Director/Owner
Shari Poff earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from The University of Cincinnati and has put that accomplishment to work while dealing with the hundreds of children who have attended her dance studio for the past 30 years. Shari has studied ballet (both at Indiana University and The University of Cincinnati), tap, jazz, and clogging. Her enthusiastic young dancers, with their precision and energy, have won the hearts of audiences everywhere they perform. The Studio for Dance has had the pleasure of performing with the Blue Ash/Hamilton Symphony, The Lima Symphony, The Cincinnati May Festival Chorus, The Windsor Symphony in Canada, The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra at Music Hall, Riverbend, and Carnegie Hall in New York, New York. Her students have also been featured on the NBC television show The Today Show. In addition, her students have won state, regional, and national dance competitions and are frequently named “Most Entertaining Performers” in these competitions. Many of her students have pursued professional careers with ballet companies, modern companies, film, and Broadway. The Studio for Dance is Shari’s pride and joy coming second only to her three beautiful children, Olivia, Charlie, and Max!
Linda has been a member of our teaching staff for the past 30 years. She majored in dance at Stephens College and holds a degree in education from The University of Tennessee. As a member of our staff, she enjoys teaching our youngest dancers. Linda’s classes combine fun and creativity while developing a strong foundation in ballet, tap, jazz, and clogging. Thus, giving the students the skills that they need to progress year after year. Linda has also developed a wonderful adult program at The Studio teaching ballet, tap, and clogging to beginner, intermediate, and advanced adults throughout the year. So, no matter if you are one of our youngest dancers or just young at heart, you can’t go wrong with Linda’s perfect combination of teaching experience, love for dance, and nurturing manner.
Jenny is a former Studio Company dancer who danced her way through college on a scholarship to The University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music. She trained in ballet, pointe, and modern (Horton) and graduated with Honors with a BFA in Dance. Jenny also received training at The School of American Ballet in NYC, The School of Chicago Ballet, and Ballet Met in Columbus, Ohio. During her last year of college, Jenny was offered a position performing with the Cincinnati Ballet Company. She remained with the CBC for 5 additional seasons as a member of the Corps de Ballet. She also achieved the honor of performing several soloist roles such as the Winter Fairy in “Sleeping Beauty,” the Arabian pas de deux in “Nutcracker,” with her husband Jay Goodlett, and a feature role in George Balachine’s “Four Temperaments.” In 2003, Jenny received her Pilates Mat and Reformer Certification from Pendleton Pilates. She is currently a Pilates instructor, as well as a choreographer and dance instructor at both The Studio For Dance and CCM Preparatory Department.
Jeanne is an original Studio Company dancer who did her college training at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music on a dance scholarship. Jeanne graduated with Honors with a BFA in Dance. She has also trained with the School of Chicago Ballet and Ballet Met in Columbus, Ohio. After graduation, Jeanne danced with the Lexington Ballet Company/Ballet Theater of Chicago as a member of the Corps de Ballet in productions such as La Bayadere and Nutcracker. Returning to Cincinnati, Jeanne was the Ballet Program director for Hyde Park Gymnastics and Dance. Then moving to Oklahoma City, Jeanne joined a professional modern company called Prairie Dance Theater as a soloist, performing and choreographing several new works. After returning to Cincinnati, Jeanne was the Co-Director of the CCM Preparatory Department’s Ballet Program for four years prior to focusing her professional efforts at The Studio for Dance.
Della is a former Studio Company member and an accomplished dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She holds a BFA in dance from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and has extensive training in jazz, tap, ballet, clogging, lyrical, contemporary, musical theater and even Chinese Folk Dancing. While living in NYC, she continued her training at world renowned studios Broadway Dance Center, STEPS and CityCenter. Della has been featured in many full length ballets as well as original pieces. She has danced with many great entertainers such as Mel Torme, Tom Wopat, and John Schneider, as well as under the direction of Keith Lockhart of the Boston Pops Orchestra. While living in NYC, she performed with various contemporary companies including DanceChina NY. Her choreography has been featured on the NBC “Today Show”, The Food Network’s “Best Chefs in America” Awards Show, and at NYC’s world famous Carnegie Hall. She has worked closely with Eric Kunzel (Cincinnati Pops Orchestra) and John Morris Russell (Windsor Symphony Orchestra) creating dances for various symphonic concerts both locally and internationally. Her choreography has also won numerous awards including Cincinnati’s Art Association’s Overtures Award Scholarship. She has also choreographed for NYC’s Fringe Festival where she received outstanding revues.As an instructor she has been on faculty at The Studio for Dance, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music’s Preparatory Department and The Cynthia King Dance Studio in NYC.
She enjoys teaching students of all levels from beginner to professional. She has even had the extreme privilege of giving Tony Award Winner, Andy Blankenbuehler, a crash course in clogging while he was working on the musical “9 to 5” due to open on Broadway in the spring of 2009. After all her travels and experiences, Della is proud to be back home at The Studio for Dance where she can share her passion and love for the art of dance with her students.
Geneva is an accomplished pianist, composer, and educator who has dedicated her life to the performing arts. During her distinguished career, which began in her teens, Geneva has accompanied and performed with, as well as composed vocals/ background arrangements for various artists such as The Temptations, James Brown, Odetta, John Clayton, Norman Johns, Sylvia Goldsmith, Wayne Cochran, and Carmne DeLeone. Additionally, Geneva has served as the assistant pianist for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra, and the Middletown Symphony. Two community churches have been honored to have Geneva as their Minister of Music. The role of educator has also been a major focus for Geneva during the past 30 years. As both a Certified Gifted and Talented Lead Teacher and Department Chairperson for the Fine Arts, Geneva has taught vocal music and theory to grades K-12 for the Cincinnati Public Schools. As a faculty member at The School for Creative and Performing Arts, Geneva has served as vocal coach for many SCPA productions, including The Wiz, The King and I, The Taming of the Shrew, Mame, and others, in addition to teaching musical theater, choir, and vocal ensembles. Geneva has produced and directed several musicals at Withrow High School, as well as numerous community and church plays/musicals. In recognition of her talents, Geneva was asked to serve as Program Coordinator for UC’s Center for Young Scholars, a program designed to offer enhanced learning opportunities to our community’s gifted and talented students. For four years, Geneva selected faculty, designed curricula, set policies for student facilities and enrollment, addressed faculty needs, developed and marketed the program, and served as the liaison between the Cincinnati Public Schools and the University of Cincinnati. In addition, Geneva has served as a Class Demonstrator for The National Association for the Gifted and has taught music theory classes at CCM. She has been selected as one of the nation’s outstanding teachers in “Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers” for the past 5 years.
Geneva received her education at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), from which she obtained two Bachelor of Music degrees – one in piano and the other in music education. She has completed the course work for her Master of Music in music theory at CCM, as well. Before, during, and after her education at CCM, Geneva was, and remains, a well-known and well-respected member of the Fine Arts community of Cincinnati.