Ashlynd Jones, Owner & Director

Ashlynd is the owner and director of National Dance Academy in Coralville and Iowa City, Ia. During her 20 years of teaching experience in the corridor, nearly 10,000 students have crossed Ashlynd's path. Ashlynd teaches students of all ages in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical and hip hop. Ashlynd's students and choreography compete at regional and national levels and receive highest honors while Ashlynd consistently receives best choreography awards.
In addition to managing National Dance Academy, Ashlynd teaches master classes at conventions, studios, and high schools throughout the United States, and she judges national talent competitions. Many of Ashlynd's past students have gone on to dance professionally on Broadway, in MTV videos, with companies such as American Ballet Theater, in shows at Disney World, on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and have attend prestigious dance schools and/or Universities.
Ashlynd received her B.F.A. in dance from the University of Arizona. While attending the U of A, Ashlynd was a part of the NCAA Grand Champion Pomline. When not teaching, Ashlynd enjoys working with the West High Drama Department; she has choreographed the musicals Legally Blonde, Annie and Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Mary Poppins, Les Miserables and West Side Story.
Ashlynd enjoys volunteering for Any Given Child and teaching dance units in gym for the Iowa City community schools as well as teaching, choreographing and performing in Dancing for the Stars, a benefit for The Hope Lodge.
Ashlynd has completed intensives in Houston and Chicago to teach Aerial Silks and fitness classes and is loving the challenge and beauty found in Aerial Arts. Ashlynd has twin toddler boys she enjoys chasing after and likes biking with her husband in her free time.

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Michael Kohli, Founder

Michael Kohli began teaching dance in 1971 as a high school student in Storm Lake, Iowa. Michael opened Miss Michael's School of Dance in the basement of her parents' home with seven students. Within five years she added a studio in Cherokee, Iowa as well and had an enrollment of 350 students. After high school graduation Michael studied extensively in New York City. Realizing the need for a college education, Michael moved to Iowa City and graduated from the University of Iowa with a BA in Dance. Dance of Iowa City was established in 1981. When she added studios in Coralville and Cedar Rapids the business name was changed to Dance of Iowa. Following franchising plans in 2005 the name was changed to National Dance Academy. 20,000 students later, Michael's passion for teaching dance and working with school aged students continues to thrive. The tradition continues.

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Alissa Capron- Assistant Director: Competition

Alissa Capron is a rare jewel, not only in performing but teaching.
Alissa is a graduate of University of Iowa with a degree in dance and psychology.
Miss Capron was Michael Kohli's personal assistant for several years and was recently promoted to Assistant Director of NDA's Competition Teams. Alissa received her certification in Hatha yoga from the University of Iowa and enjoys applying yoga to her classes.
You may also see Alissa teaching silks classes as she works with Mimi regularly in the advanced silks program and teaches camps and fun days on the ropes!
Alissa grew up dancing with NDA, was a leader in Click and graduated a diamond dancer. Alissa was also a 4 year member of the City High dance team as well as captan.
Miss Alissa has impeccable technique herself and the exceptional gift to instill it in dancers she works with. Alissa is consistently winning best choreography at competitions and has proven that she is not just an excellent dancer herself but a talented teacher and choreographer as well. Miss Alissa recently got engaged and is excited to be planning her wedding!

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Taylor Gomez

Taylor Gomez trained at National Dance Academy from the age of three through eighteen. She then went on to study Dance and Biology at Luther College. Taylor graduated from Luther in May, 2016 and is now living in Iowa City, IA with her husband, Andrew, and their rabbit, Vasco.

Taylor's goal as a dance artist is to introduce others to movement as an expressive art. She believes that the healing properties of improvisational dance can and should be accessed by every body. Taylor enjoys facilitating movement practices, as well as teaching technique and choreography to a class.

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Margaret Manjoine

We are so excited to welcome Margaret to our faculty at NDA! Margaret grew up dancing since the age of 2 and trained with NDA under Ashlynd and Alissa in high school. Following graduation, Miss Manjoine continued dancing as a member of the Mount Mercy Dance Team. Margaret is currently the Regina High School Dance Team Coach and loves using her eye to clean routines and see growth in routines and individuals.
Margaret will be working with all levels in Iowa city and Coralville as well as cleaning routines and traveling with our competition teams! Welcome back to NDA Margaret!

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Heather Craig

Heather’s senior year of high school she assisted Michael Kohli and realized she loved teaching kids and wanted ro be a dance teacher. As a result of her obvious passion for dance and teaching Heather was awarded the “Kohli Dream Scholarship” of $1000 to persue her dreams her senior year. Miss Craig is currently working towards her Dance and Business Management degree at the University of Iowa. This is Heather’s 3rd year on faculty and 4th year as Michael’s personal assistant. Heather attends all the competitions with NDA’s talented teams and you will see her warming up dancers, rehearsing solos and groups and perfecting and cleaning routines as well as choreographing her own routines. We are so excited that Heather has transitioned from a member of Click and a Diamond Dancer at NDA to an amazing teacher and prized member of our staff.

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