Laura Decheine
Co-Owner, Artistic Director
Laura Decheine is the co-owner and artistic director of Helmer Dance Studio. She is trained in many dance styles and has trained and choreographed with many renowned choreographers across the country. Laura teaches the Discover Dance classes for children ages 18 months-5 years, Pre-school Acro, Tap, Ballet, Lyrical, Hip Hop and Jazz to all ages in the HDS Recreational Program and Tap, Ballet, Lyrical, Contemporary, Musical Theater and Jazz for the HDS Competitive Program. Laura choreographs many award-winning competition routines that perform every spring in regional and national dance competitions. She also serves as an adjudicator for Masquerade Dance Competition and loves watching and critiquing dancers from different parts of the country. A member of the Discover Dance Experience for Early Childhood Dance Education and the International Dance Entrepreneurs Association, she continues to further her dance education by attending in-person and virtual classes and workshops. Laura is certified in Acrobatic Arts and started an advanced AcroDance program with the HDS Company Dancers, which has lead to a significant increase in strength and skills in our dancers.
In addition to dance instruction and choreography, Laura is a licensed and certified Speech Language Pathologist and has worked with many special needs children and adults. She recently retired as a part-time associate lecturer and clinical instructor at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and University of Minnesota–Duluth. She is also active in the community as she choreographs for the River Falls Middle School and High School's musical productions and has recently taken over the dance program at Hudson’s Peace of Mind Day Care. Laura is extremely proud of our team here at Helmer Dance Studio and is grateful to be able to teach so many amazing children and watch them grow throughout the years.
MS, CCC-SLP
Acrobatic Arts certified - Module 1 & 2
PBT certified
Kourtney Getschel
Studio & Competition Manager
Kourtney Getschel comes from a childhood filled with dance. She began at age four and finished with dance team at UMD. She has a degree in Political Science and Speech Communication and uses that knowledge to help make the studio a positive and efficient place for our dance families. She has worked at Helmer Dance for 19 years and feels that her fabulous and talented coworkers are very much a part of her family.
As Studio Manager, Kourtney manages the financial aspects of the studio and also works with costuming, competitions and recitals. As Company Line Coordinator, she is the contact person for Company parents and dancers. She endeavors to make each competition season not only successful and fun but also filled with positive memories for everyone.
Kourtney and her husband, David, have four beautiful children who make them proud daily. Lacrosse, football, soccer, dance, music and theatre keep their schedules very busy and fill their lives with joy.
Kallie Terrazas
Instructor & Choreographer, Marketing
Kallie Terrazas became a Helmer Dancer at age 3. Trained in tap, jazz, lyrical, ballet, hip-hop and musical theater, Kallie earned many team and individual awards. As part of her high school dance team she gained training in Pom and helped bring home four state championships, and was individually named to the all-state team for four consecutive years. She continued her dance career in college where she danced for the nationally ranked UW—Madison dance team, cheering on the Badgers field- and court-side.
Returning to her Helmer family in 2009, Kallie had the privilege of teaching and choreographing for both recreational and competitive lines for five years. Her work won several awards during this time. After a short hiatus that included a move to Chicago, marriage to her husband Chris, move to Nashville and the birth of her two beautiful babies Julian & Emma, she’s so happy to be back with her Helmer family! In addition to teaching, Kallie puts her Strategic Communications degree to work, handling the marketing/social media for the studio. She spends the rest of her time with family, soaking up every snuggle, scrape and milestone her kids throw her way.
Harrison Cruz
Instructor & Choreographer
Harrison Cruz began dancing at age 4, and has been dancing with Helmer Dance Studio since he was 6. He competed in several styles including Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Ballet, and Contemporary, as well as participated in Improv contests and Masquerade's Dancer of the Year. He also won both Mr. Masquerade and Mr. Teen Bravo title awards.
Harrison graduated in 2016 from Prescott High School and has been working with Helmer ever since, as a teacher, assistant, and choreographer. In 2020 he graduated from the University of Wisconsin - River Falls with a bachelor's degree in Creative Writing and a minor in Spanish.
Harrison has experience choreographing for high school dance teams, and has had the privilege of studying dance under amazing teachers such as Ryan Lohoff, Angie Carter, and Greg Russell amongst others.
The Helmer Dance family has always been an important part of Harrison's life and he feels incredibly lucky to be able to share his knowledge of dance with new dancers in a place that he calls home.
Carolyn Decheine
Instructor & Choreographer
Acrobatic Arts Certified
Carolyn Decheine has been a dancer at Helmer Dance since the age of 2 and started competing at age 5. Miss Carolyn graduated in 2021 and continued on as an instructor and choreographer at Helmer Dance while attending the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. Her years of training include jazz, tap, ballet, hip hop, lyrical, musical theater, pointe, and dance team experience on the River Falls High School Dance Team and University of Wisconsin–River Falls Dance Team. Carolyn was selected to perform in Masquerade’s Parade of Stars opening number since the age of eleven, was awarded 2017 Teen Miss Masquerade and 2013 Junior Miss Eclipse. She was also selected as one of three Celebrity Crew Members at Celebrity Competitions in 2019. Carolyn’s passion and dedication for dance is apparent in her dance career as she has been awarded many unmasked elite, platinum, special, and overall awards for her performances. Carolyn has always had a passion and love for dance and continues to do so as she passes on what she has learned and loved all of these years to many dancers to come!
Melissa Gutting
Instructor
Melissa Gutting began dancing as a child at age 4, dancing competitively quickly after and started teaching when she was only 13 years old. Being able to share her love of dance with students of all ages, brings her such joy! Teaching at all levels here, she has been a part of the Helmer Dance family since 2002.
Melissa is a Sales Development Manager with Travel Leaders in River Falls, WI. She believes that life has brought her many good fortunes, including the gift of travel. She has had the opportunity to take many trips in her career, she even assists in coordinating our Nationals dance trips. Join us!
Melissa says she has enjoyed her years here at Helmer Dance, where it’s more than just a studio, it’s an extension of her family.
Grace Mork
Instructor & Choreographer
Grace Mork is a dance artist who takes pleasure in movement, striving to find purpose on her journey as an artist. She started her dancing competitively around the Twin Cities but primarily received training in high school through Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists under Gabriel Anderson, Penelope Freeh, and Angharad Davies and contemporary companies: Mathew Janczewski’s Arena Dances and Shapiro and Smith Dance. Grace received holds a BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where she also received her Pilates Mat Certification. Grace is also a NASM certified personal trainer. She has performed in works by Tommie-Waheed Evans and Katie Swords-Thurman among others. Grace has a passion for operations and curation of dance takes on roles in administration and dance production. Grace’s mission is to reach more people via dance, creating attainable endeavors to experience the art.
Jennifer Prince
Instructor & Choreographer
Jennifer’s love of dance and training started at the age of three. She was classically trained in a competitive studio and continued her dance through college. After college she continued her dance education and taught in numerous studios throughout the Twin Cities. While she loves every discipline of dance, tap holds a special place in her heart.
Jennifer believes it is an honor and privilege to educate children, and providing a safe and healthy learning environment is of the utmost importance to her. Each child that comes to class has something special to offer, and it is a joy to discover what that is and watch them grow through the year.
Jennifer’s passion for health drives every aspect of her life and she loves that the experience of dance fuels not only healthy bodies, but also healthy minds.
Clare Decheine
Administration
Clare is a passionate and competitive athlete with a solid background in various sports, including ultimate frisbee and pickleball, both of which she played during college. Although she hasn’t been directly involved in the dance world, Clare brings a wealth of experience in athleticism, discipline, and teamwork from her diverse sporting background. Her adaptability and dedication have equipped her with a unique perspective on physical movement and performance. Clare is thrilled to join the Helmer Dance family and looks forward to learning, growing, and making a positive impact in the studio community.
Clare holds a degree in Business Management and brings experience from her role as an Operations Manager with Marriott International. With a strong background in managing teams and ensuring smooth operations, Clare is excited to contribute her skills to Helmer Dance Studio.
Keira Anderson
Instructor & Choreographer
Keira Anderson has been a Helmer dancer since she was 5 years old. Her competitive career began at age 7 and culminated in multiple team and individual awards. Her years of training include jazz, tap, ballet, hip-hop, lyrical, contemporary, heels, and musical theater. As part of her high school dance team, she gained training in Pom and was individually named to the all-state team as a soloist. As a 2024 graduate, she is excited to continue both her academic education and dancing at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Keira works with all ages, providing support and guidance as they navigate the challenges of growing up. She is dedicated to helping each student develop their unique strength and abilities, and she is committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment for them to thrive in. Through her work, she aims to empower children to reach their full potential and become confident, resilient individuals both on and off the stage.
Kelsey Sullivan
Instructor & Choreographer
Kelsey grew up dancing competitively in the Twin Cities for 15 years. She participated in musicals and was also the choreographer for a summer musical theater camp for 4 years. After graduating high school, she went on to dance in College at Augustana in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. While the dance team was great, she found a new, fulfilling passion in teaching dance at a studio in the genres of ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical. Soon after obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in Nursing, she moved back to the Twin Cities. She was focused on building her nursing career and starting a family, but still was being called upon for choreography. The passion for teaching never left and she found herself quitting her nursing job to pursue her calling full time. Kelsey was the Recreational Program Director for a Twin Cities dance studio for over 8 years. She was also heavily involved with competitive dance classes and the company teams. Kelsey has run summer turn and technique camps to help dancers achieve goals for the following dance season. She has experience in choreographing in multiple styles of dance and for multiple ages and levels. She has gained recognition for her top winning routines. Kelsey focuses on the potential each dancer brings into the studio and encourages them to take risks in exploring it. While exploring the potential each dancer has and what they are capable of, she also values bringing in the dancer’s own artistry in creating. She lives by the phrase, “willing is winning” and brings this mantra to each class. Kelsey believes the greatest gift of all in this work, is to see a dancer have their own reaction to accomplishing something they didn’t know they could do; how proud of themselves they are and the smile and outer shining that comes with it. Kelsey looks forward to being a part of the team and working with such talented dancers.
Guest Instructors & Choreographers
Sarah Fazio
Sarah Fazio currently lives in New York City and is co owner of Two4One Productions. She most recently choreographed the UDMA fashion show and was seen on the CBS morning show. She has served as co-choreographer and artistic consultant on the Las Vegas show "Bite" for Molyneux Entertainment as well as choreographed the Carman "Heart of a Champion" Tour which premiered on Pay Per View, as well as the Dino "Christmas Spectacular" which aired on QVC. She has choreographed and directed Six Flags productions all over the country and has co-produced the show "Industrial Movement" for Silvertree Productions. She has choreographed half time shows for the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, the Oklahoma City CAVS and has directed the show "Cirquo Magnifico" in Houston, TX. Her choreographic credits include such musicals as "Crazy For You", "Anything Goes", "Damn Yankees", "Grease", "Les Miserables", "Singing In The Rain", and "Suessical-The Musical". Sarah is the past recipient of the "America's Young Choreographer Award", and has worked with one of the original top ten American Idol contestants. She is a graduate of Oklahoma City University, and works for such organizations as Danza and Masquerade.
Angie Sellers
Angie Sellers is a rising star in the entertainment industry. A former Disney World dancer, Angie has served as Director and Choreographer for many award winning entertainment companies producing shows for theme parks, touring shows, and corporate events across the country and abroad. She recently was awarded the distinguished ”Spotlight Award” as Creative Director of the Year.
Throughout her career she has directed, choreographed, and performed for Professional Basketball dance teams; Corporate Events for companies such as Toyota Africa, Heinz, Sanford Health, Kaiser Permanente, BMW, AAA, State Farm, USAA, Snowball Express, Helzberg Diamonds, and Brinks; Television Specials including NFL halftime shows and the Oklahoma television special, “Raising Oklahoma” which featured such artists as Vince Gill and Amy Grant; Theme Park productions including Six Flags, PARC Management, and CNL Lifestyle owned properties.
Angie choreographed the touring production of “The World’s Greatest Magic”, the International Tour of “World of Magic” as well as that production in Branson, MO. She is honored to have co-produced and choreographed a live televised special that won an EMMY Award for “Best Special Event”. Angie has created a variety of nationally in demand specialty shows including “Industrial Movement”, “The Amazing Chinese Acrobats”, “Circo Magnifico”, and the Christmas production, “The Best Time of the Year”.
As a renowned dance instructor for many organizations and a member of Dance Masters of America, she has established herself as a master teacher and choreographer. Her award-winning works can be seen on stages throughout the United States.
Blake Angier
Blake Angier is a dual citizen of the US and Canada living in Windsor, Ontario. After a successful commercial dance career in Los Angeles, he and his wife had the opportunity to open a studio of their own in her home town of Windsor. Dance Barre is going into its 14th season and proudly shares the love of dance with over 850 students.
Spanning a dance career of over 20 years, Blake has not only worked with some of L.A.'s top choreographers (Mandy Moore, Sonya Tayeh, Tyce Diorio, Marguerite Derricks, Micheal Rooney) in television, film, commercials and stage tours, (Ipod, Old Navy, Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Ricky Martin, "Bring it On"), but has now been training dancers on a day to day basis. He brings his students not only personal professional industry guidance, but also concentrates on the stepping stones of strong technical and movement foundations. Guiding dancers from the very beginning stages of their dance training, through graduation and beyond, has given Blake the insight and experience to provide both inspirational and educational classes. As a dance educator, his most treasured moments are seeing dancers make the little connections that lead to big results!
Whether it’s masterclasses, choreography, or adjudication, he loves the opportunity to work with other studios & companies!
Jackson Grove
Jackson Grove is a Minnesota native currently living in NYC. He trained at the Boston Conservatory, finishing Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Musical Theater and an Emphasis in Dance. As a performer, he has been seen in major productions of Kinky Boots, Carousel, Sister Act, 42nd Street, Cinderella, and most recently Beauty and the Beast at the Ordway. TV: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”. Regional Theatre: Broadway Sacramento, Pittsburgh CLO, Kansas City Starlight Theatre, Ordway, Alabama Shakespeare Festival. He loves to teach and choreograph, with his musical productions of Chicago, Legally Blonde, Tuck Everlasting, and Footloose all receiving Outstanding Choreography recognition from Hennepin Theatre Trust. As a choreographer for young people, he believes in helping each student become the best that they can be and having fun while doing it! www.jacksongrove.info
Alyssa Pechacek
Alyssa Pechacek graduated in 2020 after dancing for 15 years at Helmer Dance Studio. Her training includes jazz, tap, ballet, hip hop, lyrical, musical theater, and pom.
Placing as an improv finalist, scoring many platinums, and receiving many special and overall awards, Alyssa had a successful competition career. At Masquerade Dance Competition she was awarded the Steven Boyd Memorial Award at the Masquerade Dance Competition for the passion she exuded on stage, and was selected many years for Masquerade's Parade of Stars.
As part of her high school dance team she was individually named to the all-state team for four consecutive years. She continued her dance career in college with the University of Minnesota—Mankato dance team, and brought home 2 national championships in Open Division pom and jazz.
In addition to teaching and choreographing, Alyssa is currently studying to become a dental hygienist.
