The Dans Company Staff

Read about each of our talented and passionate instructors!

Amanda

Studio Owner + Dance Instructor

Amanda has loved dance since putting on her first tutu as a toddler!
She was involved in years of studio dance and at Central College on the dance team. She graduated from Central with a BA in Exercise Science/Health Promotion. She married her college sweetheart and they have six children. Amanda has most recently taught studio dance in Oskaloosa where her dream of having her own studio was reignited. After a life changing event in 2013 it was time to launch The Dans Company. This has been a such blessing to have so many wonderful students and to partner with other fabulous instructors.

Rachael

Dance Instructor + Competition Team Coach

Rachael comes to TDC with many years of competitive studio dance as well as dance instruction. She is a Pella native and upon graduating from The Salon Professional Academy began her career in her home town. She is a hair stylist at Beautiful You Salon, director of the Pella Fortè Dance Team, director of the Pella Marching Dutch Color Guard and is the District Four Representative for the Iowa State Dance and Drill Team Association. She brings creativity and excellence to the program and has earned many judges choice awards for her choreography. She and her husband, Justin, reside in Pleasant Hill.

Kristina

Tumbling Instructor

Kristina has developed a passion for the sport of tumbling through the involvement of her three daughters. Each of her girls are involved in dance and/or tumbling at the Dans Company and she truly appreciates the opportunity to be involved with the tumbling program as a coach. Her favorite part of coaching is helping students learn new skills and build an overall confidence in what they’re doing. Tumbling is a challenging sport and watching kids experience a sense of accomplishment is a lot of fun.

Sarah J.

Dance Instructor

Sarah began dancing at the age of 3 and continued through childhood in studio dance in the Twin Cities, into high school dance team in Rosemount, MN as a 4 year member and 2 year captain and then onto college as a 3 year member of the Central College Dance Team. During college, she taught various classes at a local studio in Pella and provided choreography for several high school dance teams in Iowa. She is also a former Just For Kix summer staffer and loved traveling and teaching high school dance camps all over the Midwest and beyond as well as teaching littles for 2 years at the Just for Kix Ankeny program. Sarah has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Central, is a former 5th grade teacher and has most recently been a stay at home mom. She and her husband Jed have 5 children, including 3 girls who love being a part of The Dans Company family plus 2 super fan brothers. She is excited to help TDC students learn and express joy, creativity and confidence through dance!

Allison

Dance Instructor

Allison been dancing since she was 3 years old, and has taken classes in tap, ballet, tumbling, and pointe. She continued studio dance until high school, where she joined the Chariton High School Drill team as a captain her senior year. Allison is a mom of five and does in home child care. She holds a bachelors degree in Elementary education with endorsements in early childhood and reading. Allison loves teaching dance because of the smiles and creativity! She says, “It is hard to beat the feeling of walking in to a room and seeing a room full of faces light up, ready to dance and have fun! I love watching children use their imaginations and harness their creativity.”

Sarah B.

Dance Instructor

Sarah has been dancing since the age of 4. She grew up primarily studying ballet, but also did some tap, jazz, and modern. Her undergrad degree is in special education from Hope College, and in 2019 she earned her Masters in Education from Drake University. She is currently a special education consultant.

Sarah and her husband Josh have lived in Pella since 2016. They are the proud parents to two kids, Aubrey is nine and on the competition team at TDC. Logan is three and looks forward to joining rec classes soon!

Sarah says, “I am so thankful for the opportunity to teach young dancers. Every week I enjoy seeing the joy that dance can bring both the dancers and the audience. My goal is to help dancers learn about their body, movement, and how to grow their gifts and talents. I love to see their skills and confidence grow throughout the year.”

Alysha

Dance Instructor

Alysha has danced for as long as she can remember! She attended Encore Dance Academy for 15 years and competed on their competition team for 6, while also being a part time teaching assistant. She was also a part of the Ankeny Varsity Dance Team for all 4 years of high school, and is currently on the Central College Dance Team. Alysha is now a Junior at Central College majoring in Sociology and minoring in Communications and Psychology. Alysha says, "I have always loved teaching tumbling and dance and I am so excited for this amazing experience!"

Nicole

Cheer Coach

Chayse

Dance Instructor

A native of Fairfield, Iowa, Chayse Gilchristis proud to join the Central College Dance Team as a freshman. One of most decorated dancers from Southeast Iowa, Chayse was a member of her high school dance team for three years, placing 5th in the Iowa State Dance/Drill Team Association as a junior (2021-2022 season) and being named the 2023 Class VII Dance Solo Champion during her senior year (2022-2023 season). She competed in dance for a total of 9 years, 5 of which she danced for High Temperature Dance Academy in Fairfield. In her time with HTDA, she received numerous top score awards, including her most recent National Title and Performance of the Year. “I’m so excited to bring my talents to a new place that I get to call home for the next 4 years. With big goals for not only myself, but for my new dance family, I can’t wait to see where my passion for dance takes me.”

Heidi

Competition Team Coach

Heidi Suhr-Feldman began her dance education at age 3 and danced all the way through high school and way beyond! Some highlights of her dance and performance career include 4 ISDTA Championship Titles as a member of the Knoxville HS Dance Team, starring as Annette in the Broadway National Tour of Saturday Night Fever, performing in the Broadway National Tour of the 12 Time Tony Award winning musical The Producers, and coaching multiple high school dance teams to ISDTA State Championship Titles. She now serves as the Knoxville High School Drama Director and has been awarded and recognized by the IHSMTA.

Heidi’s education includes a BFA in Musical Theatre from Millikin University, as well as studying under notable faculty at the New Dance Group and Broadway Dance Center in NYC.

She lives in Knoxville with her husband Ted, or as most people from Pella know him, “Ted the Radio Guy!”, and their three children, Goldie, Miller Birdie, and Hollis! Her three all time favorite “Roles” are Mom, Wife and Miss Heidi.

Heidi says, “Getting the opportunity to work with young artists in Marion County to cultivate their crafts, encourage their talents, guide college applications, and push their creativity is one of life’s greatest gifts! Thank you TDC parents for trusting me with your young people and thank you TDC dancers for choosing to spend LOTS of your free time with me!”