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Maryann Porter has over 25 years of teaching experience in the Southwest metro area. She is a member of the National Dance Association, Minnesota Association of Dance Teams and is a Certified Head Coach in the state of Minnesota. Maryann is a 4-time High School Conference Coach of the Year and has won numerous awards and honors throughout her career including just recently being named the Minnesota River Conference Coach of the Year.
Maryann enjoys working with all levels of dancers, from beginner to advanced. She is also a Rhythm Works certified instructor and is excited to continue to share her love of dance by making it accessible to everyone! |
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Miss Kallan has been teaching at Rising Star since 2009 when she graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College. She started dancing in a Just For Fun program as a child and then competed through high school. Kallan's ability to relate to her students helps her to motivate them in an encouraging and positive atmosphere. She has enjoyed watching the dancers grow over the years! |
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Miss Kristine got her Academic and Behavioral Strategist special education license from MSU Mankato and is currently and ASD/DCD Special Education teacher in the Westonka school district. She is certified to teach children with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental cognitive disability (DCD), emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD), other health disabilities (OHD), specific learning disability (SLD) and all other physical disabilities. She is also a Rhythm Works certified instructor.
Miss Kristine has been dancing since she was 3 years old, it has always been her greatest passion. In high school, she was a studio dancer and danced in a ballet company. In college, she was a captain of the Minnesota State University Mankato dance team and won a national championship with her team in 2016. She will be starting her second season as an instructor at RSD! |
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Miss Bri has been dancing since she could walk. She graduated from St. Kate's where she danced on their dance team for 3 years. As a mother, with three kids of her own, she can relate to the growing stages of the recreational dancers she teaches. Her daughters dance at Rising Star and is proud to live in Waconia. |
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Miss Cassie’s dance journey began at the age of three, throughout her dance career, she pursued multiple styles of dance. Her love for dance education began at the age of 14 while assisting her first dance class. Since this time she’s been teaching and sharing her passion of dance with both recreational and competitive dancers. Cassie pursued higher education at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where she majored in psychology. While at the university she continued her dance career for all four years. Cassie's favorite part of being a teacher is watching her students grow and enjoy dancing as much as she does. She is very excited for another amazing year at Rising Star! |
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Miss Lanie's passion for dance started at the age of five, and it has been an inseparable part of her life ever since. Throughout her high school years, she showed her leadership skills by participating on the dance team and was captain for two years. Currently, Miss Lanie is pursuing a degree in Sport Management at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Her collegiate journey has equipped her with valuable leadership and management skills, enriching her capabilities in the world of sports and dance alike. She possesses a natural ability to inspire and create a fun, positive environment where young dancers can flourish and learn new skills. |
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Miss Alexa has been teaching at Rising Star Dance Academy since 2019. She enjoys seeing the love for dance grow in others and help teach dancers of all ages embark on their journey of learning and growth. Alexa's dance journey began at the age of three and she honed her skills and leadership abilities as the captain of her high school dance team for a three-year span. Miss Alexa graduated from Concordia University Wisconsin in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in human resource management and strategic leadership. Her experiences have enabled her to not only teach dance but also instill important values of teamwork, discipline, and personal growth in her students while connecting with students |
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Miss Mackenzie started dancing at 3 years old and fell in love with it. She danced throughout elementary school, high school, and college, taking classes at Concordia University, St. Paul. Mackenzie was able to teach dance throughout high school and looks forward to returning to the dance floor. After graduating with a degree in early childhood education, she has spent time teaching in various schools and is excited to join Rising Star where she can share her love of dance and movement with her students. |
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Miss Caitlin began dancing with Chanhassen Dance & Performing Arts Center where she competed in various competitions across the country for 12 years. Focusing in tap, jazz, contemporary, and ballet/pointe, Caitlin has been instructing dancers across the Twin Cities for 12 years. She has also been blessed with opportunities to learn from talented dancers from around the world, including tapper Galen Higgins from Rhythm Circus.
Recently, Caitlin has been exploring Body Percussion, Cultural Dances, and Rhythm Theory, attending summer residencies with IFTRA, Radiant Rhythm Initiative, and Chicago Human Rhythm Project. While Caitlin attended Virginia Commonwealth University for Woodworking & Furniture Design, she never let go of her passions for dance and costume design/construction. She is proud to lend her craft to this fabulous studio. |
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