The Body Expressions staff and teachers are skilled at educating students in the full-spectrum of current dance styles supported by strong classical training. Periodic guest teacher workshops expose our students to even more challenging levels while offering highly coveted networking opportunities for those pursuing dance professionally.
Heidi Roth Miller – Studio Director, Teacher, Choreographer
Heidi Roth Miller has been teaching and choreographing for 27 years. As one of the Owners/Directors of Body Expressions, Heidi has been committed to bringing quality dance education to the Northshore community since opening the studio in 1998. Her choreography has been recognized over the years by many special awards and placements including several “Outstanding Choreography” awards. Each year Heidi continues to advance her own training, expanding her knowledge of dance, choreography and of staging large productions. This has allowed her to bring the newest trends in choreography and teaching methods to the students of Body Expressions. She has enjoyed immensely sharing and teaching this wealth of information with her students over the years! Heidi has also performed and worked under artists such as Mia Michaels and Dan Karaty in two Off-Broadway shows, Mia Live and Shake the Floor.
Annie Roth Lefevre – Studio Director, Teacher, Choreographer
Annie Roth Lefevre has been dancing since the age of 2 and has been teaching and choreographing for 27 years. As one of the Owners/Directors of Body Expressions, Annie’s love and passion for dance and for teaching children of all ages inspires her each and every day to bring the best training to her students. Each year Annie educates herself in the ever-evolving dance industry to make sure she is continuing to learn and bringing the best dance technique and training methods to the students of Body Expressions. Annie’s choreography has received special recognition at competitions around the country. Some of these include Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Style, the Critic’s Choice Award and the Showmanship Award. She has received training from some of the best dancers/choreographers in the industry and has performed in an Off-Broadway show under the direction of Mia Michaels. Annie is the proud mother of two wonderfully amazing daughters, Stella and Scarlette. She is thankful for her husband D.J. and his continued love and support over the last 26 years.
Kate Starns – Teacher
Kate Starns was born and rasied in Mandeville, Louisiana. She started dancing at Body Expressions at a young age, where she was a member of the BXP Dance Company. She graduated the Body Expressions Teacher program in 2012, and has been teaching and choreographing ever since. While attending Louisiana State University, she continued her training by studying dance history and composition. Kate has traveled the southern area attending dance conventions and studying with many famous choreographers including those from So You Think You Can Dance. Kate’s passion for dance inspires her to continue to grow and hone her skills. Through her own hard work and dedication to the art form, Kate hopes to inspire her students to follow their dreams and achieve their goals.
Stella Lefevre – Teacher
Stella Lefevre is the daughter of Annie Roth Lefevre. She has been dancing at Body Expressions since the moment she could walk! Stella trained with the Body Expressions Dance Company for 12 years. She has successfully completed the Body Expressions Graduate Teacher program in 2021 and has been teaching and choreographing since. Stella received a scholarship to the Hollywood Summer Tour Intensive in 2019 to further her dance training under choreographers in Los Angeles area. She is thrilled to be able to inspire the next generation of dancers at Body Expressions.
Nicole Byrd – Teacher
Nicole Byrd began studying dance and acrobatics at an early age at Margaret Leiber School of Dance in Ohio. In high school she transferred to Danielle’s Dance Academy, where she began teaching until she moved to Louisiana at age 22. Throughout her career, Nicole pursued training opportunities with gymnastics gyms in her area, deepening her understanding of acrobatic technique. Today, she is a pediatric occupational therapist who works with children of all abilities. She brings her experience in dance and occupational therapy to her work with young dancers and athletes, helping them develop movement skills, confidence, and a lasting enjoyment of physical activity. Nicole continues to build her knowledge through professional education in movement, child development, and injury prevention. She is passionate about helping each dancer reach their potential while building strength in both body and mi
Ally Matamoros – Teacher
Ally Matamoros has been dancing at Body Expressions for 19 years, on the Body Expressions Dance Company for 10 years, and has been part of the Body Expressions teaching staff for 2 years. She is president of the Dance Performance Project contemporary group at Southeastern Louisiana University and is going to graduate with a degree in Communication with a concentration in Strategic Communication for Social Media and Marketing. Ally is excited to continue growing as a teacher and dancer with Body Expressions and hopes to inspire many more dancers in the seasons to come!
Cara Scardino – Teacher
Cara has been dancing at Body Expressions since she was 4 years old and trained on the Body Expressions Dance Company for nine years. In 2024, she completed the Body Expressions Graduate Teacher Program and since then, she has continued to assist teach and choreograph for dancers of various ages and levels. Her love for dance has continued to grow throughout her years of training, both on and off the stage. Cara looks forwad to sharing her passion for dance with students and creating a positive, encouraging environment where dancers can grow in both their confidence and dance training!
Ella Treiter – Teacher
Ella Trieitler has been dancing for as long as she can remember. She has trained at Body Expressions for 14 years, with 10 of those years dedicated to competitive dance. After graduating from the BXP Company her senior year, Ella continued her dance career at the collegiate level as a member of Southeastern University’s Dance Team, the Lionettes. During her time with the Lionettes, Ella competed on the national stage and earned two UDA National Championship medals. After years of performing and competing, Ella is now stepping away from the stage to share her passion and love for dance with the next generations of dancers. After completing the Body Expressions Teacher Apprenticeship Program and gaining valuable experience teaching alongside the studio’s faculty, Ella discovered a passion for choreography and creating meaningful pieces for her dancers. She has since choreographed numerous routines, many of which earned top achievements. Ella is excited to continue growing as an educator and choreographer while inspiring her students to build confidence, embrace their individuality, and most importantly, develop a lifelong love for dance.
Olivia Gobbell – Teacher
Olivia Gobbell grew up in Carpinteria, California, and trained with State Street Ballet Academy under Nicole Comella and Allison Gustafson. She has experience with ballet, tap, jazz, acrobatics, hip-hop, and contemporary, and also spent summers training with American Ballet Theatre and the University of Utah. In 2022, she began dancing alongside the professional company, State Street Ballet, as a trainee while also teaching in the school for students of all ages. She joined New Orleans Ballet Theatre in 2023 and has performed in productions including George Balanchine’s Serenade and Concerto Barocco, The Nutcracker as Arabian, Clara, and Spanish, and Oliver Halkowich’s Dracula. Olivia is looking forward to her first year teaching at Body Expressions!