2024 DancersView All Dancers

Meet Britt

Britt Hendrix is from Athens, GA where he received his degree in Agronomical Sciences from The University of Georgia.  He moved to Statesboro in 2013 embarking on his first restaurant ownership. He was the owner of Your Pie pizza restaurant until 2020.  He has been an active member of HBA, The Statesboro Jaycees, and The Exchange Club of Statesboro.  Britt’s love for the restaurant industry came back around in 2023 when he and his wife, Maria, founded Boro Bagel Company in downtown Statesboro.  If he’s not at the restaurant he is burning up the real estate trail with Raines Realty Group.  Britt enjoys golf, hunting, and playing guitar in his spare time.  He is blessed with a wonderful family and amazing friends who support him.  His biggest fans are his 8-year-old daughter Hannah, a little dancer herself, and their 3 pups at home.  Britt is very honored to be participating in this year’s DWTSS to support Safe Haven.

Meet Jade

Jade Hoyle is a twenty-three year old native of Statesboro, Georgia and the daughter of Stephen & Rosanna Hoyle. She is a 2019 Honor Graduate of Southeast Bulloch High School and a 2021 graduate of Ogeechee Technical College earning her Associates Degree in Surgical Technology and is certified by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.  Presently, she is employed as a Travel Surgical Technician with her current assignment at the Missouri Orthopedic Institute, a part of the Missouri University Health Care System in Columbia, Missouri.  She has also worked at Burke Health in Waynesboro and at East Georgia Regional Hospital in Statesboro.  Jade is engaged to be married next year to the love of her life, Ty Hamilton.

Dancing and performing have been a part of Jade’s life since the age of two when she began as a student at Southern Dance Academy in Brooklet.  For the past seven years, she has been a dance instructor and choreographer working with children of all ages in the areas of jazz, tap, lyrical, and tumbling.

This is Jade’s fourth year serving as a Dance Pro for Dancing with the Statesboro Stars.  She and her partners have received The Team Player Award, Fundraising Runner up award as well as the Fan Favorite Award.  Jade has spent many years performing with her dance studio. She’s performed at several theme parks including Disney World in Florida, Six Flags over Georgia and Carowinds in North Carolina as well as performing for an Atlanta Hawks basketball game. In addition, she has performed locally in talent shows and entertained at pageants, recitals and parades for many years. In her free time, Jade enjoys wakeboarding, playing golf, horseback riding and going to the beach.

Meet Ashley

Ashley moved to Statesboro from Colorado in 2016 and couldn’t be happier to call this her home. Statesboro is where she met her husband, Jared Duvall, and is raising her family. She and her husband share one son, Lawson Duvall, who is a student at Julia P. Bryant Elementary. Ashley joined the esteemed Sapp Agency – Allstate in 2017, and she has been an agent in the insurance industry for ten years. Her passion lies in building genuine connections with clients and prioritizing their needs. It is an honor to help the community protect what matters most, especially as part of an agency with a rich history spanning over sixty years in Statesboro. Ashley was named one of Statesboro’s Top 20 under 40 for 2024. She is the Vice President of the Julia P. Bryant Elementary PTO and a Bulloch County Task Force member via the Allstate Foundation (previously known as Allstate’s Purple Purse). Ashley has facilitated financial abuse courses for survivors at Safe Haven (Purple Purse Foundation Curriculum). She is very grateful for the opportunity to support the work of Safe Haven and to have been selected as one of the “Stars” for Dancing with the Statesboro Stars. “While I may not be the best dancer, I believe in stepping out of my comfort zone to support causes that matter.”

Meet Paul

Paul Schwertfeger has been proud to be a Dancing with the Statesboro Stars Pro for the past four years! He first began his dancing career with the video game series, Just Dance. For the past six years, he has been one of USA’s top scorers and competed in the National Finalists across the country. Some of his favorite performers are Mehdi Kerkouche, Jerky Jessy, Tonbee Cattaruzza, and Romeo Traetto (to name a few). Because of Just Dance, he has branched out into other styles of dance like hip hop, jazz funk, lyrical, and contemporary and studying choreography as well. Paul’s future goals include becoming a backup dancer for various top artists. Dancing with the Statesboro Stars helped him become creative in his own ways and enabled his love for media and production to come to life. It is all about the audience that he loves to entertain and form lifelong relationships. Among his family and friends, he is now known as the “Energizer Bunny” of the show.

Outside of the dancing world, he loves to give back to his local communities. Paul graduated Magna Cum Laude from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Middle Grades Education, getting certified to teach math and social studies. Currently, he is teaching 6 th grade math in his hometown. Along with his other educators, Paul hopes to instill a classroom climate of dedication, work ethic, and teamwork for life outside of the classroom. He always wants his students to become the best versions of themselves, giving them the confidence and willingness to succeed. He also wants his students to learn that a high tide raises all ships and that through teamwork, they can make the dream work for all.

Meet Amanda

Amanda Nease is a life-long resident of Bulloch County. She is a 2006 graduate of Southeast Bulloch High School, where she enjoyed playing tennis, performing with the band, cheerleading, and participating in chorus. Amanda grew up in Stilson with her grandmother, Miriam Conner, and later moved to Portal in 2012. She is also a graduate of Ogeechee Technical College focusing on a career in the medical field. Amanda is the wife of James Nease, and the mother to three boys, Noah (16), Eli (11), and Drexel (5). She also is the stepmother Savannah (18), Jackson (16), Addi (11), and Abbott (8).  Amanda spent fifteen years in the medical field and is now the customer services manager for Atlantic Waste/Allgreen Services. Her colleagues would describe her as “an energetic self-starter who is dependable and dedicated to her work and her people. She constantly works for perfection, and her positive attitude is what makes her a great person.” Amanda has always enjoyed using her gifts to serve others!

Meet Jad

Jad Deal was raised in the southwest corner of Georgia by his parents, Stan and Brandi Deal, but has had family on this side of the state his whole life. Being fortunate enough to travel all over with his father for work, he was able to meet many people from several different backgrounds. His three siblings- an older sister, a younger sister, and a younger brother- helped him to build people skills which would eventually lead him to the stage.

He started acting on stage in the third grade at the local theater where a year later he would become a founding member of an acting, singing, and dancing group called The Olive Troupe along with his older sister. He was a part of that group until the eighth grade. Afterwards, he joined his older sister at the school’s newly rebooted Legacy Show Choir. He would spend all of high school in the club and gained the title of student choreographer. He also performed with the local dance studio, whose owner was the choreographer for the high school show choir. During his senior year, he joined another community theater group at Cotton Hall called Swamp Gravy where he was a part of six shows in just ten months.

He eventually moved to Statesboro for college and now works full time for family friends, Jarrod and Becca Creasy, at 920 Cattle + Company. When Jarrod competed as a star in 2022, Jad was inspired to do the same. However, his previous experience along with his family’s encouragement drove him to put his name down as a pro. He is a relative newcomer to the Statesboro area but greatly looks forward to using his talents to compete in Dancing with the Statesboro Stars and help do amazing things for both Safe Haven and his new community.

Meet Eddie

Eddie Frazier has been teaching at Statesboro High School since 2001, and has been their theater director since 2004. He’s directed dramatic pieces such as Wit (2008 Region 2-AAAA one-act winner & 2016 Region 2-AAAAA one-act winner); Suddenly, Last Summer (2009 Region 2-AAAA one-act winner & 2018 Region 2-AAAAA one-act winner); ‘night, Mother, The Whales of August, and A Kind of Alaska.  He’s also directed large musical theatre productions such as The Jungle Book; Aladdin; The Aristocats; Alice Through the Looking Glass; Charlotte’s Web; Mary Poppins; The Addams Family, and one his favorites, Mamma Mia. He also directed 9 to 5 – The Musical, ‘night, Mother, Guys and Dolls, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, and Young Frankenstein for the Averitt Center for the Arts. He was the voice of “Audrey II” in the STARS production of Little Shop of Horrors and co-directed the Averitt Youth Theatre’s production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Eddie has had starring roles as “Uncle Fester” in The Addams Family and “Dr. Frank-N-Furter” in The Rocky Horror Show at the Averitt Center for the Arts.  He also played “Willie Clark” in the Averitt Center’s production of Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys, and the featured role of “Darryl Ames” in the Averitt Center’s production of Bright Star. Most recently, he directed and starred in Nunsense as the ‘Reverend Mother, Sister Mary Regina,” and he directed the Averitt Center’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang this summer. Eddie is very excited to be a part of Dancing with the Statesboro Stars, and he’s thankful to have such a great dance partner like Katie Sconyers! Go team Frazier & Sconyers!!!

Meet Katie

Katie Sconyers is a native of Conyers, Georgia. She attended Georgia Southern University and is a Double Eagle in Early Childhood Education. Katie teaches second grade at Julia P. Bryant Elementary.

Dance has always been a passion for Katie. After beginning gymnastics at the age of six, she began clogging with the Sole Momentum clogging team in Conyers at the age of eleven. She was a member of both the performance and the competition teams. In college, Katie was a member of Georgia Southern’s Adrenaline Show Choir, where over her four years with the team she served as Treasurer, Vice President, and one of the choreographers. She has also taken a variety of dance classes throughout the years, such as lyrical, jazz, hip hop, tap, and swing.

Katie is married to Joe Sconyers, who is the worship pastor at Believers Church of Statesboro. Together, they live in Statesboro with their five-year-old twins, Addison and Elizabeth. This is Katie’s sixth year as a dance pro with Dancing with the Statesboro Stars, and she is very excited to be involved with such an awesome organization as Safe Haven.

Meet Terri

Terri Hill, a native of Savannah, Georgia, was raised in the charming town of Statesboro, Georgia. With deep roots in the community, she has dedicated the majority of her life to
contributing to and enriching the vibrant culture and spirit of Statesboro. She pursued her education at Ogeechee Technical College and has dedicated the past 30 years to a successful career at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center.
Her long-standing commitment and expertise have made her an integral part of the organization, demonstrating her unwavering dedication and professional excellence. Terri Hill
has been happily married to Fred Hill for the past three and a half years. She is deeply devoted to her family and community, actively participating in various local initiatives.
Terri is a dedicated member of the Believers Church of Statesboro, where she sings with the praise and worship team and volunteers her time to work with children every Wednesday night. Her passion for service and community engagement is evident in all aspects of her life. Her greatest passion in life is her devotion to her faith and cherishing quality moments with her family. Additionally, she is a proud pet owner, lovingly caring for her three fur babies: Shelby, Codie Nuts, and Dede.

Her commitment to her faith, family, and pets highlights her nurturing and compassionate nature. Throughout her extensive tenure at Wal-Mart, Terri Hill has made significant
contributions to various charitable organizations in Bulloch County and the surrounding areas. She plays a vital role in providing merchandise to support families in need, homeless shelters, Boys and Girls Clubs, local churches, special events in downtown Statesboro, and shelters for men, women, and children. Terri feels profoundly blessed to work for a company like Wal-Mart that actively supports community welfare and is proud to be part of initiatives that make a meaningful impact on the lives of others.

Meet Zachary

Zachary Dalgard and his family have been Statesboro residents since 2012 and love being involved in anything that helps build our community. He believes that we all have a responsibility to help make our community better and is passing along that philosophy to his children. Returning for his third year with DWTSS, Zachary is excited to continue raising awareness for Safe Haven. Always ready to bring energy to a room, Zachary hopes that his energy will encourage others to take a step out of their comfort zone and do something positive to make a difference.

He and his partner, Terri, promise a fun and up-tempo performance sure to keep everyone engaged and leave everyone with a smile.  With his unwavering smile, he hopes to shine a light on such a great cause and the work of Safe Haven. And, fingers crossed, a mirror ball will come attached to this year’s performance!

Meet Matt

Matt is a twenty-eight-year-old native of Bulloch County. He loves his community and plans to make this his forever home. His parents, Chris and Sandra McBride, have made an
enormous impact on his life. The love his parent have for each other and also showed their children has made him into the man he is today. Matt joined the law enforcement family on January 4 th , 2016, and he plans to retire from the Sheriff’s Office whenever God sees fit. Matt is also part of the National Guard unit, 1-118th FA in Springfield, Georgia, and he was called to serve overseas on a 12-month combat deployment in Afghanistan supporting the United States Special Forces in 2018. Matt and his wife, Taylor, have been blessed with two beautiful daughters, Della Gray (4) and Dylan Kate (3). Being a loving husband and father is now his favorite daily duty.

In his eight years of service as a Sheriff’s Deputy, he has seen numerous domestic violence incidents in our community and knows first-hand how children are affected as well.
Safe Haven Statesboro does an amazing job serving and protecting families involved in domestic violence incidents, and they can count on Matt to support them with whatever it is needed. He is committed to work together with Safe Haven to provide the funding needed to keep serving these children and parents involved in the best way possible. Matt has a strong faith and wants to remind us to pray daily and lean on Jesus Christ. God bless.

Meet Karlye

Karlye Brooke is a twenty-two-year-old Statesboro native. She recently graduated from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Elementary Education. Karlye is now pursuing her Masters degree at Georgia Southern and is employed with the Bulloch County Board of Education as a first-grade teacher at Nevils Elementary. Statesboro School of Dance is where she took lessons for fifteen years under the instruction of Shay Morgan. At SSOD, she was trained in ballet, tap, and jazz. Karlye Brooke continued to teach dance at Statesboro School of Dance through college, and she has also been a part of teaching the Boys and Girls Club for Statesboro School of Dance’s “Faith in Motion” where
students from the club take dance classes each week and perform in the show. Dance has always been a huge part of Karlye Brooke’s life, and she cannot wait to take the stage
again for such a wonderful cause. Safe Haven has created such an incredible event that brings the community together, and she is so excited for the friendships and memories she has made and will continue to make through participating in this event.

Meet Ben

Ben Hughes was born and raised in Paducah, Kentucky and attended Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi where he completed his undergraduate degree as well as a Masters in Business Administration. After spending time in industrial construction and maintenance, he moved to New Orleans and completed his Masters in Health Administration at Tulane University.

Ben has held several leadership positions in healthcare over the past decade which includes assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer at East Georgia Regional Medical Center when he moved to Statesboro in September of 2023.

Ben has been married to his very understanding and patient wife, Alanna, for twenty years and is a proud father to Ellie (18), Catie (17), and Danny (14). In his free time, and against his better judgement, he plays competitive rugby with the Savannah Shamrocks Rugby Club. He has thoroughly enjoyed becoming part of the Statesboro community and is excited to be part of an event that supports such a great cause like Safe Haven.

Meet Makayla

Makayla Chambers is a Bishop, Georgia native and graduate of Oconee County High School. She is a third year student at Georgia Southern University majoring in Public Relations with a minor in Human Development and Family Science. Makayla is a Tier 2 member of Southern Leaders, a campus organization which promotes community service and leadership development. She is a dance instructor and choreographer at Statesboro School of Dance, intern with the Savannah Ghost Pirates, and seasonal Guest Service Representative at Nothing Bundt Cakes of Athens, Georgia.

Makayla began her dance journey at four-years-old where her passion was sparked by the incomparable Crystal Williams. Upon entering ninth grade, she aspired to become a versatile dancer which landed her in East Athens Educational Dance Center’s Accelerated and Gifted Program lead by Nena Gilreath. While there, she studied a myriad of genres such as African, Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Modern, Liturgical, and Hip Hop. The following year, Makayla opted to hone her ballet and pointe skills by rigorously training with Covington Regional Ballet’s Pre- Professional Ballet Company. She spent three wonderful years in the company with remarkable instructors such as Meg Gourley, Maia Charanis, and Liz Stillerman Anderson. Through the years, Makayla supplemented her dance training by attending summer intensives such as Joffrey South and New York Institute of Dance and Education’s two week Dance Festival on scholarship. Additionally, she has attended classes at Steps on Broadway, The Joffrey Ballet School, and Brenau University. One of her favorite dance memories was taking class from the Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. 

After a much needed break, Makayla has joyfully returned to dance as an instructor and choreographer. She enjoys exploring the intricacies of dance and discovering various approaches to dance education. She is honored to enter her inaugural year as a Dance Pro for Dancing with the Statesboro Stars where she hopes to collaborate with the Statesboro community to bring awareness of readily available resources and raise funds for Safe Haven. 

Meet Madison

Madison Roesel is a Statesboro native and a 2014 Georgia Southern University graduate. As the Chief People Officer at Sack Company, her passion for helping people extends beyond her professional life. Madison is dedicated to being a strong support system for those closest to her and causes she cares about. She is a strong supporter of domestic violence victims. Her grandmother, Rosalyn “Tappy” Roesel, was instrumental in founding Safe Haven in the 80s. This legacy motivates Madison to contribute to the continued efforts and mission of the Safe Haven team. 

With no previous dance experience, Madison embraces every opportunity to grow and expand her knowledge, believing learning never truly ends. Through her participation in Dancing with the Statesboro Stars, she aims to use her new found skills to raise awareness and funds to help those affected by domestic violence in her community. Madison is committed to making a difference in the lives of others, offering support and kindness wherever she can.

Meet Michael

Meet Ken

Ken Jackson, a proud Metter, Georgia native, graduated from Metter High School in 2001. He furthered his education by earning an Associate’s degree in Business Administration from East Georgia College. Since 2006, Ken has called Bulloch County home, and for the last five years, he has been a resident of the City of Statesboro. 

 His passion for business is evident through his ownership of Leap Joy Inflatables, a popular business in downtown Statesboro that has been bringing joy to children since 2007. Additionally, he is a licensed Realtor with Remax Preferred, also located in downtown Statesboro and located inside of the Blue Mile. 

 Ken is dedicated to using his business acumen to foster community growth and prosperity. His commitment to the community is also reflected in his charitable work. He looks forward to bringing the community together through his creative efforts in and around the community.

Meet Mallory

Mallory Culbreth is from Cumming, Georgia but has made Statesboro her home since attending Georgia Southern University. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Education and teaches eighth grade science at Langston Chapel Middle School. Mallory is currently attending Ogeechee Technical College where she is studying to obtain a second degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. In her free time, she enjoys working out at The Garage in Statesboro and taking opportunities to travel or enjoy outdoor adventures.

Mallory started competitive dance at the age of ten. Her home studio is Fusion Dance Company where she also taught a variety of dance classes. Her performance experiences, other than competitions, include the opportunity to dance at an Atlanta Hawks Basketball Game, dance the role of Clara and Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker at her studio, and various other local performances at school and community events.

This is her first year as a pro in Dancing with the Statesboro Stars, and she is looking forward to the opportunity to work with other community members to raise awareness for such an important organization while sharing her passion for dance.

Meet Alan

Alan Skipper is an entrepreneur and proud dad to Preston, age 6, who is a first grader at Bulloch Academy. He is a dually board-certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over a decade of experience as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse.  Earning his Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree from the University of Alabama, his broad clinical experience includes critical care, geriatrics, mental health, family medicine, and most recently aesthetics. He is the proud of owner of The Gardens Senior Living, formerly Gentilly Gardens and Pure Wellness and Spa, where he specializes in full facial rejuvenation techniques using dermal fillers and neuromodulators (Botox).   He also serves as an Associate Professor at Georgia Southern University’s School of Nursing.

Meet Taylor

Taylor Hinson has been a lifetime resident of Bulloch County and graduated from Statesboro High School in the Spring of 2022. She is currently a junior at Georgia Southern University, where she is majoring in Elementary Education. Taylor is an active member of Phi Mu at Georgia Southern, and she is currently employed at Forest Heights Pharmacy and Statesboro School of Dance. Taylor grew up dancing at Statesboro School of Dance under the instruction of Mrs. Shay Morgan for eleven years. While at SSOD she was trained in ballet, tap, and jazz. Taylor performed as lead role in the Peter Pan production and various other roles in shows such as The Nutcracker, Frozen, and Wizard of Oz. Taylor first began teaching dance at SSOD in eighth grade and continues to share her passion of dance with others by teaching and assisting backstage during in each show.

Taylor is very excited to have the opportunity to participate in such a great cause for the second year in a row! She is eager to get back on the stage to spread her love of dance!

Meet Jaime

Jaime Riggs was born in Columbus, Georgia and attended Georgia Southern University after high school graduation. On her first day in Statesboro, she met her college sweetheart and future husband, Ty. Jaime’s father decided to retire close by in 2007, and since then the couple has lived “just across the county line” and calls Metter home. They have two boys, Haden (19) and Jack (16) and welcomed their new daughter, Elizabeth (24), into their family in 2018.

Jaime is a graduate from Georgia Southern with a BS in Recreation, Ogeechee Technical College with an Information Systems diploma, and also Ashford University with an MBA in Organizational Leadership. Jaime is a regional community promoter at heart by working with the Statesboro Convention; Visitors Bureau, Metter Main Street; Metter-Candler Chamber of Commerce, Georgia regional tourism association, and Splash in the Boro waterpark. She has helped lead several initiatives and projects in both communities.

Some of the projects Jaime is most proud of are the Statesboro Farmers Market, Statesboro’s downtown branding initiative, “Everything’s Better in Metter” brand revival campaign, the Another Bloomin’ Festival, and regional industrial development projects. Jaime is the Director of Marketing for East Georgia Regional Medical Center. Jaime enjoys being challenged every day to help promote what our incredibly talented, hardworking healthcare workers provide for our community and the excellent, compassionate care we get here at home. She spends most of her free time with her family and with her Metter Methodist church family. Jaime enjoys volunteering in the church with the youth trips and Wednesday night gatherings as well as making a joyful noise in the choir. Jaime is excited, honored and humbled to be chosen to dance this year for such a life changing organization and wonderful cause such as Safe Haven.

Meet Devon

Devon Thompson is a dynamic force in the dance community, blending his professional experience with a deep commitment to giving back. By day, he contributes his skills at the new Hyundai plant, but his true passion shines through in his work as an instructor at Technique Dance Company. With an impressive background as a dancer for world-renowned entertainers like Chris Brown and H.E.R., Devon also proudly performs with the Jabbawockeez in Las Vegas.

This marks Devon’s 10th year participating in Dancing with the Stars Statesboro, an event close to his heart. Each year, he is inspired by the sense of community and the meaningful impact they make together for Safe Haven. For Devon, this event is not just about dancing—it’s about forming lifelong friendships and making a difference. He’s honored to call Statesboro his home and is thrilled to once again be a part of this incredible cause.

Meet Macie

Macie Brannen (Crosby) is a Screven County native and the daughter of Pete and Marie Brannen. After growing up in the small town of Sylvania, she moved to Statesboro shortly after graduating high school. Before moving, she started her banking career at Farmers and Merchants Bank where her love for Bulloch County and the community began. Macie now holds the title of Operations Support Specialist at CORE Credit Union where she has been for the last year. Even though it has been many years since she has been in the spotlight of a stage, she is no stranger to dance. She started dancing at a very young age and continued until high school where she began other activities as well such as showing livestock and being a part of the school’s marching band. Outside of work, Macie loves to spend time with family, attend concerts, and go to the occasional NASCAR race with her husband, Clint and stepdaughter, Paisley. Macie is very grateful for the opportunity to participate in this year’s event to support Safe Haven and make a difference to those fighting against Domestic Violence.

Meet Darien

Darien Adams is a proud mother of three amazing children who are her biggest inspiration. She works as a Business Development Specialist at CORE Credit Union and is a proud native of Statesboro. Darien fell in love with dance at age seven under the guidance of Shay Morgan at the Statesboro School of Dance, where she trained in ballet, tap, and jazz. She further honed her skills through multiple summer intensives with the Atlanta Ballet Company. Darien has frequently showcased her talents as a choreographer and performer at Statesboro High School and the Averitt Center for the Arts. One of her proudest moments was being named Choreographer of the Year by the Averitt Center for the Arts’ Emma Awards in 2013. 

Darien is thrilled to participate in Dancing with the Statesboro Stars for the second time this year coming back to serve as a pro with her star partner Macie! She strongly believes in giving back to the community that has given her so much and is committed to helping ensure Safe Haven, a cause very near to her heart, receives all the support it deserves.