Our journey
A testament to faith and creativity.
The Beginning
Learn more about the start of Messengerz from its founder, Greta Sugai:
Messengerz came about from a desire to grow in dance and ministry, past graduating from college and moving into adulthood. I had graduated college in May 2015 and I wanted to combine my faith and dance together, but I also wanted to keep growing in my technique and execution of movement. I wasn’t at all ready to stop dancing, but there weren’t many outlets to keep training. Messengerz started out as friends getting together and training, to then getting invited to doing little local performances, to where it really shifted in 2016. I (Greta) went to a ministry conference in California where I met youth pastors from New Zealand who offered for us to come there and teach dance and perform. They had never really heard of the concept of “dance ministry” and using dance excellence for glorifying the Lord. After that month long trip it really inspired the group to keep sharing the Gospel through movement in profound ways. And it’s just grown since then and continues to be led by the Spirit - all glory to God! .
Vision & Values
The vision for Messengerz is to reach the lost and broken through dance and through storytelling. We desire to connect people to have an encounter with Jesus through how they connect to our movement from either watching a performance piece or taking a class with us. We hope to simply just be a vessel that the Lord is using to bring Him praise and honor and our deepest desire is to do that to the best of our ability. We strive to push dancers out of their comfort zones to be vulnerable and emotional through their dancing, and we also desire to push dancers technically as well in their memorization skills and technical training. We feel called to dance excellence and using our platform well to make sure all eyes are pointed to Jesus!
Meet the Company
All photos credited to Tara Yax Photography!
Greta Sugai - Artistic Director and Founder
Greta Sugai was born and raised in Colorado, USA and she specializes in guest teaching, choreographing and creating workshops. She has taught across Colorado, as well as out of state including Hawaii, Los Angeles, Arizona, Virginia and more! In 2015, Greta created Messengerz Dance Co. in which she led her company to New Zealand for a month to teach and perform, and has since built partnerships there to return back to. She is also leading the Messengerz to France trip this upcoming July and she cannot wait for what all the adventures ahead will bring! Greta is also a competition judge and convention teacher with Sheer Elite and travels across the country. Finally, she is loving working as an adjunct dance professor at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, CO for their developing dance program and is on her 5th year being a professor. Greta loves pouring into all her teaching endeavors, but mostly she loves Messengerz and she praises God for everything that lies ahead with this company!
Jennifer Davis - Company Member
Jennifer Davis is a Colorado raised dancer, teacher, and choreographer. Growing up, she had the privilege of studying under German and Valentina Zamuel, who graduated from the Vaganova Russian Ballet Academy and taught at The Royal Ballet School. Jennifer represented their studio at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), and performed as a soloist in the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Paquita, and Giselle. She went on to graduate summa cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Since graduation, Jennifer has danced with Ad Deum II, Hub Dance Collective, Zion Dance Project, Hannah Kahn Dance Company, Animus Movement, Chadash Contemporary Dance, and Messengerz Dance. She has also performed work by William Forsythe, Gabriel Speiller (Bruce Wood Dance), Vincent Hardy (Complexions Contemporary Ballet), Noelle Kayser (PARA.MAR Dance Theatre), and Franco Nieto (NW Dance Project). Jennifer has been with Messengerz since Fall 2023 and is so excited to be traveling and performing with them this summer in France!
Caitlyn Dipasupil - Company Member
Caitlyn was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, where she discovered her passion for dance ministry. Her styles include contemporary fusion, jazz, and aerial silks. She graduated from Valor’s Arts Conservatory with a minor in dance and was dance captain of the dance company Veritas. In college, Caitlyn danced on APU’s dance team where she also choreographed for their showcases. Caitlyn was a part of the LA Unbound dance company while she was in graduate school for social work. Additionally, she performed aerial silks pieces in Denver and at the Circus Studio in LA. She has also appeared in several dance films and music videos, including Lindsey McCall.
Caitlyn is deeply passionate about teaching dance and choreographing pieces that provide space for individuals to process life’s beauty and hardships, help them work towards healing, and introduce them to Christ. She has actively worked with local Denver youth and survivors of trafficking, empowering them through dance, fostering community connections, and creating healing art for audiences. She is excited to continue her second year as a member of Messengerz!
Matthew Newell - Company Member
Matthew is grateful to be a part of Messengerz, and enjoys dancing alongside many talented individuals. He received his dance education at Colorado Christian University, where he received his Bachelor's degree in psychology and dance. He grew up dancing in Chicago, but relocated to Denver, Colorado in 2020. He currently is a dance instructor at Castle Rock Dance Academy and Starstruck Academy of Dance. In addition, Matthew is heavily involved in musical theatre, and choreographs for CYT, Rise, and CCU. Matthew is grateful to be a part of Messengerz, and use dance as an outlet for worship.
Abbie Van Horn - Company Member
Abbie has been dancing since she could walk. She danced various styles including ballet, jazz, worship, modern, musical theater, and contemporary at Turning Pointe Dance for 17 years, and had her ballet technique refined through their pre-collegiate Training program. Abbie was a company member with Fidele Youth Dance Company for 3 years, having the opportunity to dance the lead role of Christian in Pilgrim's Progress her senior year. Now, she serves as a choreographer and Leadership Assistant for FYDC, as well as an instructor for Turning Pointe. She has traveled to El Salvador twice on mission trips with Turning Pointe and Fidele, once as a team member and most recently as a leader. Abbie has done intensives with Colorado Ballet, Denver Ballet Theater, Dance Alliance of the Pikes Peak Region, and Turning Pointe's Ignite dance intensive, where she met Greta for the first time. After graduating in 2023, Abbie started her company, Adorn Dancewear, which she has dreams to grow into a discipleship ministry. Her passion for performing and dance as a worship form led her to Messengerz in August of 2024, and she is so excited to be a part of this anointed company!
Noelle Magruder - Company Member
Noelle began dancing at the age of 3 and was primarily classically trained in ballet, jazz and tap . She was exposed to contemporary, lyrical and modern in her later years of training as a competitive dancer and fell in love with the expressiveness of those styles. Noelle has been teaching since the age of 15, and she has also Directed and choreographed for competitive groups in the Northern Colorado area for the last 4 years. She has a true passion for sharing the art form of dance, as well as helping dancers know that dance is a gift from God. Noelle loves sharing her heart and her passion with students and peers alike. She is very excited to be on this journey with Messengerz, and to perform and teach with a wonderful group of dancers.
LynnCheri Voorhees - Company Member
LynnCheri Voorhees was born and raised in Northern Colorado and from the ripe age of nine years old joined her first traveling dance team — she explored the U.S. and Israel until her twenties with the Israeli Celebration Dancers. She started her classical ballet training at thirteen and has been a part of Celebration Ministry of Arts, Rez Dance, and Lighthouse Dance. Teaching for multiple dance schools for over thirteen years has provided such a love for excellence in the art form and given her a drive to continue her education. She is certified in Barre Fitness, Progressing Ballet Technique and recently became a certified Pointe Shoe Fitter; where she will continue her expertise fitting dancers for over three years. Her passion for the Lord and using dance to glorify Him led her to Messengerz Dance when it first began in 2016; and embarked on the very first missions trip to New Zealand! She is excited to continue this wild journey of dancing for Jesus all over the world!
Makaila Natividad - Company Member
Makaila Natividad was born and raised on Oahu, Hawaii, where she began dancing at Prisma Dance Studio in 2011 and later started teaching in 2020, deepening her understanding of dance as both an art form and a ministry. She is currently pursuing a B.F.A. in Dance at the University of Texas at Austin, with minors in Arts Management and Administration, and Kinesiology and Health Education. Awarded the College of Fine Arts Scholarship in 2022, she has performed in works by Valeria Gonzalez (ETERNAL BONDS .2, 2023) and Jennifer Archibald (Quiet Echoes, 2024). She has trained at the Visceral Dance Summer Intensive and Entity Contemporary Dance Winter Intensive, expanding her technical and
artistic range. Now based in Austin, she is developing a new work for the 2025 Cohen New Works Festival and remains committed to using dance as a ministry—movement that speaks to the soul, fosters unity, and serves as an offering beyond the stage. Makaila connected with Messengerz Dance Company through Greta, whom she met at Prisma Dance Studio, and is excited to further her artistic and spiritual growth through dance ministry.
Sophia Kaneshiro - Company Member
Sophia has been dancing since she was about 9 years old at a small Christian dance studio in Hawaii. She has done many productions and outreaches with her studio, as well as a couple of dance competitions. She was also able to perform with a professional dance company from Boston when they visited Hawaii and put on the original production Queen of Nori. Sophia has always had a heart for using her gift to worship and glorify the Lord, so when she met Greta at a masterclass she taught in Hawaii she fell in love with Greta's passion for the Lord. Greta invited Sophia to perform with Messengerz in June 2024 in Colorado and Sophia would describe it as such a beautiful experience. She can’t wait for more wonderful memories with Messengerz.
Michele Carver - Company Member
Michele was born in San Francisco, California, moved to Durango, Colorado, at the young age of 3 and has been on the dance floor ever since. Michele spent 9 years as a competitive dancer and has been teaching and choreographing for the last decade. In 2024, Michele completed the CLI Conservatory program under Teddy Forance. During her time at the CLI Conservatory she trained closely with over 80 world renowned choreographers, participated in professional filmwork, and grew in other skills such as singing, camera work, nutrition and mental health. Michele is passionate about all things dancer health related including Pilates, Yamuna and Pure Barre. God planted her Messengerz seed long before she found herself planning to go to Paris with this wonderful group. Michele met Greta through her home studio in 2021 and 4 years later they found that their callings fit together perfectly. She feels blessed to be a member of an amazing company led by faith!
Erica Powell - Company Member
Erica Powell is a Colorado native and started dance at the young age of two. With excellent background training in all styles including, ballet, jazz, technique, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, tap, and musical theater. Erica also specializes in both American and International styles of ballroom dance with titles in Colorado, Vegas, and Kansas. As well, she is a National Finalist in American 9-Dance at the USDC and the Ohio Starball. Erica is currently studying Pre-Physical Therapy and Dance at Colorado Christian University in pursuit of achieving a doctorate in Physical Therapy. Erica’s faith has been the driving force of her dancing and passion to perform since a very young age. She is eager to perform and share the good news of Jesus through the bodily expression of movement.
