Bourn Academy Staff & Instructors

Jamie Stertzbach Weisel
Co-Owner

Jamie also began dancing practically before she could walk. As a teen, Jamie was a national dance champion and a member of the semi-professional football team Canton Bulldog Dancers. Her greatest accomplishments have come as a teacher and choreographer. She has trained many regional and national champions, including Showdown National Champions at Rising Star, Dance USA, Nexstar, etc. Furthermore, she has won numerous choreography awards. In addition, Jamie has choreographed musicals at the high school level.

Missy Stertzbach
Co-Owner

Missy has taught tap and tumbling in Ohio and New York for over twenty years. She also holds an education degree and has taught school at the high school and adult level, including working as a set teacher for professional children in NYC for eight years.  In addition, she has also worked as a choreographer for high school and regional theatre. While in New York, Missy worked under one of the most renowned tumbling teachers on the East Coast.  She also currently coaches competitive speech and works in adult education.

Megan Weisel Brosey
Co-Owner

Megan has studied all forms of dance for over 20 years. As a member of “Bourn Dancers,” she won hundreds of high score awards and titles as a soloist and group performer. Furthermore, she was a member of the internationally recognized USA Dance Team of 2004. In addition, as a young girl, she studied at several nationally ranked youth ballet programs, including The University of Akron and the summer Ballet Intensive of Moscow. Megan has also studied with renowned regional and national teachers and choreographers, from Mark Marino to Wade Robson and is a former member for the nationally ranked Cincinnati Wildcats college dance team. In recent years, Megan has become sought after as a lyrical choreographer and master class teacher. She has also been recognized for choreography at the regional and national level.  In addition to teaching dance, Megan works as a registered nurse.

Lauren Davis Beard
Lead Teacher/Competition Choreographer

Lauren has trained and performed with us for over 18 years. Her well-rounded dance education, led her to stint as a featured dancer with Carnival Cruises, before returning to attend school and bring her talents back to the studio. Furthermore, Lauren was a national champion as part of the “Bourn Dancers” and as a soloist many times over. In 2003, Lauren was named “Miss Dance” by the Dance USA National Talent Competition.  She has also trained with some of the industry’s biggest names, including Wade Robson, Billy Larson, and Mark Marino.

Brandt Laverick
Intermediate/Advanced Tap

Brandt Laverick was born and raised in North Canton, Ohio and has studied many forms of dance for over 20 years, including 15 years at Bourn Academy of Dance. In 2003, he was chosen to represent the American Dance Team, sponsored by Mark Marino, in the Prix De Espana in Barcelona, Spain.  He was selected again in 2004 to compete in the Prix De Italia in Cesena, Italy. Brandt was also named “Mr. Dance of the USA” by the Dance USA National Talent Competition in 2004. He attended Ohio University where he double majored in Modern Dance and Choreography as well as High School Mathematics Education. In 2007 Brandt worked as an assistant at the American Tap Dance Festival in New York City and he has performed in many dance concerts.  In addition to teaching dance, Brandt currently teaches math and assistant directs the musical at Lake High School.