2nd Annual Ella & Maddie Legacy Showcase

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The Southwestern Community College dance team is honored to be hosting the 2024 Ella & Maddie Showcase on Saturday, Nov. 30, at 9 a.m., in the SWCC Student Center gymnasium.

This will be the second annual showcase. The event is held each year in memory of two of our beloved teammates, who we unexpectedly lost in July 2023. Ella & Maddie would be beaming with joy to be holding this showcase, and we truly couldn't thank each of you enough for helping us remember the girls at this event.

Schedule

Intermission

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Judges

Mick Patterson

Mick Patterson is the head coach of the Iowa Western Reivers Dance Team and the Thomas Jefferson High school Jacket Dance Team. She has over 15 years' experience as a dance instructor and coach. Mick grew up dancing in Council Bluffs, IA where she was a proud member of the Thomas Jefferson Jacket Dance Team in high school. Upon graduating, she enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where she served as military police. After returning home to Council Bluffs, after the service she began reconnecting with her love for dance by teaching at a local studio and shortly after, beginning her coaching career at Thomas Jefferson. In 2021 Coach Mick was hired by Iowa Western Community College to rebuild the dance program that had previously been dissolved. Since her hire, she has led the Reivers Dance Team to win several titles including 3 National Championships. Mick takes pride in choreographing all of the competitive pieces for the Reivers Dance Team. She has a passion for creating choreography and seeing her vision come to life and also making artists out of her athletes by using them as instruments to create that vision. She enjoys the mentorship aspect of coaching and teaching life skills through being a member of a team. Being authentic, along with instilling confidence and professionalism in her athletes is a major focus in her coaching philosophy. When Mick is not coaching, she is busy being a football and dance mom to her two children Jace and Kira.

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Kayla Kellen

Born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, Kayla began her dance career at the age of 6 at Barbara Jean's Dance Studio. She studied Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Pointe, and danced competitively while assistant teaching. In addition to her in-studio training, Kayla also traveled to numerous conventions and workshops, including The Beginnings Workshop in New York, and Dance Olympus, where she was selected to be a VIP. Kayla's love for dance and performing also led her to the theatre. She began choreographing musicals at the age of 12, and held several leading roles, which include: Ulla in The Producers, Sharpay in High School Musical and High School Musical 2 and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. Her roles and choreography earned her several nominations and top honors at the Iowa Community Theatre Association Awards for three consecutive years. In addition to competitive studio dance, Kayla was also a member of her high school's competitive dance team, serving as captain her senior year and earning multiple awards as a team member and soloist. After high school, Kayla studied in the BFA Musical Theatre program at the University of South Dakota. Since then, she has owned, directed, and taught at studios in Sioux City, while also coaching and choreographing for area high schools. As a coach, Kayla led her teams to a total of twelve state championships, six academic awards, four community service awards and the Character Counts Team of the Year Award. She has also coached dancers onto several college dance teams and NFL cheer teams. Currently, Kayla is the owner of A Class Act Dance Center in South Sioux City, Nebraska. She continues to spread her love of dance by traveling to choreograph and guest teach. During competition season, you will find Kayla on tour as a judge with several dance competitions.

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Jeffery Shields

Jeff began his dance training at the age of nine under the direction of Stacey and Connie Jo Wilson school of Dance in Ankeny, Iowa. After high school he trained extensively in New York City for several years at Steps, Broadway Dance Center, and The Luigi Jazz Centre. He also went on to dance with the Rock School Ballet in Philadelphia, where he received some of the world's best Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Tap and Musical Theatre training. He has also had the opportunity to study with a wide range of talented dance masters over the years which include Savion Glover, Desmond Richardson, and Sascha Radetsky, to name a few. Jeff currently teaches dance throughout Iowa as a guest choreographer for Dance Studios and Dance Teams. He has been ecognized for his unique choreography at several dance competitions throughout the years. He has a vast knowledge in all things dance with a keen eye in technique and has over 30+ years of training and teaching experience. Jeff has former students, friends and family who are professional dancers on Broadway today. He is a fun-loving, energetic person who loves to share his wide range of dance styles and experiences with the students he teaches across the United States.

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Jenny Thielman

Jenny is the owner of The Dance Challenge and has 27 years of coaching experience including 10 years of owning her own multidisciplinary dance studio. Jenny spent 5 years touring as a judge with the Symposium Talent competition. She is an award-winning freelance choreographer and enjoys traveling the state of Iowa working with studios and high school dance teams. She is a member and volunteer for the National Dance Coaches Association and also serves as an Executive board member for both CR netWORK, and Leaders in Volunteerism.

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