MEET OUR FACULTY

Click the name buttons for biographies
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Kim Meyers Merge, Co-Owner
Co-owner of Premier Performing Arts, Kim is a summa cum laude graduate of Point Park University and has been teaching dance for over 30 years.  She danced on Broadway in "The Tap Dance Kid" and with many touring companies, dinner theaters and summer stock shows across the United States.  Rob Marshall, Christian Slater, Ben Vereen, Alfonso Ribeiro and Lynn Swann are some of the celebrities with whom she has performed.  Locally, Kim has danced with the Pittsburgh CLO, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the Pittsburgh Opera.  Her energies are now directed toward teaching and choreographing.
 
In addition to teaching with Jenn Probola, Kim was partner in the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts in Monroeville for 27 years, taught at the CLO Academy for 10 years, the Ellis School and Centerstage in New Jersey.  She choreographed musicals at Gateway High School, West Allegheny High School, Riverview High School and Franklin Regional High School and Middle School.  Her choreography for Gateway's "The Boyfriend" won a Gene Kelly Award which honors excellence in high school musical theatre. 
 
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Jenn Probola, Co-Owner
Co-Owner of Premier Performing Arts, Jenn began her education under the direction of Judy Brondon and Pamela Schickler . After graduating with a BA in dance from Point Park University, she was assistant director of the dance department at Nazareth Academy in Rochester, New York.  She trained dancers at the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts for fifteen years and co-owned the school for eight years.

Jenn set musicals for Valley High School, Central Catholic High School, and East End Productions. Her choreography for Godspell at Nazareth Academy earned her Rochester's "Stars of Tomorrow" award. Her other teaching credits include The Dance Company, Wilkins School of Dance, Gateway High School 's marching band and color guard, and the East End Kids . She has been choreographer for Kiski Area High School’s show choirs for nine years and Franklin Regional High School’s dance team for eleven years.  Her choreography has been featured in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and twice in the Tournament of Roses Parade.  Jenn is excited to bring her passion and experience to this new chapter.
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Kristen Bailey
Kristen recently graduated from Slippery Rock University with a degree in Dance and minor in Business Administration. She was consistently on the Dean’s List and has received numerous scholarships and awards, including the Student Research and Scholarly and Creative Achievement Grant and several Lucy Isacco Sack Scholarships. Kristen has participated in Slippery Rock Dance Theatre and Senior Synthesis for the past three years and has performed the choreography of Helen Simoneau. Kristen was an SRU Dance Theatre student assistant, philanthropy chair of Sigma Rho Delta, and a freshman mentor in the dance department. Kristen is excited to start her career as a dance teacher by instructing at three dance studios, and is thrilled to be back at her home studio, Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts, now Premier Performing Arts.
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Jessica Larson
Jessica started her dance training in classical ballet in Killeen, Texas at age eight, and has since danced everything from ballet, to jazz, to flamenco, and even East Indian. In high school Jessica became captain of her high school dance and drill team in Killeen, Texas and won numerous dance awards to include “Outstanding Girl” from the American Drill Team School, and “Best High Kicker”. Jessica went on to get her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance with a minor in Childhood Education from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors. Jessica has performed across the country from musical theater and concert dance, to various hip-hop basketball half-time routines with the Las Vegas Bandettes. In Pittsburgh, Jessica performed in Tony and Tina’s Wedding when it was being held at Station Square and even acted in a local Comcast commercial. Jessica has taught dance in cities across the country including Las Vegas, San Antonio, and Twin Lakes Michigan, and is excited to be a part of the Premier Performing Arts Faculty.
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Amy McDaniel
Amy is a private vocal instructor for Premier Performing Arts. She is also a vocal instructor and Artist in Residence at the Community College of Allegheny County, Boyce Campus, and she serves as the music director for Larry Cervi's East End Kids and various music ministries. A mezzo-soprano, Amy received most of her training at Duquesne University, where she studied vocal training with the late, world-renowned opera singer, Mija Novich, former head of the Vocal Department and Opera Workshop at Duquesne University.
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Mallory Merge
Mallory began her dance training at the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts and continued it throughout college where she earned a degree in Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management and a minor in Dance from Point Park University. Mallory has performed in several dance and musical theatre productions throughout Pittsburgh. After college, Mallory moved to New York City to work for a Broadway, television and film talent agency and then a magazine where she had the opportunity to interview Misty Copeland, principal  dancer at American Ballet Theatre. She also studied ballet while living in New York. Mallory is thrilled to be back at Premier Performing Arts. ​
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Lindsay Fitzpatrick
Lindsay began training as a gymnast at age three and was part of a competitive gymnastics program throughout middle school, taking her to State and National levels. Lindsay continued tumbling training through her college years while coaching young gymnasts from Mommy and Me classes to 18 year-old competitors. Attending Clarion University, Lindsay graduated with a degree in Elementary Education with a focus on the arts and humanities. She continued to teach tumbling at a local dance studio while working as a professional live musical entertainer. Lindsay spent her post-college years traveling the world, performing in various venues including musical stages, theme parks, casinos, and cruise ships.  Currently, Lindsay owns Lovely Day Events, which is a local company in Murrysville that specializes in princess entertainment for parties and events as well as family and newborn photography while also singing in various bands and performing in local musicals.
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Courtney Miller
Courtney is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a degree in dance. She developed her love of dance at a young age at a studio in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Upon graduation from OSU she moved to Chicago where is trained at Gus Giordano and extensively at the Joel Hall Dance Center. She danced professionally with the Joel Hall Dancers in such works as Nuts and Bolts, Great White Cheddak, Y2 Day and El Gato Negro. Since moved from Chicago, Courtney has taught ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical and musical theater at the Laurel Arts Dance Center and at Tammy's School of Dance. She is delighted to share her passion at Premier Performing Arts and is excited to see what the future holds.
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Jessica Stanley
Jessica began her classical training in Binghamton, NY, at Ballet Arts Theater under the direction of Tina Christina Price. She furthered her training at numerous summer intensive programs including Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet West, DanceAspen, and Point Park University. Jessica received a B.A. in Dance and Communications from Mercyhurst University where she was featured in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Puck and as a soloist in numerous contemporary works. She also performed in Balanchine’s Serenade, staged by Judith Fugate. Prior to moving to Pittsburgh, Jessica performed in all four of Walt Disney World’s theme parks in various parades and shows. She has danced professionally with Ohio Dance Theater and Chambersburg Ballet Theater, performing the title roles in both Cinderella and Snow White as well as lead roles in The Nutcracker and Firebird. Jessica later earned a M.A. in Corporate Communication from Duquesne University and has continued her education in exercise science and anatomy through teaching certifications in Pilates and Pure Barre.  It brings Jessica great pleasure to be able to share her passion and knowledge for the arts with all of her students.
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Aimée Voegtle
Aimée has been dancing since she was seven and has been teaching in Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania for the last twenty years. She first took class and taught at the Anderson Young Ballet Theatre (AYBT) where she performed leads in such ballets as Cinderella, Coppelia, Giselle, Nutcracker, The Red Shoes, and Sleeping Beauty as well as many original works. As a company member she attended many Regional Dance America Dance Festivals. During this time she also worked with the Indianapolis Ballet Theatre as a trainee, performed in the 10th Pan American Games Opening Ceremonies as a professional dancer, and competed in several ballet competitions including the Association of Arts and Letters National Competition in Dance. Aimée later studied dance at Ohio State University. From there she resumed teaching and performing once more with the Harrisburg Dance Conservancy and Harrisburg Dance Ensemble. Upon moving to State College she served on the faculty of the Arts Conservatory of Central Pennsylvania for six years and performed with the Ballet Theatre of Central Pennsylvania. Aimée has extensive training in ballet, modern, tap, jazz, and musical theater dance and over the years has been involved in a number of theatrical productions.
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Jon Zellhart
Jon is a graduate of Duquesne University and Carnegie Mellon University in trumpet and vocal performance. Having studied with top teachers in both disciplines, Jon brings a unique approach to his performances and teaching. Currently the Music Director at St. John Fisher Parish in Churchill, Jon is an in demand performer of vocal and orchestral repertoire. Past performances include recitals at California University of PA, Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne Universities, tours of Europe, and performances with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.