EXPERIENCED AND PASSIONATE FACULTY

BRIELLE OAKES

Executive Director / Owner

Brielle started dancing at the age of 5, training at Parker Dance, International Ballet School and Michelle Latimer Dance Academy in Colorado, and American Ballet Theatre in New York. She placed in competitions such as the Denver Ballet Guild and Youth American Grand Prix, and even advanced to nationals. She had the opportunity to be a back up dancer for Weird Al Yankovic. Brielle graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Dance and Business, and took over ownership of Contemporary Dance Academy in the Fall of 2013. She is a fourth year veteran and captain with the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders.

ANNALISE BODAMER

Artistic Director

Annalise began dancing at six years old, later graduating from Goucher College with honors in dance performance and a minor in mathematics. She was a principal dancer with Boulder Ballet then with The Dayton Ballet (OH), performing in Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet, various classics by Gerald Arpino, and more. Favorite performances showcased contemporary ballets by Jirí Kylián, Amy Seiwert, and Gina Patterson.  She has taught all over the country at Goucher College Summer Dance Intensive, Dayton Ballet, Boulder Ballet, Charm City Ballet and Rise Vineyard Performing Arts School.

CASE BODAMER

Assistant Artistic Director

Case Bodamer grew up in Long Island, training at American Dance Theater of Long Island. He later trained at The Ailey School in Manhattan; summer programs at The Juilliard School, Ballet Austin, and New York State Summer School of the Arts and more. In 2008 Case began a ten year career dancing with The Dayton Ballet (OH), performing in numerous ballets such as The Leaves are Fading, Sechs Tanze, From Foreign Lands and People, Chasing Ghost, and You are Here. He has also danced with The Dayton Arts Project, Ballet Montana, Boulder Ballet, and 3rd Law Dance/Theater, and choreographed numerous works.

SAM EK

Ballet and Contemporary Instructor

Sam started dancing at age 10 at Dance Arts Center in Redwood City, CA. He spent a summer at Alonzo King LINES Ballet before pursuing his undergraduate degrees in Music Education and Composition at Chapman University. Following graduation, he taught music, ballet, and contemporary dance. He joined the company at Peninsula Ballet Theatre in early 2018 until his recent move to Colorado. He has performed with local theaters as a pit musician playing woodwinds and volunteered with a children’s special needs musical theater program. Sam is thrilled to teach while pursuing graduate studies in Music Therapy and Cognitive Neuroscience.

EMMIE BAUER-SANCHEZ

Contemporary and Hip-Hop Instructor

Emmie received her early training at the Mainstreet Conservatory of Dance (WI),  spent summers studying at The Winnipeg Ballet School, Hubbard Street and Point Park University Summer Intensive, and later joined The American National Ballet Company (MN). She earned her BA in Dance Concentration Ballet at Point Park University (PA), studying abroad for a year in Paris, France at Studio Harmonic. After graduating magna cum laude, she trained at the renowned Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio and Millennium Dance Complex, and performed with many different companies in Los Angeles.

KIMBERLY CANFIELD

Ballet Instructor

Kimberly started dancing at the age of 5 at Premier School of Dance where she was a competitive dancer for over 10 years. She also trained with Colorado Ballet, Ballet West and Joffrey Ballet. She was with L.A. Dance Magic for many years, working with choreographers all over the country. Kimberly spent her summers in Los Angeles training at studios such as The Edge, Debbie Reynolds, Playground, and IAF. She graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Prevention and Intervention Sciences.

RAE FLORES

Community Development Manager

Rae began performing with the Victoria Ballet Theatre under the direction of Debbe Busby at age eleven. Her summer Intensives include Houston Ballet, TCU Summer Dance Program. She had the opportunity to dance with Austin Contemporary Ballet and Austin Metamorphosis Dance Ensemble, performing in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Les Sylphides, many contemporary pieces and as a guest artist at the Dumbo Festival in New York. Rae served as the president of a non-profit board for Austin Metamorphosis Dance Ensemble. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Tampa.

CALLEY KRAUSS

Tiny Tots Instructor

Calley is excited to be an instructor at CDA. She comes from a strong dance background, developing a love for dance at a young age. She started dancing dancing at the age of three, and danced all the way through high school and into college. While in high school, she attended as many classes and guest artist instruction opportunities that she could. She attended Colorado University was a scholarship for dance. Outside of CDA, Calley works as a Certified Addictions Counselor and teaches little ones on the weekends. She loves the opportunity to teach dance and share what she loves to do with others.

JULIANA MOORE

CDA Company Director

Juliana grew up dancing in Aurora, CO, and attended Metropolitan Academy of Dance where she competed on their company team. One of her favorite competitions she attended was the NUVO competition. She is a 3rd year professional dancer with the Colorado Eagles Chicks and a student at Colorado State University majoring in biomedical sciences. During her senior year of high school in 2018, she made both the Denver Outlaws Dance Team and the CSU Golden Poms Dance team. In her’ spare time, she loves to hangout with friends, workout, binge watch Netflix series, and avidly pet dogs. This is year 3rd year teaching at CDA.

MOLLY STRADER

Ballet and Jazz Instructor

Molly began dancing when she was 9 years old. She spent most of her years training at Northridge Dance Center, also studying at Ballet Society of Colorado Springs and attending countless master classes throughout the city. Molly trained in New York City attending a ballet intensive with Open World Dance Foundation and studied at  Steps on Broadway  and Broadway Dance Center.  Molly has training in styles such as ballet, jazz, tap, musical theatre, contemporary, lyrical, modern, and hip hop. Molly is currently studying dance and business administration at Colorado State University.

MIMI WESTIN MEISTERS

Ballet and Tap Instructor

Mimi’s early training began in her mother’s dance studio where she studied the Royal Academy of Dance Ballet methodology (R.A.D.). She danced at Texas Christian University and later moved to Seattle to finish a business degree at Seattle University and to study ballet at Pacific Northwest Ballet, as well as modern dance with the Bill Evans Dance Company, and the Mark Morris Dance Company. She later joined Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers, a concert modern dance company. Mimi moved to Fort Collins in 1993, where she owned Westin Arts Academy for 15 years. She specializes in ballet, jazz and tap training.