Mecinna Price- Artistic Director/Dance Director
Mecinna grew up in Pocatello studying dance first with Nancy Merrell at the age of 3. When Marius Zirra first came to Pocatello, Mecinna took up training with him and continued through her teen years also training with Sandi Francis.
Once in college, Mecinna danced on ISU's dance team along with running her own studio on Main Street in downtown Pocatello. After 7 years running her studio, Mecinna began traveling with her husband and children. In the years that followed she taught in Kirksville Missouri, Logan Utah, Quincy Illinois, was ballet director for a studio in Brigham City Utah, and more notably, took time off from teaching to study with the Southold Theatre of Dance for 3 years in South Bend, Indiana.
Mecinna owns the Idaho Skin Institute Medspa and is the CEO of Price Products, a company that invents and manufactures children's products worldwide. She mentors other inventors in establishing their products and company guidelines.
Mecinna also has 5 children and is married to Dr. Jared Price. She teaches all ballet classes and adult fitness.
Kellsey Ball, Office Manager, Hip Hop
Kellsey Ball was born in Phoenix Arizona, at the age of five she moved to Pocatello, Kellsey later began dancing with Mecinna’s Elite Technique at the age of seven. She continued her training in ballet, clogging, jazz and hip hop at the Dance Factory. Kellsey has participated in various competitions, workshops and performances throughout the years, as well as winning many awards and scholarships. Kellsey's accomplishments and her extreme love for dance led to her being asked to teach ballet, jazz, hip hop and clogging at the age of fourteen, while she was still training as a dancer at the Dance Factory. Kellsey’s classes always placed very high at competitions throughout the western United States. She was also a member of her High School dance team while attending Century High School in Pocatello. Kellsey is extremely excited to be able to share her passion and love for dance as a member of the Gateway Foundation staff.
Dana Atkins- Children's Musical Theatre and Teen Musical Theatre, Voice
Dana has been singing, dancing, and performing as long as she can remember. She grew up in Idaho Falls where she participated in various singing groups, dance companies, and musicals. Her parents always encouraged her to use and develop her talents and did their best to give her every opportunity to do so.
After highschool, Dana attended Western Wyoming Community College as a Musical Theatre major. She graduated from WWCC with an Associate's Degree in Musical Theatre. While at WWCC, Dana had the opportunity to perform with the resident modern dance company, Desert Dance Theatre.
After completing her studies at WWCC, Dana spent a summer in Cisco, Texas as a guest artist for the Big Country Dinner Theater. While there, Dana played the role of Prudie Cupp in the musical "Pump Boys and Dinettes."
Dana currently resides in Pocatello with her husband Bryan. She recently completed her studies at Idaho State University with a Bachelor's degree in music. While at ISU, Dana was involved with the Chamber and Concert Choirs. She has also performed with I-Move, ISU's contemporary dance company.
Dana began teaching for the Gateway Foundation in August 2006 as a Children's Musical Theatre and Dance teacher.
Dana's credits include her dream role of Cinderella in the Gateway Foundation's 2006 production of "Into the Woods." Other favorite roles include Kolokolo Bird in "Just So," Blanche Ingram in "Jane Eyre," and Carrie Pipperidge in "Carousel."
Elizabeth DeLoach, Kindermusik and Piano
Liz DeLoach was born and raised in Pocatello. She comes from a very musical family, and enjoys all kinds of music from pop to classical. Liz has been playing the piano since she was 5 years old, and presently teaches piano lessons and accompanies various groups. She has been singing in school and church choirs since the age of 11. Liz studied music, elementary education, and psychology at Idaho State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2001.
Liz has almost 12 years of experience teaching music to children, through private piano lessons and church music programs. She has taught in Louisiana, New Mexico, and is glad to be back in her home state of Idaho. She is now sharing her love of music at home with her 4 children.
Liz is excited to be joining the Gateway Foundation and combining her love of children, music, and learning by teaching Kindermusik® classes. Liz is a trained and licensed Kindermusik® educator and she looks forward to this opportunity to bring the joy of music into the lives of children, and to help parents enhance their children's development through music. She also plans to expand Gateway’s Kindermusik® program.
Stacy Aplington- Cheer
Stacy was born here in Pocatello and has lived here her whole life. She is married to Heath Aplington and has two children. She started her dance instruction at the age of five and continued for eleven years. She studied ballet, jazz, tap, and hip hop during those years and was also involved in several performing companies. Stacy was also on her junior high cheerleading team and Highland High School's cheerleading team. Since highschool she has judged various cheer competitions and tryouts. She loves teaching young children and looks forward to teaching again at the Gateway.
Brittani Walters, Creative
Brittani was born and raised in Jerome, Idaho. She started dancing when she was 5 years old at "Dance with Sheri" and switched to dancing at "Julies Jazzworks" when she was 7. She danced on the competitive teams at "Julies Jazzworks" and started a team at Jerome High School her Senior Year. Brittani graduated from JHS in May of 2010 and is now attending Idaho State University. She is Minoring in Dance and Majoring in Physical Education and Sports Management with the hopes of being excepted into the Physical Therapy Graduate Program. She is teaching the 3-6 year old Creative Movement classes and loves working with the kids. Brittani loves to dance and is excited for the opportunity she has teaching here!
Hector Perez-Jujitsu
Hector, Along with his 3 older brothers, started in Kokondo karate and jukido at the age of 7, and then Sanzyuryu karate and jujitsu under the direction of Sensei Brian Combo, now the senior most student in Shoshin Ryu and then Sensei Frank Contreras up till he left for college. He taught Sanzyryu Martial Arts, along with his 3 brothers for first 2 years, in college at the University of Idaho fro 1995-2002 where he had a successful student base his entire stay there. Hector continued his training in Boise for a while and then moved to Pocatello. After moving to Pocatello, Hector started a family with his wife, Audra and their 2 children and then got the itch to teach again. He got a class started in the Gold's Gym in Pocatello and has a successful kids and adults class and then jumped at the opportunity to teach at the Gateway Founation to add to his growing class load. Hector has always loved teaching and looks forward to when he can get his own kids in the class. He hopes to pass on everything he knows to whoever is willing and to incredible people at the Gateway Foundation.
Molly S. Jorgensen-contemporary
Molly S. Jorgensen is a dance educator, choreographer, performer, and artist. She holds an MFA in dance from the University of Utah and a BA in dance from Brigham Young University. As an educator and choreographer she has taught courses in Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Contact Improvisation, Dance Composition, Laban Movement Analysis, Survey of Dance, Children’s Creative Dance, and Somatic Practices and has created dance works within university dance programs and private dance studios throughout Utah and Idaho. Recently her choreographic work ‘Assuage (uh-sweyj)’ was chosen to perform at the 2011 Northwest Region ACDFA Gala concert in Moscow, Idaho. She was also awarded a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts for her directorial and choreographic work as part of the worldwide Global Water Dances Event. As a performer, she toured nationally and internationally with BYU's Contemporary Dance Theatre (CDT) and The Dancers´ Company. Additionally Molly has danced with University of Utah's Performing Dance Company, performing pieces by Kaye Richards, Abby Fiat and Deborah Hay and has worked with Ellen Bromberg and Bob Lockyer exploring dance and film. Ms. Jorgensen is currently on dance faculty at Idaho State University within the Department of Theatre & Dance/School of Performing Arts. She is a Somatic Movement Educator certified as a Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst (CLMA), and Yoga instructor. She is the co-founder of Extend Dance, a program designed to promote a professional and active dance community in Pocatello, ID.
Cassie House-Theatre dance
Cassie House-Harris is a performer, choreographer, and teacher who has trained in various studies of dance for several years. She is currently a Physical Therapist Assistant with a minor in Dance Choreography, and Dance Education. Cassie has performed with ISU’s modern dance companies, and danced as a principle with I~MOVE at the National College Dance Festival in New York City. Some of her works have been showcased in the Northwest Region of the American College Dance Festival. As co-founder of the adult community group Extend, teacher of The Gateway Foundation and former teacher of The Idaho Children’s Dance Theater, she has taught modern, jazz, ballet, tap, and musical theater dance classes.
Renee Porter, Children's Musical Theatre
Karin Dance, Children's Musical Theatre and Teens' Musical Theatre, Voice
Karin grew up in Kaysville, Utah, singing and performing frequently with her very musically-talented family. Classically trained in voice by her mother (a seasoned singer and performer), Karin has been performing on stage since she was a young child and continues to perform frequently in our community.
Karin’s journey with The Gateway Foundation began in 2011 when she joined the talented cast of The Taffetas as “Peggy,” and she was invited to join the Gateway teaching staff shortly thereafter. Karin has enjoyed teaching private voice lessons in her home studio in Des Moines, IA, and now Pocatello for the past 6 years. She received her Bachelor's degree in English from Utah State University.
Some of Karin’s favorite credits include “Grace” in Annie, “Rita” in Lucky Stiff, "Mary" in Power in His Touch, and “Mary Bailey” in It’s a Wonderful Life, as well as soloing in Handel’s Messiah. In addition to feeding her passion for musical theatre, she has enjoyed numerous opportunities serving the community by performing at multiple events and benefits since moving to Pocatello in 2008. Karin has performed in many choirs throughout her life--most recently with the Camerata Singers.
Karin currently resides in Pocatello with her 2 darling little boys and the love of her life, Dave.
Stacy Landon, Contemporary
Stacy was born and raised in Pocatello. She took dance at Kasai Dance Studio for many years. She then attended the University of Utah majoring in Ballet with a musical theatre emphasis. She decided to open her own dance studio, Best Dance Company, that she operated for 11 years, teaching ballet, tap jazz and hip hop.
She has taken many master classes in all areas of dance from professional instructors in Las Vegas and Utah. In her spare time she likes to run, read and cook.
Stacy and her husband Mike have three children and two grandchildren.
