AAD Instructors
Amanda Verthein
A Lifetime of Dance Experience
Miss Amanda has been immersed in the world of dance for most of her life. With over 30 years of experience as a dance instructor and choreographer, she has taught and inspired dancers at every level. Beyond her role at Amanda’s Academy of Dance, she is a co-owner of Trilogy Dance Competition, where she continues to contribute to the dance community on a larger scale.
A Fun and Inspiring Environment
While Miss Amanda brings a wealth of professional expertise to Amanda’s Academy of Dance, she is also dedicated to creating a warm and joyful environment for everyone at the studio. She believes that dance should be fun and accessible to all, and she works hard to make sure every student feels welcome and excited to be a part of the AAD family.
When she’s not at the studio, Miss Amanda enjoys spending time with her family. She is a married to “Mr. Jay” and a mother to two wonderful children: Austin and Clara. Miss Amanda leads an active lifestyle, enjoying activities like hiking, reading, traveling, watching movies, and organizing everything around her.
A True Passion for Dance
What drives Miss Amanda every day is her deep love for dance and her commitment to sharing that passion with her students. She takes pride in building a dance community at AAD where everyone supports one another, shares laughs, and grows together. Her goal is to pass on the joy of dance to every student, helping them to discover their own love for the art form while being part of a close-knit dance family that cherishes dance, laughter, and growth!
Chelsea Moten
16th Year Instructor
AAD/TDS Alumni
Operations Director
Miss Chelsea is elated to return home to her AAD family and celebrate her 15th year of teaching dance. Miss Chelsea’s forté is young dancers; however, while living in Madison WI, she found she truly enjoys helping dancers of all ages discover their passion for dance. Miss Chelsea started her dance training as a young student of Miss Amanda’s, moving on to assist her in class for several years; joining her teaching staff in 2007. After 5 years of teaching for AAD, Miss Chelsea and her husband moved to Madison in 2012, where she ran the City of Verona’s youth dance program and opened B Bright Dance Studio and taught several other dance programs throughout the Madison area. With AAD always in her heart, she is thrilled to finally come home. When Miss Chelsea isn’t obsessing over dance, she is likely thinking about iced coffee, her furry family (1 dog, 2 cats: Mazy, Mack, and Mo) or CAMPING!
Emilie Chritton
14th Year Instructor
Production Choreographer
Ballet Program Lead
PBT Certified
Miss Emilie began dancing at the age of 4 and has studied many different genres of dance including ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, tap, and many more! She is certified in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) and loves using these new techniques to build muscle memory in her ballet classes. When Miss Emilie isn’t at the studio, she is likely in her 5th Grade classroom in Holmen. When she is not dancing, she enjoys being outside, reading good books, and spending time with her friends, family, and dogs. She is very excited to see what this year will bring!
Brie York
11th Year Instructor
Production Choreographer
Acrobatic Arts Certified
Miss Brie is so excited for another amazing year at AAD! She has been teaching dance for over 22 years. This will be her 8th season with AAD, teaching various styles and choreographing competition routines. She is also certified with Acrobatic Arts and looks forward to continuing to help students grow in their flexibility and strength. In her free time she enjoys reading and spending time with her husband (Jace) and daughter (Jemma). Her favorite thing about teaching is watching her students grow each season and accomplish more than they ever thought was possible. Miss Brie can’t wait to see the growth that happens this season!
Annika Haskin
16th Year Instructor
Miss Annika is delighted to return for another season with AAD! She trained at Marilyn’s School of Dance in La Crosse, which was located in our same studio space. She has been teaching dance since 2005 specializing in Modern/Contemporary and Ballet. Miss Annika enjoys choreographing competition routines in various styles; her choreography has won several Judge’s Awards including Outstanding Choreography. She loves seeing dancers shine on stage and bring the story of the dance to life. Miss Annika makes her home in Bangor, WI where she substitute teaches for the school district and choreographs their annual musical. Miss Annika spends her free time with her children (Liara and Elliot), husband (Ben), and puppy Brisket. She also loves nerdy board games, ice cream, football, giraffes, and sparkles! Miss Annika’s favorite thing about AAD is the relationships with students, staff, and families; we’re truly one big dance family! Miss Annika is excited to continue sharing her passion for dance with the AAD family!
Norah Dickson
3rd Year Instructor
AAD Alumni
Miss Norah is so excited for another season with AAD! Miss Norah danced at AAD for 9 years, including 5 years as a member of the competition team. She brings a background in everything from Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Musical Theatre, Ballet and Irish Dance. Her favorite part of teaching is watching her students grow, build confidence, and fall in love with dance.
Mckenzie Lantz
3rd Year Instructor
Miss Mckenzie is so excited to begin her third year with AAD! She has 7 years of dance teaching experience, where she has been trained in ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap, and musical theater. While Miss Mckenzie spends most of her time with younger dancers, she enjoys working with dancers of all ages! In addition to teaching at AAD, Miss Mckenzie also teaches second grade at Summit Environmental School. In her free time, she enjoys running, reading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends. Her favorite things about teaching (school and dance) is watching the lightbulb moments, and having fun with her students. Miss Mckenzie is beyond thrilled to continue to share her love of dance with AAD!
Kennedy Fox
2nd Year Instructor
AAD Alumni
Kennedy danced at Amanda’s Academy of Dance for 12 years and is excited to begin her second year as teaching. She was also a member of her high school dance team for two years, where she competed at the state level. Kennedy strives to create a fun and energetic classroom where dancers can build confidence, and enjoy moving their bodies. Outside of the studio, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family and loves any opportunity to get creative through crafting.
Nora Hirthe
2nd Year Instructor
Every instructor has a story. This one is coming soon!
Megan Wozniak
2nd Year Instructor
Miss Megan trained at Artistic Edge Dance Centre in Wales, WI, where she was a member of the company. She also joined her high school pom and dance team, competing at both the regional and state levels in jazz and pom. Over the years, she received recognition at competitions including Badgerette, JUMP, NUVO, and The Dance Awards, earning scholarships and placements in top divisions.
During her senior year, Miss Megan served as captain of her high school dance team before continuing her dance journey at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, where she was selected as a member of the UWL Dance Team. With the team, she has had the opportunity to perform and compete on both the NDA and State floors in jazz, hip hop, and team performance.
Annika Forde
1st Year Instructor
AAD Alumni
Aubrey Fromm
1st Year Instructor
AAD Alumni
Miss Aubrey danced at AAD for 15 years, including 8 years as a member of the competition team, and is so excited to be back at the studio as an instructor! She is currently attending Western Technical College, where she is studying Criminal Justice with hopes of pursuing a career as a lawyer or paralegal. In her free time, Miss Aubrey enjoys going for walks, shopping, and spending time with friends and family. Her favorite styles of dance are lyrical, modern, and musical theater. After growing up at AAD, Miss Aubrey is excited to return in a new role and share her love of dance with the next generation of dancers!
Genevieve Paulson
1st Year Instructor
AAD Alumni
Miss Genevieve has been dancing for 16 years, seven of which were spent at Amanda’s Academy of Dance, including two years as a member of the competition team. She is thrilled to be back at AAD and excited to step into a new role as an instructor! Miss Genevieve is currently a student at Western Technical College, where she is studying Business Management. In her free time, she enjoys going to the gym, spending time with friends and family, visiting coffee and antique shops, and listening to music. Miss Genevieve is excited to be back at the studio this fall and can’t wait to share her love of dance with her students!
Jenna Gibbs
1st Year Instructor
We’re excited to introduce this instructor soon.
Kylee Zigler
1st Year Instructor
Miss Kylee is thrilled to be joining the AAD family as a first year instructor. Kylee has been dancing for 16 years at a competitive level back in her hometown of Burlington, WI. Kylee is currently a junior attending UW-La Crosse and is obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Mathematics Education. She has lots of experience and background in jazz, ballet, pom, and lyrical. Alongside this she has had many choreography opportunities, both group and solo. Her favorite part about teaching is seeing the passion that students have for dance. Miss Kylee can’t wait to see what this season brings.
Lexi Lund
2nd Year Instructor
Seasonal Instructor
Our team is growing… and we can’t wait for you to meet everyone! This instructor profile is coming soon.
Caroline Pohnl
4th Year Instructor
Seasonal Instructor
AAD Alumni
Our instructors are what make AAD special. This profile is coming soon.