Elizabeth Ippolito

Artistic Director & Instructor

Elizabeth Ippolito received her training at the Princeton Ballet School and in summer study at North Carolina School of the Arts and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. She has also studied with Risa Gary Kaplowitz, Elisabeth Carroll, and in NYC with Nancy Bielski. She has performed in New York City and the NY metropolitan area with Classics Dance Theater, Metropolitan Repertory Ballet, Princeton Ballet II, and as a guest artist. Ms.Ippolito has danced in the Nutcracker, La Traviata, A Christmas Carol, Paquita, Sleeping Beauty and many other repertory works. She has been a company member of The Metropolitan Ballet of Minneapolis and is currently working with Continental Ballet. Ms. Ippolito has taught at several schools including Steps on Broadway (NYC) and Princeton Dance and Theater (NJ), the studio of Risa Kaplowitz and Susan Jaffe. She is also a certified Pilates instructor and joined the staff of Betty Jo’s Dance Center in 2006.

Joseph Bingham

Instructor

Joseph Bingham most recently appeared as Dream Curly in Chanhassen Dinner Theatre's Oklahoma!  He also holds numerous credits with Continental Ballet Company, including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Coppelia, Rodeo and Nutcracker among others.  A senior at the University of Minnesota, studying Dance and Arts Administration, he has performed works by Shapiro and Smith Dance, Paula Mann and Marciano Silva dos Santos.  Joseph produced two of his own shows at the Minnesota Fringe Festival, Conundrum (2007) and Conundrum Rehabbed (2008).  He joined the instructional staff of Betty Jo's Dance Center in 2010.

Laura Goodman

Instructor

Laura grew up in Duluth, MN where she trained and danced with the Minnesota Ballet.  She has also dance professionally with the City Ballet of San Diego, Canyon Concert Ballet of Colorado and the Metropolitan Ballet of Minneapolis.  She has enjoyed performing roles in pieces such as A Midsummer Night's Dream, Rodeo, Valse Fantasie, Carmina Burana, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Giselle.  Laura also participated in the New York International Ballet Competition in 2003, in which she was a finalist.

Throughout Laura's career, she has taught and coached dancers of all ages and skill levels.  Laura has recently returned from Vermont, where she was the Ballet Director at One Studio Dance and Yoga.  Laura is excited to have the opportunity to share her passion for ballet with the students of Betty Jo's Dance Center.  Her teaching style encompasses the art of ballet while instilling confidence, discipline and respect through a positive learning environment, believing every child is a capable dancer. 

Kaitin Kelly Benedict

Instructor

Kaitin began her training at Delanges Dancer's Studio at the early age of three.  She later trained at Ballet Arts Minnesota where she participated in their pre-professional Springboard Dance Ensemble.  She studied summers with American Ballet Theater, Vail International Dance Festival, and the Juilliard School.  Kaitin graduated from the University of Minnesota with her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance in 2006.  While there, she performed works by Zoe Sealy, Hannah Stilwell, Doug Elkins and Merce Cunningham.  Kaitin is currently in her sixth season dancing for Uri Sands and Toni Pierce-Sands in the Twin Cities-based company, TU Dance.  There she performs dance that combines ballet, modern, and African techniques to create technically challenging yet accessible works.  Her teaching style is heavily technique-based with a focus on correct alignment of the body and injury prevention.  She hopes to help each student find their powerful and individual voice through dance.  Kaitin joined the staff of Betty Jo's Dance Center in 2005. 

Christopher LaPlante

Instructor

Christopher is a Minnesota native currently tying up the loose ends of his BFA in Dance from the University of Minnesota.  He started his training in jazz, tap and ballet at Larkin Dance Studio at the age of five and continued there until he was 18 years old.  During that time, he was teaching himself the fundamentals of popping and boogaloo (hip hop styles of dance).  As a student, he has had the pleasure to work with and perform in pieces by Trisha Brown, Bebe Miller and Uri Sands, among others.  Christopher also picked up b-boying or breakdancing while at the U of M.  His dancing has taken him all over the United States, and he has taught classes for the past seven years.  He feels very fortunate to be a member of the elite dance company, TU Dance, with artistic directors Toni Pierce-Sands and Uri Sands.  Christopher believes that being a well-rounded dancer is of utmost importance because it allows maximum expression of one's soul while dancing.  He joined the instructional staff of Betty Jo's Dance Center in 2009. 

Christina Lein

Instructor

Christina is a 2004 graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead with a B.S. degree in Special Education. She has also achieved a B.A. degree in Theatre in acting and directing and a minor in Dance from MSUM, as well as adding modern dance to her repertoire. Christina has choreographed for their production of School House Rock Live Jr. and the Fargo-Moorhead Dance Repertory Theatre Dance Productions. She has taken master classes from Monte/Dance Co., James Sewell Ballet and Koresh Dance Co. Christina is currently a Special Education teacher in the St. Paul Public Schools and is enrolled in a masters' program. She joined the staff of Betty Jo's Dance Center in 2004.

Kelly Lilledahl

Instructor

Kelly was a member of Eastview High School's Varsity Dance Team all four years in high school, serving as the Captain her senior year. She graduated in 2006 from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a major in Communications and a minor in Dance and Coaching. During college, Kelly was the head coach of the UMD Dance Team and the assistant coach for Duluth Central High School's Dance Team. She has been trained by the Judges' Association of Minnesota to judge all levels of competitions and categories. Kelly joined the staff of Betty Jo's Dance Center in 2006.

Lindsay Lundgren

Instructor

Lindsay grew up in the midwest in Nebraska where she studio danced competitively for 14 years.  She then moved to California to pursue her love of dance.  She spent 7 years in San Diego and attended Mesa College where she taught, performed, choreographed and created dances, costumes and lights for performances.  She is also trained in injury prevention and nutrition for dancers.  She has prepared for and attended auditions and casting sessions as a dancer, often leading and supervising these sessions.  She has taught students age 3-adult in jazz, ballet, lyrical, modern and tap classes which included warm-up, stretching and strengthening, and cool down segments.  Lindsay joined the staff of Betty Jo's Dance Center in 2011. 

Kaleena Miller

Instructor

Kaleena's early dance training began under the instruction of Karla Grotting and Char Weiss. She is a 2006 graduate from the U with a BFA in Dance. Kaleena has studied on scholarship in NYC with Manhattan Tap’s Heather Cornell, and was seen in "Naari: The Woman" with Roxane Butterfly at the O'Shaughnessy. She also directed, choreographed and performed in the sold out "Scuff Marks" at Old Arizona. She currently performs and tours with Rhythmic Circus, hosts the monthly tap jam and performance “The Cutting Board” at the 331 Club, and is on staff at Ballareteatro Dance Theatre in Minneapolis and Dance Arts Centre in Eden Prairie. Kaleena joined the instructional staff of Betty Jo’s Dance Center in 2007.

Brittany Radke

Instructor

Brittany is a 2006 graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance from the University of Minnesota. She has a strong teaching background that began with teaching at her mother's dance studio (Summit Dance School) in Detroit Lakes, MN. She has attended the Dance Masters of America teachers' training seminar for the past four years. Currently she is on staff as a choreogapher at the Youth Performance Company in Minneapolis. She also is an assistant director of the International Dance Challenge dance competition. Her performance resume includes four years of dancing in UDT performances, touring with a theatrical show "Sky Blue Matter",and is currently working with a local jazz company on "Road Work" and more to come! Brittany joined the staff of Betty Jo's Dance Center in 2006.

Shelley Roush

Instructor

Shelley grew up dancing at Betty Jo's Dance Center, was a teaching assistant throughout high school and joined the instructional staff in 1998. She graduated with an interior design degree from Dakota County Technical College. Shelley studied tap at the University of Minnesota, attended dance workshops in various metro area studios and in Chicago, was the assistant coach for a local Jr. High Dance Team and was on the teaching staff at several summer Dance Camps. 

Colleen Tague

Instructor

Colleen Tague has been performing professionally in the Twin Cities for over 25 years.  She has danced with Zenon Dance Company, Minnesota Jazz Dance Company, Ballet of the Dolls, JAZZDANCE by Danny Buraczeski, The Children's Theatre Company, Ballet Arts Minnesota, Metropolitan Ballet and most recently the Saint Paul City Ballet.  She has also worked independently with Vicky Virgin from New York and Sally Rousse from James Sewell Ballet.  Colleen has been teaching for nearly a decade from Forest Lake to Apple Valley.  She has choreographed many award-winning ballet solos and production numbers.  She has also been awarded a grant from AMRAC to set a classical jazz piece on the Youth Dance Ensemble, which was performed this spring.  Colleen joined the staff of Betty Jo's Dance Center in 2011.