Our Professional Dance Instructors
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Brandi Dreher
Owner/ Instructor/ Choreographer
From Lancaster, Wisconsin, Brandi began singing and dancing at a very young age, learning various styles of dance and song. Throughout her years she has participated in such performing (singing and dancing) groups as The Kids from Wisconsin (2002-2005 member), Melee Dance Troupe, and The Fab 50’s Live Show. She also has performed as a dancer in the opera “Hansel and Gretl” and as a featured soloist in the Milwaukee FADS production of Michael Jackson’s “This is It.” She has such styles of dance as Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Clogging, Theatre Arts, Hip Hop, Ballroom, and Latin. As a ballroom and latin dancer, she was a Fred Astaire National Champion in Fox Trot, Samba, and Cha Cha. She was also named the 2009 Top Female Instructor for Fred Astaire Dance Studios of Wisconsin. She has worked with such professional coaches as Tom Terrien, Jessica Foley, Maxim Chmerkovsky, and Tony Dovolani. As an instructor, Brandi has had many National Champion and National qualifying routines. She also was named a top choreographer at the 2014 Starquest Regional Dance Competition. Brandi has also successfully instructed and mentored a student in auditioning and earning a spot as a principle singer/dancer for Kids from Wisconsin. As an instructor and a competitor, Brandi has found that what she most enjoys about dancing is performing in front of an audience and watching her students grow with confidence in and outside of the dance studio.
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Belinda Lyght
Voice/ Piano Instructor
Belinda has over 25 years of vocal performing experience, with 5 years of vocal and piano instructing experience. Belinda is a 2004 Graduate of Lancaster High School and was the 2004 Recipient of the Vocal Arion award, this award is given to one senior in each Band and Choir for outstanding achievement and received the exemplary soloist award at State Solo/Ensemble for her vocal solo performance. Belinda played the role of Marty Maraschino in The Grand Opera House’s 2006 production of Grease. Belinda has also appeared in productions of Amahl and the Night Visitors and Oklahoma. Most recently, Belinda has performed with the Larry Busch Trio on The Queen of the Mississippi and The American Eagle Riverboat Cruises. As an instructor Belinda has had competitive students qualify for Nationals and place in the Top 10! She is super excited to share her love for music with our students!
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Vicki White
Voice/ Piano Instructor
Vicki White is the proud and hardworking mother of 6 children including Brandi and Belinda. She is talented as a performer and an educator. She has many years of music education experience through working in Sunday schools and as an elementary music teacher. She loves developing the love of music in the youth she works with and has had much success training children in the Performing arts, including members of the KIDS from Wisconsin. Her favorite musical styles are gospel, good old country, and blues. She is so excited to get your child pumped up about music!
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Ashley Harty
Dance Choreographer/Instructor
Ashley Harty is twenty-two years old, and has graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a degree in Biology and Forensic Investigation. She started her dance career when she was four years old, at Dance Arts Center in Racine Wisconsin. She started competing when she was 10 years old. She is trained in Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Tap, Musical Theatre, Modern, and a little bit of Ballroom. Dance for her has always been something that she could turn to when she just wants to get away from everything. Her favorite style of dance is Contemporary because you really get to use not only your skills, but you get to use your emotion as well. This past year she had the privilege of attending Gotta Dance in the High School Line Class and she believes that everyone was so welcoming to her. She knew she found another family to be apart of. This year along with taking class she will be teaching a technique class, a pointe class, and helping with anything else she can. She is so excited to be a part of such an amazing studio, faculty, and family.
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Ana Durrenberger
Dance Choreographer/ Instructor
Ana is twenty-two and has recently graduated from University of Wisconsin- Platteville with her degree in Psychology. She will be attending graduate school to pursue her M.S.Ed and Ed.S degrees. She has been dancing since the age of five and is trained in numerous styles including contemporary, lyrical, tap, hip-hop, ballroom, modern, musical theater and jazz. She loves dancing as Ana views this art form as a way to step into the studio and express yourself through both hard-hitting and smooth variations of dance styles. Besides dance, Ana has done more than 25 theater productions in her hometown of Rockford, IL and has helped choreograph many musicals as well. Ana has also been trained in both piano as well as oboe for a number of years. She has also been a part of a Creative and Preforming Arts school in her middle to high school years. She’s very excited to be choreographing and instructing this season alongside amazing faculty as well as preforming alongside amazing dancers!
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Jayce Zimple
Dance Instructor
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Natosha Zinkle
Gymnastics Instructor
Natosha has been active in the performing arts since she was a young girl, including Variety Shows, Missoula Children’s Theatre, Capt. of High School Dance Team, gymnastics, cheerleading, and numerous camps to improve upon her skills. She has performed in numerous settings including State dance competition and the International School in Vienna, Austria. Natosha attended KZ Tumblers gymnastics classes and meets, while also assisting kids with their skills. She eventually moved on to teach ballroom dance at UW Richland Center for 5 years. She has also taught and choreographed dances and gymnastics routines independently at various venues in the Wauzeka, Boscobel, and Fennimore area. Natosha is super excited to be joining Gotta Dance Academy of Performing Arts, LLC and is looking forward to fun, flips, and fabulous-ness!
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Katie Banfield
Office Administration/ Accounting
Katie met Brandi through her 2 years of ballroom classes which she is still taking and enjoys. Now, she is the accountant for Gotta Dance. She received her Bachelor's degree from Viterbo University. Katie enjoys working at Gotta Dance and loves the other staff and the environment. She enjoys watching the students dance and learn as she is working. In her free time, she enjoys watching musicals and everything involved with the arts!