Garry Palmer, Instructor of Hip-Hip, Advanced Jazz, Modern, Musical Theater, Strength & Conditioning, Technique -

GARRY PALMER’s true passion is worshiping his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Garry uses the abilities that God has given him to seek and save the lost and encourage Believer’s to live out the victorious life they were created to live! Garry is a graduate of Western Michigan University’s dance program. He has performed on the stage since he was in middle school. It all started with musical theatre, but that wasn’t enough. Garry needed more. He decided to go deeper into the heart of the performing arts. He joined a dance class. The first day of class, he was hooked. At first, he only took hip hop, but his addiction grew. Garry, later, was accepted into Western’s dance program with an intense focus on several dance forms including ballet, jazz, and modern. He has choreographed for a number of theatres in Michigan, has been a part of a hip hop company, and has been in several musical theatre shows. He is currently a student at Rhema Bible Training Center where is studying to be a pastor and developing a performing arts ministry. He stands on God’s Word and on the truth that we, the worshipers, are in charge of leading the body of Christ in a unified worship movement to usher in our soon and coming King!

Emmi grew up in Titusville, Fl.  At the age of 3, she began to take dance and gymnastic classes.  At the age of 11, Emmi began student coaching gymnastics for the TBJC gymnastic Team, and auditioned for the New Dimensions Dance Company under the direction of Dawhone Perry (a student of Mia Michaels). There, she trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop. Emmi trained for several hours each week and her dances were national award winners at competitions like Showbiz, Nexstar, and Starpower. Her senior year of high school, Emmi decided to teach dance for the company in addition to being a coach for the TBJC gymnastics team.  She also taught summer camps and classes for the Titusville Ballet and Jazz Center, and New Dimensions Dance Academy. Emmi now attends Oral Roberts University with a path in Pre-med Chemistry and Psychology.  She Co-directs the Momentum Dance Team, and has recently won Best Teacher Choreography at the I Love Dance Competition.  She specializes in Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, and Technique.   She continues to teach a variety of master dance classes in other states and spends her summers training at places like “The Edge” and “Steps” in Los Angeles and New York City. Emmi has also been asked to Judge Dance Competitions in cities all over the country.  Emmi enjoys choreographing and teaching dance because she loves to inspire the upcoming dancers to reach beyond the classes and to truly see dance for what it is: a form of ART.

Kara is originally from Missouri where she started dancing at two years old. At her first recital, Kara knew that performing and being on stage was where she was supposed to be, and she’s been doing that ever since. Kara’s passion for tap is unwavering, but also has had extensive training in Jazz, Pom and Musical Theater. Kara specializes in these styles of Tap, Rhythm and Street Style also known as Hoofing.  She comes to Momentum Dance highly trained and full of energy!  Kara’s dream of going to New York and training under the best teachers including those who taught Gregory Hines came true.  She now uses her training to bless other people and teaches them the art of tap dancing. Her tap choreography has won many regional and national awards.  Just recently, one of her former students was accepted into "Tap Kids" in New York City. Kara is married to Sean McGhee and they are very involved in the youth ministry at Destiny Church. Kara’s ministry to youth is carried over into her teaching at Momentum Dance where she is a wonderful mentor to her students and instructs all levels of tap. God has blessed her with the talent to tap and she is ready to bless Momentum Dance! Kara's classes are known for being challenging and very FUN, so let’s get tappin’!

Colleen Lauless, Instructor of Ballet, Pointe, and Contemporary -

COLLEEN LAULESS is a graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in Dance and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations.  Lauless was President of Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority, a member of the International Association for Blacks in Dance, the Public Relations Student Society of America, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.  She is also an active mentor with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program and works for the Tulsa Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization.

Lauless is also a recipient of the Harriet Berg Endowed Choreographer Award from her first piece Kindred.  In 2009, she also recieved the Copperfoot Award for outstanding choreography from the faculty at Wayne State University for her piece When the Angel Falls, the Warrior Follows.  She also received an Undergraduate Research Grant from Wayne State University’s Honors College with her research project titled “Community Outreach in the Performing Arts: A Case Study of the Dance Africa Detroit Touring Program.”

During her time at Wayne State University, she was a member of the Maggie Allesee Department of Dance’s Dance Company ONE and Dance Workshop.

    Lauless began dancing at the age of 12 in Midland, Michigan where she attended the Dean/Black Dance Studio.  Lauless also attended the Dance Program at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lakes, Michigan for 4 years.  Her fifth year, she toured with the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp International Ballet Ensemble and has performed in various parts of the United States, Germany, France, and Canada.