A note from Marilyn and Wayne Downing - Owners of Talent Plus: Hello and welcome! Talent Plus is now celebrating its 35th year of teaching and growing with children We greatly appreciate you sharing your child with us We, here at Talent Plus, believe that we are not just teaching your child dance or gymnastics, but we are also teaching the love of learning, how to work hard, and how to be successful Our staff shares this philosophy and we believe that they are truly the best! Marilyn and Wayne Downing Talent Plus Staff Cathey Brown, Dance Instructor I have been dancing at Talent Plus for the past 31 years! I started as a student then worked as an assistant and an instructor for 18 years teaching pre-school combo, pre-school gym, tap, ballet, pointe and jazz I have performed in many recitals and community events and attended dance conventions in Las Vegas, Dallas, Orlando, San Antonio and New York I have competed at Dance Masters of America at both the regional and national levels In 1998, I traveled to New York City to compete as a solo and duet in the Dance Masters of America Competition In 2001, I won the title of Miss Dance of Dance Masters Chapter 35, and was honored to travel to New York City to compete for Miss Dance of America I have also competed in the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Dance Competition, which resulted in our group being invited three times to participate in Dallas Cowboy half time shows I was a 3-time member of the Texas Tech Pom Squad With the pom squad I attended UDA camp and NCA nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida twice I am a member of the Flatlands Dance Company I am currently a first grade teacher at Roy Roberts Elementary in LISD April Hobson, Dance Instructor My name is April Hobson and I'm a former dance studio owner from Dallas I am on staff at Tech Tech University in Lubbock, TX teaching Tap, Jazz and Musical Stage Dance My work as a choreographer has been produced on television, film and live theatre I have choreographed over 300 National Title Dances and have also had the privilege of teaching Master Classes across the Southern United States and have been a judge for Dance Competitions and Pageants from State to the National level In Branson, MO I was a singer/dancer/choreographer for 10 years and a performer for Bobby Vinton, Shoji Tabuchi, Kirby VanBirch and toured with Andy Williams as a Singer/Dancer I had the honor of being a company member of New World Ballet with Artistic Director Lisa Owen,and a nanber of the Buster Cooper Jazz and Tap Dance Company I studied Broadway Jazz with Bill Hasting of New York City and Tap with the legendary Henry LaTang of Las Vegas Melissa Oakeley, Preschool and Dance Instructor I was born into the Talent Plus family 23 years ago I have been a student since the age of three and teaching for the past years I have studied tap, ballet, jazz, gymnastics, hip-hop, lyrical and contemporary I was Miss Dance of America Ch 35 in 2008 I have an Associates Degree in General Science from South Plains College and I am currently attending LCU working on my Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education – Science and Speech Communications Brooke Allen-Phares, Preschool and Dance Instructor I have been teaching dance and gymnastics in Lubbock for 10 years and this is my 7th year teaching at Talent Plus I have taught tap, ballet, and jazz but my specialty is pre-school and dance prep I am a member of Dance Masters of America Chapter 35 I have been married to my husband, Kelly, for years and we have two children Kaden is and Berkley is I love teaching and watching these children learn and grow Katie Beth Gallagher, Preschool and Dance Instructor This is my fourth year teaching dance and preschool at Talent Plus I have been taking dance here since I was three and I was on the competitive team for eight years I traveled with the team to many conventions and competitions such as Tremaine, Showstoppers, and Dance Masters of America Chapter 35 and Nationals I was on the Pom Squad at Lubbock High School for four years and I was captain my senior year In 2010 I was Miss Dance of America Chapter 35 and traveled to the national competition in San Antonio I am currently a senior at Texas Tech University studying for a degree in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Dance My freshman year I was a member of the Texas Tech Pom Squad and I was a member of the Dance Company for two years I’m really excited about working with your kids and looking forward to another great year! Alexandra Stiler, Preschool and Dance Instructor I was born and raised in Austin Texas and have been dancing for 15 years I have trained in various types of dance from hip-hop to ballet and Pointe Starting at 14, I assisted for teachers and camps and gradually started teaching In high school, I attended James Bowie High School and was a member of the drill team, the Bowie Silver Stars While on the drill team, I won solo finalist awards and placed in various competitions I was also involved with an elite dance group called the “Bowie Dance Company.” As a freshman at Texas State University, I taught at “D’ette and Company Dancers” in San Marcos, and was a member of the UT Roustabouts Now I serve as the vice president of a Texas Tech Dance Company called Vitality, and am involved in the sorority Chi Omega Now I am a Senior at Texas Tech University and am majoring in multidisciplinary studies, targeting towards middle-level education, with a minor in dance I am proud and feel very blessed to become a staff member here at Talent Plus, and look forward to a great year! Maddie Bryan, Dance & Preschool Instructor I have had twelve years of jazz, tap and ballet training, and more than three years of lyrical, pointe, and hip hop training After various competitions and workshops across the country, I have been Dance Masters of America Junior Miss Dance Chapter 35, Dance Masters of America Chapter 35 Petite Miss Dance High Point Interview, First Place Winner at Show Stoppers Regional Dance Competition, and Talent Showcase Winner at the Dallas Model and Talent Expo I have been in advertising campaigns for American State Bank and Lubbock Tourism Also, I have taken gymnastics here at Talent Plus along with my school activities such as band, National Honor Roll, Cheerleading, Volleyball, and Basketball for several years Johnny Hamilton, Gymnastics Instructor I began competitive tumbling and trampoline at the age of 10 in 1953 with the Maverick Boys Club in Amarillo I became the first to compete in floor exercise on a wooden floor and rope climb, which is no longer an event, for the Maverick Club As a freshman I won the Jr Olympic Championships and was in the top five my sophomore and junior year at the AAU Nationals in tumbling I attended the University of Michigan on a gymnastics scholarship where I was Big 10 Champion, 2nd at the NCAA Championships and was a NCAA All-American I also placed 4th at the 1967 World Professional Championships I have owned and directed a private gym club in Levelland, Lubbock, and Altus, Oklahoma, as well as coached at schools throughout Kentucky, Indiana, and Texas I also taught the Physical Education Majors gymnastics course at Texas Tech while I worked on my Masters degree One of my gymnasts competed at the Olympics and several of my athletes have competed on the national level Many of my former gymnasts own and direct their own gym clubs Wayne Downing, owner of Talent Plus, was one of my most cherished former students He walked into my gym wanting to learn to flip and now is an internationally recognized coach Tara Buxkemper, Cheerleading and Gymnastics Instructor I am a graduate of West Texas A&M with a BS in Biology I was a cheerleader all through junior high and high school at Lubbock Cooper I started tumbling when I was five and competed with the UpsideDowners for five years I then started competitive cheerleading with Extreme Cheer and Dance I cheered on scholarship all four years I attended West Texas A&M and taught gymnastics at Amarillo College Gymnastics I have judged several high school tryouts and worked for the Lone Star Cheer Association (LCA.) Trey Voyles, Gymnastics Instructor I am a sophomore at Texas Tech University where I am studying International Business and Finance I was on team here and competed at Nationals four times After gymnastics I went on to be an All American diver for Monterey High School Kenzie Wilson, Gymnastics Instructor I am a third year senior at Texas Tech from Abilene, Texas I started gymnastics at Beamers Gymnastics in Abilene at age two I continued on from preschool classes through compulsory team and then converted to competitive cheerleading at age thirteen I also cheered for my junior high school through varsity at Wylie I am a three time UCA All-Star Cheerleader and a one time NCA All-American Cheerleader I plan to attend Speech Pathology graduate school beginning in the fall of 2014 Through my 18 years of experience with gymnastics and cheerleading, it has taken a special place in my heart I have been blessed by the opportunity to work at Talent Plus for three years now and look forward to what is to come!! Jonathon Bursiaga, Gymnastics Instructor I have been competing in power tumbling and trampoline at Talent Plus since I was I am a national champion in power tumbling and have been to four national championships I am currently a junior at Lubbock High School and this is my second year to coach at Talent Plus! Jacob Howle, Gymnastics Instructor I started tumbling and trampoline when I was years old and became a member of the Upsidedowners when I was ten Since then I have competed in National Championships and I am still competing today at the age of 16 I am a junior at Idalou High School where I am extremely involved in the FFA I show lambs, compete in career development teams and I hold the officer position of President of the Lubbock District With all of my extracurricular activities , I still remain in the top 10% of my class and I am excited to start my first year of coaching at Talent Plus! Haylee Flournoy, Gymnastics Instructor I am from Seagraves, Texas where I competed for four years with Tumbling Elite When I moved to Lubbock, Talent Plus and the Upsidedowners welcomed me with open arms! This is my first year to teach at Talent Plus Rebecca Wilson, Gymnastics and Cheer Instructor I am a sophomore at Texas Tech University pursuing a BS in Nursing I grew up in Stephenville where I coached children in power tumbling, trampoline, and cheerleading for four years This is my first year working for Talent Plus and I am ready for a great year! Morgan Strawn, Cheerleading Instructor I am currently a junior at Lubbock-Cooper High School This is my first year teaching for Wayne and Marilyn I started dancing at Talent Plus when I was and then went on to tumbling, cheer, and dance classes I was then an Upsidedowner for years I have also competed in cheerleading at Texstar, Raider X, and Pride I was a cheerleader at my school from Junior High though my sophomore year I was AllAmerican years in a row and my future plans are to cheer in college Cindy Sewell, Office Manager I have been involved with Talent Plus for 25 years My daughter started classes at the age of four, danced, and tumbled for 14 years Through my involvement as a parent, I am now a Level National Ranked Gymnastics Judge I have been the Office Manager for Talent Plus for 13 years Sarah Snodgrass, Office Staff This is my fifth year working at Talent Plus in the office I am a senior Accounting major at Texas Tech University I graduated from Lubbock-Cooper High School in 2009 where I was involved in the Senior Project program I did tumbling for mine, which is how I became a part of the Talent Plus family!