The teachers are why families stay.

Director & Founder

Meredith Caruso

Founded LDC during her husband's fourth deployment.

Meredith trained at New Hampshire Academie of Dance in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, musical theatre, and acrobatics, competing at national and regional levels and serving five years as an assistant instructor. She studied dance abroad in 2008 and holds a BA in Education from UNC Wilmington and an MA in Education from Southern New Hampshire University. Meredith taught kindergarten for the Department of Defense at Camp Lejeune for years before founding Lejeune Dance Company. She lives in Onslow County with her retired-Marine husband and their three children.

Instructor

Savannah Schoenborn-Gimon

"Most Outstanding Teacher" — Dance Revolution Convention 2023.

Savannah holds a BA in Dance Performance from Winthrop University and is an American Dance Festival alumna. She performed professionally at Carowinds Theme Park across six shows and two parades, serving as dance captain, choreographer, assistant choreographer, parade assistant, and Show Quality Supervisor. As a Company Dancer at Charleston Performing Arts she performed in nine original shows including "Sweet Charity."

Instructor

Megan Kinsey

Megan has danced since age two, training at studios including Virginia Davis School of Dance in Madison, WI, with a focus on ballet and pointe. She has extensive competitive experience under Chicago National Association of Dance Masters instructors and Royal Academy of Dance classes, and previously established and led a small-group ballet program in Okinawa, Japan. She lives in NC with her retired-Marine husband and children.

Instructor

Patti DesMarais

Broadway credits include "Sugar Babies" with Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller, and "42nd Street" with Jerry Orbach.

Patti is a distinguished Broadway performer and longtime jazz and tap educator for children and adults. She has taught in public elementary schools, homeschooled her own children, and led Bible camp and home fellowship groups. Married 42 years with three children, she relocated from Hampstead to Sneads Ferry in 2021.

Instructor & Assistant

Peyton Lotz

Peyton is a Charlotte-based dancer and choreographer with twelve years of competitive experience under Lynn Russell at Let's Dance Studio, training in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and musical theater. She holds the titles of Miss Regional Boogie Fever USA 2024 and Miss Inspire Dance 2023 and is currently pursuing her bachelor's at UNC Charlotte.

Instructor

Samantha Moore

Navy spouse · Ohio native · joined LDC fall 2025.

Samantha graduated from Hope College with a BA in Dance: Performance & Choreography and Business, with a minor in Dance Pedagogy. She has been dancing since age three and trained in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip hop, and pointe. She has been teaching dance since 2021 and has previous experience as both a studio manager and assistant — teaching dancers of all ages, assisting in production of performances, and choreographing for musical productions. Samantha also worked as a substitute teacher in general education classrooms for four years. In fall 2025 she married her Navy husband and moved to Onslow County to begin married life together.

Instructor

Savannah Miller

Two original works presented at the Norton Museum of Art.

Originally from the Texas Panhandle, Savannah began in ballet before transitioning to competition dance, earning a dance scholarship and an Achievement of Excellence award in high school. She trained in West Palm Beach under alumni of Alvin Ailey, The Rockettes, and New York City Ballet, and at Palm Beach Atlantic University with a focus on Modern, Ballet, and Improvisation. She was scouted by the Natural Movers Foundation and now lives in Jacksonville, NC supporting her Marine husband while continuing her choreography work.