Regan Thompson, Owner & Managing Director

  Project in 2016 with the vision of giving her two daughters and friends "something different, something more".  In their first season they became National champions and have continued to do so year after year.  She knew she wanted to "offer more" to as many young dancers as possible.   Through her connections she has been able to offer unique experiences to her dancers while focusing on disciplined yet fun training.  Her experiences in pageants allow her to help dancers with their confidence and stage presence. Regan has been the owner of F.I.T. by Regan LLC for 14 years, where she personally trains clients in their homes, teaching them to live a healthier, happier lifestyle.  She is married to Corey Thompson and together they have raised their five successful children.  Regan is an elite marathon runner who strives to inspire people to become more active.  She has completed two 100 mile marathons and several dozen marathons. She is an active member of the Houston community where she resides.        Her business experience, marathon training, pageantry and being a mom of five are just some of the life experiences that taught her it takes hard work and disciple to be successful.     Project in 2016 with the vision of giving her two daughters and friends "something different, something more".  In their first season they became National champions and have continued to do so year after year.  She knew she wanted to "offer more" to as many young dancers as possible.   Through her connections she has been able to offer unique experiences to her dancers while focusing on disciplined yet fun training.  Her experiences in pageants allow her to help dancers with their confidence and stage presence. Regan has been the owner of F.I.T. by Regan LLC for 14 years, where she personally trains clients in their homes, teaching them to live a healthier, happier lifestyle.  She is married to Corey Thompson and together they have raised their five successful children.  Regan is an elite marathon runner who strives to inspire people to become more active.  She has completed two 100 mile marathons and several dozen marathons. She is an active member of the Houston community where she resides.        Her business experience, marathon training, pageantry and being a mom of five are just some of the life experiences that taught her it takes hard work and disciple to be successful.   

Amber is the Artistic Director for MECKKA Dance Project. Her career includes over 25 years as a choreographer, instructor, and dancer. She has studied and performed with Delia Stewart Jazz Dance Company, clear Lake Metropolitan Ballet (now Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theater) and Euroasia Ballet. She has also studied with the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Houston Ballet Academy, Lou Conte of Hubbard Street, Broadway Dance Center and Steps in NYC. Amber performed in the 1988 Sammy Awards with Jaime Rogers and Ben Vereen and has appeared as a guest artist for various companies including Dance Explosion in Vail, Colorado. Amber was the 1998 recipient of the Monticello Scholarship for her choreographed work, Unzipped Entropy, at the Regional Dance America Festival where her works have been performed many times. Her choreographed work, Portraying Picasso was selected for the National Choreographic Plan which is supported by the National Endowment of the Arts in 2002. Since joining MECKKA Dance Project, Amber has choreographed several national award-winning pieces. Amber is also a staff member of In-Step Dance Center.

Chloe Klitus  graduated from Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) as a dance major in 2021. Chloe began dancing at age 2 and started taking dance seriously when she was 10 years old. She received training from various companies like the Houston Ballet, Joffrey School of Dance, Stacey's Dance Studio, Tokyo's Academy, and Meckka Dance Project.

Chloe's favorite genre of dance is a mix of contemporary and hip-hop, which she likes to call "contemp-pop." She started molding her style after absorbing different techniques from her diverse background. Although Chloe has a favorite style of dance, she loves to train and work on all other styles to continue to stay versed. With her well-roundedness, Chloe was able to join Streetz Dance Convention as a company assistant in 2017, and also helped assist other people in their master classes like that of Amber Thorton, Daniel Thomas, and Dj Gunthrie. Apart from dance, Chloe has also acted. In 2019 she won "Best Young Actress" in the 2019 WorldFest Awards where her film "The Last Astronaut," with Eva Igo was released. Chloe has continued to make films, and has even made her way to billboards to advertise her new film 'NarcoSub,' with people like Robert LaSardo, Tom Sizemore, and Michael Berry. Currently, Chloe is working on her dance education through Meckka Dance Project, and she is also an assistant for LUX, and is utilizing her time by choreographing and growing in her choreographic knowledge.

Brenden Winkfield began his career on Long Island, New York. He began formal training of Tap Jazz and Ballet at local studios before settling into the well known competitive studio, David Sanders Dance Dynamics. There he broadened his studies into modern, lyrical, hip hop and contemporary. Competing at countless dance conventions and earning titles like Junior Mr. Starpower gave Brenden unmeasurable competitive experience. He also gained the oppurtunity to perform in multiple large-scale shows like The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. After eight years of intense competition in New York, he moved to Houston, Texas where he now resides. Brenden was then hired by Royal Carribbean Cruise Lines and Princess Cruise Lines as a dancer and performer on their entertainment fleets. He went on to perform as a tap soloist in Tokyo Disney's Big Band Beat in Japan, and was a top an Academy finalist on season 14 of SYTYCD before settling down back here in Houston. Brenden is now looking forward to dancing on land, in the states, hoping to teach dancers what it takes to become a real performer.

Natalie Katz was born in Houston, Texas where she grew up dancing at Stacey’s Dance Studio, attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and recently graduated from George Mason University with her B.F.A. in Dance. She has had the opportunity to work with artists such as Kyle Abraham, Hope Boykin, Robert Kleinendorst, Gregory Dolbashian, and others. She has trained at summer intensives such as Doug Varone and Dancers’, A.I.M., Orange Grove Dance, and Houston Contemporary Dance. Natalie is thrilled to be back as a freelance dancer while teaching and advocating for the arts in Houston. 

Jaredd Martin is a dancer and teacher who specializes in Jazz, Hip Hop, and Contemporary. A two-time NDA national champion and All-American, he graduated with a B.A. in English from Sam Houston State University. Over the last ten years, Jaredd has taught hundreds of students of different ages all around the country. He’s also performed in various shows such as The Enchanted Forest, Dancin’ in the Streets: Motown Revue at the Miller Outdoor Theatre, and Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl LI halftime show.  In his free time, Jaredd enjoys reading, creative writing, drawing, painting, making jewelry, and choreographing random dances he might never get to use.  

My name is De’Wayne Martin aka PrinceWayne. I have been dancing professionally for about 4 years, and I’ve loved every moment of it! Styles I have practice include Hip Hop, House Dance, Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary Dance, Flexing Dance, Break dance and etc. Dance is truly a passion and has saved me in many different ways, and I’m blessed to be able to share this gift with others. I’ve traveled around the U.S, Mexico, and overseas teaching and battle dancing and I love every moment of it. Thank you for taking time to get to know a little bit about me! See you in class!

My name is Alyx Howard! I participated in competitive cheer for 6 years and this year is my 10th year coaching it. I was previously the Rec Cheer Director at Cheer Factory, and currently work as a cheer and tumbling coach at Dynamic Cheer. Focusing mainly on fundamentals, I teach the athletes the skills they need in a way that makes sense in order for them grow and learn in a fast, safe, and fun way. I do my best to make time for each athlete to know and coach them on a personal level, so that if they ever get stuck or frustrated, we can work together as a team to figure it out and help them succeed. I love cheer and dance with all my heart, and look forward to working with every new kiddo on my way through life! 

Angela Hendrickson is the director of ballet instruction for MECKKA Dance Project and brings over 25 years of experience in both teaching and performing ballet. Angela is the former Artistic Director of Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and danced with Joan Karff’s New Dance Group as well as Clear Lake Metropolitan Ballet. Her training includes Houston Ballet Academy, Joffrey Ballet, High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and Alvin Ailey. She choreographs for "Pitch Me This" Productions and enjoys her time as a guest ballet instructor for various dance workshops.

Joel Aguilera is a 25 year old Houston Native with a BFA in Dance from the University of Houston. Aguilera is now currently earning his MFA at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee under an AOP Fellowship. Aguilera spent four and a half years as a principal dancer with Fly Dance Company, with whom he has toured nationally and internationally. In Houston, Aguilera entertained with Houston Rockets Launch Crew for two seasons and currently spends his time as a Dance Teacher for several studios in the Greater Houston Area.. Aguilera has also presented his own work in the Houston area in festivals such as “Barnstorm Dance Fest”,  “Emerging Choreographers Showcase”, ”16th Annual Celebration of Dance”, “Texas Latino Contemporary Dance Festival”,  “Mind the Gap 8.0”, and “Mind the Gap 13.0”, where he fuses Breaking, Modern Dance technique, and Latin Jazz music. Aguilera is also the most recent Dance Source Artist in Residence for the 2019-20 season. 

A native of Texas, Lorenzo has been seen dancing on-stage in the production of "Miller Outdoor Theatre's "Ragtime" through "HITS Theatre". He was a featured dancer in Ensemble Theatre's "Michael Jackson Tribute of Houston" at Jones Hall. He has performed at AMTC shine event in 2014, receiving a scholarship to attend NYFA in New York City. Lorenzo has studied at both the conservatories  New York Film Academy and American Musical Dramatic Academy, Began training at Ripley Grier, Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center later to assist teachers Chio, Heather Rigg and Caitlin Gray. He performed through Kat Wildishat the Alvin Ailey Theatre in NYC which led him to seek other performance opportunities, which pointed him to Celebrity Cruises where he was a production dancer later to become a Specialty(acrobatic) Production Dancer for three years. He has also worked for Princess Cruise Lines, choreographed music videos for the band "Secret Beach" and is a resident teacher for Movement Xperience. Lorenzo currently tours as Backstage Manager for 8 National Talent Competition.

 Anel Ayala is a native Houstonian who began dancing when she was just 4 years old. She began in recreational classes and soon after joined the competitive world of dance. She has trained in ballet, jazz, lyrical, and contemporary at various Houston area dance studios. She is a graduate of Kingwood High School where she was a 3-year member of the National award-winning Kingwood Fillies from 2007-2010 and served as Lt. Colonel from 2009-2010. During her high school and college years, she worked as an Instructor, Choreographer, and Assistant Director at Stacey's Dance Studio from 2009-2013 where she taught both studio classes as well as competitive team classes. Upon graduating from the University of Houston, Anel began teaching dance full-time as an Assistant Director and Director at Stacey's Dance Studio. She has experience teaching ages 4-18 in a range of styles and levels. In 2014, Anel was a finalist for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. In addition to her dance experience, Anel also holds a 200-HR Yoga Teaching Certification and is a Registered Yoga Instructor with Yoga Alliance.
 

Piper has danced on studio and competitive teams since the age of 3. She is a graduate of Kingwood High School where she danced on the  National award winning Kingwood Fillies drill team for four years. She was a military officer for 3 years, and served as the Colonel of the team for 2. Piper has a passion for dance and has found a great purpose in teaching young dancers. Piper is excited to be attending the University of Oklahoma in the fall. 

Shannon was born & raised in Kingwood, TX and began training ballet and gymnastics at Rowland Ballard when she was 3 years old. She participated in competitive gymnastics and reached level 9 qualifying for state & regional championships. She attended Kingwood High School where she was on the varsity gymnastics team, a varsity cheerleader, cross-country runner, and a member of the national award winning Kingwood Fillie Dance Team. She is currently a Senior at Texas A&M University where she is majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies and is a member of the national award-winning Aggie Dance Team.