Miss Katie Lievens graduated from Aplington-Parkersburg High School in 2005. She was on the varsity cheerleading and pom team all four years of high school. She received the honor of being an All-American Elite Cheerleader and performed at the half time show of the Capital One Citrus Bowl game. She also made the All-Iowa Drill Team. She has been dancing since 1990 and competed with the Dance Konnection for seven years and won many awards. She has gone to many dance conventions across the country including Pulse, where she took classes from choreographers with the television program, "So You Think You Can Dance". Miss Katie has also had the opportunity to take classes in both Los Angeles and New York. This is the fifth year that Miss Katie has been teaching for Miss Kimi. She has worked with the competition team and has choreographed routines that have won high-point awards. She attended Catholic University of America for two years where she performed on their Urban Dance Team. Miss Katie is a graduate from Iowa State University with a degree in Civil Engineering and is a Certified Engineer-in-Training. She is currently employed as a Right-of-Way Agent.

Miss Jenna Garrels has been dancing with Miss Kimi for 18 years. This will be her fourth year teaching classes, developing choreography, and working with the competition team. She graduated from Marshalltown High School in 2007. Jenna has been a member of the award winning Dance Konnection Competition team, as well as Kimi Kups Dancers. She has gone to several dance conventions across the country including Pulse, where she took classes from choreographers who work with the television program, "So You Think You Can Dance". She was picked for TOP Starz two years in a row, and was also named Miss Sophisticated Productions in 2005 and 2006. Jenna graduated from Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo with an AA degree in Liberal Arts in 2010. She is now a senior at the University of Northern Iowa and will be graduating in May 2012 with a degree in Communication Studies. Miss Jenna is also employed by Victoria's Secret in Cedar Falls.

Miss Katie Sharer has been dancing with Miss Kimi and The Dance Konnection since she was five years old. She is currently 17 years old and attends Marshalltown High School. She has been student teaching for the past two years. Katie is also a member of The Dance Konnection Competition Team. She has received the honor of winning first runner up two years in a row from Sophisticated Productions Dance Competition, she won her category cup award at Talent On Parade Nationals Dance Competition in Des Moines, and the Fosse Award at the International Dance Convention. She has also been a part of many group dances for competition. Katie has attended workshops in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. She has been a part of dance camps in Kansas City and Chicago. She enjoys teaching the students dance and she loves sharing her talent with others and helping to create great dancers. Katie enjoys working with the students and taking class herself. She hopes to carry dance with her through college and hopefully for the rest of her life so that she can keep sharing and performing for others.

Miss Emily Hurd began dancing when she three years old. She has studied with various instructors and has been a member of the Dance Konnection since 2004. Miss Emily has studied all types of dance with her main focus being Classical Ballet. She studied at the Virginia School of the Arts for six weeks in the summer of 2003. She has also traveled with the Dance Konnection to New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, and Kansas City. Miss Emily has won numerous awards as a member of the Dance Konnection Competition Team. She was also a member of the Kimberlee Kups Dancers Performance Team for four years. Miss Emily is currently student teaching in the Marshalltown area and will finish her degree from UNI in December. She is excited to be back to choreograph for the competition team.

Miss Anna Jo Vajgrt is a sophmore at the University of Northern Iowa. She began dancing when she was 3 years old and danced on The Dance Konnection's competition team for 9 years and the Kimberlee Kups Dancers performance team for 6 years. Miss Anna has won many awards including specialty awards at competitions she has participated in. She has attended dance camps and conventions in Chicago, New York, Las Vegas, and Kansas City. Miss Anna loves her job as an assistant at the Dance Konnection and considers students and staff to be part of her family!

Student Teachers

Miss Anna Hurley is a junior at Marshalltown High School where she has been on the dance team for 3 years. She has been in dance for 15 years and has been a part of The Dance Konnection's competition team for the past 6 years. As part of the competition team she has won several high point and specialty awards. She has performed at half-time at the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball game. Miss Anna has attended conventions and camps in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Wisconsin Dells, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and Los Angeles to expand her dance experience. This is her third year as a student teacher and is looking forward to another great year.

Miss Gabee Benson is a junior at East Marshall High School where she plays volleyball and is part of the cheerleading squad. This is her third year of student teaching at The Dance Konnection. She has been in dance since she was 3 years old and has been a part of The Dance Konnection's competition team and The Kimberlee Kups Dancers performance team. She has gone to many dance conventions across the country including Pulse, where she took classes from choreographers with the television program, "So You Think You Can Dance". She has been a part of the Ames Nutcracker, the Iowa Youth Ballet, and has attended the Pacific Coast Dance Fest.

Miss Leiah Luense is a junior at Marshalltown High School and has been on the school dance team and competition tam for three years. This is her first year on the All-Iowa State Dance Team. She has been a part of the Dance Konnection for 13 years and on the competition team for four years. She is really looking forward to her first year of teaching.

Miss Samantha Roseland is a sophmore at East Marshall High School. She has been in dance for ten years and has been a part of the Dance Konnection's competition team for seven years. Through her competition experience Sami has place in the Top 10 at Talent On Parade's National Finals for her solo and in the Top 5 for a duet. She has also received "Judge's Choice" awards showmanship and precision. Sami has danced throughout the country at the Minnesota Timberwolves halftime show as well as attended many camps including the Pacific Coast Dance Fest in the summer of 2011. At East Marshall Sami participates in volleyball, band, colorguard, choir, musicals, and cheerleading. She is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Council, and continues to maintain her place on the A Honor Roll. This is Sami's first year student teaching and she is very excited to work with the dancers.

Miss Alexa Boliver is a freshman at East Marshall. She loves to dance and has been dancing for eleven years. She is active in church and school activities and enjoys spending time with family and friends. She is already anticipating a college future and being able to audition for Iowa Dance Teams. She is excited to be able to share her dancing skills with the students at The Dance Konnection.

Continuing This Year - Demonstrator Program

The demonstrators help the teacher, assistant, or student teachers in the 3 & 4 year old classes.

This year we have Rachel Ernat, Peytience Rice, and Jillian Hicks as demonstrators for our dance program.