Teacher Bios
Heather Heupel
Ms. Heather has trained in the Cecchetti method of ballet training for the past 28 years. These years have included training under the direction of Mrs. Susan Robbins and attending many workshops and seminars with fine instructors. She has completed five examinations that allow her to teach the Italian Classical Ballet Method under the Cecchetti Council of America. She has completed testing in ballet, tap, and jazz to become a member of the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters.
Having danced from early childhood through college, she has studied ballet, tap, and jazz from various teachers throughout America. As a student, she has passed student exams I-V in the Cecchetti method. She continues her dance education by attending workshops and taking Cecchetti exams. She is a graduate of Dickinson State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and Music.
She is a member of the Cecchetti Council of America and the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters. She is also a member of the Northern Plains Cecchetti Council Committee.
Heather will be teaching ballet, tap, jazz, and all Cecchetti classes at the Academy.
Carolyn Freer
Ms. Carolyn moved to North Dakota from Oregon in 1996. Since then, she and her husband have had three wonderful kids - a daughter and two sons. She has been a full-time daycare provider since 2004 and has achieved her preschool Child Development Associate credential. She has been a dance mom since 2012 and started taking Adult Tap in 2013. She is excited to teach the Tap 1V and VII classes this year.
Kayla Kilwein
Ms. Kayla is a former Academy of Dance student from childhood through most of high school. She graduated from Northern Colorado with a degree in Opera Music and Dance, where she focused on ballet, modern, and jazz. While in Colorado, she performed with Monte Black Dances and the Canyon Concert Ballet of Fort Collins. She currently teaches music at Prairie Rose Elementary School. Miss Kayla will be teaching Ballet V, Tap V and Toning.
Cassi Leintz
Ms. Cassi attended the Academy of Dance in junior high and high school, taking her Cecchitti student exams through Grade III. She also danced on the DHS dance team for four years, serving as a choreographer and captain her senior year. Cassi was accepted to complete the Radio City Rockette summer intensive and attended two Chicago National Association of Dance Masters summer intensives. She studied dance (modern, ballet, jazz, and hip hop) and economics at the University of Minnesota. Cassi recently coached jazz/hip hop with Just for Kix. She is in her sixth year with American Bank Center, working as the Lead Credit Analyst. Cassi will be teaching Ballet IV, Hip Hop II and III.
Diana Personne
Ms. Diana taught upper level ballet and pointe classes a few years ago and is back this year to teach pre-pointe and pointe classes. She was trained in Walnut Creek, CA at the Ballet School and performed with the school's Ballet Joyeux. She was accepted into the San Francisco Ballet Professional Program. She has her Grade 1 teachers exam in the Cecchetti method. Ms. Diana will be teaching all Pre-Point and Pointe classes.
Amelee Olin
Miss Amelee has been dancing at the Academy of Dance for 13 years where she has taken ballet, tap, pointe, jazz, and modern. She is currently studying Grade 5 of Cecchetti. This spring, she will graduate from Dickinson High School and hopes to attend the University of Minnesota in the fall for animal science and then veterinary school. Amelee will be teaching one section of Ballet and Tap I.
Becca Simonds
Ms. Becca grew up dancing in Northern Colorado. She was a student at The Dance Factory in Greeley, Colorado where she studied ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, and contemporary dance, as well as competed with the studio's company all over the Colorado area. In college, she danced with a semi-professional, non-profit company called the Colorado Dance Collective where she was a member of the tap, jazz, and ballet companies. Becca has a love of all styles of dance and the different artistic expressions that come from each unique style of movement. She is very excited to be joining our team of teachers and growing alongside our dancers. Becca will be teaching Modern and Advanced Tap.
Zoe Pitkin
Miss Zoe is entering her 12th year of dance at the Academy of Dance where she has taken ballet, Cecchetti, tap, jazz, and modern. She has taken her Cecchetti student exams through grade 4 and is currently working on grade 5. She has also demonstrated for the past five years in Cecchetti, ballet, and tap. Miss Zoe will be teaching Ballet and Tap II.
Ms. Heather has trained in the Cecchetti method of ballet training for the past 28 years. These years have included training under the direction of Mrs. Susan Robbins and attending many workshops and seminars with fine instructors. She has completed five examinations that allow her to teach the Italian Classical Ballet Method under the Cecchetti Council of America. She has completed testing in ballet, tap, and jazz to become a member of the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters.
Having danced from early childhood through college, she has studied ballet, tap, and jazz from various teachers throughout America. As a student, she has passed student exams I-V in the Cecchetti method. She continues her dance education by attending workshops and taking Cecchetti exams. She is a graduate of Dickinson State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and Music.
She is a member of the Cecchetti Council of America and the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters. She is also a member of the Northern Plains Cecchetti Council Committee.
Heather will be teaching ballet, tap, jazz, and all Cecchetti classes at the Academy.
Carolyn Freer
Ms. Carolyn moved to North Dakota from Oregon in 1996. Since then, she and her husband have had three wonderful kids - a daughter and two sons. She has been a full-time daycare provider since 2004 and has achieved her preschool Child Development Associate credential. She has been a dance mom since 2012 and started taking Adult Tap in 2013. She is excited to teach the Tap 1V and VII classes this year.
Kayla Kilwein
Ms. Kayla is a former Academy of Dance student from childhood through most of high school. She graduated from Northern Colorado with a degree in Opera Music and Dance, where she focused on ballet, modern, and jazz. While in Colorado, she performed with Monte Black Dances and the Canyon Concert Ballet of Fort Collins. She currently teaches music at Prairie Rose Elementary School. Miss Kayla will be teaching Ballet V, Tap V and Toning.
Cassi Leintz
Ms. Cassi attended the Academy of Dance in junior high and high school, taking her Cecchitti student exams through Grade III. She also danced on the DHS dance team for four years, serving as a choreographer and captain her senior year. Cassi was accepted to complete the Radio City Rockette summer intensive and attended two Chicago National Association of Dance Masters summer intensives. She studied dance (modern, ballet, jazz, and hip hop) and economics at the University of Minnesota. Cassi recently coached jazz/hip hop with Just for Kix. She is in her sixth year with American Bank Center, working as the Lead Credit Analyst. Cassi will be teaching Ballet IV, Hip Hop II and III.
Diana Personne
Ms. Diana taught upper level ballet and pointe classes a few years ago and is back this year to teach pre-pointe and pointe classes. She was trained in Walnut Creek, CA at the Ballet School and performed with the school's Ballet Joyeux. She was accepted into the San Francisco Ballet Professional Program. She has her Grade 1 teachers exam in the Cecchetti method. Ms. Diana will be teaching all Pre-Point and Pointe classes.
Amelee Olin
Miss Amelee has been dancing at the Academy of Dance for 13 years where she has taken ballet, tap, pointe, jazz, and modern. She is currently studying Grade 5 of Cecchetti. This spring, she will graduate from Dickinson High School and hopes to attend the University of Minnesota in the fall for animal science and then veterinary school. Amelee will be teaching one section of Ballet and Tap I.
Becca Simonds
Ms. Becca grew up dancing in Northern Colorado. She was a student at The Dance Factory in Greeley, Colorado where she studied ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, and contemporary dance, as well as competed with the studio's company all over the Colorado area. In college, she danced with a semi-professional, non-profit company called the Colorado Dance Collective where she was a member of the tap, jazz, and ballet companies. Becca has a love of all styles of dance and the different artistic expressions that come from each unique style of movement. She is very excited to be joining our team of teachers and growing alongside our dancers. Becca will be teaching Modern and Advanced Tap.
Zoe Pitkin
Miss Zoe is entering her 12th year of dance at the Academy of Dance where she has taken ballet, Cecchetti, tap, jazz, and modern. She has taken her Cecchetti student exams through grade 4 and is currently working on grade 5. She has also demonstrated for the past five years in Cecchetti, ballet, and tap. Miss Zoe will be teaching Ballet and Tap II.
