Lori Christensen  Owner  

“Ms. California” has travelled a long way from teaching dance in the den of her California home at age 13 to Woodbury, Tennessee, where she was dubbed “Ms. California” at Woodbury Grammar school in 2006. Prior to relocating to Tennessee, “Ms. California” earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Arts from the University of California, Irvine, a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education from California State University, Fullerton, and a Special Education credential from MTSU. Her dance training began at the age of 5 and continued through her college and adult years, most notably with Broadway dancer, Jimmie Defore. One of the highlights of her long career was assuming the choreography responsibilities of Celebration, a performing group of special needs adults, who performed at the White House. Throughout the years, Lori has shared her passion for dance in a variety of venues including Theater For Young America and Dance2Go in Kansas City,  and Drama / Dance Department Chair at Fairgrove Academy and McPherson Magnet Schools in Southern California. She contributed her talents to both Cannon and Warren County School Districts as a Theater Arts Teacher and Beta Choreographer while teaching Special Education and ESL classes. Alongside her public teaching career, she developed and maintained her dance studio, Canyon School of the Arts, in Silverado, CA. and started Cannon Arts Dance Studio in 2007 for the purpose of providing quality dance instruction to “build dancers and change lives.” Since the inception of Cannon Arts Dance Studio, “Ms. California” has served the community in a variety of ways including the California Club Ballet Folklorico troupe, Board Member at Edgar Evins State Park, including History Hayride, and a National Park Ranger at Stones River Battlefield including the Hallowed Ground Tour. Her holistic approach to teaching dance focuses on the development of the student dancer through technique, skill building and unique performance opportunities. Currently, Lori holds a position as a board member on The Tennessee Association of Dance, where she advocates for dance arts statewide.

Xan Barrell Tap | Jazz | Jr Company

Xan Barrell comes to us from Showstars Dance Academy in Brighton, Tn, where she has worked since 2019.  Xan’s teaching focuses on developing technique in whatever genre she is teaching, whether it's Tap, Jazz, Ballet or Acro.  After being chosen to attend the prestigious Governor's school in 2020 and 2021, Xan decided to attend MTSU to pursue her dreams in dance and film. Her experience in choreographing group and solo performances makes her the ideal instructor for our Junior Company, as well as combo 4. Xan comes highly recommended from Showstars as well as the MTSU Dance Department and we are proud to welcome her to Cannon Arts Dance.

Jackson Kinsey Clogging

Jackson Kinsey lives in Morrison, Tennessee with his family. He is homeschooled and in the 9th grade. Jackson started clogging with Cannon Arts Dance Studio at just 6 years old. He’s loved it ever since, participating at Disneyworld and Smokey Mountain Clogging convention along the way. He recently began competitive clogging with Tennessee Dance Alliance out of Mt. Juliet. Jackson is very excited to continue teaching and to share his love of clogging! Trained by Kevin Lovelace, our national championship clogging teacher, Jackson looks forward to sharing his skills with Cannon Arts cloggers. We are proud to have Jackson on the Cannon Arts teaching staff.

Marla Nichols Hip Hop

Marla Nichols hails from Memphis, Tennessee, where she started her dance career at the tender age of six for the NBA Memphis Grizzlies Blue Bunch Team. As she got older she danced  for a local studio, traveling to many states, attending dance conventions and competing in a variety of  shows. At the age of 16 she started choreographing for many studios and the NBA Memphis Grizzlies Grannies and Grandpas. In 2019, she moved to Murfreesboro, TN to attend college at Middle Tennessee State University. Over the years she has been awarded many dance scholarships and had the opportunity to dance in LA, Texas, Florida and more. In addition to performing in music videos, award shows, and commercials, Marla can be seen onstage with MTSU’s Impact dance group. Her sunny disposition, energy and enthusiasm are a welcome addition to the Cannon Arts Dance family. 

Megan Richards Ballet | Tap

Megan Richards’ career in Dance began at the age of three, where she attended tap class at the local rec center in Evanston, Wyoming. When she relocated to Littleton, Colorado, she joined Belliston Academy of Ballet, where she studied varying levels of ballet, RAD, Cecchetti, jazz, tumbling, tap, and modern under the tutelage of Mrs. Jeannine Belliston, for ten years. When Megan was fourteen, she moved to Katy, Texas, where she took a break from dance and focused on acting, joining Theatre Club in high school. After graduation, Megan attended Chattahoochee Technical College, in Marietta, Georgia, earning her Associate’s Degree in Television and Film Production—and soon held a position in the graphics department at Turner Studios in Atlanta. After a few short years, Megan felt the urge to perform again, reentering the world of entertainment from the other side of the lens, getting cast in multiple on-screen “Extra” rolls, including CW’s “The Originals”, ABC’s “Nashville”, and both the sequel and threequel major films “Insurgent” and “Allegiant”. Realizing Dance was the ultimate choice in career, Megan made a leap towards that goal when she enrolled at Middle Tennessee State University, at the age of Thirty-one, to complete her Bachelor’s degree. Four years of training in ballet, modern, jazz, and improv, under the direction of Marsha Barsky, greatly heightened Megan’s knowledge and awareness of the body. One of the first ten students in the state of Tennessee to receive a B.S. in Dance, Megan is ready for the next chapter. Her other hobbies include yoga, cycling, obstacle course (Spartan) races, triathlons, and walking her dogs.

Shelby Williams Ballet | Pointe | Lyrical

Shelby has been training in dance ever since she was three years old. Throughout high school she danced with Chattanooga Dance Theater as well as the  Center for Creative Arts. As a featured dancer, she was able to perform many soloist roles including Myrtha, Dew Drop Fairy, Arabian, Ballerina Doll, Wendy, and more. Shelby has also attended several summer intensives with Chattanooga Dance Theater, Governor's school for the Arts on a full scholarship, and American Ballet Theatre. Shelby is currently a dance and exercise science major at Middle Tennessee State University, where she is also a member of the MTSU Dance Company. Her involvement with MTSU allowed her to travel with select  company members to the American College Dance Association conference. Shelby is no stranger to Cannon Arts Dance Studio, where she has brought her teaching experience from Chattanooga Dance Theater and Journeys first as a substitute teacher, and then as an integral part of Senior Dance camp. We first met Shelby when she impressed us with her performance in the Murfreesboro Sinfonietta’s version of the Nutcracker and now  Cannon Arts Dance  is proud to  welcome her as our upper level ballet & pointe teacher.