The 2008-2009 Faculty

School Director/Owner Lisa Tuska is the founder and president of the Colorado School of Dance. She has a B.A. Degree from Wright State University, OH, a Professional Dance Teaching Certification from Ohio University, and did her post graduate dance studies at Sinclair University, in Dayton, OH. She has more than 20 years of teaching/directing experience, and continues her education through annual seminars, regional conventions and teacher workshops. She has owned and operated her own studios since 1993 (north of Cincinnati, OH) and has an extensive list of credentials as a dancer, choreographer and teacher. Tuska also is the Founder and Executive Director of the Annual Nutcracker of Parker. She believes her school is a vehicle for her dancers in bringing them together not only with the talents of a professional staff and quality facilities, but giving them true community and opportunity as both dancers and young leaders. Whether their goals are recreational, regional success or professional, Tuska wants her students to come away with impeccable technique, responsible discipline and a positive character that goes with them throughout their lifetime. Tuska's vision and passion for the performing arts is what makes her a successful teacher and leader in the community.

Jody Arnoldi is beginning her 4th year as Acro Director here at the Colorado School of Dance. Her instruction teaches gymnastic skills to the mini/all-stars pom teams, as well as the Artistic Performance Teams, currently competing here at CSD. Jody also has worked the past year with the Rock-a-Doodles program here at the studio. She has competed competitively for 8 years in high school, along with 6 years of cheerleading experience. During college she taught at a private gymnastic school in Minneapolis, MN. She is certified by the USAG for Acro instruction and risk management. Jody has taught here in the Parker area for 5 years. Jody and her family have lived in Colorado for 6 years.

Anika Brackett began dance at a very young age and continued it through her college years. She founded the drill team at Smoky Hill High School and became the teams dance coordinator and captain. Having choreographed several dance showcases for Smoky Hill High School, Anika discovered she was an equally proficient instructor as well as performer. For a period of time, Anika attended Colorado Dance Academy and Millers Dance Studio where she studied Jazz and Ballet. Anika has over 15 years of combined dance experience in the areas of Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, African and Hip Hop. With a major in communication and minor in dance, and sociology, Anika is passionate about teaching others the art she loves and aspires to eventually own her own dance studio.

Samantha Byrne is our Children’s Director here at CSD. Samantha has her B.A. from London University and a Post Graduate Certificate of Education from Oxford University. Along with extensive years of training and performance, she is certified by the British Ballet Organization, and has taught for 13 years. She specializes in Levels I – IV, Ballet, Tap and Pre-Pointe, but is one of the most well-rounded faculty members teaching ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical. She has been with the Colorado School of Dance since it’s opening in 2002.

Amy Colwell is a former dancer with the Hilltop Dance Studio in Kansas City, where she studied ballet, jazz and tap for 13 years, and studied Pointe for 7 years. She loves teaching the younger students and is great teaching children foundational technique and a love for dance. Amy also works with our Rock-a-Doodle program at the studio. She has been teaching in the area for the past 10 years and for the Colorado School of Dance since it's opening in the fall of 2002.

Rebecca Dean is the Ballet Director of CSD's Ballet Department and Colorado Youth Ballet Company. Rebecca graduated with an honors BFA in Ballet from the University of Utah with a teaching and performing emphasis. Rebecca directs the Annual Nutcracker of Parker and the Evening of Classical Ballet Fundraiser. She has directed and choreographed the Snow Queen Ballet, the Wizard of Oz and looks forward to directing Sleeping Beauty in 2010. Rebecca has over 8 years of teaching experience and has been with Colorado School of Dance for 4 years. She currently dances professionally with Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre in Parker. She has also danced professionally with David Taylor Dance Theatre, 7dancers, Kim Robards Dance and Ballet Magnificat! in Jackson, Mississippi. Rebecca’s training includes: North Carolina School of the Arts, Milwaukee Ballet School, Ballet West, New Tampa Dance Theatre, Firethorn School of Dance and Blake High School of Performing Arts. She enjoys dancing the part of Sugar Plum Fairy as a guest artist for the Nutcracker of Parker.

Oleg Dedogryuk is an Artistic Director for the Annual Nutcracker of Parker and Principal Teacher of the Colorado School of Dance. After graduating from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia. Throughout his 20 years in the professional ballet world he danced as a Principal Dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet Grigorovich Company, Leningrad Modern Ballet Theater (Eifman Ballet), Moscow Renaissance Ballet, The National Opera and Ballet Theater (Novi Sad, Yugoslavia), the City Ballet in San Diego, CA, and the soloist with Colorado Ballet from 2001 to 2005. While with Colorado Ballet, he has choreographed numerous works including MIRACULA, SONG OF LOVE, MARIONETTES, ZORBA. He has performed in A LITTLE LOVE, as well as in the roles of Dracula and Lord Arthur in DRACULA, Gamache in DON QUIXOTE and other classical and modern roles. In CSD Oleg co-choreographer ballet of "Snow Queen" where he danced Troll. Oleg joined CSD in 2005.

Brooke Ebel has a four year degree in education. As a former school teacher, she turned her love for dance into a career of working with our preschool students at the school. With a dance background, and further dance teacher training at CSD, she has been both an asset to the preschool program and a nurturing teacher to our students since the Fall of 2004.

Lauren Geist is currently dancing with the University of Denver Pioneers Dance Team. She studied dance for 16 years, and has been an assistant teacher for the past four years. She is a former member of the Senior APT Team and Senior Ballet Company at the Colorado School of Dance. She is a former captain of the Senior Varsity Poms Team at Chaparral H.S., where she graduated in 2008. She is joining the Colorado School of Dance faculty to teach technique classes for our Gold Medal Poms Teams, including leaps & turns, jazz technique and working as a rehearsal director for solos, duets and teams.

Tiffany Lengyel is our Razzle Team Coach. She studied dance with Joan Pelkie School of Dance and Carol Grover Dance Academy in Spokane, Washington, and is a successful dancer, teacher, choreographer and actress. She is a former school teacher, business woman and choreographer for local theater groups. Along with awards for her winning choreography, she is dynamic with children--and they love her! She started teaching with the school in March of 2005. She believes, as does the school, our foundation begins at the preschool level, and these are the stars of today, and tomorrow alike.

Misty Little is a former dancer of Southwest Dance Arts where she studied and competed ballet, tap and jazz for 15 years and pointe for 6 years before moving into the arena of cheer. As team captain for her high school varsity cheer squad, she built a strong, competitive, award winning squad. She has her BFA in Interior Design but her love for dance and for the “little” ones brought her back into the studio. She joined the family of CSD in August of 2008 teaching our beloved preschoolers how precious dance really is. She also played an active role in the Rock-A-Doodles program here at CSD teaching and motivating children to be creative and active. This year she will be expanding her experience to our young hip hop dancers as well as our young poms stars while continuing to introduce the joy of dance to the youngest of our students.

Heidi Nichter is currently Co-Founder, Associate Artistic Director and CEO of Apex Contemporary Dance Theater as well as the director of the Senior Artistic Performance Team at Colorado School of Dance. In 2003 she graduated cum laude from Point Park University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. In addition, she has trained with the Metropolitan Ballet Center, American Ballet Theatre’s summer intensive, and as a scholarship student with Steps on Broadway. Heidi has 14 years of experience teaching and choreographing in many reputable schools in Michigan, Pittsburgh, New York City, Denver, Dayton and Cleveland. Her professional experience includes Xpressions Contemporary Dance Company, The Pittsburgh Playhouse, Dayton Contemporary Dance Theatre II, Kim Robards Dance and Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre.

Christine Rucks is currently a fifth grade teacher in Cherry Creek Schools. She is a former dancer with Canyon Concert Ballet and The North Dakota Ballet Company. Christine graduated from University of Colorado Denver with a MA in Math and Science Education. She received her BA in Journalism and a Minor in Dance from Colorado State University. Christine has shared her joy for dance with children for the past ten years. She began teaching at CSD in the winter of 2007 and is excited to be a part of the CSD family.

Stephanie Schmidt is a baton twirling instructor from Kansas. She has coached local, state, regional and nation NBTA champions. She taught the Hays Twirlette Baton Club for 11 years. She is a former dancer with Jackie Creamers Dance Studio in Kansas where she studied ballet, jazz, tap and pointe for 12 years. She was also a member of Vision Dance Team. She has a B.A. in business administration from Fort Hays State University. She is also a certified baton twirling judge for National Baton Twirling Association (NBTA).

Alfred Smith is ecstatic to join the CSD team for his second year teaching Hip-Hop. Alfred began dancing in 2001 in Salt Lake City, where he trained in Hip-hop dance. Since moving to Denver in 2004, Alfred pursued his dream of training, and dancing in Modern, initially with Kim Robards Modern Dance Company. Now, he currently dances with Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre. Recently founded his own dance company called ,the Hybrid Ensemble, which is a fusion of modern, hip-hop, jazz, african, breakdance, asian...the list will go on....

Joanna Smith specializes in teaching hip hop, poms, and tumbling/acro classes and coaches the All Star teams and Gold Medal Poms/Hip Hop teams. Her choreography has taken first overall and special awards in both hip hop and poms. She has eight years teaching experience and joined CSD in January of 2007. She was a former dancer with the Elm Street Dancers and trained at the McKinney Dance Academy in McKinney, Texas. She studied hip hop, ballet, tap, pointe, musical theater, jazz, poms, cheer, and tumbling. She was also on the High-Steppers at McKinney High School. Prior to living in Texas, Joanna competed in poms and cheerleading for two all-star teams in California as well as competitive gymnastics. She has been dancing for 11 years, teaching for 8 and is currently attending the University of Denver.

Lisa Swensen is one of our assisting Acro teachers. We are so excited to have her with us at CSD. Lisa has competed in cheerleading, gymnastics and tumbling. She also cheered with the Down Under Bowl in Australia in the summer of 1993. Lisa attended Brigham Young University, where she majored in Travel and Tourism. Lisa currently lives in Aurora with her husband and 4 children.

Heather Webb CSD Team Director comes to CSD from Salt Lake Dance Center, Salt Lake City, UT, where she developed the Competition Team Program and directed her teams for seven years. She is a national award-winning choreographer, and many of her students have gone on to perform in cruise lines, acting schools and professional dance companies. She trained under her mother, Jillana Webb, a former dancer with New York City Ballet. Heather has trained at Broadway Dance Center in NY and Edge Performing Studio in LA. She is well skilled in Ballet, Hip Hop, Modern, Classical Jazz and Modern Lyrical, and is a reputable teacher for ages 3 to adult.

Kelley Wick comes to CSD from the Douglas County School District where she has taught in the elementary school setting for the past 7 years. Kelley started dancing at a very young age competitively and continued on through high school and in college as a member of the Crimson Line at the University of Utah, before studying dance at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Kelley has served as an adjudicator throughout the intermountain west, having judged team tryout and dance competitions in Arizona, Utah and Colorado. In addition, she has also instructed Color Guard programs to state titles in both Utah and Colorado. Kelley loves teaching and spending time with children of all ages. When she’s not in the classroom teaching, you will find her in the office acting as the Communications Director of CSD..