Director of Belle Academy of Dance
Kay Ferris has a B.A. in Education from the University of Iowa, where she was a Hawkeye cheerleader and a member of the Old Gold Singers. Her formal dance training in ballet, tap, and jazz began as an adult under the instruction of Connie Bracey and staff at CLB Dance Academy. After serving as a substitute teacher for CLB, she later became the general manager and a staff instructor. In 2005 Kay was offered ownership and renamed the studio Belle Academy of Dance. At First Presbyterian Church in Davenport she has been the choreographer for the church’s Performing Arts Series for 25 years. Kay’s three daughters – Lindsay, Anne, and Adrienne – grew up through this studio while Anne and Adrienne continue as instructors. The tradition continues with the precious opportunity to share this journey with five of her eight grandchildren.
Instructors
Dance has added dimensions to the life of Anne Chansler for 34 years. She trained with CLB Dance Academy in ballet, pointe, tap, and jazz, and was the 1994 recipient of the Karen Webb Ballet Award. At North Scott High School, Anne both performed and choreographed for the dance team and show choir. During a three-year membership with Orchesis Dance Company at the University of Northern Iowa, she studied modern dance and choreographed two modern pieces, one of which was selected to be performed and adjudicated at the 2002 American College Dance Festival. She is now enjoying her 17th year of teaching dance for Belle Academy. Anne graduated from UNI in 2004 with a B.A. in Music Education, and she received her M.A. in Education from Nova Southeastern University in 2013. She teaches general music at Wilson Elementary in Davenport and enjoys life with her husband, step-son, and two special red-headed children, Amelia and Alex.
In 1995, Lisa Levetzow Tanner graduated from Stephens College, Columbia, MO earning a BFA in dance, BA in Psychology, and minor in Biology. Starting at the age of four, the emphasis in her dance training has been in ballet and modern technique, however her repertoire includes tap, jazz, African, Spanish Flamenco, and East Indian. Lisa graduated with her MSEd in Counseling from Western Illinois University in 2005 and works as a school counselor for the Davenport Community Schools. She also serves as an assistant coach for the Davenport Central High School Blue Illusion Dance Team and enjoys choreographing for community theatre. Lisa lives in Davenport with her husband Mike and has two daughters, Dayna and Zoe, former dancers of Belle. This is her 25th year teaching at Belle Academy, and Lisa feels truly fortunate to have worked with so many amazing young people! She feels blessed to be able to continue sharing her passion of dance and choreography with others.
Andrea Williams is proud to have been a part of Belle Academy/CLB for the past 17 years. Beginning at age nine, Andrea studied ballet, tap and jazz. In college, she added modern, ballroom and folk to her dance experience. She holds a minor in Dance and an M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Northern Iowa, where she was a member of Orchesis Dance Company. She has been working as a dance teacher and choreographer for nearly 30 years, including five years as owner and director of a studio in Galesburg, IL. Andrea is a full-time Speech Communication instructor at Scott Community College. She also enjoys choreographing high school and community theatre productions. Most recently, she choreographed Hairspray for Davenport Central High School. Andrea and her husband Gary have a son, Brady, and live in Moline with their black labs Zeus and Athena.
Melissa Clark is thrilled to be teaching at Belle Academy. She started dancing when she was three years old and spent years at Studio 17 Performing Arts Center training in ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, musical theater, singing, and acting. Since then, Melissa has continued her love of dance while performing in many local community theater productions, most recently playing Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda at Quad City Music Guild. Melissa lives in Bettendorf with her husband and best friend, Nate. They have two wonderful children – Belle Academy dancer and teacher, Harper, and Grinnell College student, Spencer.
Adrienne Tressel started dancing at the age of two, training in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, and variations under Connie Bracey at CLB Dance Academy, and was the 2002 recipient of the Karen Webb Ballet Award. In high school, she began teaching dance classes and choreographing for CLB, and further expanded her dance knowledge and choreographic experience with her high school dance team in poms, jazz, and hip hop. Her passion for dance continued into college where she trained extensively in ballet and modern with the University of Iowa dance department. She stayed connected with Belle Academy during this time by driving back from Iowa City once a week to teach classes. Upon graduating from college with BBA degrees in Finance and Business Management and minors in Dance and Spanish, Adrienne began working for John Deere and returned as a student and teacher to Belle Academy for a few years before relocating with Deere to Augusta, Georgia. She spent six years there where she met her husband, Ben, before moving back to the QC. They now reside in Bettendorf with their preschooler Camryn and infant Easton.
Lindsey Howe does not remember life without dance. She began her training at CLB Dance Academy at the age of five, continuing through high school in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, and hip hop. Through her hard work and dedication to dance she received both the CLB Karen Webb Ballet Award in 2001 and the Karen Webb Tap Scholarship in 2002. Lindsey graduated from The University of Iowa with a BA in Elementary Education and a minor in Spanish in 2010. Later she received a master’s degree in Interdisciplinary and Educational studies in 2014. Now, Lindsey teaches kindergarten in the Pleasant Valley School District. She and her husband, Mitch love spending time doing anything outdoors with their two boys, Ollie(9) and Bennett(7). Dance has always been an important part of her life and she is happy to still be with Belle Academy teaching and sharing her love of dance.
Dance has always been the biggest part of Melinda Turner’s life. She has been dancing at Belle Academy of Dance for 16 years since she was three years old. Starting with Tap and Ballet, her love of dance continued to grow by taking every class she could, including Jazz, Modern, Pointe, Hip-Hop, and Variations. In 2018 Melinda received the Karen Webb Tap Scholarship and two years later as a Senior was honored with the Karen Webb Ballet Award. She now owns and operates “Fire Nails Studio” while continuing to take a few dance classes each week. As an instructor of two classes, she is proud of her students’ progress this year and can’t wait to see them perform for you.
Belle Academy of Dance has affected Kate Hickenbottom’s life since she started dancing there at the age of four. Kate began with tap and ballet but soon continued on to jazz, modern, hip hop, and variations. As a shadow dancer for two years she realized her love for tap, teaching, and helping others improve. Last year Kate received the Karen Webb Tap Scholarship, and this year she has enjoyed every second of her first experience as a tap instructor. Making connections with her students and watching them improve has been a true honor. Outside of dance, Kate spends most of her time playing softball. She is also involved in National Honor Society and dance team at Davenport Central High School. In the future, Kate plans to attend Kirkwood Community College to play softball and then transfer to a D1 school to continue her softball career. She’s super excited to watch her tap class perform on stage and show their love for tap!
Jillian Darland loved her first year as a jazz instructor at Belle Academy. She studies ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, and modern at Belle and began dancing in 2009 as a three-year-old. Jillian has also been a shadow dancer for the past five years and has always greatly enjoyed spending time with the younger dancers. As a senior at Davenport Central High School, Jillian takes part in theater, choir, vocal lessons, and volleyball. She has been in eight musicals and is a two-time qualifier for the International Thespian Festival. For her vocal solo at the 2023 Iowa Solo Ensemble Festival, Jillian was honored with the “Best in Center” award. She is excited for you to see the 2024 Spring Performance and help to celebrate all of the hard work by the dancers this past year!
This was Meia Carr’s first year teaching at Belle Academy of Dance, and her specialty is hip hop! Meia started hip hop training at Essence W. Dance at the age of eight. At the age of 15 she joined Blue Illusion Dance Team at Davenport Central High School. In the past few years, she has received multiple awards for her solos and group performances including 2nd place for a solo at the Dance Team Union National competition. Meia is graduating this spring from Central and will be continuing her education at Louisiana State University (LSU) to study Biomedical Engineering. Meia says being able to choreograph the hip hop recital number with her students has been the best thing in the world. She is super excited to watch them “show you their stuff” and have fun doing the dance!
Dance has always been an incredibly important part of Lauren Lundie’s life. She started her training at the age of three and has continued to grow as a student at Belle Academy, especially in the styles of ballet and modern. Lauren is a junior at Pleasant Valley High School, participating in band, choir, and theater, while also being a proud inductee of the National Honor Society and 2023 All State Band. She enjoys furthering her dance opportunities by serving as a dance captain for school musicals and participating in shadow dancing at Belle. This is her second year teaching, and she feels so fortunate to have the opportunity to assist her students on their dance journeys!
At the age of three, Natalie Vonderhaar started her dance career at CLB Dance Academy. She trained at CLB and then Belle Academy until she graduated high school taking classes in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, hip hop, and modern. During this time, Natalie began teaching hip hop for Belle Academy and was awarded the Karen Webb Tap Scholarship and the Connie Bracey Inspiring Dancer Award. Natalie also participated on her high school dance team which competed in pom, jazz, and hip hop at the state and national levels. She attended The University of Iowa, where she majored in Elementary Education and minored in Dance. Upon graduating in 2015, Natalie returned to Davenport to teach elementary school as well as coach the dance team at her alma mater, Assumption High School. Taking a break from dance in 2017, she earned an MA in Educational Administration from St. Ambrose University, married her husband, JT, and they welcomed their first child JJ, age 2. Baby #2 will be arriving any day! Natalie has enjoyed the opportunity to connect with dance and the Belle Academy family again this year.