Staff | Powerhousepac

The Mentors Behind Your Growth

Our faculty members are dedicated professionals with backgrounds in education, technique, and performance, and are committed to fostering excellence in every student.

Marcella Ducsay

Master Ballet and Pointe Instructor

Certified in Pilates and

Progressive Ballet Technqiue

Marcella Ducsay is a world-renowned ballet artist, educator, and choreographer with an international career spanning Europe and the United States. She received her classical training at the Hungarian Dance University under the Vaganova curriculum, graduating with a BFA (4.0 GPA) with specialized research in kinesiology and dancers' body alignment.

At age 19, Marcella joined the Hungarian National Ballet and later became a Principal Dancer with Texas Ballet Theater, performing leading roles in classical, Balanchine, and contemporary repertoire. Her professional career took her across the globe—performing in Japan, Israel, Australia, and at The Joyce Theater in New York City.

After her distinguished performing career, Marcella transitioned to teaching and artistic leadership. In Chicago, she taught at the prestigious Joffrey Academy and served as Artistic Director of Illinois Ballet Academy, where she developed comprehensive curriculum and produced full-scale performances. She recently completed a Master's in Education specializing in classical ballet (on full scholarship), with her thesis focusing on bridging historical ballet traditions with contemporary psychology and evidence-based teaching methodology.

Certified in Progressing Ballet Technique and Pilates mat, Marcella currently serves as Adjunct Faculty at the University of Arizona. At Powerhouse PAC, she brings decades of expertise and an unwavering commitment to developing the whole dancer—technically, mentally, and artistically.

Melanie Jarvis

Owner and Artist Director

Miss Melanie has been shaping dancers and students since she was 16. Raised in Southern California, she trained under Ahjalia Hall, owner and director of Thrive Dance Company and longtime U.S.A. staff member, before building a decades-long career in the Arizona dance community. She has been on faculty at Tucson Dance Academy for nine years, coached the Ironwood Ridge Pom Line for seven years, and led curriculum through Tucson Unified’s Opening Minds Through the Arts program — all while earning numerous choreography awards. Miss Melanie has launched dancers into careers as Cardinals Cheerleaders, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Disneyland Performers, and has graduated dancers from NYU Tisch and the University of Arizona dance program.

Miss Melanie founded Powerhouse Performing Arts Center on a simple yet powerful belief: every child deserves access to high-quality, age-appropriate training that builds not just technique but also discipline, resilience, and confidence. Trained extensively in hip-hop, jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, and pom — and holding four years of general education experience — she brings a whole-child approach to everything she teaches. As a mom of three, Melanie is passionate about creating an affordable, family-first space where young artists are seen, challenged, and celebrated for everything they are, both on and off the stage.

Jessica Guerena

Pom and Tumbling Instructor

Miss Jess is a passionate dance educator with a strong background in both dance and cheer. She began her dance training in early childhood and continued her performance journey as a competitive cheerleader at Glendale Community College before joining the dance line at Grand Canyon University.

Jessica has coached cheer and pom across multiple programs in Arizona, helping young athletes build confidence, performance skills, and teamwork. In addition to her work in dance, she serves as the Director of the Tucson Cinderella Pageant, where she mentors participants ages 0–29 in confidence, stage presence, and personal development.

With degrees in Elementary Education, Special Education, and Educational Leadership, Miss Jess brings a well-rounded, student-centered approach to her classes. She is committed to developing strong technique while creating a positive, supportive environment where every dancer can grow, feel confident, and thrive .

Nicole Sevinsky

Ballet and Pom Instructor

Coach Nikki is a dedicated dance educator and choreographer committed to developing confident, technically strong, and performance-driven dancers. With over 12 years of competitive dance experience across ballet, lyrical, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, pom, musical theater, and tap, she brings a versatile and well-rounded foundation to her teaching and coaching style.

In addition to her performance background, Coach Nikki has 7 years of coaching experience and currently serves as the Head Pom Coach at Canyon del Oro High School. She is passionate about cultivating a positive, disciplined, and inspiring environment where dancers are encouraged to grow both artistically and personally. Her approach emphasizes strong technique, performance excellence, teamwork, and confidence, helping dancers succeed on and off the floor.

Kaitlin Kuch

Certified Personal Trainer

Kaitlin Kuch is a dedicated personal trainer with over 14 years of experience helping both youth and adults build strength, confidence, and resilience. Specializing in strength, she focuses on unlocking each individual’s full potential through structured, effective workouts. Kaitlin’s coaching style combines accountability with encouragement—She will push you when you need it, support you when it’s tough, and always remind you of the strength you already have.

Jordynn Christianson

Modern and Contemporary Instructor

Known for her engaging teaching style, positive energy, and ability to inspire dancers of all ages, **Jordynn Christianson** is passionate about creating a classroom where students feel challenged, encouraged, and confident. She grew up in Southwestern Utah, where she trained at Utah Dance Artists, a nationally recognized competitive and pre-professional conservatory. During her training, she attended renowned programs including the Chuthis Perspectives Intensive and Winter Move Dance Intensive while developing a strong foundation in ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, and commercial styles. She continued her education through the UDA Conservatory, UDA Ballet Conservatory, Mountain West Ballet, and is currently pursuing her dance education at the University of Arizona School of Dance where she has performed works by Bob Fosse and Peter Chu. Most recently, Jordynn furthered her professional training as a participant in the **prestigious Springboard Danse Intensive** in Pittsburgh, hosted by Alexandra Wells. She trained with internationally acclaimed artists and choreographers such as Jon Bond, Clyde Emmanuel Archer, Sidra Bell, Shamel Pitts, and performed works by Sharon Eyal Dance and Hassan Syed.

Jordynn has performed and trained with Salt Contemporary Dance, Remix (hosted by Utah Dance Artists), and appeared in the *Ninja Kids* music video. As a choreographer, she has created award-winning solos for dancers in both Salt Lake City and Tucson and has directed rehearsals for the UDA Conservatory dance teams. Her choreography earned the second-highest scoring studio routine at National Dance Honors and was selected for performance in the National Gala.

Throughout her competitive career, Jordynn has received numerous honors, including NYCDA Senior Outstanding Dancer, Runner-Up Teen Outstanding Dancer, Elite Honored Dancer (Adrenaline & Revive), ACE Assistant Invitational, Honored Dancer Assistant Invitational, YAGP Regional Top 10 Contemporary, and acceptance into the NYCDA Winter Intensive at The Juilliard School. She has also earned top placements at National Dance Honors, Radix, 24 Seven, and Jump, and was named Outstanding Artist at NYCDA Provo.

Jordynn received scholarship offers from several distinguished collegiate dance programs, including the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, Purchase College Conservatory of Dance (SUNY), the University of Utah School of Dance, and the Boston Conservatory.

Passionate about mentoring the next generation of dancers, Jordynn specializes in contemporary, modern, and jazz while drawing from her extensive training across all styles. She is dedicated to helping each dancer build strong technique, artistry, confidence, and a lifelong love of dance.

Gabrielle Gonzales

Mommy and Me and Tiny Tots Instructor

Gabrielle is a passionate dance educator with over 20 years of training and experience across a variety of dance styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop. For the past 6 years, she has also shared her love of movement as a barre instructor, helping students build strength, confidence, and body awareness through purposeful movement.

With extensive experience teaching young dancers, Gabrielle is dedicated to creating a positive, encouraging environment where dancers feel supported, inspired, and free to express themselves. She believes dance is more than learning technique—it’s an opportunity for creativity, self-discovery, and building confidence that extends beyond the studio.

Morgan Barclay

Hip Hop and Tap Instructor

Coming Soon

Ariel Dowd

Certified Zumbini Instructor