INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY: If Hanover County Schools or afternoon activities are cancelled or closed due to inclement weather, we will not hold classes at The Montpelier Center. Please contact your instructor with any questions.
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Meet Our Instructors!
Aspire Dance Academy Founded in 2012 by Lauren Gibson and located in Manakin-Sabot, this Dance Studio has built an incredible reputation for its high-quality instruction and fun atmosphere. Whether students are beginning their career as an aspiring professional or simply looking to enrich their lives through the beautiful motion of dance, Aspire Dance Academy will help all dancers meet their goals to their fullest potential.
Betsy Taylor
Betsy has been teaching at the Montpelier Center for over ten years! She is an expert with oil and acrylic painting and has earned many devoted followers. Often inspired by nature, Betsy's work frequently invokes a sense of wistfulness and serenity. Skillful with both a paint brush and a palette knife, Betsy teaches her students a variety of techniques to capture light and color.
Bridgette Rappe
Bridgette is with a company called Chalk Couture, which is a DIY home decor direct sales company. She specializes in reusable stencils, surfaces, chalk paste, and has a full line of accessories to create beautiful things for your home. Many of her surfaces are also reusable, so people can change up their designs through the seasons. The complete line of her products can be found on her website at www.chalkcouture.com/Bridgette.
Chelsea Joyner
Chelsea has loved art for as long as she can remember! After graduating Longwood University, she pursued a teaching career and now teaches Elementary Art at Chesterfield County Schools. She frequently partners with Lisa Powers of Art Explosions, to pursue fun projects which focus on promoting art in the Montpelier community. She directed the 2020 Montpelier Summer Camp and is responsible for its immense success!
Clay Bowles Clay is a guitarist and singer, and loves jamming with his band, Lucid! They can often be found at spots like Crazy Rooster and Ashland Coffee & Tea. He loves helping his students explore new skills and techniques with their music.
Crystal Kuti
Crystal is a mother who enjoys making all kinds of art. She studied art at VCU and received a degree in Art Education before going on to start her business, Bee Kreative. Crystal loves to teach art to anyone who is willing to learn--kids and adults alike. She also does commission work and art parties.
Engineering for Kids
At Engineering for Kids, educators help kids learn the skills they need to discover and understand why and how things are made. With a focus on kids ages 4-14, they hope to help build a strong foundation of skills for the future. By inspiring and engaging kids with hands-on activities, these programs help kids learn the science, technology, engineering, and math skills they need to thrive later in life.
Felicia Guadagni Felicia arrived on her mat in 2010. Initially practicing vinyasa-style yoga as a tool to aid in the recovery from a running injury, her interest in the practice eventually led her to Katonah Yoga! Inspired by the recipes taught to her through the Katonah Yoga lens, Felicia's effort is to share a theory-informed practice with students as a means to facilitate a revelatory experience.
Grow Community RVA
Mary and Eli Green are dedicated to helping their community grow in connectivity through offering fun interactive youth and adult programs inspired by their passions. Together, they are artists, farmers, teachers, yoga enthusiasts, nature lovers, and life long learners. In addition, Eli is the Farm Director for Full Pocket Farm, an art and agriculture-based day support program for adults with intellectual disabilities, while Mary is the Creative Program Director.
Janice Nicewanner
Janice is the owner and founder of her company, Feels Like Sunshine. Located in Central Virginia, her business is centered around her passion for hand lettering. She teaches hand lettering workshops, creates custom hand-lettered signs, and is also available for commissioned hand lettering projects. Her business name comes from her favorite quote: "Surround yourself with people who feel like sunshine."
Rebecca Poole
Rebecca is an artist living in Central Virginia with her husband and two kids. She finds most of her inspiration in the garden or around the homestead. When not printing, drawing, or painting, Rebecca loves to wander through her garden, tend to her tiny farm, and make messy art projects with her young kids. Summer is her favorite season and although her favorite color changes regularly, she often gravitates towards pink (for her hair).
Sarah Renner
Sarah was a founding member of the first ever REFIT class in the Richmond area in 2016! In May 2017, she attended Instructor Training with no intentions of leading her own class...but in October of that year, she began leading classes at a local dance studio. Fall 2018, she began REFIT for the Family through Hanover Parks and Recreation. She looks forward to introducing you all to the REFIT community...where Every BODY Belongs!
Virginia Repertory Theatre
Virginia Rep is the largest professional theatre and one of the largest performing arts organizations in Central Virginia. They embrace the art form in its entirety, presenting plays of all genres and national origins, serving an audience of all ages and backgrounds, with an emphasis on audience access. In keeping with their legacy, the hallmark of their nonprofit company is community engagement.
Wendy Phillips
Wendy has been teaching in the Hanover area for 15 years, a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) since 2003, and has been teaching classes at the Center for several years. In her ongoing training, Wendy has practiced under a number of renowned instructors including Rodney Yee, Baron Baptiste, Dharma Mitra, David Life, and Shannon Gannon.
INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY If Hanover County Schools or afternoon activities are closed, we do not have classes. Please contact your instructor with any questions. We also post updates on our Facebook page.