Meet the Dance Team:
Sam Potter
"Hi everyone! I’m Sam Potter. I’m the artistic director at ILLUSIONS DANCE STUDIO and I teach all levels of dancers. I studied Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, and Dance at Clarion University where I also participated in cheerleading, performance dance, and instructed acrobatics classes at the local competitive dance studio. After college I moved to Pittsburgh to attend Graduate school at Duquesne University where I instructed fitness classes and joined Exhalations contemporary dance company. I moved back home to Philipsburg to start a dance studio that helps kids have fun and feel safe while they build strong, capable bodies and create art. The success of ILLUSIONS so far has been overwhelming to me and I am thankful every day for this opportunity. Some of you might also know me from coaching cheerleading at Philipsburg-Osceola and Cheer Central All-Stars or from choreographing the musicals at Clearfield High School, Moshannon Valley Jr/Sr High School, Philipsburg-Osceola Middle School, and Ignite Youth Theatre here at Front & Centre Productions… and I may have even mixed your paint at Kephart Ace Hardware! I am very proud and inspired by all of the dancers I have worked with throughout the short time ILLUSIONS has been in operation, and I look forward to seeing all of the great things my dancers and fellow instructors achieve. Lastly, I would like to mention that none of this would be possibly without the incredible support I have from my family, friends, and mentors- if you see any of these people, please be kind to them… I put them through a lot."
Brandy Williams
"I started dancing at 8 years old with Shaw and Ghaner School of Dance. While at Shaw and Ghaner, I was trained in ballet, pointe, lyrical, jazz, hip hop, tumbling and baton twirling. I was a member of the competitive dance team for 17 years where I competed (at the highest competitive level) at competitions in and out of state. I won numerous awards including overall high score for a lyrical solo, overall high score for an a capella tap duet, numerous first place awards/high score awards/special judges awards and adjudication awards including platinum plus medals and 5 star awards. I also was fortunate to also be able to attend a lot of workshops where I learned from dance instructors from all over the United States in many different kinds of dance.I was a hip hop instructor for 9 years and a competitive team instructor for 8 years with Shaw and Ghaner School of Dance. In 2018, my hip hop dance team qualified for the Star Dance Alliance World Championships! I was the choreographer for the Philipsburg Osceola High School Drama Department for 14 years where we won numerous choreography ISAAC awards. I am currently the Assistant Director at the Philipsburg Osceola Middle School drama department. I have been with ILLUSIONS Dance Studio since 2020 and helped implement their first competitive dance team in 2020. Last season our dance team earned multiple special judges awards, high score awards, and three 5 star adjudication awards. I am looking forward to an awesome competitive dance season this year!Along with dancing, I love to spend time with my family, my fur-baby (dog) Dinozza, ATV riding, traveling, and I am an avid NASCAR fan!I love working with each child in my dance classes and my fellow instructors at Illusions Dance Studio. I cannot wait for all the hard work, fun and great memories this semester will bring!"
Sydney Heichel
"HI! My name is Sydney Heichel, and I am SO excited to start teaching at Illusions Dance Studio! I have a huge passion for dance, and I have always had the dream to open my own dance studio one day, so when the opportunity was presented to me to come and teach at Front & Centre, I excitedly thanked God and accepted the offer! I found my love for dance 15 years ago at the age of 6, when I joined Shaw and Ghaner School of Dance in Philipsburg! I took part in tap, ballet, pointé, hip-hop and jazz! I also was involved with the dance team, and traveled to numerous competitions winning trophies from high silver to high gold, special judges’ awards, and National Grand Champions in 2010 for a group tap dance we performed to Cotton Eyed Joe! While at Shaw and Ghaner, I also helped teach the petite hip-hop class along with Brandy Williams whom I get to work along with again here at Illusions! In high school, I took part in the musicals and along with dancing/acting in them I was also the Student Choreographer! In 2017 for the musical, “Annie”, we received the achievement in Choreography award at the Isaac’s. I shared the honor of accepting that award with the other student choreographer! In 2018 we were nominated for achievement in choreography again for, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” And we won runner-up for a featured dance from that as well! After high school, I attended Penn State Altoona for 3 semesters where I took some dance fundamentals classes along with a hip-hop class! I even took some fitness classes to integrate dance and my love of working out, together! After 3 semesters, I transferred to South Hills School of Business and Technology where I graduated in November of 2020 for Medical Coding and Billing and received my Certified Professional Coder Certificate! I am currently working at Mount Nittany Physician Group! Along with my love of dance, in my free time I love spending time with my family, and going on adventures with my husband Micah! I love fishing, camping, biking rails to trails, working out, playing with my 2 dogs, and going on Dual Sport rides! I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach at Illusions Dance Studio, and I cannot wait to get started! I look forward to teaching each and everyone of your kids, being a positive influence in their lives, and showing them that dance is FUN and so much more!!"