Julie Mayberry, I CAN! of Arkansas Director
Julie Mayberry, Dance Instructors, I CAN! Arts and Resource Center, Little Rock: Julie is the founder of I CAN! Dance and President of I CAN! of Arkansas Board of Directors. She is also the Arkansas State Representative for District 27, and former morning television anchor at KATV.
Kristy Summerhill, Assistant Director
Kristy is the I Can! of Arkansas Assistant director. Kristy is also teaches the Peers without Pressure social group for our older students. She has been with I Can! since 2017. Prior to working at I Can!, she was a nurse at Little Rock Children's Clinic. She studied nursing at UALR. Kristy is currently involved with the LEND program at University of Arkansas of Medical Sciences. She also is involved in Project DOCC at Arkansas Children's Hospital. Kristy has three children with disabilities.
Lauren Lundblade, ICAN! Dance Director and Conway Class Instructor
Lauren Lundblade, I Can! dance instructor since 2019. She is currently teaching dance in Conway at Sonshine Academy. She is currently a Speech Language Pathologist at Pediatrics Plus and is excited to combine her passions for dance and working with kids with special needs.
Kennedi Kelley, Dance Instructor, Arkadelphia
Kennedi Kelley is an Art Education major and Dance minor at Henderson State University and currently teaches our Arkadelphia classes. She has been on Henderson State University's Dance Company for three years under the instruction of Jennifer Maddox and is the current Administrative Assistant to the dance program. Kennedi started her dance career at DanceArts Studio in Hot Springs, AR, at the age of 3 and remained there until 14. She focused mainly on pointe, ballet, contemporary, and jazz.
Ellie Mayberry, Dance Instructor, Jonesboro
Ellie has been an instructor for the I CAN! Dance program since 2014 in Hot Springs. She now is the instructor in Jonesboro at The Floor. She grew up with I CAN! Dance as part of her life and is excited about bring the program to Jonesboro. She has been a buddy for the program since its inception. Her sister, Katie, born with spina bifida, was the inspiration for the class. Ellie Mayberry is a Business Technology Major at Arkansas State University.
Jenny C. Johnston, Dance Instructor, Benton
A native of Benton, Jenny has 42 years of dance experience. After graduating from Bryant High School, she attended Oklahoma City University where she earned a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree. Jenny also has 7 years of professional dancing experience in Branson, Missouri. She graced the stage as Lead Dancer with magician Kirby VanBurch and performed inside projects with country music artist Neal McCoy and The Oak Ridge Boys. Jenny also had the privilege of singing and dancing with Andy Williams.
The past 15 years, Jenny has been teaching Tap, Jazz, Ballet and Musical Theater in studios throughout the Central Arkansas area. She has owned her own studio, Dance Infinity, for 3 years.
Dana Hotho, Dance Instructor, Garland County
Dana has been dancing since 1972, and she owned her own dance studio for five years. Dana has been committed to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities for more than 20 years. Dana is a special education teacher and a certified Special Olympics Coach. She is the Director of Track and Field for Special Olympics of Arkansas Area 10. Dana is also member of the Hot Springs Civitan Club, where she has been involved with fundraising and other efforts to assist the disabled. She spends much of her free time volunteering for various causes related to serving the needs of people with disabilities. Dana states, “There is no greater joy than to see a special-needs child succeed physically, emotionally, socially, and academically.”
Dana is a lifelong resident of Garland County and is a member of Hope Church. She is a graduate of Lake Hamilton High School, and she went on to earn an Associate of Arts from National Park College, a BS in Early Childhood Education from Henderson State University, an MS in Special Education from Arkansas State University, and an MA in ESL from Arkansas Tech University. She and her husband, Vince, live in Hot Springs with their herd of cats and a dog. They have three adult sons.
Anna Grace, Dance Instructor, Garland County
Anna Grace was born and raised in Glenwood, Arkansas. She graduated from Henderson State University with a BS in Family and Consumer Sciences and is currently in her last year of her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy at the University of Central Arkansas. Anna Grace has a passion of helping individuals of all abilities find joy in activities that are special to them. She has been a buddy for the Conway I Can! class for two years and is now teaching our Hot Springs classes. With her passion for occupational therapy, she is excited to bring dance and friendship to everyone in Garland County.
Lindsey Chance, Dance Instructor, Central Arkansas
Lindsey Chance was born and raised in North Little Rock Arkansas and has danced all her life. Lindsey went to high school at Central Arkansas Christian School and then went onto pursue a degree in Exercise Science from the University of Mississippi. Lindsey danced in college as an Ole Miss Rebelette for 2 years and taught dance at a local Oxford MS studio all 4 years she was in college. She furthered her education by receiving a Masters degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Mississippi. Lindsey currently works in hand and upper extremity rehab and has continued to teach dance for 14 years in NLR. She has been involved with the iCAN dance organization for the past 5 years. She loves intertwining her OT knowledge with her passion for dance during her iCAN classes. It is important to Lindsey that her daughter learn at an early age that everyone deserves the opportunity to dance and that is why her daughter, Carter (age 6) has begun to participate as a buddy. "She LOVES to help and LOVES being a friend" says Lindsey of her daughter Carter. Lindsey loves the excitement and special relationship these kids build with one another during class and performance opportunities.
