Studio Director

Lori Rupp is a highly experienced studio director with a diverse background in dance education. She holds a Master’s in Education and has had an impressive career in the dance & Cheer industry:

Utah Sports Hall of Fame Member

Utah High School Dance Drill Team State & National Champion Coach

Director of the University of Utah Crimson Line Dance Team and Cheer Squad

Director of the Nightline Professional Dance Company

Choreographer and Director for a variety of high-profile productions, including bowl game halftime shows, Pro Bowl, Olympics, & worked with various performing artists

Dance Studio Owner

National Judge at competitions in Utah, California, Texas, Florida, Iowa, and more

Co-Owner of RC Competes

Lori's approach to mentorship emphasizes the importance of foundational skills and technique. She is dedicated to supporting students in discovering and achieving their goals. With her wealth of experience and commitment to nurturing young talent, Lori Rupp is a valuable mentor in the dance community.

Ballet Director

Angelie Renay Melzer has danced professionally throughout the United States with the Colorado Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet touring the US and Internationally. She has performed numerous Principal and Soloist roles, her favorites including Balanchine Roles in Four Temperments, Western Symphony, Allegro Brilliante and Serenade, as well as Odette in Swan Lake, Cinderella in Cinderella, Sugar Plum and Arabian in Nutcracker. She trained on full scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Colorado Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet Schools. She completed her RAD examinations through the Royal Academy of Ballet, as well as studying the Vaganova method extensively under the tutelage of Nadia Tikhonova and with wonderful Russian mentors, coaches and partners. She enjoys being a Principal Guest Artist around the United States and has had several new works created on her including the solo Magnolia and Duet And Then There Was that premiered in a gala performance with the Martha Graham Company in Boston, MA. She also enjoys choreographing, one of her favorite projects being the Lewis and Clark Ballet: A Tremendious Journey for which she was commissioned by the city of Great Falls, MT in 2005. As well as in academia as an Adjunct and Guest Faculty for the University of New Mexico, University of Missouri and Texas A&M within the dance and kinesiology departments.

Angelie has been an integral part of mentoring future generations of professional dancers. Her students have received scholarships and job offers from prestigious ballet and contemporary companies and university dance programs including Winnipeg Ballet, Alberta Ballet, School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Lines Ballet, New York Univeristy, PACE College, University of San Francisco, University of Utah and others smaller venues. Each year she has taken students to the prestigious YAGP competition the group has come away with top 12 recognition in both classical ballet and contemporary categories. Her passion is pursuing excellence in the arts and adding cultural significance within each community she visits while giving each student life skills inside and outside of the dance world.

Jazz/Contemporary Co-Lead

Hello, my name is Jefferson. I’ve been dancing since I was 3 and gymnastic since I was 8. Dance is not just movement to me; it's a language that speaks from my soul. With every step, I express emotions, tell stories, and connect with others on a profound level. The rhythm becomes my heartbeat, guiding me through a world where creativity knows no bounds. Each dance is a journey, a fusion of technique and emotion, a canvas where I paint my dreams in motion. I’ve done all different type of styles of dance but my passion is contemporary. I’m currently enrolled at GU for my masters in Clinical mental health. Go bulldogs! I have a golden doodle puppy who is the love of my life named Benson.

Company Team Lead

Milan’s dance journey began in Portland, Oregon, where she fell in love with various dance styles, from Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, and Contemporary to Hip-Hop and Freestyle. She has worked with multiple dance conventions as a professional assistant, traveling across the United States for nine years, and engaging with countless kids and studios. Her passion for dance led her to professional opportunities where she has worked with renowned choreographers and dancers. As well as performances in live and televised events for Nike and Adidas, that highlight her versatility and commitment to the craft.

Beyond assisting and performing, Milan has taught and choreographed professionally since 2015, sharing their expertise in cities like Portland, Orange County, Spokane, Dallas, Nashville, and Coeur d'Alene. She has a knack for creative storytelling through dance, choreographing pieces in various styles for both competitive and recreational settings.

Her extensive training includes years at Dance Vision Dance Studio, Chu This Dance, Modas Dance, The Edge Performing Arts, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Movement Lifestyle, Offstage Dance Studio, and Millennium Dance Complex, specializing in various dance styles. Recognized as a Senior Radix Core Performer, Maximum Velocity Artist, member of the Celebrity Crew, and a 541 Homie, Milan is passionate about nurturing dancers, fostering a love for dance and technique, and guiding them to discover the valuable lessons dance offers. She is excited to continue sharing her passion and expertise with the 509 Collective!

Traveling Faculty/Competition Consultant

Jenni started dancing at the age of 3 and teaching at the age of 14. In high school, Jenni joined her high school drill team and became a leader and choreographer her first year. Following high school she joined the Crimson Line Dance Team at the University of Utah, where she was both Vice President and President of the program. Her experiences, opportunities and talents grew as she performed on the biggest stages of the world for Barack Obama, Carnegie Hall, the All State Sugar Bowl, March Madness, Disney etc. Since college Jenni has coached, choreographed and judged for a variety of high school drill teams and studios, as well as college programs. Finally, she performed professionally for Nightline Dance Company for many years. Jenni’s focus is now on her family and she greatly enjoys teaching and seeing her students succeed.

Hip-Hop/Freestyle Faculty

Hey! I’m Drayvon, and I’ve been active in the street dance scene for the last five years. As a freestyle dancer, I’ve participated in cyphers and battles from Spokane to Seattle and everywhere in between. My goal is to help spread the culture and welcome new people to the street dance community, so welcome!

Lead Tumbling/Cheer Coach

Coach Curtis started cheerleading as a freshman at Deer Park High School. During high school he completed four years as a varsity cheerleader while also competing as an all star athlete for Build it Athletix. After high school Curtis would go on to cheer for the University of Washington, Eastern Washington University and Washington State University. While at WSU he competed at UCA Nationals Twice. During college Curtis began his coaching career, teaching Summer Camps as a UCA instructor for 3 years and also working as a classes and teams coach at his former all star gym. After college Curtis continued coaching in both scholastic and all star cheerleading before opening Lilac City Cheerleading Academy where he provides cheerleading camps and choreography, tumbling classes, private lessons and more!

Tumbling/Cheer Coach

Camille Tremblay has been immersed in the world of cheerleading and tumbling for over 15 years, cultivating a deep passion and unparalleled expertise in the field. Her journey began in Spokane, where she spent several years as a dedicated gymnast, honing her skills and building a solid foundation in athleticism and discipline. Seeking a new challenge and a fresh pace, Camille transitioned to cheerleading, where she quickly distinguished herself through her remarkable talent and rapid progression.

Camille's cheerleading career took off at Build It Athletix and Washington Extreme, where she not only advanced her skills but also embraced the team spirit and camaraderie that define cheerleading. Her dedication and hard work led her to cheer for West Valley High School, where she became a standout performer known for her athleticism and enthusiasm.

Camille's cheerleading journey continued to flourish as she joined the cheer squad at Whitworth University, where she further honed her abilities and contributed to the team's success.

Beyond her personal achievements as a cheerleader, Camille has also dedicated herself to coaching and mentoring the next generation of athletes. She served as the assistant coach for Cheney High School, where she shared her knowledge, experience, and passion with aspiring cheerleaders. Currently, Camille plays a vital role in providing cheer camps, clinics, and choreography across the Pacific Northwest through Lilac City Cheer Academy. Her commitment to fostering talent and promoting excellence in cheerleading has made her a respected figure in the cheerleading community.

Camille's extensive background in both tumbling and cheerleading, coupled with her coaching experience, has equipped her with a unique perspective and a wealth of knowledge. Her dedication to the sport and her unwavering enthusiasm continue to inspire those around her, making her an invaluable asset to any cheerleading program she is involved with.

Lead Tap Faculty

Joseph Lyons-Wolf is an interdisciplinary movement artist and educator specializing in tap, jazz, and musical theatre dance. His body of work includes directing and choreographing for professional theatre, lecturing and instructing university level dance courses, and Broadway teaching artistry. The core pillars of his teaching philosophy are fostering belonging, centering movement rooted in joy, and cultivating creative curiosity. He is committed to excellent technical training conducted through inclusive pedagogical practices that celebrate individuality.

Joseph attended Oklahoma City University, where he received his B.M. in Musical Theatre. Shortly after graduating OCU, he relocated to New York City where he received a certificate of excellence from Broadway Dance Center, specializing in tap, and graduated with an M.A. in Educational Theatre from New York University where he focused his studies on directing, pedagogy, and curriculum design. As a global scholarship recipient, he studied Theatre for Youth in London.

While in New York, he worked in Education and Engagement for Disney Theatrical Group. At DTG he taught professional performance workshops using the choreography of the Disney on Broadway shows: Aladdin, Frozen, and The Lion King. He facilitated post-show talkbacks for these same musicals and contributed to the curricular development of the educational materials for licensable Disney musicals.

Joseph currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Theatre and Dance Department at Gonzaga University where he teaches courses in tap, jazz, musical theatre, and pedagogy. He recently graduated from the low-residency M.F.A. in Choreography program at Jacksonville University. His thesis work involved challenging the choreographic aesthetics and pedagogical structures for concert tap dance with somatic embodiment methods developed from 4E Cognition. www.josephlyonswolf.com

Workshop Faculty/Guest Choreographer

Katie was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She's been dancing since she was 4 years old and teaching dance for the last 15 years. She has danced and acted professionally in over 50 movies, commercials, and other film projects. Highlights include: Star Trek Into Darkness, High School Musical 3, Yellowstone, Return to Halloweentown, and Camp Rock. Katie was also a dancer for the Los Angeles Clippers Spirit Dance Team.

She has an MBA from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah, where she also did a summer intensive at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Katie is a wife and mom of 2 amazing kids. She's excited to share her knowledge and love for dance with students this summer!

Workshop Faculty/Guest Choreographer

Anna Marchisello is an artist who believes in the connective and transformative power of creative movement. Originally from North Carolina, Anna's experiences have taken her to the dance community in Los Angeles, the interdisciplinary landscape in Berlin, and the visual art department at New York University, where she completed her BFA in 2017.

After taking time away from dance and returning to the industry with outside experiences, Anna's interests in dance, healing arts, and creative direction stem from her reverence for movement as a healing modality, a way of cultivating community, and medium through which to create meaningful work.

She has performed on stage in Dancer: A Musical in Ten Furlongs, a solo work Hypervigilant Mutation choreographed by Heather Lang, Julie Tolentino’s Slipping Into Darkness, and the Monsters of Hip Hop Show. Her work on film includes the short film “Simulation” created in collaboration with Heather Lang, Purdie Baumann, and Norma Kamali, which she developed, performed in, and edited. “Simulation” has been nominated for Best Art Direction & Best Music in the London Fashion Film Festival, selected to be included in the New York International Shorts Festival, and featured in Directors Notes and a Forbes article. Her assistant and associate choreographer credits include Ingrid Michaelson, Advil, Journey of the 50 at Expo 2020 in Dubai with Stacey Tookey under the direction of David Atkins, and a yet untitled original movie musical. She is currently on faculty with the Bridge Movement and developing two live shows based in NYC.

Cheer Camp Faculty

With over 20 years of coaching experience, Ashley Baer is a highly effective cheerleading coach whose passion for the sport has defined her career. Originating from Florida, Ashley Baer began cheerleading at the age of 5, eventually transitioning into competitive gymnastics and cheering throughout college.

For the past two decades, Ashley Baer has dedicated herself to coaching, specializing in high school cheerleading before taking leadership of an all-star cheerleading gym. Her commitment to fostering growth, discipline, and teamwork has not only shaped countless athletes but also contributed to the broader cheerleading community. Ashley Baer remains steadfast in her mission to empower the next generation of cheerleaders, driven by a genuine love for coaching and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Cheer Camp Faculty

McKynlee Wood was born and raised in Heber City, Utah. She has been immersed in the cheerleading and dance world since she was 4 years old. McKynlee has competed in both dance and cheerleading and was a successful four-year high school cheerleader. Upon entering college, she made the decision to transition from athlete to coach, hanging up her cheer shoes to put on her coaching hat.

Her love and passion for cheerleading led her to share her knowledge by coaching at both the Allstar cheer and high school levels. Currently, McKynlee continues to coach at her local Allstar Gym, serves as an assistant cheer coach at her alum high school, and is a member of the Utah Safety Cheer Team.

McKynlee believes that cheerleading offers an incredible outlet for self-expression while imparting valuable life lessons. She cherishes the opportunity to be both an athlete and a coach, aspiring to motivate and positively impact all her athletes.

Camp/Class Faculty

Audrey's dance journey began in Bend, Oregon, where she fell in love with a variety of dance styles, from jazz to contemporary. She continued her dance education at Gonzaga University earning her BA in Dance Pedagoy, and continuing to perform in Spokane through shows like "Rising Tide" in Spokane.

Beyond her degree, Audrey has specialized education in the Brain Dance and Dance for Parkinson's.She enjoys choreographing pieces in jazz, modern, and contemporary styles, focusing on creative storytelling for both competitive and recreational dances. She's been sharing her passion for dance for over eight years across Washington, Idaho, and Oregon for dancers aged 3 through 80.

Audrey is deeply passionate about nurturing dancers, fostering their love for dance and technique, and guiding them to explore the valuable lessons that dance has to offer. Now, she's excited to join Spokane's dance community, bringing her love for dance and teaching to the studio floor.

Ballet Faculty

I have lived in the Spokane area most of my life and love it dearly. I currently live with my family on a blackberry farm and especially enjoy gardening. I also like hiking, reading books, and, of course, dancing.

I have been dancing for over a decade and have mostly been trained in classical ballet. It has always been a source of joy and inspiration for me. I studied in scholarship at the Professional Ballet School from 2018 to 2022. I have performed several years in a row with the Spokane Symphony as a dancer in their Harry Potter production under the direction of Angelie Melzer. I prepared and performed at the YAGP competition, and enjoy molding and mentoring young dancers at Mead Learning Options. Dancing has been a passion of mine since I was four years old because it offers me a way to express myself and connect with people in unique ways. In addition, I have had extensive experience in modern dance. I also enjoy Bollywood, Cabaret, and Jazz classes.

Studio Assistant Director

Hi! I'm Makena Day! I grew up dancing in Spokane and can't wait to be back in the Spokane dance community! I've been dancing since I was 3 and can't imagine my life without it. My main styles of dance are Ballet and Modern, and I've also done Contemporary, Jazz, and Flamenco! In high school I was choreographer on the Lewis and Clark Tiger Drill Team, where we competed in Military and Kick. I've been living in New York City for the last two years and graduated with an Interior Design degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology. While in NY I danced at Steps on Broadway, went to tons of Broadway shows, and nannied! I just moved back home to Spokane, and am excited to be starting at Eastern Washington University to earn my bachelor's in Early Childhood Education!

Camp Faculty

Mia discovered her passion for dancing at the age of 6. Since then she has been eager to train and improve, excelling in many styles such as hip-hop, jazz, tap, contemporary, ballet, musical theatre, acro and lyrical.

Following her dance journey into the competitive world, Mia has achieved success in many national and regional competitions, acquiring title placements and overall high scores as both a soloist and group dancer.

These past few years Mia has attended Velocity Dance Competition and Convention Nationals where she has danced behind artists such as Todrick Hall and most recently, Nicky Youre. Locally, Mia proved to be a creative and integral assistant choreographer with the Lewis and Clark Tiger Drama program, choregraphing parts of their performance of Big Fish. She has also had the privilege of working closely with choreographers such as Ryan Maw learning about the dance industry through the creation of a marketing video. Always expanding her training Mia is currently a member of the Kinfigure Kollective, training with Caleb Brauner and Carly Lawrence.

As a dance teacher, Mia strives to create a judgement free, positive environment where young dancers feel comfortable being themselves. She feels it is important for her students to feel confident, motivated and inspired at all times. Mia wants to see her students succeed, be proud of their accomplishments and enjoy the journey of hard-work and dedication along the way. Mia aims to create a learning environment that is fun, encouraging and exciting, while still working to improve each individuals confidence, mindset and level of dance.

With a flair for creativity and a bursting personality, Mia’s love for movement brings a high level of energy and emotion to all her classes. Her biggest goal as a teacher is to share her love for dance and help others find their unique voice through movement. She strives to help each dancer find their burning passion for dance in a strong environment they will always be able to rely on. She’s driven by the belief that dance can be a powerful form of expression and want to help her students discover that joy.

Ballet Faculty

Hi! My name is Delaney Sprague. I began training in classical ballet at the age of 2 and now have over 16 years of dancing experience. Ballet has remained as my favorite style which is closely followed by contemporary. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and attended Notre Dame High School, where I choreographed and competed in dance pieces with my classmates. I also competed as part of Notre Dame’s Varsity Pom team. Currently, I am continuing my dance journey at Gonzaga University while pursuing a Business degree with a minor in Environmental Business. Since the age of 14, I have been teaching ballet and have attended multiple summer intensives with the American Ballet Theatre. I am honored and excited to share my love of ballet and teaching here in Spokane!

Ballet Faculty

With a passion and love for dance, I have been dancing for most of my life and have training in classical ballet, contemporary, and jazz. I danced competitively for a couple years with ballet as my main focus. I am from the Spokane area and moved here with my family when I was 4! At 4, I started ballet and it quickly became my greatest love! I trained with the RAD method, completing my RAD examinations receiving a distiction. I want to spread my love for ballet and show others how truly inspiring it is. Ballet has always been a source of inspiration and peace for me and my dream is to spread that to all who share this love with me!

Faculty Mentor/Adjunct Faculty

Cynthia Grant formally trained, she earned a Bachelor's in Fine Arts degree in dance at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. Cynthia started professionally dancing while touring with Fusion Dance Company, and then getting her break from Stiletto Entertainment, aboard Holland America Line cruises. While aboard the MS Ryndam, Cynthia had the pleasure of being a guest showgirl for the World Poker Tour's main event, aired on The Travel Channel. In 2005 she relocated to Las Vegas, where she performed nightly in The Masquerade Show in the Sky at the Rio All Suite Hotel. She then performed with The Magic of Rick Thomas and then dancing and performing for Nathan Burton Comedy Magic at the Flamingo hotel as well as Legends in Concert at the Harrah’s Hotel. Cynthia also toured with Kenneth Blake’s Showstoppers: Can’t Stop the Beat show. Cynthia’s television credits include a guest showgirl for Nathan Burton's magic trick "7 days, 7 Showgirls, 1 Box", filmed at the Aladdin Hotel for E! Television, as well as on the Canadian Television show “Ultimate Dream Day”, Masters of Illusion, Ellen DeGeneres Even Bigger, Really Big Show, Extra with David Hasselhoff, Vegas.com Commercials, Americas Got Talent and she was also profiled for "Latin Eyes", a San Francisco based show. In the midst of all her work, Cynthia has always found time to teach her love of dance to children of all ages.

She has proudly taught for the last 25 years, 9 of those as Artistic Director, and in sharing her passion and love with students of all ages. She looks forward to the opportunity of mentoring young and talented teachers in the greater Spokane dance community.

Adjunct Faculty

My friends call me Ari, I grew up in Waitts Lake and Cheney Wa, As I started dancing for studios at a much older age of 9 l fell in love and knew that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life!

I have been traveling across the united states every weekend for 8 years and I currently work and train with celebrity dance as a Lead dancer and staff member, I am a featured assistant with Art of Movement and have been a pro-assistant with Revel, Activate your Artistry and this next dance season I will be assisting with Veloctiy as a MVA+ assistant, and I will also be working/training with princess cruise lines this fall.

I have been choreographing professionally at competition level since the age of 15 choreographing winning solos and duos for myself and others.

My favorite type of dance is Ballet, Jazz and Contemporary but I really love every style!

My training has been extensive in ballet, contemporary, musical theater, lyrical, jazz, tap, hip hop, and modern.

I have toured as a main backstage dancer with young hip artists -Kash and King, and have worked closely with amazing choreographers such as Marinda Davis, Fred Odgaard, Katelyn Gaffney, Kassidy Bright, Jose Soto, Sophia Lucia, Kirsten Cooper and many many more!

I have been recognized as a MVA top 10 national velocity winner, showstoppers magazine dancer across America for Washington state, radix core performer winner, Nuvo breakout artist winner, 24/7 Non Stop dancer winner, monsters agency award and most likely to go further in industry awards, Hollywood Vibe national finalist, YAGP top 12-Contemporary and many more scholarship wins for many different competitions and conventions!

I also have worked as an model, influencer, ambassador and actor for many different companies like Rac n Roll, Zulily, Addidas, Coldest Water Bottle, Faviana Fasion Designer, Rebel Athletic Cheer, Pas De Duex Photo, Rock your Hair, Selfie World LA, Girls Life Magazine, CosiG StudioWear, Sally Miller Fashion wear and many more!

I am excited to share my passion and love for the arts with the dancers at 509 Collective!

Jazz/Tap Faculty

Kayliana, aka K.O. within the dance community, started dancing at the age of 7 at a studio in San Diego, CA focusing on hip hop and after a couple years joined the competitive side of the studio. She started to get introduced to other styles of dance throughout middle school and high school such as ballet, jazz, modern and contemporary. With hip hop being her main focus and passion she started choreographing and teaching her peers in high school as a hip hop club leader and intermediate dance class assistant. Her high school dance teacher gave her her first paid teaching opportunity by having her come back after she graduated in 2013 to help teach and assist as a seasonal hip hop instructor.

Not long after that she started to take classes at a local community college in order to pursue her official Dance Instructing Certification. In which she trained in a variety of dance styles ranging from ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, tap, hip hop, middle eastern and ballroom. She also was on their Dance Touring Ensemble for multiple semesters where she trained more in contemporary and musical theater dance styles.

During that same time she started training in more street styles of hip hop hoping to feel more comfortable as a freestyle dancer. By attending local dance sessions and dance battles as well as taking class here and there to learn more of the history and culture. The styles she has focused the most on over the years have been waving, animation, popping as well as vogue and waacking.

Aside from guest teaching at her old high school she was also hired to teach in more than one YMCA dance department and a few other local dance studios as a regular instructor as well as teaching private lessons up until 2020. She then moved to the Spokane area with her husband and surprisingly met her new dance family only within a couple months. She has been a part of the local street dance scene ever since, but has taken a break from teaching. In more recent years she has also started to pursue professional character entertaining at music festivals through Insomniac and can't wait to explore more of that world. She's looking forward to joining the 509 collective team, so that she be that much more involved with this growing community!

Junior Tap Faculty

Ursula Hood fell in love with tap dance when she realized it was a way to make her voice heard as a shy kid. For 16 years since then, her passion grew as she danced for fun and sport through different genres, eventually branching out into teaching.

Most recently, she created and led the by-students, for-students tap group as part of the Dance Club at Gonzaga University for two years.

Outside of dance, Ursula earned her Bachelor's Degree in Broadcasting and Economics and has been writing television news in Spokane for over two years.

Ursula now performs and teaches tap and line dancing in the Inland Northwest.

She truly believes that anyone can and should dance!

Ballet Faculty

Olga Loktev is a dancer, choreographer, and a certified dance instructor. She began her dance training at the age of 3, starting with classical ballet and building on with acrobatic arts, contemporary and modern dance techniques. Understanding that dancers should be versatile and adaptable, she broadened her skills by adding different styles of movement (character, hip hop, flamenco, jazz) into her training, including kinesthesiology, history, and pedagogy of dance. She participated in various performances, art festivals, talent shows, and dance competitions, receiving the highest achievements. Olga continued her studies with renowned national and international dance institutions and companies including Bolshoi Ballet, Complexions Ballet, The Juilliard School, Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, José Limón (growing into Limóns second company), not counting a handful amount of summer intensives, workshops, and master classes with influential people of the dance industry, to name a few Alonzo King, Mark Morris, Valentina Kozlova, Sascha Radetsky, Tracie Stanfield, Eric Campros, Desmond Richardson, Laura Careless, Corvino sisters and others. Being an advocate for dance as a therapy, she puts a big emphasis on observations of human development, relationships, and conflict resolutions, incorporating it into her choreographic creations and classroom setting. Her teaching approach is to help each dancer build confidence and reach their best potential while keeping the strong technique basis. When creating, she aims for her choreography to have a deep meaning and help people understand and improve their emotional intelligence. Olga is currently a freelance choreographer, dancer at Vytal Movement, a Spokane local contemporary company, employed dance instructor, and is working towards her double major in psychology and communications. 

Lead Latin Ballroom Faculty

Mindi Sheer teaches, performs and creates community dance projects in the Inland Northwest.  She is a somatically-based dance educator and artist who teaches Latin ballroom, salsa, club dances, social ballroom, all forms of partner dance, Bartenieff Fundamentals, Movement Analysis methods (Laban) and leads movement choirs.  She uses Latin technique, metaphor and somatic concepts extensively in her work with students. She enjoys the expressivity, passion, theatricality and sensuality of Latin music and dance. She is a 3-time National USA DanceSport Champion in International Latin Ballroom and started teaching in 2012. She has  trained extensively in Latin ballroom, smooth (ballroom), swing, salsa, Afro-Cuban, Flamenco, contemporary, jazz,  and Brazilian dances ,  Currently, she teaches dances that help illuminate the history of Latin dance and music in the US, directing the  pop-up show ‘Havana to New York’. Her former works include site-specific performances in Atlanta and Spokane for an international dance project. She holds an M.S. in Geography and a B.S in Biology and had a successful career as an ecologist. Mindi is a CLMA (Certified Laban Movement Analyst) and RSME/T (Registered Somatic Movement Educator / Therapist).