Holly Farnsworth Schramm is a native of Minnesota. She received an Associate Arts Degree in Dance from Stephen’s College in Columbia, Missouri in 1981, and a B.S. in Dance Education from the University of Minnesota in 1985. She performed with the Rezone Dancers in 1983 and was an understudy for The Minnesota Jazz Dance Company in 1985. She went on to be a founding member of Ballet Harren, where
she performed prolifically from 1985-1989 under the direction of William (Bill) Harren. It was a dream come true.

Holly taught dance as an artist in residence in 1989-90, as well as modern and jazz dance in various capacities, throughout her dance career. She was a founding member of the Dance Educators Coalition and curated the choreographer’s evening in 1989. Holly created and produced her own work as well as performed with a variety of independent artists throughout her professional career. She received two
Dancer Pool Grants from the Minnesota Dance Alliance.

While serving on the board of directors for the Minnesota Dance Alliance in 1991-92, Holly fell in love with the work of McKnight Fellowship recipients Kari Margolis and Tony Brown. In 1993, Holly began studying with Kari Margolis and went on to become a company member. Holly performed with Margolis Brown Company till 1997. Another dream came true.

In 2003 Holly had her first introduction to yoga. She completed her 200 and 500 hour trainings through the Minneapolis Yoga Center in 2007 and 2014 respectively. Holly has been teaching a wide range of yoga since 2007. She currently teaches classes, workshops, and in the teacher training program at The Minneapolis Yoga Retreat. You can find out more about Holly’s offerings at Hollyschrammyoga.com Holly is also a Reiki Master and ambassador of the Love Peace project.

Julia Tehven Sutton began her professional career with Minnesota Dance Theatre under the Artistic Director and Founder Loyce Houlton, performing in many of her original works as well as ballets of renowned choreographers such as Balanchine, Glen Tetley, Frederick Ashton, Petipa and Michael Fokine. In 1988 Julia joined Myron Johnson’s Ballet of the Dolls dancing in countless original works including the Children’s Theatre productions of Beatrix Potter and Worn Out Dancing Shoes (based on the 12 Dancing Princesses by the Brothers Grimm). Julia has also danced with James Sewell Ballet, Minnesota Opera, Chanhassen Dinner Theater and acted in the Jungle Theatre productions of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf, The Glass Menagerie and Bus Stop. She has performed with local choreographers and was invited to join Robin Stiehm’s Dancing People for a performance in Ashland Oregon. She has taught ballet at Larkin Dance, Summit School of Dance, Minnesota Dance Theatre,
Zenon and most recently at the Reif Dance program in Grand Rapids, MN. In 2004 Julia was awarded the McKnight Fellowship for Dancers and commissioned John Kelly for her SOLO piece, Mrs. Hamlet.

 Julia now lives in Central Minnesota in a beautiful house on a beautiful lake with a beautiful husband and beautiful daughter, Ruby, and is quite content.

Judith James Ries grew up in Wales Great Britain and was 4 when she started dancing at the Royal Academy of Dance. After moving to Minnesota with her family she continued training at Larkin Dance Studio.

After choosing a business degree at the University of Minnesota, she made her way back to dance when she joined the Zenon Scholarship program where she met Danny Buraczeski.

Judith spent ten years performing and touring nationally with JAZZDANCE! as soloist, principle dancer and company member - one of the best jobs ever! After leaving in 2002 to start a family Judith started her teaching career which lead her to Four Seasons Dance, Shattuck/St. Mary’s, University of Minnesota, Gustavus, Adolphus College, Hamline University, Concordia University and Macalester College.

As a Choreographer, her work has been produced by Zenon Dance Company, Hamline University Dance Ensemble, and Eclectic Edge Ensemble. As Movement Coach her work has been seen at Park Square Theater and the Phipps Center for the Arts.

She joined the teaching staff of St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists in 2009 and has taught Jazz Dance, Jazz History, Jazz Improvisation, Social Dance, Choreography, Musical Theater Repertory and Directing in the Dance and Musical Theater departments. She is currently the Co-Chair of the Musical Theater department and is an Administrative Assistant to the Arts and Academic staff.

“Choreographer Heidi Spesard Noble…created dances that bring us into our leads’
inner lives, Thais, Rob Hubbard, Pioneer Press, (2018) and “able to blend dancers
and singers seamlessly” Lydia Lunning, Rusalka, twincitiesarts.com (2016). Heidi
Spesard Noble is a multifaceted choreographer telling stories through Opera and
Theater.

Ms. Spesard Noble has developed strong relationships with Minnesota Opera and
local theaters in the Twin Cities and surrounding region, choreographing for a
variety of productions including Seven World Premieres. Mid Life Crisis, (1997)
Chanhassen Dinner Theaters, Grapes of Wrath (2010) assistant choreographer,
Wuthering Heights (2011), Dream of Valentino (2012), The Shining (2016), The Fix
(2019) and most recently Edward Tulane (2022). Notable recognition was Artistry
Theater’s A New Brain voted Top Ten Theater Productions by Star Tribune (2019).

She previously danced professionally under the direction of founder Loyce
Houlton, performing classical ballet and contemporary dances. She also appeared
in Loyce’s film Knoxville, Summer of 1915. The next engagements included those
with State Ballet of Missouri, Ballet of the Dolls and subsequently Chanhassen
Dinner Theaters where she appeared in more than fifteen musicals. Her favorites
include Brigadoon (her choreography debut), 42 nd St., Phantom, Crazy For You and
Fiddler on the Roof to name a few.

Heidi holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Ballet from the University of Utah. She
continues to choreograph at theaters and educational institutions in the region.

Gretchen Pick has a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, an MFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin, and is a certified Laban Movement Analyst. She has been an active dancer, teacher and choreographer in the Twin Cities since 1993. The companies and choreographers she has danced for include 45 Chartreuse, Gomez Dance Group, 10,000 Dances, Flying Sisters Theater, Dancing People Company, Sarah Hauss and Megan Flood. She started dancing as a teen-ager in the Youth Movement Company, directed by Stephen Rueff, where she first experienced the model she tries to put into place today – Young people are artists with something important to say, and we are all enriched when they are given opportunities to create work and venues in which to perform it!

Gretchen’s own choreography, along with that of collaborative partner Sarah Gordon under the name of RIG, was showcased at several Twin Cities venues as well as  he Show Off Gallery in Bellingham, WA and the International Festival of Contemporary Dance in Bytom, Poland. Her work has been commissioned by the Walker Art Center, Winona State University and Carleton College.

Gretchen has taught dance and yoga to students of all ages at various schools in the Twin Cities metro area, including the University of Minnesota.

Gretchen came to Young Dance as an Artistic Director in 2000, and has primarily focused her exploration, creation, and performance of dance at Young Dance since 2005. She has spearheaded the development of Young Dance’s All Abilities Dancing initiative, which integrates individuals with and without disabilities across all programs. She has created and performed integrated dance with Gomez Dance Group, Croi Glan Dance Company, Angelique Lele, Dwayne Scheunemann, and Young Dance’s All Abilties Dancing class. Dancing with individuals with disabilities has transformed Gretchen’s understanding and practice of dance. Gretchen is currently the Executive Director of Young Dance and continues to teach classes and create choreography for Young Dancers. 

Yuki Tokuda is a ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher, based in the Twin Cities.
She is originally from Japan and was trained under Mikiko Dei, Hideo Fukagawa and
Jun Ishii, internationally recognized dancers, teachers and competition judges. She
moved to the US in 2000 to continue her training in New York at the Joffrey Ballet
School. Ms. Tokuda has danced professionally with USA Ballet, Peoria Ballet,
Metropolitan Ballet and she was the principal dancer at Continental Ballet for 7 years.
With diverse training in classical, contemporary, modern and jazz, she is an
international guest dancer and collaborator with many companies, including James
Sewell Ballet and Minnesota Dance Theatre. While training in New York, Ms. Tokuda’s
instructors included David Howard, John Prinz, Fabrice Herrault, and Michael Vernon. At Steps on Broadway in New York she was one of the first International Visa Program students. She has, also, trained with Boston Ballet and Connecticut Ballet. She has performed many principal roles, most notably in: Le Corsaire, Don Quixote Pas de Deux, Les Sylphides, Pas de Quatre, Agnes de Mille’s Rodeo, Princess Aurora, Lilac Fairy and Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty, the Sugar Plum Fairy and Clara in The Nutcracker, Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, Coppelia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the title roles in Romeo and Juliet, and Giselle. She has performed at The Walker Art Center, The Ritz Theater, The State Theatre, The Tek Box, The Ted Mann Concert Hall, The O’Shaughnessy, The Pantages Theatre, The Intermedia Arts, The Lab Theatre and Peavey Plaza.

Ms. Tokuda is a faculty member at Minnesota Dance Theatre, Ballet Co.Laboratory,
Community Movement Collective and a certified STOTT Pilates Instructor. She has
taught many master classes in Japan and the US including at Cathedral Dance Festival
and Interlochen Center for the Arts. Her choreography was chosen for Choreographer’s
Evening at The Walker Arts Center and commissioned by Wayzata Symphony
Orchestra, Wooddale Church, Cerulean Fire, Japan America Society of Minnesota,
Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists and Threads Dance Project. She is a
recipient of Minnesota State Arts Board and St. Louis Park Arts & Culture Grant. She is
a co-director with Rie Tanaka of Mirage Performing Arts where their mission is
envisioning, enriching and enhancing both the cultures of Classical Music and Ballet.
She is the owner/designer of YukiTard, a custom dancewear company, as well as, the
owner/instructor of Tokuda Ballet, a private ballet school. www.yukitokuda.com

Michael Casper was born and raised in Rockland County, New York. He began dancing at age 19 at Swarthmore College while getting his degree in English Literature. In addition to taking classes with the Swarthmore faculty, Michael studied dance in New York at the Cunningham studio and worked as an administrative intern for Twyla Tharp Dance.
He moved to Minneapolis in 1989 to be an understudy with New Dance Ensemble. He became a company member in 1989 and was with the Ensemble and Laboratory until its disbanding in 1994. From 1994 to 1997, Michael danced independently with Minnesota Opera, Children’s Theatre, and independent choreographers in the Twin Cities, including the Flying Sisters. He also worked as an independent choreographer. His work was presented at various venues including Choreographer’s evening at the Walker and Studio 2B at the Hennepin Center for theArts. From 1998 to 2001 Michael was dance and movement instructor/choreographer for the Eden Prairie High School marching band color guard. 

In 1996, Michael enrolled at the Minnesota Center for Shiatsu Study and completed Shiatsu training in 1997. After graduating, he began working at the school as a therapist and instructor, which later merged with Northern Lights school of Massage to become CenterPoint. In 2006, Michael completed the western massage training at CenterPoint in Swedish, Trigger Point Therapy, and Therapeutic Massage.

Michael has been a bodywork therapist and instructor for over 25 years. He has practiced in a range of professional settings including the Aliveness Project, Qi Nordeast, the Great Metropolitan Backrub and CenterPoint Professional Clinic. He currently practices at The Wellness Center in south Minneapolis.

In addition to Shiatsu and Massage therapy, Michael has done additional training in Thai Yoga Massage, Cupping, Moxibustion, Tuina, Foot and Hand Reflexology.
In his time as an instructor at CenterPoint, Michael has taught a wide range of classes including Shiatsu technique, Summary session, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Professional ethics and communication, and Special Populations.

Maggie Bergeron is a teacher, choreographer, dancer, and writer whose life has moved from a Northwestern MN farm to boarding school in Michigan to Minneapolis, MN, where she currently resides. She is currently a Senior Lecturer in the U of MN Dance Program, dances on occasion, makes collaborative work for all sorts of performance occasions, and produced and curated a music/movement festival called Hear Here! along with her composer husband Nicholas Gaudette in 2015 and 2017. Maggie is committed to engaging the process of collaboration in her work, and is most interested in a holistic imagining of a performance experience for audience members. Her work has been seen locally at Studio Z with Zeitgeist, the Southern Theater, Red Eye Theater, Walker Art Center and Bryant Lake Bowl and nationally at Interlochen Arts Academy, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and Keshet Dance Company. Maggie co-authored Approaching College with Purpose, a textbook for first year experience courses, and is committed to supporting students making the transition into and out of college. Maggie graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy and holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Minnesota. She is a Licensed K-12 Dance Instructor and holds a Masters of Arts in Teaching.

Abdo Sayegh-Rodriguez (Executive Director and Teaching Artist). Originally from Venezuela, Abdo’s early performing career included both of Venezuela's leading companies: the Ballet Nacional de Caracas and Ballet Nuevo Mundo de Caracas. Coming to the US as a guest artist in 1994, he performed with Minnesota Dance Theatre and later joined the dance company, becoming its Associate Artistic Director. He was awarded a McKnight Foundation Artist Fellowship in 2007. In 2012, Abdo was appointed TU Dance’s Managing Director and has facilitated the organization’s significant growth. He became TU Dance’s Executive Director in 2021. Abdo has been teaching dance for many years and it’s a certified  GYROTONIC® instructor. He is a Trustee on the Board of Dance/USA and a member of the steering committee for the MN Arts & Culture Coalition. Abdo was honored by the Ordway Center with its 2015 Education Award for Excellence in Community Engagement and holds a bachelor degree in Administration from the Universidad Católica Andres Bello in Caracas, Venezuela. 

Becky Stanchfield, born and raised in Minneapolis, has been teaching ballet in the Twin Cities for over 50 years.  Her training started at 4 years of age with Dorothy Lundstrum, and continued with Loyce Houlton at The Contemporary Dance Playhouse (later MDT) starting at age 14.  While there, her teachers included Francoise Martinet, Brian Shaw, Rochelle Zide, Madame Peryaslavic, John Kriza, Scott Douglas, Frank Bourman, Mary Hinkson, Lar Roberson, Glen Tetley, and more. 

At 17, Becky started teaching 5 year olds “contemporary dance” and a year later she was guided into teaching beginning adult ballet. That path continued and expanded for the rest of her career.  While at MDT, Becky taught for 16 years, as well as, being repertory assistant to the company.

In 1982, Becky started teaching at Zenon and Macalester College and continued at both for 30 years.  She also taught at the U of M for 10 years, from1986-1996.  And was a guest teacher at Halifax Dance for 10 summers in Nova Scotia from 1988 – 1997.

Becky is known for her ability to “develop the individual potential of the dancers with whom she works” and has been known to “extend the life of professional dance careers”.  She was awarded the Sage Award for Dance Educator in 2010.

Along with her teaching ballet, Becky has choreographed over 25 community and high school musicals.  She also has done chair massage for 25 years.  Now, her main passion is gardening.