Dixie Rairamo, Director/Educator/Choreographer:
As a student, Dixie Rairamo received most of her early training with Barbara Lotsberg and the Minnesota Dance Theatre where she performed with the Urban Arts Dance Program. In 1981, she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Dance from Kansas State University and was a recipient of a Mistler Creativity Scholarship. Ms. Rairamo began directing the ballet program at JAS Dance Centre in Burnsville in the fall of 1981 and held that position intermittently until the studio closed its door due to owner retirement in 2000. Under the direction of Ms. Rairamo, the Youth Dance Ensemble was created in 1991 as a young performer dance company. A training school was introduced in 2001 to offer young people an opportunity to learn dance in its many forms. In addition to her responsibilities with the Youth Dance Ensemble, Ms. Rairamo continues to instruct and choreograph throughout the metro area. Her work has been seen at Edina, Sibley and Shakopee High Schools.She had the priviledge of working at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in Lee, Massachusetts from 1986-1989. There she worked alongside such greats as Judith Jamison, Mark Morris, and members of the New York City Ballet. Ms. Rairamo continues her dance studies in Minneapolis and New York.
Joanie Mix:
Joanie Mix is a performer, choreographer and teacher throughout the Twin Cities area. She has most recently performed with Carl Flink's Black Label Movement as an apprentice in the 2006-2008 seasons. Shortly after graduating from the University of Minnesota with a BFA in dance, she apprenticed with Paula Mann and Steve Paul’s Time Track Productions, understudied with Shapiro and Smith Dance, and worked with Twin Cities Choreographers Danielle Robinson-Prater, Carrie Lande-Homuth and Eddie Oroyan. Joanie has created choreography for La Vie Theater, Apple Valley High School, the Phipps Center for the Arts Dance Company, and has also created her own works. Her show, Making Dolls, under the company name Rainy Day Cabaret was produced as a part of the 2007 MN Fringe Festival. Now Rainy Day Cabaret is an official dance company led by Joanie Mix and Lindsay Bullock
Jennifer Glaws:
Jennifer Glaws, from northern Illinois, graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in dance and photography from Arizona State University. Prior to college, she was hired as a dancer by Greg Thompson Productions touring internationally and nationally including an American review presented in Southern China. Following GTP, Glaws toured the Southwestern United States with Perry Mansfield Dance Company while teaching jazz, tap, and hip-hop classes for them. Currently Jennifer resides in Minneapolis teaching throughout the Twin Cities area. She has been a guest artist and choreographed works for Apple Valley, Hastings High School, Breck Preparatory College and Zenon Block E Scholarship program. She presently dances with Cathy Wright and Deborah Thayer, and has performed with the Ethnic Dance Ensemble. At YDE Jennifer directs the Contemporary Performance Program and teaches concert jazz and tap. Jennifer's classes are full of energy, concentrating on the full bodied dancer and mover, with a watchful eye on technique and musicality.
Joseph Bingham:
Joseph will begin his second year in the University of Minnesota's Dance Program and will serve as publicist for the Theatre Department's Xperimental Theatre Company. During four seasons with Continental Ballet Company, favorite roles included Russian and Nutcracker in The Nutcracker; Puss 'N Boots in Sleeping Beauty; Spanish in Swan Lake; Work in Coppelia; Fall in Cinderella and the Lead Cowboy in Rodeo. He also served as the School's Office Manager and as an Instructor. Joseph has produced two of his own shows in the Minnesota Fringe Festival.
Kelsey Rehwaldt:
Kelsey started her training at JAS Dance School and later moved to Minnesota Dance Theatre and School where she performed as a corps member in Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy, and in other works of choreography by Lise Houlton. Kelsey attended ballet summer intensives at the Rock School of Pennsylvania, ABT Detroit, Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle and Julliard in New York. Kelsey performed in the Fringe Festival in 2007 and 2008 in Joseph Bingham’s shows, Conundrum and Conundrum Rehabbed. She currently attends the College of St. Benedict and is pursuing a degree in Dietetics. She dances under the instruction of Leigh Dillard and guest company classes. She recently performed in and choreographed for the college’s dance show, Non Sequitur where she had the honor of working with Sean Curran in developing a piece. She has been teaching at YDE since 2005, and considers teaching one of her many passions.
Moira Berg:
Moira grew up in Ireland and moved to the United States when she was 23. In Ireland, she started to dance with the Brendan DeGlynn Dance Academy when she was 8 and continued to dance with him into her late teens. During her teenage years, Ms. Berg qualified for and represented Ireland in the World Irish Dancing Championships. Ms. Berg began assistant teaching with the DeGlynn Academy when she was 14. She also performed Irish Dancing at local weddings and fundraisers, and helped coach local students who were preparing for World Championships.