About Us
La Crosse’s Alternative in Dance Education
At the La Crosse Dance Centre, dance is an art form, not a commercial endeavor. We are committed to bringing the highest quality dance education to each and every student through classes, rehearsals and performances. Our program ensures that every student enjoys a structured yet enriching and encouraging environment most conducive to learning.
At LDC, our philosophy is to train our students as dance artists. We do not attend dance competitions because we feel dance as an art cannot possibly be judged with a score card. We strive to provide a safe, yet challenging environment in which we can help our students grow to their fullest potential. We make every choice regarding our program with the intension of helping our dance artists of all ages realize they have the strengths and gifts within themselves to do whatever they choose to do. Their time with us will be a nurturing time for them to explore who they are and who they want to become. Dance is our language, or medium for this.
Each class and rehearsal at LDC exemplifies the above philosophy. Instructors teach safe, progressive warmups which concentrate on keeping dancers’ bodies healthy and strong by achieving proper technique. Students learn about important kinesthetic and anatomic principals as they develop an appreciation for dance and explore their own creative process. We are committed to each student’s entire dance education, providing the student with a strong and thorough base to be able to pursue dance at a collegiate or professional level as well as gain a lifetime passion for the art form. Individual attention is one of our fundamental beliefs for executing our commitment.
Above all, students of all ages have fun while gaining self-confidence, learning valuable collaborative skills, and acquiring the critical thinking skills obtained from an arts education.
Testimonials
La Crosse Dance Centre
2716 Commerce Street
La Crosse, WI 54603
nikki@lacrossedancecentre.org
608-783-5155
Photo credits: Ashley Williams, Theresa Smerud and Krissa Valentine-Harnis
Jen TeBeest-Severson has served as a dance educator in the La Crosse and Winona area for over 20 years. Jen grew up dancing at La Crosse Dance Centre and has taught at LDC since 2002. Jen has previously worked with Viterbo University , Winona State University, St. Mary’s University and Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts. Jen has taught jazz, tap, musical theater, funk, and currently teaches in the styles of modern, dance composition and ballet at LDC. Jen has continued to choreograph for area high school students in musical theater and has choreographed over 30 musical productions.
Megan danced as a student at LDC for 8 years, took a few years off, and has now been teaching at LDC for 8 years. She is also a nurse and mom of three! Megan teaches at LDC because she enjoys creating and connecting with the dancers and sharing her love of dance with others, including her own children. She is continuously surprised by the creativity, talent, and kindness of the LDC dancers, and she feels very fortunate to work with such wonderful staff members, dancers, and families.
Tammy Schmidt has been a professional dance artist and educator for more than 25 years, serving as the Director of Dance and Summer Dance Intensive Coordinator at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts since 1999. She holds a B.F.A. in Ballet from Texas Christian University and an M.F.A. in Dance from the University of Oklahoma with emphases in Ballet and General/Crisis Intervention Counseling. Schmidt has re-staged and choreographed more than fifty classical, contemporary, and full-length ballets for MCA’s Dance Repertory Company, including: Bronislava Nijinska’s Le Train Bleu, The Balcony Scene from Romeo and Juliet, The Dying Swan, Le Corsaire, Cinderella, Paquita, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, the Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadère, A Tender Age, Hotdish and Memories, An Evening with Benny Goodman, The Southern Ties that Bind, and Midwinter. 
Natalie Stehly is a dancer, maker, and educator. She graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, earning her BFA in Dance. During her time in Urbana, she had the pleasure of performing in works by Kendra Portier, Mauriah Kraker, Leah Wilks, Charli Brissey, Renée Wadleigh, Nico Brown, Linda Lehovec, Paige Cunningham-Caldarella and Rachel Rizzuto, and additionally working with faculty members Jennifer Monson, Abby Zbikowski, Kirstie Simons, Rebecca Nettl-Fiol, Sara Hook, Cynthia Oliver, Jan Erkert, Tere O’Connor among others.