Ella Boyer, Teaching Artist, Education Liaison, Administrative Assistant
Ella Boyer is a professional ballroom dancer and instructor based in the Twin Cities. She has taught and danced competitively and socially for six years, and loves bringing partner dance into the classroom. She graduated from Carleton College with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and picked up Minors in Dance and French. Through Carleton she explored a range of dance styles, from experimental to krump, but social dancing has always had a special place in her heart. Off the dance floor she enjoys studio art, downhill skiing, knitting, and baking pies.
Izabella George, Teaching Artist
Izabella went to her first dance performance at the age of 3 and immediately fell in love and signed up at a local dance studio. Shortly thereafter, she realized she also had a passion for teaching and choreography. Over her 20 years of dancing and 15 years of competing, she was trained in contemporary, modern, lyrical, ballet, tap, hip hop, salsa, and bachata. After graduating from Larkin Dance Studio she went on to pursue a degree in dance education at Hamline University. While attending Hamline she founded a dance organization that went on to perform and compete at the national level. Izabella is excited to share her passion and knowledge with the students.
Regina Hartleip-Pinto, Teaching Artist
Regina has been dancing since she was young child. She has studied various Afro Brazilian dances from her culture and explored more contemporary styles of dance in her teenage years. Her journey has left her with a thirst to explore more cultures as well as different forms of self expression through dance. It is important to her to share these histories and feelings of liberation with others. She is very thankful to continue doing so with Heart of Dance.
Leslie Koepke, Teaching Artist, Educational Liaison
Leslie enjoyed teaching family studies at the University of Wisconsin-Stout for many years, along with teaching cardio, yoga and other exercise classes in her free time. She took tap and ballet as a child, has been a social dancer in the Twin Cities, and takes ballet classes at St. Paul Ballet. She has participated in Salsa and West Coast Swing dance competitions, and enjoys all styles of dance. After volunteering at Heart of Dance as a Classroom Volunteer, she wanted to be a Teaching Artist. Leslie credits her parents for instilling in her the power of the arts to transform and inspire lives!
Andrea Mirenda, Teaching Artist, Education Liaison, Program Director, Co Founder
Andrea has spent more than 30 years as a certified ballroom dance educator and is registered with the National Dance Council of America and USA Dance. She is an experienced choreographer, multi-studio owner, regional director, and competition and event organizer. Andrea coaches college dance teams and competes with students of all genders and ages in Pro-Am divisions. She also judges and emcees ballroom dance competitions and was the founding chairperson of the Gender Neutral Dancesport Committee of USA Dance, the national governing body of dance for the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Kirstin Nelson, Teaching Artist, Education Liaison, Program Outreach Coordinator
Kirstin Nelson is a recent transplant to Minnesota. Having been gifted dance in her youth, it is a passion of hers to ensure that all children have access to the arts. She is a dancer, actor, singer, choreographer and director with well over 200 credits to her name. Locally she has performed with the Guthrie Theatre, ShadowHorse Theatre, Pacific MidWest Ballet, Triple Threat Entertainment and many others. She directs and choreographs musical theatre and in many venues and continues to expand and elevate her knowledge and skills with on- going training.
