Team Member Spotlights

Paige Carter

Where are you from?

I was born and raised here! In Mesa! Just moved back from Florida about two years ago and don’t plan on leaving anytime soon!

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

My main role is teaching! I teach at both the Mesa and Gilbert studios, and get to dabble in a little bit of everything. I love teaching a mix of levels and helping to develop dancers at every step. I also am part of our office staff as well!

What’s your dream vacation?

My dream vacation would have to be Greece! I love the culture, food, and have always wanted to go see the Mediterranean. This would probably be followed closely by Prague and Germany. Let’s just make it a whole European tour and call it a day!

What three words best describe you?

The three words that best describe me would be reliable, ambitious, and adventurous. I love trying new things but ultimately I want to show up one hundred percent in everything I do and that is what I strive for.

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

If I had a superpower, it would be the ability to clone myself! Five of Paige means five times the productivity!

Lyndsay Fairbanks

Where are you from?

I’m born and raised in Mesa, Arizona and plan to live here for a long time! 

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

My main role for INSPIRE is choreographer. I also teach technique, stretch, and strength, and fill in wherever they need me. I love to help out and be as present and involved as I can! Helping the dancers find confidence and who they are as a dancer is my main goal always! 

What’s your dream vacation?

My dream vacation is a cruise to anywhere with an amazing beach and amazing food! Fun fact: I have already been on 5 cruises in my life! 

What three words best describe you?

Three words that describe me are; 1. Creative. I love anything artsy or that pushes me to get creative! 2. Caring. I love being the mama bear and Being a listening ear and giving advice. 3. Passionate. I put passion into everything I do and don’t hold back on trying to make it the best I possibly can!

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

If I could choose a superpower it would be whatever Elastigirl has. Because… flexibility and strength!

Michelle (left) & Korey (right)

Where are you from?

M – Moved here from Newburyport, MA a cute little seaport town on the east coast.
K – Orange County, California

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

M – I get to have all the fun and order merchandise to stock and sell in the boutique for all dancers needs. It’s a great place with great stuff and great prices. Oh and great people too!!
K – Co-run the INSPIRE Dancewear Boutique.

What is your dream vacation?

M – Really I love any place tropical or with rich history and culture!
K – Anywhere that has sun, sand, and water!

What three words best describe you?

M – I’d say I’m compassionate, have a good sense of humor and that I’m reliable.
K – Kind, Genuine, Funny

If you had a superpower what would it be and why? 

M – Time travel would be the way to go! You could go back in time to witness a historic event or to the future to see what your great, great grandchildren become and the many generations ahead- that would be so cool!
K – Well since  I am a psychologist by day, I would have to say mind control.  I would be able to more directly influence others – in only positive ways of course. 🙂

Alexis Stephens

Where are you from?

Born and raised in Arizona 🙂

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

I teach both recreational and company classes at INSPIRE and I choreograph for competition sometimes as well.

What’s your dream vacation?

My dream vacation is Ireland!

What three words best describe you?

Empathetic, honest, loyal!

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

This is not a traditional superpower, but I wish I had the ability to take away pain. I hate seeing people and animals suffer. So I guess the traditional superpower for that would be the power to heal. 🙂

 

Jamie/Shawn

Where are you from?

J  Arizona native, born and raised in Mesa!

S  I was born in Westport Connecticut, lived in New York and Connecticut before I moved to AZ when I was in elementary school.

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

J  As a member of the Parent Support Organization (PSO) I help to organize fundraising opportunities for our INSPIRE performers.  They can raise money to be used for expenses they incur from dancing or singing with INSPIRE.  We also raise money for the general fund, which we then, give back to the entire organization in various ways.

S  I am a member of the (PSO) Parent Support Organization, we organize fundraisers and raise money for the students.  We have been able to help provide money for several projects and events at the studio.

What’s your dream vacation?

J  I would love to go to Australia someday.  I have been to London but would like to travel to other countries in Europe as well.

S  My dream vacation would be to Japan my husband was born there and I would love to travel for weeks with my family through the islands of Japan.

What three words best describe you?

J  Busy. Organized. busy.

S  Patient. Positivity. and Annoying (I have to admit it).

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

J  I would be able to be in more than one place at one time!  That way I could be at both soccer, basketball, dance and other events my kids do at the same time.  I wouldn’t miss a thing!

S  This is a hard one,  so many to choose from. But I think the power to heal, I hate seeing people in pain, I would love to be able to heal people.

 

Tonya Vonderhaar

Where are you from?

I grew up in Phoenix close to the airport, I’m a native.

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

Well, I teach classical ballet and I was the director of the costumes for Nutcracker.

What’s your dream vacation?

I don’t know if I have a dream vacation! Maybe I took it already. You know I’ve been so blessed…I got to go to the holy land in college and for my 20th anniversary, my husband took me on a cruise to Alaska. I really don’t think I have one. I just think I’ve been blessed with great things.

What three words best describe you?

Teacher (I’m an edutainer). Convicted. Loving & compassionate.

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

I wish I could heal. And not just because of my husband, but because these families that we’ve served through foster care, they need a lot of healing. Because there hurt has gone on for generations. That’s what I would say.

Sarah Spence

Where are you from?

Mesa, nothing too exciting.

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

Teaching. Currently, tap and tumbling.

What’s your dream vacation?

Italy! Finally getting around to going this year, couldn’t be more excited.

What three words best describe you?

Organized, kind, and out-going

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

To freeze time (could I pick who freezes with me?) Would love some extra time in the day, especially to spend with my husband and family.

Sarah Jorgensen

Where are you from?

American Fork, Utah.

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

Um, Vocal Performance Company, PrepStars, Teaching, and I do a lot of private lessons.

What’s your dream vacation?

Probably, Europe. Or Hawaii.

What three words best describe you?

Positive. Bubbly. Loyal.

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

Um, definitely, what’s the thing where you can change, and you can change into different things? Actually, I changed it; healing. Can heal anything, minor or major. It would probably make me pretty rich too.

Christine Birdwell

Where are you from?

I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah but have been living in Mesa since 1991.

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

Mom, cheerleader & costumer extraordinaire!

What’s your dream vacation?

My dream vacation would be to Germany (I took two years of German in college so I could sing and understand the German arias I was performing for my vocal performance major).

What three words best describe you?

Resourceful. Creative. Organized.

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

If I had a superpower it would be to fly so I could see the world!

Tori Morley

Where are you from?

I was born in Holbrook, Arizona. But we moved every two to three years, so Arizona.

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

Preschool teacher!

What’s your dream vacation?

Um, hmmm…I would say it would be, having all of my family together at the same time and having someone cook and clean. So have a hired cook and cleaner while I get to enjoy being with my whole family. And it could be on the beach or cabin, either one.

What three words best describe you?

Happy. Easy-going. Logical.

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

The power to forgive. If we all forgave more and more easily, we’d all be a lot happier. (#truthbomb)

Shannon Rogers

Where are you from?

Gilbert.

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

Musical Theater teacher.

What’s your dream vacation?

Ireland. I don’t know, the green, the grass, I don’t know. Just all the movies I’ve seen just look amazing so I’ve always wanted to go there.

What three words best describe you?

Organized. Crazy. Helpful, I like to serve others.

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

To freeze time. So that I could enjoy some personal time. 🙂

Stacy Reading & Shelly Zimmerman

Where are you from?

Phoenix. Pretty boring. (Shelly)

Gilbert. Haven’t strayed very far! (Stacy)

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

Tumbling. I just teach tumbling. (Shelly)

Well, tumbling. That’s the only thing that I teach. (Stacy)

What’s your dream vacation?

Ohhhhhhhhh, oye. Do I say…oh jeez. It’s between a mediterranean cruise or a Disney Cruise to Hawaii. But I’d have to choose, I’d choose Disney. (Shelly)

Oh my goodness…um…ah… Not that I have been there, but I would really like to go to Scandinavia! (Stacy)

What three words best describe you?

Chill. Spontaneous. Happifier (wants to make others happy). (Shelly)

Happy. Kind. Adventurous. (Stacy)

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

It’s between flying or being invisible. Let’s say flying. Because I just want to go places and I want to get there fast. (Shelly)

My superpower would be to fly! Because I just like getting to places quickly. I just want to get there and have fun or just get there and get done what I have to and get back. (Stacy)

img_0947-jpgHeather Morris

Where are you from?

Mesa. Boring.

What are your main roles at INSPIRE?

Teacher. Office manager I guess, that’s it.

What’s your dream vacation?

Oh, um, a cruise to Greece!

What three words best describe you?

Quiet. Sarcastic. Hard worker.

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

Why are these hard questions. I’ve never thought about having a superpower. Hmm… probably fly so that I don’t have to drive anywhere anymore. I hate traffic.