Poetry in Motion Dance Productions
Our Teachers
Valerie Hamilton started dancing at Judy's School of dance at the age of 3. She graduated from Wichita State University with a BFA, majoring in dance. After graduation Valerie toured and performed with several dance and theatre companies taking her to a variety of venues. Some of these companies include; Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre, Alithea Mime Creations, Lincoln Amphitheatre, and PGT Entertainment. After returning to the area she purchased Judy's School of dance and letter changed the name to Poetry in Motion Dance Productions. She taught at Wichita State University for two years. Valerie has been a member of DMA Chapter #27 for the past 16 years. She has been a member of the board, the 2nd vice president and is the current President of her chapter as well as a Nationally certified examiner and has completed all 4 years of Teachers Training School passing all exams in Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Modern. She was honored to be chosen for the Dottie Mcgill Scholarship. Her students have received numerous Titles, awards and scholarships through DMA and other competition programs. Her students have been recognized at the national level in group dances and as soloists, having students perform in the Grand National Championship and Banquet. In San Antonio at the DMA national competition her students placed first in two separate divisions with several others receiving other overall placements. Some of her students have participated in the Kirov, ABT and Joffrey Ballet summer programs as well as other summer intensive programs such as the Debbie Allen Summer Intensive and Kidz Roc Go Pro. Several of her students have gone on to receive dance degrees from a variety of university programs such as AMDA and WSU and have become dance teachers and choreographers or are currently pursuing dance careers in performance.
Judy Mason started dance at age 12 in Long Island NY. When her family moved to Kansas City in 1950 she studied ballet at the Conservatory of Music .In 1958 Judy and her husband and 3 daughters moved to Hutchinson Ks. In 1963 Judy opened her first studio with 30 students. The first annual recital was May 1964. She moved her studio to the old St Elizabeth’s hospital renting two large rooms. There were now about 125 students and Judy had an opportunity to buy a building at 5th and Main in downtown Hutchinson .The studio grew to about 200 students. A former student Valerie Stephenson bought the studio in 2006. Judy teaches all the tap and hopes to stay involved FOREVER.
Kelsey Teagle is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer currently based in Wichita, Kansas. She graduated from Wichita State University with a BFA in Performing Arts with a concentration in Dance in May 2016. Before attending WSU, she trained in various dance styles at Poetry in Motion Dance Productions in Hutchinson, KS. While attending WSU, Kelsey has performed in many productions including Brave New World, faculty works, and toured to Colima, Mexico with the Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre. She’s also performed works by guest artists including The Zone by Darrell Grand Moultrie, Conversations by Nathan Trice, and Feast by Charlotte Boye-christensen. Kelsey has also been teaching for 5 years at local studios around the Wichita, Newton, and Hutchinson area including Poetry in Motion Dance Productions, Encore Dance Studio, and Newton Performing Arts Center. She teaches all styles of dance to all ages. She also has the privilege of working with many local dance teams setting half time routines and performances. Kelsey loves sharing her passion for dance and inspiring young dancers throughout her classes and choreography.
