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Cricket Keller started dancing in her mom’s studio in New Mexico under the instruction of her mother at the age of three. After Cricket graduated high school she moved straight to Los Angeles, CA where she auditioned for and received a scholarship to study commercial dance at the EDGE Performing Arts Center. Cricket enjoyed a dance career for years following her time as an EDGE scholar; she eventually attended college at UCLA. In 2010 Cricket and her husband moved to Colorado after their daughter was born to be closer to family. Some of Cricket’s dancing credits include re-occurring performances as a featured American Bandstand dancer on NBC’s “American Dreams”, playing a cheerleader in the Hillary Duff movie “A Cinderella Story”, and performing live at the American Music Awards for pop artist Pink and choreographer Marty Kudelka. She was an original cast member as an aerialist / underwater soloist for the stunt show “Mystic Rhythms” at Tokyo Disney Sea, a beloved show which only recently closed after running for fourteen years. Cricket is an experienced adjudicator for dance festivals and competitions, has taught master classes throughout the U.S. and Canada, and has over fifteen years experience teaching dance and working as a choreographer. Cricket received her Bachelor of Arts in World Arts and Cultures from UCLA in 2008.

Susan Beens is Summit Dance Academy's Tumbling, Strength, Fitness Director and teaches tumbling at Parker Performing Arts school. Ms. Fitness USA 2009. She is a Colorado native, but spent time in Nashville getting her undergraduate degree in business. While in Nashville, she opened a gymnastics facility. She trained a level 10 gymnast to the national championships, level 8s and 9s to state and regional championships, and had several TOPS national qualifiers. Susan also worked with a handful of junior fitness competitors and took them to local and national level shows. She has been teaching tumbling and acro for dance, along with strength and flexibility for many years. She was a competitive gymnast, stopping at level 9. Susan also trained in ballet, jazz, and lyrical at The Durango Ballet Academy. Ms Beens is one of the most sought after tumbling coaches in the Parker area.

Heidi Nichter has a very extensive 20-year background of teaching dance in such cities as Detroit, Pittsburgh, New York City, Denver, Dayton and Cleveland. She graduated Cum Laude from Point Park University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (ballet concentration) in 2003. Furthermore, Heidi trained with the Metropolitan Ballet Center, American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive and was a scholarship student with Steps on Broadway in New York City. She has worked with notable teachers and choreographers such as Kevin Ward, Debbie Blunden-Diggs, Terrence Greene, Cynthia Harvey, David Reuille, Susan Stowe, Jay E. Kirk, Kenneth Johnson, Nancy Bielski, Peff Modelski, Ronald Tassone, and Susan Stowe to name a few.Between 2007-2013 Heidi was the co-founder, Associate Artistic Director/President of Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre, which is a professional non-profit dance company based in the Denver area. Her other professional experience includes Xpressions Contemporary Dance Company, The Pittsburgh Playhouse, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II, Kim Robards Dance Company, Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre and Chadash Contemporary Dance Movement. Heidi has had many successful students go on to work with large companies and University/Colleges (Bill T. Jones, PNB, Miami City Ballet, Nevada Ballet, Ballet Met, Julliard, Butler University, Point Park University). She has also been working in the competition sector with her students for some time now and has won numerous awards for her choreography.
Heidi teaches all levels of Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Pointe, and creative movement.

The Faculty

Lynsey McMullen grew up in Colorado and began dancing in her mother, Marilyn Long’s, dance studio at the age of three. She was the youngest dancer accepted into the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet intensive in Vail where she performed for former President Gerald Ford. She studied at The Academy of Colorado Ballet under Elizabeth Shipiatsky and Zhanna Dubrovskaya, receiving several scholarships from the Denver Ballet Guild. In high school, Ms. McMullen was selected by renowned Hollywood choreographer/director/actor, Debbie Allen as dance captain for the Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration’s production of Pepito’s Story. She received her BA in dance with an emphasis in performance and choreography from University of Northern Colorado studying under Molly Faulkner and Monte Black, and performed with the UNC dance team, the Sugar Bears. After college, Ms. McMullen relocated to Chicago where she was a member of Chicago Dance Crash performing in works choreographed by Mouse McCray and Kyle Vincent Terry. Favorite roles have included Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Pas de Trois in Paquita, and the Abuelos Pas de Deux in Miranda’s Nightmare. Ms. McMullen has also coached poms/jazz teams at the varsity level. She currently resides in Parker, CO with her husband and two children. In 2015, she achieved her lifelong goal of competing on Jeopardy. 

Breanne Etkie is Summit Dance Academy's Office Manager. She has three daughters on Summit's Dance Team and this is her family's 5th year with the studio. Breanne has over 16 years of personal dance experience, with 8 years of competitive training at Kari's Dance Academy, in her hometown of Emporia, Kansas. Her dance training included jazz, ballet, tap and gymnastics. As a child, Breanne was selected to perform in the Nutcracker production as a mouse with the Tulsa Traveling Ballet. Additionally, she was a member of her high school's dance team. While in college at the University of Kansas, she co-choreographed a large dance production with over 60 people for Rock Chalk Revue, an annual show which students write, produce and perform original musical productions. Dance has always been a big part of Breanne's life and having her daughters pursue their passion of dance has been nothing short of a "full circle" experience for her. When she's not at the studio, she loves relaxing with her husband, daughters, son and three dogs.

Heather Webb Jasso is the Artistic Director of Summit Dance Academy and a third-generation dance educator and studio owner. Dance is more than Heather’s profession, it is part of her family’s history and has quite literally been in her life since before she could walk.
Heather was raised in a family deeply rooted in the professional dance world. She received her earliest training from her mother, Jillana Hess Webb, who trained at the School of American Ballet (SAB) and danced with Maria Tallchief's Chicago Opera Ballet. Her aunts, Lisa Hess and Alexia Hess, danced with Balanchine's New York City Ballet, and her grandparents, Camille and Neil Hess, were the founders of Lone Star Ballet. With that legacy surrounding her, Heather grew up immersed in dance education, performance, choreography, and the responsibility that comes with passing the art form on to the next generation. Heather has been teaching dance for more than 25 years, including over 20 years in the Denver area. Throughout her own training, she had the opportunity to travel and study with some of the industry’s most influential teachers and choreographers, including Joe Tremaine, Brian Friedman, Tabitha D’umo, Mia Michaels, Terry Beeman, Wes Veldink, and David Scott. As a performer, Heather danced featured roles in productions including The Nutcracker, Snow White, Cinderella, and The Twelve Dancing Princesses. She was also a title-winning competitive dancer and went on to become an award-winning choreographer at both the regional and national levels. Her choreography and students have received numerous honors, including multiple FDC Judges’ Choice Awards, Prime Time Scholarship Awards, and World Dance Championship invitations. Heather received The PULSE Teacher Scholarship in 2009, was invited to participate in America’s Got Talentauditions in 2010, and was named Teacher of the Year in Panama City, Florida, in 2011.Heather is also Level 3 certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) and has traveled throughout the country as a national dance competition adjudicator from 2013–2026. Her extensive experience in adjudication and dance education has allowed her to evaluate and work with dancers across styles, ages, and levels while remaining connected to the constantly evolving professional dance industry. At the heart of Heather’s teaching philosophy is something much bigger than trophies, titles, or technique. Her goal is to use dance to prepare young people for the adult world, no matter where their dreams ultimately take them.
She believes dance teaches discipline, resilience, accountability, confidence, work ethic, artistry, and how to be part of something bigger than yourself. Whether a student dreams of dancing professionally, attending college, pursuing another career, or simply carrying their love of dance with them throughout life, Heather wants every dancer who comes through Summit Dance Academy to leave stronger and more prepared for what comes next.

For Heather, dance is family. It is history. It is passion. And it is a legacy she is incredibly proud to continue through the dancers and families of Summit Dance Academy.

Rachel Carter started dancing at the age of 5 and is an accomplished ballet teacher and performer with 40 years of diverse dancing experience. Her training and education include five years on a full scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet and participation in the San Francisco Ballet Summer Intensive. She is DVIDA certified with an Associate of Dance Degree and has been awarded High Honors in American Style Smooth.( Ballroom) Fluent in Balanchine and Vaganova dance styles, Rachel possesses in-depth knowledge of ballet history and a demonstrated expert knowledge of dance. Her expertise extends to injury prevention and implementation, ensuring the safety and well-being of her students. With exceptional classroom and attendance management skills, Rachel consistently delivers highly-engaging lesson plans that keep her students motivated and inspired. Rachel's achievements as a dancer are notable, including titles such as the Colorado Star Ball Champion in 2015, Maryland DanceSport State Champion in International Standard Ballroom in 2011, and three-time National Ballroom Champion in 2011 and 2014. Rachel has performed and been featured in prestigious ballet companies such as Colorado Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Olympic Ballet Theater, and Springfield Ballet, taking on memorable roles in productions like Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Cinderella, and The Nutcracker. At age 10, Rachel danced the role of Clara with The Springfield Ballet. The following year she was asked to return as a Professional Guest Artist to perform the roles of Snow Queen and Dew Drop. She has successfully staged ballet performances involving large numbers of dancers, production workers, design workers, and volunteers, including contributing to the annual performance of "The official Nutcracker of Parker." Rachel is passionate about promoting the health and well-being of performers and students, actively participating in injury prevention and implementation programs.
Rachel's commitment to excellence and her ability to foster a positive learning environment have earned her praise from students, parents, and colleagues. With her professionalism and dedication to her craft, she continues to make a significant impact on the lives of her students. 

Bree Graves has been dancing for thirty years and has been teaching for fifteen. She graduated from Chapman University with a major in Business Administration and a minor in Leadership and Organizational Skills.As a dancer, Bree has had the privilege of assisting many big names in the industry including Joe Loera, Dee Caspary, Brian Friedman, Justin Giles, Gil Mata and the entire LA Dance Magic staff.  She was also a dancer with the professional company SoulEscape under the direction of Justin Giles.  Bree has done several live performances including dancing in fashion shows, two off Broadway productions, several performances with the professional companies Soul Work and MPACT, and Carnival Choreographers Ball in Chicago.  As a teacher/choreographer, she has had the opportunity to work with students in Colorado, California, London, and South Africa. 

Kelly Amadeo is Summit Dance Academy’s Children’s Program Director. Kelly has an extensive background in child and adolescent development, education, and dance instruction. Kelly is a licensed teacher in the state of Colorado, has a bachelor’s degree in childhood education, and a master’s degree in elementary education. She danced and performed at the advanced level at Colorado State University while obtaining her degrees. Kelly was trained in the Russian Ballet Technique and is knowledgeable about a variety of styles and schools of dance. Her areas of specialty included pas de deux, pointe, ballet, and children’s dance. Kelly studied dance at Ballet Northwest, Perry- Mansfield, Colorado State University, and Colorado Ballet. She was also a company member of a traveling dance company that taught elementary students around the western states about the history of dance. Kelly has performed lead roles in The Firebird, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Dracula, Beauty and the Beast, Robin Hood, and many others in her 30 years of dance. She has choreographed and directed dance productions including the Nutcracker. Her pedagogy of dance education is that all children can master skills in dance to build a solid foundation for a lifetime of dance through fun, safe, consistent, and structured education. She encourages students and parents to build respectful relationships with each other and their instructors to create a safe and enjoyable environment for all. 

Kaitlyn Diachok has been dancing since the age of two and has trained extensively in a variety of styles, including jazz, contemporary, hip hop, pom, ballet, ballroom, and more. She grew up as a competitive dancer, attending competitions at both the regional and national level and receiving numerous awards and scholarships throughout her training. Kaitlyn is a graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in Business Marketing, where she was also a member of the Division I CU Dance Team, further developing her performance experience, leadership, and versatility as a dancer. She has been an instructor at Summit Dance Academy since 2020, teaching dancers of all ages and levels, and has most recently stepped into the role of Competition Team Director, where she oversees and helps lead Summit’s competitive program. Outside of Summit, Kaitlyn has worked with SPARK Dance Team Training as a high school technique coach and has experience choreographing for high school dance teams. She also travels to work with dancers and choreograph for studios outside of Colorado. Kaitlyn is a certified Yoga Sculpt instructor and has a passion for fitness and strength training specifically for dancers, incorporating her knowledge of movement, conditioning, and strength into her teaching. She loves teaching and choreographing and strives to help dancers develop strong technique, confidence, versatility, and a lifelong love for dance.

Jezznia Ford was raised in Aurora, CO began dancing competitively at the age of 3, and continued her dancing throughout elementary school. She auditioned & attended Denver School of the Arts for middle school as a dance major. Jezznia decided to open enroll herself into Douglas County School District, where she auditioned and danced for Varsity Poms at Chaparral HS, graduated it 2020. She then attended Metro State University- Denver majoring in dance. Earned a championship ring her rookie season as an NBA dancer for the Denver Nuggets in 2023, and continued on for a 2nd year through 2024. She has experienced great opportunities such as learning from big name industry artists, and has been a finalist for NFL & NBA dance teams for the Phoenix Suns, LA Lakers, and Denver Broncos. She’s also danced back up in music videos, danced with headliners on big festival stages like Electric Forest, San Francisco Pride Main Stage, Underground Music Festival. She also accepted a gig to be a part of the Atmosphere Cast at the Denver show of Usher & Chris Brown 2026 Tour! Now Jezznia instructs & teaches competitive dance full time in and out of state, has earned her 200hr registered yoga teacher training certification through Yoga Renew & Yoga Alliance, and works all types of entertainment gigs around Colorado. Her passion for dance is so strong she loves to share her knowledge, experience, advice, & sportsmanship to young students.

Mary Margaret Davis is a contemporary-based dancer, choreographer, and instructor whose passion for movement has fueled over 14 years of training in contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, modern, acrobatics, and ballet. She has performed professionally with the NBA Nuggets Dance Team, Vitality The Company, and toured nationally with Artist Simply Human Dance Convention as an assistant during the 2022–2023 season. Inspired by mentors such as Katie Hazard, Braham Logan, and Sabrina Phillips, Mary is known for creating bold, emotionally driven choreography that pushes dancers to move with both power and authenticity.

Since 2019, Mary has choreographed over 150 competitive routines and discovered a true love for mentoring the next generation of dancers. Her classes blend athleticism, artistry, and performance quality in a high-energy and encouraging environment where dancers feel challenged, inspired, and confident. Above all, Mary strives to help every dancer grow not only in technique, but also in self-expression, resilience, and love for the art of dance.

Katie Maldonado was born and raised in Parker, Colorado and it is where she still resides today! She started dancing at the age of 3 and re-found her passion when she began take classes at Summit Dance Academy. 
Her love for teaching dance began at age 13 when a teacher of hers allowed her to assist and co-choreograph with the youngest dancers. Although her favorite style of dance is ballet, she trained in various styles over the years including jazz, contemporary and lyrical. She has had the honor of taking many master classes over the years at Summit. After graduating high school in 2020 she began to focus on gaining an education in the field of Early Childhood Education and now holds her Associates Degree in ECE. 
She applies her understanding of the young mind to not only teaching preschool but teaching dance! Her goal is for all her students to find a love of dance, the same love she holds in her heart today!