About Us

Power & Grace School of Performing Arts is under the direction of Christy Posey Holden, ISTD. Christy has been teaching dance in the Shreveport/Bossier area for over thirty years and is the only instructor in Louisiana certified by the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance to teach the Cecchetti ballet method.

This year, Power & Grace will be celebrating its 31st season. Since 1992, we have been providing quality dance classes with a focus on technique in an atmosphere that cannot be topped. Our trained instructors not only provide your child with a strong foundation to build their dance career, but also ensure that every class is filled with creativity, enthusiasm, and fun.

Located in Shreveport, LA, Power & Grace offers multiple dance studios, state of the art facilities, and the finest in dance training. Our classes include ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, danceline, and preschool classes.

Power & Grace is committed to providing positive reinforcement to encourage high self esteem and a positive attitude in each child. In this creative environment, our students strive to reach their full potential while enjoying the process of learning.

Our Instructors

Christy Holden

Owner, Director

Christy Posey-Holden began her training at the age of eight under Peggy Norman. Other instructors and coaches include: Judith Jamison, Dianne Maroney, Wayne Barbaste, Salvatore Aiello, Camella Malashanko, Joseph Giacobbe, Alan Woodard, Don Oppenheimer, Joe Tremaine, Doug Caldwell, Marcia Lane, Raymond DeBarrio, Lea Darwin, Michael Vernon, Jaqueline Anderson, Victor Kharchenko, Luyov Shtecker, Thommie Retter, Charles McGowen, Keith Cross, Richard Glasstone, Diane Vanschorr, Shelia Darby, and Shelia Kennedy. She studied with her personal coach Betty Seibert for five years.

In 1991 she traveled to the Soviet Union to perform and study classical ballet. In 1993-97, she was a guest performer in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York for the Cecchetti Students Ballet Company. In 1996 she was commissioned and performed for the Marshall Symphony. In 1997, she was a guest artist for Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet and performed “Sugar Plum Fairy” in their Nutcracker. She performed as “Snow Queen” in the City Ballet of Houston’s “Nutcracker Suite,” 2000-2013.  She has also performed the ballet “Les Syphides,” “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux,” “Don Quixote,” and“en Rue Blue” original choreography by Margo Sappington. In 2001 she was invited with two of her students to be a guest performer with Thommie Retter for National Tap Dance Day in Dallas, Texas.

Christy has been teaching locally for over 35 years. She was a principal instructor at Carol Anglin Dance Center for ten years. She has owned, operated and taught at her own school for the last thirty years. Power & Grace School of Performing Arts has been named Small Business of the Year by the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, and named as a finalist for the Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Ethics in Business. Power & Grace has been voted Shreveport-Bossier’s Best Dance School multiple times by The Shreveport Times and Locals Love Us.

Christy has been a guest instructor on numerous occasions for notable ballet academies such as Cosmopolitan Ballet Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts; City Ballet of Houston; and Barrington Ballet in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. She has also taught for the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) on the Cecchetti method. Locally, Christy has participated in grant programs offered by the Shreveport Regional Arts Council designed to enhance art awareness in students’ lives. As the ballet instructor, Christy, worked with over 3,000 children in various local schools.

During the summer of 1996, Christy was examined in California by Richard Glasstone of London and Shelia Kennedy of Canada, where she earned her first teaching degree in ISTD Cecchetti Ballet. She is the only ISTD Cecchetti certified instructor in the state of Louisiana.

Christy continues to develop professionally through studying with world-renowned coaches and choreographers and being a guest artist and instructor across the country. She currently enjoys teaching and directing at Power & Grace School of Performing Arts.

Jamie Shaw, RD, LDN

Instructor, Registered Dietitian, Choreographer

Jamie Shaw began her dance training at the age of five under the direction of Sally Riggs at Studio One in North Little Rock, AR She continued her dance training with Jana Stodola at Shuffles in Little Rock, AR where she studied ballet, pointe, tap and jazz. As an advanced student, Jamie had the opportunity to learn from a variety of skilled instructors including Debbie Ran, Judith Jenkins, Susan Harstein, Tracy Presley and Michael Tidwell. In high school, Jamie was Captain of the Cherokee Charmer Danceline. She was awarded All-American, Most Outstanding Dancer, Gussie Nell Davis Award and the Sweepstakes awards from American Dance Drill Team. At Northwestern State University, Jamie performed with the Demon Dazzler Danceline and NSU Purple Pizazz Pom Pom Line. Jamie has been an integral part of Power & Grace for many years and serves as a choreographer and rehearsal mistress for productions. Jamie is a Strategic Program Manager for Ochsner Health. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the University of Central Oklahoma and a Master of Business from LSU-Shreveport. Jamie has over twenty years of experience as a dance instructor and truly enjoys sharing her love of dance with the students of Power & Grace. Jamie and her husband, Lucas, live in Shreveport and have 3 daughters, Logan, Avery and Sophie.

Bailey Fielder Pou

Instructor, Choreographer

Bailey Fielder began dancing at three years old at Power & Grace School of Performing Arts under the direction of Christy Holden. While training at Power & Grace, Bailey had the opportunity to work with many internationally known choreographers including Mary Beth and Luis Fuente, Alexei and Natalia Charov, Thommie and Becca Retter, Gina Badone, Brooke Paulsen-Zelus, Asha Di Ningrant, and Reagan Marie. Locally, she has performed at the Red River Revel, Les Boutiques de Noel, SMB’s Ballet Under the Stars, Treads & Traditions, and Disney World 2007. Bailey has performed in River Cities Dance Foundation’s productions as the role of Sarabi in “The Lion King” and as the role of Genie in “Aladdin.” Bailey graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and a Minor in Dance. During her time at LSU, she continued her dance career studying under many well-established dancers and choreographers, such as Sandra Parks, Susan Perlis, Mina Estrada, Christine Crest and Blair Buras. Bailey has been teaching at Power & Grace for seven years. She choreographed for the productions “Grinched,” “Under the Sea,” and “Tale as Old as Time.” Bailey has a love and passion for all types of dance and loves working with students, sharing that love of dance with them.

Madison Hillin

Instructor, Choreographer

Madison Hillin began dancing at the age of 3 under the direction of Caitlin Collins at Dance Academy in McDonough, Georgia. She also danced with the Atlanta Festival Ballet while in Georgia. She then relocated to Coushatta, Louisiana seven years later in 2011, where she continued her love for dance at Power & Grace in Shreveport. Maddie was trained in ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary. One of the great opportunities she experienced at Power & Grace was learning from many well-known teachers/choreographers including Mary Beth Arrington, Luis Fuente, Alexi and Natalia Charov, Thommie Rhetter, Gina Badone, Ashley Rockwood, Brooke Paulson-Zelus, Kenji Igus, Earlyn Whitehead, and Cassandra Mora Van Houten. Some of her favorite experiences with Power & Grace were performing in Walt Disney World, New York City Times Square, the Red River Revel and Les Boutiques de Noel in Shreveport, traveling to several dance competitions in Baton Rouge and Dallas, and participating in their productions of Under the Sea, Tale as Old as Time, and Grinched, when she was chosen for the lead role in 2021. Maddie is currently attending Louisiana State University-Shreveport with a major in Business Administration. She is excited and happy to share her love for dance with the students at Power & Grace. 

Katryna Morrall

Instructor, Choreographer

Katryna Morrall developed a lifelong love of dance that started at the age of 3. She joined the Tutterow Dance Academy (TDA) Competitive Company in Largo, FL and trained in tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, pointe, and hip hop under the direction of Debbie Kennedy. Dance has led Katryna around the globe to attend conventions, master classes, competitions, and performances. She regularly competed in Regional and National Competitions, winning awards for high scores, technique, choreography, and overall grand championships. She attended conventions and master classes with Travis Wall, Joshua Allen, Mia Michaels, Todrick Hall, Laurieann Gibson, Tyce Diorio, and others. Some highlight performances were dancing at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and Universal Studios Florida. While touring in Europe, she performed for the Military Troops and families throughout Germany. Katryna was part of the TDA faculty for 17 years. Along with her family, Katryna relocated to Shreveport and is so happy to have found a new “dance home” at Power & Grace! Her creative energy and expressive choreography give her students the opportunity to have fun while building their dance skills. Katryna graduated from the University of South Florida with her degree in Elementary Education. Katryna and her husband, Mike, were blessed with their handsome son, Jackson, in February 2019.

Brianna Gutierrez

Instructor, Choreographer

Brianna Gutierrez hails from Kennesaw, GA and is so excited for her first season with Power and Grace. She received her Bachelors of Arts in Dance with a concentration in Jazz/Musical Theater Dance and a minor in Theater. She has danced professionally in New Mexico, Georgia, and more while working with artists such as Jennifer Archibald, Jesse Zaritt, and Carl Flink (Black Label Movement). Brianna loves choreography, dancing, and inspiring the next generation of dancers. She’s extremely grateful and excited for this upcoming season.

Rachael Bottrell

Instructor

Rachael Bottrell began dancing at the age of 3 at Power & Grace under the direction of Christy Holden and was trained in ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary/lyrical dance. As a student at Power & Grace, Rachael was given opportunities to learn from several well-known teachers and choreographers including: Mary Beth Arrington, Gina Badone, Alexei & Natalie Cherov, Luis Fuente, Brooke Paulsen, Thommie Retter, and Ashley Rockwood. She competed as a member of River Cities Dance Company and also performed in productions of Aladdin, The Great Russian Nutcracker, and Grinched. Rachael graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Health Sciences. She is currently continuing her education by pursuing a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport. Rachael began teaching & choreographing at Power & Grace in 2021 and also assists with annual productions as a rehearsal mistress. She has enjoyed being back in the studio sharing her love of dance with P&G’s students and staff.

Taylor Deville

Instructor, Choreographer

Taylor Deville began her training at the age of two under the direction of Dianna Jones at Jean Leigh Academy of Dance in Denham Springs, LA. While training at Jean Leigh, Taylor had the opportunity to train with a variety of well-known ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip-hop instructors and choreographers including Valery Lantratov, Misha Gabriel, Jason Parsons, Matt Dorame-Warner, DJ Guthrie, Lauren Adams, Eddie Moody, Nikki Hefko, and Tamu Ortenzio.
Taylor’s strong passion for tap has allowed her to travel around the United States to train under renowned tap choreographers such as Anthony Morigerato, Ryan Lohoff, Gregg Russell, Angela Carter, Mike Minery, Jason Samuels-Smith, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, and Derick Grant. She began teaching and choreographing at Power & Grace in 2019 where she has thoroughly enjoyed sharing her passion for dance with all ages.
Taylor is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Film and Communications as well as a minor in Studio Art and Sociology at Centenary College of Louisiana.

Robin Lankford

Office Manager

Robin Lankford received her MBA in Strategy and MA in Arts Management from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She has worked as a senior consultant for several years at large technology firms and arts consulting organizations.
She began dancing at a young age at Power & Grace under the direction of Christy Holden and was trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, and contemporary/lyrical dance. She went on to perform at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL as a parade and show dancer and actor for several years.
After marrying her husband Justin, Robin back moved to Shreveport and joined Power & Grace in 2023 as an office manager and also assists with productions and performances. She is grateful to be back home at P&G and is looking forward to creating memorable experiences for P&G’s dance students and families.