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Ankeny Dance & Performing Arts Academy Faculty
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Meet your Instructors and Faculty
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Ms. Sarah Ferree
Owner/Director of Ankeny Dance & Performing Arts Academy; Teaching Advanced Juniors, Advanced Seniors, and Star Dancers; Director of
the Triple Threat Dance Company
Ankeny Dance Owner/Director Sarah Ferree majored
in dance at prestigious Oklahoma City University after years of studying dance and performing in competitions. The OCU dance
program stresses the importance of becoming a "triple threat" performer; skilled as a dancer, actor, and
musician. Sarah brings that same teaching philosophy to her dance classes. She believes that her students should be
well-rounded dancers, with a broad base of knowledge in all disciplines and techniques of dance. Sarah also enjoys the administrative side of running a dance studio and prior to becoming owner/director
of Ankeny Dance she had been working behind the scenes as a studio manager in addition to her role as a lead instuctor here. She
has been directing and instructing the advanced classes and the Star Dancers competition team at Ankeny Dance since 2003,
and her Star Dancers regularly win top honors in competitions. As the founder,
former owner, and director of the “On Broadway Dance Studio” in Washington, Sarah, like the previous owner
of Ankeny Dance, Connie Jo Wilson, has experience starting and growing her own studio from scratch. Sarah is also a
certified instructor and member of Dance Masters of America. In addition to bringing a wealth of teaching experience
to her position, Sarah is a successful and accomplished performer. She has worked and performed as a dancer and
singer at Disneyland and other major attractions in both Washington D.C. and Oklahoma City. She has appeared in starring and supporting roles in musical theater productions at the
Omaha Playhouse, Des Moines Playhouse, and at Adventureland Amusement Park. She has performed in numerous musicals
including Damn Yankees, Oliver, Music Man, Annie Get Your Gun, and 42nd Street, and has choreographed for them as well.
In addition to winning awards for her own dancing, the competitive dance teams Sarah directs consistantly win
top places. Her students have even earned the honor of their own performance at Disneyland. This year the Star Dancers
are giving feature performances in Branson at the Branson Variety Theater and also Silver Dollar City. Having studied in the
Oklahoma City University dance program that requires students to develop their skills not just in dance,
but also in acting and music, Sarah's ability to continuously produce well-rounded dancers and performers is unsurpassed.
Sarah has studied with nationally known dancers such as Jo Rowan, Steven Boyd, Debbie Dee, and Frank Hatchett.
She continues her education and training each year by attending dance conventions, seminars, and master classes across
the country. She believes the only way to excel and grow as a teacher is to continue learning and
developing her knowledge base and abilities.
Sarah has the qualifications, talent, and enthusiasm to
challenge the abilities of the most advanced dancers in the studio, but she believes that there's a place for every level
of student who enjoys dance and wants to learn. Sarah looks forward to meeting all of you and
helping make the star in all of her dancers shine a little brighter! |
Ankeny Dance & Performing Arts Academy Owner/Director Sarah Ferree |
Ms. Lisa Luiken-Woxell
(Instructor; 12 years on staff
at Ankeny Dance)
Teaching Ballet/ Pointe /
Extra Ballet Classes
Lisa Luiken-Woxell
began dancing at the age of three under the instruction of Connie Jo Wilson. Lisa continued training, after graduating with
Connie Jo, with the Des Moines Ballet School, Central Iowa Dance, Janet Morse, Robert Thomas, Greg Nueman, and Carol Tetmeyer.
Lisa has received regional and national awards as a tap soloist and as a tap duet.
Miss Lisa has performed with the Neuman Project, Iowa Dance Theatre, the Nutcracker Ballet, Dance Olympus,
the Iowa Barnstormer’s Flightline, and as a guest performer at the Edmunds Academy of Fine Arts. Miss Lisa demonstrated
her strong ballet background as she choreographed “The Waltz of the Flowers” for the C.Y. Stephens production
of the Nutcracker and is a proud member of Dance Masters of America. Miss
Lisa has been a dance instructor for Connie Jo Wilson’s School of Dance, Ankeny Dance, the Dancer’s Workshop,
Robert Thomas Dancecenter, and the Newton Y.M.C.A. Miss Lisa has a passion for teaching proper classical technique and form
to young dancers so they may apply it and become more skilled in all aspects of dance. |
Ballet Instructor Lisa Luiken-Woxell |
Ms. Gina Hibbard: Instructor A
very popular teacher with her students and their parents alike, Gina Hibbard returns for her seventh
year of instructing dance classes at Ankeny Dance & Performing Arts Academy. Gina started taking dance lessons
when she was just three years old, and dance has been a big part of her life ever since! Growing up in Waverly, Iowa, Gina worked hard on dance and technique and eventually
became an assistant to her own instructor. Her ability to convey the nuances of all styles of dance and to relate in
the studio setting to students of all ages didn't go unnoticed; It wasn't long before she was promoted to a full instructor,
teaching young people in her home town for several years. Gina's dance skills also earned her spots on dance teams in high school and at Wartburg College,
where she became dance team captain. With that experience under her belt, she was hired as the Waverly Shell Rock High
School Dance Team coach from 1998 to 2000. Ms. Gina
has several years of experience judging in dance team competitions at both the high school and college level, and she has
taught and mentored students of all ages at local Des Moines dance studios since moving here in 2000. She continues to train
in dance and improve her skills, and just attended a week-long intensive teacher-training session in all styles of dance at
Disneyworld in Florida. Gina brings that
wealth of knowledge and experience to her classes here at Ankeny Dance in a way that appeals to students from toddlers to
teens. She is one of our most requested teachers, and she knows how to make learning dance fun as well as productive for young
people. In her job as a Business Analyst at Principal Global Investors in their Commercial Real Estate division,
Gina also leads and mentors a training group and understands how to get positive results with her students in a professional
atmosphere. We are as excited to have Gina as one of our instructors again this year as she is to help shape the
students in her classes into becoming better dancers!
Ms.
Shelley Blok: Young Children's Program Co-Artistic Director; Instructor Shelley Blok brings her great experience, enthusiasm for dance, and a passion for
helping children achieve beyond their goals in ability and character. Shelley earned a degree in Recreational Education
from the University of Iowa where she studied both dance classes and pursued course work in Child Development. Her passion for dance began at an early age, and Shelley first
began taking formal dance instruction at age three. By the time she was in high school, Shelley had already become an
assistant teacher in the dance studio where she grew up. She also taught dance and aerobic dance to students in her high
school's physical education program. While attending college at the University of Iowa, Shelley
taught aerobic dance and tumbling classes in a gymnastics studio. After graduation, Shelley went on to become Corporate Fitness Director for Universal
Gym Equipment in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As the Corporate Fitness Director, she not only managed the employee fitness facility
and administered wellness testing and counseling, she also designed and developed personal fitness programs. At the Universal
Fitness Institute she also instucted internationally, teaching certification courses in fitness and weight training to health
club owners and their employees. Here in Ankeny, Shelley
is active in the Ankeny Community Theater and enjoys volunteering in her church and community. Shelley says her love
for children and watching them smile and shine on stage makes this a dream come true for her. We are thrilled to
have such a talented, vibrant, and solidly-credentialed instuctor on our staff and we know your student will enjoy learning
from Ms. Shelley too!
Miss Theresa Jean Sherwood: Instructor Theresa Sherwood returns
to Ankeny Dance this year with excellent credentials and unbridled enthusiam for dance and young people. Her love of
all styles of dance began at an early age, and she has trained extensively in tap, jazz, ballet and pointe, modern, hip hop,
lyrical dance, tumbling, exercise and aerobic training. Theresa studied dance for 15 years, competed at all levels, and trained
for several years in college as well. She has completed a 300-hour teacher-training program and worked as
a lead instructor in Mankato Minnesota at Dance Express Dance Studio. She also has been a camp counselor and dance instructor
for three years at the Lake Okabojji Dance Camp. Theresa also has trained with Diane Gudat on how to employ the methods
of Gudat's complete course on acrobatics for the dance studio; MS. Gudat is certified by Dance Masters of America
and is a faculty member of the Florida Dance Master's Intensive Teacher's Training Seminar and she has produced numerous
local, state, and national dance and acrobatic champions. Ms. Theresa is excited to be using that training to teach Diane
Gudat's methods in her courses here at Ankeny Dance! Theresa is a 2009 graduate and honor student at the University of Iowa with a
major in Journalism and Mass Communication, but she managed to work in plenty of time in college to promote her
love of dance and dance training. In her junior and senior years, she planned and attended University of Iowa Dance
Marathon community events in addition to working as Director of Operations and planning all events for Greek Week on
campus. We're thrilled Theresa is instructing again this year at Ankeny Dance and bringing her high level of energy and enthusiasm
to our staff of teaching professionals! |
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Lisa
Damman Accounts Receivable Manager Lisa Damman received her Bachelor's degree with
honors from Grand View College and continued her education with graduate work at Northwest Missouri State University.
Lisa was an Accounting Manager at Adventureland Amusement Park, a challenging position where she hired, trained, managed
accounting personnel, as well as prepared financial reports. Since then, she has held a variety of positions regarding
accounting and computer applications, always with attention to detail. She is now enthused to be involved in the administrative
aspect of Ankeny Dance.
Lisa is married to Jeff Damman and has three children. Since 1999, Lisa has experienced
the level of excellence each dancer receives at Ankeny Dance. Both of her daughters have been students at the studio
since they were three years old. Lisa feels the girls' dance instruction continues to be instrumental in their
development of teamwork, responsibility, physical wellness, and self-confidence skills.
If you have questions
about billing issues, Lisa will get you the answers you need to know!
Kristin Melcher Studio
Coordinator Kristin Melcher
possesses years of professional training and experience working with educational and academic programs, young people, and
parents. Kristin received her B.S. in Elementary Education and Mathematical Sciences from the University of Iowa and has taught
in public and private educational venues for more than 15 years. She still works as a substitute teacher in the Ankeny school district, so some Ankeny Dance students
might have enjoyed having Mrs. Melcher as their instructor from time to time. (If so, you can still bring an apple for the
teacher!) Kristin also is highly regarded as an instructor of teachers, and has trained university student teachers and practicum
students and also performed in-service training in staff technology. She and her husband Kevin have two children, who both take classes at Ankeny Dance. Kristin enjoys volunteering
to assist with children's programs in the community, at church, and has worked as an AWANA secretary for three years. We're thrilled to have her coordinating our schedules
and policies, and working as your contact for any questions you might have about class offerings and events. Kristin does
a great job keeping everything running smoothly at Ankeny Dance!
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