DANCE ARTS CENTRE’S
MISSION STATEMENT FOR ALL DANCER’S

It is our Mission to provide our dancers quality training in a nurturing environment. Through steady encouragement, we guide our dancers to express themselves as they develop skills and build confidence.

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P: (952) 937-2618    F: (952) 937-0062
mail@danceartscentre.net

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Jill Sinn Rieken, Studio Director
jill@danceartscentre.net

A commitment to excellence has been Dance Arts Centre’s hallmark since it’s beginnings 30 years ago. We strive to provide every dancer the best opportunity to learn and grow in grace.

I grew up dancing in my mother's studio where I started at the age of 2. Having had the privilege to be a principle dancer with the Minnesota Jazz Dance Company, I have enjoyed studying with top instructors from all over the country. All my life I have been passionate about dance and now find so much joy from sharing my love of dance with our students.

It is always our goal to provide an exciting atmosphere with caring and talented instructors who are committed to encouraging their students while building skills and confidence. Dance Arts Centre is a place where every dancer will truly 'feel like a star'. I encourage all dancers to aim high, think 'I can', live life to the fullest, and never give up on your dreams."

Jane Foster, Costume Cordinator

At the Dance Arts Centre, pride and confidence in each dancer's performance is of the utmost importance.

We pride ourselves in our unique and specialty designed costumes, tapping into the emotion and theme of each dance. Our age appropriate costumes created especially for each of our dancers gives a feeling of both gratification and excellence for our students.

As the Performing Team Costume Coordinator, Jane brings over 20 years of experience in the dance environment as well as a degree in Fashion Merchandising. Her background as a clothing buyer, training in color, design, and textiles lends itself nicely to our staff.

Having had 2 daughters come through the program at Dance Arts Centre, she realizes the importance of capturing the essence of allowing each dancer to feel special with each costume they wear.

For Jane, working with the wonderful young people and parents at the studio has been the most rewarding part of this creative position.

Jenn Sullivan

Jenn has been an instructor at Dance Arts Centre for the past 7 years. Miss Jenn teaches dancers of all ages. She has a magical gift for capturing the best from her very youngest dancers and lights up a room with inspiration for her older students. Her contagious enthusiasm and passion for teaching children is what makes learning dance so much fun for her students. She instructs our Recreational and Performing Team Dancers. We are proud of her accomplishment as her students have earned High Point honors in regional and national competitions.

At home, Jenn “stays on her toes” with her active 3 and 1/12 year old son and daughter. When not dancing, you can find Miss Jenn enjoying her home, outside on the deck with her husband.  

Julia Levina

Julia brings Dance Arts Centre, her extensive training and professional experience with Aquarius Company from her home of Ukraine, where she toured the world. As artistic director and choreographer at Dance Arts Centre, she leads our ballet program with discipline, style and grace. Julia loves the opportunity to bring these aspects to her dancers as she teaches our young budding ballerinas along with our beautifully trained older students. Over the years, she has won numerous Choreography and Top Teacher Awards at different regional and national competitions.

In 2003, Julia created our youth ballet company, “La Danse Fatale”, www.ladansefatale.org. La Danse Fatale, focuses on dance as an art form for these talented young dancers, embracing performance-based dance. Julia is proud her former students as they enjoy the accomplishments of their acceptance into college dance programs and watching them realize their dreams of becoming members of professional performing companies around the country.

Lindsey Eberhard

Lindsey has been passionate about dance since she started her training at the age of 5 years. She grew up studying in the area of tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical and hip hop. Lindsey is known for her positive energy that she brings to her classes as she encourages her students to learn and grow. Lindsey has studied extensively with some of the top tap teachers in the business including Mike Minery and Karen Callaway-Williams of Riverdance. Lindsey has been teaching Recreational and Performing Team classes for over fifteen years. She has done choreography for various show choirs and performance groups. She also possesses a background in the areas instrumental and vocal music, theatre and modeling. Lindsey is thrilled to be starting her 7th season at DAC!

Lindsey and her husband Dan live in Eden Prairie with their two young sons. Lindsey is our resident “Martha Stewart”. We all enjoy her delicious homemade baked goods that she enjoys making when she is not busy teaching at the dance studio.

Molly McCourt

Mollie’s passion for dance started right here at Dance Arts Centre when she was just 6 years old. Mollie was one of the original members to the Performing Company, La Danse Fatale. Throughout her dance career she has had the opportunity to studio with a number of notable instructors and choreographers all over the country from New York City to Los Angeles.

Mollie is respected in the dance community. Her training and experience has led her to be one of the top instructors at Dance Arts Centre. She is a popular teacher with the Recreational students and the Performing Team dancers alike. Mollie’s success as the choreographer of the 2011 National Grand Champions tops the lists of the many credits that Mollie and her dancers received in the 2011 competition season.

Along with her Dance Arts Centre role, Mollie’s passion has also taken her from the stage to stadium in her current position as a member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleading Team. When you’re cheering on our Vikings, keep your eye out for Mollie as she showcases her talent on the sidelines. Go Mollie!

Lindsay Danielson

Lindsey is a skillful and passionate choreographer, teacher and performer. She has been a choreographer and instructor at Dance Arts Centre since 2008, working with both recreational and competitive dancers. Lindsay's choreography has received numerous awards at regional and national competitions. In the studio, Lindsay encourages her students to grow in their dance technique as well as their stage performance, helping to build confidence and artistry. 

Lindsay's accomplishments includes 3D Dance Network National Scholarship, Hope College Dance Program Scholarship, Gustavus Adolphus Dance Program Scholarship, Just For Kix Rookie Staff of the Year, three time Minnesota State Dance Team Medalist, two time NDA Innovative Choreographer of the Year, and Midwest Starz Best Choreography award.

When Lindsay is not teaching, she enjoys music editing and spending time with family and friends.

Laura Van Riper

Laura began her dance training at Dance Arts Centre, under the teaching of Julia Levina. As a competitive dancer, she received numerous honors including scholarship invitations from West Coast Dance Explosion. Laura pursued her dreams in New York City with an internship at Broadway Dance Center. She has trained with many renowned instructors such as Elizabeth Parkinson, Tyce Diorio, Natalya Stavro and Tony Pierce-Sands. Laura has appeared on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” in “Telihana’s All Night” music video and Step Up 3D’s promotional ad. 

From hip hop to ballet, you will find Laura teaching all styles of dance at all levels and for ages. Miss Laura loves the art of teaching dance. Laura’s philosophy is that with determination, strength, and a positive attitude, dancers can grow to their fullest potential.

Laura currently attends the University of Minnesota, pursuing a degree in apparel design. She hopes to someday apply her training to developing a functional dancewear apparel line.

Chris Weyandt

Chris will be starting her 13th year at Dance Arts Centre.  Dancing since she was 3 years old, she eventually assisted teaching classes and 5 years ago she began instructing her own classes. She loves the dance world and at Dance Arts Centre, Chris wears many hats. You will see her up front as the office manager and in the studio leading our “little ones” through their classes with gentle encouragement as they learn to dance with elements of fun, grace and confidence. Miss Chris creates an experience in her classroom where everyone feels important.

Chrissy along with her husband, 2 dancing daughters and son enjoy their life on their new hobby farm.

Jessica Hobbs

Jessica began dancing as a very young girl and never could get it out of her blood! Coming up through the ranks at D.D.'s Dance Studio, Miss Jessica's love of children and or organizational skills have been a benefit for everyone at DAC. Jessica absolutely loves working with our recreational dancers and our youngest competitive Performing Teams. Always a valued assistant, Jessica began teaching her own classes last season. She encourages her students to learn and grow with her dynamic style. Miss Jessica's attention to detail really showed as her students shined in their recital performance at the end of the year!

Jessica continues to pursue her degree in elementary education. Her biggest passion remains dance and she hopes to instill that passion in her dancers too.

Sebastian Alexander

Sebastian  has 14 years of extensive training in a multitude of dance styles receiving training from many master teachers from all over the world.  He is a winner of numerous regional and national titles and awards as well as scholarships to Broadway Dance Center, Showbiz, Beak The Floor, and more.  He brings all of his experiences to his class room as he instructs his dancers in proper technique as they develop style and performance skills.  Sebastian will leading the boys program along working with our Performing Teams.  His knowledge and passion for the performing arts is translated in his exciting classes.
 
Sebastian has been dancing, singing, and acting professionally since the age of 6, appearing in many commercials and professional theatre productions.  He is a member of the international thespian society and has performed principle roles in numerous ballets, musicals and plays.  As a professional Musician, Sebastian had the opportunity to perform lead vocals in a series of live concerts with Grammy award winning Jazz Pianist Nachito Herrera and other musicians who have toured with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Janet Jackson, Prince, The Sounds Of Blackness and more.  Sebastian's choreography credits include award winning solos, duets, small groups, large groups, production numbers and two musicals for the Mounds Park Academy Theatre Department.