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Alex Blaine
Owner, Studio Director
Alex began The Lex Center in June of 2011 with a hopeful dream and has grown the studio into a booming business. She has been dancing since the age of five; she received competition training from Judy Dollenmayer’s Studio of Dance and classical dance training at BalletMet Academy of Columbus. Her genres of training include - classical ballet (French and Cecchetti methods), tap, jazz, contemporary, en pointe, hip hop, Irish step dance. During her training at BalletMet, she participated in annual shows such as The Nutcracker and Holiday Pops with Columbus Symphony Orchestra. She was also an avid member of her HS drama club. Alex also choreographed pieces for shows and was a member of dance teams in Columbus. She holds an Associate degree of Biblical Studies from Life Leadership College and an Associate of Liberal Arts degree from Columbus State. As a mom to three littles who you might see running around the studio (Duke, Lo and Romy), Alex has a passion for growing the performing arts in small communities and thrives with her husband in business entrepreneurship.
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Tyler Blaine
Co-Owner, CMO
Tyler joined The Lex team in 2020. He is an experienced sales and marketing Manager by day, with focuses in Distribution Logistics, Sales & Marketing, Sales, Social Media Optimization (SMO), and Adobe Creative Suite. Tyler was a collegiate athlete at Muskingum University, where he also received his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) focused in Business, Marketing and Sociology. Tyler, along with his wife and co-owner Alex, enjoys business entrepreneurship. You’ll see Tyler around the studio helping with studio maintenance and aiding with mid and end of season performances.
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Daryna Fodor
Dance, Performance Team Manager
Daryna moved to the United States from Ukraine in 2019, where she began dancing at 5 years old. She studied classical ballet with Eastern European influence including pointe exclusively for many years, but has also received training in jazz, tap, lyrical and character dance. She has performed in many productions in Europe including Budapest and Vienna, as well as all over Ukraine. In 2018, she received training in Body Ballet instruction from Olympia Fitness School in Kyiv, and believes stretching, flexibility, and body strength is integral in ballet training. While at National Transport University in Kyiv, where she received her Master’s in Law, she would perform in university events. Also, in her hometown of Kremenchuk, she enjoyed choreographing Christmas and New Year productions and the local preschool. She is excited to be part of The Lex Center and to see improvement in her students.
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Cedric Bridges
Drums, Guitar, Bass, Piano/Keys
Cedric has been playing different instruments since he was about three years of age. His “first love” was the drums. He then learned the leader guitar, bass guitar, keyboard and organ. He received his undergraduate degree in Music Performance at the University of Souther Mississippi. He also received a his Master’s Degree in Education at William Carey University. He also served as a music instructor in the public school system from the years of 2008-2021. He loves sharing the talent that God has entrusted him with. Cedric has had the privilege of playing as the lead guitarist for the International Church of God in Christ Choir as well as working with other music artists on various projects. He currently plays for his church and teachers other students in his personal music business. He believes that anyone who desires to learn can learn with the help of God!
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Gavin Newton
Brass, Trumpet, Trombone, Voice, Musical Theater
Gavin Newton is a recent OSU graduate where he received his Masters of Music in Trumpet Performance. Mr. Newton is an active performer in the central Columbus area as well as in Muskingum County where he is from. While working on his Bachelors in Music Education at Muskingum University, he had the opportunity to work with all the local High School music programs and is still a regular instructor. He enjoys working with students of all ages and helping make stronger connections to their musical self. As a performer, Mr. Newton finds the most joy playing in the pit for Musicals and in Big Bands. Most recently playing Oliver! with the Westerville Civic Theater, Chicago and Once Upon A Mattress with the Millersports Community Theater. Other notable favorites of his are The Producers, City of Angels, as well as premiering Surviving the Moonlight at the Short North Stage.
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Jessica Heitmeyer
Piano/Keys
Jessica grew up in Pickerington and received her BM from Capital University, and MM from the University of Oregon with an emphasis in Piano Pedagogy. While at Capital University, she also studied Organ Pedagogy and Literature with Janet Linker and Paul Thornock. She had the fortunate opportunity of studying Piano Pedagogy with Dr. Rebecca Johnson, former president of the Music Teacher’s National Association. She studied piano performance with India D’Avignon (Capital University) and Dr. Claire Wachter (University of Oregon). Her credentials and more than 20 years of teaching experience demonstrate expertise and a passion for teaching. Jessica integrates technique, reading and ear-training to provide her students with a well-rounded education. Jessica’s teaching philosophy embraces a comprehensive approach, tailoring piano instruction to individual needs, fostering a love for music at any age or skill level. She cultivates a supportive and creative learning environment, where students explore musical expression, develop technical proficiency, and build a lifelong passion for playing the piano. To make lessons enjoyable for her students, Jessica selects music appropriate for their age and level. In her free time, Jessica loves to dance, practice yoga, learn new music, and spend time in nature.