Meet the Team
Jamie Basham Marshall
“The” Jamie Marshall is known worldwide for her massively impressive competition accolades including six UCWDC (United Country Western Dance Council) awards:
1997 Female Advanced Line Dance Champion
1997 Female Showcase Line Champion
1998 Female Advanced Line Dance Champion
1998 Female Showcase Line Champion
1999 Female SuperStar Champion
2000 Female SuperStar Champion
Jamie was also voted the “Favorite Female Line Dancer” at the 2000 UCWDC Star Awards and was nominated for the UCWDC Star Awards “Favorite Female Line Instructor” for the 2002, 2003, 2004 & 2005.
In 2013, She was nominated as Female Personality of the Year and her dance “Rockin the Wagon Wheel” was nominated as Beginner Dance of the Year. Jamie’s choreography includes the classics, Backstreet Attitude, Bomshel Stomp, Sho’Nuf, Atlantis, and many others that continue to be favorites throughout the world.
Today, she travels promoting, instructing, choreographing, judging and entertaining at many dance events throughout the USA. Jamie works closely with Marco Club Connection in Nashville offering consulting on new artists and releases.
She is also the host of the longest-running dance convention held in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
ROB HOLLEY
Robs’ line dancing career started in 2006 where he began teaching locally at venues on the East Coast. Since entering the line dance world, Rob has taught and led hundreds of line dance students at workshops in cities like Nashville, Orlando, Dallas, Detroit, and Chicago.
In 2016, Rob ventured into the choreography space where he has choreographed over 80 line dances and even gone on to win multiple choreography awards including:
2019 & 2020 UCWDC World Champion for Country Int/Adv
2023 World Dance Masters Int with his own dance, “I See Perfection”
2nd Place - 2018-2019 USLDCC Championship with his dance, “Get Drunk Get Loud.”
A few Rob Holley choreographed favorites are, “What Makes You Country, Take Me (Country) Dancing, & Country Everywhere.
KIM ODA
Kim is the first line dance instructor to join the Kickin it with Carol team. She’s been training under Carol’s direct leadership over the past year and brings over two decades of total experience specializing in country line dancing. When she’s not kickin it with us, you can find her teaching line dancing at McHenry County College.
When she’s not two-steppin’ on the dance floor Kim is taking the confusion out of medication as a full-time pharmacist.
RAY MULLER
Ray is a certified line dance instructor with 2+ years of in-person instruction and 25+ years in the world of line dance. In 2020, Ray completed the “Instructor Training Program,” a comprehensive course covering the mechanics of teaching, basic dance steps, hosting dances, and entrepreneurial logistics.
Ray has been an integral part in workshops and events is cities like Chicago, Wilmington, Elkton, Maryland, & Pennsylvania.
Ray is joining to us from Maryland!
DAN NEILSON
Dan has been dancing since the 90s to genre spanning from Hip-Hop to Rock and Country to Pop. His love for dance transcended into not only choreography but DJing, as well.
Today, Dan is a highly-sought after wedding DJ. Over the last several years, he has also choreographed a handful of country line dance favorites such as, “Nothing to Lose, 28 Days, Sundays Finest, and Desperate Man.” All frequently taught and danced at Kickin’ It With Carol events.
In addition to being an energetic line dance choreographer, he is also your go-to man for the West & East Coast Swing.
Emily Larsen
Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Emily Larsen discovered her passion for dance at the age of three, training in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, and Musical Theatre. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of Texas at Austin before diving into the world of partner dance in 2010.
As a competitive dancer, Emily has achieved numerous top placements, including second place in Division 1 at the UCWDC Worlds in 2013 and being part of a US Open-winning Swing Team.
Now based in Louisville, Emily has been an instructor at Dance Louisville and an active competitor in Swing, Country, and Line dance. She also plays a key role in organizing major dance events, including Derby City Swing and New Orleans Dance Mardi Gras. With a deep love for dance and its vibrant community, Emily is passionate about sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with her students.
CHRIS & TERI HIGHBAUGH
Chris and Teri Highbaugh are passionate line dance instructors and choreographers based in Northern Indiana. Chris has been line dancing since the early ’90s, while Teri discovered her love for dance in the early 2000s. Fate brought them together at a line dance lesson in South Bend, Indiana—where they met, got engaged, and later married.
Dancing has been a part of their lives ever since! They host weekly open dances and lessons, while also offering additional classes and private instruction whenever possible. For the past two years, Chris has been on staff at the annual Ft. Wayne Dance For All, teaching a variety of beginner to intermediate-level dances.
Together, Chris and Teri have choreographed eight line dances and earned three top-five awards in choreography competitions. Their greatest joy comes from sharing their passion for dance and helping others discover the fun and energy of line dancing!
