Core Members
SHELBY collins
Shelby started dancing at Dancer’s Studio at the age of four under the instruction of Irena Linn and Amy Wilson. While at Dancer’s Studio, she primarily focused on Modern techniques and eventually widened her focus to include jazz and ballet once she was older. By age 13, Shelby had joined The Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble (TCDE), where she danced for five years before graduating. After graduation, Shelby took two years off from dancing before finding her way back and joining MDL in the summer of 2021. Currently, she works for Elder’s Ace Hardware and is looking at schooling options for different business majors.
Shannon Pedigo Efteland
Shannon received her dance training at the Irma Witt O'Fallon School for the Dancer and at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. During her studies to pursue a B.S. in Agriculture and M.S. in Microbiology, she found time for dance, including master classes with Momix, Ailey II and the American Repertory Ballet. She has performed with the Appalachian Ballet Jr. Company and the UT Dance Company and has performance and choreography credits with Circle Modern Dance and Momentum Dance Lab. Shannon has been teaching dance and movement classes in East Tennessee for over twenty years. A founding member of MDL, Shannon serves on the Board of Directors and continues to teach, perform, and choreograph for the company.
annie holmes
Annie began her dance training at Dancers Studio in Knoxville where she was exposed to a variety of dance genres, including moder, ballet, and jazz. She was a member of the Tennessee Children's Dance Ensemble (TCDE) where she performed all over the world until graduating high school. Later in adulthood, she began teaching various forms of dance at Riversong Dance Studio. She is a certified personal trainer and currently works at Frankie's Body Shop The Gym and Personal Training. She is now back in the studio and on the stage again after taking some time off as a new mom to her daughter.
Kate Jolly
Kate began dancing at age five at Dancers Studio in Knoxville, where her primary focus was modern and ballet techniques. When Kate was nine, she joined the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble (TCDE) under the instruction of Irena Linn and Amy Wilson. Kate’s time with TCDE taught her various techniques, but she quickly realized her heart was in modern. In 2019, Kate joined Momentum Dance Lab where she continues her lifelong passion for dance. Currently, Kate is pursuing a masters degree in Landscape Architecture at The University of Tennessee.
Valerie Kelly
Valerie Kelly is a founding member of Momentum Dance Lab and rejoined MDL in May 2019. She is ecstatic to be performing again. Dance has been an integral part of her life since age ten. During high school she participated in her school's color guard and winter guard in addition to her dance classes. She received a minor in dance performance alongside her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 2007. She shared her love of the art with her students at Riversong Dance Studio in South Knoxville from 2011-2019. She now works as a personal trainer at Frankie’s Body Shop The Gym and Personal Training.
Emily Kersey
Since the age of six, Emily has been exploring a wide range of dance styles and falling in love with various genres through the years. Emily began training with Valerie Kelly at Riversong Dance Studio at age nine, where she stayed until graduating in 2019. During her time at Riversong, Emily found a love for hip-hop and modern dance. At Riversong, Emily was given the opportunity to teach hip-hop classes and choreograph contemporary pieces for herself and others. Emily is now continuing her dance training and teaching as a member of Momentum Dance Lab. When she isn’t dancing, Emily is studying Agriculture Leadership at the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK), or working as the student manager for UTK’s The Grow Lab. Emily is thrilled to be continuing her dance training with Momentum Dance Lab.
Gururas Khalsa
Gururas Khalsa was born and raised in Knoxville, TN where she began dancing at age four at Dancer's Studio. After high school, she moved to Boston where she spent a year dancing with Green Street Studios under the tutelage of Marcus Schulkind. Alongside her Architecture degree, she received a Minor in Dance Performance from the University of Tennessee Knoxville where she was a member of the UT Dance Company. She had the opportunity to perform works by renowned choreographers including Nathan Trice and four original pieces by Martha Graham, as well as choreographing a number of original works. Gururas has been teaching and choreographing since age eighteen, and joined MDL in 2014 where she has continued these endeavors as part of the Core Company.
Hannah Peterson
Hannah began dancing as a child and primarily trained with Ballet Tennessee under the direction of Barry and Anna VanCura. She continued her dance training at Belmont University where she graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a minor in dance. During her time there, she was a member of the Belmont University Dance Company, under the direction of Debbie Belue, for three years. After graduating, Hannah moved to Knoxville and has been dancing, teaching, and choreographing with Momentum Dance Lab since 2019. Hannah currently serves on the Board of Directors for MDL and loves getting to dance and explore new movement alongside other dancers. When she’s not dancing, she works as a chemist and enjoys spending time in the outdoors.
HENLEY PROCHASKA
Henley started dancing when she was four years old at Dancers Studio. As she grew older, she joined and graduated the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble (TCDE) and began attendance at the University of Tennessee where she then graduated with a Kinesiology major and a Public Health minor. At U.T., she danced with the BOSS Dance Company and is currently choreographing for them this year. She enjoys being able to teach and choreograph at Dancers Studio, and she is glad to have found Momentum Dance Lab where she can continue to perform with and learn from hardworking and talented dancers.
Micah lee sISSOM
Micah Lee Sissom began dancing at age 4 at Dancer's Studio. She spent a couple years with the Tennessee Children's Dance Ensemble (TCDE) and throughout college performed for different events around Knoxville. Her favorite performance was at the Bijou for an Eric Baker concert with Courtney Massey Kohlhepp. She joined Momentum Dance Lab in 2019 and has loved getting to dance with other passionate adults honing their craft and delighting in movement together! Outside of dance, Micah Lee pursues a career in cloud engineering and loves to grow vegetables.
Sarah sutton
Sarah began dancing at the age of eight at Dancers Studio, where she trained in modern, ballet, and jazz. By thirteen, she had discovered that dance was her true passion and chose to dedicate more of her time and energy to it by joining the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble (TCDE). During her years with TCDE, Sarah also uncovered her love for teaching and choreography. She finds joy in telling stories through movement and sharing her knowledge and creativity with others. In her professional life, Sarah works as an Accounting Analyst at TVA, but dance and choreography remain at the heart of who she is. She currently serves as a choreographer for UTK’s BOSS Dance Company and as Treasurer, Board Member, and choreographer for Momentum Dance Lab. Sarah is thrilled to continue performing with Momentum and looks forward to the growth and connection this opportunity provides.
Ashley Wagner
Ashley Wagner moved to Knoxville, TN from Illinois in 2007 and has been loving life in the South ever since. Her performance experience comes largely from the worlds of color guard and marching band. At age eleven, Ashley began performing with indoor and outdoor color guard groups in Illinois, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Since 2007 she has enjoyed teaching various groups in all three states. She was also a core member of Circle Modern Dance in Knoxville from 2013-2020, and loves teaching, choreographing, and studying all forms of modern dance. Ashley currently works for Oak Ridge City Schools.
Brynn Yeager
Brynn Yeager served as president of Momentum Dancer Lab from 2016 to 2021. She has been a dancer and choreographer since her childhood. She has worked with Knox County Schools, UT’s BOSS dance company, and numerous studios and companies across the East TN region. She now works as a trauma therapist and has integrated her work with the body into her healing practice with her clients. She believes dance and movement are an integral part of her individual growth journey as well as an important facet of the arts community in Knoxville.
Company Members
ellyott colon
Ellyott Colon joined Momementum Dance Lab in 2024 and is honored to be part of a community that uplifts the arts through movement and collaboration. Originally from Miami, FL, Ellyott began dancing at the age of seven and went on to become the first male member of the nationally-ranked Florida State University dance team. He graduated from FSU in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Family & Child Sciences.
Now based in Knoxville, Ellyott is a third-year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Tennessee. He is passionate about blending his backgrounds in dance and psychology and is pursuing his degree with the goal of supporting the mental health and performance needs of artists and entertainers. When he’s not dancing or studying, Ellyott enjoys thrifting, hiking, trying new restaurants, and spending time with his two pups, Kitsune and Koopa.
Kelli Hudson
Kelli began her dance journey at the age of four at Dancer’s Studio in Knoxville, Tennessee. Though she has always favored modern technique, Kelli performed annually with the Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association for the majority of her youth. At the age of twelve, Kelli joined the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble (TCDE) under the direction of Irena Linn and Amy Wilson to broaden her dance horizons. Throughout her time in TCDE, Kelli studied modern, ballet, jazz, and tap. Kelli was also a member of UT’s BOSS Dance Company while pursuing a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Education. Kelli is now a Program Director at one of Knoxville’s top summer camps for children, and is excited to continue dancing with Momentum Dance Lab!
GWYTHIAN RAMSAY
Gwythian started dancing at six years old at Dancer’s Studio in Knoxville, focusing on modern dance as well as ballet, jazz, and tap. She joined the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble (TCDE) at age twelve. She danced with TCDE until she graduated high school in 2021, the same year she joined Momentum. Gwythian is currently studying Animal Science on the pre-vet track at UTK. While dancing with Momentum, she also teaches ballet at Dancer’s Studio, and assists with rehearsals for Ignite dance company.
kATIE WATSON
Katie started dancing in Ohio when she was three years old. She grew up dancing ballet, jazz, and modern, and even has a few years of Irish dancing under belt. When she was 14 she joined the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble (TCDE), where she fell in love with performing and realized its power as an art form. After graduating high school, she joined Momentum that fall to continue to pursue her love of dance and dance performance. After graduating with a Nursing degree from Pellissippi State Community College, Katie currently works as a nurse in the ICU.
