Jonelle Layfield

Jonelle Layfield was born and raised on the beautiful island of Oahu, Hawaiʻi. Her passion for dance started with hula, dancing for Leina ʻAla Heine with Nā Pualei ʻO Likolehua. She expanded her repertoire joining the Honolulu Dance Company and later to the legacy of 247 Danceforce under the direction of Marcelo Pacleb. She attended the University of Hawaiʻi on a full scholarship as Captain of the Dance Team and graduated with a BS in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences.

In 2008, she had the honor of being crowned Miss Hawaiʻi USA, going on to compete for the title of Miss USA. Soon after her reign, she moved to Los Angeles to a career in acting and dancing. As a dancer/choreographer, She has worked with many artists including Janet Jackson, J-LO, Janelle Monae, and 98 Degrees. As an actress she is recognized for roles on TV’s Mike and Molly, CSI, Bones, and House. Career aside, her passion for dance education consumes all of her downtime. She is Co-Founder and Creative Director of The Heartbeat Movement, a non-profit program offering dance classes for special needs students in Los Angeles and Hawaiʻi. In 2015, Jonelle directed The Heartbeat Movement Dance Team in their premiere at the 2015 World Special Olympics Opening Ceremony. She has earned the title of fitness guru to the stars at LAs world class exercise facility, The Tracy Anderson Method where she was a trainer for 8 years. Today, Jonelle continues to mentor young women as the official choreographer and Stage Director of the Miss Hawaiʻi USA and Miss California USA pageants. She’s excited to bring her knowledge and experience to Punahou!