About the Instructors
Michelle Allard – Owner
Michelle is the owner of Michelle’s School of Dance located in Polk City, IA. She has been teaching dance for over 20 years. Michelle has been dancing since the age of 3. Her early years she spent dancing at Moore School of Dance and then continued on to achieve her dance minor from Iowa State University. Michelle has had the opportunity to work with numerous dance professionals and guest choreographers while at Iowa State and her work was chosen to represent Iowa State University at the American College Dance Festival in Wisconsin. She has also worked as a dance instructor for American Dance Federation, traveling across the country leading dance camps and choreographing for high school dance teams. She recently was part of Iowa Dance Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker and was the choreographer for the Ginger scene. Michelle has continued her education taking classes from dance professionals from the School of American Ballet, The Joe Tremaine Dance Center, Juilliard, and many other accredited dance companies. Michelle’s competition team has received numerous choreography and technique awards but she is most proud to have her competition team receive numerous sportsmanship awards, an award that matters most to her as a studio owner. This is Michelle’s first year working as a director for Iowa Dance Theatre and she is excited and honored to be a part of such a phenomenal team.
Kristin Jensen
Kristin has been dancing since the age of 2 and teaching for the past 18 years. She grew up studying at Moore School of Dance and was fortunate to study with some of the most renowned schools in the United States. She was one of the youngest applicants to ever earn entry into the River North Summer Intensive, spent multiple summers at Giordano Dance Chicago, Steps on Broadway, Boulder Dance, and UNLV under the direction of Richard Havey. Miss Kristin graduated from the University of Arizona with a special emphasis in choreography. She helped to develop dance programs in Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson Regional Ballet Company. She spent the last 7 years earning a reputation for technical excellence in Central Iowa while winning numerous awards for her choreography and technical training. Her passion is to help students aspire higher.
Tory Pfannkuch
Miss Tory is the director for our beginning tumblers, cheer, and conditioning classes. She danced at MSOD middle school through high school and has been teaching at the studio since 2013. In addition to dance, she took tumbling for many years at a variety of gyms such as Triad, Sapphire, and Iowa All Stars. In high school, Miss Tory was a part of the North Polk Dance Team for three years, football cheerleading for four years, basketball cheerleading for three years, and show choir for four years. During her time at Iowa State University she danced and choreographed in Orchesis 2, dance classes, and her sorority for a variety of events/performances. More recently, Miss Tory has danced and coached for the Des Moines Lady Blaze and is getting her Personal Training certification through the American Council of Exercise. She enjoys seeing the tumblers get new skills, the cheerleaders master stunts and jumps, and the conditioning classes get stronger.
staff@michellesschoolofdance.com
Taylor McCombs
Miss Taylor is one of our competition directors as well as our lead tap teacher. Miss Taylor graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Child Adult and Family Services and a minor in dance. Miss Taylor has been teaching at the studio for 6 years and is entering her second year as assistant coach for the North Polk Dance Team. Miss Taylor danced with Michelle’s School of Dance from age 3 through high school, was a member of the North Polk Dance team for 4 years, and went on to join a modern dance company, Orchesis 1, while attending Iowa State. Her favorite styles of dance include Tap and contemporary.
Miss Taylor says that teaching dance keeps her own passion for the art alive. She loves watching her students find true joy in movement! Miss Taylor feels as though dancing provided her with a creative outlet to express her emotions as well as instilled lifelong skills she has continued to carry with her. She loves having the privilege of watching students find their own ways to use dance as an outlet or utilize the skills they have learned in other aspects of their life.
taylor@michellesschoolofdance.com
Samantha Webb
Miss Sam is the lead teacher for 6th-9th grade as well as our lead hip hop teacher. Miss Sam graduated from Central College with a degree in Exercise Science. Miss Sam has been teaching for 8 years but this will be her 3rd year teaching at Michelle’s School of Dance. Miss Sam started dance at age 2 and attended Robert Thomas Dance Center and Melinda’s School of Dance for a combined total of 16 years. Miss Sam was a member of the Humboldt High School Dance Team and went on to teach cardio hip hop classes to students and faculty at Central College. Her favorite styles of dance are hip hop and lyrical.
Miss Sam says she loves seeing her students’ confidence grow throughout the year. The joy that comes from a student learning a new or complicated skill is her favorite part of teaching!
staff@michellesschoolofdance.com
Courtney Wiseman
The newest member of our team is Miss Courtney! Courtney has danced at MSOD for 16 years and has competed at the advanced level for 11 of those years, winning her many stand out dancer awards, judges awards, and overall placements. She competed on the North Polk Dance Team for 4 years and received a 9th place rating at the Iowa State Solo Competition. She also competed in many Bill Riley competitions making it to the finals several times and was one of Bill’s favorite lyrical dancers.
Courtney is trained in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Pointe and will make a great Lyrical and Jazz teacher along with teaching competition technique to 1st -3rd graders. She plans to attend DMACC this year and then transfer to the University of Iowa to major in nursing.
Carly Schaefer
Carly started dance and gymnastics at age 3. She went to Beth Clarke Studio in Ames and did tap, ballet and jazz for 13 years plus helped teach kindergarten classes. She played softball at the U of Iowa and earned an MRI degree from the radiologic technology program. She worked at UIHC and then a KU Med facility for Chiefs players.
Full time motherhood (kids and dogs) followed and when her kids started school, she worked as a special education associate in Ankeny. She found a passion and community in CrossFit and became part owner of CrossFit Ankeny; teaching, competing, and running CrossFit kids classes. Carly is now the director of operations for MorNatural Health and Fitness Solutions, helping clients live healthier. She has taken classes through the Acro Dance Teachers Association and can’t wait to apply what she has been learning!
Carly has loved being a part of the MSOD family as a dance mom for several years and is very proud to be part of the amazing staff. You will find her daughter helping in classes with her most of the time. Carly has such a passion for working with kids and teaching fitness/strength. Merging all of these with her lifelong love of dance is a dream come true!
staff@michellesschoolofdance.com