Instructors

Alison Andreasen began dancing when she was four years old and has since had experience in a studio and on competitive dance teams as a dancer and choreographer. She is a degreed Early Childhood and Elementary Educator who has taught in Nebraska, Missouri, and South Dakota. She and her husband have five beautiful children and live in Aberdeen. 

Raelee Bettmann started dancing at the ARCC  when she was three. Raelee is attending Northern State University.  

Greta Beyers began dancing at the age of three. She started dancing at the ARCC when she moved to Aberdeen in 2016. She has been assisting dance classes since 2021. Greta will be attending Northern State University this fall for a degree in business.

Ashton Dennert, TCCA started dancing at the ARCC in 2000. She has passed student Grade I-V and teacher Grade I in the Cecchetti method of ballet. Ashton started assisting classes in 2011. This will be her tenth year teaching.

Kennedy Dinger became a student at the ARCC dance studio in 2004.  Her main interest has always been tap dancing and working with younger children. Kennedy became a dance assistant in 2016 and a teacher in 2017.

Shayna Fernandez started dancing at the ARCC studio since she was 4 years old. She passed the Cecchetti Ballet Student exams l-lll and has assisted with the ARCC for some years. In 2017 she moved to AZ while still enjoying dance. She has recently moved back in SD and achieving her dream as a dance teacher and working with young ones.

Gwyn Fischbach, TCCA has danced since the age of five in the  genres of ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, and character and is a graduate of Johnny Cavelle dance studios. She has passed the Cecchetti Ballet Student exams Grades I-III and Cecchetti Ballet Teacher exams Grades I-II. Gwyn received a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Northern State University. She has been teaching at the ARCC since 1998.

Samantha Fletcher began dancing at the ARCC at the age of three years old. She has been assisting since 2016 and is going into her 4th year as a teacher. Samantha studies business and sports management at Northern State University and is a coach for the Aberdeen Central Dance Team.

Terrina Heyd began dancing when she was four years old at Johnny Cavelle. She joined the ARCC in 2008 and continued through graduation. She began assisting dance classes in 2016 and has been teaching classes since 2018. She loves to bring her gymnastics background into her Acro classes, and her favorite genre is Hip Hop. Terrina is a proud NSU alumni and works at the Avera Cancer Institute in Aberdeen. 

Robin O’Neill, ACCA has been teaching at the ARCC since 2003. She grew up in Tulsa, OK, learning the Vaganova ballet technique from Ballet Russe dancers Roman Jasinski and Moscelyn Larkin. Since moving to Aberdeen, Robin has become accomplished in the Cecchetti method of ballet. She has passed the Cecchetti Ballet Teacher's Grades I-V and is the Secretary of the Northern Plains Cecchetti council.

Kris Orr danced in Grand Forks with Judy Rae Dancers for nine years. She has been teaching at the ARCC since 2006.

Fionna Rigg began dancing at the ARCC in 2008, and she has been a teacher since 2020. Fionna is a student at Northern State University. 

Jennifer Ring, ACCA graduated from the Johnny Cavelle Dance Studio where she studied ballet, tap, jazz, character, pointe, Irish, and modern.  Jennifer continued her dance education in college. She has passed the Cecchetti Ballet Student Examinations for grades I-V, and Cecchetti Ballet Teacher Examinations in grades I-V.  She also teaches dance in the Theatre Department at Northern State University.  Jennifer holds a Doctorate degree in physical therapy, and completed an internship in New York City with the physical therapists at the New York City Ballet.  

Jessie Sommers started dancing at the ARCC in 2003 and continued through graduation. Her favorite genres are Jazz and Hip-Hop. Jessie started assisting in 2018 and is excited for her fourth year teaching. Jessie graduated from Northern State University and teaches second grade in Aberdeen.

Tia Swiontek started dance in 2011 at the ARCC. Tia passed her Cecchetti Ballet Student exam, grades I-V. Not only has Tia participated in various Cecchetti workshops, she also attended South Dakota Ballet’s summer intensive in 2021-2023 as a trainee.