Faculty - Dance Dynamics LLC Plover

Julie is proud to be the director of Dance Dynamics, now in it's fifteenth year! She has been teaching and choreographing all ages and disciplines of dance for the past 26 years. For five of those years, she was also the assistant director for Turning Point Dance Academy. It gives her great pleasure to share her passion for dance with eager students and help them become the people that are going to be. She has also done choreography for Point Dance Ensemble and the Central Wisconsin Area Community Theater. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, with a B.A. in both Dance & Interior Architecture. She performed in Danstage and Afterimages while at the university. She also had choreography featured in several Afterimages performances. While in college, she also performed and attended ACDFA workshops and performed in several student productions. She is an active member of the dance organizations Dance Masters of Wisconsin (DMW) and Chicago National Association of Dance Masters (CNADM). She has attended numerous workshops and studied with many great instructors with these organizations. She also became a certified dance educator (CDE) through them. She is originally from the Madison area where she danced in Wisconsin Dance Ensemble's semi-professional Nutcracker for 10 years in several different roles. Her early training was at Virginia Davis School of Dance. There she learned several dance styles, taught classes, performed at competitions and was highlighted as a soloist in the annual recital. Julie also performed and choreographed for several high school musicals.

Jenna graduated from the University Wisconsin Stevens Point with a major in dance. She has been trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, musical theatre, pointe, ballroom, and hip hop. She was a three year captain of her high-school's dance team, and after graduating she assistant coached and choreographed for the team for three years. Some of her other dance experience includes attending Badgerette Pom Camp, American Dance Training Camp, and Just For Kix Dance Intensive. She was awarded runner-up for Outstanding Performer at the Badgerette Pom Spooktacular, Outstanding Lyrical Dancer at American Dance Training Camp, and the Firecracker Award at Just For Kix. She also went on the Badgerette Hollywood Dance Adventure Tour.
She enjoys teaching technique through the lens of musculoskeletal alignment and anatomical efficiency while also putting a strong emphasis on artistry through dynamics and musicality. This will be her eleventh year teaching for Dance Dynamics and her fourth year coaching for the competition team. In 2023, she was awarded Most Creative Concept and Best Choreography for her competition piece "Arachnid". In 2024, she was awarded the Best Choreography for "Playtime" solo. In 2023, she became a member of the Dance Masters of Wisconsin. In addition, she will also be entering her fifth year of coaching the Ben Franklin/PJ Jacobs pom team.

Jesi grew up dancing at Turning Point Dance Academy & Dance Dynamics and she has been teaching dance with us for 13 years. She has done choreography for several Central Wisconsin's Children's Theater and Playhouse Theatre productions, after performing with them in previous productions. Jesi is Alumni of Point Dance Ensemble, and was a company member for 7 years. With PDE, she performed with organizations such as The Moving Architects in a Dance for Cancer performance, UWSP's The Nutcracker, local schools to encourage the arts in our community, and she has worked under numerous choreographers such as Jim Moore, Melinda Myers, Pamela Luedtke, and Susan Gingrasso. Jesi has loved growing as a dancer and teacher at Dance Dynamics, and is always working to maintain a safe, inclusive, and healthy learning environment for students from all walks of life.

Leslie first started dance at the age of 4 in Hartland WI at To The Pointe. At the age of 11 she moved to 5678 Dance! Studio in Oconomowoc WI where she later started teaching at the age of 15. She has been trained in Ballet, Tap, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Jazz, Poms, Ballroom, Jazz Funk, Contemporary and Theatrical. She performed with a non-profit traveling dance group called Rhythm! Dance Company for 4 years and served as president during her Junior and Senior year. She has been a guest choreographer for Oconomowoc Youth Cheer, Point Dance Ensemble and the Amherst High School Dance Team. She has also attended dance camps such as American Dance Training Camp where she received the “Outstanding Hip Hop Award”, and Sugar and Bruno where she was able to take classes from former contestants on So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With The Stars. In 2019, she helped jump start the Dance Dynamics Competition Team and has been coaching for it ever since. Her production numbers, “The End” (2022) and “After Neverland” (2024) received “Most Creative Concept”. Leslie also received “Best Choreography” for her duet “Dear Future Husband” in 2024 which later became the National Grand Champion at Symposiums Nationals in Minneapolis, MN. In November of 2023, she became a member of Dance Masters of Wisconsin, following in her grandmother’s footsteps. She can't wait to start her 10th year teaching at Dance Dynamics!

Nicholette graduated from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point with honors in 2016 with a Major in Early Childhood Education and Minors in Dance and Special Education. Nicholette received a DMW scholarship in 2011 and has performed in the University’s Afterimages in 2011 and Artsbash in 2012 along with other informal University shows. Nicholette has danced since the age of 3 and is trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, and hip hop. Nicholette has taught dance since she was 16 years old. In addition to teaching dance she also teaches figure skating through private coaching and the learn to skate program in Stevens Point. Nicholette strives to create a safe positive learning environment to help enhance the dancer’s technique.

Carolyn Shaffer is originally from La Crosse, WI where she trained at Misty’s Dance Unlimited in the pre-professional program in classical ballet and modern under Kennet and Larissa Oberly, Amanda Schams, and Debbie White. She performed with Ballet La Crosse for five years before dancing for Magnum Opus Ballet. Carolyn rose thru the ranks at Magnum Opus Ballet and recently retired as a company artist. She has taught dance for the past six years throughout Wisconsin at Misty’s Dance Unlimited, Ballet U LLC, Verona Area Youth Ballet and for various dance intensives and Boys and Girls Club programs. She has had numerous performance opportunities like competing at Youth American Grand Prix, Dance Cincinnati Youth Competition, and attending Milwaukee Ballet Summer Intensives. Her favorite memory on stage was dancing in Coppélia with the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra. Carolyn graduated from UW-La Crosse with a degree in Liberal Arts and Communication. Carolyn holds certifications in Rhythm Works Integrative Dance and CPR. She is excited to be teaching at Dance Dynamics for her second year!

Sydney Kidd is a Wisconsin based dance educator and choreographer with thirteen plus year of teaching experience. She has dedicated her life to sharing dance with the next generation and creating relationships with students that extend beyond the studio. She trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, tap, poms, improvisation, and musical theater. She attended UW-Milwaukee's Peck School of Arts, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Contemporary Dance and Choreography. Sydney was an active performer at UWM and was featured in multiple works. Sydney has been a guest teacher across the Midwest, including on the Brookfield Spartanettes Dance Team in 2020 taking the team to state. She is Youth Protective Association in Dance certified and attends More Than Just Great Dancing (R) Seminars, even winning the "Growth Potential Award in 2024 for her work in the Rising Leaders within MTJGD. She has experience in running classes through Darby's Dancers, a non-profit dance organization for dancers with disabilities. Sydney's passion and enthusiasm for teaching and child development is what has driven her entire dance career. She looks forward to sharing her passion for dance with us at Dance Dynamics! She is joining us this year to teach some classes and work with our dance team.

Paige started dancing when she was three years old at Turning Point Dance Academy and continued with us at Dance Dynamics. She is a senior at UW-Stevens Point, and will be graduating this winter with her bachelors degree in healthcare administration. Paige is also a registered Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in the state of Wisconsin and is certified in Basic Life Support where she works at a local emergency department. Paige has been a class demonstrator with Dance Dynamics since the age of 13 and moved into teaching her senior year of high school. Paige was inducted into the National Honor Society for the Dance Arts in the Junior program in 2016 and in the Secondary program in 2020. Paige has had many various opportunities such as performing in the semi-annual production of the Jazzy Nutcracker. Paige has experience in several styles such as Jazz, Hip-Hop, Modern, Contemporary, and Lyrical. Paige has choreographed multiple successful solos, duets, trios and groups for the Dance Dynamics Competition Team over the past five years. She prides herself in creating a space where all dancers feel included and are comfortable learning and performing. Paige is excited to be back for her sixth and final year teaching at Dance Dynamics!

Abby is a senior at UWSP and started dancing when she was just 3 years old. Throughout her 16 years of dance, Abby has experience in Jazz, Hip-Hop, Ballet, Contemporary, and Tap. She was a part of the Ben Franklin Pom & Dance Team for three years. During her senior year of high school, Abby became a member of the first Dance Dynamics competition team. She was also inducted into the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. Throughout the years, Abby has been a class demonstrator, as well has helped substitute teach at Dance Dynamics. Abby is extremely excited to share her passion for dance and teach the dancers at Dance Dynamics for her third year!

Ally started dancing at Dance Dynamics at the age of 3 and has danced for 16 years. She is a junior at UW- Stevens Point and will be continuing her degree in nursing. She was a member of Dance Dynamics Competition Team and was inducted in the National Honor Society for the Dance Arts. She was also a member of the Ben Franklin Pom & Dance Team. Ally has experience in Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap & Ballet. She has been class demonstrating as well as subbing for many classes throughout the years. Ally is excited to be back for her third year of teaching to share her love of dance at Dance Dynamics!

Genevieve has been training in dance since the age of 3 at Turning Point Dance, and now Dance Dynamics. Throughout these years, she trained in many facets of dance including Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz. She had the privilege to be taught dance under many talented dance instructors, which include Julie Baird, Pamela Luedtke, Katherine Baeten, Whitney Moore, and Nicholette West. As a high schooler, she was honored with the National Honors Society for Dance Arts. She had the opportunity to be involved in Point Dance Ensemble's Annual Production of the Jazzy Nutcracker. In this production, she was given the privliedge to dance as Boo Peep. Genevieve is currently attending UWSP, and is double majoring in both Early Childhood Education and Dance. Along with dance, she also is a Learn to Skate instructor and coach for figure skating.