About Spotlight Dance Company
Spotlight Dance Company is a dynamic dance studio located in the heart of downtown Salisbury, NC. Our knowledgeable professionals have been in the industry for decades and provide dance classes for toddlers to adults. At Spotlight Dance Company, we are passionate about dance and strive to inspire our students to reach their full potential. Come dance with us and be part of our vibrant community!
Our Instructors
Marianna Jarrett
For over 10 years, I’ve been passionately teaching dance at Spotlight Dance Company. I attended UNCC where I majored in dance education. My goal is to spread the love of dance to students of all ages, from toddlers to adults. I love what I do and hope to spark joy and creativity in my students. Our team of instructors is dedicated to providing students with a fun, positive and inclusive environment where they can feel confident in their abilities and grow in their dance education.
Erica Averill
Erica Leigh Averill resides in Salisbury, NC and attended high school at Forestview High School, graduating early to attend Savannah College of Art and Design to pursue a degree in the arts focusing on ballet. She now representing North Carolina as Ms. North Carolina Petite 2023 and has a beautiful twelve year old daughter. Known for her breadth of artisanal expression, Erica is classically trained in dance, photography, drawing, painting, and acting. After college, Erica returned to her native North Carolina to continue her dancing, choreographing, and acting career. Her recent works include lead performances in the short films, “When I Grow Up,” “For Love,” and “Little Angel.” Previously, she choreographed and performed her original dance entitled, “Reasons Not to Die” at the Loose Leaves Showcase in Charlotte, NC. She has recently taught intermediate and advanced classes in ballet and contemporary across the state. She also taught master classes internationally in Canada. As a dance educator, she focuses on strength, poise and technique. Foundation is first and foremost a priority to gaining a dance education. New and fresh ideas that will last a lifetime come from the ground up and she loves teaching from this perspective. Students gain confidence which will prepare them for many years to come. Building a bond with students is another priority to having a healthy class and a community within the studio.
Elizabeth Paulus
Elizabeth Roach-Paulus is a North Carolina native and a highly skilled and sought-after dance teacher. Since 2012, she has performed classical and contemporary works with various regional dance companies, as well as performing with a Raleigh-based talent agency up and down the East Coast. She holds a BFA in dance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and received further training from The Limon Company, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, Doug Elkins and Company, Ad Deum Dance Company, London Contemporary Dance school (UK), and well known instructors from the American Dance Festival. She is a scholarship recipient from the Harkness Foundation for Dance, the UNCSA Career Development grant, and Seamans art grant. She holds certifications from the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum, Limon Dance Teacher Certification, and Progressive Ballet Technique. Elizabeth teaches dance styles of Classical Ballet (technique, pointe, conditioning, variations, pas-de-deux), Modern, Contemporary, Improvisation, PBT, and Jazz. Currently, Elizabeth teaches beginning through advanced classes as well as pre-professional levels in the Charlotte area.
