Lola LaFond

Professional Dancer/Assistant
Lola LaFond is entering her junior year in the dance program at St. Paul Conservatory for the Performing Artists. She is getting her dance education through M-SHe Productions. Lola has been studying the art of dance since she was three years old but can never just pick one style as her favorite. A cherished moment was earning the highest overall score of a whole competition for her solo this past season. She is also enhancing her dance through CLI Studios trainee program. When she isn't dancing, Lola enjoys reading, binge watching Netflix, and hanging out with her friends. 

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Emily Larson

Professional Dancer
Emily Larson has been dancing for 13 years. She will be a junior at the Saint Paul Conservatory for the Performing Artists. She has performed in many dances that have received: high points, judges's choice awards, and choreography awards throughout her years as a competitive dancer. As a soloist, Emily was recently recognized with first overall high point for the senior advanced category. Emily has taken part in M-SHE Production's youth workshops since 2015 and has performed in three of their productions: "BELIEVE," "L'Heure de Minuit." and "Nosferatu." She is very excited to join M-SHE Productions for the second time for the Minnesota Fringe Festival this summer. 

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Charlotte LaFond

Pre-Professional Dancer
Charlotte LaFond will be entering the seventh grade at Minnesota Waldorf School. She is getting her dance education through M-SHE Productions. Charlotte has been dancing since she was two after watching her older sister dance in recitals. She can't pick any one style as her favorite, she finds something she loves within every genre. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, taking walks, watching tv, and hanging out with friends. She also plays violin with her school's ensemble. 

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Bre Poliak

Professional Dancer

Bre started her dance career in 1995 with the Prescott Dance Team.  She went on to dance for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire as a four-year member of the Blugold Dance Team, a two-year member of the UWEC Concert Dance Company, while also earning a minor in Dance.  For the last ten years, Bre has been performing and choreographing for the Phipps Dance Theatre over in Hudson, WI, and has also choreographed for the Phipps Dance Company for the past three years.  She also performs, choreographs, and teaches for various companies and events throughout the Twin Cities area.  Poliak currently lives in Minneapolis, MN, and is the Office Manager for Goodmanson Construction, out of Roseville, MN.  In her free time, she can be found riding her Harley, playing volleyball, spending time with family and friends.  Bre wants to give a HUGE thanks to all of those people in her life that have allowed dance to be such a big part of who she is…you know who you are!

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Laura Chandler

Professional Dancer

Laura is from New Brighton, Minnesota. She holds a BS in Broad Field Social Studies with a History emphasis from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She has been dancing for many a years, starting with instruction at the Midwest Youth Dance Theatre, took her passion to college dancing with UWRF Dance Theatre, and continuing here with MSHE productions. Laura has been involved with various dance productions/experiences including, but not limited to Lion King and Aida with MYDT, Body Systems in Motion, and the American College Dance Festival at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, UW-Madison, and UW-Stevens Point. She also worked with the InKline Dance Company and Dances, Chances, Circumstances and has choreographed for UWRF Dance Theatre.  She recently worked with MSHE and ROWBY productions on L’Heure de Minuit and L'Heure de Minuit la Malediction. She is so thankful for the fantastic adventure and getting to share the magic at the Fringe! Thanks go out to family and friends for their wonderous support!

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Joseph Michael Krueger

Stage Manager

Joseph Michael Krueger was first introduced to the world of dance and theater during a high school theater summer study program in collaboration with The Children's Theatre Company and Loyce Houlton's Minnesota Dance Theatre. He had the privilege of performing in small roles for CTC's "Lost in London" and MDT's "Nutcracker" and "Graduation Ball." After those life changing events, he went on to study Radio and Television Broadcasting and Production at Brown College. Joseph has applied those skills for the last 30+ years as Producer, Director, Camera Operator, and Audio Engineer for ISD 281's Video Production Department. This in turn lead to a rebirth of Joseph's interest in theater where he begins his 9th year as resident theatrical Sound Designer for Armstrong High School Theater. Along the way, Joseph met Maggie and Parker and has been involved in numerous productions of their's in one capacity or another. This is Joseph's third Fringe Festival as Stage Manager for M-SHE Productions.

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Maggie Arndt

Professional Dancer
Maggie Arndt has been dancing since she was two and a half and has been in love with the art ever since. Studying the classic styles in a studio setting, her introduction to modern dance came with her college career at Gustavus Adolphus College. At Gustavus, Maggie had many opportunities to perform and choreograph as a member of the Gustavus Dance Company. Gustavus provided her with the ground work to create alongside and grow among various professors, including site-specific choreographer, Stephen Koplowitz. Her choreographed piece, "Risk" was selected and performed at theInformal Concert at American College Dance Association (ACDA) in 2014. Maggie's choreographed work, "Wonderer's of the mind" was selected and performed at the Adjudicated Concert at ACDA in 2015. Upon graduation, she has danced with the company Seven Dance and continues to dance and perform at Summit Dance Shoppe. Maggie danced with ... and Company in the 2018 Fringe Festival and looks forward to being back on the stage for another art-filled Fringe. "Dance is the Hidden Language of the Soul." -Martha Graham

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Adrianna "Beep" Lonick 

Professional Dancer
Adrianna began dancing in her home town in Wisconsin at the age of 4. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor's Degree in dance and was a member of the U of M Co-Ed Cheerleading Team. Adrianna is technically trained in contemporary, modern, ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop, musical theatre, dance acro/tumbling, East African and Ballroom! She works as a professional dancer and choreographer in the Twin Cities and has been an active member of M-SHE Productions since 2017. Adrianna has performed in many professional works including her most recent performances with Black Label Movement's "Teamwork," M-SHe Productions "BELIEVE," and was featured as a contemporary dancer in music video "Practice Losing Everything." She has also performed as a dancer in Penny Feeh's "Helioscope" and Danielle Zuniga's "Altered Odyssey, Nora Chippaumire's "Dark Swan," Carl Flinks "Fox Hole," and Ananya Chatterjae's "Migration" and "Water To Be Clear Must Run" from ADT's evening length work "Mohona." In addition to performing, Adrianna teaches dance full time for Jam Hops Dance Company and Director of Cheerleading were she enjoys sharing her passion for dance and cheerleading as an administrator, educator, and positive role model for aspiring artists and athletes.

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Tristen Sanborn

Professional Dancer
Tristen Sanborn is a Minnesota native who has been training in dance for the past 15 years. He has trained at Jam Hop, as well as at Saint Paul Conservatory for the Performing Artists. He has been in multiple professional shows around the Twin Cities, including "MIXTAPE," "Kaleena Miller Dance," "The Naked Eye," and working with and performing works of Shapiro and Smith Dance. Tristen will be continuing his dance education at Columbia in Chicago. 

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Lily Fabienke

Professional Dancer 
Lily graduated High School from Maranatha Christian Academy this past spring. She trained for dance at Jam Hops Dance Company for fifth teen years. There, Lily was a member of the most senior competitive team, EXTREME. Lily is trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and musical theatre. Throughout her dance career, Lily has achieved numerous overall placements, titles and special judges awards as well as recognition as a standout dancer. In addition to training at Ja, Hops, Lily also teaches dance, coaches cheer and ninja classes at Jam Hops as well.

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Leighton Pelto

Protege Dancer
Leighton Sanibel Pelto is 12 years old. She has been dancing for ten years and has been competing for seven years. She finished her lower school years at Lakes International Language Academy in the Spanish Immersion program. She will be continuing in the Spanish Immersion program in the fall when she enters Forest Lake Middle School as a seventh grader. She loves dancing, theater, berating art, and being outdoors.

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Katie Drietz

Professional Dancer

Katie is a native of Worthington MN and has been dancing for 15 years.  She has performed with many different Dance Companies here in the Twin Citties including: Sole to Soul Dance Conversion, Unspeakable Dance, Borealis Dance and is excited to be apart of M-SHE productions!  Amoung her passion for performing Katie has been teaching dance technique to young and old for about 7 years and will continue to do so until she can no longer move!

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Callie Jacobson

Professional Dancer

Callie began performing at the age of 3 and her passion has only continued to grow over the last 20 years.  She has been a dancer for many different companies here in the cities as well as a back-up dancer for the band Skitzofrenic and National vocalist Alejandra Chica Cumbia.  Her love for dance has enabled her to share her talent with audiences across the country while performing in hair shows, fashion shows, pageants, and clubs. Some of Callie’s career highlights include: Rocco Altobelli Fashion Awards Show, Ivey Awards, Tabitha’s Salon Premier Party, and MN Orchestra and MN Opera Events.  Callie also had the opportunity to be a back-up dancer for former NFL player Esera Tuaolo in the 2012 PRIDE Block Party where they opened the show for International R&B singer Mya.  Callie is featured in numerous music video’s including: “Lifeless Ordinary” by Motion City Soundtrack, “Hold Me Back” produced by Carlos Gomez, as well as a few others by Alejandra Chica Cumbia.

 

 

Bailey Johnson 

Professional Dancer

Bailey began dancing at 4th Street Dance Center in White Bear Lake, MN, when she was 3 years old. She competed for many years in tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, lyrical, character, and modern. She continued her training at the University of Minnesota Dance Program. Bailey spent two years as a participant in the scholarship program at Zenon Dance Studio and began dancing professionally for the Minnesota Swarm Performance Team. Bailey has been a member of Soul to Sole Dance Conversion for the past 6 years and also dances with a variety of other groups in the Twin Cities. She has done choreography and has been the featured dancer in several music videos, including bands such as Motion City Soundtrack. She is extremely excited to be joining the cast of L 'Heure de Minuit for the first time!

 

 

Susan Nwoke Leppke

Professional Dancer

Susan began dancing at the age of ten in Clarksville, Tennessee and her love for dance never ceased. She studied in various forms of dance including tap, lyrical, jazz, hip-hop, African and ballet.  From dancing in her high school’s dance team to performing for dance companies in the Twin Cities, she continues to enhance her skills and grow as a dancer.  Susan has made appearances at venues across the Twin Cities not only a dancer, but also as a model and actor.  When she is not involved directly in the arts, she broadens her passion by volunteering on arts organization boards and doing management consulting for small companies.  In addition, Susan has her master’s degree in public health and is passionate about expanding affordable access to healthcare for everyone.  Maya Angelou once said, “life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away, ” and Susan strives to create moments that are meaningful.  

 

 

Jennifer James 

Professional Dancer

Jennifer is the Artistic Director for Dance Express and was born and raised in Sioux Falls, SD where she trained and taught at Main Stage Ballet and Dance Academy. In high school she was a part of her schools Dance Team and outside of school and studio dance, she competed in dance and cheer on an All Star Competitive team. Along with dance, she was involved in sports such as basketball and track & field. Jennifer received her B.S. in Dance and Sports Medicine from Minnesota State University-Mankato in 2011 and while there she danced for 4 years on the MSU Dance Team, as well as performed and choreographed for several of the Dance Departments concerts. Upon graduation, she now lives in Bloomington, MN. Jennifer has been a company member of Breaking Boundaries Dance, Threads Dance Project, has worked with The Ordway on their production of "Cinderella," and currently dances with Borealis Dance. Jennifer has won First overalls and Choreography awards at Masquerade Dance Competition, Triple S Dance Competiton, Magestic Dance Competition, Legacy Dance Championship, and Midwest Starz National Competition. This will be Jennifer's 8th year teaching at Dance Express and she feels so fortunate to have the opportunity to teach, inspire, and continue to develop such amazing dancers.  

 

 

Kelly Healey

Professional Dancer

Kelly is a graduate of the University of Minnesota having received degrees in Criminal Law and Spanish. In addition to her dedication toward community service, she is a co-founder, owner, and the Executive Director of Sole to Soul Dance Conversion, Inc. Having studied dance throughout her life, she holds a boundless passion for artistic creation, direction, and performance. She has shared her talent for dance instruction at various studios and schools, at athletic clubs including The Firm (winning an award for her fitness instruction), as a choreographer and lead for Elements VIBE video group fitness with Fitness of Request, while leading master classes at an array of workshops, in judging dance competitions and during her time with the amazing performers of S2SDC. Kelly is also well known as "MC Special K" and is one of the top requested female emcees in the midwest. She has worked as a model for various companies and stylists, was a WOW! Girl for Macy's Glamorama, a professional dancer for Target Corporation and is a former Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader. She has had the opportunity to tour and perform with numerous renowned companies, perform with the likes of Big & Rich, Amber, NFL star Esera Tuaolo, the Capone All-Stars, and master lead impersonation roles in Mythology. Yet, Kelly maintains her work with S2SDC as her most cherished accomplishment. With the company, Kelly has choreographed, directed, and performed throughout the US and in Paris. In her words, “There is nothing more precious and rewarding than to feel inspired simply by doing what you love.”

 

 

Jean Paul Kelly

Professional Dancer

Jean-paul began dancing at the age of 15. After lighting a dance production he thought there was nothing more he would rather do than dance. Beginning his formal training at Mt. Carmel High School, followed by Temecula Valley High School, he was added to the advance dance team after only one short semester of class. In 1998, Jean Paul received a scholarship to dance with the Festival Ballet Company of Atlanta (FBCA) under the director of world renowned ballet dancer Nicolas Picana. Within a year of training, Jean Paul became a soloist with FBCA. Some years later he wentROGUE from the ballet world and set out on a tour of dancer discovery working with such companies as American All-Stars, Royal Caribbean, NCL, Stiletto Entertainment, Irwin Production, D-White Productions and the Orlando City Ballet. He also had the honor of performing with rock legend Tina Turner during her famous Super Bowl pre-game performance and in Tarzan Rocks at Walt Disney World.  Jean Paul has also shared the stage with the Ballet of the Dolls and has served things up with the Sole to Soul Crew! 

 

 

Cade Holmseth 

Professional Aerialist 

Cade LMT, BCMT, grew up inMinnesota where he continues to reside and pursue his passions.  He received a BFA in Dance from theUniversityofMinnesotaand a degree in massage and shiatsu therapy fromCenterPointSchoolfor Massage & Shiatsu.  Shortly after graduation he connected with Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater where he spent 7 years performing, teaching and doing community outreach work.  He has worked with many other companies as the opportunities have arisen and has spent some of that time developing full length dance works, with casts of dancers under the company name Cade Holmseth Dance, that have been well received.  Over the years he has been able to work with many of the prominent dance companies in the Twin Cities including Shapiro & Smith, Arena Dances and others in over 100 different productions at most of the prominent venues in the Twin Cities and some around the east coast and Bermuda.  Outside of dance he has indulged a side passion for the aerial arts with aerial silks and lyra, but has been expanding since the early years to include trapeze, acro-balancing, aerial chains and fire breathing/spinning to name a few.  He is glad that this passion has been able to grow and become a part of his daily life and professional career.  Besides co-founding 2 Defy Gravity with Marissa, he also owns and operates a massage clinic called Hands of Health Bodywork in St. Paul where his practice is focused on alternative health care and long term balance and well being.  www.hohbodywork.com.  Since 2012 he, with some help from Marissa, has been building a school to teach the aerial arts to adults inNortheast Minneapolis.  The program is focused on developing skills through progression from the absolute beginner all the way to the professional level and has had fun including focus on performance and character.  In his pursuit of always learning, he is currently working to compile a compendium of all the aerial silks skills he can get his hands on.  

 

 

Marissa Dorschner

Professional aerialist 

Marissa has been training as an aerialist since she was bit by the circus bug and joined Circus Juventas (then Circus of the Star) in 1998. Since then she has trained under the guidance of international coaches in several aerial acts including solo and triple trapeze, flying trapeze, triangle trapeze, lyra, silks, and acro-balancing. In 2007 she met Cade, and they began training together as 2 Defy Gravity.  Since graduating from the Circus Juventas youth program, Marissa has continued training and performing professionally throughout the Twin Cities area and beyond. In 2010 she had the opportunity to travel abroad as a performer on tour in Mongolia with Mission Manduhai. She proudly now works as a coach at Circus Juventas, joining her passion with working with youth to her love of the circus arts.

 

 

Cory Booker

Professional Dancer

Cory found his love for dance in high school through show choir and theatre. As dance captain of his high school show choir, he had the wonderful opportunity to tour, perform, and compete in places such as New York, Chicago, and London. Starting out as a self-taught dancer, he has recently begun training in different styles of dance such as Hip Hop and Jazz. He has had the opportunity to take classes from choreographers such as David Moore, Napoleon and Tabitha Dʼumo, Kevin Maher, Rhapsody James and Luam, just to name a few. He has had the wonderful opportunity to perform as a cast member in the Minnesota hip hop production called “SHAPESHIFT.” Along with “SHAPESHIFT,” Cory performed as the opening act for “WEDAY” at the Excel Energy Center. He is also the recipient of the Monsters of Hip Hop Alvin Ailey Extension Scholarship. In the summer he spends his time working as a choreographer assistant at Show Choir Camps of America in Illinois and Ohio. Recently Cory choreographed 3M world headquarterʼs first ever company flash mob. Cory spends his time either training in dance, performing as a featured dancer with Legacy: A tribute to the king of pop, or performing at the Timberwolves games with the 612 crew. He hopes to continue his growth as a dancer and an artist.