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ITZEL HERNANDEZ
BALLET AND CONTEMPORARY INSTRUCTOR
Itzel Hernandez began training at the Escuela Provincial de Ballet Alejo Carpentier in Havana, Cuba. At age 12, she earned a full scholarship to the Orlando Ballet School, later training at the HARID Conservatory. After graduating, she joined Orlando Ballet. She joined Milwaukee Ballet II in 2014 before being promoted to the Company in 2015. Since being promoted, she has danced the title role in Kathryn Posin’s Scheherazade, has been featured in Val Caniparoli’s Lambarena, the Queen of the Night in Mauro de Candia’s Purple Fools, performed the leading role in Nelly von Bommel’s Gelem, Gelem, and danced the role of Fleur de Lis in Michael Pink’s Hunchback of Notre Dame.
SCOTTY VAN DER HAEGEN
TUMBLING DIRECTOR AND BALLROOM INSTRUCTOR
With a personal career in cheer, Scotty competed for 4 years at the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire where his contribution helped earn his team national championships. During this time he also coached at Eau-Claire Memorial High School helping lead the team to multiple 1st place state championship victories.
Scotty’s love of tumbling coaching continued over the years and he’s been involved with the Mad Hot program which teaches inner city kids multiple dance styles throughout their school year, as well as co-owning Elite Tumbling in Menomonee Falls.
Before his career in cheer began he competed in wrestling for 8 years and tae kwon do for 7. During his free time Scotty loves walking his dog Luna, playing board games with friends, and diving into the mythical fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons.
ABI SHEPHERD
INSTRUCTOR
Raised in Natick, Massachusetts, Abi Shepherd trained at the Walnut School of Ballet along with multiple competition teams. After moving to Indiana, she trained with G. Scotten Talent Center’s competition troupe which led to her graduation from the University of Alabama with a BA in Dance and an additional BS in Marketing. While in college, she was a scholarship recipient for Gus Giordano and Inaside Chicago Dance and interned for American Ballet Theater (ABT) summer intensive. She has choreographed and performed pieces that were presented in Dance Alabama, Dance Collection, and Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre. She also received the “Best Performance” award for her dance film “accept it or not, it’s gonna happen” at Dance Alabama Film Festival in which she directed and performed. She performed and choreographed for Madison Contemporary Dance for 2 seasons and judged regional and national competitions for Fly Dance Competition for 3 years. Abi now choreographs and teaches all styles for all ages at pre-professional and competitive studios in the Madison area and is a traveling guest artist throughout the Midwest.
KATIE HOFMANN
INSTRUCTOR
Katie Hofmann was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she began her dance journey at Dance Define Studio, training in tap, ballet, jazz, and contemporary. She later transitioned to a competitive dance team, refining her skills in pom, hip-hop, contemporary, and jazz throughout high school.
Continuing her education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Katie trained under esteemed professors and deepened her passion for dance. It was in college that she discovered her love for teaching, which led her to coach for Premier Dance Company in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Under her guidance, the team won state championships in hip-hop.
Now, as a versatile choreographer and instructor, Katie teaches and choreographs a wide range of dance styles for all ages. She has been with Blue Rose for about a year, and she is excited to continue growing in this vibrant community and sharing her passion for dance with others.
LEEAH MATHEWS
INSTRUCTOR
Leeah Mathews is a passionate and experienced dance professional with over eight years of teaching, coaching, and choreographing under her belt. A lifelong dancer, Leeah grew up training competitively at Turning Pointe Dance Company in Roscoe, IL, attending dance competitions across the nation.
While working toward her degree in Advertising, Leeah could never step away from her love for dance. Throughout college, she continued to teach and choreograph at studios in the Milwaukee area, staying rooted in the dance community while building her creative career.
Leeah is recognized for her versatility in teaching all styles of dance, including jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and lyrical. Her coaching style balances high expectations with encouragement, helping dancers grow in both technique and confidence. She has choreographed award-winning routines for school teams and studios, with a focus on musicality, precision, and performance quality. Whether working with beginners or advanced competitors, Leeah brings energy, creativity, and a passion for helping dancers reach their full potential.
LAUREN LABRASCA
INSTRUCTOR
Lauren began dancing at 3 years old and quickly developed a deep passion for the art. She explored ballet, tap, jazz, and pom before immersing herself in competitive all-star dance at age 7. From 2013 to 2016, Lauren and her team won 4 world champion titles at the Worlds dance competition.
After high school, she continued her dance journey at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where she earned a degree in business management. Upon graduation, Lauren accepted a full-time role as a recruiter but kept her love for dance alive by coaching competitive all-star teams and choreographing for local schools and gyms.
Over the past 3 years, Lauren has coached the youth national team, leading them to Summit champion titles in both 2023 and 2024. Through her years of competitive and collegiate dance experience, Lauren has honed the ability to develop not only exceptional dancers but also well-rounded individuals. She teaches more than just technique, focusing on life skills such as time management, accountability, coachability, and respect. Lauren takes pride in building strong, trusting relationships with her students, fostering a safe and supportive environment where they can thrive and grow.
KAYLA GOTTO
INSTRUCTOR
Kayla's passion for dance began in her hometown of McFarland, WI, where she trained at A Step Above Dance and Music Academy in Monona. Throughout her years of training, she mastered a wide range of styles, including ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, and musical theater. As a dedicated member of the competition team, Kayla competed in numerous dance competitions and conventions, specializing in ballet, jazz, and lyrical, and quickly became known for her talent and hard work.
After high school, Kayla continued to pursue her love of dance at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, MainStage Academy of Dance, and Dance Tracks, further honing her skills and expanding her repertoire. She is also a second-year dancer with the Lake Country Dockettes, a semi-professional dance team that performs at games with the Lake Country Dockhounds Baseball Team.
Kayla’s teaching career began in 2018, and she has since shared her expertise at renowned studios such as A Step Above, Aspire Dance Center, and Brio Studios. She is now thrilled to be a part of the Blue Rose team, where she teaches jazz, contemporary/lyrical, pom, tap, ballet, and pointe. Over the years, Kayla has coached competitive teams, earning several choreography awards and championships. In 2023, she expanded her role by taking on the responsibilities of directing and managerial work, including curriculum making, scheduling, choreographing, managing staff, and organizational work in the studio!
LILY EDGAR
BALLET INSTRUCTOR
Originally from Beaver Dam, WI, Lily Edgar started dancing at the age of 4. In 2010 she transferred to the School of Madison Ballet to continue her ballet training. At the age of 18 she joined Madison Ballet, one of two professional companies in Wisconsin, where she danced professionally until April 2023, and performed in Madison Ballet productions on Overture Stage for over a decade. Some of her favorite roles include ‘Clara’ in a brand-new Nutcracker production choreographed by Sara Stewert Schuman. She had the pleasure of performing various other roles and productions, notably so ‘Orange Girl’ soloist in ‘Birthday Variations’, by Gerald Arpino, Lucy in Eddy Brays ‘Dracula’ with Mainstage Academy, and many other featured roles in ballets, including ‘A Midsummer’s Night's Dream’ and ‘Cinderella’ with Madison Ballet.
Ms. Edgar also began teaching ballet at the age of 18. She has experience teaching ballet to all ages and loves the opportunity to share dance through a lens of joy and optimism. Ms. Edgar is particularly passionate about continuing the beauty and training of classical ballet. She is eager to change the culture in the studio to a more inviting, inclusive and accepting space for all, where we can learn, grow, and push ourselves to become better artists and people.
JD
HIP HOP AND BALLROOM INSTRUCTOR
Originally born in Panama, JD has been teaching Hip-Hop and Reggaeton to kids, young adults, and adults since 2016. In 2017 he started teaching in the All Star Dance circuit and continued with a junior team for the next 3 years. During that time he was teaching, JD started dancing with a Hip-Hop crew back home in Panama called TROKIS DC. Shortly after practicing, the crew decided to enter to compete in the prestigious event, World of Dance: Panama. When they competed in 2019, JD and his team were happy to take 3rd place. Shortly after, in 2019, he moved to the U.S. to pursue working more on his dreams with dance. Since starting his teaching career, he has found more of a passion in dancing than ever and is excited to have the opportunity to prove his skills and talent in the U.S.A!
JD always has a fun energy that he brings to the studio. Everyday he comes to class with excitement and joy in mind for his students. Although JD is a bubbly personality, he has a strong focus when it's time to work. JD is one of the most detail oriented teachers in their movements, and he shows a ton of care into the students he works with. It truly shows he wants every student to grow to their full potential. JD represents exactly the level of commitment and community that Blue Rose Dance Studio values. We are very happy to have JD as a part of our Hip Hop dance program here at Blue Rose!