Instructors
Jolynda Lyon is a Certified Licentiate Ballet Teacher of the Cecchetti Council of America (CCA), with whom she holds six teacher’s certificates, and currently serving as the Chairman of the Board for the West Coast Committee of the Cecchetti Council of America. She is the Founder and Director of SONdance Ministries, which was founded in 1989, and was instrumental in bringing worship dance to the Central Valley. As well as teaching, she is also the Administrator and Director of SONdance Christian Dance School. Jolynda has performed and taught Worship Dance Workshops at various churches, conferences and retreats since 1990. Although her main focus is ballet, she also teaches other styles of “Worship” dance including Hebrew Folk (Davidic Worship), Lyrical, Contemporary Christian “Jazz”, Interpretive Movement, Congregational Dance and Flag Workshops. She has served on the faculty of Regional Worship Symposiums as well as the Christians In Theatre Arts West Coast Conference. She was Choreographer and Dance Leader for the local March for Jesus for seven years. She has received additional training at Ballet Magnificat!’s Teacher’s Summer Dance Intensive in Jackson, Mississippi. Jolynda believes that God has called her and placed in her a desire to educate and train God’s people to minister to Him and the Body of Christ through Worship Dance.
Jolynda Lyon - Director
Merissa Anadon
Born and raised in Manteca, Merissa Anadon began her dance training right here in the Central Valley at the School of Fine Arts. During that time she attended Ballet, Jazz, and Worship classes taught by Kristina Smith and Kristen Clouse. She then took several years off to start a family with her husband Anthony. Once their three children had grown beyond their toddler years she returned to school to continue her education at Modesto Junior College. There she earned her Associates Degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences and continued her ballet training while exploring different avenues of artistic expression under the direction of the talented Coleen Patterson.
Merissa brings her love and passion for God and dance to our studio where she teaches our Cherubs, Joy, and Primary classes as well as our Ballet 1’s, 2’s, and 3's.
Samantha Harikian
Samantha received her training at Severance Ballet Conservatory in Fresno, CA. In 2010 she moved to Jackson, MS to become a trainee at Ballet Magnificat; it was there where she first saw and began to learn what it is to use dance and ministry as worship. She then joined Parodosi Ballet Company based in Tacoma, WA in 2012, and became a Company Artist a year later. In 2016 she was promoted to Artistic Director and had the opportunity to set multiple works on the company. In all, she spent six years with Parodosi before retiring and moving back to California. Samantha has been teaching all ages for 10 years, including teaching master classes and workshops throughout the United States. She considers it an honor to pass on the skill and passion of an art form that has been, and still is, such a love of hers, and to be able to continue to use it for the Lord wherever she can.
Lydia Sawyer
Lydia is a Worship Dancer, Performer, Choreographer and Teacher! She began her training at Westside Ministries in Turlock, California. She has been trained in several dance styles, including Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Bachata and Aerial Silks. Her past performance experience includes being a member of the Pre-professional Division of the Juline Regional Youth Ballet Company; Also she had the privilege of spending a summer with Youth With A Mission which deepened her relationship with the Lord and her heart for Ministry. She is currently a member of a Bachata dance team, as well as continuing to receive training and performance opportunities at Modesto Junior College. Four years ago she started a Christian Dance Ministry in Turlock, called “And A Time to Dance” where she serves as the Director and Teacher. She is excited to be joining our Staff at SONdance and we look forward to working with her to bring excellent and well-rounded training to our Intermediate and Advanced Ballet Students.
Lauren Zampieri
guest teacher
Lauren Zampieri holds her B.A. in Dance from CSU Long Beach. She began dancing at the age of three and knew that dance would always be part of her life. She grew up dancing at Juline’s School of Dance and danced in college at Modesto Junior College as well as CSU Long Beach. After college, Lauren felt the call to more intensive dance ministry study and joined Operation Mobilization on a short-term outreach to Hungary where she taught local youth ages 7-18 and danced alongside the Bill Drake worship band as they toured around the country. After Hungary the Lord opened the door for her to attend the Operation Mobilization School for Arts in Ministry where she learned just how integral dance and the arts are to the sharing of the gospel. From this school experience, Lauren stayed in Italy for a total of two years doing full-time sports and dance ministry with her husband Marco. Lauren has taught dance in the U.S. and in Italy and Hungary, and is looking forward to continuing her teaching journey at SONDance this year. In addition to teaching at SONDance, Lauren is currently pursuing her Master’s in Licensed Mental Health Counseling and Dance/Movement Therapy and teaching at Big Valley Christian High School.