Faculty

Classes Available

Calendar

Tuition Options

Gallery

Free Reports

Directions

Home

Dance & Music Programs

Registration Form

Tamra Bisbee, Director
Ballet • Jazz • Tap • Lyrical • Modern • Hip Hop

Tami grew up in McFarland, WI and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Choreography and Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  She began her training in ballet, jazz and tap at Madison Performing Arts and continued to study here at A Step Above adding lyrical and pointe to her training.  Tami has attended Tremaine, Company Dance, NYCDA, LA Underground conventions and has taught ballet, jazz, tap and lyrical at all levels throughout the Madison area for several years.  In addition to her experience working with high school dance teams, Tami has traveled to London and New York to appear in holiday parades.

At the University level, Tami added modern, ballroom, African, Asian-American, composition and improvisation to her training.  She has worked with Li Chiao-Ping, Jin-Wen Yu, James Sutton, Marlene Skog, Sean Curran, Gloria McLean, Lori May, Claudia Melrose, Kirby Reed as well as with several guest artists through master classes and seminars including American College Dance Festival.  Tami’s choreography has been showcased in several UW Dance Department Student Concerts and at several regional competitions.

Tami became the director of A Step Above in June 2004.  She has made teaching dance her lifelong commitment and looks forward to a long career of helping all of her students build confidence and love for the arts through dance.

Jessica M. Duplessis
Ballet • Jazz • Tap • Musical Theater • Modern • Lyrical • Hip Hop

Jessica joins us at A Step Above all the way from New Hampshire. Starting her dance career at the age of four, Jessica’s passion for the art never stopped growing. She began her education with the Jenkins School of Dance and Gymnastics and eventually became a member of their faculty. Jessica’s teaching experience didn’t stop with Jenkins, she continued to teach through an artist in residency program at the Sunapee High School, coached two college teams, and also began professionally judging cheerleading and dance competitions in her spare time.

Graduating from Keene State College in 2004 with a degree in Theatre Dance and Film education and a specialization in Dance Education; Jessica continued work with the KSC dance team moving from team member and captain to coach. Jessica enrolled the team in their first competition in 2004 and they were an unstoppable force ever since. Winning over 8 first place regional titles, four grand champion titles, and most recently named the 2007 Reach The Beach National Champions. Jessica says the one thing she misses more then family in NH is her dance team.

Jessica teaches all styles but favors contemporary, jazz, and hip hop. While attending KSC as a student Jessica danced in numerous student and faculty works and had the chance to work with many choreographers such as Paul Taylor, Sean Curran, Sarah Pearson, Momix, and Pilabolous Dance Theatre.

Jessica also works as a judge for the American Cheer and Dance Academy judging competitions up and down the East Coast. Her favorite competition are the ones hosted in Ocean City MD.

Jessica looks forward to getting involved with the theatrical and dance community in Madison and is extremely happy that she begins that involvement with A Step Above.

Jeni Hall
Ballet • Jazz • Tap • Lyrical

Jeni started dancing at age 3 at Barb’s Centre for Dance in Green Bay, WI.  There she studied ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical styles with an occasional hip hop class. She danced competitively from age 4 to 18. During that time, Jeni traveled to National Dance Competitions in Myrtle Beach, SC, Orlando, FL, and Branson, MO.  While at Barb’s Centre for Dance, she attended master classes with Jeff Shade (from the musical “Crazy for You”), Tap Dogs, Charissa Seaman (one of Britney Spears’ dancers) and Dena Rizza (a hip hop choreographer).

She became involved in the UW’s dance program her freshman year when she choreographed a jazz routine for their elective showing.  From there, Jeni performed in the Senior Honors Concerts of Ali Rootberg and Rosemary Cisneros-Kastic.  She also choreographed and performed with the student organization OPTIMA.

Jeni has been teaching in the Madison area for four years.  She will graduate from UW-Madison in December of 2006 with a degree in Retailing-Small Business Management and a Dance Certificate.

Jeni is very excited to be teaching at A Step Above Dance & Music Academy and to share her passion for the art of dance with her students.

Caylyn Huffer-Kiesow
Ballet • Jazz • Tap • Lyrical • Hip Hop

Caylyn started her dance career at A Step Above Dance Studio when she what three years old.  At age twelve, she was invited to join the Step Beyond Dance Company.  Caylyn became an assistant teacher to young dancers at A Step Above for four years and she continued dancing at this studio through her senior year of high school.

After high school, Caylyn joined a dance group called “Diversity.”  She also has had the opportunity to dance and perform in productions such as the Nutcracker, Copacabana, Everyman, and Guys and Dolls. 

When it comes to choreographing, Caylyn became interested when she was asked to choreograph her seventh grade show choir production and later a church musical.  Additionally, she helps choreograph dances for a group of interested young children every summer. 

Caylyn enjoys working with children and her future goal is to become a daycare provider as well as continuing her teaching career at A Step Above.  She is really excited at the opportunity to teach dance and to watch your children learn and grow. 

Kerry Parker
Ballet

Kerry was born in St. Paul, MN and spent her early years training at Minnesota Dance Theater and Pacific Northwest Ballet School and at the summer courses of Milwaukee Ballet and the School of American Ballet.  She danced with Minnesota Dance Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet and The Vienna State Opera Ballet.  After a brief hiatus from the dance world she moved to New York where she studied dance with Zvi Gottheiner, Jackie Villamel, Christine Wright and Jeremy Nelson.  While in New York she also studied yoga with Peter Rizzo and Gyrotonics with Jurgen Bamburger.  Kerry freelanced with Avila/Weeks Dance, Arianne Anthony & Company and Ancient of Days Dance Theater before returning to the Midwest to dance with Ballet of the Dolls, Jennifer Hart, Bonnie Mathis and The Vroom Vroom Group. 

Kerry has been choreographing since 2005 and has presented work at University of Idaho, Washington State University, ACDFA, Northwest New Works and 12 Minutes Max at On the Boards in Seattle and the West Wave Dance Festival in San Francisco.  She’s been living in Pullman, WA, for the past five years teaching ballet at the University of Idaho and Festival Dance Academy.  Kerry is relocating to Madison to work with Kanopy Dance and is very happy to be included in A Step Above’s faculty of teachers.

Nicole Rindt
Jazz • Hip Hop • Ballet • Tap

Nicole grew up in Madison, WI and has been dancing since age six.  She began her training in ballet, jazz and tap here at A Step Above.  She has furthered her dance instruction adding hip hop and poms as a member of her middle school and high school dance team.  She also has experience in gymnastics and cheerleading as a member of the Badger All Stars Competition Squad for three years.

Nicole’s love for dance continues and she has been co-coaching the Oregon High School Dance Team for the past five years.  She has choreographed many pom, jazz and hip hop routines for the team, including competition routines.

Nicole continues her education in hip hop, jazz and ballet at surrounding studios, dance schools and competition workshops.  Teaching and coaching dance has been an extremely rewarding experience for Nicole and she is very excited to begin her first year teaching at A Step Above! 

Abigail Olson
Ballet

Abigail Olson began her ballet training in her hometown in Lynchburg, Virginia, studying for ten years under the direction of Colin and Sylvia Worth.  While studying at the Fine Arts Center, Abigail performed in multiple productions as a member of the Lynchburg Regional Ballet Theatre, including numerous seasons of The Nutcracker, as well as Coppelia, Cinderella, The Tales of Beatrix Potter and selections from Swan Lake.

After graduating from high school, she continued her dance training at Belhaven College, a Christ-centered liberal arts school located in Jackson, Mississippi.  It was not until she attended Belhaven that she was introduced to modern dance.  There she studied under Amy Roark-McIntosh, Stephen Wynne (founder of At Marah Dance Theatre), Yvette Koonce, Lauri Worrill-Bigs, and Marc Arentsen (co-founder of Polarity Dance Theatre), and performed in various faculty and student choreographed works.  Abigail has also worked under other instructors at different times, including Marcia Dale Weary, director of the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.

Abigail currently teaches 2-5 year olds at Kid’s Junction in Madison and is excited to join the A Step Above faculty.

Anjee Sorge
Jazz • Tap

Anjee began her instruction right here in Madison at Monona Academy of Dance under Kate McQuade, Kehl’s School of Dance and Studio One Dance Studio where she studied classical ballet, tap and jazz.  She has also studied at Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, UW-Eau Claire Dance Department, University of New Mexico-Albuquerque Dance Department under Bill Evans, Madison Professional Dance Center, Tap-It/New Works under Donna Peckett and numerous other summer programs around the Midwest.  She is a past member of the Wisconsin Dance Ensemble, MadCity Dancers and Kehl’s Senior Dance Team and has competed in many regional dance conventions including Tremaine and ACDFA.  She performed for numerous years in the Wisconsin Dance Ensemble’s Nutcracker Ballet, La Fille Mal Gardee and Peter Rabbit’s Ballet.  She has choreographed and taught dance pieces for Middle School and High School theater productions.  She also choreographed and taught beginning and advanced jazz and tap as well as performed ballet, tap, jazz, belly dancing, African, and modern dance for the UW-Eau Claire Concert Dance Company.  In 2002 she earned a Bachelors Degree in Fine Art from UW-Madison.

Anjee is very excited to teach at A Step Above!

Cristen Woolston
Ballet • Jazz • Tap • Lyrical • Hip Hop

Cristen Woolston has been dancing for the last 25 years. Her training began in her home town and St. Louis, MO, in ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical. She later added hip hop, modern and musical theater in her resume which she acquired from attending numerous workshops in New York and Los Angeles. Cristen then moved to L.A. to further her dance experience with Edge Performing Arts Center and Debbie Reynolds studio. She continues to further her education through workshops and conventions keeping her updated with the latest moves and styles.

Cristen began teaching alongside her mother, studio owner of Dance Connection in the St. Louis area, and by the age of 16, took on classes of her own. She has since taught in Illinois, Kentucky, California, and Wisconsin, winning choreography awards at regional and national dance competitions. Locally, she teaches ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and lyrical for 'A Step Above', and enjoys doing musical theater choreography for Madcap, Strollers Theater and Oregon Straw Hat Players.

Some of Cristen's performance experience includes performing as a featured dancer for the Shoji Tabuchi show in Branson, MO, dancing as a member of the first cast to perform at the Hyperion Theater in Disneyland's newest addition, Disney California Adventures, and traveling to Paris, France to perform as a magician's assistant in a television special.

Cristen would like to extend her gratitude to 'A Step Above' for allowing her the opportunity to become a part of the Madison dance community, and for giving her the opportunity to continue sharing her love for the art of dance and movement.

Melanie Cain
Voice • Piano

Melanie Cain, Soprano, holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance and a Masters of Music from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  A native of Carroll, Iowa, she received her BA in both Music and Art from Luther College in Decorah, IA.

Melanie has performed numerous roles in the Madison area receiving rave reviews.  In 2002, the Capital Times wrote, “Melanie Cain sang with a gorgeous range and a strong, thrilling voice that projected to the top row. Cain is a graduate student in vocal performance with a big career ahead of her.”  Her past roles include Second Lady in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, The Mother in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Madame Lidoine in The Dialogues of the Carmelites, Alice Ford in Falstaff, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus. She has also studied the roles of Leonora in Beethoven’s Fidelio, Miss Jessel in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, the title role from Gluck’s Armide and Salome in Herodiade by Massenet in UW’s Opera Workshop.  While at UW, Cain understudied the well known soprano, Julia Faulkner, in the title role of Vanessa. Melanie was Assistant Director/Stage Manager of the UW Opera’s productions of Orpheus in the Underworld and Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte and Le Nozze di Figaro under the direction of William Farlow.

Cain has received numerous honors including winner of the UW Concerto Competition, was a recipient of the Bolz Fellowship of Music from UW, and had the honor of singing for the famous tenor Ben Heppner.  Dr. Cain has experience in teaching private voice lessons, piano lessons, and has taught many vocal master classes. Her students have repeatedly received top awards at state competitions, and have sang in numerous local musicals and choirs.

Melanie believes through music education, young people are instilled with the confidence and wisdom essential for all they wish to do in life.

Kelly Ehresman
Piano

Kelly recently moved to Madison form Rochester, MN, where she taught piano lessons for Hovland Jost Conservatory of Music.  From a very young age, Kelly has performed in front of congregations with voice and piano.  During her high school years, she was actively involved in the drama team and many vocal groups.  She has traveled to many summer camps, teaching drama, voice, and various instruments to children of all ages.  Throughout Kelly’s college career, she directed her church choir and helped the college choir during their tour.  She has performed in Sweet Adalines, King’s Choristers, Adoration, and Praise Bands.  She has also accompanied many choirs and soloists as well as played for church services.

Kelly has graduated cum laude with a Music Major at Crossroads College in Rochester, MN.  She plans to continue her education in Madison in the areas of teaching and performance.  Kelly is excited to be a part of A Step Above’s Faculty and looks forward to encouraging students to developing their abilities.

Gregg Punswick
Piano

Gregg was raised in Cottage Grove, WI. He is a graduate from the Monona Grove High School and then studied music at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in Ohio. There he received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano and Organ Performance. For most of his working life, Gregg has participated in a variety of musical activities, including teaching, accompanying, performing and church music. Currently Gregg served as a musician for the Olivet Congregational Church. He also accompanies in the choral program at the Glacial Drumlin Middle School. Gregg also enjoys singing in the Madison Symphony Chorus and playing the piano in soirees.
 
Gregg is very excited to join the faculty at A Step Above and hopes to pass on his passion for music to his students.

Caitlin Cisler
Piano

A native of Wisconsin, soprano Caitlin Cisler has already asserted a strong presence as a leading lady on the operatic stage. Her notable roles include Pamina (Die Zauberflöte, 2006), Lucy (The Telephone, 2006), Mélisande (Pelléas et Mélisande, 2007), Norina (Don Pasquale, 2008), and Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro, 2008). In the 2008-2009 season, Ms. Cisler can be seen on the UW Opera stage as Valencienne (Die lustige Witwe) and Morgana (Alcina), as well as Cunegonde (Candide) with Four Seasons Theater.

In concert, Ms. Cisler has presented programs on the “Heroines of Shakespeare in Song and Opera” (2005) and “Beauty and the Veil: the works of Richard Strauss and Gustav Klimt” (2006) featuring Strauss’s Brentano Lieder, op. 68 and excerpts from Der Rosenkavalier. She was recently featured as the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem, von Weber’s Mass in G Major, and Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore with various UW ensembles in 2007-2008. In 2008, she presented the Brentano Lieder with the UW Symphony Orchestra as a winner of the university’s concerto competition.

Ms. Cisler was selected as a finalist for the 2007 Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition, placed second in the 2007 NATS Adult Professional competition, and most recently received first place in the 2008 Schubert Club Competition in St. Paul, MN.

Ms. Cisler holds bachelor degrees from Lawrence University in both vocal performance and biology, and a masters degree in opera from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She is a published researcher in vocal health and the effects of singing on the immune system. At the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Ms. Cisler was selected as both a Voice teaching assistant, teaching a studio of 10 private students, as well as the Opera teaching assistant, directing opera scenes for the Opera Workshop class. Ms. Cisler has also maintained a private studio since graduating from her bachelor studies.

Stanislava Varshavski
Piano

Stanislava Varshavski Piano Stanislava Varshavski was born in Kharkov, Ukraine. She started her music education in Kharkov Special Music School and later continued at Kharkov Music Academy. After graduation, she proceeded with her studies as a member of Varshavski&Shapiro Piano Duo (www.piano-4-hands.com.) at the Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music and Dance, where Stanislava got her Bachelor and Master Degrees, and at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA. Since then, her duo became laureate of numerous prestigious national and international competitions in Czech Republic, Germany, Israel, Italy and US. The awards included two CD recordings and numerous concert tours throughout the world. Currently Stanislava studies for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Collaborative Piano with Prof. Martha Fischer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Stanislava has been teaching various levels of children and adults for more than twelve years. She tailors her teaching method to the personal needs of each individual student and incorporates many different styles and techniques (from Ukraine, Israel and US) into her approach. She, herself, enjoys music tremendously and sees her ultimate goal as passing her love and passion for music to students of any age and ability.

Sarah Hervas
Dance

Lyrical Sarah Hervas started dancing at the age of 4 at Barb’s Centre for Dance in Green Bay, WI. There she studied ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical styles with an occasional hip hop class. Sarah attended various Master Classes and competitions while studying dance in her youth. At the age of 12, she started student teaching and assisting younger students.

Upon entering college Sarah continued dancing with the UW Dance Program adding modern, improvisation and composition to her repertoire. She performed in the Senior Honors Concerts of Ali Rootberg and Rosemary Cisneros-Kostic and stage director for Joana daCosta’s concert. Sarah is a founding member and performer of OPTIMA, a student dance organization.

Sarah received her undergraduate degree in Communicative Disorders with a Dance Certificate in 2004. In 2008, Sarah earned her doctorate in Audiology. While studying at UW Sarah taught dance for four years. Sarah is happy to return to teaching and join her friends at A Step Above Dance and Music Academy.

Sara Williams
Ballet • Jazz • Tap • Lyrical

Sara Williams began her dance training at A Step Above in 1995 at the age of six. She has taken classes in ballet, jazz, tap, and lyrical through her senior year of high school. She was a member of A Step Beyond Dance Company for 10 years where she performed and competed in solo and group dances in the Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago areas and attended Tremaine or NYCDA dance conventions each year. She also performed in the Peter Rabbit Ballet with the Wisconsin Dance Ensemble.

Sara began assisting with classes in middle school and became a substitute teacher at the studio in high school. Sara was instrumental in implementing a summer program in dance within the Cottage Grove Recreation Department and taught classes for four to ten year olds for four summers. She has continued to teach as a substitute at A Step Above since graduating from high school. Sara will be a junior at UW-Whitewater and is pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education. Upon graduation she will hold a dual licensure in special and regular education for birth through third grade. She continues to take dance classes at the studio as well as UW-Whitewater when she can fit them into her class schedule. Sara enjoys working with children and is exciting to begin teaching classes at A Step Above.

Meet Our Faculty

Tamra Bisbee, Director
Ballet • Jazz • Tap • Lyrical
Modern • Hip Hop

Jeni Hall
Ballet • Jazz • Tap • Lyrical

Caylyn Huffer-Kiesow
Ballet • Jazz • Tap • Lyrical • Hip Hop

Kerry Parker
Ballet

Nicole Rindt
Jazz • Hip Hop • Ballet • Tap

Abigail Olson
Ballet

Anjee Sorge
Jazz • Tap

Cristen Woolston
Ballet • Jazz • Tap • Lyrical • Hip Hop

Melanie Cain
Voice • Piano

Kelly Ehresman
Piano

Jessica Duplessis
Ballet • Jazz • Tap • Musical Theater
Modern • Lyrical • Hip Hop

 Sarah Hervas
Dance

Sara Williams
Dance