About me

I was born and raised in Tennessee in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. I was the youngest of five kids until my little brother came along when I was 11 years old. I was a very rowdy and rambunctious kid due to so much unfocused energy, but one day I discovered clogging and everything changed. Out of that spawned a deep love for the arts and voila! My energy was focused. Luckily for me, clogging lessons were offered at my middle school. It wasn't long before I was scouted for a competition team and went on to clog competitively for over seven years winning several national titles including world champion, and even a gold medal at the Junior Olympics! Just after graduating high school, I got hired on at the world famous Grand Ole Opry in Nashville as a Saturday night square dancer for all four years of college.

I attended Belmont University where I received my BFA in Musical Theatre. Immediately after graduating, I moved to Germany for three months to play Frank Sinatra in an American music show at a huge festival in a 1,000 year-old village. I actually had to leave that contract early to do the national tour of the Broadway musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Shortly after that, I was in the original cast of the 20th Anniversary tour of RENT for two years. Thanks to three years of touring, I've performed in 48 states as well as Tokyo, Japan. Since then, I've been living and working in the city, making friends and building connections, and constantly developing my craft.

Undoubtedly my greatest experience as a child care provider is having been a big brother for over 15 years. Having prayed for a baby brother for 11 years, you can imagine how hands on I was with him. As the years went by, my duties went from diapers, baths, stories and pillow forts to shaving, homework, girl problems, and proper skincare. I certainly have learned the most about childcare and development from my time with him. In high school, I babysat outside for a seven year girl who wanted to learn how to clog dance. We clicked immediately. That position involved us working together for short periods of time and keeping her busy clog dancing, of course. I was sort of "adopted" into the family after many years. Her mother, who I see every time I am home, still refers to me as her "bonus son".

My most technical teaching experience came from being an instructor at Main Stage Music and Dance Studio while I was in college. I got that job by substituting for one of the instructors as a favor, however, the kids and their parents enjoyed my teaching style and connection with the kids so much they brought me on as a full time instructor. I taught every age from 4-years-old to 17-years-old and even one adult class. The parents were sometimes present so it wasn't so much babysitting experience, but instead a tremendous lesson in connecting with a child and establishing trust so that they may learn something from you. An invaluable experience!