Our Staff

Kaley Etheridge
​Owner/Director/Instructor/Choreographer

Kaley began studying dance at age three. From the moment she put on her first pair of dance shoes, it was clear that dance was forever going to be a part of her life. Since she was a little girl, she dreamed of owning her own dance studio and sharing her love for dance with others. Growing up, Kaley danced at several dance studios throughout Lakeland, studying ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, broadway, lyrical, contemporary, and partnering. She was also a part of the performance company at Rebekah's Sole in Motion. In 2010, she began an apprenticeship under the instruction of Rebekah McLeod, at Rebekah's Sole in Motion, and continued her training until 2012. Then, in 2012, she began her career as an instructor and choreographer at Rebekah's Sole in Motion. There, she taught multiple classes covering various genres of dance. In 2016, the dream for Southern Grace Dance Company was placed on her heart, and her vision grew from there. She wanted to create a wholesome environment where dancers could flourish and grow not only into beautiful dancers, but also learn through the discipline of dance,  how a person of grace should carry themselves.​
Julie Ellison
Tap Instructor/Choreographer
Julie’s first experience performing came at the age of two, as she tap danced alongside her sister at the local Shriner’s Club.  It was during this time that dance became a defining part of Julie’s life.  She studied ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, acrobatics and modern dance under the direction of Debra Coe and Amanda Bell at Amanda’s Dance Center (formerly Debco Dance) in South Daytona.  As a young dancer Julie attended workshops, competitions and scholarship auditions across the state of Florida with Florida Dance Masters and DANCEAMERICA-Dance Olympus where she had the opportunity to study with many master teachers.  During college the need for dance still ran through her veins and after completing her Masters Degree in Human Nutrition she found her way back to the living art of dance.  It was in 2012 that Julie got the privilege to share her love of dance with her own students.  Through this experience she realized how sharing the discipline of dance can enrich so many other lives and she is so grateful to be a part of the Southern Grace family. 
Annie Mears
Hip-Hop Instructor/Choreographer 
Annie is thrilled to share her passion for dance in her hometown and hopes to use that passion to empower girls. Annie grew up dancing; studying ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, hip hop and contemporary. She continued her education at Florida State University majoring in Communications and English: Editing, Writing and Media. However, she believes the dance classes she had the privilege to take as electives gave her the most insight into what it really means to experience life with others. After college, she worked for Publix in corporate communications and taught contemporary and hip hop at Rebekah’s Sole in Motion until she had her first baby in April 2016. Now, she stays home with her two boys; Carl and Everett and their day has no shortage of spontaneous dance parties! She believes dance builds the confidence and discipline a child craves which overflows into all areas of life.
Kassidy Ames
Ballet/Tap, Contemporary Instructor/Choreographer
​Kassidy has been dancing since the early age of two. Starting out, she was a timid little girl
learning ballet and tap. Soon she grew a passion for dance and has never stopped since. She
danced competitively at Tammy’s Dance Company from age 3 to 18 and has been trained in
ballet, tap, pointe, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, lyrical, and acro. She loves every style of dance
but, she is most passionate about contemporary and ballet. Performing has a special place in
her heart and is one of her favorite parts of this art. She holds multiple titles in the dance
competition world and has passed levels 1-8 in Cicchetti ballet. Her love and passion for dance
is clear, and she couldn’t be more excited to work with every child to help them grow their love
for this art too.
Alexa Verburg
Ballet/Tap, Jazz/Hip-Hop Instructor Choreographer
Alexa began performing in musical theater productions at eight years old. After that, she was hooked and joined Pro-Am Dance Studio in Pompano Beach, FL. She studied tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, pointe, and lyrical. From ages 11-18, Alexa danced competitively with her studio, and while in high school, she danced with the competitive dance team. While dancing, she had the opportunity to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2014 with Spirit of America. After graduating high school, her love for dance and performing continued. During her time in college, Alexa studied early childhood and elementary education. In the middle of her college career, she took some time off, as she had the opportunity to continue performing with Walt Disney World. The experience she gained there will never be forgotten. Her passion for educating children and dancing is strong. She is so excited to combine both her passions to help children grow and learn in a safe and welcoming environment!