Rachelle McDaniel, a.k.a. Shelly, has been at Kemper Dance Academy since November 2014. Shelly came from her home town of Memphis Tennessee where her mother still owns 2 studios, so instead of going to daycare she went to dance classes. She was the only two year old in the advanced classes, she was even used as a prop a few times at recital. Since she was always at the studio she started assisting and teaching at a young age and got her certification to teach, from Southern Association of Dance Masters, in ballet and jazz at the young age of 13. From there she continued her training every year receiving new certifications. Shelly ran the daycare program at her moms studio, where she would have to dress up in whatever costume was available to go pick the kids up and get them excited for class. Still to this day it is one of her favorite classes to teach. Shortly after she started taking on the gymnastics program and co-teaching with top instructors. By the age 17, Shelly was running her mother's second studio which included planning for events, setting the curriculum and directing the staff. Shelly decided it was time to branch out from her southern small city (she had lived in her whole life) to push herself in her dancing career. She was 19 and moved half way across the country to a new place and decided to see what the style of teaching was on the west cost. And it was worth the move getting a whole new perspective and bringing it back to her mothers studio when she guests teaches and bringing some elements into her studio home. One of Shelly's favorite memories is dancing along the side of Goofy at Disneyland. Shelly loves working with all the KDA dancers and loves seeing them grow them every single day.
