2025 Festival Faculty
RICK AUSLAND
Master Class Teacher & Adjudicator
Rick Ausland is a Minnesota born and raised tap dancer, choreographer, teacher, drummer, and producer. In addition to dance and performance he has extensive experience in sound design, lighting design, film production, photography, and event management. He is a co-founder of the Minneapolis-based dance and music companies 10 Foot 5 (1997-2002) and the award-winning Buckets and Tap Shoes that performs throughout the US and internationally. He is also the co-founder of the Twin Cities-based Sparkle Theatricals—an immersive theatre production company.
Buckets and Tap Shoes was a featured act on A Prairie Home Companion, voted “Best Dance Performance 2005” by the Minneapolis City Pages, and was nominated for a 2013 SAGE Award for “Outstanding Performer."
In the Twin Cities, Ausland has had the honor of performing at the Cowles Center for Performing Arts, the Guthrie’s Dowling Studio, the Fitzgerald Theater, the First Avenue Mainroom, the Dakota Jazz Club, the Lab Theater, the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, and many other venues.
He has choreographed and taught dance throughout Minnesota (Lundstrum Performing Arts, Children’s Theatre, Main Street School for Performing Arts, Perpich Center for Arts Education, the St. Paul Conservatory, Zenon) and abroad (Austria, Ecuador, Finland, Malta, and Russia).
He has studied under Dianne Walker, Bril Barrett, Dr. Henry LeTang, Dr. Cholly Atkins, and is a graduate of Larkin Dance Studio and the Perpich Center for Arts Education (Media Arts Major).
In November of 2023 Rick made his 3rd appearance since 2003 in the Walker Art Center’s Choreographers’ Evening. He is currently is developing The Storage Unit Chronicles a new show by Buckets and Tap Shoes, and he continues to host the Have Tap Shoes Will Travel podcast.
bucketsandtapshoes.com
ANNIE CARLSON
Master Class Teacher & Adjudicator
Annie Carlson (she/her) trained at Center Stage Dance Studio before graduating summa cum laude from Gustavus Adolphus College, earning a BA in Dance and Communication Studies with a minor in Film and Media Studies. She has performed at venues such as the Walker Art Center, Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, the Cowles Center for Performing Artists, Auditorium Sant'Angelo, Cafe Belcampo, the Southern Theater, and at Christmas in Christ Chapel broadcasted nationally on PBS. Annie has worked with HoneyWorks, Black Label Movement, Hannah MacKenzie-Margulies, 8:20 Dance Company, Corpus Dance Works, had a self-made dance film presented at Inbox@Artbox, and performed a self-choreographed solo at the HJS Summer Solo Series. A life-long learner and travel enthusiast, Annie has attended the Hofesh Shechter Company Intensive, b12, Henny Jurriëns Studio Intensive, SHARE Dance Intensive, Tanz Company Gervasi's Marturanum Workshop, Company Jinks Workshop, and More Than Movement while always continuing to learn through additional open classes at studios around the world.
ALLISON DOUGHTY MARQUESEN
Master Class Teacher & Adjudicator
Allison Doughty Marquesen is a proud Twin Cities native. A diverse performer, Allison’s stage experience ranges from principal ballet roles, to contemporary and classical jazz concert dance, to musical theater review alongside comedian Louie Anderson. After training and performing in NYC and Chicago, she returned to Minneapolis to earn her BFA in Dance from the University of MN. There, she performed in works by Uri Sands, Joe Chvala and Anna Sokolow. Locally, Allison was a founding member and principal dancer of the Saint Paul City Ballet Company from 2007-13 and served as Co-Interim Artistic Director in 2012-13. In addition to choreographing for the company, she performed lead roles in many contemporary ballets and classics such as Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty and The Enchanted Toyshop. She also danced for Minneapolis-based jazz company Eclectic Edge Ensemble (2006-18) and was part of the ensemble that won the 2015 Sage Award for “Outstanding Performance.” With EEE, Allison worked with artists such as Danny Buraczeski, Zoe Sealy, and Karla Grotting.
As a dance educator and creator, Allison is blessed to have taught and choreographed both nationally and internationally. In 2010, she spent 8 months working with the Chiang Mai Ballet and was honored by the U.S. Consulate in Thailand for her choreographic work. She has been an adjunct faculty member at Minnesota State University, Mankato since 2014, where she has created many new pieces as an Andreas Guest Artist. Propelled by a deep interest in the intersection of dance and other healing modalities, Allison completed an MA in Holistic Health Studies from St. Catherine University in 2013, where her research was rooted in nutrition education for youth dancers and athletes. Additionally, she is a certified holistic nutrition and wellness coach, Emotion Code practitioner, yoga instructor, and is a trained Pilates instructor. Since 2017, Allison has taught “Nutrition & Body Maintenance” in the University of MN dance department.
www.allisondoughtymarquesen.com
MIA JOHNSON
Master Class Teacher
Mia Johnson is a versatile dance artist, teacher, and maker, with experience in various movement styles and communities. She began dancing as a member of "Legacy: A Tribute to the King of Pop" which forged connections to some of the Street Dance and Hip Hop community in MN. She later began formal dance training at TU Dance Center and Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, training in various styles of Modern, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, House, Breaking and dance composition classes. She received a B.A. in Dance from the University of Minnesota.
Mia’s performance experience includes work in: all-female hip hop collective "S.H.E.- She Who Holds Everything" under directors Al Taw’am; Maia Maiden Productions’ “Rooted: A Hip Hop Choreographer’s Evening” with choreographers Alan Mure and Al Taw’am - a show in which she also premiered & performed her original choreography; “Mixtape” productions with choreographers Herb Johnson and Jason Noer; and various other independent projects other freelance choreographers and local Hip Hop crews and artists. She trains as "Twin FW.K.D" in Krump under Herb Johnson aka Fair Warning, and she has participated in various battles, workshops, sessions, and performances around the country to deepen her training in Krump. Mia has also traveled to several workshops and intensives in Hip Hop & Street Dance choreography and technique. Some of her teaching experience includes teaching Hip Hop classes at House of Dance Twin Cities, Hip Hop & Creative Movement classes at TU Dance Center, and various local workshops.
JOLENE KONKEL
Master Class Teacher & Adjudicator
BIO COMING SOON!
EMMY MENDEZ
Master Class Teacher & Adjudicator
Emmy Mendez is a passionate dance educator dedicated to creating a supportive environment where dancers feel encouraged to explore their potential. With over a decade of teaching experience, she has worked with studios and dance teams across the Twin Cities and beyond, earning top national recognition for her choreography and teaching expertise. Emmy grew up training in a variety of dance styles at The Dance Warehouse and later danced under Crash Dance Productions. She has collaborated with leading industry professionals on choreography while continuing to develop her own original works. Now focusing on contemporary, Emmy channels her creative energy into shaping the next generation of dancers, empowering them to express themselves through movement.
ALEXANDRA MORALES
Master Class Teacher & Adjudicator
Allie Morales is a dance instructor, choreographer, and professional dancer originally from DeForest, Wisconsin. Her passion for teaching and performance began early in life, and she owes much of her technical expertise to her training at A Step Above Dance & Music Academy and Storybook Ballet. Post-high school, Allie expanded her dance knowledge at the University of Minnesota: Twin Cities, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance and a minor in Health and Wellness Promotion. Since graduating, Allie has performed professionally with InPulse Dance Co., Metamorphosis Dance Company, TEN31 Productions, Madison Contemporary Dance, Onyxx Performance Group, The Boston She Party, Forty Steps Dance, and with freelance choreographers such as Sabrina Yachkouri and Mica Romulo. Her precision jazz choreography is featured annually for the Christmas on the Hill event in Providence, Rhode Island. Allie loves sharing her passion for movement and injury prevention with the next generation, and she has taught and choreographed nationwide for students ages two through adult. Allie is thrilled to be a part of the 2025 Cathedral Dance Festival, encouraging students to shine through their own unique voices and talents!
LAURA OSTERHAUS
Master Class Teacher & Adjudicator
Laura Osterhaus Rosenstone is a movement artist and educator, born and raised in the Midwest. Across all modes of creating, she strives to connect with and listen to people. Laura received her M.F.A. in Choreography & Performance from Smith College and her B.A. in Dance from the University of Minnesota. Throughout her years of dance education, Laura had the opportunity to work with choreographers Nora Chipaumire, Gregory Dolbashian, Maurya Kerr, Garth Fagan, and Chris Aiken among others. As a member of Zenon Dance Company in Minneapolis 2016-2019, Laura performed the work of Kyle Abraham, Stephanie Batten-Bland, Michelle Boulé, Danny Buraczeski, and Sam Kim, to name a few. Laura is a member of creative trio, Kelvin Wailey, in addition to her on-screen and live performance roles alongside musical artists for John Mark Creative. She is also the founding artistic director of Slo Dance Company. Her most recent performances include Vanessa Anspaugh’s Bessie-nominated mourning after mornings, STRONGMovement, Contempo Physical Dance and the Volksoper Opera in Vienna, Austria. Laura is a founding member of Kia the Key & Company, an East coast-based street and club styles company, and assistant to the artistic director Shakia “The Key” Barron. Laura has been an educator at St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, the Young Dancers Intensive at Bates Dance Festival, and is currently an adjunct lecturer at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities.
Photography by Atila Vadoc
EVE SCHULTE
Master Class Teacher & Adjudicator
Eve Schulte is a dance artist, educator, and administrator based in Minneapolis, MN. She grew up training in ballet and modern at Minnesota Dance Theatre, and transitioned to company member in 2007. In 2009, she joined James Sewell Ballet, where she has served as dancer, artistic associate (2017-2020), and executive director (2020-present). She has also collaborated with physical theater group Live Action Set, which pioneers innovative immersive and interactive moving stories. For eight summers, she taught at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and has twice served as co-director for their International Ballet Ensemble. Eve has performed or taught in France, Germany, Denmark, Canada, nationally in 17 states, and locally in 30+ Minnesota communities. Her choreographic work Any Offered None was nominated for a 2016 MN Sage Award for Outstanding Performance. Eve holds a B.A. in English from the University of Minnesota, where she also teaches the advanced ballet course in the UMN Dance Department.
Some of her most memorable dance experiences include roles in works by Sharon Eyal & Gai Behar, Wynn Fricke, Loyce Houlton, Nic Lincoln, James Sewell, Glen Tetley, and Leralee Whittle.
“Dance should allow people to shed and discover many things about themselves, whether participating on stage or from the audience. The ways in which it can permeate one’s heart are boundless.”
Photography by Emma Freeman
Linda Talcott Lee
Master Class Teacher & Adjudicator
Linda Talcott Lee is an Emmy award winning choreographer and Broadway veteran. On Broadway, Linda was an original cast member in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, The Goodbye Girl, Beauty and the Beast, and joined Seussical before it closed. Recently, Linda has performed at the Guthrie (My Fair Lady, She Loves Me, Roman Holiday), Ordway (A Christmas Story, Cinderella), Chanhassen DT (White Christmas, The Prom,WSS, Mary Poppins, Swing and Cats), and the Fitzgerald (Wild Party). Most notably, Linda earned an Emmy award for her work in The Comedy Hall of Fame with Jason Alexander. Some of her theatrical choreographic credits include: Beauty and the Beast at the Ordway; Romeo and Juliet at the Guthrie; Matilda, Cinderella, Mulan and How the Grinch Stole Christmas at CTC; Baker’s Wife, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Next to Normal and City of Angels at Artistry; A Servants’ Christmas and Hormel Girls at the History Theatre.
ELAYNA WAXSE
Master Class Teacher & Adjudicator
Elayna Waxse (she/they) is a Minneapolis-based performer, dance educator, and choreographer. Professionally, Elayna has performed with Minnesota Dance Theatre, Colorado Ballet Studio Company, Black Label Movement, BodyCartography Project, and with Cie. Ismael Ivo at ImPulsTanz Vienna International Dance Festival. They were a member of TU Dance from 2012 to 2019, and were part of the original creation team of Come Through, the collaboration between TU Dance and Grammy-award winning musical group Bon Iver. Through this collaboration Elayna performed at the Hollywood Bowl, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Their choreographic work has been supported by Minnesota Dance Theatre, University of Minnesota Dance Department (2022 Sage Cowles Visiting Artist), Carleton College Dance Department, Threads Dance Project, and University of Minnesota Opera Theatre among others. She is a 2019 recipient of a McKnight Fellowship in Dance, and served as the Interim Artistic Director of Minnesota Dance Theatre in 2024. Elayna has been on faculty at numerous institutions including the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Dance Theatre, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, TU Dance, and Ballare Teatro among many others. She is currently the Dayton/Hudson Visiting Artist/Instructor at Carleton College.
Photography by Michael Slobodian