Isabella Kearney – Artistic Director and Founder
I have been dancing since I could walk and teaching since I could talk. Starting formal lessons at 2 and a half, I have been dancing for 27 years. Studying classical ballet for 24 years, I believe it is the core of all dance. About 20 years ago I fell in love with contemporary ballet and modern dance and have continued to explore the creativity of movement ever since. I believe we dance to tell a story and share something that words cannot express.
Following a legacy of teachers in my family I have been teaching kids since I was a kid as a Children’s Ministry Staff member at The Village Chapel and choreographer for Center for the Arts, Springhouse Theater Group, Smyrna High School, Lifesong Theater Group, Nashville Youth Theater, The Academy Musical Theater Class, and teaching at my former studio. I am also an avid performer myself and regularly perform with theater groups around town. I am also proud of be leading and dancing in Studio LLL company.
I received my Masters of Science in Speech Language Pathology in May 2018. I now work with adults post stroke and brain injury to improve communication and life reintegration. I also have a lovely pup named L’engle who is training to be a Therapy Dog and occasionally visits the studio as well!
William Hearn – Studio Teacher
I have been dancing for the past 12 years. As an alumnus of Studio LLL, I have loved dancing with this studio for the past 10 years. Music, theatre, and dance are some of my longest lasting and most influential passions. Over the past 5 years I have been exploring the less technical, but equally important side of dance, conditioning. Just like any physical activity, dance takes coordination and strength in order to execute difficult moves with grace. I love teaching and helping others to be strong and and confident in their movements. It is amazing to see the improvement each student makes throughout the year not only in strength, but in capability as the strength increases. While the past few years have changed in so many ways from getting married to Miss Sophia, to running a local sawmill, dance has and will remain in my life until I no longer can!
Sophia Hearn – Studio Manager/Substitute Teacher
Hi there! My Name is Sophia and I am the Studio Manager here at LLL! I started dancing at LLL in 2018 and have been a part of the studio ever since! I started dancing when I was 3 years old and have always pursued it. I did a majority of my skill training at Fellowship School of Dance but have also branched out and have trained with the Joffrey Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Sadlers Well, Ballet Adora, and many more for a time or two! I have had the experience to learn Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary and Hip Hop! In my recent years, I have had the opportunity to be on the Dance Team at Cumberland University, teach all levels in Ballet, Lyrical, Jazz, and Physical Education at Ballet Adora and Montessori Academy. From taking classes as a Teen, to being a substitute teacher, being in the Adult Class, being a member in Company, to finally being the Studio Manager! I have seen and experienced a lot here at the Studio and in Nashville as a dancer, and I am excited to be able to support the Studio in its growth and all of the new experiences to come! Yes–I am married to William Hearn! ^
Chloe Anderson – Content Creator
Hi there! My name is Chloe Anderson and I’m the Content Creator for Studio Laugh Love Leap! Ever since I was little, dance has been my safe space, but I struggled to find a studio I loved. When I was about 9 years old I was so blessed to find Laugh Love Leap where I felt safe to explore and grow in my dance skills and be my true self. I am very passionate about creating things including: art, choreography, music, and graphic design. Here at LLL I get to create in the form of dance, and in the form of content and social media! I am so grateful to be a part of this community where I can grow in my creative skills in the best company!
Abigail Dorn – Student Teacher
Hi! My name is Abigail Dorn and I am sixteen years old. I started dancing when I was three, and joined Laugh Love Leap not long after as a timid and shy five year old. During the next few years Isabella and her amazing team of student teachers (shoutout to Sophia and Sadie!) fostered such an incredible love of dance in me, leading me to pursue a career as a professional ballet dancer for several years. I have trained at several of the ballet schools around town, but ultimately have decided to return to my roots at Studio Laugh Love Leap! Isabella has created such a fun and joyful environment-something that is incredibly rare in the dance world. I cannot wait to start teaching all of the studio’s wonderful little dancers, and I hope I can help to inspire them just like past student teachers did for tiny me! It’s gonna be a great season!
My first dance recital was at a tiny dance school in North Carolina. I hated every minute of the
rehearsal process and would even “put myself in time out” just to avoid dancing. However, the performance came around a few weeks later and in the three to four minutes we spent on stage I was hooked. Dancing and performing has brought me so much joy over the last few years, and I am incredibly grateful for it!
Photo by Hannah Bissell
Ember Cope – Student Teacher
Hi! I’m Ember Cope and i’m 16 years old. I’ve been with studio Laugh Love Leap since I was 5 and started student teaching when I was 12! Dance has always been a passion of mine and a great way for me to express myself. Words can’t explain the joy and life these kids bring me and I’m so blessed to be able to be with them every Saturday! Isabella has created a space for all her students to come and express themselves no matter their skill level and i’m so happy to be apart of this wonderful team! I can’t wait for this up coming season!
My first dance recital before I joined Laugh Love Leap was when I was 3 and there was a section when we were all sheep’s and only one of us got to be a black sheep and my instructor picked a different girl and I was really mad about it cause I didn’t get to be the black sheep!
Photo by Hannah Bissell
Charlotte Hall – Student Teacher
Hi! My name is Charlotte Hall. I am sixteen years old, and I have been dancing with Studio Laugh Love Leap for four years now. I have loved dancing my whole life, and it has always been apart of who I am. Joining the Studio was my first experience into the actual dance world and I have learned so much! From moves, to technique, to learning how to display my emotions as I dance, and how to be patient with myself, which is something I am so thankful for. When I was little, I always used to choreograph my own dances to songs, and then perform it for my family. So when I was finally able to actually channel that passion somewhere, I was ecstatic! I have also always had a huge passion for teaching, and for kids! Since I was at the age of nine, I would always spend time with all of the younger kids and help teach them at my church, hoping one day that I could be an actual teacher of some kind! I so look forward to spending time with these amazing kids this year, and getting to spend time with them, as well as getting the opportunity in being a good role model that they can look up to. I know that I have learned so much by watching my fellow classmates and teachers and beacuse of that, it has completely changed the way that I dance, and view dancing for the better!
Photo by Hannah Bissell
Paylin Anderson- Jr. Student Teacher
Hi! My name is Paylin Anderson and I am thirteen years old! I’ve been in and out of studio since I was four but officially started at eight. I went to another studio when I was about seven, but nothing compared to dancing at Studio LLL. I’ve loved dancing for as long as I can remember. Dance, for me, has always been a safe space to express my emotions no matter what they are. It has helped me get through some really tough times and really amazing times. Isabella has made such a safe and fun environment for me and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to teach and dance here! It is such an honor to work with all these amazing kids, and the incredible Studio LLL team.
My first ever dance recital was when I was seven! Something very memorable, is when we first got our costumes and felt how rough they were! I remember being on stage and trying so hard not to think about how itchy I was, and to just smile. Besides the costume situation, I had the best time performing and I knew I had to continue dancing!
Photo by Hannah Bissell
Camille Smith – Jr. Student Teacher
Hey guys, I’m Camille and I am fourteen years old! I have been dancing with LLL since I was eight years old. I had done dance before at another studio but StudioLLL was unbeatable. I had always loved music but being able to put movement into it was a game changer! It’s a whole other way to express your emotions whether it’s a sad song or happy song, just the art of dance makes it beautiful. I remember watching the older girls tell a story with dancing, that’s when dance became my creative outlet. Right after my first recital, I immediately came home and put on the Descendants 2 soundtrack. I was determined to choreograph a dance for each song and perform it for my family! I was so excited to come back to the studio that next year because Ms. Isabella has created such an amazing environment. I have such good friends at the studio that I wouldn’t trade for the world. It’s so much fun to work with these kids & seeing their smiles in the morning always brightens my day!
My first EVER dance I did at LLL was to the song Anything you Can Do I Can Do Better. I had to play the boy part, even though I was upset I wasn’t the girl, I still had so much fun at the recital!
Photo by Hannah Bissell