Lori has been involved in music nearly all her life, but got a relatively late start in dance. She had a passion for step dancing early on, but the time and opportunity never seemed to present at the same point. Six years ago, they finally both happened at once. She jumped at the chance to start clogging with Reda Foster and fell in love with a discipline that combines music, movement and rhythm. Two years, several performances and a couple of workshops later, she started helping teach new routines. Of course, to teach, you have to know it well yourself first, so she started spending quite a few hours on the hardwood. That lead to two of her four kids learning to clog as well.
Lori was introduced to the STARS program in late 2014 through square dancing at Foster’s Outback and quickly took advantage of it for both her kids and herself. In the fall of 2015, after taking part in STARS’ production of Mary Poppins, enough interest was expressed that she started teaching a clogging class at the STARS studio. It quickly went from 60 minutes to 90 and split into two classes. Lori loves being able to share the joy that is dance with others. In addition to clogging, she also enjoys dancing lines, squares, western couple, contra, ballroom, swing, ballet and tap dance and believes firmly that you are never “too old” to start something new!
Kristy knew from a young age that she wanted to teach. At the end of her 5th grade year, she attended a band information meeting; where she was told that she didn’t have “flute lips” and that she should play the trumpet. It was a good decision for her as she eventually made the Missouri All-State Band her senior year of high school. It was through her involvement in the high school band where she decided that she wanted to teach music.
In 2008, Kristy graduated from Missouri State University with her Bachelor of Music Education. She immediately attended MSU for graduate school and completed her Master of Music with an emphasis in Wind Band Conducting in 2011. While attending university, Kristy performed, both on her trumpet and while conducting, with many music groups including the MSU Wind Ensemble, MSU Wind Symphony, MSU Symphonic Band, as well as various jazz ensemble and pep groups. She now is in her second year of teaching K-12 music and band at Hartville Schools.
She was married to her wonderful husband Ryan on July 6, 2013. The two met while performing in college. Kristy has many hobbies other than music. They include riding one of her three horses, playing with her dog, and watching Cardinals baseball.
Matt Peterson - Spanish
Matt was raised in Houston, Texas. He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Houston, Texas, in 1990. He then spent two years in Spain as a missionary and learned to read, write, and speak fluently in the southern part of Spain.
It is in Spain that Matt really learned different cultures and fell in love with learning about other cultures. He graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in History with a Spanish minor. Shortly after graduating, he moved with his family to Missouri. He got his teaching certification from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, and began teaching Spanish at Cabool High School. He is currently teaching Spanish at Houston High School.
Gailya Sanders is from Macon Georgia, where she participated in a variety of extracurricular activities. After having tried her hand in just about everything she discovered hoop dance, and immediately fell in love. It has grown into a passion for her that she has now studied for six years, attending workshops regularly and she is a current member of the Mizzou Hoop Group in Columbia, Missouri. Now that she has made her home in Cabool, Missouri she wishes to share her knowledge on hoop dance with the community here by providing a variety of classes for all ages.
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Grover Willcox - Flute
Grover Willcox started playing at 6 1/2 yrs of age, beginning with lessons from Dad, then Michael Freida (Julliard and 2nd Chair NJ Sympany), and finally Genevieve Hall (Principal of NJ Symphony).
He attended NJ School of Fine Arts (Art and Music), and in 1966 went into U S Navy School of Music and Band in Virginia. He only played performance at church or small assembles until recently.
In 1995, Grover went back to master classes (twice per month for 5 years) with Elissa Kleeman (former Principal of Houston Opera Orchestra and then Professor of Flute Rutgers University), and worked on tone, intonation and performance. Presently? Grover simply wants to give back and help students to excel at playing the flute and to appreciate one of the most beautiful instruments.
Andrea Williams - Music & MovementAndrea's first big experience with music was at the age of 7, when she began piano lessons with Joy Lower. Those lessons continued for seven years, until her teacher received a job in the local school system. Andrea's love of music continued, as she branched out into theatre, often appearing in high school musical productions. After receiving her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, she spent six and a half years teaching in public elementary schools in the area before choosing to stay home full time to raise her young family. During those years at home with her children, she developed a love for stringed instruments. She had mentioned that she'd always wanted to learn violin, and one year for Mother's Day, her husband surprised her with a violin. After a few years on violin, there was a need for viola in the STARS orchestra, so she began learning that instrument too. Andrea is excited about the opportunity to combine her love for music, her love for preschool children, and her love for teaching in the STARS program.
