MEET ASHLEY JOLLY
Founder. Choreographer. Instructor. Creative Director
Ashley Jolly is a Dancer, Choreographer, and Creative based in Maine. She grew up dancing at the Centre of Movement School of Performing Arts where she trained in various styles of dance and danced competitively. Ashley has always felt a strong connection to her sensual and feminine side, and fell in love with heels dancing. She created and founded Stiletto Strut in 2018 and has been teaching since. Her main goal through this class is to connect with other women and people to help them explore and express their sensual sides as well as teach them core heels foundations. She strives to facilitate a positive and encouraging dance environment and community.
Ashley also choreographs for music videos, live concert performances, and other dance projects (artists such as Spose - music video work, and Brit Martin - choreographed and performed for live performance opening up for Bia and Erica Banks). Last year she co-founded a professional dance troupe called the Sirens. She is signed and represented by Dirigo Talent Agency.
MEET SOPHIE EPISCOPO
In My Feels Instructor
Sophie is a creative mover down to her very core. She excels in becoming her art and feeling the music from head to toe. She is not afraid to take risks and embrace all emotions when embodying choreography.
She has worn many hats in the dance world. Her dance background ranges from starting in a hip hop crew at Portland Youth Dance in 2011. Later, training in modern dance with Lisa Hicks at Portland Arts and Technology School. She has also danced with NBA dance teams such as the Celtics Dancers and the Lady Red Claws. All the way to live performances with local artists such as Spose and Brit Martin. She has also danced and starred in music videos as well as dance promotion/creative concepts.
Sophie is currently a member of The Sirens Troupe - a professional dance performance group. Additionally, she is represented by Dirigo Talent Agency.
It’s never a dull moment in class with Sophie. Her compassionate yet fiery Aries self exudes confidence and power through her soul. She will always encourage challenging yourself - and to never forget to live your life to the fullest.
MEET DAIJA PARADIS
Hip Hop and Hype Heels Instructor
Daija Paradis has grown up dancing since 8 years old, beginning at Jazz Tappin Dance Academy until graduating high school. She figured that would be the end of dance, yet in college she participated in Dance USM, an annual production held by USM's theater department, trained at Pulse On Tour dance convention in Boston, MA, as well as auditioned for the Red Claws dance team (now the Maine Celtics). After 3 years on the dance team, she began to pursue freelance work - dancing/choreographing for music videos and live shows for Maine Artists (including Spose and Brit Martin). Daija strives to constantly keep improving her skills, and aims to train out of state as often as she can (Los Angeles, Nashville, and Boston so far!). She is signed with Dirigo Talent Agency, and most recently co-founded The Sirens Dance Troupe in which she directs, choreographs, and performs.
MEET CASSIDY BROWN
Modern and Floor Work Instructor
Cassidy has been in touch with movement for as long as she can remember. Her natural gift of dance has landed her on the dance floors of many talented instructors/ choreographers. Through this, she has only grown more in touch and in love with the feeling of being free in a studio or on a stage. Tapping into emotion and ones true creative self, you can expect nothing but raw and vigorous energy in Cassidy’s classes/ workshops.
Cassidy’s journey in the dance world began at a talent show in her 5th grade elementary class. Nala Wissa, her talent show teacher, saw Cassidy’s gift of movement light up the stage. From there she was given a scholarship to dance with Portland Youth Dance Company at Casco Bay Movers and stayed apart of their company for a large number of years. During these years she taught beginning Youth Hip-Hop and subbed for many classes, all while performing in annual showcases within the company which included various styles of dance. She then went on to train in modern dance with Lisa Hicks at the Portland Arts and Technology School. In college she continued to dance as an elective and held onto her passion by taking a verity of classes in local dance studios.
Currently, Cassidy is a backup dancer for local pop artist Brit Martin. She is a member of the Sirens dance troupe, a heels performance group. And she makes her appearance in other forms of art such as music videos, live performances and creative concept shoots.
Stiletto Strut