SHANNON SCOTT-REICHELT (OWNER)
Shannon began dancing at the age of three under the instruction Charlotte Braun. She continued her dance education at the University of Akron and graduated with a Bachelor degree in French and Dance. She is trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, modern, tumbling and cheerleading. She has furthered her training by attending classes at Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway and conventions.
Shannon has choreographed and performed in local theater productions. She is also AACCA certified and USASF credentialed in Allstar cheerleading. Shannon has won several honors including best choreography, best showmanship, backstage awards, best sportsmanship, best technique and numerous national and regional titles. Shannon’s students have won numerous awards, gone on to dance professionally, cheer at the collegiate level and most importantly blossomed into well rounded healthy adults.
Alex Jones
Alex began her dance career with Shannon at the age of three and continued to train at Once Upon A Dream for fifteen years. She was a member of the OUAD Holiday team, Company, and Competition team. During Alex’s tenure at OUAD, she has participated in numerous competitions at the regional and national levels, dance conventions in Ohio, Chicago, and Washington D.C., as well as summer dance intensives. Alex expanded her dance education through training with instructors including Eric Carvil, Sunita Joshi, Lisa Brodhead, Inna Stabrova and the staff of Verb Ballets. She later studied as a professional level dance minor at Kent State’s College of Performing Arts. At Kent State, she studied and performed under the direction of Jeffrey Marc Rockland, Barbara Verlezza, Catherine Meredith, and Erin Smith.
Alex’s love of teaching began when she was an assistant teacher at the studio. Between training and teaching, she has been with Once Upon A Dream for over twenty years. Her desire to teachwent beyond the dance studio as Alex holds a Bachelor of Science in Education with a concentration in English Language Arts from Kent State University. She also holds a Master’s of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in English Language Arts from KSU.
Currently, Alex is an English teacher at Highland High School in Medina, Ohio. She also serves as one of the National Honor Society advisers. Her favorite part of her job is seeing her dancers excel both in the studio and academically in the classroom. Alex truly believes that as a lifelong learner, she will learn from her students, just as they will learn from her.
Alyssa Mascolo
Alyssa began dancing at a young age starting out at Abby Dance. She later transitioned to Once Upon a Dream at the age of eight. She has been a member of the OUAD Company and Competition team for many years training in various styles. During Alyssa’s time at the studio, she has participated in numerous competitions and conventions at the regional and national levels in Ohio, Pittsburgh, and Chicago.
Alyssa has also had the opportunity to expand her dance education through training with talented instructors at OUAD, as well as the staff of Oberlin Dance Company and Verb Ballets. She has broadened her experience over the past few years to include being an assistant and dance instructor at OUAD, which has given her much pleasure. It has been very rewarding for her to teach young dancers and develop their love of dance while learning from them as well.
Alyssa currently attends Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, majoring in Exercise Science, with plans of becoming a physical therapist. She is also a dance minor at the university, training for performances with the Slippery Rock Dance Theatre.
Dani Bush
Danielle Bush has over 20 years of cheerleading experience. She grew up near Birmingham, AL where she cheered for her High School and competitively. In her competitive career she cheered for a total of 7 years on a level 5 team in small coed and large coed all-star divisions making appearances at NCA, Cheersport, and Worlds events.
She also was chosen by NCA her senior year to represent the state of Alabama in the Hula Bowl in Hawaii as a NCA Top All American in 2006. Dani also cheered collegiately at The Ohio State University, competing in collegiate nationals. Her coaching career started at the High School level, where she successfully added stunting into the program, receiving coaching recognition from NCA for the programs progress in both safety and skill. She is AACCA certified, USASF certified, BLS and CPR certified, Concussion Protocol Certified. Dani is in her 3rd year with Kent State University Cheerleading as Head Coach, and has placed in the 10 ten at NCA Collegiate Nationals the last 3 years for the small coed division.
Outside of cheer, Dani works as a licensed nurse for a large insurance company, with a second bachelor’s degree in Biology- Pre Med concentration from Kent. She is happily married to her husband Mike, with 2 little boys, Liam and Conor. Her family is currently moving to Medina with their 2 Cattle Dogs, Bosa and Zeke.
Cara Steffy
Cara started her cheerleading career early in life at the age of 3. She was involved in school cheerleading, all-star cheerleading, gymnastics and dance. She has maintained her passion for the sport over the years.
After high school she began coaching middle school cheerleading for her alma mater during football and basketball season for several years. She then went on to spend one year as the head coach for her high school JV & Varsity cheerleading squad. Cara is USASF certified, and credentialed in levels 1-3. She has maintained her CPR and First Aid certifications.
Outside of the gym, she’s helping her fiancé run their pizza shop, Twisted Tomato Pizzeria in Bedford, OH. Anytime Cara isn’t working she’s spending time with her son, Bennett or her friends & family.
Hannah Houser
Hannah’s love for dance began when she started training at the age of three. She grew up competing with Abby Dance Center in numerous genres (contemporary, modern, jazz, tap, and hip-hop). Hannah is a certified teacher with the Suzuki Association of the Amercias’ “Every Child Can!” program, and she’s been teaching with Once Upon a Dream Dance and Cheer for nearly ten years. She’s received numerous awards for her choreography, and her dances have received four nominations to the Industry Dance Awards and Cancer Benefit Show in Hollywood, California – Best Performance – Explosions (2014), Best Choreography – To Build a Home (2016), Best Lyrical/Modern/Contemporary – Girl Behind the Mask (2018), Best Open/Acro/Ballet – The Village (2019).
She loves the challenge of helping dancers improve, whether they’ve been dancing for several years or are stepping into the studio for the first time. Hannah’s passion and energetic approach to teaching helps her students achieve the most on stage and in their everyday lives. When away from the studio, Hannah enjoys playing piano and spending time with her husband. She’s always planning her next vacation and knows just what to do when your suitcase doesn’t arrive.
Carley Mayes
Carley Mayes started her dance career at Once Upon a Dream when she was a young girl and continues to further her career on The University of Akron dance team. After starting at Once Upon a Dream, Carley took competition classes in jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, tap, and ballet. She also cheered competitively for OUAD and expanded her horizons at Wadsworth High school on the cheer team and in the show choir.
Throughout 15 years of dancing with this studio, she has been privileged to spend her high school career surrounded by a dance family and studio filled with inspiring teachers and dancers. She has learned all of the skills she needs to be a leader and a teacher to students of all ages thanks to the teachers who never failed to push her. These include Trixie Schoonover, Hannah Campbell , Emily Kula, Shannon Reichelt, Alex Jones, and many other coaches and mentors.
At Once Upon a Dream Carley was able to find her full potential as a dancer and a person. She was inspired to further her career at any opportunity given and she continues to grow and learn at The University of Akron. Because this studio provided such a supportive environment for her for many years, she now intends to do the same for her students. She is very blessed to have the opportunity to teach at this studio and give her students the experience her teachers gave to her. With her strong passion for dance, she is sure to provide her students with a fun and safe place where they can learn and grow as dancers and people as well.
Patty Sega (Office Administrator)
My position at Once Upon a Dream is office administrator for the Granger and Wadsworth Studios. It is my “dream job” …the studio is a special place to work. We have fantastic families and children and I love watching them develop a love of the performing arts and hone their dance movements. I have worked at a dance studio for over 35 years; previously for my friend at Gotta Dance in Medina for 25 years. I was the office administrator there and taught Pilates. My daughter, Alison also danced and taught there from 3-20 years old. After my friend retired, I started working for Shannon at OUAD. This is my tenth year at OUAD and I enjoy sharing my “love of dance and the performing arts” with the children and their families.
I live on a 100 acre farm with my husband, Mike. We have 4 horses, 2 dogs, and lots of cats! I enjoy riding my horse, Barbie on the farm, gardening, walking and keeping up with my Pilates. We have two grown children, John (wife, Tracie) and Alison (husband, Kenny), 5 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild who share special times and help on the farm.
I look forward to each year at OUAD..so fun and exciting!
Elayna Yuschak
Hi my name is Elayna Yuschak! I started at Once Upon a Dream and did competitive cheer when I was 6 years old where I continued until I was 14. I went to college for soccer at Tiffin University but missed cheer so my sophomore year of college (fall of 2018) I decided to join the Cheer and STUNT teams as well!
I love working with kids, especially through cheer and tumbling because it is amazing to watch them create friendships, achieve their goals and have fun
Kyia Frank
Kyia has been a part of the OUAD family since the age of six. She competed for 11 years and has made many accomplishments as a dancer and holds numerous titles. She traveled to many conventions as a student and had the opportunity to assist conventions as well. At the age of nine she became an apprentice for Intrigue dance convention and then traveled with Revel Dance Convention as a pro reveler for 4 years.
Kyia attended the University of Akron and has graduated with her bachelors of science degree. She has always had a passion for helping others improve and with an exercise science major she hopes to become a physical therapist so she can continue doing so. Along with dance she has had a lot of cheerleading background as well. Not only did she do competition cheer but she was also a D1 cheerleader for Akron. She has had the honor to compete at NCA nationals in Daytona, FL
Patti Hetkey
Trixie Schonover
