WELCOME

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Marianne's journey with dance started in first grade in Springfield, IL, where she danced with the Springfield Ballet, a civic ballet company, throughout high school. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance, majoring in performance and pedagogy from Butler University, graduating Magna Cum Laude with high honors.

After college, Marianne pursued a professional ballet career and danced with several prestigious companies such as Ballet Iowa, where she was principal dancer, as well as Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Lexington Ballet, Virginia Ballet Theatre, and Ontario Ballet Theatre. She also had the privilege of training with the legendary Wilhelm Burmann and Diana Cartier in New York City.

Marianne took over for Betty Jo Schmitt when she retired in 2018.   Marianne runs the studio with the help of her husband, Craig, and is thrilled her daughter, Evy, not only dances at the studio but assists them at the front desk and with social media.

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Shelley has been an integral part of Betty Jo's for many years. She began dancing at the young age of five and has remained a fixture in the studio ever since. Over the years, she has taken on various roles such as dancer, assistant teacher, and seasoned instructor. She has taught over 25 years.  Shelley specializes in teaching young children, jazz, tap, musical theater, and kick.  

One of Shelley's notable contributions to the studio is her creative force behind the Dads and Daughters dance, which many families are familiar with. Additionally, she teaches competition dancers and consistently wins awards wherever they perform. 

Outside of the studio, Shelley works as an interior designer and account representative for a women-owned business. She lives in Rosemount with her husband and three sons.

Lindsay's passion for dance started in her hometown in Lincoln, Nebraska at the age of 4,  where she honed her skills as a competitive studio dancer for 14 years. In San Diego, she attended Mesa College, where she immersed herself in the world of dance, teaching, performing, and choreographing while also designing costumes and lighting for performances. She has extensive training in injury prevention and nutrition for dancers. 

Lindsay has not only prepared for and attended professional auditions and casting sessions as a dancer but has also led and supervised these sessions. She has taught jazz, ballet, lyrical, modern, and tap classes to students of all ages, ranging from 3-year-olds to adults. Lindsay became part of the talented staff at Betty Jo's Dance Center in 2011.  She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and twin sons.

Helayna started dancing at Betty Jo's at age three, eventually making her way to the Platinum Program where she danced competitively for eight years. She attended the University of Minnesota where she trained in Tap and Contemporary and earned degrees in Spanish and Kinesiology. Following her undergraduate graduation, she received a Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology. When she is not in the studio, she loves working in her research lab.  She is thrilled to be back at Betty Jo's as an instructor this season!

Brenna started dancing at Betty Jo’s when she was 3 years old and has had a second home at the studio ever since. Brenna is going into her fifth year of teaching at the studio and loves every minute of it! Brenna was involved in various dance productions at Rosemount High School, both dancing and choreographing. Brenna is a graduate of The University of Minnesota where she studied marketing and sales.  Currently, Brenna works at the Taylor Corporation in sales.  Brenna feels it is beyond heartwarming to teach at the amazing studio where she grew up.

Anna Jo started her dancing journey in 3rd grade at Betty Jo's. Eventually, she became part of the Platinum Program and participated in dance competitions throughout high school. In 2017, Anna Jo became a teaching assistant in the young children's division, where she worked with dancers ranging from preschool to high school. For five years, Anna Jo remained in the assistant teacher program until her current pursuit of dual degrees in Elementary and Special Education at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. These degrees are being pursued through the college of Education and Human Development.   Anna Jo joined the faculty in 2022 and loves her new role leading the classroom and running our fun summer camps

Kelly is absolutely thrilled to begin her second year at Betty Jo's. Her journey with dance began here at Betty Jo's when I was just seven years old, and I continued to explore various styles like tap, ballet, jazz, and competitive kickline throughout my early high school days. Dance has always been her passion, but what truly brings her joy is witnessing young dancers let loose and express themselves on the dance floor!

A little about Kelly beyond dance: Kelly is a proud resident of the Rosemount area.  She is a mother of three wonderful girls, all of whom are part of the Betty Jo's dance family too! When they are not at the studio, they enjoy fishing, swimming, and dancing away in their living room!

Kelly is honored to be a part of this incredible dance community, and can't wait to share my knowledge and passion for dance!

Claire, a native of Savage, MN, has had a lifelong passion for dance. Her journey began with recreational dancing, but in high school, she embraced the world of competitive dance. After graduating, Claire's dedication to the art led her to pursue classical training at Ballet Royale MN for seven years, all while honing her skills as a performer with the Twin Cities Ballet.

In 2021, Claire's commitment to her craft took her to the Milwaukee Ballet Summer Intensive, where she further enriched her knowledge and expertise in dance. Her training spans various styles, including Vaganova, Cecchetti, and RAD, reflecting her versatility and dedication to mastering her art.

Not only does Claire excel in classical ballet, but she has also trained in a diverse range of other dance styles, such as jazz, tap, contemporary, character, and modern. This extensive training has made her a well-rounded dancer with a deep appreciation for the different forms of artistic expression.

Presently, Claire is a company member with the Continental Ballet Company in Bloomington. Her talent and hard work have led her to take on remarkable roles in iconic performances, including the roles of Friends and Willis in Giselle and Life Influence in Pink Floyd's the Wall.

Claire's passion for dance extends beyond her own performances; she is thrilled to teach at Betty Jo's Dance Center, where she can share her love and knowledge of dance with others. Her enthusiasm and dedication promise to inspire the next generation of dancers as she embarks on this new chapter in her dance career.

Megan Halsey has been performing, teaching, and choreographing dance in Minnesota and California for the past twenty years. Her training began at Larkin Dance Studio and she went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from California State University, Long Beach. Megan was an active member of the Southern California dance community as a member of Bare Dance Company, and an instructor & choreographer for multiple studios and companies. After relocating back to Minneapolis, she joined Alternative Motion Dance Company and has been teaching and choreographing in the Twin Cities area ever since. She loves to share her passion for movement and music with her students and has been a part of the Betty Jo’s staff since 2016.

Anna is dancer, performer, choreographer, adjudicator, and teacher from Minneapolis, MN. Anna began dancing and performing in musical theatre at a young age and has been seen on stages across the Twin Cities such as Stages Theatre Company, The Children’s Theatre Company, The Ordway, Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Youth Performance Company, Lyric Arts, and more. Professionally as a tap dancer she has performed with Cabarave, Rhythm Street Movement, Keane Sense of Rhythm, Mick Sterling, and The Big Top Chautauqua Orchestra. She has been on faculty with Omaha Rhythm Weekend, Swinging into Summer and choreographed for Rochester Motors. Anna currently tours the show “Who Brought The Humbug” with Rhythm Street Movement, teaches and choreographs for many studios and theaters around the Midwest as well as judges nationally for a dance competition.

Joanna Heup is a dancer and educator currently serving as an apprentice with Twin Cities Ballet. With extensive training from the Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy, where she completed the Rolando Yanes Pre-Professional Program, Joanna has a diverse background in classical ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop and more. Passionate about inclusive education, Joanna has worked with special needs children through Milwaukee Ballet’s Tour de Force program as well as been in the classroom for ballet, young children’s and summer camp dance education. Known for her choreography skills, high energy, and dedication, Joanna is committed to nurturing young dancers in their artistic journey.

We welcome Ms. Joanna to Betty Jo’s Dance Center.  

Jessica grew up dancing at Betty Jo's Dance Center, where she was an integral part of the Platinum Program, our elite competition dance program. An accomplished contemporary dancer, Jessica has earned numerous awards for her solo performances. After graduating from Eagan High School, she continued her dance education at Gustavus Adolphus College, known for its acclaimed dance program. Now a student at the University of Minnesota, Jessica is pursuing studies that reflect her passion for the outdoors- with a major in Forest and Natural Resource Management and Environmental Sciences. Over the past two years, she has endeared herself to our community by assisting Ms. Shelley with the Dad/Daughter dance. This year, Jessica is thrilled to bring her expertise to our contemporary and lyrical dance classes.