Kris Stein: Executive Director

​Kris established Dance By Kris in 1996 at the age of 19. She has been dancing all her life and developed a love of teaching early in her teens. As a dancer she has won many awards and scholarships, but her love and passion has always been to teach! As a teacher and studio owner she has received many awards in choreography, studio spirit, and numerous top studio awards including an FDC national top studio award. Her students have developed a love of dance, won titles, overall championships, gone on to dance with the Timberwolves, college dance teams, and professional dance companies. Many have also gone on to share their love of dance and teach. She loves watching her students grow into amazing men and women, and seeing the impact dance has had on their lives!  

​Although her passion is dance, her largest pride is her family. She has been married for 13 years and has three beautiful girls and one boy. In the classroom, Kris invests herself in her students and works to help them become not only amazing dancers but amazing people! By surrounding herself and students with great teachers, a positive environment, and a love of dance she hopes to share all the benefits of dance with each and every student who walks through the DBK doors.

Kyle Gross

Kyle has received over 12 years of extensive training right here at Dance By Kris, including tap, jazz, ballet, musical theater, lyrical, and hip hop. While on the DBK competition lines, Kyle received numerous overall high score and special judges’ awards through his solo and group routines. He also won the national “Mr. Masquerade” title in 2011.
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Kyle is a graduate of the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management with majors in Marketing and Supply Chain Operations Management. While at the U of M, Kyle danced with “MinnesoTap” – the University of Minnesota’s tap dance company, serving as both President and Artistic Director. He was also a contemporary dancer for Breaking Boundaries Dance Company in Minneapolis. Kyle is eager to share his passion for all styles of dance and love of the stage with his students!

​Helen Hatch

Helen Hatch is a dancer and choreographer based in Minneapolis. A Minnesota native, Helen graduated Cum Laude with Dance Department Honors from the Ailey/Fordham BFA program in New York. She has also trained at the LINES Ballet School and at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.  In 2011, Helen returned home to join Minnesota Dance Theatre (MDT). While at MDT, Helen has been fortunate to perform diverse of repertory ranging from classical to contemporary including works by Loyce and Lise Houlton, Christopher Bruce, Glen Tetley, Eliot Feld, Adam Barruch, Jose Limon, Wynn Fricke, Emery LeCrone and many others. She has also performed with the Lara Wilson Dance Project, Sally Rousse, Noah Bremer, and Katharine Hawthorne.

Helen’s choreography has been presented at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, the 2011 Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Festival, the MN Fringe Festival, throughout Mexico and Guatemala by the Juntos Collective, and most recently at Minnesota Dance Theatre.  In 2012, Minnesota Monthly named her one of their “10 Artists to Watch” stating that she “embod[ies] ballet’s tension between technique and emotion. In her own choreography, blending ballet with vigorous American movement, this edginess leaves you breathless”.

Katherine Hesterberg
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Katherine is a Minneapolis-based performer, company founder/director, and dance instructor.  She has danced professionally and toured state-wide with Continental Ballet Company, St. Paul City Ballet, and Metropolitan Ballet. Katherine is the founder of the 501(3)c non-profit ballet company Minneapolis Ballet Dancers. The company serves as a platform to give opportunities to local professional artists to choreograph and perform their own works. It was most recently awarded an encore performance in the 2016 Minnesota Fringe Festival.  She is also a company member of Ballet Minnesota..
 
Originally from Wasilla, Alaska Katherine began her dance training at Anchorage Classical Ballet Academy/Dancer’s Workshop. From the years 2006-2010, she studied the classical technique of Cecchetti as well as tap and jazz, achieving a four-year BFA degree in ballet from Friends University in Kansas. During that time, she had the honor of working with artist such as Shawn Stevens from New York City Ballet and Dominic Walsh from Houston Ballet/Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre and also had the pleasure of sharing the stage with globally-known guest artists such as Wendy Whalen, Philip Neal, Frederica Vincisori, and Melody Herrera. She had the privilege of working with Alaska Dance Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Tuscan, Atlanta Festival Ballet, and TU Dance in summer programs.

Laura McMorrow

Laura grew up dancing at Yackel Dance Studio where she studied jazz, lyrical, ballet, and tap. She danced on their competition lines for 12 years. Laura continued her dance training at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Laura was a member of Dance Theater for 3 years at the university. She received a degree in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, and Dance Education.   
 
Laura joined Dance By Kris in 2016 as a recreational teacher. She has 5 children of her own, 2 of them are in competition and 1 in recreational classes. Laura enjoys sharing her passion for working with children and bringing the love of dance our younger dancers.

Lauren Tracy

Lauren grew up dancing at Woodbury Dance Center where she studied jazz, lyrical, ballet, and tap. As a competition dancer, Lauren's solos placed in the top ten at competitions such as Hall of Fame and Showbiz. Lauren continued her dance training at the University of Minnesota where she graduated with a Bachelor of Individualized Studies with concentrations in Dance, Holistic Health, and Cultural Studies. During her time at the U of M, Lauren danced professionally for University Dance Theater, Eclectic Edge Ensemble, and Breaking Boundaries Dance Company. Lauren also worked as a competition instructor and choreographer for Lake Area Dance Center where she received numerous choreography awards for both solos and small groups.

Lauren joined the Dance By Kris family in 2014 as a regular instructor and choreographer for all ages. She is passionate about the importance of body awareness for both technical and artistic aspects of dance. Lauren loves sharing her knowledge and excitement for dance with the Dance By Kris students!

Macy Tipler

Macy grew up dancing at 5 Star Dance Studio where she studied jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical, musical theater, and hip hop. She was a competitive dancer in their program for her last 6 years at 5 Star. Macy continued her dance training at Northern State University on the Northern Highlights Dance Team. Her college dance team danced during the half time shows for football and basketball games and in state parades. They also were part of the 2013 inaugural parade for President Obama. Macy graduated from Northern State University with a Bachelor of General Studies emphasis areas in Education, Health, and Humanities along with a Coaching Minor. Today, Macy works as a Residential Manager for Riesco Inc. working with mentally and physically disabled adults.

Macy joined the Dance by Kris family by helping the office in 2014 and started teaching recreational classes in 2015. She wants to share her passion for all styles of dance with all her students.

Madeline Bojar

​Madeline, “Maddie”, has received 18 years of training in styles ranging from jazz, lyrical, tap, ballet, pointe, and contemporary. While dancing competitively, Madeline also spent time on performance groups such as Keane Sense of Rhythm and Hopkins Youth Ballet where she had the opportunity to specialize, and perform, within a specific style. 

Madeline graduated from the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University in 2017 with a B.A. in Economics. While completing her degree, Madeline taught competitive teams, solos, and small groups within a local studio. Madeline loves the ability to help students try something new, and see the happiness and joy dance can provide to those around her.

Marina Tipler

Marina Tipler is 17 years old and in her senior year of high school. She is trained in tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, musical theater, hip hop and even ballroom. She started dance when she was three years old at 5 Star Dance Studio. When she turned 10, Marina decided to study here at Dance By Kris! While being on the studio's competition lines over the past few years, she has won many titles and overall placements as a soloist. Marina has won Masquerade's Junior Dancer of the Year 2013, Masquerade's National Senior Dancer of The Year 2016, and Bravo's National Performer of the Year 2017! Marina and her co-teacher, Jayden Stein, have won many overall awards as duet partners as well. Outside of competitions , Marina has performed in the Twin Cities Tap Festival for multiple years with Elite Tap Feet, the Minnesota State Fair Talent Show at the Grand Stand, and in Go Pro Summer Intensive in Branson, Missouri. Coming back into her second year of teaching recreational classes, she is super excited to be teaching and sharing her love for dance with all the little kiddos that walk through the door! 

Additional Staff:
Shannon Fahey
Jayden Stein
​Jaystin Thunder