Instructors & Staff

A.R.T.S. Revealing the Son "Praise His Name with Dancing" Psalm 150:1

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Instructors & Staff

	Katha Bardel Director of A.R.T.S. Studios, A.R.T.S. International Dance Company, Purity Seeker Dance Team and Board member on Oklahoma Alliance Liturgy of the Arts. A.R.T.S. has been in existence for over 35 years under Katha's direction. Katha has trained thousands of dancers and many are continuing in her footsteps. She is an accomplished dancer and choreographer who obtained her professional training and experience from the New York City Ballet Company’s American School of Ballet. In Oklahoma she has been a soloist with Ballet Oklahoma, Lyric Theater and Dance Director of Metro School of Arts and Productions. All her life she has been putting on productions that inspire and change lives. Katha continues to have many wonderful opportunities to do this with Churches, Schools, civic groups, other Christian artists and with A.R.T.S. own productions including A.R.T.S. original Christian annual production of the Nutcracker, The Prince - now in it's 15th season. Her dream is to have her own Theater dedicated to ministry outreach, using all the arts! With the new Coltrane location this is hopefully soon to be realized!

	Carmen Bond is a Music Theatre graduate from UCO and has performed in many venues....She has performed the lead female role in "A Colorado Christmas" at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs with Opryland productions. Carmen has also performed the role of Laurey in Discoveryland's "Oklahoma". She performed the roles of Sandy in "Grease", Ruby in "Dames at Sea", and Dainty Rose in "Gypsy" to name a few. Her favorite accomplishment is being the proud mommy of two beautiful girls. She is very blessed to have such a wonderful husband and family!!!!
	Janice Brumback (staff) is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and holds a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a Registered Dietitian and in her former life held positions in Clinical Nutrition and Food Service Administration. At A.R.T.S. she assists Miss Katha and the teachers with whatever is needed. She currently homeschools her youngest daughter, Grace, who is a student at A.R.T.S. Jan will also be directing a Challenge A program for Classical Conversations in the Fall. She is married to Jim and has four children.
	Ben Caldwell came to us in the Spring of 2008 as a protégé of Jeff Lewis from Houston Texas. He is a talented dancer, actor, singer and all around great guy. Ben is a member of A.R.T.S. International Dance Company and Arrows Ministry. He has extensive performance background and has traveled the US and abroad - Japan, Russia, Poland, Israel, India, Paraguay, Venezuela. He received his B.A. in Theater from the University of Houston.
	Dylan Gerred is a graduate of Classen School of Advanced Studies and majored in Guitar for 5 years and has now been playing for 6yrs. He also plays upright bass, electric bass, piano, jazz guitar, electric guitar, classical guitar and acoustic guitar. Dylan was section leader of the bass section in the Classen SAS orchestra for 3 years and section leader for the Honors Guitar Ensemble for 1 year. Has won and placed in many statewide Guitar competitions. He loves to play for his church on Sundays during worship and leads the Youth Worship service with his guitar.



	Hillary King has been dancing for 15 years and is advanced in all styles of dance. This will be her fifth year to teach and choreograph at ARTS. She is excited about teaching the Step III Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Repertoire again this year.
	Cindy Killebrew teaches Jazz, Ballet and Hip Hop. She’s taken Ballet Pedagogy, was dance leader for "Spirit in Motion", taught at Metro School of Fine Arts, Macklanburg Community Center and is choreographer for Washington Irving elementary.
	Liz Kraft is an upper-level ballet teacher and Jr. Company Director. She has trained at the Northern Virginia Dance Academy, the Washington School of Ballet, full scholarship at the MasterWorks Festival, American Ballet Theater and Ballet Magnificat. She had the opportunity to dance for 5 years with the professional Christian Dance Company the Asaph Dance Ensemble in Washington DC. In 2007 she was one of three Ballet Magnificat dancers chosen to choreograph and perform in the live PBS filming of the John Tesh show, "Alive." Liz also had the privilege to join Arrows International, sharing the gospel through the art of dance in Costa Rica and Guatemala. Liz is excited to be a part of A.R.T.S. and a part of what the Lord is doing in Oklahoma!

	Jeff Lewis has danced and taught around the world. He was an instructor at Ad Deum Houston and now travels with Dance Revolution and other groups. Jeff moved to OK to make A.R.T.S. a home base to train dancers for worldwide outreach ministry. His Mission ministry Arrows has take several trips to South America where many lives were brought into God's kingdom and people were inspired! He is on the A.R.T.S. Staff along with his wife Natalie, and four of his eight children are very active and talented students at A.R.T.S.

	Natalie Renee Lewis has traveled internationally and in the USA, performing professionally, teaching, choreographing and ministering. She is well diverse in all styles of dance. She has credits in television, industrial, theater, cruise ships, and concert tours with major artists in the music industry. Natalie has a heart for serving God with all her heart, soul and mind and desires to give back and sow into teachers, artists and churches. She is a wife, mother and currently co-director with her husband in their own ministry, Arrows International. She is an explosive A.R.T.S. Instructors and her energy is contagious! Natalie will leave you encouraged and inspired.
	Cindy McGraw (staff) was a civilian working as a personnel computer systems specialist in the Civilian Personnel Department for the U.S. Air Force for seventeen years during her former career. She is married to Tim McGraw and now homeschools her four children; Megan, Connor, McKenna, and Daniel. Cindy has been a volunteer Missionettes teacher at her church, teaching girls in grades 1st through 5th for the last ten years.
	Megan McGraw has been dancing since she was three years old. It is her passion to train young people to pursue the Lord in dancing as well as in their lives. She has participated in many years of competitions, workshops and dance ministry. She has taken summer intensives at Tulsa Ballet and Ballet Magnificat. She is a member of Arrows International Dance Company, and in 2010 she traveled to Costa Rica on a mission trip with Arrows. Megan has received advanced dance training in ballet, jazz, lyrical, modern, tap, and musical theater. She loves teaching at ARTS and is very excited to see what God has for her future.
	Rachel Ming is currently teaching piano and voice at ARTS. She recently graduated from Oklahoma Christian University with a degree in Music Education. Rachel has a vast background in music and instruments that began when she was just in the first. She has played the violin, cello, clarinet, and of course piano. While singing has been her focus in college and something she's done ever since she could talk, teaching piano has become a surprise perfect job that she never expected to do. "Music is my love. It's passion. And I'm so glad to be able to share that and pass that on to other students." God always has a plan and she is sure part of His plan for her is teaching these kids.

	Linay Mitchell comes from Livermore, California. She is a freshman at Oklahoma Christian University, and a Nursing major. She started Sports Acrobatics at six years old. At age 10, became a level ten gymnast and competed in Switzerland. Representing USA, she achieved first place. By age 12 Linay was invited to compete in Belgium and to represent the USA team, but this time I was an Elite gymnast. She and her partner medaled at third place. I was an elite gymnast for one more year before “retiring” and moving onto high school. In high school, she was a competitive cheerleader, including tumbling and trampoline. She also made the varsity diving team her freshman year.Linay will be teaching ACRO class which will focus on stretching and stunts which will enhance any dancer's abilities.
	Debbie Morris (staff) was a legal secretary in her “former” life before homeschooling and A.R.T.S. She has always had plenty of energy to use her gifts and talents for ministries such as being a Co-Director for Metrochurch/Life Church VBS, office manager of MetroSchool of Fine Arts, back stage manager for CityChurch Productions, leader of Edmond Home Educators’ Support Group and now Office Manager for A.R.T.S. She is married to Thomas and home educates her children, Garrett and Katie, and takes care of her brother-in-law, "Uncle" Tim.
	Kelsey Nail has been involved with competitive acting and theater since age 7. She received the National Forensic High point in high school competitive acting in Speech and Debate and was third alternate for nationals with her humorous duet. She is a junior studying Bible and theater at Oklahoma Christian University. Some of her favorite roles consist of "Huncamunca" in Tom Thumb and "Hermia" in A Midsummer Nights Dream. Her goal at A.R.T.S is to train drama students to become well rounded performers and help motivate them to do their best with her creative classwork. Kelsey's vision is to incorporate the arts; acting, singing, dancing, art, music, poetry, and photography into all churches. She believes that our gifts are from God and should be used for the glory of His name.
	Tonya Newton has been sewing since the age of 11 when her grandmother began teaching her. She has a passion for sewing and creating costumes and enjoys crafts of all sorts. She is a medical transcriptionist in her other life. She has been helping at ARTS for the past 8 years behind the scenes. She volunteers at her church and has led various Bible studies and serves on the Women's Ministry Team there. She is married to John and has 2 children, Parker and Bailey.
	Jennifer Moore Nsakashalo is very excited and blessed to be returning to the ARTS teaching staff this year. Previously, she danced with ARTS for 8 years before studying a Belhaven University in Jackson, MS where she obtained a degree in Theater Ministry and Dance. After graduating, she joined the ARTS staff as a teacher for a year before moving the South Africa the be a part of 13thFLOOR performing arts ministry. She had the wonderful opportunity to sing, dance, and act while sharing the love of Christ as she toured the beautiful country of South Africa. It was also there that she met her wonderful husband Benjamin. Jennifer has a passion for seeing people's lives changed through the arts and considers it a great honor to teach and express her love for the arts.
	Chelsea Reese has had extensive training in various dance styles at the University of Central Oklahoma. She feels blessed to be a part of ARTS and is thankful that God has allowed her to be involved in the ministries there. As a member of ARTS International Dance Company and Seeker Search ministries she is excited to see the hearts changed for Christ and how the Lord grows her spiritually and as a dancer. Chelsea hopes to continue to serve as a teacher and substitute and to be strengthened in the talents the Lord has put in her for His glory.


	Sarah Shackford was trained by Miss Katha at ARTS. Sarah has been teaching and choreographing for A.R.T.S for over ten years. She holds degrees in English and French from Oklahoma City University. She has taught for several years at Christian Heritage Academy. Sarah's A.R.T.S. classes include Ballet, Pointe, Repertoire and choreography for productions such as Corum Deo (Pro-life dance/drama) and the Prince (annual Christmas production of the Nutcracker). She lives in Edmond with her husband, Sean, son, Luke and daughter, Amelia.