EXPERIENCED AND PASSIONATE FACULTY

BRIELLE OAKES

Owner / Director

Brielle started dancing at the age of 5, training at Parker Dance, International Ballet School and Michelle Latimer Dance Academy in Colorado, and American Ballet Theatre in New York. She placed in competitions such as the Denver Ballet Guild and Youth American Grand Prix, and even advanced to nationals. She had the opportunity to be a back up dancer for Weird Al Yankovic. Brielle graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Dance and Business, and took over ownership of Contemporary Dance Academy in the Fall of 2013. She is a fourth year veteran and captain with the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders.

ANNALISE BODAMER

Ballet Program Director

Annalise began dancing at six years old, later graduating from Goucher College with honors in dance performance and a minor in mathematics. She was a principal dancer with Boulder Ballet then with The Dayton Ballet (OH), performing in Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet, various classics by Gerald Arpino, and more. Favorite performances showcased contemporary ballets by Jirí Kylián, Amy Seiwert, and Gina Patterson.  She has taught all over the country at Goucher College Summer Dance Intensive, Dayton Ballet, Boulder Ballet, Charm City Ballet and Rise Vineyard Performing Arts School.

CASE BODAMER

Contemporary Instructor

Case Bodamer grew up in Long Island, training at American Dance Theater of Long Island. He later trained at The Ailey School in Manhattan; summer programs at The Juilliard School, Ballet Austin, and New York State Summer School of the Arts and more. In 2008 Case began a ten year career dancing with The Dayton Ballet (OH), performing in numerous ballets such as The Leaves are Fading, Sechs Tanze, From Foreign Lands and People, Chasing Ghost, and You are Here. He has also danced with The Dayton Arts Project, Ballet Montana, Boulder Ballet, and 3rd Law Dance/Theater, and choreographed numerous works.

BAILEY OSTDIEK

Ballet Instructor

Bailey discovered her love of dance at an early age, training at the Baggs Studio of Ballet (FL) and International Ballet School (CO). She attended summer training camps at The Jillana School (NM) and American Ballet Theatre (NY). She spent a year performing in the Tour Dance Company (CO), directed by Chung-Fu Chang, giving dance lectures with a repertoire entirely student produced. She graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Dance. In addition to teaching at Contemporary Dance Academy, Bailey is a member of Impact, a local contemporary dance company, and teaches Barre Fitness at the Fort Collins Club.

JALAINA FELKER

Performance Team Director

Jalaina loved dancing at an early age and started taking classes at the age of two. She trained at The Studio, Studio West Dance Center, and Artistic Fusion Dance Academy, and spent many years on performance and competition teams, participating in dance conventions such as JUMP, NUVO, NYCDA, and Adrenaline. She has taken many classes with guest artists and top choreographers. During her junior year of high school, her competition team was able to travel to New York for NYCDA Nationals and placed 2^nd overall. Jalaina graduated from Colorado State University with a bachelor of fine arts in Art Education, and teaches at a local school.

RAE FLORES

Community Development Manager

Rae began performing with the Victoria Ballet Theatre under the direction of Debbe Busby at age eleven. Her summer Intensives include Houston Ballet, TCU Summer Dance Program. She had the opportunity to dance with Austin Contemporary Ballet and Austin Metamorphosis Dance Ensemble, performing in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Les Sylphides, many contemporary pieces and as a guest artist at the Dumbo Festival in New York. Rae served as the president of a non-profit board for Austin Metamorphosis Dance Ensemble. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Tampa.

CALLEY KRAUSS

Tiny Tots Instructor

Calley is excited to be an instructor at CDA. She comes from a strong dance background, developing a love for dance at a young age. She started dancing dancing at the age of three, and danced all the way through high school and into college. While in high school, she attended as many classes and guest artist instruction opportunities that she could. She attended Colorado University was a scholarship for dance. Outside of CDA, Calley works as a Certified Addictions Counselor and teaches little ones on the weekends. She loves the opportunity to teach dance and share what she loves to do with others.

GILLIAN CLOUSER

Ballet Instructor

Gillian developed a passion for dance at an early age and began training at the age of two. She trained at Canyon Concert Dance and then at Contemporary Dance Academy. She spent many years competing at prestigious competitions including Youth American Grade Prix, JUMP, NUVO, Showstopper, Fluid, and Releve. She has also guest performed with State Street Ballet in their production of Jungle Book. Gillian has been teaching at Contemporary Dance Academy for one year, and she hopes to continue to inspire young students as they start out on their own dance journeys at CDA.

MIMI WESTIN MEISTERS

Ballet and Tap Instructor

Mimi’s early training began in her mother’s dance studio where she studied the Royal Academy of Dance Ballet methodology (R.A.D.). She danced at Texas Christian University and later moved to Seattle to finish a business degree at Seattle University and to study ballet at Pacific Northwest Ballet, as well as modern dance with the Bill Evans Dance Company, and the Mark Morris Dance Company. She later joined Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers, a concert modern dance company. Mimi moved to Fort Collins in 1993, where she owned Westin Arts Academy for 15 years. She specializes in ballet, jazz and tap training.

MAGGIE JUNG

Contemporary and Hip-Hop Instructor

Maggie grew up in Fort Collins and graduated from Colorado State University with B.A.s in Dance and Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts. She received the 2015 Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography and was recognized by Salt Magazine’s “Movers and Shakers” Award for her work in The Fringe Festival. She has performed with Damsels Dance Company in Denver and trained at the Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. She has taught many dance styles and loves sharing her passion for movement. Prior to finding dance Maggie was a state champion gymnast.

TAYLOR MILLSON

Hip-Hop Instructor

Taylor fell in love with dance at the age of 5 at Premiere Dance Studio (PA) and continued her training at Studio 9 Dance Academy and Starstruck Dance Academy (CO). In addition to dancing competitively for eight years, Taylor attended numerous dance conventions including NYCDA, Nuvo, Jump, and more. Taylor was on her high school’s pom team and was awarded as Universal Dance Association’s All American Dancer. She has experience teaching hip hop at Studio 9 Dance Academy and her high school. Currently, she is a student at Colorado State University and member of Colorado State University Golden Poms Team.