas publications.  Ms. April has been employed fulltime with the Jacksonville Police Department since 1999.  She is known also for her many Fundraisers for Special Olympics.  You might see her on Today’s THV or Good Morning, Arkansas promoting events such as “Boots-n-Badges Together, “”Polar Bear Plunge,” ”Tip-a-Cop,” ”Law Enforcement Golf Tournament,” and “Wing Ding 5K Benefit Run for SOA,” just to name a few.  Ms. April is the proud wife of Rick Kiser (also in law enforcement) and is mother of Trea and Tori Kiser.  Last year, Ms. April taught technique classes for Company dancers plus recreational dance classes.  Ms. April will be teaching recreational classes for us this year, including tap 'n tumbling, a combo class and ballet and lyrical. 

 

Ms. April after 2009 Dance Recital

 

Ms. Michelle McGowan - See Gymnastics.

 

GYMNASTICS

 

Gymnastics is a Family Business – the sport involves not only the coaches and the gymnasts, but also each coach and her/his family, and the gymnast and her family.  Our coaches are all a part of the Huff ‘n Puff Family and Jacksonville Gymnastics Team Family.

 

Team Coaches, from left to right, Ms. Lois, Ms. Lindsey, Ms. Laurel, Ms. Erin and Ms. Christy - taken early 2008.  (I'm trying to get the coaches all together for a new pictures!!!  They are so busy that I'm not having much success.)

 

Coach Laurel Spears, Head Team Coach – see above under Dance.

 

ASSISTANT  HEAD  C O A C H    E R I N   W U N D E R L

Coach Erin Wunderl, our Assistant Head Team Coach, has been with us for seven and a half years.  Her specialty in the gym is working with the team girls on the beam and higher-level team girls on different events.  Many of our team and preschool successes can be attributed to her coaching and work ethics.  Several years past, Erin taught preschoolers from the youngest Mommy-and-Me students to the advanced preschoolers and was Director of our Preschool Gymnastics Program.  She continues to teach pre-school students one morning a week.  She was a gymnastics student for thirteen years and competed at Level Eight.  She was the State All-Around Champion, Level Seven for two years in a row.  Erin graduated magna cum laude from Arkansas Tech University in 1999, with a degree in Elementary Education and is a certified kindergarten teacher.  She has coached team for fourteen   years, Levels three to nine, and has also taught preschool gymnastics for ages two to five-year-olds for the past twelve years.  She taught advanced preschool classes for children ready to be challenged.  As our Team has grown, Erin, as assistant head coach, has taken on more of the duties.  She has a four-year old son Ty.

Coach Erin - 2009

 

Coach – Mr. Bobby Churches, our lead recreational instructor, has over nineteen years experience teaching gymnastics in Arkansas.  Mr. Bobby has been a great asset at Huff ‘n Puff for over almost thirteen years and instructs students of all levels and ages preschool to advanced older students and adults, and junior and senior power tumbling.  For the last several years, Mr. Bobby has been the primary instructor for many Level Two gymnasts who were moved up to Level Three up to compete, several who directly to Level Four.  Mr. Bobby has demonstrated exceptional skills teaching gymnastics to children with special needs.  For years, Mr. Bobby also taught our Little Rock AFB Youth Center gymnastics classes.  Besides being lead recreational instructor, Mr. Bobby has assumed responsibility for the very popular “Fun Night at the Gym” held semi-monthly, and those extra fun birthday parties for all ages.  Mr. Bobby has also been a great asset at our all summer-long day camps.  Mr. Bobby has proven to be a wonderful coach and friend to many, many students, and is admired and respected by parents and students alike.  Mr. Bobby was asked to visit most of the Cabot elementary schools for the past two years to teach gymnastics for several days at each school.  In doing so, Mr. Bobby has become friends with many of the teachers and students in the Cabot School District.  Mr. Bobby will continue to teach all levels of gymnastics and will continue to encourage his students in their enjoyment of the sport.

 

Mr. Bobby - 2009

 

 

Ms. Lois Bryan - see Dance

 

 

Ms. Christy Ellis joined the staff at Huff ‘n Puff in the summer of 2004 working at the ever-popular daycamp, teaching four-five-year olds.  She and her family had come to Huff ‘n Puff earlier in March to join the Jacksonville Gymnastics Team.  Ms. Christy has now been teaching gymnastics at HnP for five years.  She started in the Preschool Gym, teaching preschool children, and in the fall of 05 she progressed to working with the Level Three and Four team members, as well as teaching several recreational classes.  Ms. Christy is now coaching Level Three, Four and Five competitive gymnasts. Three years ago, she attended the USAG Junior Olympic Gymnastics Symposium in Lexington, Kentucky, with Ms. Laurel.  She also escorted the team girls to the Bela Karolyi Camp just outside of Houston for three summers.  Ms. Christy is a graduate of Sylvan Hills High in Sherwood.  She has been enthusiastically involved in sports her whole life. She started playing softball at the age of four and continued until she was 25. She took two years of gymnastics and played Basketball and Volleyball for her school and she can still climb the rope as quickly as the gymnasts.  Ms. Christy worked at Nuvell Financial Services, in Little Rock, for ten years where she held the position of Manager over Vehicle Remarketing, Insurance Claims, Title and Clerical Staff. Her position was very intensive and involved a lot of traveling.  In October of 2000, she decided to retire and work full time at home.  It was also in 2000 that five-year old daughter Courtney (fourteen in October) began recreational gymnastics.  She quickly progressed to team within two years.  Courtney won the Level Five and Level Six State Championship for her age two years in a row, was State Co-Champion, Level Seven and won the Individual All-Around State Championship, for her age, Level Eight.  Courtney is now in her second year of Level Nine.  Daughter Mackenzie started gymnastics at age three and began competing in 2004-2005, at age six, as a first-year Level Four gymnast.    Mackenzie, (eleven in November), competed two years ago as a Level Six gymnast and was a member of the Jax Gym Level Six State Championship Team and was also Individual All-Around Co-Champion, Level Six for her age bracket.  She was also a member last season of the Level Seven Team that tied for State Championship.  Mackenzie is now working at Level Eight.  Ms. Christy also has an older son Trey.  Ms. Christy is a huge asset to the gym and she and husband John are great supporters of the team and gym.

 

 Ms. Christy - Spring, 2009

 

Ms. Christy - August 11, 2009

 

 

Ms. Lindsey Sweet - see Dance.

 

 

Michelle McGowan joined our coaching staff last fall.  She has been such an asset in the gym and will be instructing several recreational pre-level one and level one classes, as well as also coaching our competitive gymnastics team, Level Three.  Michelle is also teaching one morning of preschool gymnastics, as well as the morning and evening Mommy and Me classes. 

Michelle has an extensive background in both dance and gymnastics.  She has come to us from Rockport, Maine, where she owned, directed and instructed dance at Studio M.  She also coached all levels of gymnastics at Fundamental Moves Gymnastics Training Center for ten years.  Among her many accomplishments during this time, she achieved KAT certification and PDP certification, and is USAG Safety and Instructor certified. 

We are very pleased that Michelle chose to join us as she has become an integral part of our training staff. 

Michelle McGowan - 2009 Recital

 

 

 

Ms. Michal Hodson, who will again be coaching a Level Two class, comes to us with a lengthy background in gymnastics.  Michal began gymnastics at age three and continued through her sophomore year in high school.   Upon ending her own gymnastics program, she began coaching and has coached preschoolers to Level Nine during her nineteen years of coaching.   She received her degree in Exercise Physiology, with a minor in Sports Medicine, from Phillips University, Enid, Oklahoma.  While in college, Michal was a university gymnast and also coached a competitive team in Enid.  After graduating, she continued to coach in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has coached several state and regional champion gymnasts.  As a USAG certified judge for nine years, Michal is qualified to judge through Level Ten competitions.  She has also done contract work writing curriculums for gyms throughout Oklahoma and for clinics held for coaching staffs in several gyms.  Michal and husband Eric have two daughters who are gymnasts on the Jacksonville Gymnastics Competitive Team.  Olivia, age ten, is a Level Five gymnast, and Reagan, age seven, is a Level Four gymnast.

Michal has been so good about subbing for us for both team and recreational classes (for which we are grateful) and we are so pleased that she will again be coaching a Level Two class on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 7:00.

 

 

 

                

          Ms. Michal

 

 

 

Ms. Lindsey Sweet - see Dance.

 

GeorgiaRuth “Sissy” Ghormley began her “gymnastics career” when she started gymnastics at age eight. After a year of gymnastics, she was moved to Level Five.  After a year of being on an exhibition team, she began to compete Level Five and Six.  After three years of competing at Level Five and Six, she came to Huff ‘n Puff in March 2002 to compete with Jacksonville Gymnastics.  She competed several seasons at Level Seven, and finished her last Level Seven season undefeated for All-Around and won the State Champion Individual All-Around for her age.  She continued to train as a Level Eight gymnast and hoped to move to Level Nine, but recurring injuries prevented her from fulfilling the goals that she had set for herself.  Sissy attended Bart Connor Training Facility many times over the years.  She began coaching for the gym last spring and has been a wonderful asset to the gym, working with the younger team gymnasts.  Sissy will also teach pre-level one and Level One classes this fall, and will also work with Ms. Christy with Level Two gymnasts.

Sissy

 

 

Ms. Tori Spears, daughter of Laurel Spears and granddaughter of Sheryl Zimmerman, has taken both gymnastics and dance at Huff ‘n Puff for thirteen years.  She competed gymnastics for about eight years and continues her studies in dance, having competed with the Jacksonville Dance Company since its inception six years ago.  Tori has maintained an honor roll status while taking pre-ap classes, even though she has spent nearly 18 hours a week at the gym.  This summer, Tori worked successfully with Level Four gymnasts, and this fall, she will begin her first year as high school cheerleader at Cabot High School.  She will also continue to work in the gym when not in the dance room or in the sports arena.

 

This is not how Ms. Tori looks on the gym floor!!!!

 

 

 

 

PRESCHOOL INSTRUCTORS 2009 - 2010

 

Ms. Dena Gorden has been working with children most of her adult life.  She graduated from Arkansas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education.  She later graduated from East Central University, Ada, Oklahoma with a Master’s Degree in Library Media.  She taught fourteen years in Oklahoma, and during ten of those years, she taught kindergarten children.  More recently, while living in Mena, Arkansas, she taught Kids College in a summer program at the Rich Mountain Community College.  She also was a lifeguard and taught beginning swimming lessons and also coached the eight-and-under swim team.   Ms. Dena is currently the Elementary Library Media Specialist at Pinewood Elementary.    She and husband Kent are parents to twelve-year-old Katy, who is a member of Jacksonville Dance Company; Ally, age 16; Kyle, age 20; and Tosha, 24; and granddaughters Kailie, almost five and Abigail who was born May 19th.  Ms. Dena worked the Huff ‘n Puff Day Camp two summers ago and then began teaching preschool gymnastics for us.  She will continue to teach her preschool classes as well as advanced preschool classes and a pre-level one class.  Dena has a wonderful way with children and is a great addition to our gymnastics program.

 

Ms. Dena and Abby

 

Ms. Dena  

 

 

Ms. Jackie York has been a preschool gymnastics instructor, mornings and evenings, for five and a half years.  She has also worked the front desk for six and a half years.  She and her husband Joey have been around gymnastics at Huff ‘n Puff longer though.  Seventeen-year-old daughter Stephanie competed gymnastics for eight years before changing to high school cheerleader.  Fourteen-year-old son Michael competed on the Boy’s team for three years.  Both Stephanie and Michael are also active in our dance company.  Ms. Jackie graduated from Westside High School, Jonesboro, where she was a majorette.  She also attended ASU/Jonesboro.  Ms. Jackie has worked with the Huff ‘n Puff Daycamp for several years and is the Assistant Day Camp Director.  Ms. Jackie substitute taught in Cabot Schools for four years.  She and Ms. Kristi have taught the Mini Mite classes for the past three years at several daycares in Cabot and Little Rock where they will continue to teach this year.  Ms. Jackie will continue to teach preschool and recreational gymnastics pre-level one classes at the Little Rock AFB Youth Center, in addition to teaching preschool classes at Huff ‘n Puff.  She will also continue working on the office staff.  Ms. Jackie and Joey, Stephanie and Michael are a great part of our Huff ‘n Puff Family.

 

Ms. Jackie

 

Ms. Erin - See above.

 

Ms. Michelle - See Above.