Vitality School of Dance and Fine Arts

Ashely Self

Director / Owner / Instructor

Ashley K. Self has 20 years of dance experience and has received dance training in ballet, modern, pointe, and tap.

She has 14 years of teaching experience in various genres (ballet, modern/contemporary, pointe, pre-pointe, tap, and beginner jazz) for ages ranging from 2-adults; Ashley also has experience teaching children with special needs. Further, she has taught for eleven different dance schools throughout North Alabama and South Tennessee.

In addition, Ashley opened her own part-time practice in Harvest, Alabama for the 2013-2014 school year.

Furthermore, in 2013, she composed, directed, and choreographed a ballet production in Fayetteville, Tennessee as a community outreach. This one-hour Christmas Production (“The Christmas Journey”) also contributed as a canned “food drive” to support Slingshot Ministries’ monthly food-giveaway for community members in need.

During the fall 2014 season, Ashley completed one semester as a company member on Middle Tennessee State University's pre-professional Dance Company (Dance Theatre).

She was one of four dancers selected for an eleven-minute piece under the choreographer and trainer Kate Kastlenik.

Ashley strives to stay in a mindset of growth so that she can offer quality instruction to her students. She has received additional training from Ballet Magnificat!, Huntsville Ballet and Middle Tennessee State University.

Ashley (and her husband, Colyn) have two beautiful daughters (Ellynessa, 5 & Liora, 3) and live in Spring Hill, TN. She and her husband are passionate about living HEALTHY, WHOLESOME and THRIVING lives not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually.

Colyn Self

Co-owner / Fitness Instructor / Personal Trainer

Colyn is the owner of Self Vitality Health Coaching and is a specialist in his field. Colyn is a certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach, & Behavior Change Specialist (PT, NC, BCS). Colyn has recently launched a new aspect to his Health Coaching services as a Content Curator/Social Media Manager for other Health Coaches.

Colyn enjoys being a part of the Vitality Dance team and teaching our Fitness Classes.

For fun, when Colyn is not working, he enjoys listening to educational podcasts, drinking coffee with his wifey, playing with his two daughters, and watching Star Wars movies.

Abby Reid

Assistan Director / Instructor

Abby has 15+ years of dance experience as a student, artist, and teacher. She specializes in modern, contemporary, jazz, and ballet.

Abby's passion for movement began at a young age. She began her training in Florida in all styles of dance as well as singing, music, and acting. She went on to train with Ingredients Dance Company in Dallas, TX. Abby toured nationally with Dance Revolution dance convention which propelled her heart for teaching. In 2015 Abby moved back to Florida where she was co-owner, artistic director, and instructor of a dance studio for 3 years.

In 2019 Abby and her husband Nathaniel made the move to middle Tennessee. Shortly after getting settled she received the greatest gift and job of becoming a mother to her daughter Bailey.

Abby has a deep rooted passion for the arts and believes in pursuing talents with a mindset of excellence, not perfection. She aims to encourage her students, peers, and community from a heart of honesty, compassion, and support.

Hayley Aitchison

Instructor

Born in the U.K and raised in Australia, Hayley studied classical ballet on the Gold Coast from the age of 12 with Kathleen Gorham, Joy and Dawn Ransley, and Avril Binzer, completing many examinations with the Royal Academy of Dance. One of the highlights of her dance education was auditioning for and dancing with the Australian Youth Ballet in Brisbane, Queensland for three years as a teenager and performing in cities around Australia. Highlights of the AYB include numerous solo roles, such as Spanish Rose in Bye Bye Birdie and the Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland, and performing in Under the Southern Cross at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

Hayley also had the privilege of dancing in musical stage productions at the Centre Theatre, and dancing for Youth Alive on the Gold Coast, Australia.

Queensland University of Technology's Associate Diploma of Arts (Dance) course was another excellent source of education and where Hayley was molded into a more mature dancer. Her last and most recent port of call has been the Royal Academy of Dance where critical thinking and teaching skills were sharpened whilst attending the Dance Education Diploma.

Hayley has enjoyed sharing her dance education knowledge and technical skilnickls to students in the City of the Gold Coast, Australia and in Cambridgeshire, U.K.

Leslie Lee

Musical Theatre Instructor

Leslie (Diamond) Lee is excited to be joining as a teacher at Vitality! Originally from Columbus, OH, she received a B.F.A in Musical Theater from Kent State University where she performed in productions of Side Show, The Fantasticks, Godspell and Chicago. She played the part of Maureen in the National Broadway Tour of RENT, and performed regionally in productions of Jesus Christ Superstar (Mary), Cats (Demeter) and Crazy For You (Polly). She is also a singer/songwriter and has released several songs. She lives with her family in Spring Hill.

Nicholas Shewfelt

Instructor

Nicholas is originally from Erie, PA where he received his training at the Patterson School of Ballet under the tutelage and mentorship of Michael Patterson, a former principal dancer at the Pennsylvania Ballet and Barbera Sandiato who was trained by George Balanchine.

Nicholas then went on to study at the esteemed Point Park University where he received training from world-renowned instructors such as Rocker Verastique, Garfield Lemonius, Jason McDole, Matthew Powell, Julia Erickson, and Dana Arey.

Nicholas then moved to Florida where he danced professionally at Ballet Palm Beach performing soloist roles in ballets such as: The Nutcracker, Giselle, and Peter Pan. He then moved on to direct the dance department at the Boynton Beach School of Music Dance and Drama. During this time he directed his own production of The Nutcracker and set numerous original works such as “Rescue” and “Open Door”.

Nicholas has now moved to Tennessee and is excited to teach at Vitality School of Dance.

Rebekah Atkins

Instructor

Rebekah Atkins has logged 25 years of dancing experience and 13 years of training young dancers. She has danced professionally with Columbia City Ballet (now South Carolina Ballet), Ballet Magnificat, and Instruments Ballet Company.

Her training was widespread across all styles of dance with acclaimed teachers from all around the country. She founded the non-profit Christian ballet company Instruments Ballet Company and co-founded Instruments Ballet Academy in Oregon City, Oregon in 2017.

She is passionate about healthy early childhood development and raising up the next generation to be bold and fearless leaders. Her teaching style is disciplined in the pursuit of excellence with an emphasis on the unique artistic traits that each young dancer possesses. She uses methods from the Vaganova, Royal Academy of Dance, and American Ballet Theater curriculum to train dancers with well rounded technique and versatility. She deeply values the relationship she has with each and every student and strives to help them become all that they can be.