The Dance Connection is directed by Wendy Robbins. Wendy’s dance experience includes jazz, tap, ballet, theater, and clogging. She enjoys teaching all dance styles and focuses on correct technique while building each dancer’s self-confidence. Wendy directed Dance In Flight ballet company’s production of “Cinderella….Well Almost” and received rave reviews as one of the best productions in the company’s history. A few of Wendy’s other dance moments include several Richland Light Opera productions, performing with the Charlie Daniels Band at the Florida Citrus Bowl, dancing as a featured guest at the National Clogging Convention in Las Vegas, and performing with the inaugural Chinook Basketball dance team. Wendy is also the Director of the Diamond Ridge Cloggers and has taught clogging for over 20 years! She also coached cheerleaders for 12 years and offers private coaching to future cheerleaders and dance team members. Wendy studied dance at WWU in Bellingham and holds a BA in Speech Pathology/Audiology.
Danielle Rothwell is a national clogging competitor, placing first at several national events. Danielle learned to clog with the Diamond Ridge Cloggers over 15 years ago before moving to attend college at Eastern Washington and then Boise, ID where she danced with a national competition team. With her Masters Degree in hand, she returned to the Tri-Cities and has been teaching our advanced cloggers, adults & competition teams for the past 5 years. We are honored to have her join us and share her experience and techniques with us.
Fred Shaffner has clogged for untold years and teaches our Carefree Senior Cloggers. You’ll notice him at all of our shows – he’s the youngest at heart! Senior classes are held on Monday mornings. Register for this fun activity through Fred at 627-0765. Fred also provides valuable assistance with our adult clogging classes and new show team dancers.
Wren Mason – My name is Wren and look forward to being a part of the KDC staff this year! I started tap and ballet at age 4. I also was involved with gymnastics, cheer and drill from age 8-11. At age 12 I started training at Auburn Dance Academy where I took ballet, jazz, lyrical, and Pointé. At that time, I also joined the competition team where I was able to compete group, duo and solos routines. I won 1st place overall jazz solo at age 14. As the ‘Xtreme dancers’ competition team we were able to go to Nationals in Las Vegas. During one of Auburn Dance Academy’s winter production, I got the privilege of playing Clara in The Nutcracker. I have auditioned for Pacific Northwest Ballet and have some experience teaching and assisting. I have a lovely daughter who also attends here. I’m overjoyed to relive the great moments of the past here at KDC.
Krystalan Wall – My name is Krystalan and I’m so excited to teach this year. I started my training with Laurie Walker who danced professionally with the San Francisco Ballet. I continued my training with Lacey Schindler at The Ballet Academy of Moses Lake and went to Ballet Magnificat’s summer intensives three years in a row. I went on to dance as a trainee with Light of the World Ballet for three years. I’ve had some experience teaching and assisting. I have an awesome husband and four great kids.
Kayleighann Stiles – One of my favorite ABBA songs has the lyric “mother says I was a dancer before I could walk”, and that has been my existence since I was just a baby. I’ve been with Dance Connection since I was 2 1/2. My first love was Tap, I got my first tap shoes for my 2nd birthday. Miss Wendy was my first dance teacher, She introduced me to Ballet, and it became my new love. I dreamed of being a Ballerina. Over the next few years, I added Jazz, Musical Theater, and Competition team to my dance schedule. At age 8, I enrolled in Beginning Clog. To this day I still enjoy them all. With Ballet, Tap and Clogging at the top. I am excited to be a part of the KDC Staff and continue my dance journey at Dance Connection.
Kevin Stiles – I started dancing in the summer of 2008, when My daughter was 3. I was sitting at one of her summer performances and the cloggers performed “Stars and Stripes”, and I loved it. It looked like fun, and I signed up for classes when they started that fall. Now it’s been 15 years, several hundred performances and a half a dozen competitions; and I still love it. I even started doing Tap this winter, because it looked interesting and to give me something to do on Mondays. “Stars and Stripes” is still my favorite dance, but there are a lot of others I love also. As I approach 60 I’m looking forward to doing this for quite a while.
Kiyana Carrion –Bio Coming soon!
Grace Daily – Bio Coming Soon!
Analiese Joseph – Bio Coming Soon!
Taylor Nagle – -Bio coming soon!
Scott Ottley – Ballroom -Bio coming soon!
Becca Robbins – Bio Coming Soon!
Ahnna Spinelli – Bio Coming Soon!
Katie Thomas – Guest Choreographer
Morgan Roberts – Competition Team Coordinator.
Karen Stiles– Office Manager – Bio coming soon!