Rachel Abbate is thrilled to be the Program Director at BOSS. When not teaching voice lessons and classes, she enjoys an exciting musical career that spans from classical operatic repertoire to musical theatre. Rachel has performed numerous operatic roles, including Jo March in Adamo’s Little Women, the title role in Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto, Ruggiero in Handel’s Alcina, and Mercédès in Bizet’s Carmen. Equally passionate about theatre and musical theatre, she has performed roles such as Truvy in Steel Magnolias, Lily in The Secret Garden, Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown: The Musical, and The Witch in Into the Woods. Rachel earned her B.M. in vocal performance from Louisiana State University and went on to earn her M.M. in vocal performance from Rice University in Houston, TX.

Philadelphia-bred and New Orleans-based, Jess Araten has a passion for music and education. Jess fell in love with performance as a student, honing her craft as a guitarist and artist in shows from age 11 onwards. She has studied with seasoned musicians across the country, and has played alongside members of classic acts such as Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith, and Earth, Wind & Fire. Jess spent much of her late teens and early twenties in Philadelphia-based bands and projects, and has integrated herself into the New Orleans music scene since her move here in October 2021. She releases music under the name ‘Yska.’ With roots in rock, funk, and blues, Jess has quickly fallen in love with New Orleans, playing shows along Frenchmen and with indie bands throughout the city, gaining an unparalleled music education through playing with established NOLA musicians. She loves to share her excitement with students, and to watch young musicians grow, find their unique voice, and fall in love with their craft. As a teacher at School of Rock Philadelphia, Jess again found herself amazed and revitalized by the talent and drive of her students. She believes every young musician holds the. key to their own learning, and has an immense amount of respect and gratitude for every student that allows her to help guide them along their artist path. Jess is excited to continue her role at Broadway Open Stage Studio!

Kaleigh Bourque has served as a BOSS LIT Crew member for the past 2 years and is excited to join the team as an assistant this year! Kaleigh has been dancing since the age of 2 and performing in local theater since the age of 9. You will often find her playing music on the weekends at local venues and festivals with NOLA School of Rock House Band. She is studying Musical Theatre in her junior year at NOCCA. Kaleigh’s passions are music and special needs advocacy, and she hopes to combine the two as a teacher someday.

Malori (Brondum) Percle resides in Boutte with her husband and 2 children, Max and Mia. She attended Destrehan High School where she was a Desty Darling Lieutenant, and graduated from UNO with a Business Administration degree. She has been a stay at home Mom for the past year, and just joined our BOSS Admin Team in Accounting. She is excited to meet and work with our wonderful parents and students, and is looking forward to a great rest of the year!

Jody Brooks is a New Orleans Native who moved to Destrehan in 2001. She started dance classes at 6 years old and earned her teaching certificate at age 16. During a hiatus from dance during college she stayed involved with stage performance through joining the ensemble of a few musicals at Jefferson Performing Arts Society. She returned to dance as an adult taking classes at Carolyn Decidue Dance Academy and then joining local dance performance troupes. She is a former member of the NOLA Chorus Girls, a Current Member of the Intergalactic All Stars in the Krewe of Chewbacchus and is a founding member, officer and teacher with the performance troupe Les ReBelles NOLA, She is excited to share her love of dance and performing with her new little stars ballet and tap students!

Veronica Brouillette is from Montz, Louisiana. She began dancing at age 2 with Giacobbe Academy of Dance, where she heavily studied ballet, along with tap and jazz for ten years. In her middle school and high school years she competed and trained with various studios across the New Orleans metro area, as well as in Baton Rouge. She was accepted into New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), where she continued to study dance in their Dance Department. She has taught hip hop, jazz, contemporary, and lyrical as well as choreographed award-winning solos across the New Orleans area and in Baton Rouge. This is her second year teaching at BOSS.

Kaelynn Cotton is a junior at Destrehan High School. She will be assisting ballet and tumble this year. She loves working with kids and being able to create a fun bond with each student! Outside of BOSS Kaelynn enjoys hanging out with her friends, spending time with her family and watching her favorite movies. She is very excited and looking forward to this year!

Chloe’ Crosby is a Luling native with 20+ years of dance experience. Out of high school, she went on to choreograph and instruct dance camps with American All-Star. While with AAS she has had the opportunity to choreograph for and participate in numerous NBA and NFL performances. She coached the Jesuit High School Jayettes in New Orleans for 10 years and is currently a Pelicans Dancer for the NBA New Orleans Pelicans. She proudly serves as a dance and Acrobatic Arts certified tumble-acro teacher.

Ava Dufrene is so excited to join the BOSS staff. She has been participating in both drama and dance since she was 10. Ava is a Junior at Metairie Park Country Day. She enjoys her time helping with the little ones at the studio.

Andrew Eastland is a sophomore at Eastland Academy and has been taking tumbling, musical theatre, tap, jazz, and ballet for ten years. He is currently rehearsing Singin’ in the Rain, Jr. at Rivertown Theaters, where he was recently seen in Newsies on the mainstage, and was Jack Kelly in Newsies, Jr. He was in River Region Drama Guild’s Godspell, singing “We Beseech Thee,” and Bringing Back Broadway. He was in Matilda, Jr. (Mr. Wormwood) and Mary Poppins, Jr. (George Banks) at Rivertown Theaters, and he danced the role of Russian in River Region Ballet Guild’s The Nutcracker. Other credits include Descendants, Jr., Grease, Jr., Disney on Broadway, Oliver!, Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School, Seussical, Jr., Music Man, Jr., and Addams Family. This is his second year to be an assistant teacher in tumbling classes at BOSS. He also assistant teaches tumbling classes at Encore Studios.

Joshua “Jed” Eddington is a teacher/professional dancer born & raised in New Orleans, LA. Josh started dancing at age 4 as a street dancer. Jed never once stepped foot into a dance studio until college at University of Southern Mississippi. Once there, he trained in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Hip Hop, & Contemporary for 3 years. After graduating, he continued training and pursued a professional dance career & teaching & fell in love with it. Most known for Hip Hop/Contemporary fusion, Jed teaches & choreographs across the country, & has won many awards. He has worked with Lil Wayne, John Batiste, Nick Jonas, Alicia Keys, Maxwell, & appeared in The Campaign, Pitch Perfect 2, & The Magician. Jed’s main goal is to give back to under-privileged kids, believing every dancer should have a chance at success. Jed also owns Moments by Jed, which specializes in dance photos.

Maison Foster has been dancing for 13 years and this is her 2nd year with Boss. She danced with Johanna’s Jazz in motion for 10 years and is very ecstatic that these wonderful people at BOSS let us still have the opportunity to dance in this building. Maison is also a swimmer and has been swimming for 4 years and has been on the Destrehan swim team for 3 years. She is a Senior at Destrehan this year. Maison is also excited to have the opportunity to become a studio assistant this year and share my passion even more this year with being more involved with the staff and kids!

Ms. Karen Hebert owned and operated her own studio for 35 years. She was the director for the Crescent City Movin Company for 12 years and toured with Stars of the American Ballet. She has danced with Ballet Hysell and the New Orleans Ballet, and directed for Celebrity Cruise Lines Nationally and Internationally. She has choreographed and performed at Le Petit, JPAS, Mahailia Jackson, and the Saenger where she headlined with Victor Yaramenko (National Ukrainian Ballet). Karen was a casting director for Walt Disney Productions and still recommends students for productions around the world. She has merited 11 Big Easy Awards for Best choreography, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress. She has also judged for “Star Dance Alliance” for 35 years, taught and administered exams for Dance Masters of America and Dance Educators Of America. She has 5 Ballet Albums to her credit and 5 training aids. She says to her students, "If I teach you a dance you will one day perfect it and as long as the music is popular you can do that dance.

Faith Hammons is a senior and a Pink Panther at Mount Carmel Academy. This is her sixteenth year of dance, and her first year as a staff member at BOSS. Previously, she danced at Johanna’s Jazz in Motion where she danced from 2008-2022 and competed for 10 years. She also taught and assisted at the studio as well. This past year she joined Broadway Open Stage Studio as a student and a LIT Crew member. She is a 4th year member of the Jesuit High School Jayettes and is serving as a lieutenant for this school year. She is so excited to be at BOSS this year, and she is looking forward to working with all the students!

Roselynn Hebert is from Harvey, LA and has been dancing since she was two years old. She has taught Jazz, Tap, Ballet and Hip Hop on and off for the past 20 years. She has competed herself in many dance and cheer competitions and choreographed award winning numbers as well. Roselynn is currently a nurse at West Jefferson Memorial Hospital. She loves nursing during the day and dancing at night! Roselynn moved to Destrehan seven years ago with her two daughters, Kauren and Kaelynn, and also recently married her wonderful husband Shaun.

Studio owner Brittany Holtsclaw fell in love with the stage as a child. After years in Talented Theatre and graduating NOCCA, she received her BFA in Drama/Acting from New York University, and later worked in TV & Film for several years. She has performed in New York and New Orleans, and has performed locally with many theatres, including River Region Drama Guild, and Rivertown. Brittany worked as an 8th Grade ELA at R.K. Smith in Luling for 7 years before she left formal education to pursue the studio full time. She continues to be active as a choreographer, dance, musical theatre, certified Acrobatic Arts tumble-acro teacher, and performer.

Shaun Felger Moylan is excited to be joining the staff at BOSS. She is from Houma and attended Vandebilt Catholic High School, where her love for Musical Theater began. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocal Performance from Nicholls State University. Before moving to Boston in 2005, she taught Voice, Piano and Musical Theater at the South Louisiana Center for the Arts in Houma. She then moved to South Florida where she taught at Standing Ovation Performing Arts. In 2012, Mrs. Shaun began her teaching career as the Music Teacher and Children's Choir Director at St. Anthony in Ft. Lauderdale. While at St. Anthony, she was the Music Director and Choreographer for numerous shows put on by the Drama Club. She also tutored students auditioning for the State Thespian Festival. Mrs. Shaun's family relocated back to South Louisiana during Covid and teaches 3rd Grade at St. Charles Borromeo and her daughter Lily is a student at BOSS.

Tracy Naquin is a St. Charles Parish native and resident, residing in Destrehan with her husband (Kevin), two children (Amelia & Julian), and her fur baby (Pugsley). Mrs. Tracy is in her 16th year as middle school teacher, the last 10 which have been at her current school, R.K. Smith Middle in Luling. She is proud to have been with BOSS for the last 5 years, as a dance mom, summer production coordinator, Little Stars dance teacher, and will now be adding Tumble Fun teacher to her studio resume. She is excited about another year of dance and all the new things to come!

Jenny Pahnka is a Destrehan native with 20+ years of dance experience and 10+ years of theatre experience. She began her love for the theatre at the age of 4 and her love for dancing at the age of 2. She was a competitive dancer for 5 years. While at her previous studio, she had the opportunity to perform at multiple Louisiana Voodoo halftime shows and also dance in multiple parades in the area. In high school, she was a Pride of Destrehan color guard member, where she competed in numerous band and winter guard competitions. While with the Color Guard she had the opportunity to march in the Cherry Blossom parade in Washington DC. She is a proud single mother to her son Lance. She currently works at Riverlands Insurance Services where she is serving as a Receptionist. She is now in her 3rd year as a member of The Dance Connection, where she dances in numerous Mardi Gras parades in the New Orleans area. She is currently attending the University of Phoenix online studying for her Bachelors in Industrial Organizational Psychology. She has proudly served as an assistant at BOSS for 4 years.

Jasmine Royal is thrilled to be joining the BOSS team as an assistant this year! This is her 6th year of dancing and her 2nd year training at BOSS. Jasmine's favorite style of dance is jazz and she is very excited for the 2023-2024 season at BOSS!

Shailee Schulin is a senior Destrehan student with 14+ years of cheer experience. She has done seven years of all star and is going into seventh year of school cheer. She desires to attend Louisiana State University next year to study kinesiology pre physical therapy.

Ms. Joh'anna Walker-Hebert owned and operated her own studio for 38 years. Her studio "Joh'anna's Jazz In Motion" was an award winning studio and many of her students went on to become Saintsations, Honeybees, and more collegiate and professional dancers. She also had a student, Kristy Flores, in the movie Fame. She was born and raised in Destrehan attending DHS and was a Desty Darling for 4 years. She went to college in east Texas and was a Kilgore College Rangerette. As a Rangerette she danced for Donny Osmond, Rock Hudson, President Reagan and many more. She also taught dance camps for Mike Miller and she continues to work for Spirit of Americas for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. She continues to teach at a daycare and pre-schools as a creative movement instructor. She also teaches Zumba, barre and aqua aerobics at Ochsner and Pulse. She is certified in Acrobatic Arts and continues her dance education attending dance conventions.