Heather Bensussan
Artistic Director of Hopkins Dance Company
Youth & Adult Ballet, Creative Movement, Tap, Musical Theatre, Lyrical, Jazz, Leaps & Turns
HDC is thrilled to have Heather as an integral part of our family. Heather Mueller Bensussan has been dancing since the age of 4. She realized early on that dance was her passion and relocated to Hopkins Dance Center at the age of 9 to receive more intense training. Throughout her training she has studied ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, musical theater and modern. Heather has performed in several shows including Jerry Schafer’s Speakeasy at Turtle Lake Casino, Best Buy Awards Show, Paul Mitchell Hair Show and many more. She has been teaching around the Twin Cities since 2005. In 2007 she became a company member with Out on a Limb Dance Theater Company and School. In 2018 Heather returned to Hopkins Dance Company to teach and is thrilled to be home.
Nikki Zwolski
Instructor: Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Musical Theatre
Nikki is thrilled to be joining the staff at HDC! Nikki grew up dancing in the Twin Cities, than went to Oklahoma City University where she received her Bachelor of Performing Arts degree in Dance Performance. She worked at Mystic Lake Casino in Planet Vegas and did some industrials including Best Buy and Carlson. After college, she moved to New York City and trained at both Steps and Broadway Dance Center. After six months, Nikki was offered a job with Norwegian Cruise Line where she was able to fulfill both her loves of performing and traveling. Nikki continued working with Norwegian, Princess and Celebrity cruises for 10 years as a featured performer and even a magician’s assistant (no, she won’t tell you how they do it J) before installing shows for a year for Poet Theatricals. Life brought her back to the Twin Cities where she performed in some regional theatre at The Old Log Theater in Excelsior. Credits include: Guys and Dolls (dance captain, hot box girl), The Wedding Singer (Martha/ensemble/dance captain), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Taddy Jo, ensemble), and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (ensemble). Nikki has also had the pleasure of working with Collide Theatrical Dance Company in Le Petit Moulin and to do some shows at the Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, WI. She has adjudicated for dance competitions during the spring around the country for a few years and has been teaching for 5 years around the Twin Cities. Nikki hopes to continue to share her love of the art form to the families at HDC this season.
Katie Taintor
Instructor: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Musical Theatre
Katie Taintor has worked professionally as a performer, choreographer, teaching artist, and arts administrator. She has worked in musical theater as well as contemporary dance, and has worked commercially on music videos and industrials for local and international artists. Katie graduated summa cum laude, receiving her BFA in Dance from the University of Minnesota and also completed the Summer Intern Program at Broadway Dance Center. While living in New York City, she was signed with a major talent agency, worked with the theatrically driven not-for-profit dance company ALMA NYC, and was an original cast member and collaborator in Artistic Abandon's off-Broadway production of The Blue Jar. Since returning to Minnesota, Katie has performed at the State Theatre, History Theatre, Ritz Theater, Artistry, the Minnsky, and more. She served as the resident choreographer at Mounds Park Academy for three seasons, and recently worked as the associate choreographer for Collide at Mall of America and as the assistant choreographer at Children's Theatre Company in three of their mainstage shows. Katie has had the pleasure of assisting and training dancers at Broadway Dance Center, Radio City Music Hall, St. Olaf College, Manhattan Movement Arts Center, and The Player’s Theater, among others, and joined the faculty at the University of St. Catherine as an adjunct in the fall of 2018. She is thrilled to continue to share her deep passion and varied experience with the dancers at Hopkins Dance Company!
Deirdre Murnane
Instructor: Youth & Adult Ballet, Pointe, Progressing Ballet Technique
Deirdre grew up in Los Angeles, CA where she studied ballet from her mother, Eva Ralf and Tania (Riabouchinska) Lichine. After high school, she moved to Minnesota to dance at Minnesota Dance Theater where she was a member of MDT company II. After moving back to Los Angeles for a couple of years to study Jazz and teach at Dupree Dance Academy, she moved back to Minneapolis and became a founding member of Zenon Dance Comapany where she danced for six years. She then joined Myron Johnson's Ballet of the Dolls where she danced for six more years and married her husband, Michael Murnane. Deirdre has also danced with Minnesota Opera, Sons of Winter Theater, Shawn Mcconneloug and her Orchestra, Children’s Theater Company, and Macy’s Glamorama. Deirdre has taught dance in the Twin Cities since 1984 and yoga since 2009. She has a 500-hour yoga teacher certification from Yoga Center Minneapolis, and is certified in Simonson Jazz Dance Technique. Deirdre was most recently the Dance Director for Reif Dance at The Reif Arts Center in Grand Rapids MN from July 2017 through December 2021 where she had the opportunity to direct and choreograph for several original full length productions including A Tale of Two Heroes - Orpheus and Hercules, Enchanted Forest, Cinderella, 4 Reif Dance Company shows and an annual Nutcracker. Deirdre is very happy to join the teaching staff at Hopkins Dance
Mykala Micek
Guest Instructor: Contemporary
Mykala grew up dancing at her mother’s studio in the north metro and has been choreographing and teaching for over 15 years. She is on staff at a few studios in the Twin Cities, and also holds workshops and choreographs for studios and high schools throughout the midwest. Mykala has masters degrees in Counseling and Human Development, and she especially enjoys integrating mindfulness, body awareness, and other tools for personal development into her studio work. Mykala's students and choreography have won many top awards at regional and national competitions, but more than anything she loves seeing young dancers stretch their own boundaries to become empowered, confident storytellers—because the stories we tell are what connect us to others and create real change in the world.
Kristin Ostebee
Instructor: Contemporary
Kristin fell in love with modern dance in the basement of an arts center in Northfield at the age of 8. She went on to expand her training with ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, and African dance at DanceWorks in Lakeville, Shattuck-St. Mary’s, and on scholarship at Zenon Dance in Minneapolis. After graduating summa cum laude with a B.A. in dance performance from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, she returned to MN where she regularly performed with Out on a Limb Dance Company and Jennifer Glaws’ Jagged Moves as well as for a variety of independent jazz and modern choreographers. In 2012 she accepted a full-time performing role at Walt Disney World and later joined Orlando’s Red Right Return Dance Company as a dancer and choreographer, co-directing their first Fringe Festival performance. Since “retiring” from performing, Kristin has enjoyed exploring the world of theater box office work at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. 2020 has brought her back to Minnesota, and she is excited to return to the studio with the talented HDC dancers.
Michaelanne deGrood
Yoga Instructor
Michaelanne has been practicing yoga for over two decades, long before it became “the hot new thing.” A certified instructor, she specializes in working with young athletes and dancers, helping them improve their breathing, strength and flexibility. She’s worked with elite hockey goalies, the Edina synchronized swim team, and Hopkins Youth Ballet. She and her husband have three children, Harry, Charlie and Gigi.
Marge Thornton
Executive Director & Owner
Marge grew up studying ballet in Duluth, MN. After leaving dance, costuming became her next career. While working at Children’s Theater Company, she met her husband, Carey Thornton, and they founded Art-Tech Productions, Inc., a full service design and production facility. While raising 4 children, Marge continued to create costumes and props for youth theater and assisted with costumes for Leslie Daly at HDC. After the passing of Leslie, Marge purchased the studio to continue the legacy of excellence in dance training. You will find Marge evenings and weekends at the studio working on admin or costumes. Marge is also a Registered Nurse with experience in adolescent health, early childhood development, and orthopedics.
Liv Thornton
Instructor: Ballet, Pointe, Creative Movement
Born and raised in Minneapolis Minnesota, Olivia trained at Hopkins Dance Company for 15 years under the direction of Leslie Daly. Olivia’s pre-professional training included summer programs with Milwaukee Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, and the Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet. After graduating in 2018, Olivia continued her dance education at The University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music. Majoring in Ballet Performance, Olivia had the privilege to dance roles in Gerald Arpino’s Birthday Variations, Cinderella, Balanchine’s Serenade, and several other modern pieces. In 2020, Olivia joined Ballet Fantastique as an Apprentice for the 2020-2021 season and continued dancing with Ballet Fantastique as a Company Corps in 2021-2022.
During her time in Eugene Oregon, Olivia managed Dancers Closet, a dance wear and shoe store. Her main position at this store was fitting new and experienced dancers for pointe shoes. Olivia has 2 years of professional pointe shoe fitting experience and is excited to continue her work at Grand Jeté.
Mia Sanderson
Social Media Intern, Guest Instructor/Choreographer
Mia started dancing at the age of 2, and after moving to Minnesota from California at the age of 7, she started to dance at Hopkins Dance. Mia trained under HDC’s founder, Leslie Daly, for the majority of her time in Minnesota. During Mia’s senior year in high school, she choreographed a piece which was featured in HDC’s spring recital and showcase. She trained at summer intensives at the University of Utah, Colorado Ballet, and Minnesota Dance Theatre. She graduated from HDC in 2021 and moved to South Carolina to pursue both a degree in Dance Performance and Choreography and a degree in Advertising at the University of South Carolina. She has had the chance to perform multiple times through the school of dance in faculty choreographed and arranged pieces such as Paquita and choreograph on fellow students as well. Mia has come back to teach and choreograph at HDC, in styles ranging from tap to ballet. She loves to choreograph and hopes to continue doing so for HDC for many years to come. She also currently works as an intern for HDC, working on social media and website coordination.
Hettie Stern
Guest Ballet Instructor
Hettie was a founding member of the Hopkins Youth Ballet and is delighted to return to HDC. She graduated magna cum laude from Carleton College with a BA in Cognitive Science. While at Carleton, Hettie performed with the college’s modern dance company, Semaphore and modeled for Jennifer Bader’s Ballet in Motion: A Moving Visual Guide to Performing Ballet Technique. After college, Hettie trained for a year with the Limón Dance Company and interned with the José Limón Dance Foundation in New York City. Other training highlights include summer intensives at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Ballet Austin. Hettie is currently a guest dancer with James Sewell Ballet. She has also performed in projects by Hatch Dance & HoneyWorks and Yuki Tokuda. Hettie recently earned an MEd in Learning Technologies from the University of Minnesota.
Kayla Ulsby
Instructor: Ballet, Tap, Jazz
Kayla grew up dancing in St. Cloud, MN, where she learned all styles of dance. After high school, she attended the University of Minnesota, where she studied psychology and Spanish, and she continued her performing career with a multidisciplinary dance troupe, where she performed and hosted workshop classes at numerous campus and community events. She also completed her RYT-200 training at Return Yoga in St. Cloud, and she has taught yoga classes around the Twin Cities since 2017. Kayla completed her Masters of Social Work at St. Catherine University and is pursuing training to become a Dance/Movement Therapist. She is excited to be at HDC so that she can continue sharing her love of dance with young dancers and families.
Kaylie Bullock
Instructor: Ballet
Kaylie just moved to the area to join James Sewell Ballet. She recently completed her seventh season with Central Illinois Ballet as principal dancer. During her time with CIB, she had the privilege of debuting roles in many of the company’s original works. Some of her favorite featured roles include Dorothy from Wizard of Oz, Cinderella as the title role, the Sugar Plum Fairy, Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, both Christine and La Carlotta in Phantom of the Opera, Lucy, Van Helsing, and Renfield in Dracula, Black swan pas de deux, Myrtle in Gatsby and Edith Frank in Anne Frank. Kaylie received her early training at Kansas Dance Academy under the direction of Diane Gans. As a student she had the honor of being named a recipient of the Koch Cultural Trust. Ms. Bullock attended the School of Classical and Contemporary Dance at Texas Christian University on scholarship, graduating with honors. She has also performed with Ad Deum Dance Company, Storling Dance Theater, and Common Thread Contemporary. Ms. Bullock has been teaching dancers of all ages for the past decade. She is thrilled to be joining Hopkins Dance Company and for the opportunity to share her experiences with the next generation of dancers.
Guest Instructors & Choreographers
Allison Doughty Marquesen - Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical
Darrius Strong - Hip Hop
Stephanie Karr Smith - Ballet, Pointe
Katie Johnson - Ballet, Pointe
Julia Campbell - Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Creative Movement
Julie Hatlestad - Ballet, Tap, Jazz
Julie Sutton - Ballet, Pointe
Kayli Lucas - Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz