MEET OUR TEAM
ANGIE BROOKS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Angie Brooks is an accomplished arts educator and lifelong dancer with over 30 years of experience in theatre & dance performance, choreography, and instruction. With a passion for youth development and community engagement, she has dedicated her career to helping young people grow through the power of the arts. Angie holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Missouri–St. Louis and has worked with local nonprofits including Covenant House-Missouri and College Bound. Inspired by the documentary, Mad Hot Ballroom, Angie joined the launch of Dancing Classrooms in St. Louis in 2009 as a Teaching Artist. In 2017, she was appointed as Executive Director. Under her leadership, St. Louis Dancing Classrooms—-now Dance Moves STL—continues to thrive, helping students build confidence, connection, and cultural understanding through the art of ballroom dance.
LAURA MAIER-SCHUEPFER
PROGRAM MANAGER
Laura Maier-Schuepfer has been dancing since the age of three and brings decades of experience in performance, choreography, and instruction to her work. She has taught and choreographed tap, jazz, and ballet at studios including Becky Kern’s Dance Studio, Civic Dance Center, Angie’s Dance Studio, and Dimensions Dance Center. She has also choreographed and led performances for the Belleville East Swing Choir and Drill Team. Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a child development focus from the University of Illinois, as well as an elementary education teaching certificate from the University of La Verne. Her dance training includes time with Rosie Radiator and the San Francisco Tap Dance Team. As Program Manager of Dance Moves STL, Laura plays a key role in supporting teaching artists, managing school partnerships, and ensuring the smooth delivery of in-school and community programming.
JIM KIMKER
PROGRAM OUTREACH COORDINATOR
Jim Kimker brings a lifelong passion for dance and performance to his role at Dance Moves STL. His journey began in second grade and soon led to performances at The Muny and three seasons as a dancer at Six Flags Over Mid-America. An experienced choreographer, Jim has worked with high schools, community theaters, and professional productions throughout the St. Louis area, including projects with Stages Outreach. As Program Outreach Coordinator, Jim takes great pride in cultivating relationships with new school partners, supporting student engagement, and collaborating with the dedicated team at Dance Moves STL to broaden the program’s reach and enhance its impact.
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
TEACHING ARTIST TEAM
CARRIE FERNANDEZ
TEACHING ARTIST
Carrie Fernandez is a St. Louis native who began her dance journey with the Gateway Ballet of St. Louis. As a young dancer, she earned scholarships to study at some of the world’s most prestigious ballet institutions, including the Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, and the Bolshoi Academy in Moscow. A former scholarship student at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, she performed with companies such as Kozlov Dance International and New Jersey Ballet. Carrie discovered a passion for teaching early in her career and developed children’s programs and choreography for schools in New York. Since returning to St. Louis, she has choreographed for COCA’s Ballet Eclectica and Maximum Pulse Dance Co, and is on the dance faculty at COCA. She has been a Teaching Artist with Dance Moves STL since 2010, and trained under Dancing Classrooms’ founder, Pierre Dulaine.
ELISE KULIK
TEACHING ARTIST
Elise Kulik began dancing at the age of three, training at Dance Productions Unlimited, Ballet Midwest, and St. Louis Ballet. She holds degrees in Theatre and Dance from Millikin University, where she was a member of the Millikin Dance Ensemble and Sapphires Dance Team. After graduation, she performed internationally with Holland America and Princess Cruise Lines, appearing in productions across South America, Antarctica, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. Upon returning to St. Louis, Elise rejoined Dance Productions Unlimited and joined the faculty at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA), where she teaches ballet, jazz, and early childhood dance. She is certified in Pre-Primary through Level 3 Ballet through the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum. Elise has been a Teaching Artist with Dance Moves STL since 2019.
JENNY BATTENBERG
TEACHING ARTIST
Jenny Battenberg has been a dance educator in the St. Louis area since 2001, teaching modern, contemporary, hip-hop, jazz, ballet, and tap. She earned a BA in Dance from Lindenwood University in 2009 and has worked as a dancer, educator, model, and actress throughout the region. A founding member of The Big Muddy Dance Company and former member of Leverage Dance Theater, she has also performed with aTrek Dance Collective, Turn of Change, IMPULSE Dance Festival, National Dance Week, and the American College Dance Festival. Jenny continues to perform with Vivant Entertainment, do commercial work with TalentPlus, and teach dance, fitness, and yoga across all age groups. She joined Dance Moves STL in 2022 and is proud to be part of the DMSTL team.
JORDAN WOODS
TEACHING ARTIST
Jordan Woods is a versatile choreographer, educator, and performer based in St. Louis. His performance career spans professional dance companies, theme parks, and international stages—including a memorable engagement in Paris, France. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Missouri State University and has since returned to his hometown to direct and choreograph musical productions throughout the region. As a certified Wolf Trap Teaching Artist, Jordan integrates dance into early childhood literacy education, bringing creativity and movement into the classroom. Being a Lindy Hop Dancer, he wanted to expand his expertise in partner dancing and therefore was drawn to ballroom dance and Dance Moves STL. You can find Jordan teaching Musical Theatre, Jazz, and Tap dance in a studio near you.
JOYCE JONES
TEACHING ARTIST
Dance has been a lifelong passion for Joyce. She trained in ballet, tap, and jazz at Becky Kern’s Dance Studio throughout her childhood, often sharing the stage with her brother in what became a treasured creative outlet for them both. Inspired by the joy and discipline dance brought to her life, Joyce began teaching in her early twenties before stepping back to focus on raising her family. As her children grew, the family embraced English Country Dancing—an elegant, historical form of social dance from the early 19th century. They hosted annual Regency Balls that celebrated the grace, etiquette, and charm of a bygone era. In 2015, Joyce and her husband discovered ballroom dancing, which offered them a meaningful way to connect through movement. This journey led her to Dance Moves STL, where she found the perfect intersection of her passions. Joyce is thrilled to be teaching again, sharing the transformative power of dance while helping students build social confidence, respect, and life skills.
LAUREN CRAM
TEACHING ARTIST
Lauren Cram has been passionate about dance for as long as she can remember, training and performing in ballet, tap, jazz, and hip-hop at a competitive level for much of her life. While in college, she continued performing as a cheerleader for both the St. Louis Steamers and the RiverCity Rage. Her love for performance eventually sparked a deep appreciation for the artistry of costuming, inspiring her to pursue a career in fashion. Lauren holds a degree in Fashion Design & Product Development, runs her own clothing line and online fabric boutique, and is the Costume Designer for Saint Louis Ballet. A strong advocate for interdisciplinary arts education, Lauren believes in the powerful connections among all art forms—dance, visual art, music, theater, and design—and their importance in youth development. She is excited to bring her creative energy to Dance Moves STL, where she helps fifth graders across the region learn and experience respect, elegance, and teamwork through dance.
LAURIE CLARK
TEACHING ARTIST
Laurie Clark began dancing at the age of six and continued her training through high school, where she also began teaching at her local dance studio. Her passion for movement expanded in middle school when she started gymnastics, eventually leading to a coaching role at the YMCA during high school. Laurie continues to coach gymnastics at St. Louis Spirits Gymnastics. She dedicated 31 years to teaching in the Affton School District before retiring in 2019, most of that time spent at Mesnier Primary School. In 2010, she was honored as Mesnier’s Teacher of the Year. Laurie is deeply grateful for the many students, families, and colleagues she encountered throughout her career, and she believes that helping children grow in confidence and self-esteem is one of the most meaningful rewards of teaching. Laurie is excited for this new chapter as a teaching artist with Dance Moves STL, and to bring her experience and enthusiasm to fifth-grade students across the region.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Angie Brooks, Executive Director
Andrea Luebbert, Chair
Robbye Hill Toft, Vice-Chair
Tyler Johnson, Treasurer
Terese Fairchild, Secretary
Ken Lederle, Board Member **
Rebecca Toft, Board Member
Vicki Sheehan, Board Member **
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** Denotes Past Board Chair