MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS & STAFF
WHITNEY LEWIS
Owner and Director
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
Pre-Company and Company Program Director
Artistic Director for The Nutcracker and June Recital Production
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!
BRIAN GRANT
Assistant Artistic and Company Director
Ballet and Contemporary Instructor
Brian Grant began his professional career as an Apprentice with the Louisville Ballet after completing his B.F.A. In Theater Arts with an emphasis in Dance Performance from Northern Illinois University, where he graduated Cum Laude in 2005. Mr. Grant continued his career with Dayton Ballet in 2012, under the direction of Karen Russo Burke. In 2016, Mr. Grant became the Adult and Complimentary Dance Program Manager for the Louisville Ballet School, creating opportunities for Adult Dancers in the greater Louisville, KY area. He has continued his freelance dancing career in various cities of the Midwestern and Southeastern U.S, working with such companies as Ballet Americana in Taylor, MI, New Albany School of Ballet in New Albany, MS and Gem City Ballet in Springboro, OH.
EMMA MCCULLOUGH
Foundations Program Director
Preschool, Kinder, Primary, and Foundations Ballet Instructor
Emma began her dance training with Richard Early at the age of ten and continued on to dance lead roles such as Clara and Sugarplum in East Central Ohio Dance Theatre's production of the Nutcracker. While in college she continued to take dance classes. Upon returning to Zanesville, she danced with the Dancing Diva's for three years. She began teaching at Movement on Main in 2016 instructing Pre-Ballet and Primary Ballet.
Emma currently works at John McIntire Elementary as a Speech-Language Pathologist. Dance has always been a passion of hers and she is thankful to share that passion with others. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with family, reading, and traveling.
REAGAN STOTTS
Foundations Program Assistant Director
Acro and Jazz Instructor
Marketing, Branding, and Special Events
Reagan has a passion for teaching children and currently attends Muskingum University where she is double majoring in Early Childhood and Special Education, graduating in 2023.
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 acro classes at Movement on Main. In 2019, Reagan started instructing acro classes of her own. Reagan currently teaches acro, along with Kinder, Primary, and Level 1 Jazz classes.
SARAH GANTZER
Pre-School Dance and Kinder/ Tap and Jazz Instructor
Sarah Gantzer is very active in the arts community in Muskingum County. She is a board member for the South Eastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra, Zanesville Memorial Band, and Zanesville Community Theatre. She teaches literacy for Zanesville City Schools, and is the theatre advisor for Zanesville High School, and enjoys acting, singing, and directing in our area.
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.
TIFFINI LOGSDON
Preschool Teacher and Ballet Assistant
Tiffini is from Colorado Springs and moved to Ohio four years ago. 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 is excited to start this new journey as a preschool teacher and ballet assistant. In her free time she enjoys gardening, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family.
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.
SHERLY WISE
Theatre Arts Program 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.