Photos © Joy Taubner. Thank you, Joy!
Sparkplug Dance founder Rachael Carnes has been teaching concept-based creative dance since 1996, and has been dancing all of her life. Besides teaching in the studio setting, Rachael provides regular trainings for the early childhood and K-8 teaching community. She enjoys dancing with her two children whenever possible.
Katie Labbe became interested in dance as a young girl and continued to make it her passion into adulthood. After graduating from Montana State University, she moved to Eugene two years ago to become an Early Interventionist and preschool teacher at the Relief Nursery. She also taught a dance and movement class for children at the Nursery - children and movement make her world go round! She is very excited to be a part of the Sparkplug teaching team before she heads off to graduate school in the fall.
Sarah Lame is a former elementary school teacher, currently on leave to stay home with her 15 month old daughter. She has taught 3rd and 4th grades and most recently Kindergarten, which is her absolute favorite. She researched and wrote her thesis on teaching science through the arts, specifically dance and drama. While not formally trained, Sarah has a love of dance and has spent many hours dancing in her kitchen and now with her daughter!
Teri Page, Administrative Director. Teri recently received her Master's Degree in Arts Management from the University of Oregon, where she focused on Community Arts and Nonprofit Management. Teri has danced all her life, and is a performer and choreographer for local musical theatre productions. Teri lives and works on an organic homestead with her family, gardens, pigs, chickens, and dairy goats!
Aimee Robbins is currently working on a degree in Elementary Education and is also a student of dance. She has two kids that participate in Sparkplug Dance classes and she's been teaching with Sparkplug since Spring of 2008. Aimee says, "I love dancing with people of all ages and can't wait to incorporate what I'm learning through Sparkplug in my own public classroom someday!"
Penny Salus credits Sparkplug Dance with her first reintroduction to dance when her first child, Tali was 1 year old. She enjoyed a few years of dancing and teaching...before beginning a long adoption process with her second child, Luis. Now that he is settled in to Eugene, she is thrilled to pick up where she left off...dancing and teaching with all of the wonderful Sparkplug families.
Melanie Simmons began her love of dance as a toddler and is thrilled to see the joy dance brings her two year old daughter as well. Melanie received her Bachelor of Science in Dance from the University of Oregon in 2002. She has taught many forms of dance and movement to ages two to eighty. Melanie is also a Licensed Massage Therapist. She is excited to be a part of Sparkplug and all it has to offer our children and our community!