Billings Dance Academy
Top 5 Reasons to Dance with us...
- Performance Opportunities: All BDA Dancers Participate in our 'BIG' Winter and Spring Performances every year.
- Costuming, Choreography and Performances are family friendly and age appropriate.
- We have sprung dance floors for your dancers comfort and safety.
- Quality Dance Instruction for each and every dancer. Classes are limited in size and created by ability to provide the best possible experience.
- Supportive Parent, Student and Teacher Community within the studio to promote the growth and the love of dance for each dancer.
Billings Dance Academy opened in August 2004. One of the things that makes us unique is the way we put together our June performance. We encompass a broad range of dance styles and levels within the framework of theater. We use storytelling, sets, acting and costumes combined with carefully selected music to create a classic story brought to life with dance as the primary component. This not only makes for an entertaining show, but also joins each class and dancer together to create a complete story and become an important part of the studio and the success of the performances. We believe this makes for the most positive and exciting performing experience possible. Come and see for yourself! Our end of the season Spring Performances have included Little Red Riding Hood, Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Book and Sleeping Beauty.
In December 2007 we added Winter Performance that was so much fun we will make it an annual event! Select classes perform at small events throughout the year; Festival of Trees, Holiday Food and Gift Festival, Mt. Fair, Company Parties, Retirement Communities and more! Select classes also participate in Big Sky State Games, Spotlight, Thunderstruck and DEA Dance Competitions.
Nicolle Ament: Owner/Artistic Director Nicolle grew up in Billings and started her dance training when she was 4 years old. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance from the University of Montana in Choreography/Performance & Teaching and an Associate Degree in Sociology. After college, she moved to Colorado where she taught Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical and Modern at Parker Dance Academy in Parker, Co. where she also held the position of the Assistant Artistic Director under owner Kim Kinnear for 4 years. Nicolle travels to Colorado once or twice a year to work with and choreograph for her former dancers and meet with her former fellow instructors. She continues to take classes to bring fresh and new ideas to Billings Dance Academy. She has been recognized for her Choreography earning many Outstanding Choreography Awards. Many of her dancers have moved on to audition and study Dance in College or with Professional Dance Companies around the U.S. Nicolle has over 16 years teaching experience and she hopes to bring a love of dance to her students and strives to bring out the dancer in everyone!
Krista Marshall: Intermediate/Advanced Ballet and Pilates
Krista has studied ballet since the age of seven. Her core training includes The School of Classical Ballet with Betty Loos and Jana Stockton, Artisan Dance with Sallyann Mulcahy, and Ann Bates with Montana Ballet Company's New York Connection. She has also studied at the Ballet West Conservatory, Summer Dance Lab, and Artisan Dance. Her passion for dance allowed her to study from Conrad Ludlow, Gelsey Kirkland, Tom Mossbrucker, Jean-Phillipe Malaty, Nicole Sowinska, Galina Mezentseva - plus many other talented artists. She has studied Pilates since 1995 at The Ballet West Conservatory and Artisan Dance. Currently she is seeking Pilates certification from the PhysicalMind Institute in Vancouver B.C.
Jr. Teaching Staff
Erica Hulteng: Tiny Tots, PreK and KDG
Lauren Jarecke: PreK - Level I Ballet and Tap
Jenson Franjevic: KDG - Level III Jazz
Our Jr. Teaching Staff has been dancing for many years and has shown great aptitude and love for children. They will continue their teacher training under the direction of Miss Nicolle and they are very excited to bring their dance knowledge, energy, devotion and love of dance to their students.
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