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MEET OUR STAFF

At Studio 360, we pride ourselves in our state-of-the-art instructors. Our staff is CPR and First Aid certified, and is constantly working to better themselves for your dancers. Working both in and outside the studio, 360 instructors are dedicated to providing the best dance education through YPAD, CLI Studios, and ABT training. 

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NATASHA LEAS

With seven years in Early Childhood Education she is combining her passion for teaching and dance at Studio 360! "I'm excited to ignite the passion for dance in our students! Dance has many benefits for developing young children including physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development! With children having more sedentary lifestyles it's important for them to step away from screens to exercise and learn how to socialize in a class setting while still having fun!" Mrs. Natasha was the head coach of Prairie Varsity Poms for 9 seasons. Owning a dance studio wouldn't be possible without the love and support from her husband Jim. " Owning a dance studio has been a dream of mine since I can remember and I feel very blessed to be able to follow my dreams and it wouldn't be possible without him. I can't wait to help others reach for their stars and follow their dreams." I look forward to sharing the gift of dance with your dancer! 

Owner/Instructor

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RACHEL PETERSEN

Miss Rachel began dancing at the age of 5 around the Cedar Rapids community and began dancing competitively at age 9. She danced competitively throughout her elementary, middle, and high school years where her passion for dance continued to grow. At her local studio, she was part of the competing company and the Teachers Assistant Program where her love for teaching began to bloom. Through high school, Rachel competed regionally and nationally with Prairie Varsity Poms.  This is where she met Miss Tasha and began assisting the Hawk Allstars program. After graduating high school, Miss Rachel began teaching at Studio 360 and has since taken the position of Director of All-Stars. She graduated from the University of Iowa in May of 2023 with a degree in both Dance and Educational Studies and Human Relations. As the Director of All-Stars, you can come to Miss Rachel with questions, comments, and concerns regarding the 360 All-Star program.

Instructor/Director of All Stars

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GRACE ARNDT

Miss Grace, originally from Ames, Iowa, has been dancing since age 3! She danced at Performance Dance Center for 15 years where she was also on the traveling competition team.In high school, Grace was on the Ames High Varsity dance team for 4 years. In December, Grace will be graduating from the University of Iowa with a BA in Human Physiology and a minor in Dance and Psychology. Miss Grace is also a certified Yoga, Zumba, and Werq instructor!

Instructor

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JEN MARKS

Jen Marks joins us with over 12 years of dance experience. She danced competitively in high school and for Central College dance team. She also danced for the CR Titans for 4 years and the CR rough riders for 2 years. She then moved on to coaching the River Kings dance team in 2018 but when Covid shut her team down she hasn’t felt the same without having dance in her life. Jen is so excited to get back into the dance world! She can’t wait to help her students find joy and passion for something so dear to her heart. When she isn’t at the studio or chasing after her two girls she is a full time dental assistant/clinical manager in Solon.

Instructor/Community Relations

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LAINEE UITERMARKT

Lainee Uitermarkt grew up training classically & competitively in Iowa. While in high school, she was the ISDTA State Solo Champion. Lainee then continued her collegiate dance training in Florida, William Penn University, and later the University of Iowa. She was an NAIA All-American dancer & captain while on her college dance team. Lainee has spent the last 12 years traveling across the midwest choreographing for high school & college dance teams, and the last 7 years coaching NAIA collegiate teams. Through her creative & technical lens, Lainee coached these teams to historical national qualifications. Lainee is the artistic director of Studio 360 in Cedar Rapids, IA where she has been an instructor for 5 years. Continuing her education through AcroArts, CLI Studios, NDEO, and DiscoverDance, Lainee’s love for all styles, fitness, & the true technique of dance make her  extremely passionate about teaching. She can’t wait to share that with your dancers.

Creative Director/Instructor

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KARLI McCLURE

Karli has been dancing since she was 3 years old and started tumbling at age 6. She began dance in Davenport, IA, then moved to the Cedar Rapids area at the age of 9 to continue growing her love for dance and danced competitively there for many years.Karli also specializes in tumbling. She took classes in the Coralville/Iowa City area to further her tumbling skills during her school years and taught tumbling and Gymnastics in Cedar Rapids for 2 years. Karli was a cheerleader at Prairie High School and a member of the Prairie Varsity dance team that competed at and placed 10th at the UDA National Competition in Orlando, FL. Karli finished her high school years dancing and teaching at Studio 360. She became a Studio alumni in 2020 but never stopped sharing her passion with her students. Karli is the the lead Acro teacher at Studio 360 but you can find her teaching many other styles as well. Outside of the studio, Karli is a nursing student at the nationally ranked University of Iowa College of Nursing. 

Assistant All Stars Director/Instructor

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APRIL RIEFF

April is beyond excited to continue her journey with Studio 360 as a staff member! She recently graduated from Prairie High School where she was a member of Prairie Poms. While on poms April helped her team achieve a school record of placing 10th in the nation at the UDA High School Nationals Competition in Orlando, Florida. She has been dancing for 13 years and competitively for 10 years! She has trained in jazz, lyrical, pom, tap, and hip-hop. Throughout the years, dance has taught her the most humbling lessons and brought her closer to some amazing people. She hopes to help her students discover these lesson for themselves and guide them towards finding themselves through dance. When she's not at the studio, you can find her studying web development at Kirkwood or running the social media accounts for Studio 360!

Marketing Director/Instructor

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CLARA ACHEY

Clara has been dancing since she was 8 years old in the Cedar Rapids community. She started working with Miss Natasha when the studio first opened in 2017 in the Hawk All-Star program and was a part of the first-ever Company at Studio 360. She spent her high school years competing with Studio 360 All Starts and on Prairie Varsity Poms. Her passion for teaching began when she started as a Teaching Assistant and has had the opportunity to assist in many genres, including the competition program. Clara will be continuing her education at North Dakota State University in the fall of 2023 and will be a part of the Division 1 dance team. Go Bison! You can find Clara assisting in many classes this summer and offering private lessons. 

Instructor

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AMY TOMASH

Miss Amy knows everything Studio 360! She is the head of the Studio 360 Boutique and costuming. Miss Amy keeps the studio clean, organized, and orderly. We don't know what we would do without her! When Amy is not at the studio, she is a full time mom and wife and can be found playing with her pups, Kinnick, Bailey, and Frankie.  

360 Boutique/Operations Director

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KAYLEE KNIPPER

Miss Kaylee started dancing when she was 4 years old and immediately fell in love with it! As she has grown in her dance career, she has found a love for being able to set her worries aside and just dance! After graduating high school, Kaylee decided her dance journey wasn't over and became part of the Mount Mercy dance team, where she also studied biology and psychology. The dance team was not a sport yet at the college so Kaylee helped it evolve each year. By her senior year, the team had won 9th in the nation at nationals for the first time in school history! Kaylee was a captain her junior and senior year where she learned important leadership skills and the qualities it takes to build a great team. Miss Kaylee started teaching at Studio 360 4 years ago and has loved getting to share her love for dance with students of all ages! When she's not at the studio, Kaylee is back in school studying to be an Occupational Therapist!

Instructor

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DAWN NEFF

Mrs. Dawn feels so privileged to be a part of a dancer's journey and join the Studio 360 family where she can blend her love of dance with her passion of honoring the whole person to grow and express themselves. Mrs. Dawn started dancing when she was six after seeing the Nutcracker and falling in love with ballet. As she got older she branched into various styles from tap and ballet to jazz, lyrical, and pointe. In high school she competed on the dance team learning poms and hip hop, then on her collegiate team and finally on a local professional team before moving out of state to pursue her masters. Mrs. Dawn currently works as a children's mental health therapist and supervisor for Tanager Place's school based program and loves spending time with her two daughters and husband. 

Student & Family Relations/Instructor

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PORTIA WADE

Portia Wade graduated from the Etobicoke School of the Arts (1990) and is an alumna of Canada's National Ballet School teacher training program (1990 - 93). Ms Wade has taught RAD ballet classes at many schools in Toronto including Randolph Academy, Interplay Ballet, Havergal College, BSS, Branksome Hall and Bialik Hebrew School.

 

Ms. Wade is a certified ABT teacher who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through level 5 of the National Ballet Training Curriculum.

 

Currently teaching at the Woodbridge School of Dance, Ms. Wade has both guest taught and substituted at NBOC In Studio and Sean Boutillier School of Ballet.

 

Portia has taught/toured in Nairobi, Malaga and Shenzhen. She attends ABT workshops annually in New York to further her professional development and expertise.

Ballet Director

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