Staff

   Holly Brown | Executive Director/Founder | Dance Instructor/Dance Team Coach and Art Instructor

Holly has been dancing for 27 years at various places in Middle Tennessee. She has been teaching dance for 20 years as an instructor, choreographer, and director at multiple studios and  arts academies. Holly has trained professionally and performed with the Nashville Ballet, the Chinese Arts Alliance of Nashville, and has a Bachelors of Arts Degree from Austin Peay State University. She is also certified in Acrobatic Arts. Her visual art credits include graphic design for Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Fish Lipz Restaurant, and props for stage productions such as CATS and many other freelance projects.

Holly grew up in the Cheatham County area. After realizing the need for more accessible arts education in Pleasant View, The Arts Alliance was born. “Arts education should be accessible by EVERYONE who has a passion for it regardless of age, skill, gender, gender identity, or financial status.”

Holly not only has a passion for the arts, but also for rescuing animals. She and her husband, Alan, volunteer and foster for Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Holly and Alan live in Clarksville with their five rescued dogs Mocha, Strider, Jinger, Raja, Bunnie, and additional foster dogs from Proverbs, as well as three parrots. 

Victoria Phillips | Assistant | Dance Instructor/Choreographer | Art Instructor | Dance Team Coach

Victoria is an APSU BFA graduate in which she completed 133 hours of studio time. At APSU, Victoria was apart of several faculty and student led dance concerts. Victoria was also apart of S.O.D.A (Student Organized Dance Association) a student lead organization that focused on leading fundraisers for the department. As a child, Victoria attended Ms.Pats school of Dance and Gymnastics in Memphis TN, her hometown. There Victoria spent 15+ years dancing as a student and nurtured her love for all things dance. Along with Holly, Victoria is Acrobatic Arts certified. Victoria has been with The Arts Alliance for four seasons.

Maegan Rooks | Dance Instructor 

Maegan Rooks is a recent graduate from the University of Florida, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance. She performed in many faculty and student led showcases as well as choreograph for shows. She has also had the opportunity to dance at the American College Dance Association festival multiple times. Maegan started dancing when she was 8 and started teaching at 16. She currently works for a mobile dance program, teaching in schools across Clarksville. She has a great love for dance and continues to share her passion and knowledge with young dancers.

Lilly Watson | Yoga & Meditation Instructor 

Lillian (Lilly), embarked on her true yoga journey in 2023. Though she had practiced yoga for several years as a student, it was in 2023 that she discovered yoga’s profound impact on her personal healing, leading her to pursue her 500hr RYT, 200hr CMT, and Sound Healing Certifications. Yoga has connected her mind and body, providing peace in her chaotic household with two teenage boys, a husband, and a dog, alongside a stressful day job. Teaching yoga and meditation makes her feel like a happier, healthier version of herself.

Lilly strives to make yoga inclusive for every body and everybody. She believes everyone can benefit from yoga in some way and aims to create a judgment-free zone where everyone can listen to their bodies and meet their needs.

Education: 500hr RYT, 200hr CMT, Sound Healing Certified, Yoga Nidra Certified, 100hr Children’s Yoga Certified, Prenatal Yoga, Chair Yoga Certified, 100hr Yin Yoga Certified, Women’s Health Yoga Certified. She also holds a BA and a MSM from Austin Peay State University. 

Caitlin Page | Theatre/Acting Instructor

My name is Caitlin Page. Some of you may recognize me as the lady in the back behind the keyboard at some of the recent recitals. I have my Bachelors in Theatre Performance from Austin Peay State University and my Masters in Teaching from Trevecca Nazarene University. I have been working at Sycamore High School for almost ten years teaching drama and literary analysis. I have nearly twenty years of experience in the dramatic arts, and I love that our community has a group like “The Arts Alliance” to introduce, reignite, and reinforce a love for the arts at any age. My mission with this group is to provide a safe and inclusive space for anyone to learn the art of acting and stage craft- no matter their experience, background, or mastery level. 

I look forward to meeting you and learning with you!

– Mrs. P

Katelyn Gabler | Voice ,Piano, Guitar, & Banjo Instructor

Katelyn Gabler is a current Vocal Performance Graduate student at Austin Peay State University. She currently studies voice with Dr. Jeffrey Williams, and was last seen performing the role of Zelda Fitzgerald 1924 in Evan Mack’s The Ghosts of Gatsby. In addition to voice, she also plays banjo, guitar, piano, ukulele, and electric bass. 

Before arriving in Clarksville, Katelyn attended East Tennessee State University and received her Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance with a minor in Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots music studies. While at ETSU, she performed various roles in the ETSU Opera Workshop, performed in many bluegrass, old-time, and Celtic bands, and performed in and traveled internationally with the ETSU Chorale. Outside of school, she taught private voice lessons at Blair Academy for the Arts and was the music director at Covenant Presbyterian Church. 

I look forward to meeting everyone and creating some great music together!

Jason Schmidt | Drums & Percussion Instructor

Jason has an extensive performance resume that stretches from New England to Nashville with many highlights along the way. In addition to the many teachers he studied with during his school years, Jason also studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Jason has studied with and taken master classes from Napoleon Revels-Bey, Jim Chapin, Rick Latham, Walfredo Reyes Sr., and John Ramsay. Jason has participated in festivals and competitions at both the high school and college level. He participated in the University of New Hampshire’s Jazz Festival, and Berklee College of Music’s Jazz Festival Competition while still in high school.

Currently, Jason is working with Nashville artist and songwriter Jess Kellie Adams. Prior to his time with Adams, he was a drummer/percussionist for Jason Michael Carroll from 2016-22, he was a drummer/percussionist/ for Pam Tillis in 2018, Lindsay Ell from 2014-16, and drummer for Jon Pardi on “All Time High” Headline Tour with Brothers Osborne in 2015 as well as Pardi’s Album Release Tour for “Write You a Song” in 2014. From 2013-16 Jason was drummer/Band Leader/Production Manager for Brian Davis and from 2010-12, Jason was drummer and percussionist with Florida Georgia Line where he performed on tour dates and at the Grand Ole Opry in 2012 as well as at the Ryman Auditorium that same year.

Jason’s skills can be seen in a number of music videos, including Pardi’s 2015 live recording shoot for “Head Over Boots;” percussion on Huckabee Show with Keni Thomas, played drums on WGN Chicago TV with Pardi; percussion for TV taping of CMT’s Concrete Country with Brian Davis in 2013 as well as playing percussion on YAHOO Music Web Series with Miss Willie Brown in 2012. Jason played percussion on Florida Georgia Line Album “Here’s To The Good Times” as well as the drummer in the band’s video and lyric video for “Cruise,” the Best Selling Country Single of All Time with more than 102 million YouTube views.

The Arts Alliance is more than thrilled to have Jason on staff to work with our students!