Faculty
Dance instruction is only as good as the person teaching it. Check the credentials of a studio’s facility. At Star Steps, we retain only those who are highly experienced and who excel in the art of teaching dance. We also feature guest artists who offer master classes and develop innovative choreography. Elizabeth Parks herself is nationally certified in Jazz, Tap, and Ballet with over 30 years of teaching experience, and she is a member of Dance Masters of America.
Elizabeth Parks, Director, Instructor
Elizabeth Parks is the owner and artistic director of Star Steps Dance Studio in Edmond, OK. She has taught dance for over 30 years. Elizabeth is nationally certified in Ballet, Tap, and Jazz, and is past president of the Oklahoma Dance Masters of America. Many of her former students have gone on to major in dance and to become dance teachers themselves. Her students have won national awards and have performed professionally in commercials, music videos, and theater productions.
Elizabeth has studied with Robert Reed, Joe Rowan, Gus Giordano, and Patsy Swayze. She resides in Edmond with her daughter Madison and husband Rich. Elizabeth believes that above all else, dance should be fun, and through learning its discipline, the world can be at your feet.
Rebecca C. Zeese
Rebecca Zeese has taught classical ballet for more than 10 years. She attended and graduated with honors from Texas Tech University earning a B.A. Dance with emphasis in classical ballet performance. Moreover, Rebecca studied classical ballet pedagogy extensively for seven years under the tutelage of Dr. Peggy Willis-Aarnio, a leading authority on classical ballet. Thus, she is well versed in “The Teaching Method of Classical Ballet” developed by Agrippina Vaganova and Vera Kostroviksaya.
Rebecca was a soloist with the Willis Ballet for seven years, dancing several leads in Gaite Parisienne, Giselle, Grand Pas de Quantre, and Coppelia. She has performed a number of variations from Paquita, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Esmeralda. Rebecca has studied under the world famous Galina Panova, Peggy Willis-Aarrnio, and Marina Medvetskaya. In addition to teaching at Star Steps, Rebecca is currently dancing professionally with Company Mayes in Dallas, Texas and also has her own Dance Ensemble “The Texas Demitasses,” both of which she performs with annually.
Kimberly Loveridge
Kim Loveridge graduated with a BFA in Dance from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2006. While at UCO, she danced with the Kaleidoscope Dance Company for four years and was the student rehearsal director for two of them. Kim has studied with some of today's most amazing choreographers and performers including Loretta Livingston, Malaya, Adam Parson and Bill Evans. Kim would like to thank Liz and all of her students for giving her such an amazing job!
Kara-Don Thompson
Kara has been dancing for seventeen years. She was a member of the Miami Valley Dance Center competition team for six years. At age 14, she placed in the top 3 at the Teen Miss Dance of Ohio competition. She was cast as a dancer in the Ohio Centennial of Flight Extravaganza. In 2004, Kara was honored with the Paul Jarnigan Dance Scholarship. She has received numerous first place overalls for group dancers, duets, and solos. Kara has choreographed for several middle and high school cheer and dance teams. She is currently a student at the University of Central Oklahoma. She is also a member of the nationally ranked UCO Pom squad which recently placed in the top ten in Daytona, Florida. Kara is aspiring to be a 2nd grade teacher and hopes to open her own dance studio one day. Dance is one of the greatest passions in her life and she enjoys giving back to kids the art of dance.
Kim Koenig
Kim began dancing tap, jazz and ballet at age 3. She began square dancing and clogging at age 6. Clogging is an "American step dance" from which tap dance evolved. Kim travelled across the U.S. performing and competing with her clogging group, The Oil Country Cloggers. She has performed at The White House. At age 13, she performed with her partner on the stage of The Grand Ole Opry. Kim has also performed and competed in West Coast Swing Dancing since the age of 14, winning many honors. In college, she taught cotillion to Edmond students, focusing on etiquette, ballroom dancing and line dancing.
Clogging has changed through the years into a less country, more modern form of dance with the same rhythmic beat. Kim enjoys sharing her love of dance and the fun of clogging with her students.
Ashley Brown
MaKenna Rogers
Emily Ross
Emily began dancing at age three and has trained at Sue Richard’s Dance Academy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and several studios in Edmond, including Star Steps. She graduated from Bishop McGuinness high school in 2010 where she was a member of the Dance Visions Company. Emily attended the University of Tulsa for her freshman year of college and was cast as a dancer in West Side Story. In Tulsa, Emily also got the opportunity to work with the creator and co-choreographer of FOSSE, Chet Walker, and perform in Wild Sweet Love, a show put on by the Trey McIntyre Project. Throughout the years Emily has studied with some of the most inspiration choreographers, such as Adam Parson, Blake Carter, Barry Youngblood, Melody Lacayanga, and Dee Caspary. Emily is currently studying dance education at the University of Central Oklahoma and would like to thank Liz for giving her the opportunity to share her joy and passion for dancing with others.