“I wouldn’t have my daughter go anywhere else! The instructors are great! They take their dancing very seriously, but they also make it fun for their students to learn.” -GSSD Parent

Christy Sinkey and Stephanie Roth-Bogrett ~ Co-Owners, Grace Studios

Stephanie Roth-Bogrett – Co-Founder/Owner and Business Director of GSSD, an accredited dance educator and a vivacious performer. She started performing at the age of four and began teaching dance in 1983. Stephanie has trained under master teachers including: Ann Reinking, Thommie Walsh, Frank Hatchett, Charles “Honi” Coles, Debbie Dee, Patricia Dickinson, Sam Fiorello, Nancy Cranbourne, Wade Madsen, Scott Benson and Jo Rowan. Stephanie majored in Music Theatre at Oklahoma City University. She also studied at STEPS, Broadway Dance Center and Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre in New York City, Perry Mansfield PAS in Steamboat Springs, Community Dance Collective, Judlyn Maupin School of Dance in Niwot and both the Colorado Dance Festival and the Boulder Jazz Dance Workshop at the University of Colorado. She has performed with the Dickens Opera House, Jester’s Theatre and the Longmont Theatre Company. She has toured professionally with OCU’s Keshena Kids and Jester’s “Godspell”. A select member of OCU’s Chamber Choir, she performed along side Kristin Chenoweth and Destan Owens and toured with Andy Williams. Her stage credits include leading roles in “A Little Night Music”, “Carnival”, “Mousetrap”, “Dames at Sea” and “Godspell”. Stephanie has choreographed and staged many productions including “West Side Story”, “Chicago”, “Carnival”, “Brigadoon”, “South Pacific”, “Grease” and “Annie”. Stephanie has been on the faculty of multiple private dance schools and city dance programs. She is a Gamma Phi Beta alumna, and a member of the Dance Educators of America, the Colorado Dance Alliance and Psalm 121 Dance Org. Stephanie is a passionate and spirited teacher who truly enjoys watching her students grow through dance and performance. Her choreography is clean, classic, dynamic and animated. Her works have been highly praised and recognized at regional and national talent competitions for over 20 years. A proud Colorado native, Stephanie lives in Longmont with her kids Joseph and Mayson.

As Co-Founder, Owner and Creative Director of Grace Studios, Christy Sinkey is an accomplished dancer and choreographer. Starting at the age of four, Christy studied dance and performed with Judlyn Maupin School of Dance, the City of Boulder Dance Department, Dance West, the Longmont Theatre Company, Bantaba, Ellie Sciarra of Women In Tap, and Taps are Talking, Inc., and the University of Colorado, as well as from masters: Brenda Buffalino, Charles McGowan, Eddie Garcia, Brian Friedman, and Tyce DiOrio, just to name a few. Christy has a B.A. in Psychology, with an emphasis in child and adolescent development from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Christy is an accomplished dancer and choreographer and has been teaching dance since 1994. Her choreography is inventive, clean, and age-appropriate; and has scored high and received many judge’s choice and cash awards at local and national competitions. She is also a member of the International Tap Association, the Colorado Dance Alliance and the Boulder Arts Alliance. Before opening Grace Studios, Christy taught pre-kindergarten, then kindergarten at Seven Oaks Academy, ran their creative movement and dance programs; and developed, managed and was lead teacher for the school age summer camps there. Christy is enthusiastic and energetic about teaching. She is a Colorado native and lives in Boulder with her husband David and their daughters Georgia Ryleigh and Carly Gene.

Mimi Ferrie – Lead Teacher is a native of Fort Collins, CO. Mimi trained as a competitive gymnast and dancer in Fort Collins. While in high school she trained and performed with companies such as Impact Dance, High Performance Dance Theatre, and Opera Fort Collins. Mimi graduated with her BFA in Dance from the University of Colorado in 2007. While at CU Mimi performed in over 50 works by students and faculty including Gabe Masson, Onye Ozuzu, David Capps, and guest choreographers Susan Marshall, Rennie Harris, and Kevin Wynn. Mimi recently co-founded Peekaboo Sole Productions, a performing arts organization committed to providing artistic exchange and performance opportunities for artists in the Boulder/Denver area. Mimi has extensive training in modern, jazz, lyrical, ballet, african, and hip hop, anddance pedagagy. Mimi’s classes include a strong emphasis in technique and creative development. She has been teaching with Grace Studios since 2007 and is proud to be a part of the GSSD family.

Kelsey Kempfer is a Boulder Native who received Bachelor Degrees in Dance and Sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She has danced in over 15 CU dance productions, and has performed in works by Helander Dance Theater, David Dorfman, Peekaboo Sole Productions, Susan Marshall, Rennie Harris, Art Bridgman and Myrna Packer, Onye Ozuzu, Erika Randall, Gabriel Masson, Larry Southall, and Nancy Cranbourne. Kelsey has also performed in the gala concerts for the American College Dance Festivals in Montana and Utah. She was awarded the Jamie Kellam Redmond Scholarship and the Talent and Creativity University Dance Award, along with being a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society and the National Scholar Honor’s Society. Kelsey has extensive performance, competition, and choreographic experience and has been trained in the styles of jazz, modern, hip hop, tap, ballet, and West African dance. She is a graduate of Grace Studios and loves to teach there. When she is not dancing, Kelsey is a case worker at Adult Care Management.

Christine Marie Rohde is originally from Madison, Wisconsin.  She graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point with a BA in Dance and also completed a clinical massage therapy program, practicing massage for the past four years.  Christine has danced professionally for Jazzworks Dance Company of Madison, Wisconsin, Rincones & Company Dance Theater of Washington D.C., and as a performing apprentice for Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago which included performances in San Jose, Costa Rica for Jazz Dance World Congress.  From 2005-2009 she performed with Thodos Dance Chicago, including working as administrator of the Dancer Wellness Program and Artistic Director of the Thodos Dance Chicago Youth Ensemble.  Christine’s work “Camarilla”, which premiered at TDC’s New Dances 2007, was selected to be included in Thodos Dance Chicago’s repertory. She recently performed with TDC in Korea for the Busan International Dance Festival 2009. She has performed works by Ann Reinking, Shapiro & Smith, Lar Lubovitch, Eddy Ocampo, Jon Lehrer, Tony Powell, Mia Michaels, Melissa Thodos, Brock Clawson, Billy Siegenfeld, Michael Williams, Nada Diachenko, and Rennie Harris among others.  She is currently attending the University of Colorado at Boulder for her MFA in Dance, where she is a Graduate Part-time Teaching Instructor.  In March, 2010 her solo work “The Box” was chosen to represent CU at the American College Dance Festival in the Northwest Region, including teaching several master classes.  Christine is passionate about education and has teaching experience in a wide range of forms in dance to a variety of ages and expertise.

Kat Gurley graduated with a BFA in modern dance from the University of Colorado at Boulder and most recently directed the dance department at the Berkshire school in Sheffield, MA.  She also teaches at a variety of dance intensives and performs her solo work throughout New England.  She began dancing in Boston, MA at the Jeanette Neil School of Dance studying jazz, modern and ballet.  She has been a member of Skeleton Dance Project, a modern dance company, for eight years and danced in Kissidugu, a contemporary West African dance company, both based in Boulder, CO. She also danced with EBA a modern dance company based in Albany, NY.  Kat feels passionate about the education of the body through dance and has a deep love for dance and all it’s manifestations.  She is very excited to be back in Colorado to teach and dance in the mountains again. GSSD is excited that Kat will be working with the company ballet class this season.

Michael Mestas - Mikey Mestas is a Colorado Native, and is currently pursuing his Master’s of Fine Arts in Dance at the University of Colorado. He has been Breakin’ since 2002, and is a founding member of Boulder’s Street Stylez Crew, where study and exploration involve multiple styles of Hip Hop Dance. Mikey has competed in local and national B-Boy Jams, and continues to train in various disciplines like Guinean West African Drum and Dance, House, Locking, Popping, Modern, and the Alexander Technique. Mikey has been teaching and training B-Boys and B-Girls for over 5 years and currently teaches Hip Hop Dance Technique at the University of Colorado. He has performed in multiple shows around the state, and has trained with crew members from Rock Steady Crew, Supernaturals, Skill Methods, Style Elements, Havikoro, and Street Masters. Mikey has also worked with artists like Rennie Harris, Jacob Mora, Onye Ozuzu, Fara Tolno, Larry Southall, and Gabe Masson. Mikey strives to preserve the essence of Hip Hop by teaching fundamental movements, musicality, free styling, and conditioning, as well as developing individual flavor and finesse. When Mikey isn’t dancing he enjoys hanging out with his girlfriend, family, and friends and playing his drum-set.

Angie Simmons has been a professional dancer and dance educator for thirteen years, living the past ten in Colorado.   She recently worked in New York, as a resident guest artist at Iowa State University, and has previously worked professionally in Minnesota and Illinois.  She is Co-Artistic Director of Evolving Doors Dance, a contemporary modern dance company with a strong sociopolitical body of work, which she founded with Amy Shelley in 2006.  Angie has performed professionally as a company member with Isis Movement Company and Tribe of Human in New York and 3rd Law Dance/Theater and Louder Than Words Dancetheatre in Colorado.  Aside from directing Evolving Doors Dance, Angie currently dances with Cindy Brandle Dance.  Angie has also worked on individual projects with Gabe Masson, Tom Evert, Jon DeMone, Doug Woods, Kim Neal Knofsinger, David Dorfman, Toby Hankin, Nada Diachenko, Megan Flood, Maruisz Olszewski, Anna Baer, and Lynda White.  Angie holds an M.F.A. in dance choreography from the University of Colorado at Boulder, with an emphasis in the Alexander Technique; and a B.S. in secondary dance education from Illinois State University.  Simmons teaches Advanced Modern Technique class independently in Boulder at the CommunityDance Collective, is adjunct dance faculty for Naropa University’s BFA program, and is also a long-time faculty member of Longmont Dance Theatre.  When not dancing, Angie practices bodywork as a certified massage therapist, specializing in treating dancers and performers of all kinds.

Heidi Prendergast

Jen Fagan Archer is the founder and curator of Ascential Dance Theatre Colorado. The mission of the organization is to inhabit the performing arts and engage communities, promote the value of arts preservation and education, and endorse the medium of dance as a complete artistic experience. The group will serve as a facilitator amongst its members, its audience and its community. As curator, Jen strives to preserve the traditional and cultural heritage of dance while offering progressive artistic products and education. Drawing from history, anthropology, discussion, community outreach and special projects, Ascential Dance generates forward-thinking artistic individuals who enjoy and admire dance. Jen has a comprehensive background in Classical and Contemporary Jazz, Afro-fusion, Modern and Ballet. This summer, Jen will be teaching and Afro Fusion class.

Travis Garvin, a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.S. in Finance and a B.A. in Philosophy, as well as a minor in Real Estate; has been studying dance since the tender age of four. He has performed with the Longmont Theatre Company, and has twice won high-score and first place at Regency Talent. He has studied with several local and national artists, including Judlyn Maupin, Johnny Angel, Stephanie Roth-Bogrett and with his big sister, Christy Sinkey. Travis enjoys sports, and this same athleticism becomes integrated into his eclectic dance routines. His tendency to lend a sense of humor to performances has become a signature to his choreography. He is a unique addition to Grace Studios. Travis also teaches Honors Philosophy and Senior Business Management at The Bridge School in Boulder, where he serves on the Board of Trustees. He is the also the owner of Low Cost Office Furniture, Boulder (LCOF.com)

Ramsi Nia Knowlton-Stoker is originally from Murray, Utah. She was a competitive gymnast for 9 years and has danced for 15 years, specializing in jazz, hip-hop and lyrical. After seeing the aerial acts of Cirque du Soleil as a young girl, Ramsi was inspired by the combination of gymnastics and dance and swore she’d learn that “one day”. That day came six years ago when Ramsi added several aerial acts to her repertoire. Ramsi has worked professionally since the age of 14 and spent 3 years in Orlando, Florida working as a principal aerialist, dancer, and stunt performer and was in the opening cast of “Tarzan Rocks!” at Walt Disney World. She has had many wonderful opportunities as a contracted and freelance performer and feels so blessed that doing what she loves has taken her across the country and the ocean. Ramsi has also worked as a multi-media fitness model for such recognized brands as NordicTrack, ProForm, Weider, Gold’s Gym, and Reebok and has various fitness videos and commercials to her credit. In May 2005, Ramsi graduated with a degree in Marketing from Utah State University, where she was a Sunburst Dancer and Aggiette.

Jami Schweitzer Yannett came into this world dancing and has not stopped since. When the twirls and stomps became too much, her parents “gave in” to her relentless pestering and signed her up at Judlyn Maupin’s School of Dance at the ripe age of eight. Throughout high school, Jami was an active member in the Boulder dance community performing with the Boulder Ballet, Boulder Jazz Dance Workshop, and local artists Nancy Cranbourne and Ellie Sciarra. She graduated from CU Boulder in December, 2000 with a double major in dance and communication. During her stay at CU, she was a three-time recipient of the University Dance Award. In addition, she received a full scholarship to Perry Mansfield Performing Arts School in Steamboat Springs, CO and in the following year, she was hired on as a High School Girls Counselor. In May of 2001, Jami was the Co-Artistic Director for 360 Degrees of Dance that debuted at the Dairy Center for the Arts. With nine years of teaching experience under her belt, she is delighted to be a part of Grace Studios. “I truly love teaching dance to all ages. I always walk into the studio thankful that I have a job that is so rewarding. Dance is an interesting thing – you leave your problems at the door, and once you are on the stage, everything else disappears and you’re left alone, doing what you love to do.”