 Stephanie McDougall-Rud Stephanie Rud is a member of Dance Masters of America with an extensive 19 year background in teaching ballet, jazz, lyrical and hip hop to students of all ages. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Performance from the University of Washington and studied under the world renowned Anne Green Gilbert, specializing in Creative Movement teaching techniques for young children. Ms. Stephanie’s innovative and motivational dance styles have placed her in the forefront of dance educators in the Greater Seattle area. As an instructor/choreographer for dance studios across the Western United States she has earned numerous awards including the prestigious “David De Marie” excellence in choreography award from Dance Masters of America. In addition, her dance students and choreography have been recognized on regional and national levels by West Coast Dance Explosion, CoDance, Starpower Spotlight Dance Cup, NYCDA’s “Critics Choice Award”, and many others. Her high energy jazz style has been featured as part of the College Football “Aloha Bowl” halftime extravaganza and in the former TV talent show “Destination Stardom”. Ms. Stephanie’s reputation to produce excellent performers eventually led her to the NBA where she was hired as the Director/Choreographer for the Seattle Sonics Dance Team and WNBA Storm Dance Troupe from 1998-2002. In an effort to bring something fresh and new to the athletic arena, she was the first to break the mold by incorporating “male” hip-hop dancers to perform on the court. Several dancers who were trained by Stephanie during these years have gone on to dance professionally for such names as Beyonce, Rhianna, Savion Glover, Breed, and have been featured in the hip hop movie “Stomp the Yard”. After her 14 year tenure of teaching at various dance studios, Stephanie opened Dance Premier in 2002 in Issaquah, Washington where she and her acclaimed faculty teach at 3 studio locations on the Sammamish Plateau. Ms. Rud is also the founder and Artistic Director of “Prodigy” Dance Company consisting of 50-60 dancers between the ages of 7-18 who have the desire and skill to perform at a competitive level. Adding to Stephanie’s credits is her recent venture with the Seattle Mariners. She is the originator and choreographer for the now famous Seattle Mariner's Grounds Crew Dance Routines and Junior Mariner’s Dancers which is an exclusive opportunity to Dance Premier Students. |
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Lisa Foley is formerly from Sandy, Utah where she co-founded and directed her own studio. Her dance company "Art in Motion" traveled extensively throughout the United States and Japan where they performed and competed with other prestigious dance companies. Ms. Foley was a featured dancer in the hit classic movie Footloose and performed as a dancer/actor with the Salt Lake Outdoor Theatre. Lisa studied extensively under the instruction of Greg Russell (LADF) and Jamie Pisano (Tremaine Studio, Hollywood). She is a former choreographer for the Utah Jazz Dancers, Reebok Aerobics Touring Team and Westminster College Theatre. Ms. Lisa's primary dance focus is on younger children. During her time as the director of Dance Arts, she taught and choreographed dances for over 500 students. Her talents in the classroom have proven well, as many of her previous dancers have gone on to dance professionally. Lisa is a motivating instructor who encourages all students to achieve new levels of self-satisfaction through dance. |
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Matthew Kim Matthew has been dancing professionally since the age of 17. Starting out in the modeling and fashion industry, Matthew lived in New York and Los Angeles. After traveling, he ended up in Washington where he helped start a dance company which he artistically directed for 2 years. Matthew has worked with names such as Dave Scott, Jamie King and Brian Friedman. His other highlights include performances with Janet Jackson, KUBE 93 Summer Jam '04; a sponsorship for NIKE; Nordstrom's Fashion Shows and more. Matthew's hip hop classes bring you a well rounded style that is sure to get you movin'! |
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Erin McEachran studied on scholarship at Pacific Northwest Ballet for fourteen years, performing roles in The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella and The Firebird. During the summers, Erin studied at the San Francisco Ballet and the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. After graduating from high school, Erin moved to Pittsburgh to dance in the corps de ballet of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. She danced soloist and demi soloist roles in Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Dracula, Madame Butterfly, The Nutcracker and in George Balanchine's Serenade, Midsummer Night's Dream, and Divertimento #15. Erin toured with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre to the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Wolftrap Performing Arts Center in Virginia, and The Joyce Theatre in New York City. Most recently, Erin danced the lead in Ballet Bellevue's production of The Nutcracker. Erin enjoys teaching and sharing her knowledge of dance with students of all ages! |
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Jessica Parker Jessica is a recent Graduate from the University of Washington where she got her B.A in Performing Arts Management. She has had eighteen years of dance experience in ballet, jazz, eleven years tap, and 6 years of hip-hop. She was the youngest member of the 2000 Seahawk SeaGal Cheer Squad, and in 2001 became a member of the Seattle Sonics Dance team through May of 2005. Since then, she has also participated in miscellaneous dance jobs around Seattle and Portland, including the Nike Award show at the Nike Headquarters, which was hosted by Charles Barkley. Jessica has also been in various Fashion Shows for Local Seattle Designers and has been a feature dancer in Macy's back to School Fashion shows. Jessica is in her second year teaching with the Dance Premier family and is also choreographing for the Prodigy Pak Tap group this year for Dance Premier's Competition team. |
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Kellie Satterly  Kellie began her career in Grand Island, NE, where she studied with the Royal Academy of Dance under Karen Jamieson (A.R.A.D). She went on to receive a BFA in dance from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. There she studied such techniques as Cecchetti, Graham, Limon and Cunningham among others, while performing in dance concerts, musicals and operas.
In the summer of 2001 Kellie performed with Ruth Davidson-Hahn, formerly of Mark Morris Dance Co., at Jacob's Pillow in Becket, MA. Along with performing Kellie has an extensive background in teaching children of all ages in ballet, tap, jazz, creative movement and lyrical. While in Nebraska she taught and choreographed at the Shari Shell-True Dance Academy and also for Club Kicks, a cheer and dance program taught to children in the Lincoln public schools.
Since her short time in Seattle Kellie has interacted in the community by bringing dance to The Perkins School children as an after school program. Kellie is very happy to now be a part of the Dance Premier faculty. |
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Leah Ward  Leah has been trained in all forms of dance for 18 years and was Ms. Stephanie's protégée since the age of 9. She was a five year member of the of the National Award Winning Mo-dazz Dance Team. She traveled to New York to perform in an off-Broadway show under the choreography and direction of Sheila Barker and also earned the title of Teen Miss Super Star 1999 and Miss Teen Washington 2001. During her competitive dance career she earned a position as a USA team member for the World Champion of Performing Arts and was also awarded Rainbow Connection's "Dancer of the Year" in 1999 and 2001.
Ms. Leah's talents have earned her scholarships with several dance conventions and competitions including Encore, Dance Masters of America, Urban Jam, Tremaine, Dance Power, and the Edge Performing Arts in Hollywood, California. She most recently graduated from Southern Methodist University in Texas with a BS in Biology and Pre-medical Studies. During this time, she was also awarded the All American Collegiate Dancer of 2002. Leah plans to continue her education in the medical field by obtaining her masters degree in dentistry while teaching full time in the evenings at Dance Premier. We are very proud and fortunate to have Ms. Leah on faculty where she can share her well-rounded dance skills with her students. |
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| Kelly Willis Kelly Willis has been teaching Voice, Dance and Musical Theater, and dialect for more than 20 years. She received her BA in Theater and Dance from the University of Missouri. She also has over 30 years of professional entertaining to her credit. Her graduate studies were in Acting and Directing at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale where she taught Voice and Diction for the Stage, Stage Dialect, Movement for the Actor, Stage Combat and served as assistant choreographer for all of the Main Stage Musical Productions. As a professional, Ms. Willis has performed extensively in regional theaters on the East Coast and in the Midwest, and has toured nationally. Some of her favorite roles include, Peggy Sawyer in “42nd Street,” Kathy Selden in “Singing in the Rain,” and Edythe Herbert in “My One and Only.” Kelly and her husband Ty were also lead singers for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line for many years. Ms. Willis has also been seen performing locally with the Fifth Avenue Theater, Village Theater and Eastside Musical Theater. She was the Artistic Director for the Musical Theater Dept. at the Washington Academy of Performing Arts for seven years, and most recently has been an active part of Redmond Drama in the roles of Director, choreographer, Musical Director, and Combat Instructor. |
