KRISTINE ANDERSON moved to Wichita from Minneapolis, Minnesota where she directed a Youth Ballet Company. Her choreographic credits include Nutcracker, Coppellea, and Sleeping Beauty, among others. She has a BFA in ballet from the University of Utah and has performed with the Brelsfoard Dance Theatre Co. in Chicago, Arizona Ballet Theatre, and Minnesota Dance Theatre.

NANCY BOGARD is an honors graduate from WSU with a BFA in Theatre performance, and minor in Radio-TV-Film from KU. She has performed professionally at Wichita Center for the Arts, Cabaret Oldtown, Crown Uptown Dinner Theatre, Mosley Street Melodrama, and Music Theatre of Wichita. She spent five years at KAKE – TV as an on-air talent and producer. Nancy is on staff with WCT&DC as a Dance and Theatre Instructor and a member of our Once Upon A Time Players.

STEPHANIE BOYLE has a BA in Art History from Washburn University. Originally from Concord, MA, she studied and taught dance with the West Concord Dance Academy for 11 years. While teaching first and second grade at an International School in Cascais, Portugal, she performed with the Portuguese International Dance Academy.

DENISE CELESTIN, Associate Professor of Dance at Wichita State University, received her early training in New Orleans and completed the MFA in Ballet from the Texas Christian University. She has danced professionally with the Fort Worth Ballet, Fort Worth Opera, and Ballet Met of Columbus, Ohio. She has served on the faculties of the Ballet Met Academy, Otterbein College, and the Ohio State University. Ms. Celestin has participated as a coach for the Fifth USA International Ballet Competition, and has choreographed a wide range of works for ballet and opera. Her special interests in creative work involve an inter-disciplinary approach, combining elements from music and visual arts.

TABITHA DOSSETT has been dancing for the past seven years. She has been teaching for four of those years. She has been trained in Latin and Ballroom dance at The Care to Dance Studio. She also has been competing in ballroom dance for the past 3½ years. SHANNAN GRILLIOT is a former student of WCT&DC having danced here for 12 years. She is a graduate of WSU with a major in Nursing and a minor in Dance. Shannan has performed with WTC&DC, Ballet Wichita, Music Theatre of Wichita, WSU Dance Ensemble, & the Mid- America Dance Theater.

KAITIE HARMON is a graduate of Friends University where she double majored in Musical Theatre and Math Education. While attending Friends, she was also a member of the Singing Quakers. Kaitie has been performing since 1990. In the last year, she has performed for the Wichita Center for the Arts and the Once Upon A Time Players at WCT&DC. She is a teacher for USD 259. This is her sixth year to teach at WCT & DC.

ANDREW HIGGINS has been Ballroom Dancing for the last four years and absolutely loves it. He has trained with top world professionals and continues to train with Care To Dance Dance Studio. He is qualified to teach 16 different ballroom dances and incorporates many of these into his classes. Andrew has and continues to dance professionally.

SUZIE JESTER is a graduate of Butler Community College where she majored in Elementary Education and received a dance scholarship. She has been studying dance for the last 16 years and plans on attending WSU in the fall to continue her education.

HEATHER JOURNELL is a professional actress and singer, who has performed in several theatres in Wichita, including Wichita Center for the Arts, Big Mike’s Little Theatre, and Wichita Children’s Theatre. She has studied theatre and music at Butler Community College and Stetson University. This is Heather’s second year teaching for WCT&DC.

BRENDA LAWTON earned her undergraduate degree in theatre and music from Northwestern University and an MFA in theatre arts from the University of Iowa. She has 16 years experience teaching children’s theatre. Before joining the faculty of WCT&DC in 1998, she taught at the Children’s Theatre of Western Springs in the Chicago area, working with students to create original dramas. She has also performed at theatres in Iowa and Chicago.

ALYSSA MARTIN has been dancing at WCT for the past 5 years. This is her first year teaching but she has assisted classes before this year. She is currently attending Wichita State University pursuing a degree in pre-nursing and continuing to study dance.

AMY MENAS earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Wichita State University. She performed extensively with WSU Opera Theatre and also in local Wichita theatres. She sang as a chorus member with the Wichita Symphony Chorus as well as a soloist with the Wichita Chorale Society. Amy has taught private voice lessons for over 20 years. She taught PK-8th grade vocal music for the Catholic Diocese school system for the last three years and continues to work as a private vocal coach and teacher.

JOICE PASSOS has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from SUNY at Buffalo. She also received her certification from Dance Master’s of America “Teacher’s Training School” to teach in all disciplines. Past performance credits include “Swing!”, “Steel Pier”, “Walt Disney World”, Sesame Street Live’s “Elmo’s Coloring Book” National Tour, and Broadway’s “Evita” North American Tour to name a few. She is pleased to work with young people and share her experiences in dance and theatre with them in classes and shows as well.

KAITIE SPARKS is currently a sophomore at WSU where she is on the Shockette dance team. She has danced since the age of 6 and has studied with Brandon Swaney, Adrianne Canterna and Kacy Combs. She has competed nationally and hopes to continue teaching, choreographing and performing well into the future.

JULIE STAM, a native of Illinois, is a graduate of Butler County Community College with an Associate in Arts Degree. While at Butler, she was a member of their dance team and Headliners show choir, serving as their dance captain. Before arriving in Kansas, Julie had studied dance and performance for fifteen years. She currently plays French horn in the CCC orchestra. She has choreographed for various community theaters; show choirs, churches, and pageants. She has also done some private teaching.

SARAH WALDEN earned her BFA in Dance from Wichita State University. She began ballet training at the age of 6 and continued her training as a guest high school student with the dance program at WSU. She has performed with the Wichita Children’s Dance Festival, Kansas Dance Festival, and Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre. She has performed in numerous Nutcracker productions and spring ballets with Metropolitan Ballet Wichita, Nancy Hervey School of Ballet, Ballet Wichita, and Friends University. She has also taught and choreographed for several studios.