Vitality School of Dance and Fine Arts

Ashely Self

Director / Owner / Instructor

Ashley K. Self has 20 years of dance experience and has received dance training in ballet, modern, pointe, and tap.

She has 14 years of teaching experience in various genres (ballet, modern/contemporary, pointe, pre-pointe, tap, and beginner jazz) for ages ranging from 2-adults; Ashley also has experience teaching children with special needs. Further, she has taught for eleven different dance schools throughout North Alabama and South Tennessee.

In addition, Ashley opened her own part-time practice in Harvest, Alabama for the 2013-2014 school year.

Furthermore, in 2013, she composed, directed, and choreographed a ballet production in Fayetteville, Tennessee as a community outreach. This one-hour Christmas Production (“The Christmas Journey”) also contributed as a canned “food drive” to support Slingshot Ministries’ monthly food-giveaway for community members in need.

During the fall 2014 season, Ashley completed one semester as a company member on Middle Tennessee State University's pre-professional Dance Company (Dance Theatre).

She was one of four dancers selected for an eleven-minute piece under the choreographer and trainer Kate Kastlenik.

Ashley strives to stay in a mindset of growth so that she can offer quality instruction to her students. She has received additional training from Ballet Magnificat!, Huntsville Ballet and Middle Tennessee State University.

Ashley (and her husband, Colyn) have two beautiful daughters (Ellynessa, 5 & Liora, 3) and live in Spring Hill, TN. She and her husband are passionate about living HEALTHY, WHOLESOME and THRIVING lives not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually.

Colyn Self

Co-owner / Fitness Instructor / Personal Trainer

Colyn is the owner of Self Vitality Health Coaching and is a specialist in his field. Colyn is a certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach, & Behavior Change Specialist (PT, NC, BCS). Colyn has recently launched a new aspect to his Health Coaching services as a Content Curator/Social Media Manager for other Health Coaches.

Colyn enjoys being a part of the Vitality Dance team and teaching our Fitness Classes.

For fun, when Colyn is not working, he enjoys listening to educational podcasts, drinking coffee with his wifey, playing with his two daughters, and watching Star Wars movies.

Hayley Aitchison

Instructor

Born in the U.K and raised in Australia, Hayley studied classical ballet on the Gold Coast from the age of 12 with Kathleen Gorham, Joy and Dawn Ransley, and Avril Binzer, completing many examinations with the Royal Academy of Dance. One of the highlights of her dance education was auditioning for and dancing with the Australian Youth Ballet in Brisbane, Queensland for three years as a teenager and performing in cities around Australia. Highlights of the AYB include numerous solo roles, such as Spanish Rose in Bye Bye Birdie and the Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland, and performing in Under the Southern Cross at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

Hayley also had the privilege of dancing in musical stage productions at the Centre Theatre, and dancing for Youth Alive on the Gold Coast, Australia.

Queensland University of Technology's Associate Diploma of Arts (Dance) course was another excellent source of education and where Hayley was molded into a more mature dancer. Her last and most recent port of call has been the Royal Academy of Dance where critical thinking and teaching skills were sharpened whilst attending the Dance Education Diploma.

Hayley has enjoyed sharing her dance education knowledge and technical skilnickls to students in the City of the Gold Coast, Australia and in Cambridgeshire, U.K.

Rebekah Atkins

Instructor

Rebekah Atkins has logged 25 years of dancing experience and 13 years of training young dancers. She has danced professionally with Columbia City Ballet (now South Carolina Ballet), Ballet Magnificat, and Instruments Ballet Company.

Her training was widespread across all styles of dance with acclaimed teachers from all around the country. She founded the non-profit Christian ballet company Instruments Ballet Company and co-founded Instruments Ballet Academy in Oregon City, Oregon in 2017.

She is passionate about healthy early childhood development and raising up the next generation to be bold and fearless leaders. Her teaching style is disciplined in the pursuit of excellence with an emphasis on the unique artistic traits that each young dancer possesses. She uses methods from the Vaganova, Royal Academy of Dance, and American Ballet Theater curriculum to train dancers with well rounded technique and versatility. She deeply values the relationship she has with each and every student and strives to help them become all that they can be.

Leslie Lee

Musical Theatre Instructor

Leslie (Diamond) Lee is excited to be joining as a teacher at Vitality! Originally from Columbus, OH, she received a B.F.A in Musical Theater from Kent State University where she performed in productions of Side Show, The Fantasticks, Godspell and Chicago. She played the part of Maureen in the National Broadway Tour of RENT, and performed regionally in productions of Jesus Christ Superstar (Mary), Cats (Demeter) and Crazy For You (Polly). She is also a singer/songwriter and has released several songs. She lives with her family in Spring Hill.

Ashli Spencer

Instructor

Ashli Spencer has 20+ years of dance experience, and has immersed herself in various styles, including classical ballet, modern, jazz, tap, contemporary, and adaptive dance.

She danced competitively through high school, and continued her dance education at Belmont University, where she earned her B.A. in English Literature and Minor in Dance. She was a member of Belmont's Dance Company, and went on to receive the Dean's Advisory Council Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance. With a love of learning, Ashli has furthered her professional dance studies at Nashville Ballet, Hartford Ballet, and Boston Ballet, where she completed the Adaptive Dance Teacher Training program.

Ashli is passionate about sharing dance with the next generation, and has been teaching (ages 3-adult) since 2017. In addition to teaching, she danced with Epiphany Dance Partners in Nashville, and has performed and choreographed pieces for television, music video, and commercial work.

Ashli strives to create supportive class environments where dancers can develop strong technique and artistry from a place of joy, wonder, and creativity. She feels incredibly blessed to be a part of Vitality School of Dance & Fine Arts, and loves seeing its dancers grow in their God-given talents!

Brittney Deptuch

Instructor

Brittney received her dance training on awarded scholarships from the Eugene Ballet Academy, Oregon Ballet Academy, and Portland Festival Ballet. She spent her summer months dancing at the prestigious Joffrey Ballet in New York City, American Ballet Theatre‘s JKO School in New York City, Harid Conservatory in Florida, And Magnus Midwest in Michigan. She has also worked and performed with State Street Ballet in California , Ballet Fantastic in Eugene and the Eugene Ballet Company. While working with these ballet companies she toured across California, Idaho, Washington, Colorado, Florida, and Alaska. Brittney has now been teaching and choreographing for 10+ years and loves to share her passion for Ballet with the younger generations.

Bella Hertstein

Instructor

A native of California, Bella was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in her eyes and legs at 18 months old. The doctor thought that she would always walk with a limp, never run, and certainly NEVER dance. However, with the power and grace of God, Bella persevered and fully healed. She enrolled in dance just a year later!

She danced for 8 years in California, until she moved out to Tennessee in 2019. Soon after moving here, Bella was looking for a studio to further her passion and knowledge in dance. That is when she found Vitality! She has been with Vitality for 5 years now, and has loved it! Dancing with Vitality's Company, modern, tap, and her passion, ballet. She was the first student at Vitality on pointe, 2 years ago, and she enjoys the challenge it brings.

Bella has always loved being around and working with children. That's why she couldn't wait when she found out she could assist at Vitailty and help out with the littles! She has assisted for 4 years and is so honored to be able to share her love and passion for dance and The Lord, with the kids through teaching.

She is EXCITED for this new opportunity to join the Vitality team and grow with them in her dancing education.

Priscilla Lofton

Instructor

Priscilla has 13 years of dance experience, and continues to enjoy learning and growing as an athlete and dancer as a student at Vitality. She has received training in ballet, modern, tap and jazz across many studios, including The Children’s Ballet Theatre and The Building Block School for the Arts. She has appeared in several featured dance and theater roles, including Baby Mouse in TCBTs production of the Nutcracker, Davey in Newsies, and Eve in Vitality's production of Creation. Priscilla is passionate about creating an encouraging environment for young students to learn and grow as they participate in dance, and is so excited for her first year as an instructor at Vitality. She looks forward to helping young dancers grow in their artistic talents and use them for the glory and worship of God.

Felicia Goodman

Marketing Director

We are thrilled to welcome Fe as the new Marketing Director at Vitality School of Dance! With over a decade of experience in marketing and a passion for authentic storytelling, Fe brings both creativity and heart to our team.

As a proud Vitality dance parent, Fe has a deep personal connection to our school and a genuine love for the vibrant community we’ve built. Her enthusiasm for all things dance and her commitment to uplifting others are at the core of everything she does.