Built for dance.
Shaped by the people who know it best.
8Counts brings technology together with real dance experience — working alongside dancers, coaches, studio owners, and industry leaders to build for the way dancers actually learn, practice, and grow.
Founding Advisors
Jason Pickett
Jason Pickett is a professional dancer, choreographer, and educator with more than 14 years of experience teaching competitive dance and performing professionally.
Throughout his career, Jason has performed in film, television, and live productions for brands and organizations including Hermès, Crocs, Bud Light, Icon Fitness, Toys "R" Us, and America's Got Talent. His work has also been featured in several viral YouTube productions, including Stormtrooper Twerk and High School Dance Battle – Geeks vs. Cool Kids, while his choreography has earned recognition in nationally ranked competitive routines.
Today, Jason is a faculty member for Reinforce Dance Experience and travels internationally as a guest teacher, adjudicator, and speaker, helping dancers develop strong technical foundations while inspiring confidence and performance quality. He's also the founder of the "No Starving Artists" podcast.
At 8 Counts, Jason brings his passion for making high-quality dance education engaging, accessible, and inspiring for the next generation of dancers.
Advisor since 2026
Janet Lee Hobson
Janet Lee Hobson is an accomplished dance educator, choreographer, and youth development specialist whose career spans elite performance and competitive studio leadership. Originally training with Washington Contemporary Ballet, she went on to study jazz, modern, and African dance at Norfolk State University.
As a professional performer, Janet toured nationally as a principal dancer with The Dove Project Contemporary Dance Company and has been featured in numerous commercial music videos. Her leadership background includes serving as the Director of Youth Programs and Competition Teams at Born 2 Dance, and she currently directs the Youth Programs and Studio Company at WJ Dance.
In addition to developing award-winning choreography and training programs, Janet is a respected adjudicator for premier national events, including the NAACP ACT-SO Arts Competitions. Partnering with 8 Counts, she combines her passion for technical excellence with thoughtful instruction to build confidence and creativity in every student.
Advisor since 2026
Founding Partners
Organizations and individuals helping build a safer, fairer, and more modern future for youth dance.
Alyssa Wong
Alyssa Wong is a competitive dancer, content creator, and influencer known as “Your Virtual Dance Bestie.” With a growing community across Instagram and TikTok, Alyssa creates engaging dance, lifestyle, beauty, and behind-the-scenes content that connects with and inspires the next generation of dancers.
Alyssa has earned recognition for both her accomplishments on the dance floor and her influence within the dance community. She was named ID Dance Dancer of the Year and is a Bloch Young Artist 2026, representing one of the leading dance brands in the industry.
Passionate about making dance more accessible, connected, and fun, Alyssa loves using her platform to encourage young dancers to learn, grow, express themselves, and build meaningful connections within the dance community. She is excited to bring that perspective to 8Counts and help shape a platform built for dancers, by people who truly understand the dance world.
The International Competitive Dancer Registry (ICDR) brings athlete-grade safety, fairness, and verified identities to competitive dance through a privacy-compliant, industry-recognized danceID system—protecting dancers, empowering studios and events, and modernising the future of our industry, together.
www.icdrdance.com
Empower Performance Nutrition provides individualized nutrition counseling for active individuals, athletes, and performing artists through a practical, evidence-based, and weight-inclusive approach. Founded by Melissa Lineburg, MS, CNS, LDN, the practice blends performance nutrition with a functional medicine perspective to help clients improve energy, support recovery, optimize hormone and gut health, and build sustainable nutrition habits that enhance both performance and long-term wellbeing.
www.empowerdancenutrition.comFounding Technology Partner
An award-winning, independent design & technology company serving clients worldwide: 300 full-time designers and developers, a 10,000-strong vetted network, and eighteen years of shipping.
www.lateralgroup.comFounding Studios
Early studio perspectives providing guidence for better development.
WJ Dance is a vibrant dance studio based in Vienna, Virginia, serving dancers across the DMV.
We offer classes in K-pop, Hip-hop, Jazz Funk, Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, Acro, technique, performance training, and more. Our experienced faculty brings over 20 years of combined professional experience, and we have collaborated with world-class choreographers from United States, Korea, China and beyond, including NCT choreographer Sea Ni, Aespa choreographer Redlic, former Miss A member Min, Bo Park, Pauline, Brian, Kenneth and more.
At WJ Dance, we believe dance is more than movement. It is a way to express yourself, build confidence, and live more fully.
Dance freely. Live fully.
Motiv8 Dance Movement (MDM) is a South Florida dance and performing arts studio dedicated to developing confident, well-rounded dancers through high-quality training, mentorship, leadership, and community. Founded with just six dancers, MDM has grown into a thriving dance community serving more than 120 dancers each month.
MDM offers recreational and competitive training across multiple styles, with a strong focus on technical development, artistry, confidence, and creating meaningful opportunities for young dancers. Through its Elite Company and training programs, MDM strives to provide dancers with the tools, mentorship, and support they need to grow both inside and outside the studio.
Founding Coaches
Danae Brooks
Danae Brooks is an accomplished Acro coach and instructor with over five years of experience training beginner to intermediate dancers and gymnasts. Dedicated to developing well-rounded athletes, she specializes in blending the technical execution of gymnastics tumbling with the expressive artistry of dance. Since 2022, Danae has focused on building an Acro program rooted in a family-like bond, believing that ultimate success relies on a foundation of absolute trust between dancers, coaches, and guardians.
Before expanding her work to the studio floor, Danae spent three years coaching at Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex, where she prepared elite gymnasts for competitive team scouts and high-stakes auditions. She also brings collegiate-level athletic experience to her teaching, having cheered at Wheaton College while earning her Bachelor's degree in Applied Health Science.
Danae's coaching philosophy centers on building confidence through resilience, using a signature "three-try" approach to help students push past fear, listen to technical adjustments, and give total effort. By continually reinforcing basics to make complex tricks simple, she loves watching the exact moment a new skill clicks for her dancers, firmly believing that every performer benefits from the strength and discipline of acrobatics.
Nathaniel "Nate" Jackson
Nathaniel "Nate" Jackson is a dancer, choreographer, creative director, and the founder of NateTion. With over 15 years of experience across the commercial and competitive dance industries, Nate is widely recognized for his bold creativity, dynamic choreography, and commanding stage presence.
Throughout his career, he has held key leadership roles with Kaution Dance Kru, Fierce Collabo, and Until Further Notice (UFN). His work and performances have graced prominent East Coast productions and major competitive stages, including World of Dance, Beast Coast, Prelude, and the DNA Showcase.
As a visionary mentor, Nate focuses on developing versatile performers and producing high-impact showcase experiences. His mission is to inspire dancers to embrace fearless self-expression, authenticity, and the belief that true artistry belongs to those who dare to move differently.
Joie Mouran
Joie Mouran is a versatile dance artist and instructor who began her formal training at just four years old. Her foundational journey led her to the Spotlight Dance Competition Team, where she earned numerous awards for showmanship and choreography, and later to the prestigious Governor's School for the Arts.
Joie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Choreography and a Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University. Formally trained in Cecchetti and Vaganova ballet techniques, as well as modern and jazz styles, her performance credits include senior projects, faculty works, and collaborations with the renowned Urban Bush Women.
Now sharing her expertise across the DMV area, Joie teaches youth and adult classes in ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary dance. She is dedicated to guiding students toward a deeper connection with their creative identity, blending technical precision with rich storytelling.
What we believe
- ✓Great teaching should continue beyond the studio.
- ✓Healthy progression matters more than quick advancement.
- ✓Progress comes from practicing the right things consistently.
- ✓Technology should support great teaching, not replace it.
- ✓Young dancers deserve a private place to practice and grow.
- ✓Confidence is built through mastery, not comparison.
Building something
bigger than an app.
8Counts is creating a new category in dance education — one that combines structured skill development, trusted coaching, and healthy progression to support dancers, families, coaches, and studios.
We're grateful to the founding studios, coaches, advisors, and families helping us build it from the very beginning.