Our Faculty

Brittany Hall’s journey in dance began at the age of 2.  Growing up in Southern California, she has trained and competed in/with some of the Nation’s strongest studios, conventions, and training facilities. Brittany is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, and teacher.   Represented by Go2Talent Agency and a Collective Uth alumni, Brittany enjoyed dancing and working on projects such as IM5 music videos, HeyDay Footwear, IVIVAA Athletic, Disney and The Fast Lane Movie Pilot.    Brittany is also a proud alumni of the GRV Family/GRaVy Babies and an original member of MAKER EMPIRE’s Trouble Makers winning World of Dance San Diego 2012 and ranked 4th in the United States at Hip Hop International.   Inspired by some of the most respected professionals in the dance industry, Brittany’s focus shifted to teaching, inspiring and empowering the next generation of dancers.

Brittany’s love for dance is rooted in her love of high-quality training, growth, and inspiration of the next generation.   She understands the responsibility and impact of providing a nurturing, inspiring and healthy environment for all dancers to thrive.

Now in her 12th year of teaching, Brittany’s professionalism and artistry has led her to working for/with studios and dancers in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Tennessee.    Her work has received numerous regional and national Performance, Choreography, and Judge’s Choice awards.

Brittany’s passion for inspiring young dancers led her to establish EVOLVE DANCE PLEX.  EVOLVE is East Tennessee’s new ELITE TRAINING FACILITY based in Knoxville, TN.

Through EVOLVE, Brittany is committed to sharing her love of dance and commitment to nurturing talent and creating a supportive environment where all dancers can thrive and EVOLVE into the best versions of themselves.    COME EVOLVE with US! 

Addie Griffin was an accomplished gymnast before transitioning her main focus to competitive dance at the age of 10. Her love for training and beautiful movement led her to numerous awards, accomplishments, and accolades throughout her 8 year competition dance journey. Addie’s leadership skills and desire to impact others led her into the role of teaching assistant at the age of 14, then teaching her own classes by the age of 18. Addie’s structured yet fun teaching style inspires her students while pushing them to be their very best.

Addie is currently dancing on the University of Tennessee Dance Company – BOSS, while studying in the field of Public Relations. Addie’s passion for inspiring others combined with her love of building relationships will be a driving force in her new position as EVOLVE’s Assistant Director.

In this role, Addie will be teaching classes as well as assisting with day-to-day studio operations.

Addie is thrilled to be joining our EVOLVE staff and looks forward to meeting you.

Born and raised in Knoxville, TN, Ashlynn Mason received her foundational training locally at Studio Arts for Dancers and GO! Contemporary Dance Works for 10 years under director Lisa Hall Mckee, cultivating a deep love for dancing, teaching, and choreographing. She has training in multiple styles of modern, ballet, jazz, tap, and foundational knowledge of aerial arts skills.

Upon graduating high school Ashlynn was entrusted with running a dance studio in Jefferson City, TN, and developed and implemented a core ballet and modern curriculum as the studio director.

As an involved member of the community in that area, she wrote and produced an original contemporary ballet titled “The Gift of Athens” and partnered with local leaders and businesses for proceeds to be donated to a local veterans group. After 3 years of studio director role, she was motivated to continue her training in dance, teaching, and choreography so she moved to New York City after being accepted into the Ailey School and completed the 3 year Certificate Program under the direction of Freddie Moore. She studied under teachers Ana Marie Forsythe, Kevin Predmore, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Graciela Lebow Kozak, Renee Robinson and other Ailey School faculty members. During her time there, her graduating class learned and performed repertoire pieces from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and worked with choreographers Darrel Moultire and Norbert De La Cruz. Ashlynn’s original piece titled “Knock on Wood” was accepted into the school’s annual choreography show that showcased Ailey School student’s skills and knowledge of choreography, and she was 1 of 10 students chosen out of the entire program to present original work.

After graduating from the Ailey School, Ashlynn returned to Knoxville and began teaching at her home studio for 3 years and continued cultivating her passion for teaching and choreography. She taught ballet, modern, jazz, and horton and also choreographed original pieces for GO! Contemporary Dance Works as well as continued to perform with the company. She recently began teaching for Fuzion School of the Arts in Jefferson City, TN, and was the company director for Fuzion Dance Company’s full length spring show “The Prince of Egypt.”

Ashlynn is currently residing in the Knoxville area with her husband and two dogs, and holds a BA in History from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and an MBA with a focus in Data Analytics from LSU. Outside of teaching dance she works full time as a data analyst and calls that her “side job” as dancing, teaching, and choreography are her true passions. As a teacher, she loves to instill confidence in young dancers as they develop strength and understanding of their bodies and dance techniques. She aims to connect with each student and create a safe and respectful classroom environment that is engaging and promotes hard work, focus, and fun in the process.

Born and raised in East Tennessee, Sydney always knew she wanted to attend and dance at the University of Tennessee.

Dancing by the age of 2, Sydney grew up training and competing in Knoxville.

Remaining focused on her collegiate goals, Sydney graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelors in Communication.

Also staying focused on her dance goals, Sydney is a proud 4 year alumni of the UT Dance Team, winning 2 National Championships. Rounding out her senior year, Sydney was chosen to receive the prestigious E. Lynn Harris, All Sec Spirit award!

Sydney is a 6-Year staff member for UDA and loves the opportunity to work with UDA dancers throughout the country.

Sydney currently teaches and sets choreography for several studios and dance teams across the country. She loves to inspire, teach and empower the next generation of dancers to new heights.

She is excited to join the EVOLVE team and looks forward to seeing you in class!

Ella Kate Macready was born and raised in Knoxville, TN and started training in competitive gymnastics as soon as she could walk.  Her father, John Macready is an Olympic  gymnast (Atlanta 1996) that continues to train and coach today.   The Macready family owns and operates a resort style Summer Gymnastics training facility  for athletes from all over the country called Flip Fest where Ella continues her training and coaching for 11 straight weeks every summer.    Ella’s lifelong learning under her father’s mentorship has developed her into the well rounded teacher and coach she is today.

As a competitive dancer, Ella has trained and competed with some of the industry’s leading dancers,  choreographers, conventions and studios.

Ella’s training has led her to winning numerous titles, scholarships and elite invitational training opportunities from Tennessee to Southern CA.

In addition to tumbling and dance, Ella is an accomplished model and aspiring actress, represented by Corner Booth Entertainment.

Ella is committed to inspiring young athletes along their dance journey while promoting and supporting a healthy life balance.   She believes that dedication, hard work and life balance are the key to growing and becoming the best version of you!

Ella is excited about joining the EVOLVE staff and looks forward to being a part of your dance journey.

Lacy Macready grew up as a competitive gymnast with a gift for teaching and mentoring the next generation of athletes.  Lacy’s love of Cheer, Acro, Tumbling and gymnastics lead her to start coaching in 1998.   Working as a coach for a high level training facility, Lacy attended a summer camp in 2000 where she met her soulmate – 1996 Olympic gymnast, John Macready.   This dynamic duo took ownership of that summer camp in 2001 and Flip Fest was born.   Now in their 24th year of owning/operating Flip Fest in Crossville, TN, John and Lacy host, teach and mentor over 3500 athletes annually providing weekly training camps throughout the summer months.   In addition to coaching and mentoring young athletes, Lacy is a loving mother of 4 children ranging from 6 to 18 years old.  Lacy’s extensive coaching experience combined with her experience as a mother makes Lacy a valued coach and mentor.   She understands the many different personality types and works to personalize her communication and approach to each individual student.   Lacy’s goal is to support her students’ love of acro and dance while also supporting a healthy balance and zest for life.

Gavin Baker spent his early years playing a plethora of sports before falling in love with dance at age 10. Gavin grew up training at a prestigious studio in Northern Virginia. His athleticism, artistry and work ethic earned him numerous advanced regional and national titles throughout his 9 years of competitive dance. These formative years taught him discipline, creativity, and resilience which have shaped his teaching style tremendously. Gavin is currently a member of the University of Tennessee’s Boss Dance Company and studies Supply Chain Management in the school’s Haslam College of Business. Between his education and extracurriculars, he has learned to face challenges with patience and empathy and hopes to instill a similar mindset within his students. Gavin is dedicated to creating a nourishing environment for his students to prosper as individuals inside and outside the studio. Gavin is so excited to be joining the EVOLVE staff and looks forward to meeting you soon!

Alyssa began dancing at the age of 4 and grew up as a competitive dancer in Northern California, with a strong love for fast tap and sassy jazz! She won many scholarships at conventions around the country and held multiple national titles at dance competitions during her teen years. She spent a few summers in New York training in tap and enjoyed taking classes in Los Angeles whenever possible as a kid! Alyssa was the captain of her High School Dance Team where she grew to love choreographing, and has taught several routines as an alumni. At 16, she was the captain of Dance USA’s American Team that competed at the Grand Prix in Italy. She went on to dance in college at San Jose State University and performed often with her sorority, Alpha Phi. One of her favorite things on her dance resume is her time with Walt Disney World, where she performed as different characters in parades and meet and greets during her college internship in Orlando! After graduating, she was able to return to her hometown studio and choreograph for competitive teams until her family made the move to Tennessee. Alyssa is so excited to share her first love with her two greatest loves – her daughters, Savvy and Charlie – as they begin their own dance journey with Evolve!

Raegan’s passion and love for dance started at 3-years-old when she began her dancing career. Raegan’s foundation of dance comes from being classically trained from a small ballet-focused studio in her hometown of Wake Forest, North Carolina. Her resume includes many prestigious summer traineeships including Joffrey Ballet in NYC and Commercial Dance Intensive Santa Barbara and Miami, and UNC School of the Arts. She has developed a love for all types of dance including hip hop, jazz, lyrical contemporary, and more. With teaching dance since she was 12-years-old and being dance team captain for her high school, her calling is to continue to share her love of dance to dancers of all ages.

Raegan is currently a student at the University of Tennessee and spent her first two years on the BOSS Dance company, while studying in the field of Political Science—International Relations. This past year, she has found a new love for line dancing and partner country swing dance as she has traveled the country instructing and competing.

Raegan’s experience leading and teaching dance does not stop at technical and recreational dance as she has become a paid choreographer of big group dances for competitions and performance events. Raegan’s goal is to encourage students to find their own passion and therapy through dance.

Raegan is ecstatic to be joining the EVOLVE staff and looks forward to meeting you.

Riley’s passion for gymnastics started at the age of 3 when she began competing on teams that won 13 consecutive State Championships across Arizona and Tennessee.

An All-Around Champion herself, Riley began her coaching career 8 years ago and has taught winning gymnastics and dance athletes in Arizona, South Carolina and Tennessee. At Evolve, Riley brings her gymnastics expertise to assist our dancers in perfecting their acro skills.

Riley is currently pursuing her degree in Early Childhood Education and looks forward to combining her passion for athletics and education to inspire the next generation of successful gymnasts and dancers. Riley is looking forward to helping dancers EVOLVE in Acro!

Born and raised in Enfield, Connecticut, Olivia Rattell originally trained at a studio in her hometown before moving to Knoxville, TN, and training locally at Studio Arts for Dancers and Go! Contemporary Dance Works. Olivia has been training as a pre-professional ballet dancer for seven years and as a dancer for 14 years. She also has about 5+ years with working in the modeling industry. Olivia has gained a strong work ethic and leadership skills throughout her dance and modeling career which has made her a determined and diligent person. Olivia currently attends Bearden High School where she is the Director of Bearden Broadcasting Network and is a leader for her schools student-led business team, Virtual Enterprise. Between her education and dance, Olivia has learned professionalism in a work environment and has enhanced her creativity skills and she hopes to help her students do the same. Olivia always has a positive attitude and is very passionate about teaching dance.

She hopes to inspire young dancers and can’t wait to be apart of the EVOLVE team.

Alessandra Brown is from Peoria, Arizona and is a current member of the National Champion Tiger Girls at Louisiana State University. LSU recently earned 1st place in D1A Hip Hop and 3rd place in D1A Jazz at UDA Nationals. She has been dancing since the age of 3, and trained competitively at Gotta Dance Company in all styles of dance including hip hop, jazz, contemporary/lyrical, and ballet. She’s currently a faculty member on Tribe 99’s Summer Tour. Alessandra was a four year member of the varsity pom team at Mountain Ridge High School, and as captain she helped lead her team to a State and National Championship. She has won numerous scholarships and awards at conventions such as Dancer of the Year, Maximum Velocity Artist, and Non Stop Dancer Winner. Alessandra has been a member of Hollywood Vibe Dance Convention’s Company for 7 years, traveling and assisting their all star faculty. At 10 years old she signed with the Movement Talent Agency in Los Angeles and has done music videos, live shows, several commercials, and print work. A couple of her credits include Disney and Nickelodeon. Alessandra looks forward to training with you and sharing her passion for dance!

Michelle Carr has been a Knoxville resident since 2008. She has thirty-five years of experience in ballet as both a professional dancer, instructor, and choreographer spanning Georgia, Colorado, and Tennessee. She has been teaching, dancing, and choreographing with Go! Contemporary Dance Works for 15 years. Recently she has stepped back from teaching weekly and teaching intermittently with Studio Arts for Dancers, teaching Master classes for Columbia County Ballet and ORCBA, and serving on the board for Go! Contemporary Dance Works. She has used her knowledge of dance to begin a business capturing images of dancers and has been featured in multiple galleries in town as well as local news stations WBIR and WATE in the attempt to bring more awareness of dance in Knoxville. Michelle is currently a hand therapist at Ortho Tennessee, mom of three, and a grandmother of all girls.

Michelle started her dance Career in Augusta, GA with Augusta Ballet and then with Columbia County ballet under the direction of Ron Jones, learning with the Cecchetti method. While in Augusta she participated in SERBA (now RAD) and performed in core de ballet, soloist, and principal roles with Columbia County Ballet (now Augusta Ballet) in many original choreographed pieces by Helen Starr of Louisville Ballet, Andrew Kuharsky of Greenville Ballet, Renee Toole of Augusta Ballet, Mary Geiger of Geiger Elite Ballet, along with a multitude of guest artists. She moved to Savannah, GA and began teaching and dancing with Savannah Danse Theatre, under the direction of Sue Braddy. Michelle performed in core de ballet, soloist, and principal roles in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe, along with many original pieces choreographed by Sue Braddy and guest artists. Following her time in Savannah, she moved to Vail, Colorado where she taught and assisted the director Anne Powell with staging and rehearsing the Bi-Annual Nutcracker performed by The Vail Valley Academy of Dance. There she learned to teach ballet with Vaganova technique. She grew as a choreographer and teacher, bringing her knowledge base and career with her to Knoxville when she began teaching with Studio Arts for Dancers and choreographing/guest artist with Go! Contemporary Dance Works. She has loved teaching and mentoring young dancers for decades and finds it one of her greatest accomplishments.

Tessa Bella DeFries has 10+ years of experience working in the television, commercial and live performance industry.  She grew up training in all styles of dance and is currently working as an NBA Dancer in Los Angeles, CA. Tessa’s extensive dance training includes west coast competitive programs, Pulse on Tour, and LA based Hip Hop Crews. Her professional credits include LA Clippers Spirit, Justin Bieber, Lil Mama, Pharell Williams, ABC Mouse, Nickelodeon, Disney, Mattel, Sea World, ABC, KCA, KCSA and BET!

Tessa is respected throughout the entertainment industry and known for her work ethic, professionalism, and positive mindset.   She enjoys teaching and is an inspiration to all. 

Tessa looks forward to sharing her passion for dance and life with you all soon!