MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS
Megan
Snyder
OWNER & DIRECTOR
Megan Snyder is the proud owner of Debut Dance and is passionate about sharing her love of dance with students of all ages and abilities. Shortly after receiving her B.A. in Dance from the University of Iowa, she opened Debut Dance in 2008. While at the University of Iowa, Ms. Megan spent three years on the nationally ranked Iowa Dance Team cheering on the Hawkeyes and competing at the UDA College National Competition. Ms. Megan has been providing dance instruction to children for more than 25 years and choreographing for the last 20 years. She enjoys teaching a variety of classes at Debut Dance… Jazz is her favorite! Recently in the summer of 2023, Debut Dance attended Starz Nationals and came home national champions in multiple categories! In 2022, Debut Dance won TOP STUDIO at the Masquerade regional competition in the elite level and won the STUDIO OF EXCELLENCE award at the Spotlight regional event. When Ms. Megan is not at the studio, she loves to spend time with her family! She is the mother to three very energetic boys- Milo, Quincy, and Bowen. You may even see them up on stage!
Contact Megan
megan@debutdancestudio.com
Kathleen
Fallon
INSTRUCTOR
Kathleen Fallon plays a major leadership role at Debut Dance as one of the lead competition team choreographers and partners with Megan Snyder as a Co. Forte Director. Miss Kathleen has been a part of the Debut family for close to ten years and continues to share her passion and competitive knowledge with the dancers on our competition teams. She has implemented the Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT) into core Company classes and is excited to launch a new team called Company Pro. As Forte Director, Miss Kathleen has received numerous choreography awards and high point awards when her dancers have competed at various regional competitions around the Midwest. Miss Kathleen grew up in West Des Moines studying all styles of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, modern, musical theatre, and tumbling. She has received numerous titles and scholarships from local and national dance competitions. In high school, Miss Kathleen danced on Valley’s Varsity Dance team for four years and was captain her senior year. Miss Kathleen recently graduated from the University of Iowa studying both Dance and Business Management.
Piper
Brady
INSTRUCTOR
Piper Brady is very excited to be part of another exciting year of teaching and watching her students grow. Miss Piper danced for 16 years and competed for 13 years of her dance career. She has competed in various states receiving many high points and special awards and multiple scholarships. Piper is trained in ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, tap, acro, pointe, and pom. Before graduating, Piper attended Debut Dance as a part of the elite competition team, Forte Pro. Piper was also a member of West High Varsity Poms where the team attended and placed in multiple national championship finals. Piper loves getting to help her students grow and share her love for dance. She is a Sophomore at the University of Iowa.
Jillian
Canfield
INSTRUCTOR
Jillian Canfield is from North Liberty, Iowa and has had a passion for dance ever since she was three. Miss Jillian was a member of the Forte Company for five years where she competed and won many awards during her dance career. Growing up Miss Jillian trained in the styles of ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, tumbling, poms, and hip-hop. She enjoys teaching a variety of recreational classes. Miss Jillian graduated from the University of Iowa in 2019 majoring in Elementary Education. Currently, Miss Jillian is a Fourth Grade teacher in the Iowa City Community School District. Her love for children transfers perfectly to the studio as a veteran instructor of dance. This is Miss Jillian’s ninth year teaching at Debut Dance. When Ms. Jillian is not at the studio, she loves to spend time with her family! She is expecting her first child in late September!
Kayla
Cariens
INSTRUCTOR
Kayla Cariens has been dancing at Debut since she was 4 years old, and this will be her 10th year as a member of the Forte competition team. Kayla is a sophomore at Iowa City West High School, and a 2nd year member of the West High Dance Team. She has trained in lyrical, jazz, contemporary, tap, ballet, musical theater, and pom. This will be her first year as a lead instructor and she is very excited to work with the students and see how they grow throughout the year!
Harper
Cochran
INSTRUCTOR
Harper Cochran is a sophomore at Clear Creek Amana High School in Tiffin. She has lived in North Liberty for her whole life. Harper has been dancing for 10 years at Debut. This will be Harper’s 9th year on the Forte competition team. This will be Harper’s first year of competing on Debut’s Forte Pro team, which travels and competes all around the US. This will also be her first year as a Debut instructor, but she has been junior instructing for 4 years prior. Harper has trained in ballet, tap, musical theatre, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical, and tumbling. Harper has taught at many summer camps and clinics here at Debut. Ms. Harper is so excited to work with your young dancers!
Diane
Fickel
OFFICE MANAGER
Diane Fickel not only is the office manager at Debut Dance, but is also Ms. Megan’s mom! Diane has been part of the Debut family since the studio opened in 2008 and loves watching the dancers perform in and outside of dance class. Diane teaches business at West High School in Iowa City and devotes her free time to spending time with her five grandchildren. Diane is always available to help answer any of your financial questions!
Aly
Farrell
INSTRUCTOR
Aly Farrell grew up in North Liberty Iowa and is a sophomore at Liberty High School. Aly also travels and competes with the Liberty High Dance team and this will be her second year on the team. This will be Aly’s ninth year on the Forte competition team. Aly is also on the Pro competition team which travels around the US to show off their dances. Aly dances and trains in many styles including, ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, tumbling, and hip hop. She is super excited to get to know the dancers and share her love for dance with others, and can’t wait to start teaching!
Emily
Hudachek
OFFICE STAFF
Emily Hudachek is excited to start year two working in the Debut Family as part of the Office Staff! In addition to working at the Studio, she teaches business at West High School in Iowa City with Ms. Diane. Emily enjoys the positive atmosphere at Debut and how everyone is supported while pursuing their passion for dance. Emily is available to answer any registration questions or help you in the boutique!
Isabelle
Kafer
INSTRUCTOR
Isabelle Kafer has grown up in North Liberty, Iowa and is in her senior year at Clear Creek Amana. She has been a part of Debut’s Forte Company competition team for 9 years. She is also a part of Debut’s Forte Pro team, an elite group of dancers who travel around the U.S. to showcase their dancing. At Debut, Isabelle trains in ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, tumbling, and lyrical. This past competition season Ms. Isabelle received various awards including regional titles, many overall awards, and various scholarships at conventions. This summer she became a part of the Celebrity Dance Senior Crew which consisted of assisting classes at their nationals in Anaheim, California. This fall she will continue to travel with them and assist in various cities. Recently she also traveled to The Ohio State University as well as the University of Minnesota and trained with their nationally ranked dance teams. Ms. Isabelle’s love for dance continues to grow and she cannot wait to share her passion with many young dancers.
Taylor
Knott
INSTRUCTOR
Taylor Knott
Rachel
Mundt
INSTRUCTOR
Rachel Mundt has grown up in North Liberty, Iowa and has been dancing since she was 3. This will be her 8th year on the Forte competition team at Debut! She is a sophomore at Clear Creek Amana High School, but has recently joined the West High Dance Team. Rachel trains in styles of jazz, musical theater, hip hop, lyrical, tumbling, ballet, pom, and contemporary. She has a huge passion for competing and attending conventions with her team. This will be Rachel’s first year on the amazing Debut Staff, although she has been a junior instructor for many years. She cannot wait to pass on her huge love of dance to others, and is excited for an great season with your kids!
Emma
Proch
INSTRUCTOR
Emma Proch is really excited to join the Debut Dance family this year! Emma grew up in Aurora, Colorado, where she had been dancing for 14 years. Along with that, she had also been competing for 13 years and co-teaching a special needs competition group for the last 3 years! Miss Emma has trained in various dance styles, including ballet, tap, ballroom, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, musical theater, technical training, acro, and modern. Although she loves all dance styles, she specializes in tap and musical theater. She has won many high-point awards, including the 2022 Starquest National Title Holder! She has also worked with many highly commended choreographers like Hannah Douglas, Patrice Barakat, and Ashley Seldon. Emma is now working towards her BFA in Dance at the University of Iowa and hopes to pursue a career in the industry!
Ainsley
Proud
INSTRUCTOR
Ainsley Proud has grown up in North Liberty Iowa, and is a Sophomore at Liberty High School. She has been dancing at debut since she was 3 and has spent 8 of those years on the competition team. Currently Ainsley is on the Forte Company and Pro team! She loves traveling and participating in conventions with the Pro team. She Trains in multiple styles including Jazz, Ballet, Musical Theater, Tap, Tumbling, Hip hop, Lyrical, and Contemporary. This is Ainsley's first year as a lead instructor but she has been a Jr.Instructor alongside Megan, Isabelle, and many of Debuts amazing instructors for the past 4 years. Outside of dance she participates in Track and is a part of the You Matter project at Liberty. She cannot wait to share her passion for dance with Debuts' young dancers!
Kelsi
Schicker
INSTRUCTOR
Kelsi Schicker grew up in Waterford, Wisconsin. She started dancing at the age of 2 at a studio in Oak Creek, Wisconsin where she was given the opportunity to perform onstage with Bob McGrath from Sesame Street and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in the “KinderKonzert” Series. After moving to Waterford, Wisconsin Kelsi danced with the Waterford Recreation Department for two years taking classes in pom, jazz, hip hop, tap, ballet, lyrical, and tumbling. She then has been training with Foursis Dance and Gymnastics located in Waterford, Wisconsin since the age of 5. She also started competing with the All-Star dance team, Foursis Dazzler Dance Team. She competed in team and solo competitions and won the title of National Champion for her solos for many years. Kelsi has been a member of many State & National Championship teams for 18 seasons. She recently attended the USASF Dance Worlds and has been a member of the Foursis Dazzler Worlds teams from 2015-2023. In 2023, her team made finals in 5 routines and won 2nd Place in the World for their Kick routine & 3rd Place in the World for their Large Pom routine. Kelsi has taken Master Classes with professional dancers from So You Think You Can Dance including: Cyrus, Lil C, Comfort, Cedric Gardner & Chris Gilbert. Kelsi is a Sophomore at the University of Iowa, where she is also a 2nd year member of the University of Iowa Dance Team. This is Kelsi’s first year teaching at Debut Dance.
Addie
Schroeder
INSTRUCTOR
Addie Schroeder is so excited to be an official member of the Debut Staff this year! She has been dancing for 18 years, and competitively dancing for 15 years. She danced on the West High Dance Team for four years, where her team won two state titles and placed top 10 at UDA High School Nationals. She went on to dance on the University of Iowa Dance Team for the following four years. During that time, she earned five top 5 placements at UDA Nationals. At the end of her senior year at Iowa, she was voted Dancer of the Year by her fellow teammates. Addie is currently finishing up her last two semesters at Iowa where she is pursuing a degree in Computer Science and Engineering as well as a minor in mathematics. She is so excited to share her love and passion for dance!
Joscelyn
Siloro
INSTRUCTOR
Joscelyn Siloro is beginning her first year teaching here at Debut and is ecstatic to start! Joscelyn is from West Liberty and moved to Tiffin in the 3rd grade. She goes to CCA high school in Tiffin and is a junior this year and is part of the Show Choir competition team. Joscelyn has been dancing since she was 5 and joined Debut in 4th grade, she’s been a part of Debut for 8 years and has been on the competition team for 7 years. She is a part of our C9 group and is in her second year on our Pro team. She trains in all sorts of styles like Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, Hip Hop, and tumbling. Her most favorite styles are Hip Hop and Contemporary. Joscelyn loves teaching kids and is super excited to inspire and share her passion with the dancers!
Autumn
Spicer
INSTRUCTOR
Autumn Spicer is starting her first year of teaching at Debut Dance studio. Autumn graduated from Prairie High School and is attending the University of Iowa. Autumn’s love of dance started at the age of three and has never stopped! Autumn has been competing for 12 years and her all time favorite style of dance is Jazz! Autumn was also on her high school’s dance team for 2 years and is trained in jazz, contemporary, hip hop, tap, and lyrical. Autumn is super excited to join the Debut Dance Family and can’t wait to work with all the amazing kids!
Brittlyn
Taylor
INSTRUCTOR
Brittlyn Taylor is from Waukee, Iowa, and has been dancing and tumbling since the age of two. She competed for Charlee’s Elite School of Dance Elite Edge competition team for 11 years. Brittlyn has trained in ballet, pointe, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, jazz funk, modern, hip hop, tumbling, and gymnastics. Brittlyn competed in many regional and national competitions over the years earning consistent high point finishes, title distinctions, and national honors, including national high point finishes and winning three national solo championships. Brittlyn was an instructor for three years while at Charlee’s Elite School of Dance, teaching dance and tumbling classes. Brittlyn also attended many conventions, has been awarded numerous scholarships and had the great opportunity to work with and assist many professional dancers and choreographers throughout the years. In addition to studio dance, Brittlyn was also a member of the Waukee High School Varsity Dance Team. Brittlyn is currently attending the University of Iowa double majoring in Dance and Sports & Recreation Management. She loves continuing her dance journey as a dance major and as a member of the University of Iowa Dance Team. Brittlyn hopes to dance professionally and pursue both choreography and dance education after college. She is super excited to be an instructor at Debut Dance!!
Hayley
Wisman
INSTRUCTOR
Hayley Wisman is excited to start her first year teaching at Debut after two years of being a junior instructor. She has grown up in Solon, IA, and will be a senior at Solon High School. Hayley has grown up dancing since the age of 3 and has continued to find her passion for dance. This will be her seventh year on the Forte competition team and is currently on the P+ black team. She was a part of her high school’s dance team her freshman year. She is trained in lyrical, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, tumbling, musical theatre, and ballet. Her favorite style is contemporary and hip hop. Outside of school she is involved in youth group and serves in the kids wing at her church. After high school, she hopes to study Elementary Education. Lastly, a fun fact about Hayley is that she LOVES Disney. She can’t wait to share her passion for dance with all of the kids!
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