Faculty


Chloe Barry grew up dancing at Robert Thomas Dancenter in Ames, Iowa. In 2010 she joined the studio competition team under the direction of Maureen McGrath which proved integral to her development as an artist and to her desire to pursue dance as a career. Chloe currently attends the University of Utah as a double major in Modern Dance and Geophysics. At the School of Dance she is a member of the Modern Dance Student Concert Committee, a student group that produces an entirely student choreographed dance concert. Chloe has also had three of her pieces accepted into Student Concert. She has performed solo and ensemble roles in a work by Christine McMillan and in a collaboratively choreographed work by Daniel Clifton and Satu Hummasti. She has supplemented her university dance education by attending the 2019 Martha Graham School summer intensive and the 2021 LINK audition festival. Chloe would not feel complete without also pursuing her interest in the geosciences. She is primarily interested in volcanoes, and how tools from seismology can be used to study them. As an undergraduate she has been working on research on the Yellowstone volcano under the mentorship of Dr. Fan-Chi Lin.


Ellie Barry began dancing at Robert Thomas Dancenter at the age of 4. She joined the Dancenter Dancers competition team in 2010, and continued dancing under the direction of Maureen McGrath until she graduated in 2021. Ellie is currently a 3rd year at the University of Arizona where she is pursuing a BFA in dance, training in a wide array of styles. She has performed in works by Cat Cogliandro, Kevan Sullivan, Michael Williams, Halston Strange, Nhan Ho, Jillian Peterson, and Trent Williams. She has attended summer programs at Kansas City Ballet School, Orlando Ballet School, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Bodytraffic, and B12. Ellie has choreographed two works at UA, both of which were selected to be performed in the student choreography concert. Ellie has a passion for individuality and emotional expression through dance and is excited to return to the Dancenter to teach at Blast!

Sophie Barry danced at Robert Thomas Dancenter for 14 years, and went on to train in the daytime program of the Kansas City Ballet School under the direction of Grace Holmes. While in Kansas City, Sophie performed as a soloist in Paquita and Don Quixote, and in the ensemble of On Your Feet at KC Starlight. Sophie has performed works by Duncan Cooper, Maud Arnold, Christina Burton, Latra Wilson, Caroline Dahm, Francis Veyette, and Jeremy Hanson. Summer programs include the Verdon Fosse Legacy Professional Training Program, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Milwaukee Ballet, Orlando Ballet, and Kansas City Ballet. After 3 semesters at Point Park University, Sophie is excited to be joining the Steps Conservatory this spring. She is so excited to be teaching at Blast!

Ella Bates Training Ballet: Robert Thomas Dancenter, Ballet Chicago pre-professional program, Milwaukee Ballet pre-professional program (currently)

Tap: Robert Thomas Dancenter Contemporary: Robert Thomas Dancenter Musical Theater: Robert Thomas Dancenter

Modern: Ballet Chicago and Robert Thomas Dancenter Summer Intensives: Grand Rapids Ballet, Ballet Chicago

Performance Experience Iowa Youth Ballet: Repertory- Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Fairy Doll, Firebird, The Dream, The Rose Bud and the Butterfly Iowa State Nutcracker: Roles: Mother Ginger Little Kid, Harlequin, Angle, Clara's little friend, Mother Ginger Big Kid, Clara, Rag doll, Tea, Candy Canes, Ballerina Doll, Neapolitan Ice Cream, Snow, Bon Bons, Dew Drop Fairy Ballet Chicago Studio

Company: Dance vision, Nutcracker special Teaching Teaching pre-K ballet/tap/Jazz Teaching elementary ballet/tap/jazz

Awards Regional Outstanding Dancer Runner Up NYCDA 2023


Inger Cooper is a performing artist, choreographer, curator, dance educator, and fitness professional in the Brooklyn area. Upon graduation from University of the Arts with a BFA in Dance and minor in Musical Theatre in 2015, Inger began teaching summer dance programs in Philadelphia, as well collaborated with artist J.E. Kim in her work in|side|out|side|in for DesignPhiladelphia. During this time, Inger began her own project based group, ingercooper|dancers and was commissioned by the Barnes Foundation to create work in Fall 2015. The group has since performed in various shows throughout the Philadelphia and NYC area, including KYLD Inhale, REVERBdance, WAXworks and Triskelion's Comedy in Dance Festival, Triskelion Split Bill Series, and The Craft. Inger has performed for several choreographers including Netta Yerashalmy, Iris Bouche, Jesse Zarrit, Katie Swords-Thurman, Andrea Miller, Sidra Bell, Douglas Becker, and Asya Zlatina. Inger is currently the co-founder and curator of The Craft through The Wandering Barman in Brooklyn, working alongside DD Alumni Stephanie Shin. She is the Head Coach & Community Manager of [solidcore] Williamsburg, teaching pilates-inspired workouts to 500+ clients and overseeing the product and training development of [solidcore] coaches and field managers in the NYC area.


Andrea Holtman is a Los Angeles performing artist who received her BFA in Performing Arts: Musical Theatre, at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Hollywood. Post college, Andrea has taken on many projects in the industry. Some of her favorites include: Shiva (Independent Film), guest choreographer assistant for Jason Derulo video, Catching Up (Specialty Music Concert), and Till The End (Music Video - Choreographer). Andrea is looking forward to some new adventures in the new year; with the release of her podcast: Right There With You and an upcoming television series: Hounds (Post Production). She's so thrilled to be returning to her home studio after such a long hiatus due to the pandemic. What a joy it is to come back to a place where her love of the arts began!


Hallie danced at Robert Thomas for 12 years and was on the Dancenter Dancer Competition team for 10 years. She also danced in the Nutcracker ballet for 11 years. Hallie graduated from Gilbert High School in 2022 and is now a sophomore at the University of Iowa majoring in Elementary Education with endorsements in language arts, reading, and speech while also minoring in dance. This fall Hallie had the opportunity to be featured in a professor's dance portfolio. She also had the opportunity to perform in a piece for a professor's dance thesis.

Anna Kazwell started dance at the age of 3 at the Robert Thomas Dancenter. She was a member of the Dancenter Dancers for 7 years before joining Ballet Des Moines' second company. In 2016, Anna moved to Chicago to study as a member of A&A Ballet's Youth Company, where she performed works by Alexei Kremnev, Mariana Oliveira, and Terence Marling. She was then offered a place in Visceral Dance Chicago's Studio Company and performed works by artistic director Nick Pupillo. Anna graduated from Indiana University High School in 2019 and moved to Salt Lake City to attend the University of Utah. She is now in her third year of pursuing both a B.F.A. in Modern Dance and a B.S. in English. During her time at the University of Utah's School of Dance, Anna has had the opportunity to work and collaborate with artists including Jennifer Archibald, Natalie Desch, Darrell Grand Moultrie, and Satu Hummasti, as well as performing in various student-choreographed works. Last November she worked with FLOCK for their dance film entitled "Distal Places." Anna is involved in the Salt Lake City dance community, having performed in Repertory Dance Theatre's Regalia and fem dance company's Dawn. Anna has attended numerous intensive programs across the United States, including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Gaga/dancers, ArchCore40, Boston Ballet, and Ellison Ballet.

Eva Kellen:

Eva danced at Robert Thomas Dancenter for 15 years, during which time she participated in many programs including the Irish Performance Team, the Iowa Youth Ballet, the Dancenter Dancer Contemporary Dance Company and Stephens Auditorium's "Nutcracker Ballet."Eva attends Drake University and double majors in public relations and political communications. She serves as the president of Drake's Blue Crew Dance Club, in addition to her involvement in a variety of other campus organizations. Eva currently teaches ballet, pointe and tap at three dance studios and has the pleasure to work with over 100 students of all ages, levels and abilities. She also works on Stephens Auditorium's production of the "Nutcracker Ballet" each year, and gets to audition and stage various parts including Chocolate, Fritz and Marie.



After graduating summa cum laude from Lines Ballet BFA at Dominican Univeristy of California in 2015, Liza Kroeschell performed with several San Francisco Bay Area dance companies, including dawsondancesf, Garrett and Moulton Productions, and Bellwether Dance Project. She now teaches dance to over 700 elementary students per week in San Francisco's public schools as a Senior Teacher with the organization Nagata Dance.


Grace Nelson is studying at St. Olaf College with a major in economics. She was a part of Dancenter Dancers for seven years and danced at Robert Thomas Dancenter for 15 years. Also, she was a member of the Iowa Youth Ballet and part of the Iowa State Center's production of The Nutcracker Ballet. Currently, she dances with the St. Olaf Competition Dance Team.


Kate Nelson is a junior at Iowa State University studying Industrial Engineering and also apart of the Orchesis 1 Dance Company. She was a Dancenter Dancer company member for seven years, and danced at Robert Thomas Dancenter for 15 years. Kate was also apart of the Iowa Youth Ballet for ten years.



Michelle Osanya began dancing at 5 years old right here at Robert Thomas Dancenter. She trained in all styles from ballet to tap to hip-hop and really found her passion through her time on the Dancenter Dancer Contemporary Company under the direction of Maureen McGrath. She was able to attend many conventions earning her scholarships to reputable companies in the states and traveled the nation winning many titles and overall rankings. She continued her training with attending programs like TDA Prep, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Alonzo King's LINES Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet Chicago throughout the summers and concluded her time at Robert Thomas Dancenter having performed many lead roles in ballets like the Black Swan and Firebird. Once graduating Ames High in Class of '23, Michelle had the opportunity to choose between many dance institutions to further her training after receiving more than $400,000 in scholarships. This fall, she accepted the offer to get her BFA in Dance at Fordham University and the Ailey School. She is the Representative for her class for the next four years and was selected by the director of the school to be an Ailey Ambassador for the main company. She now lives in the heart of Manhattan, New York, training and working in the amazing Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Facility, and studying at this liberal arts institution.

Lily began her dance training at Robert Thomas Dancenter in 2007. She trained in a variety of styles and was also part of both Dancenter Dancers and Iowa Youth Ballet. Lily graduated from Ames High School in the Spring of 2021, and is now in her third year at Iowa State University. She is pursuing a design degree, while also studying dance through the minor program. She is currently dancing with the Orchesis I Dance Company at Iowa State. She has performed at American College Dance Association conferences throughout the Midwest, and in dance concerts presented by Orchesis I Dance Company. She has choreographed and performed various pieces at these concerts and enjoys the opportunity to learn from her peers and dance faculty. Lily is also currently an assistant for Dancenter Dancers at Robert Thomas.

Stephanie Shin received her early training from Robert Thomas Dancenter in Ames, Iowa and went on to graduate from Boston University with a B.A. in Computer Science and a minor in Dance and Statistics. She has performed at American College Dance Association conferences throughout the country and in various concerts presented by Dance Theatre Group at Boston University. She has had the honor of choreographing works for Dance Theatre Group and has been selected to present her work for the American College Dance Association and "Tiny and Short", a performance at the Dance Complex in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She has danced with Urbanity Underground, worked as a software engineer, and coordinated and led various multidisciplinary arts and site specific performances. Currently, Stephanie is working in the admin office of the Martha Graham Dance Company and dancing as a freelance artist in New York City.

Anna Snyder (22) danced at Robert Thomas Dancenter for 12 year, was on the Dancenter Dancer Company Team for 10 years, and has performed in the Nutcracker Ballet for 10 years. Anna graduated from Ames High School in the spring of 2020 and now attends the University of Iowa in the Honors Program studying Human Physiology and Dance. She performed in the UI Department of Dance Gala, trains in yoga through the dance department, and was elected to the Hancher Auditorium Presidential Charter Committee to advocate for performing arts at the university. In the spring she will continue to perform in graduate thesis and undergraduate capstone concerts before graduating in May 2024.

Create your website for free! This website was made with Webnode. Create your own for free today! Get started