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DirectorSamantha Sullivan Kristen Rayner, Director of Musical Theatre Kristen Rayner, is a native of New England, Kristen graduated in 2000 from the University of Hartford's Professional Theatre Training Program with her BFA in Music Theatre Performance-Dance Emphasis. Kristen has spent over 18 years training and on stage, performing leading roles in a number of regional and world premiere workshops on the east coast including: Meg in "Brigadoon", Matrina in "Battleship Potemkin", Nancy in "Oliver", and Shelby in "Spitfire Grille". Kristen has been passionately teaching acting, dance and voice in private and group settings since 2003, helping and challenging students to grow and expand in a safe and fun environment. When not teaching, Kristen can be found running her private massage therapy practice in the Renton Highlands, hiking, or exploring the PNW with camera in-hand. InstructorsAmanda Herman Ms. Amanda is a Puget Sound native though she’s spent the last eight years performing, choreographing, teaching, and continuing her own dance training in other corners of the globe. She has performed in a variety of venues in AZ, CT, NY, OR, WA, WY, Italy and Austria. Her choreography has been presented at several regional American College Dance Festivals, and was selected for the 2006 Gala Performance of the NW region. Ms. Amanda has danced with such companies as Center Dance Ensemble (soloist) in Arizona, Co-Art Dance, University of Oregon Repertory Dance Company, and Joint Forces Dance Company all in Oregon. Currently working on her M.F.A. thesis Ms. Amanda was a Graduate Teaching Fellow at the University of Oregon where she instructed students in modern, ballet, jazz, and tap dance. Her B.A. is from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in NY where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, with a double major in Dance and Movement Science and a minor in Science and Society. Ms. Amanda recently became a certified DanceAbiltiy (dance for people both with and without disabilities) teacher, has presented research at annual Int’l Assoc. of Dance Medicine and Science conferences, and has an article forthcoming in the Journal of Dance Medicine and Science. Amanda will be teaching Tap, Jazz, and Ballet. Marykate Fowler Marykate Fowler has two passions; children and dancing. Her love of dance started at Burien Dance Theater, at the age of 3. There, she learned ballet, point, tap, and jazz for 13 years. Marykate began nannying and working with children in public daycare serttings at the age of 16. She has taken many early childhood classes over the years, as well as continued to study all types of dance at different studios. Libby Scofield, Pilates Libby has always loved movement and sports. While growing up she participated in ballet, gymnastics, soccer, rowing, skiing and horse back riding. As an adult Libby kept fit through weight lifting, aerobic and bench classes at the gym, running and gardening. Though she enjoyed all these activities and maintained a high level of fitness, she noticed increasing back and shoulder pain. In her quest to find activities that provided a high level of total body fitness but was less stressful to her body, Libby discovered Pilates. With consistent practice her strength and balance improved greatly, but more importantly she could maintain peak fitness without pain. After several years personal practice, Libby became deeply committed to bringing the benefits of Pilates to others. She decided to become an instructor, and acquired her certification in all mat and equipment exercises at Vitality Pilates and Physical Therapy in Seattle. During her years of teaching and continuing education Libby remains dedicated to sharing the positive benefits of Pilates in a supportive, safe, and low key environment. She tailors her teaching to each student in a way that best supports their goals and needs. Libby’s guiding principal is simple, yet profound; “Clients should always leave the studio feeling better than when they came in!”
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