Musical Theater

Owner & Artistic Director

Emma has been a “triple threat” herself for more than 20 years. An accomplished singer, percussionist, and classical pianist, she has won several state and national awards for her performances and original compositions. She has also passed her music teaching  and performance exams through the Yamaha Music Program, and the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in London and has trained in music across the country at Princeton, Kansas State, and Arizona State Universities. Emma continued her music studies through high school, where she was a member of the Arizona All State Band & Orchestras, where she was 1st in the state for orchestral percussion.

Emma has also been very active in the dance and theatre communities. She is trained in ballet, pointe, modern, lyrical, jazz, contemporary, tap, pom & cheer, and hip hop, and has performed in numerous community and professional productions. 

As a young adult, Emma attended the prestigious Millie Lewis AMTC Competition in Florida, where she took 1st place Dance Duet, 2nd overall Broadway Singer. She was also awarded the Role Model of the Year Award for her dedication and commitment to her students, who took 1st place overall in the Group Performance category and were awarded the coveted Agency of the Year award. Although the prospect of signing with an agent in New York was exciting, Emma decided to return to Arizona to pursue her career as an educator.

Emma graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Dance Education from Arizona State University in 2005, and began teaching dance in the Tempe Unified School District, first at Tempe High and Mountain Pointe High School, and later Corona del Sol High School.  In 2009, Studio 3 was born, becoming the first "triple threat training center" of its kind. Now, students could finally pursue dance, music, and theater training, all in the same place!

At Studio 3, Emma is Artistic Director of the Studio 3 Showstoppers Company and the Applause Musical Theatre & Pop Ensemble. She also enjoys teaching jazz technique, arranging vocal music for Studio 3's many performing companies, and directing the professional all-girl pop group Ascension. Her favorite role, however, is directing and choreographing Studio 3's mainstage musicals.

Emma continues to train and perform professionally with the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater in Mesa, including the recent productions of "Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", and "Chicago". She also enjoys following her passion for directing and choreographing, and hopes to someday write a full-length musical of her own!

Above all, Emma is excited to be pursuing her  lifelong dream, and wants to open up performing experiences to as many students as possible!

Welcome to Studio 3 Performing Arts.

Director of Dance

Rachael Jacobs was born performing! She has been active in musical theater programs and productions since the age of 3. Rachael started in a musical theatre program, and soon caught the performing bug! She participated in every class, workshop, and show she could, and soon became a seasoned performer. Trained in jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, and lyrical, Rachael has performed with many different musical theater and dance companies across the Valley, including One Image Dance Company, Totality Musical Theater Ensemble, Class Act Dance Company, and Ovation.

Rachael has won many awards and scholarships throughout her career. She is currently on academic scholarship at Arizona State University, studying Photography and Dance. She attended the prestigious Millie Lewis ATMC Competition, where she was a Finalist for Top Commercial Model! She also took a 1st place finish in the dance duet category (with Emma! :) and honorable mentions in Broadway Singer and Monologue Competitions. She was also a part of the group that took 1st overall in the Group Performance category and the coveted “Agency of the Year” award. Rachael has toured the world, performing in Europe, Hawaii, New York, Washington DC, and California, and is excited to be home at Studio 3.

Rachael currently directs the Studio 3DC Dance Company and teaches classes in jazz and funky jazz. She also assists with the Studio 3 Showstoppers Company.

Director of Theatre

Ebony M. Tucker is a MFA candidate in Theatre for Youth at Arizona State and is excited to be a part of the Studio 3 family. This "Georgia Peach" is a graduate from the University of West Georgia with a BA in Theatre and the University of Alabama with an MFA in Theatre Management/Arts Administration. In undergrad, she became a member of Apha Psi Omega National Honorary Theatre Society.

Ebony finds pleasure in positively impacting the lives of children. Her areas of interest and instruction include directing, playwriting, acting, improvisation, puppetry, and theatre education. Other areas of training include stepping, African dance, and singing. She has taught youth performing arts classes for the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Christian Youth Theatre Atlanta. Her experience with children ranges from Pre-K to 12th grade with organizations such as YMCA, Children and Youth Services Atlanta, and Globe’s Learning Center.

Ebony co-facilitated a workshop for the Arizona State Thespian Festival, entitled "Play Your Cards Right: Performing Status." She is also a presenter at the American Alliance for Theatre and Education conference for career development. One thing few people know about Ebony is that her first role in a musical was "mean green plant" in an original play Keeper of the Cookies.

Ebony currently directs the theatre programs at Studio 3, and teaches classes in acting for the camera, scenes & improvisation, and solo theatre. She also assists with the Applause Musical Theatre & Pop Academy, and serves as assistant director for several of Studio 3's Mainstage Musical Productions.

Director of Voice

Mandie Smithmier received her BA in Multi-Age Music Education with a Vocal Concentration, and a minor in Percussion from Cedarville University in Ohio. She has performed in many community theatre productions, and has professional experience as a vocalist, even having the opportunity to sing by invitation at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Mandie's true passion is in teaching music. An accomplished vocalist, pianist, & percussionist, she has taught both in the classroom setting and her own private studio for many years. With experience in teaching music theory, sight singing, vocal technique, private percussion, and piano, she has had the honor of music directing for many youth and teen choirs, musical theatre productions, and her favorite, eight years as the instructor of the Brighton High School Drumline.

Mandie hopes to use her gifts of music to touch the lives around her and make a positive difference in the community. She has spent time in Durban, South Africa, touring with a music and theatre team,  and working with children affected by the AIDS/HIV epidemic there. Her hope is to one day return to Durban to work and teach full time. She loves being an educator, and hopes to inspire her students with life lessons in discipline, commitment, and most importantly, how fun it can be to work hard to reach your goals. She is very excited to be welcomed into the Studio 3 family!

Mandie currently teaches voice & piano lessons at Studio 3, and assists with the Showstoppers Glee Company and Applause Musical Theatre & Pop Academy. She has also music directed several of Studio 3's Mainstage Musical Productions.

Director of Music

Aldy Montufar graduated in 2007 with a BFA in Music Education from the University of Arizona. His principal instruments are trumpet and percussion, but he loves to play many others, including piano and guitar.

He currently directs the general music and band programs at Lincoln Elementary and Guerrero Elementary Schools in Mesa, but has also directed high school and junior high band programs. Aldy is a lead musician and composer in the band, the Tryst, who tours the country each year with their eclectic jazz funk style. He also performs with local band Fatigo at major events around the Valley. As a member of the International Association of Jazz Educators, Aldy received a full scholarship to travel to Thailand with the International Trumpet Guild to study and perform.

Aldy currently directs the music programs at Studio 3, teaches group guitar, and offers private lessons in drumset, guitar, brass, & woodwind instruments. Aldy also serves as Sound Technician for Studio 3, and creates original music arrangements for the Studio 3 Showstoppers with his wife, Emma, in their recording studio.

Ballet & Jazz Technique

Ashley J. Moore is a native of Alabama. She began her fundamental training with the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Alabama, where she intensely studied ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary dance. Upon graduation, Ashley was accepted into the University of Alabama dance program where she received a B.A. in Dance. She has studied under many world-renowned teachers and choreographers such as Dame Sonia Arova, Desmond Richardson, Thaddeus Davis, Fernando Bujones, Donald Byrd, and Sharon Story. She has also received many scholarships from companies such as Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and Atlanta Ballet, and been awarded rave reviews for her artistic talent and choreography along the way.

Ashley is happy to join the Studio 3 family in the desert heat. She currently directs the ballet program at Studio 3 and teaches jazz and contemporary technique.

Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Tumbling

Kelsey Kebric began her dance career at the age of three. She is proficient in many styles of dance, and enjoys passing her love of dance to her students. Kelsey received much of her dance training from Dance Connection Too, where she trained in jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical, hip hop, and tumbling. She was also involved with cheer and gymnastics, which broadened her experiences and augmented her dance training. A competitive dancer, her groups often took platinum awards at competitions and became renowned for their cutting edge choreography. Attending these competitions and conventions gave Kelsey the opportunity to train under some of the most well-respected choreographers and dancers, including Mia Michaels, Brian Friedman, and Ray Leaper. Most recently, Kelsey danced with One Image Dance Company and the professional company, Ovation.

Kelsey will graduate from Arizona State University this year with a degree in nutritional studies. She currently teaches contemporary and tumbling at Studio 3, and specializes in nutrition, strength, and flexibility training for our company dancers.

Musical Theatre, Jazz, & Ballet

Elizabeth Jacobs has been active in the musical theatre and dance communities since a young age. She has trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, tap, and hip hop, as well as voice and musical theatre. Zib's musical theatre talents have given the opportunity to perform all over the world, including England, Ireland, Japan, New York, California, Pennsylvania, & Washington DC. She currently trains with Studio 3DC and local professional dance company EPIK. She also regularly trains at the Edge Performing Arts Studio in Los Angeles, where she has studied under many world-reknown choreographers.

Most recently, Zib performed with One Image Dance Company. and with the professional all-girl pop group Ascension with Artistic Director Emma England. She has also performed in community theatre, starring as "Rizzo" in Grease, and as Dance Captain & Scarecrow Understudy of Studio 3's recent production of The Wizard of Oz.

Zib recently graduated with her cosmetology liscense, and is pursuing a career in aesthetics and massage therapy. She also uses her talents of costume design and organizational management with Studio 3's many performing companies.

Zib has trained under Artistic Director Emma England for over 9 years, and knows the Studio 3 programs very well! Currently, Zib assists with the Studio 3 Showstoppers Company and performs and choregraphs as a member of Studio 3DC. She is also assistant director of Studio 3's Applause Musical Theatre & Pop Academy and teaches jazz and ballet technique to students of all ages.

Hip Hop/Break

Nick began dancing at the late age of 13 in musical theatre. While being trained in numerous different styles such as jazz, ballroom, and Latin ballroom; hip hop is his area of expertise. He has had the opportunity and privilege to have taught for over eight years now in the styles of hip hop, jazz, musical theatre, and Latin ballroom for numerous different schools, studios, clinics, and professional teams around the valley and country to all ages.

Nick has performed all over the nation including Europe where he has received many different awards, scholarships, and opportunities along the way. He now teaches at two different studios and is currently a member of EPIK Dance Company and Stilo Dance Company

Nick is currently a senior at Arizona State. Nick has danced for groups such as ASU Hip Hop Coalition (dance assistant), Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Squad, Phoenix Theatre, Electrolytes Dance Crew, and Leslie Scott (Choreographers Carnival). His most recent credits of choreography include the Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Squad, Epik Dance Company, Arizona Rattlers’ Sidewinders Dance Team, Denver Nuggets Dance Team, Phoenix Theatre, the U of A Black & Blue Hip Hop Team and The Phoenix Suns Dance Team. Nick now only tries to take his passion as far as it will let him, teaching as many others as he can along the way.

Nick currently teaches hip hop at Studio 3, and choreographs for 3DC, Studio 3's award-winning dance company. He has also inspired a passion in our students to learn more than just choreography - he teaches them the true roots, founders, & vocabulary of hip hop, and encourages them to explore an always-growing hip hop community.

Contemporary, Hip Hop, & Jazz Funk

Alix Clark first fell in love with dance in junior high, when she joined the Hendrix Dance Company. She continued performing into high school, where she was a member and officer of the Dobson Dance Company. Over those four years of dancing, she won four ‘Best Choreographer’ awards and was awarded two scholarships. During the summer of her Sophomore year, she was asked to join Epik Dance Company, a professional dance company based out of Phoenix, AZ.

Alix now attends Mesa Community College, where she is studying toward her associates degree in Dance Education. She also continues to perform with EPIK and teaches master classes all over the Valley. She plans to someday attend University to pursue her MFA in Dance Education. Alix has had the privilege to train with Alvin Ailey and various teachers from Broadway Dance Center in New York, the Joffrey Ballet and Giordano Jazz Company in Chicago, also dancers from the Broadway musicals Chicago and Wicked. Someday, Alix aspires to perform on Broadway or on So You Think You Can Dance. She would also love to teach at the reknowned Broadway Dance Center in New York City.

Alix currently teaches contemporary, hip hop, and jazz funk at Studio 3, and has been a guest choreographer for Studio 3DC Dance Company.

Musical Theatre

Cosette Fife has been performing since a very young age, as a vocalist, dancer, and actress. A true "triple threat," she originally trained under Artistic Director Emma England before beginning her career as a professional performer. She has performed in numerous community & professional productions here in the Valley, including her lead roles as Millie in "Thoroughly Modern Millie" with GFAA, and Cinderella in "Cinderella" at the Hale Centre Theatre. Cosette has also had the opportunity to record her vocal talents on numerous childrens' cds, and other professional productions.

Cosette is excited to be joining the Studio 3 family, as she teaches the Applause Musical Theatre & Pop Academy this year.

Jazz, Ballet, & Contemporary

Emily Millizer 

Emily began dancing at the age of 4 in her hometown of Paducah, Kentucky. She spent her younger years as a competition dancer winning many regional and national titles throughout the years including Miss Teen Dance 2005 and Miss Dance 2006. In 2005, Emily attended the prestigious Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts in dance majoring in ballet.  Emily pursued dancing out west at Arizona State University where she received the Special Talent Award for Dance. In the summer of 2008 Emily was a staff member for Universal Dance Association and in the summer of 2009 was selected as an intern with Broadway Dance Center and the Radio City Rockettes in New York City. Emily's training was concentrated in ballet & modern and had the opportunity to study and train with an amazing set of faculty members and guest teachers and performed in companies such as Imation Dance company and Aaron McGloin Dance as well as performing in MFA performances, student showcases, and representing ASU in the American Collegiate Dance Festival in 2010. Emily was able to work exclusively with guest artists such as Elizabeth Johnson (Liz Lermann Dance Exchange), Cristian Duarte (PARTS graduate), Eileen Standley (Netherlands) and Ashleigh Leite (Stephen Petronio Dance Company) who choreographed her senior solo that debuted at Conder/Dance's Breaking Ground in December of 2010. 

In 2009, with the influence of Elizabeth Johnson, Emily became involved in community dance projects including a partnership with the ASU School of Sustainability about sustainable practices, a partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Arizona, and a project with the global Resilience 2011 conference.

This past May Emily graduated Magna Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a BFA in Dance Performance and a minor in Special Events Management.  Emily is currently applying to the Fulbright Grant for 2012-2013 to dance with ICKamsterdam in Amsterdam, Netherlands and begin her research in arts advocacy and arts funding. Emily hopes with her research to bring home knowledge on how to expand and and support the arts even when excessive budget cuts are being made. In the meantime she is happily continuing her training and dancing with several places across the valley. Emily is excited to be back with the Studio 3 family for another exciting year!

Emily currently teaches teen ballet and jazz at Studio 3.