Active Living with Passion & Purpose
Vitality In Motion specializes in adaptive dance and adaptive yoga classes specifically designed for seniors. Our unique “artistic exercise” classes are adapted for older adults to do from a chair, wheelchair or standing. We customize our classes to best serve seniors in independent living, assisted living, memory care and adult day centers.
Our classes engage seniors in approachable, inclusive programming supported by research to help improve balance, gait, mobility, strength, posture and coordination. We’re passionate about meaningful movement to help inspire living each day with vitality.
Vanessa Woods
Vanessa is the owner and founder of Vitality In Motion and a former professional dancer with 24 years of classical training. Originally from New Jersey, Vanessa started dancing as a young child and trained at the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase, Princeton Ballet, Miami City Ballet School and STEPS on Broadway in New York City. She has performed with ballet companies around the country including Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet and Colorado Ballet. Vanessa moved to St. Louis in 2010 to dance with the Saint Louis Ballet performing soloist and principal roles for eight seasons. Vanessa was also on faculty with the Saint Louis Ballet School teaching ages 5 to 18, and has taught at numerous ballet schools across the country.
Vanessa started Vitality In Motion (originally Vitality Ballet) in 2012 with the collaboration of her mom (an Occupational Therapist and ballet fan). While in her performing career, Vanessa wanted to find a way to encourage adults of all ages to study dance as a way to improve overall health and wellness through more beautiful and intentional movement than traditional exercise. Starting with just a handful of participating facilities, today the program reaches thousands of adults every month and has received media attention and inquiries from around the country.
Vanessa is also an alumna of Washington University in St. Louis, a board member of the Missouri Dance Organization (MDO) and an ACE certified group fitness instructor who loves attending arts events throughout St. Louis while pursuing her new passion for salsa and bachata dancing.
Marie Wood
Marie Wood is Program Coordinator with Vitality in Motion. She started with Vitality as an intern and instructor and transitioned into her administrative role in 2022. She graduated from Lindenwood University with a BFA in Dance, and then received her MBA from William Woods University. Marie is a professional dancer in Branson, Missouri where she has performed in many productions including: Clay Cooper’s Country Express, Silver Dollar City, and Reza “Edge of Illusion. She also performed at the New Tap Choreography Showcase hosted by the American Tap Dance Foundation in New York City. In addition to her love for dance, Marie enjoys teaching dance to students of all ages. In her free time, Marie enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, Nick, and their families.
Meet Some Of Our Instructors
Lisa Horn
Lisa has spent most of her life dancing. She has owned two dance studios in St. Louis for 30 years. She’s also a certified yoga and Silver Sneakers instructor. In her spare time, she is a national rated gymnastics judge.
Taylin Knowles
Taylin Knowles has been dancing since the age of 3, and trained at Artistic Motion Dance. At the age of 15, she began teaching hip hop to young kids at studios around the valley, and eventually began teaching tap, jazz, jazz funk, and contemporary as well. Taylin began her professional career around age 14 when she joined the Elektrolytes Dance Crew, whom with she has now won 2 gold medals in the USA at Hip Hop International as well as placed top 10 in the world in 2018 and 2021. She was featured on NBC’s World of Dance Season 3 with junior team Elektro Crew. Taylin currently teaches jazz, contemporary, jazz funk, and tap at multiple studios in Arizona and directs/co-directs three different hip hop companies at Elektro Dance Academy. She also continues her training in hip hop and contemporary with the Elektrolytes as well as Abstraction Dance Company. Taylin is a beloved founding instructor with Vitality In Motion sharing her love of dance with seniors in chair dance classes for everyBODY!
John Paul “JP” Alejandro
John Paul “JP” Alejandro is a dancer, teacher, and personal trainer from the SF Bay Area. He graduated in 2018 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.S. in Dance, where he received a full-tuition First Wave Scholarship for spoken word. In 2017, he attended the 30th Anniversary of the Bates Dance Summer Intensive in Maine in 2017. He has trained and worked with such choreographers as Chris Walker, Li Chiao-Ping, Micheal Foley, Rennie Harris, and Gerald Casel. After returning to the San Francisco Bay Area, he joined PUSH Dance Company in 2020. He is a recipient of the Daniel Nagrin Fellowship 2022-2023, and awarded again in 2023-2024. He is currently pursuing his MFA in Dance at ASU and dances for Li Chiao Ping Dance Company as a guest.
Sonja Schulz
Sonja Schulz is a dancer, aerialist, instructor, and trainer in the Kansas City area. Sonja attended the University of Iowa where she graduated with her BFA in Dance and 200-Hour Yoga Teaching Certification. She has been in the Kansas City area for a few years now performing with KC Contemporary Dance, Quixotic, and Circus Scorpius, teaching dance and yoga, and personal training.
Miranda Payne
Miranda Payne is a founding Company Dancer of The Big Muddy Dance Company, where she danced for 12 seasons. Miranda holds a BFA in Dance from Webster University, and she has trained throughout the United States. Miranda has also performed with Stages St. Louis, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Variety Theatre and The Shoji Tabuchi Theatre in Branson, MO. When not dancing herself, Miranda can be found teaching and choreographing throughout the Midwest.
Michelle Burks
Michelle Burks is a professional fitness trainer, a certified yoga teacher, dancer and barre fitness instructor. She is a Lululemon Ambassador and is highly skilled and sought-after bringing her warm and welcoming personality into every class.
Emily Long
Emily Long couldn’t be more happy to be joining the Vitality in Motion team! Emily is a proud graduate of Millikin University where she obtained her BFA in Musical Theatre and Minor in Dance in 2020. She comes to St. Louis after serving as the Education Director and Marketing Manager at Maples Repertory Theatre in Macon, MO. Emily has been dancing since she could walk, and has been teaching dance for many years! She loves all styles of dance and is always working to learn more to share new knowledge with her students. Outside of the studio, you can find Emily taking long walks with her dog, reading a good book, or traveling and seeing new places and trying new foods!
Karly's
Karly’s unique perspective as a Midwest native has influenced her approach to dance education, emphasizing the importance of community and collaboration in the creative process. When she isn’t teaching, Karly uses her creative and artistic abilities as the Communications Manager for Inspire-Create-Educate, the parent company of Rhythm Works Integrative Dance, Intellidance® Method and Teaching Artist Exchange. Karly’s additional contributions extend to the evaluation of Revolution’s Sensory Friendly dancewear line, as well as the development of choreography for Darby’s Dancers.
Lisa Bianco
Lisa Bianco is a Certified Yoga Instructor experienced in beginner, restorative, YIN, and Chair Yoga at studios throughout the area. She is a Certified Life Coach, skilled in public speaking, DISC Assessments and creator of the podcast “Ignite Your Power Within”. Lisa helps to facilitate workshop & retreats, and is an author and public speaker. Passionate about teaching and sharing the many benefits of yoga, Lisa is an engaging and calming presence making chair yoga accessible to all!
Beret Holaday
Beret Holaday graduated with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She is a dancer and instructor in the Kansas City area and her favorite styles of dance are ballet and modern. She currently dances professionally with Störling Dance Theater and teaches dance to people age 8-98! With Vitality in Motion, Beret teaches Senior Ballet and Dancing Through the Decades.
Whitney
Whitney began dancing in Overland Park, KS at Miller-Marley School of Dance and Voice. She was a member of the Miller Marley Entertainers, lead choreographer of the Blue Valley North Stars Drill Team and a four year member and two year Captain of the Pittsburg State University Crimson and Gold Dancers. While attending Pitt State she began teaching for Jody Phillips Dance Company in Pittsburg. After graduating with her BA and MA in Communications she moved back “home” to the Kansas city area. She currently is on staff as a competitive director, instructor and office administrator at Jody Phillips Dance Company in Overland Park.
Todd Weeks
Todd Weeks is a classically trained ballet dancer under Joyce Seaborne-Bader of the Royal Academy of Dance. He performed with the MUNY for thirteen seasons where he was selected as dance captain and assistant choreographer in numerous productions. He danced with St. Louis’s professional modern dance company, MADCO, for nine years. Upon retiring from performing, he became Associate Artistic Director and choreographer from 2003-2013. Mr. Weeks was an adjunct professor of dance at UMSL. Todd was Owner and Artistic Director of Midwest Dance Academy, which he started in 1996. He retired from full-time teaching in 2014 and is thrilled to be back teaching, sharing his years of dance experience with Vitality in Motion.
Kendall Heuman
Kendall Heuman is originally from central Illinois and graduated from Webster University with a BFA in Dance in 2020. She currently is a dancer with Ballet 314 and does freelance performances in the St. Louis area as well as teaching at the school of Saint Louis Ballet and Patzius Performing Arts.
Leah Fry
Leah Fry graduated with her BFA in Dance from Lindenwood University. Her piece, Cabinet Thoughts, was selected to represent Lindenwood University at the American College Dance Association. Leah recently studied Martha Graham’s technique at Paris Marais Dance School under the direction of Maggie Boogaart in Paris, France. She currently teaches and dances with Consuming Kinetics Dance Company.