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.

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.

Dance, Performance Team Manager

Daryna joined the The Lex Center team in 2020. Growing up in Ukraine, she got accepted at an early age to the exclusive Svetlana Shumkova Dancing Theatre. Here she trained in ballet, pointe, character and contemporary styles while taking part in productions of Mary Poppins, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Snow Queen and Viennese Waltz. Being trained as a classical dancer, she extended her training with jazz and tap styles to take part in new productions and competitions. At the age of 13, she performed with the Gloria National Dance Theatre and took part in productions in Budapest, Vienna, and all over Ukraine. Later, at the age of 16, she took part in productions for Millennium Dance Company where she had many leading and solo roles. Originally trained in the Vaganova Method along with other Eastern European influences; she blends this knowledge with her experience as a dance teacher in America for her own unique teaching style.

Daryna received her Master's in Law at the National Transport University in Kyiv in 2018, while also taking part in many university productions. In that same year, she received training in Body Ballet instruction from the Olympia Fitness School in Kyiv, and in 2024 completed her Masters in Choreography from Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts and received the title of Ballet Master.

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.

Piano, Keys, Choral

Tetiana, a passionate musician, moved to the USA from Ukraine in 2023, bringing with her years of experience in music education. She began learning music by playing the piano at a music school, where she studied for 8 years. Then she entered and successfully graduated first from a Music College, then from the University of Arts, receiving a master’s degree in choral conducting, vocal, and music teaching. After completing her studies, she combined work in music schools and singing in choirs in the cities of Kharkiv and Kyiv. Tetiana's adaptable teaching strategies cater to diverse learners, fostering consistent academic success. With a background in child development and elementary education, she excels in both individual and group instruction, incorporating engaging vocal exercises and personalized attention.

Tetiana loves to travel, so she spent some time in Asian countries, where she also had a private piano teaching practice. She is convinced that music provides individuals with valuable skills for various aspects of life, including self-confidence, public performing experiences, and an understanding of beauty.

Besides music, Tetiana enjoys traveling, sports, and spending time with her husband and teenage daughter.

Drums/Percussion, Bass, Guitar

A true blue drummer since the age of 11, he also started learning guitar, then bass, a little piano, and even how to sing since the age of 15.

With his Swiss Army skills he has been lucky enough to play in all kinds of settings from musicals to punk shows, groups from big band jazz orchestras to folk duos, and he's still occasionally hired to perform as a last resort to this day.

He has even had the privilege of teaching music from 2019-2022 at the School of Rock in Dublin, Ohio before coming here teaching students from ages 7 to 70 (not an exaggeration) from all walks of life. He's excited to be a teacher once again at The Lex Center!

Dance

Sarah Chavez is originally from St. Louis, Missouri, and has been dancing since five years old. She began training in many dance styles, but emphasized strongly in ballet, and became certified through Cecchetti Ballet Exam Grade Six. She received her BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Sarah has had opportunities to train nationwide with prestigious companies and choreographers including Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company, Ballet West, SALT Contemporary Dance Company, and many more. She is proud of her diverse and well rounded training and has dance opportunities in ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, musical theatre, and acro/contortion styles. Sarah has danced professionally with Quixotic Cirque Nouveau, Worlds of Fun Theme Park Entertainment, Houston Contemporary Dance Company, and is continuing her dance career in Columbus as she begins her first season with Whirlwind Contemporary Dance Company. Sarah has been teaching and choreographing for the past seven years, and is passionate about sharing her knowledge with the next generation of dancers!