WCB INSTRUCTORS
AND DIRECTORS
Samantha Koon
Artistic Director
Currently pursuing her certificate in Dance Teaching (Ballet) from the Royal Academy of Dance Samantha stays busy as the Artistic Director at Winchester Christian Ballet and Private Instructor around Kentucky. Before graduating, she grew up attending schools and programs such as GSA Kentucky, American Ballet Theater, Louisville Ballet, Gregory Hancock Dance Theater, and Cincinnati Ballet. She has also been a recipient of fully-funded scholarships for the Aurora Bosch Intensive, Grand Premiere Invitational, Gregory Hancock Dance Theater Academy and Indianapolis Ballet Academy.
Samantha is a Graduate and Ex-company member of Kentucky Ballet Theater, but with the twist of Covid-19, she pivoted to teaching.
Her passion for the discipline extends beyond the regular season as she spends her summers as a Choreographer for Ballet Under the Stars.
She also continues her dance education during the summer, honing her skills at renowned institutes like Steps on Broadway and the Ballet Arts Center for Dance, NYC.
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Samantha is excited to be back at WCB for her third year!
Chynah Thompson
Instructor
Chynah has been with Winchester Christian Ballet for 16 years now! She started dancing with WCB when she was 5 years old and continued to dance with the studio until she graduated high school in 2021. Since graduating, Chynah has been able to continue her dance career with WCB as a Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet, Beginning Ballet, Ballet I, and substitute teacher. She also served as the stand-in Artistic Director for the 2022 Winter Recital.
Chynah is a graduate of Bath County High School and is currently a Senior at Morehead State University where she is studying to obtain a degree in Early Elementary Education. After graduation, she hopes to return to Bath County to teach preschool.
Her favorite performance was the Spring Recital of 2021. Not only was this show her senior show, but it was the Prince of Egypt- her favorite ballet! She was able to help plan the show, help with choreography, and reprise her first head role. All in all, the show was beautiful for many reasons, but especially because it was her last time dancing with the girls she grew up with and Ms. Elana.
Outside of ballet, she works as a Substitute Teacher for the Bath County school system and a summer RA for MSU’s Upward Bound Program. She also serves as the Sunday School Superintendent for the Salt Lick First Church of God.
Hope Massey
Instructor
Hope Massey was born and raised in Ontario, Canada and has always loved dance. She first started in tap at four years old and then switched to ballet at age five and joined modern dance at age ten. Hope continued to dance until graduating high school.
​She joined the missions organization known as Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and that is where she spent three years with a performing arts team dancing and sharing the gospel through many different styles of dance and forms of performing arts. She traveled all over the world growing as an artist but more importantly as a Christian.
Since this experience, Hope has taught ballet, modern, contemporary, hula and worship dance in a variety of settings.
As well as all her dancing and choreographing experience, Hope has spent many years on worship teams as a singer.
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"I am looking forward to growing my relationship with all the families at WCB, and am excited to see how my role will help this community grow."
Monique Woodson
Instructor
Monique Woodson, a Florida native now residing in Georgetown, KY, has nurtured a lifelong passion for dance since childhood. Her journey into dance ministry began in 2012, marking the start of a dedicated involvement that continues to shape her life.
Over the years, Monique has not only danced in ministry but has also taken on the role of a choreographer, creating dance pieces for church productions and leading her
own productions. Monique has organized multiple workshops focusing on merging biblical scripture with choreography, emphasizing the vital connection between faith and movement. She prioritizes clarity in storytelling through dance, viewing these expressive gestures as a powerful form of ministry. Currently, Monique runs her own traveling dance school named idance4thegloryofGod Dance School. Through this initiative, she travels to different locations, imparting to both children and adults the importance of dance as a form of worship and emphasizing their significant role in the
Kingdom of God.
At the heart of Monique's mission is the goal of encouraging dancers to adopt a mindset of glorifying God in all their endeavors. She draws inspiration from Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do (no matter what it is) in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus (and in dependence on Him), giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” This urges dancers to approach their art with a spirit of gratitude and reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Monique is excited to begin working and learning at WCB.
Danielle Ansiel
Instructor
Danielle Ansiel was born in Glendale, California, and has always nurtured a passion for the art of dance. She began pursuing classical ballet at the age of eleven, and began contemporary class supplements a few years later. Since then, she has trained with Praise His Name with Dancing, Gloria Deo School of the Arts, and Kentucky Ballet Theatre (KBT). She competed at Youth American Grand Prix in 2022 and 2023. She graduated from KBT’s Academy in May of 2023, and is now currently dancing with KBT’s company as a student trainee. She is also an instructor for KBT Academy’s lower school.
Danielle has a heart for using her gift of dance to glorify God through worship and evangelism. She is excited to begin teaching at WCB and impart this gift of dance to students!
Anna Waldrop
Instructor
Originally from Winchester, Anna began dancing with Winchester Christian Ballet when she was two. After moving to Lexington a few years later, Anna continued to dance at Kentucky Repertory Dance Theater. She grew up training there, where she currently teaches beginner adult classes and intermediate teen classes.
Anna is currently a student at Asbury University, where she is pursuing a degree in Christian ministries. In addition to teaching dance, she also works in the children’s ministry of Tates Creek Presbyterian Church. While Anna’s dance foundation lies in ballet, she also explores worship dance and other styles and aspires to be a continual learner of the art of dance. She desires to incorporate her faith into dance and views dance as an act of worship.
Anna enjoys building relationships with students and fellow teachers alike, and sees teaching as an opportunity to encourage, uplift, and spread the joy that comes with dance. She is excited about the opportunity to teach more and is looking forward to growing her career as a dance instructor with Winchester Christian Ballet.