MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS & STAFF

WHITNEY LEWIS

Founder and Director

Ballet, Contemporary, and Acro Instructor

Whitney began her dance training in Zanesville where she studied ballet for ten years. She attended intensive summer programs at Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, Orlando Ballet, and the Nutmeg Conservatory. Whitney graduated in 2011 with a B.F.A. in Dance from Ohio University with an emphasis on performance, choreography, and teaching.

She opened Movement on Main Center for Dance in June of 2010 with the goal to promote dance with artistry and integrity to the local community.

She continued her studies in workshops including the MELT workshop in New York City, Now and Next Dance Mentoring Project, and numerous dance improvisation workshops with the improvisational trio, "Like You Mean It".

Locally, she has taught Dance for Theater at Muskingum University and created Choreography for Fiddler on the Roof.

Whitney holds certification in the American Ballet Theater training curriculum for pre-primary through level 5. This nationally acclaimed training method is utilized in our ballet program.

MORGAN LOTHES

Dance Program and Artistic Director
Ballet and Jazz Instructor

Morgan Lothes-Rahn began her dance training with Richard Earley at the Muskingum Area Performing Arts Center in Zanesville, Ohio at the age of 8. She was a dancer with East Central Ohio Dance Theater for 10 years and danced such roles as Clara and the Sugarplum Fairy in the Nutcracker, as well as Lucy Westenra in Dracula. Ms. Lothes-Rahn also participated in Summer Intensives with the Orlando Ballet, Ohio Ballet, and BalletMet taking class from ballet greats such as Fernando Bujones and Gelsey Kirkland.

She continued her education in both Ballet and Modern Dance, as well as Anthropology at Tulane University, Ball State University, and the Ohio State University. She started teaching dance at Dublin Dance Center in Dublin, Ohio in 2012 and continued her career with Movement on Main in the fall 2013. She received her American Ballet Theater National Training Curriculum Certification in the summer of 2016, and is also an award winning choreographer. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her husband Kevin, and their four animals!

PETER LEBRENTON MERZ

Pre-Professional Program Director

Assistant Artistic Director

Ballet Instructor

Peter LeBrenton Merz is known as a master teacher of ballet for his enthusiastic and encouraging approach to ballet training. He is the director of Regional Tours for the American Dance Competition. Former students of his are currently dancing in companies across the world, including Ballet West, LINES Ballet, The Bayerische Staatsballet, Kansas City Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, and Texas Ballet Theater.

He has choreographed over 40 original ballets across the USA and internationally. His award-winning choreography relies heavily on his background in classical ballet, but is informed by his passion for contemporary dance forms.

As a performer he worked with the Dayton Ballet, the Louisville Ballet, and the Cincinnati Ballet. In 2002, he served as the administrator for the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MS. In 2004, he joined the faculty of Point Park, where he was an associate professor of dance and Head of Ballet. He was the director of Ballet West Academy from 2015-2020, overseeing that Academy's growth to four campuses and over 800 students.

He has served as a judge and Master Teacher for Youth America Grand Prix, the American Dance Competiton, the American Ballet Competition, and many other organizations. He has been twice named Outstanding Choreographer by the Youth America Grand Prix, and was also honored to be named Outstanding Teacher by that organization in 2014.
He holds a BFA in Theatre Design and Production from the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music, and and MBA in Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management from Point Park University.

REAGAN STOTTS

Acro Instructor
Communications Coordinator

Reagan has a passion for teaching children and recently graduated Muskingum University with a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood and Special Education. Outside of her job here at the studio, she is a 4th grade teacher at John McIntire Elementary School!

Reagan began cheerleading for West Muskingum at the age of 9 and continued

throughout her senior year of high school. During her sophomore year of high school in 2017, Reagan began assisting with acro classes at Movement on Main. Reagan now teaches Acro for our Foundations and Academy Programs.

SARAH GANTZER

Pre-School and Children's Dance Instructor

Sarah Gantzer has been a part of Movement on Main from the beginning! When Julia and Madeline were little, Sarah enrolled them after Richard Earley closed his studio. Upon meeting Whitney, Sarah knew this was the place for her family. She has helped with camps from the beginning, and loves her studio family, especially the students! Teaching young children, especially focusing on artistic and social- emotional development has always been close to her heart.

Sarah earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Educator from the University of Central Florida, and her Master’s Degree from Muskingum University. Sarah is very active in the arts community in Muskingum County. She is a board member for the South Eastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra and Zanesville Community Theatre. She is an Intervention Specialist for Zanesville City Schools and loves working with the families in our community. She lives and works in Zanesville, Ohio with her husband and 6 children.

JILLIAN B. VON GUNTEN

Tap Instructor
Front Desk Assistant and Dance Store Manager

Jillian was born in Zanesville and began dancing at age 3. Over the next 17 years, she took lessons in tap, ballet, clogging, jazz, and lyrical, performing in rectials and as part of a competition dance team. Jillian loves incorporating dance and theater and has choreographed musicals at theaters and universities across Southeastern Ohio over the past 14 years. She serves as the President of the Board of Directors for Zanesville Community Theatre and as a Board Member for the Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra and the Zanesville Memorial Concert Band, and also sits on the Muskingum County Community Foundation's Cornerstone Committee for the Arts. Jillian works as an attorney with Allen & Baughman, Attorneys at Law, here in Zanesville. Jillian joined Movement on Main in 2017 as an instructor and teaches tap.

JEN HOOPER

Preschool for the Arts Director
Pre-School Dance Instructor

Jen was raised in the Zanesville community. She received her degree in dietetics in 1998 and worked locally in the field 10+ years, educating people of all ages on nutrition. She received a certification in Pilates in 2004 and taught classes locally. She pursued a different career in 2014 and started working in a preschool where she found her true passion of teaching little ones. She has taken ballet and tap classes at movement on main and is excited to now be on staff at such an “encouraging and inspiring” studio. She spends her free time reading, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two daughters.

TIFFINI LOGSDON

Preschool for the Arts Teacher and Preschool Dance Instructor

Front Desk Assistant

Tiffini is from Colorado Springs. After high school she went to cosmetology school and became a licensed professional in 2012. She has two children, a son and a daughter. After becoming a dance mom she decided to pursue a new passion and she fell in love with being an educator for the youth. Tiffini started working at Movement on Main in 2021 and has loved the journey of being a preschool teacher and ballet assistant. In her free time she enjoys gardening, cooking, traveling, yoga, and spending time with her family.

SHERLY WISE

Singing and Acting Instructor

Sheryl Wise has a Master’s Degree in Music Education. Her major areas of study are saxophone, voice, piano, and theatre. She has experience as a High School Theater Director and Teacher and has directed, performed, and choreographed countless performances for schools and community theatre. Sheryl offers private instruction in voice, piano, guitar, and many other instruments as well as private instruction in theater and college audition preparation. She has over 40 years of experience in teaching music and theater in public schools and can not wait to share her expertise and love of music and theatre with our students at Movement on Main.

KADY WINLAND

Acro, Jazz, Contemporary, and Ballet Instructor

Kady has been dancing here at Movement on Main since the beginning! She graduated from Zanesville High School in 2023. In early 2023 she started teaching an acro class, and now teaches various classes and styles and teaches private acro lessons.

Throughout her time at Movement on Main she has attended many master classes and Intensives. She has loved becoming a staff member!

JULIA GANTZER

Administrative Assistant

Julia joined the team at Movement on Main in December of 2022 and has loved getting to know the families at the studio! She started dancing here at the studio the first year it opened, and is so grateful to be on the staff side now. She graduated from Zanesville High School in 2022. Outside of the studio, she works as a special education paraprofessional at National Road Elementary. She is currently earning her bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education/Special Education.

She is active participant at Zanesville Community Theatre, and has also assistant directed with children's summer camps at ZCT for the past 8 years. She loves being involved in the arts, and loves being a part of the studio family. When she isn't working, she loves to watch movies, scrapbook, and spend time with her family.

JEN BRUENING

Preschool, Jazz, and Ballet Instructor

Jennifer began dancing at the age of 7 in Twinsburg, Ohio. She has training in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical and modern. Jennifer graduated from Kent State University in 2002 and earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. While at Kent she danced on the Kent State Dance Team as well as took classes through the university. Shortly after graduating, she founded a mobile dance company, All About Dance Ltd, where she specialized in teaching dance to toddlers and preschool aged children. Jennifer also has 20 years’ experience teaching and choreographing at a competitive level at various dance studios near Cleveland. Her family moved to the Columbus area in 2023 and she is very excited to share her passion and love of dance with the children at Movement on Main!