April was bitten by the dance bug at the age of five. She owned the Martinez-Evans Dance Studio in Evans, Ga. for 24 years. After a few years of "retirement" she missed Directing and teaching and TADA" Art in Motion was born. She and her husband, Mike, are members of Crossroads Fellowship Church. They share the joy of three, amazing, Sons & Daughter-in-Laws that blessed them with six, beautiful, Granddaughters and Grandson.

She was tested and Certified by Dance Educators of America in 1991. An Assistant Choreographer for the 1996 Olympics Opening & Closing Ceremony in Atlanta and worked for a National Dance Circut, Dance Troupe, Inc, as Director and Judge for 12 years.

April moved to Augusta 40 years ago, was a resident of Grovetown for the 17 years, and has been a resident of Harlem for 5 years. One of the many reasons she has chosen to come out of retirement is to continue sharing her passion of dance with future dancers at Art in Motion that offers a safe haven of positive energy and, genuine, love. We are #RaisingtheBarre!

Victoria began her dance career under April Storm-Hartsell at Martinez-Evans Dance Studio when she was five years old. She was a member of M.E.D.S. until she graduated High School. Through her years in dance she became a member of M.E.D.S. Competition Team where she won several awards in group and solo performances. She has served vigilantly and professionally as an assistant teacher for a wide variety of classes since she began performing in competitions and over the years.

Victoria took her talent to Miss Augusta in 2012 was crowned Miss Augusta! She is happily married to Bart Portwood, and they have a precious little boy named Wyatt. Victoria is excited to share her love of dance and skills in the Pageant industry

Leah Locklear received her dance training at Martinez-Evans Dance Studio where she studied Tap, Jazz and Hip Hop. She loves continued improvement of her own abilities and performing several styles of dance, but is especially passionate about Hip Hop. Leah has danced back-up for local artists as well as national and world renowned Hip Hop artists such a T-pain and Field Mob. She has danced alongside and in a free-style Hip Hop group in her youth where they performed at Power Fest, May Fest, and local showcases.

A mother, a career woman, and Dancer, her joy is teaching youth the fundamentals of movement, awareness, and expression through Hip Hop dance.

Beginning at the age of 3 under the instruction of April Storm-Hartsell at Martinez-Evans Dance Studio, Kristen Olson has been dancing for 21 years, and has studied and is well-versed in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Contemporary, Modern, and Hip Hop. Kristen began competing in 2005. She assisted classes in 2009. She recently created a piece for a local dance studio that won 2nd Place Overall at Star System’s Talent Competition. Throughout her time competing, Kristen and her team won the Grand National Championship in both 2010 and 2012.

While attending the University of South Carolina, Kristen was on the Coquettes Dance Team for 3 years, performing halftime shows at football games, pep rallies, and performances at neighboring universities during away games.

Kristen graduated from USC College of Pharmacy with a Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2018. She is expecting her second baby August 25, 2023 and currently has a beautiful 2 year old name Kaylee. She will be a substitue teacher when needed for Art in Motion 2023-24 Season to spend more time with her daughters.

Jacquelyn McKinney Kalv has been training in classical ballet since the age of five. She studied classical ballet, tap, jazz, and modern dance in Florida, Michigan, and at Columbia College as a Fine Arts major. She later joined the Augusta Ballet Company and at the age of nineteen, became a principal dancer; dancing such roles as the Sugarplum fairy in “The Nutcracker” and Carmen in the ballet, “Carmen.” Even after her retirement from dancing full-time, she continued to dance as a guest artist with Dance Augusta/ Colton ballet- until 2013.

She earned her Bachelors of Science in Nursing in 2006 and worked in the Emergency Department at Augusta University until 2015. It was at that time that she earned her Masters of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner degree.

As a Nurse Practitioner, she worked in Sports Medicine and Cardiology at AUMC. Also during that time, she met her husband, Gregory Kalv. They now live in Evans with their 5 children.

It was in 1992 when Jackie first began teaching ballet for April Storm Hartsell at Martinez Evans Dance Studio. She taught at MEDS for almost 20 years before retiring to work full time in the medical field. She is ecstatic to be reconnecting with April and her former students (who are now teaching along side her) to, once again, teach and share her passion of classical ballet!

Kristin began dancing at the age of three. She received her dance training at Augusta West Dance Studio in Augusta, Ga. There she studied ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical for 16 years.

She eventually began working as an assistant teacher and continued for three years. She was a member of the Augusta West Performing Companies for nine years. Kristin also competed in Regional and National competitions where she performed in numerous award-winning routines.

Her greatest opportunity was traveling to Los Angeles, California to study and learn from the Young Americans, a performing group located in Southern California.

Since leaving Augusta West, Kristin has been married, started a family and has been focusing on her career as a Cosmetologist. She is beyond thrilled to bounce back to her dancing roots and broaden her teaching experience.

Graysan Russell began dancing at the age of 3 under April Storm-Hartsell at Martinez Evans Dance Studio. She went on to compete for 12 years, gaining experience and knowledge in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Contemporary/Modern, Lyrical, Pointe, and Musical Theatre. During her time competing, she won two National titles with her team. She has trained under various industry professionals, including Mandy Moore and Kathryn McCormick.

Being surrounded by dance her whole life, her favorite thing is being able to pass her love for dance onto the next generation through teaching. After assisting dance classes for six years under various teachers, she accepted a role as lead teacher in 2020, right here at Art in Motion.

When she is not teaching, Graysan is a Realtor® at Meybohm Real Estate LLC. In her free time, she volunteers as a middle-school small group leader at Quest Church and as a choreographer for a local musical theater studio.

Bella Pilgrim (aka Miss Belle) began dancing at the age of 7. She began her training at Art in Motion in 2018. She auditioned for the Competition Team and became an official member in 2021. In 2022 she was awarded the "Ryan Storm Scholarship Achievement Award" and a $500 Scholarship! Bella is an Assistant Teacher with Miss Graysan.

She has continued her dance training for going on 10 years in Contemporary, Lyrical, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip-hop, and Ballet. She currently is attending John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School in which she studies ballet, tap, and jazz there as well. She will begin dual-enrolling in the fall at Augusta University. In her free time she volunteers with the National Beta Club and loves to read.

Kelly Storm has been dancing for an amount of time slightly less than how long Chuck Norris has been awesome. He began dancing at Martinez Evans Dance Studio in Evans, GA at the age of 3 and never loookd back. He eventually beame a teacher and was on the Martinez-Evans Compeition Team. Kelly just celebrated his 40th Birthday and remains an amazing dancer. From time to time you might see him at one of Art in Motion Dance Recitals

Kelly continued his dance training after leaving for The University of Georgia for college, where he subsequently obtained his doctorates and taught Computer Science for a few years. While dance wasn't his primary focus, he simply couldn't stop being a fool in love with that wonderful dance floor.

Kelly started his own businesses, Black Box and Black Box Operations, around the time he was finishing up teaching classes and acquiring his doctorates back in 2011 at UGA. Black Box is celebrating its 12th year in business and is proud to support all that is Art In Motion - from beneath, behind, in front of, besides, and most especially within.

Kelly joins the staff this year as a substitute for all staff and classes.