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The Dance Connection |
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©2005-2008 |
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The Dance Connection Design by OHP |
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Becky Harfst-Owner/Director |
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Grace Chelesvig-Instructor |
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Gracie is back!! She has been assisting with classes since she was in 7th grade and began instructing classes last year. Grace is a dynamic dancer with a dynamic personality and has been with our studio since she was a “baby”. She has competed in several regional and national dance competitions and has won numerous awards with her groups, including high point awards. She was active in high school and was even elected WCHS’s homecoming queen!! In addition to teaching in Webster City, you will be able to see her in Iowa Falls on Thursday’s! Grace is a passionate dancer and we are so glad she is “sticking around” to share her special talents with us!! |
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Renee McKinney-Instructor |
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Renee is returning as an instructor for the third year! Renee is known as our own little “prima ballerina” around the studio. She is a beautiful dancer and has been with The Dance Connection since she was six years old. She has competed in numerous regional and national competitions, winning high point awards with her groups, and has been a familiar face on stage in several productions of The Nutcracker Ballet in Ames. Renee danced with the semi-professional ballet company, Iowa Youth Ballet. In addition to teaching in Webster City, she will also be seen on Monday’s in Iowa Falls. We are so happy to get Renee back so she can continue to teach our dancers to be beautiful ballerina’s and so much more!! |
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Kristin Elm-Instructor |
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Although Kristin is a familiar face at our studio, this will be her first year as our Tumbling director. She will also continue instructing/assisting dance classes. Kristin thrives on being busy. As well as working at the studio, you can see her working at the WC Daycare, Fuller Hall, and the swimming pool. As a high school senior, she is a varsity Football and Wrestling cheerleader and active in many school activities. Kristin has been dancing at the studio since she was a “baby’ and has competed and won numerous competitions with her groups, including high point awards. We look forward to having this busy girl make time in her schedule to share her wonderful talents with us!! |
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Lee Ann Weaver-Dance Instructor |
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Melissa Van Osdel (AKA-The Oz)-Instructor |
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Melissa came to our studio last year as an adult tapper/hip-hopper and ended up teaching a high school class for us! Which she did a beautiful job! She began dancing in Sioux City, her hometown, and continued dancing at ISU. GO CYCLONES! She was very active in the dance department as dancer/choreographer while attending college and held various offices in Orchesis. She was also active in ISU’s hip-hop club. On top of her busy college dance life she graduated with an engineering degree. Melissa’s “quirky” personality and creative mind is exactly what the studio needs! The Dance Connection will be seeing more of Melissa this year as she is again teaching her high school class as well as some hip hop classes! By the end of the year she will be know as Mrs. Melissa. Yes, she’s getting married! Her “real” job takes her to the Fort Dodge airport and we are glad she decided to make time to share her creativity and talents with us! |
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Joa Hayes-Instructor |
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Joa is the daughter of Ted and Jeri Hayes. She has 2 older brothers, Matt and Brandon. Joa has been with The Dance Connection for 17 years. *WOW* She’s won numerous awards at the National level, including high point awards. In high school, she was involved in cheerleading, show choir, softball, a class officer, Student Council , WCTV, taught private piano lessons and assisted Becky at the studio. She is a 2006 graduate from WCHS and will be attending Central College in Pella this year. She recently was nominated for the 20 under 40 award in the Freeman Journal. This recognized 20 people under 40 who “make a difference” in our community. We all know she has made a difference at The Dance Connection! Even though Joa won’t be seen as much at the studio this year, she will continue choreographing for us. The studio is thrilled to have Joa continuing to share her exceptional talents with us!! |
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The Dance Connection |
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Becky has been the owner and operator of The Dance Connection, Webster City, for nineteen years. She is the mother of Brady, Hannah and Max and wife of Kent. Becky began dancing at age five in Omaha, Nebraska, and studied with professional instructors and at various schools across the country. After moving to Webster City as a sophomore in high school, she continued studying dance in Webster City and Ames, as well as owning her own studio in Eagle Grove. As a graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in Liberal Arts, emphasizing in Dance and Child Development, she was active in the dance department and served as vice-president and president of the Iowa State Dance Company, Orchesis. She was awarded the Anna R. Toman Award, which is an annual award presented to one dance student by the Iowa State dance faculty each year. After college, she toured professionally with Dance Co’motion Dance Company. In 1989, she opened The Dance Connection in Webster City. Since then, Becky and her students have won numerous awards at various competitions, including Best Choreography and High Score Performance awards. She also has choreographed for several shows at the Webster City Community Theatre. She feels blessed to have a job that allows her to dance and to work with children. (Her two biggest passions in life!) Becky is looking forward to this “mile stone” year and making it the “best year yet”! She is also looking forward to expanding her studio to the great town of Iowa Falls and is anxious to meet and work with new students and parents!
Lee Ann started dance lessons at age three and continued through college. She was an assistant student instructor in high school for the Ann Foler Dancers, Leocarto School of Dance, and Joan Newton School of Dance. She majored in Theatre Arts and studied dance for one and a half years at East Carolina University where she took acting classes with Sandra Bullock! She was involved in many theatre productions and musicals in North Carolina, the Minneapolis area, and Iowa and served as a board member of the Webster City Community Theatre. She has worked with kids in many areas including dance, theater, church and a school volunteer. LeeAnn is married to Dr. Rick Unger and is the proud mother of Caitlin, Colin, Annie, and Olivia Weaver and step-mother to Mandy, Heidi and Emily Unger. *WOW* The Dance Connection is happy to have Lee Ann return for her tenth year of teaching our “babies”!