Summer
Educator
Summer comes to us from Atlanta, GA. She have been dancing for 11 years, 10 of them competitively, winning many awards for her outstanding technique. Summer has also been invited to ambassador and represent competitions and conventions throughout the dance community. To enhance her training, Summer has traveled many places, including California, to be able to experience many teachers and have a broad influence in her dance training. Summer loves being challenged and challenging others. She looks forward to sharing her expertise with the students at Dance Endeavors and allowing their creativity to shine!
Gillian
Educator
Gillian started dancing at 9 years old in Lakeville Minnesota at Danceworks. At 15 she went to Ballet Royale and decided to pursue ballet seriously. At 18 she moved to Missouri and went to the Conservatory of Music and Dance at UM-Kansas City. During her time there she participated in many extra-curricular projects like the March for Our Lives and theatrical collaboration. After graduating in 2021 Gillian decided to return to Minnesota to be closer to her family and return to teaching dance. In her 10+ years of training, Gillian has studied many styles of ballet and modern, as well as Jazz, Musical Theatre, tap and commercial hip hop.
Sophia
Nutcracker Associate Director and Educator
Sophia recently graduated from the U or MN with a BFA in Dance and a 200 Hour Yoga Certification. She has performed in works by and trained under artists including Herb Johnson III, Danial Shapiro & Joanie Smith of Shapiro and Smith Dance, Souleymane Badolo, and Renée Copeland & Genevieve Muench of Hiponymous, Carl Flink, Erin Thompson, and Marciano Silva Dos Santos. She has also worked closely with Madeleine Scott of South Dakota Ballet in Sioux Falls for the last two seasons. She loves to share her passion for dance with people of all ages and abilities. She hopes to foster a meaningful community by meeting each dancer where they are at and creating a safe space that empowers them to push their limits. Sophia is so excited to stage the 2nd annual Nutcracker Ballet as well as teach classes and create competition choreography!
Gwen
Educator
Gwen has been dancing at DE for 15 years! Gwen has been as avid member of the DEIDP competition team performing in groups, solos, duets and trios over the past 4 years. She has earned top honors at both Regionals and Nationals, placing consistently at her performances. Gwen has been actively involved in all DE performances, performing lead roles in both the Winter Show and Nutcracker. She is skilled at all forms of dance including ballet, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, and hiphop. In her spare time, Gwen enjoys playing golf and listening to music. As an assistant, Gwen learned she loved to teach and share her passion for dance and played a vital part in the classroom learning environment. Gwen is so excited to teach this year at her home studio!
Ali B.
Account Specialist
Ali grew up right here in Bloomington, MN. She began volunteering at Dance Endeavors in 2017 and has been an account specialist since 2019. She also serves as the parent volunteer coordinator for winter shows and recitals. Ali has worked in finance for over 10 years and has attended various trainings for financial literacy and accounting. In addition, she has taken basic UFARS training through the Minnesota Department of Education. Her daughters participate in both traditional dance classes and the competition program at the studio. She is proud to be a part of such a welcoming team, and enjoys meeting and interacting with families!
Reece
Educator
Reece was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She spent her entire youth training and competing in dance. Reece attended Marymount Manhattan College and graduated in 2019 with a B.F.A. in Dance, concentration in Modern, and a minor in Business. She had the opportunity to study under some of the best professors and choreographers in the industry. Her studies included ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, tap, composition, improvisation, and dance history. Reece was in the Marymount Manhattan Dance Company where she was able to gain extra performance experience as well as perform at The Joyce Theatre. She has also instructed fitness classes and managed marketing for a finess studio in Manhatten. She is proficient in teaching ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, improvisation, composition, jazz, and acro. She now resides in Minnesota with her fiance and loves to spend time in nature and exploring new places. Her extensive training and passion for dance has led her down many exciting avenues. Reece is currently getting her 200-hour yoga teacher training and travels as a guest choreographer.
Grace
Educator
Grace has been dancing at DE for eight years, four on the competition team. She has earned top awards at competitions including the honor of Finalist for Dancer of the Year! Grace has trained in all styles, but says jazz is her favorite and fuels her passion for dance. Outside the studio, Grace plays tennis and is actively involved in various leadership roles. She is Class President and serves in GirlUp, Spanish Club and Letters of Love (an initiative started by former DE dancers). Grace loves to travel and spend time with friends. She loves the younger dancers and is so excited to be on staff this year!
Juli Caldwell
Owner/Lead Educator
Juli has taught dance for over 30 years, 20 years here in Bloomington. Juli studied many forms of dance, thriving in the study of classical ballet. She studied intensively with Branitski Ballet Company, Andahazy Ballet, American School of Russian Classical Ballet, Fort Worth Ballet, and Minnesota Dance Theatre. She performed in numerous ballets including Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, and Swan Lake and was a dance major at Texas Christian University. She is also an accomplished choreographer of dance performances and musicals, and certified Yoga instructor. Juli teaches all ages and levels with her unique blend of proper technique and a fun atmosphere.
Beth
Educator
Beth's journey in dance began in her childhood when she immersed herself in ballet, tap, jazz, and baton. Although her early dance experience was brief as she turned her focus to studying music, her passion for the arts remained strong. Beth dedicated many years to educating young minds as an elementary music teacher, sharing her love for music with her students. In 2015, Beth rekindled her love for dance by enrolling in adult classes at Dance Endeavors, focusing on hip hop, tap, jazz, and lyrical styles. Beth's connection to Dance Endeavors runs deep, as both of her daughters grew up dancing here! Now, with her children grown, Beth is thrilled to be a part of the Dance Endeavors teaching staff. Residing in Bloomington, MN, she brings her unique blend of musical education and dance experience to inspire and encourage a new generation of young dancers.
Amber
Educator
Amber began dancing when she was four years old. Throughout the course of her studio training, she attended several studios and ended up competing as a part of Hudson Dance Academy's Competitive Dance Team. She also trained and performed with the Somerset High School Dance team. At the age of 14, she began assistant teaching the younger classes at her studio and has been teaching and coaching ever since. After years of studio and dance team training in ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap, kick, and pom- Amber enrolled at Gustavus Adolphus College as a Dance Major, where she was first exposed to modern dance. As a member of the Gustavus Dance Company, Amber performed in student, faculty, and guest choreographer pieces as well as choreographed pieces on her peers. She has also coached for the Mahtomedi High School Dance Team. Amber has worked with all ages in both competitive and non-competitive programs and believes that dance is for everyone! She is so excited to join the Dance Endeavors team this year!
Claire F
Educator
Claire is a Savage MN native. She grew up dancing recreationally and in high school she joined competition. After graduating, Claire continued training classically at Ballet Royale MN for 7 years while performing with Twin Cities Ballet. She attended the Milwaukee Ballet Summer Intensive in 2021. She was trained in Vaganova, Cecchetti, and RAD styles. Claire also trained in jazz, tap, contemporary, character and modern styles of dance. Currently she is a company member with Continental Ballet Company in Bloomington. Some of her favorite roles she has done are Friends and Willis in Giselle, and Life Influence in Pink Floyd's The Wall. In her free time she likes reading, playing video games, and doing nail art. Claire is so excited to be joining the Dance Endeavors team and to be able to share her love of dance!
Educators & Support Staff
Our talented and creative staff includes highly trained, enthusiastic, and positive instructors with background in a wide variety of dance styles. Many of our instructors grew up dancing at DE and have returned to teach after receiving additional training at collegiate and professional levels.
Tara
Educator
Tara began dancing with American School of Russian Classical Ballet and attended summer programs at San Francisco Ballet and School of American Ballet in New York City. In her late teens, she took classes at Minnesota Dance Theatre and became a teacher there. She taught all ages and levels from little ones to adults and beginning levels to company class. For over a decade, she danced in Loyce Houlton's Nutcracker Fantasy and enjoyed soloist roles including the Arabian dancer for 8 years. Tara works as a registered nurse and loves spending time with her husband and three children. She is very excited to return to teaching at Dance Endeavors!
Emma E
Educator, Assistant Competition Coordinator
Emma is originally from Park Rapids Minnesota. She trained in dance for nine years and competed in dance throughout high school. Emma is trained in ballet, jazz, musical theatre, tap, hip hop, contemporary and modern, with additional experience in precision dancing, pointe and acrobatics. Emma has attended intensives with the Radio City Rockettes and The National Dance Association. She also completed the zone trainee program at Zenon Dance Company. Emma is USAG certified in coaching gymnastics and tumbling, and has been teaching dance, and choregraphing and coaching gymnastics for the past 7 years. She will is attending college, majoring in Psychology, and continuing her trainee program at Zenon Dance School. Emma is excited to be the Assistant Competition Director this year as well as an instructor! She can’t wait to continue her growth at Dance Endeavors!
10820 Nesbitt Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55437
Bianca V
Educator
Bianca has been dancing for over a decade, trained in various styles including ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and acrobatics. She danced on her hometown studio’s elite company team as well as her high school’s varsity dance team before graduating. Her dance experiences growing up have instilled a passion for performing, teaching, and choreographing. She is currently based in St. Paul at the University of Saint Thomas where she is a member of the dance club and continues her training in advanced ballet at Macalester College. She has been teaching for two years and assistant taught for 3 years prior. Bianca loves teaching and working with kids and hopes to inspire and lead by example for all of her students. She is beyond excited to teach at Dance Endeavors!
Jessica
Educator
Jessica is a Maple Grove native and started dancing at age three. She started competing at the age of five and went on to win multiple titles and scholarships. She also was a gymnast for ten years and danced on the highly acclaimed Totino Grace High School varsity dance team. Jessica went to North Dakota State University where she trained under the director of the Fargo-Moorhead ballet and obtained a minor in dance. She recently coached dance team at Eden Prairie where she taught and choreographed jazz and high kick. Jessica is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, gymnastics, and more. Jessica just graduated from law school and is a law clerk to a Judge in family court. Jessica is very excited to be a part of the Dance Endeavors team and to spread her passion for dance!
Monica
Educator
Monica was born and raised in the Minneapolis/Richfield area and now lives in Bloomington. Monica is a lifelong learner of many different styles of dancing. She is trained in ballet, jazz and tap and also enjoys learning salsa and various ballroom techniques. After college at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Monica was a member of an advanced adult competition tap group for seven years. Monica has been teaching and choreographing dance to children for over 10 years in studio classes, dance camps and workshops. Outside of the studio, Monica enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters at their family cabin in Minnesota.
Ali R
Educator
Ali, a Stevens Point, Wisconsin native, recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance. She had the privilege of studying under esteemed instructors such as Michael Estanich, Sarah Olsen, Jeannie Hill, Pamela Luedtke, and Amy Beversdorf. During her time at the university, Ali was awarded the Susan Gringrasso Dance Scholarship in 2023, and her choreography was selected to be presented at the American Collegiate Dance Association. She is deeply passionate about personal expression and is dedicated to refining the artistic abilities of each student. Ali is excited to bring her love of the arts to the community at Dance Endeavors!