Prairie Admin, Author at Prairie School of Dance

Meet the 2017-2018 Dance Assistants

September 9, 2017 by Prairie Admin

We’re excited to introduce you to the 2017-2018 dance assistants! They are eager and excited to share the joy of dance with your students. Read their bios below and learn more about them!

Ellyse Ferlauto

Ellyse Arlene Geach Ferlauto is in 10th grade. She has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for eleven years. She loves learning new dance combos and doing lots of leaps, tricks, and turns! She also loves math, volunteering at various events, and spending time with family and friends. She hopes everyone has a great year and she can’t wait to see you!

Delaney Giles

Delaney Giles is a junior in high school, and has been dancing at PSOD for 12 years! She absolutely loves the dynamics of sacred and being able to tell a story through dance! She enjoys reading, hanging out with her friends, and playing the ukulele. She cannot wait to meet you and help you grow in dance throughout this year!

Caroline Gugel

Caroline is 12 years old and is in 7th grade. She has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for 6 years and has loved every second of it. Her favorite dance style is tap. Outside of dance Caroline enjoys swimming, reading, and hanging out with friends and family. Her advice to students is try your hardest at every dance class and always use kindness. This is going to be a great dance year!

Emma Heath

Emma Heath is in 10th grade. She has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for 7 years. She loves doing pirouettes and jetés in ballet class! She also enjoys drawing, science, and reading her favorite books. She is exited to start dancing with all of you!

Samantha Heiberg

Samantha Heiberg is in 11th Grade at Eden Prairie High School. You can call her Miss Samantha or Miss Sam, she’ll respond to either! Miss Samantha has been dancing at PSOD for 8 years. Last year, Miss Samantha assisted Boys Hip-Hop and is excited to do it again. You can find her on Wednesday nights teaching kids kindergarten through 6th grade all about Jesus. She is an avid sports fan and will happily talk all about the Twins, Vikings, and Wild with the kiddos. She loves her math and science classes almost as much as she loves Jesus! Miss Samantha is ready to have an amazing dance year!

Maddie Hilligoss

Maddie Hilligoss will be a junior at EPHS this year. She has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for 13 years and this will be her fourth year assisting. She enjoys the intricacies of contemporary and especially loves the rhythmic and musical aspect of tap dance. In her free time, she loves to choreograph, sing and play instruments, doodle/write in calligraphy, participate in theater, go on bike adventures with her family, and find really good food and coffee :). She is so excited to dance with the new faces of PSOD this year and share her love of dance with them!

Abby Jacobson

Abby Jacobson is in 9th grade. This is her eleventh year dancing at Prairie School of Dance. Her favorite style is jazz dance and she likes to hang out with friends and family outside of dance. She cannot wait to meet you!

Josie Koering

Josie Koering is in 8th grade at Central Middle School in Eden Prairie. She has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for eight years. She enjoys the upbeat style of jazz and the unique rhythms of contemporary. Besides dance Josie enjoys playing with her dog, making crafts, or hanging out with her friends. She is so excited to help out and meet everyone this 2017-2018 dance year!

Ellie Kronlokken

Ellie Kronlokken is a senior at Eden Prairie High School. This is her 15th year dancing at PSOD and she has loved every minute of it! Ellie’s favorite style of dance is contemporary because she loves the intensity and sharpness of the movement while being connected to the music. Outside of PSOD, Ellie is a varsity member of the Eden Prairie Dance Team. When not dancing, Ellie loves to spend time with family and friends and do calligraphy on everything. She loves seeing her student’s growth and cannot wait to start this dance year!

Julia McGuire

Julia McGuire is in 8th grade. She has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for eleven years. She loves the complicated rhythms of tap, and spunky style of hip-hop. She also loves spending time with friends and playing numerous musical instruments. She is so happy to be assisting your class and can’t wait to meet you!

Taylor Muhlbauer

Taylor Muhlbauer is 13 and in 8th grade. She had been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for nine years, since kindergarten! She loves to dance to the rhythm and music in sacred, and to express her love to God while she dances. She also loves the upbeat movement in jazz. In her free time, she loves to swim, hang out with friends and family, play the ukulele, find fun crafts to try on Pinterest, speak Spanish, explore new places, and play with her brother and dog. She has also been on a mission trip to Peru with her dad! She is very excited to be working with your children and expressing her love of dance with them!

Anna Nelson

Anna Christina Nelson is a freshman at Minnetonka High School. She has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for eight years. She enjoys the rhythms of tap and the energetic movements of jazz. She also has a love for cross country (both skiing and running), singing/ playing instruments, and spending quality time with her family and friends. She cannot wait to see what amazing things this year has in store for each and every one of you!

Jilly Pearson

Jilly Pearson has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for five years, three of which have been in the performing arts program. This will be her second year as a teacher assistant. Outside of dance Jilly likes to sing, shop, and take pictures. She is so excited about assisting this year, and she hopes all of her students will develop the same passion for dance as her.

Tessa Pemantell

Tessa Pemantell is a freshman at Eden Prairie High School. This is her third year of dancing at Prairie School of Dance. Her favorite dance style is jazz because of all the fun music, leaps and turns. When she’s not dancing, she loves watching movies, being with family and friends, and going to coffee shops. She’s so excited to dance with you this year!

Annabelle Puett

Miss Annabelle Puett is in 7th grade. She has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for nine years. Annabelle loves tapping and creating rhythms with her feet. She also enjoys going on long hikes with her family. Miss Annabelle can’t wait to start a fun dance year with everyone!

Grace Rau

Grace Rau is a junior at Eden Prairie High School and has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for 7 years. She enjoys all styles of dance especially ballet and pointe. Outside of dance Grace likes to play with her cats and hang out with her friends. She is thrilled for the upcoming dance year and is excited to meet you!

Lilly Rau

Lilly Ann Rau is in 8th grade. This is her tenth year dancing, seven of which have been at Prairie School of Dance. She really enjoys doing jazz and musical theatre. She also loves history, her cats, and spending time with her family in Chicago! Lilly is looking forward to a great year!

Lizzie Reardon

Lizzy Reardon is in 8th Grade. She has been dancing at PSOD for ten years! Her favorite dance styles are Hip Hop and Sassy Jazz. She loves basketball, skiing, and spending time with friends and family. She can’t wait to have an awesome dance year with her students!

Cleo Robbins

Cleo Robbins is in 9th grade. She has been dancing for three years at Prairie School of Dance, and played soccer before that. She loves dancing her heart out every dance class, and leaping in jazz class. She also loves to hang out with friends and family, go to her cabin, and go shopping! She is so excited for this year, and can’t wait to see your smiling faces!

Tori Schneider

Tori is going to be a Sophomore at Eden Prairie High School. She had been dancing nonstop for six years, and she absolutely loves ballet and pointe! Outside of dance, Tori loves to draw and play the cello. Tori wants her students to know that they should feel safe and confident knowing that they will learn so much this upcoming dance year!!

Lizzie Stone

Lizzie Stone is in 10th grade. She has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance eleven years. She loves the jumps and turns in jazz dance! She also loves art, her two cats, and watching hockey with her family and friends. She is so excited to spend the year dancing beside you!

Anna Tupa Clark

Anna is in 8th grade at Central Middle school in Eden Prairie. She has been dancing at Prairie School of Dance for seven years. That’s all she does is dance. She enjoys cuddling with her sister, watching the sunset on Lake Superior and taking pictures. She loves meeting new people and making new friends. She recently had the privilege of dancing with a professional company in a production of Swan Lake.

Reflections of Dance Teachers

September 4, 2016 by Prairie Admin

We were able to talk with two former PSOD dance teachers to hear about their experience teaching at Prairie School of Dance! Both of these women were and are extremely influential in building the studio’s technique and passion for moving.

Miss ANNIE MYHRE CHESTERFIELD ~ the very first PSOD teacher!

1. How many years did you teach at PSOD?
I think it was 7-8 years.

2. How do you remember the physical studio space?
I remember it being a beautiful space with a lot of natural light. When I first started the space was carpet. We would take out big pieces of wood for tap class.

3. What made PSOD different than any other studio/school that you taught at?
The focus was put on individual students and we as teachers were encouraged to find the strengths of each dancer. Also, the fact that the environment was supportive, wholesome, and non-competitive.

4. What is one of your most hilarious or beautiful memories?
It was always so fun after the recital hanging out at Sarah’s house; Everyone was so excited from the show. And, meeting and getting to know Christa. We always had a good time together making each other laugh.

5. What is something that you learned from Sarah Quie?
Honestly, Sarah taught me a lot. I feel like she has had a huge influence in my life. She took me under her wing when I was 18 and helped to mold me into a good dance teacher. But more importantly, she saw potential in me and brought out my best traits.

6. What have been other highlights of your dance career/training? I know you danced with Danny’s JazzDance, right?
Dancing with Danny was my absolute dream job!

7. If you had one piece of advice to our teachers or students?
I would tell them to soak up as much info, expertise, life lessons from Sarah! I would also say that you have made a good choice to take class or teach at PSOD because I feel like it was always true to what dance is.

Miss ALLISON DOUGHTY MARQUESEN
9 years and still counting…

1. How many years did you teach at PSOD?
2005-2013…. 9 years, and still returning each year as a guest!

2. What was your first impression of Sarah Quie & PSOD? When I met Sarah for my interview, we sat in the overlook studio. Sarah was so energetic and warm, and was a direct reflection of the beautiful sunshine that was beaming through the windows on to the studio floor. I immediately felt so warm and welcome by the space and its enigmatic director. I’m so glad she hired me!

3. What made PSOD different than any other studio/school that you taught at?
Studying Dance inherently builds character, discipline, self-worth, and appreciation for our amazing physical vessels. Psod goes above and beyond any other studio I’ve ever encountered to foster and nurture these virtues. At Psod, the staff (lead by Sarah’s initiative) gives a lot of thought and effort to every single individual in a class to make sure they are lifted up and made to feel special.

4. What is one of your most hilarious and/or beautiful memories?
One of my favorite parts about being a teacher is watching students grow in to their potential. As they advance as a dancer, they are also becoming more of who they are as a person. It’s very fun to see what students do post graduation, and to see how their dancing helped them to find themselves.

5. What is something that you learned from Sarah Quie?
I learned from Sarah the significance of telling people how much you appreciate them. As one of her staff, I always felt so valued. Her appreciation of my contributions to Psod were always known to me, and it made me love working for her even more. She not only lifts up her students, she lifts up her staff too. It makes for an amazing work environment.

6. What was your favorite dance that you choreographed? why?
There are a few that I’ve really loved but one that stands out is “Remember when it rained” performed by ballet 6 (at the time, the highest level.) Everything from the costumes to the music to the dancer’s incredible commitment to the piece made it very special. I was very proud of those dancers each time they performed.

7. What have been other highlights of your dance career/training?
I’ve been fortunate to teach, study and perform in many places in the US. I feel lucky to have been raised a very versatile dancer, and thus have had the opportunity to dance everything from principal ballet roles to musical theater revue. I was also blessed with the experience of teaching and choreographing for the Chiang Mai Ballet for 8 months. It was an incredible experience to be in such a different culture, and not be able to speak the language of the students, but to have the common language of dance. I was honored by the US Consulate for a piece of choreography I created on those dancers – an experience I will always treasure!

8. If you had one piece of advice to share with our teachers or students, what would it be?
Allow yourself to learn from each experience you have in your life – both in and out of the studio. Doors open to us for a reason, and while they may not always seem right at the time, our experiences help shape us and teach us about ourselves.

Thank You to the TEACHERS that Inspire & Believe in our Students

September 3, 2016 by Prairie Admin

Over 50 teachers have served on the Prairie School of Dance Teaching Staff. Many guest master teachers have also come through our doors. An endless amount of gratitude to the women and men that have served the artistry and growth of this school. “Teachers, you may not see the fruit of today’s work, but you have seeded a lifetime of knowledge.”

Prairie School of Dance has always sought out the best teachers to share the joy of dancing. Our teachers have college degrees in dance and many are actively performing professional dance artists in the Twin Cities.

Teachers of past and present, thank you for your creativity, artistry, expertise, grace, accountability, passion, enthusiasm, joy, and love that you have poured into our dancers over the years. TEACHERS, you have been and always will be the heart of this school.

For every dancer that believes in themselves is a teacher that believed in them first.

PSOD Dance Teachers

Sarah Linner Quie
Annie Myhre
Kim Fischer
Alice Bjork
Christa Hill
Anderson
Brianne Johnson
Siri Knutson
Deb Hetherington
Bernetta Schadewald-Rutledge
Karen Rivet
Tanya Carr
Tara Broich
Berit Ahlgren
Allison Doughty Marquesen
Diana Traughber
Desiree Dantona
Mallory Kling Dykema
Karis Sloss
Andrea Brovold
Megan Wolney Thom
Sarah Steichen Stiles
Michelle Connell
Brenda Jerich
Sonja Hinderlie
Wendy Smith
Emilee Howe
Shannon Corbett
Marit Sletten Green
Tracy Doheny-Erickson
Jenna Ely Dove
Sarah Schatz
Katie Balfanz Anway
Morgan Kirvida
Isla Katz
Mackenzie Martin
Jennifer Mack
Molly Grisdale
Sara Karimi
Renee Starr
Jennifer Bader
Hollie Edlund
Rachel Johnson
Michelle Ludwig
Britta Anderson Maddox
Jennifer Pray
Caitlin Gadel Andersen
Matthew Keefe
Brittany Fridenstine-Keefe
Megan Wind
Emileah Zumberge
Charity Hall
Julia Moser-Hardy
Carrie McCollum Smith
Sydnie Bertrand
Abigail Magalee

Where are they now?

August 27, 2016 by Prairie Admin

Our PSOD Alumni are pretty amazing young women! Our school would be nothing without our students. These ladies committed themselves to excellence and grace every day they walked into the studio. They gave dance their time, passion, and heart, and they inspired the younger generation.
We were able to get in touch with a few of them to see what they are up to now!

If you are an alumni, but not yet connected to us on facebook, contact the school so we can get you included in the PSOD Alumni group!

We are so proud of how these women are using their God-given gifts to serve and shine in the world!

13392100_1332140376813584_223938725482346710_o — All of our students are special to us, yet there’s an incredible gift in sending off those students that dance at PSOD through their senior year of High School. Many of these students danced at the studio for over 10 years. We honor the graduating students with a Senior Solo at the Spring Dance Recitals.

PSOD ALUMNI

1. Brianne Johnson
2. Gina Reamsnyder Vreize
3. Anita Bonnie
4. Laura Peterson
5. Alexandra Erich – Gustavus Dance Scholarship
6. Jena Iverson
7. Ruchi Behl
8. Lauren Cziok
9. Laura Janzen
10. Katie Wicks
11. Laura Barnes
12. Lauren Donna
13. Emilee Howe – PSOD teacher
14. Rachel Katz
15. Amanda Montouri
16. Heidi Schlief
17. Sarah Sindelar
18. Kari Iverson
19. Amanda Lesnikowski
20. Katie Morrison
21. Megan McLain
22. Elizabeth Magnuson
23. Joanna Vermedahl
24. Megan Condon
25. Ashley Gorski
26. Ashley Shipp – St. Ben’s Dance Team
27. Carrie Bratton
28. Allie Schatz
29. Rachel Doyle
30. Natalie Dimond
31. Christina Montouri – Swing Dance Teacher
32. Kaara Hulstrand
33. Danielle Zink
34. Karolina Stark – Gustavus Dance Company
35. Sarah Magnuson – UW Madison Club Dance Team
Senior posters @ Recital
36. Amanda TenHoor
37. Olivia Dengel
38. Maddie Hoy – UW La Crosse Dance Team
39. Laurie Linscott
40. Sasha Warbritton
41. Zeina Zeidan
42. Erin Anderson
We are so grateful for Alumni help at events!
43. Kara Eckberg
44. Maddie Klein
45. Rachel Loon
46. Megan Maguire
47. Christina Solfelt
48. Sarah Thorud
49. Natalie Dimond
50. Lily Askegaard
51. Jayne Heitner
52. Sonja Flancher
53. Madeline Nelson

PSOD dancers then and now…

August 24, 2016 by Prairie Admin

We were able to talk to 2 dancers that were here from the beginning at Prairie School of Dance!

ANNIKA HANSEN danced at PSOD for 12 years!
from creative flowers to Jerusalem

My first impression at age 3 was probably, “Wow! I love twirling!” But growing up I always thought Mrs. Quie was so kind and welcoming.

PSOD really does have a caring, supportive environment, and I engaged with my faith through dance for the first time there.

I remember being in Beginning Pointe class late at night, and my friends and I were unable to contain our hyper over-tired energy, and we literally rolled on the floor. I don’t know how our teacher managed us.

Sarah Quie taught me to thank God every day for dancing!

My favorite dance was probably from the Esther show, actually.It was so cool to feel a connection to this girl who lived thousands of years ago and how she followed God’s plan in her life, and to see how I could too! It was a powerful feeling to engage with God through dance at a young age.

I am currently finishing my BFA degree in Dance from the University of Minnesota and I spent this past year studying dance in Jerusalem.

My advice to current PSOD students: do not be afraid of hard work, but not to forget to find enjoyment and artistry whenever you dance!

I still recall the first classes I learned proper ballet attitudes and tombe pas de bourres at PSOD: real essentials, but even more memorable is all I learned about dancing joyfully and projecting a presence on stage.

EMILEE HOWE danced at PSOD for 13 years!
from student to assistant to teacher

Truthfully, I don’t remember my first impression of Sarah Quie, I was only 6, but she was always enthusiastic!

PSOD is very nurturing and relationship based. Most of my friends came from dance.

One of my favorite

memories was when I had come from a High School golf tournament and the tournament went long. I arrived to ballet class late. My pink tights weren’t in my dance bag so I put on dance leggings. The studio was cracking down on dress code. Miss Allison told me to go into the closet and find pink tights and not to come out until I had them on. There weren’t any pink tights in there (it was all for little kids)…so I stayed in the closet…eventually she came in the closet and found me playing with props and said “what are you doing in here?” ….and I said, “I didn’t find any pink tights in here that fit.” I had to wear the Mary Poppins prop hat the rest of class. We still laugh about it today.

Sarah Quie taught me how to be a gracious and poised hostess and person around others. She always really emphasized etiquette and manners.

My favorite dance I performed was a sacred/lyrical dance called the “Wall” with Miss Christa in response to 9/11.

It has been cool to see the school grow from a student to an assistant in 5th grade, to teaching for the last 8 years. I’ve enjoyed seeing how the school has matured and changed.

My advice to current PSOD students? Really treasure the friendships that you make at Prairie School of Dance. It’s special people that come here. I met Laura Donna here and I was in her wedding this past fall. If it hadn’t been for dance, we probably would have never met.

Dance has taught me so many lessons, but I think one of the greatest has been to always be aware of your surroundings – whether you are on stage, at a business meeting, or out with friends. I don’t think a lot of people pick up on taking in the space and people around them if they haven’t practiced it before.

Thank you, Emilee & Annika for sharing your experiences & for continuing to spread the joy of dance. We have so many amazing former PSOD dancers doing great things with dance in their lives.

Meet the 2017-2018 Dance Assistants

Reflections of Dance Teachers

Miss ANNIE MYHRE CHESTERFIELD ~ the very first PSOD teacher!

Miss ALLISON DOUGHTY MARQUESEN
9 years and still counting…

Thank You to the TEACHERS that Inspire & Believe in our Students

PSOD Dance Teachers

Where are they now?

PSOD ALUMNI

PSOD dancers then and now…

ANNIKA HANSEN danced at PSOD for 12 years!
from creative flowers to Jerusalem

EMILEE HOWE danced at PSOD for 13 years!
from student to assistant to teacher

Quality Instruction in a Wholesome Environment

February Showcase Dress Rehearsal

Dance Office

Prairie Lutheran Studio

Grace Studio

Miss ANNIE MYHRE CHESTERFIELD ~ the very first PSOD teacher!

Miss ALLISON DOUGHTY MARQUESEN 9 years and still counting…

PSOD Dance Teachers

PSOD ALUMNI

ANNIKA HANSEN danced at PSOD for 12 years! from creative flowers to Jerusalem

EMILEE HOWE danced at PSOD for 13 years! from student to assistant to teacher

Quality Instruction in a Wholesome Environment

February Showcase Dress Rehearsal

Dance Office

Prairie Lutheran Studio

Grace Studio

Miss ALLISON DOUGHTY MARQUESEN
9 years and still counting…

ANNIKA HANSEN danced at PSOD for 12 years!
from creative flowers to Jerusalem

EMILEE HOWE danced at PSOD for 13 years!
from student to assistant to teacher