Staff
Our dance instructors are educated, professional, and always looking to keep up with the current trends and styles of dance and fitness.
About our Team
Each staff member at Move Dance Family is passionate about empowering people of all ages, shapes, and sizes to dance, move, and express themselves. Our dance instructors are educated, professional, and always looking to keep up with the current trends and styles of dance and fitness. We take great pride in our diversity and in selecting instructors that match the MDF Culture and Values.
THE TEAM
MALLORIE MARION
Owner – Company Director
Bio
Mallorie Marion is a dance choreographer, teacher, studio owner and creative director with a passion for authentic creative expression through dance. She, along with her husband, Julien, owns and manages one of the top-rated dance studios in Texas, where 400+ dancers currently grow and thrive under Mallorie’s individualized direction and artistic vision.
Dance has always been central to Mallorie’s life. She grew up dancing at the Atascocita Dance Center and Call to Glory Dance Studios, which were owned and directed by her father, Jeff Lewis. With a strong foundation in dance, she was accepted to Belhaven University, where she pursued a dance major under Laura Morton (a former instructor for the Houston Ballet) and Ravenna Tucker (former principal for the Royal Ballet). After achieving professional-level technique and artistry at Belhaven, she was invited to join Ad Deum Dance Company, under the direction of Randall Flinn. Mallorie’s professional dance career brought her all around the world, where she had the chance to be instructed, inspired, and influenced by many diverse and noteworthy dancers and teachers.
Since 2013, Mallorie has dedicated her energy and efforts to building a space where dancers of all kinds can flourish and achieve excellence in a space where their unique minds, bodies and spirits are celebrated and supported. Mallorie brings a wealth of technical training and creative inspiration, which allows her to deliver unforgettable choreography that touches the hearts of dancers and audience members alike. Mallorie’s dance students have been accepted into dance programs at a number of top-tier universities, and achieved notable success as professional dancers and teachers.
JULIEN MARION
Owner – Director of Operations
Bio
Julien is the coach! He has tried everything physical from CrossFit to ballet class. He has an MBA from Belhaven University, and played basketball at a college and international level; he is competitive and knows how to push himself and others to achieve amazing results. He believes that in life we either put limitations on ourselves or allow others to limit us. His famous tagline is: Accept compliments from everyone's limitations from no one. He is an entrepreneur, author, coach, and college business professor; he is passionate about networking and helping others reach their goals both physical and professional. Julien has been teaching Boys Hip-Hop for the last 10 years and leads with Mallorie the MDF staff!
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him” 1 Corinthians 2:9
ASHLEY CRITTENDEN
Teacher, Company Coach
Bio
Ashley Crittenden was raised in Sugar Land, Tx where she began as a competitive cheerleader and later began dancing at the age of 10, training in ballet, jazz, hip hop, and contemporary/modern at Sugar Land Dance Center and Danceworks.
In high school, Ashley continued her passion for dance as member of her high school dance team and served as an officer of her dance team for two years. She then discovered her love for jazz and hip hop and began training in different styles of hip hop including, locking, breaking, popping, waacking, street jazz, and many more. She soon began choreographing routines and teaching masterclasses for high school dance teams. She then moved to Austin, Tx to attend the University of Texas at Austin where she guest taught at studios in the Austin/ San Antonio area and was a member and later director of the co-ed professional hip hop company, Redefined Dance Company, where they won two-time World of Dance Champions and received many awards.
Ashley is thrilled to share her love for dance with all her students and help them find their voice through various dance styles.
BRITTANI JOINER
Teacher, Company Coach, Birthday Party Coordinator
Bio
Hello my name is Brittani Joiner, my artistic history as a dance student started at the age of 7. I graduated from Tompkins Highschool in 2017 . I attended dance studios in the Katy, Richmond , Stafford and Houston area growing up. In my career as a young dancer I have performed in the HEB thanksgiving parade, katy rice festival, Highschool football games, High school basketball games, Magical Christmas show in Galveston and pageants. I recently graduated with BFA in Dance from the University of Houston. GO COOGS !!! My goals are to be a studio dance teacher that can fulfill my students' needs with growth as well as precision. I want to go on with my journey and perform with Disney for a few years then possibly go for a Masters in Dance in Graduate school to start a new journey.
GLADYS HOVIS
Ballet Mistress
Bio
Ms. Hovis’ early ballet training was with Mary Clare Sale and Irina Kosmovska, both former dancers
for George Balanchine. She has 12 years of performing experience with the Los Angeles Junior
Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, and Theatre Ballet of Brigham Young University. Ms. Hovis holds a
bachelor's and master’s degree in dance, and a master’s degree in education.
Her teaching experience includes six years with Brigham Young University, five years with The Jewish Community Center of Houston, three years with Galveston Ballet, sixteen years with Live Oak Dance Center, six years with Luce Conservatory of Fine Arts, and six years with Move Dance Family. Many of her students have been accepted to summer intensive and trainee programs throughout the United
States. Several former students have become dance teachers, including teaching for Ballet Austin
and Houston Ballet.
Ms. Hovis has staged and choreographed many ballet productions including Petruska, Les Sylphides, La Fille Mal Gardee, Rodeo, Cinderella, and Coppelia. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and of Corps de Ballet International which provides continuing ballet methodology instruction through traveling the world and learning from renowned dance pedagogues.
KAMRYN HORN
Teacher, Company Coach
Bio
NYLA STAES
Teacher
Bio
MARIANNE LOERA
Teacher
TERRANCE VANDERBILT
TEACHER
LIAM MARION
Front of House
JAIDA ROQUE
Front of House