IDP Instructors
“I hope to provide my students with training that will teach them the value of being an artist. I want them to learn that when dancing, they are sharing a piece of their soul with the world. I want them to be proud to freely express themselves through movement. I want my students to leave my classes and rehearsals feeling accomplished and unburdened. I hope to provide a place where they don’t have to worry about anything, where they can be themselves with no inhibitions, where they can experiment with movement and artistic integrity, and where they will receive dance training that offers an experience they will never forget.”
SYDNEE REESE
OWNER/ ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Sydnee Reese grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and began her dance training at London Dance Academy where she trained and completed R.A.D. and I.S.T.D. examinations in ballet, modern, jazz, and tap with distinctive scoring. Sydnee moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 2006 and began training and teaching ballet, tap, and jazz at Synergy Dance Center. In 2009, Sydnee attended Webster University, and obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in dance with an emphasis in ballet in August of 2012. While at Webster University, Sydnee studied as a scholarship recipient with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and Mark Morris Dance Group in New York City where she received extensive training in ballet, jazz, contemporary, Horton, Graham, and other modern dance techniques. This past summer Sydnee was certified in Progressing Ballet Technique. She has had the opportunity to work with Iyun harrison, Alicia Graf, Jimena Paz, Beckah Voigt, Homer Bryant, Keith Saunders, Joyce Herring, Endalyn Taylor, Michael Uthoff, Leonard Cruz, Sean Curran, Jennifer Medina, Jessica Lang, Uri Sands, and Tyronne Brooks. She also danced a principal role in the productions of The Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and had an arts administration internship with The Big Muddy Dance Company. Sydnee danced with Common Thread Contemporary Dance Company for two seasons as well as the administrative assistant to the artistic director of the company. Sydnee has also guest taught and choreographed for Webster University’s dance department in recent years as well as performing and choreographing a dinner theatre variety show in downtown Saint Louis. With over 16 years of dance instructing experience, she is currently focused on owning and artistically directing Imagine Dance Project.
COLLEEN BREEN
YOUTH PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Colleen Breen obtained her BFA in Dance Performance at East Carolina University School of Theatre and Dance. Colleen has had the opportunity to train with dance professionals such as Jennifer Archibald, Jennifer Medina, Galina Panov, John Dixon, Teal Darkenwald, Tommi Galaska, and Nina Galaska. Colleen has 16 years of teaching under her belt, she was a high school dance team coach for five years, and has taught classes at the studio and collegiate levels throughout the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. Currently, Colleen is the Youth Program Director at Imagine Dance Project. She specializes in teaching preschool and kindergarten dance classes as well as dance team preparation classes. Her goal is to build the confidence of her dancers, teach them discipline and proper technique, while training in a fun environment!
LILLY HETZ
AERIAL AND ACRO INSTRUCTOR
Lilly Hetz is a St. Louis based aerialist, dancer, and stilt walker. Lilly graduated from Missouri Baptist University, summa cum laude, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Marketing, minoring in both Business Administration and Dance. Sharing her passions through performance and teaching is what fills Lilly’s heart. Lilly is an instructor of aerial arts, acrobatics, and dance at various dance and performing arts studios across the St. Louis area. Watching her students improve and grow both as artists and as individuals is truly her greatest joy. Lilly teaches her students to approach their training with a growth mindset -- setting goals, identifying incremental accomplishments, and taking ownership of their own progress and growth. Using the stage name Lil-E-Lectric, Lilly performs aerial arts, dance, and stilt walking at both corporate and public events in the St. Louis area as well as cities throughout the Midwest and beyond. Her favorite aspect of performing is interacting with her audience to create magical and truly unique experiences. Lilly is always expanding her knowledge and skill set, seeking new challenges, and finding joy through creativity. She has a passion for motivating and connecting with others through movement. Lilly is very grateful to have the opportunity to do and share what she loves everyday.
NIKI HITZEMANN
ACRO INSTRUCTOR
From the moment Niki took to the dance floor at four years old, she was captivated by the joy of movement. Her journey over the years has been fueled with passion, dedication, and a love for acrobatics. She has gracefully flipped and turned her way through dozens of competitions, earning accolades and inspiring countless young dancers along the way.
As a dance and tumbling instructor, Niki brings expertise and devotion to every class. She believes in the power of dance to build confidence, strength, and lifelong friendships. Her encouraging approach creates a safe space where students can explore their creativity, learn new skills, and shine both on and off the mat.
Join Niki on this exciting journey and transform into the best version of yourself. With her as your guide, every learned skill becomes a step toward confidence and self expression.
ELLIE LEWIS
YOUTH INSTRUCTOR
Ellie began dancing at the age of 3 and immediately fell in love with it. She joined Imagine Dance Project’s competition team when she was 11 and is now entering her senior year. During her years on IDP’s competition team, Ellie has attended numerous conventions and master classes, during which she has received multiple scholarships, awards, and invitations for her athletic achievements. Undergoing instruction from teachers such as Sydnee Reese, LeeAnn Melchor, Mamie Melchor-Fendi, Colleen Breen, and Renee Austin, Ellie has received rigorous technical training in dance styles such as jazz, contemporary, ballet, acro, hip hop, and modern. In the Fall, Ellie plans to attend college to earn her degree in biology in hopes of becoming an orthodontist. Ellie is so excited to share her love for dance through teaching and is so excited to see what the future has in store for her!
NORA ROOK
YOUTH INSTRUCTOR
Dance has been a part of Nora’s life since she was four years old. She grew up as a competitive dancer and trained in many different styles, which helped her develop a deep love for performing and movement. Nora joined IDP during her freshman year of high school, where she continued to grow as both a dancer and an artist. After graduating from the University of Central Missouri with a degree in Interior Design, Nora realized how important creativity is in her life and how strongly it connects both design and dance for her. She felt inspired to return to IDP as a teacher and is excited to share her passion while helping dancers grow in confidence and artistry.
LEEANN MELCHOR
JAZZ INSTRUCTOR/ COMPANY CHOREOGRAPHER
LeeAnn Melchor has 41 years of dance experience, having had the honor of performing as a principal with the Los Angeles Contemporary Ballet and as a guest artist with various dance companies. She has taught for over 31 years in both Missouri and California, during which time she worked on the sets of TV shows Ally McBeal and Fame LA. LeeAnn was also awarded scholarships to Tremaine Dance Center and Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. LeeAnn founded and operated Synergy Dance Center and her award winning competitive dance team from 2005-2011. Currently, LeeAnn is a Psychiatric Nurse in St. Louis and competition choreographer at Imagine Dance Project.
CAITLIN HOPKINS
MODERN INSTRUCTOR
Caitlin Started her dance training at the age of 12 in Kalamazoo, Michigan at Ballet Arts School of Dance where she took on various styles of jazz, modern, tap as well as participating in their youth ballet company, Ballet Arts Ensemble, where she learned varying types of ballet forms deriving from Vaganova, Balanchine, even testing through level 5 of the Cecchetti Method. After her secondary education she went on to study at Western Michigan University where she furthered her trifocal dance studies while also having the opportunity to perform in faculty pieces, guest artist works, and take master class with guest residencies. After graduating in 2019 with a Bachelor in Fine Arts in Dance she was given the opportunity to spend her post grad year as a trainee with The Big Muddy Dance company in St Louis, Missouri where she was able to participate in various festivals and shows under the Big Muddy Convergence Trainee name. This is her second year teaching at IDP and can’t wait to get back in the studio with all the dancers!
BAYLEE MCALLISTER
YOUTH CLASS INSTRUCTOR
Baylee McAllister (She/Her) was born and raised in Fishers, Indiana. She graduated with highest distinction from Indiana University and received her B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance and Minor in Arts Management in the Spring of 2024. Baylee has performed in works by DaEun Jung, Elizabeth Shea, Justin Sears-Watson, Stafford C. Berry Jr., Maya Orchin, Stefanie Nelson, and Selene B. Carter during her time at Indiana University. She is a proud recipient and first place winner of the Molly Parsley Festival of Creativity Award for her choreographic work, 'Chasing Rabbits' (2022) set at Indiana University.
Baylee studied dance in Paris, France and has furthered her abroad studies in Berlin and Amsterdam, working with astounding dance professionals: Wanjiru Kamuyu, LaMichael Leonard, Clint Lutes, Heidi Weiss, Nathalie Pubellier, Maurice Causey, and Michael Foley. She attended programs with Boston Ballet School, Eisenhower Dance Detroit, SALT Contemporary Dance, and interned with Dance Kaleidoscope in Indianapolis, IN.
She has performed at Waterstreet Dance Festival, Indy Dance Festival, Dumbo Dance Dance Festival at Mark Morris Dance Center, Space Station Dance Residency, SALT LINK Festival, We Call it Ballet at the Touhill, SEEN: STL by Resilience Dance Company, MADCO’s Dare to Dance, Chew and Spit, and with St. Louis Dance Theatre as a trainee performing works by Joshua L. Peugh, Avree Walker and Peyton Bellman, Maddy Bailey, Logan Guerra, Hui Cha Poos, Brandon Fink, Mady Buerck, and Carly Vanderheyden.
Baylee is currently living in St. Louis, Missouri where she is a teaching artist, a choreographer for Weissman, and a freelance dancer.
RENEE AUSTIN
HIP HOP INSTRUCTOR
Renée Austin, a Chicago native, began dancing in 2004 at Mayfair Dance Academy under direction of Peggy Sutton. She has additionally trained at Diverse Elements Dance Studio, Encore Dance Center, Arizona School for the Arts, Velocity Dance Center, and Spectrum Dance Theater under direction of Donald Byrd in their Academy Program. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis with a BA in Dance and minor in Psychology (2023), Renée explores her artistry through the relationship between dance and other art forms, merging various dance styles, and how the human experience informs her movement. She has learned from and worked with renowned artists including Anthony “Redd” Williams, Antonio Douthit-Boyd, Tiala Taylor, Aaliyah Weston, MJ Imani, Ashley Tate, Melanie George, Eva Stone, Keyes Wiley, Cecil Slaughter, David Marchant, Joanna Dee Das, Erin Morris, Maria Majors, Caroline Gonsalves Bertho, Ryadah Heiskell, Elinor Harrison, Kendra Key, and Heather Beal. A choreographer, teacher, and performing artist, Renée teaches around the St. Louis area and has worked with numerous organizations including COCA, Anheuser-Busch, Keshon Campbell Films, Festival of Nations, STL Rhythm Collaborative, St. Louis Academy of Dance, Pack Dance, Utopia Experiences, The Black Rep, and St. Louis Artist’s Guild. She also performs and choreographs for RnB artist Kbthesinger; she performed with him at Summerfest 2023 in Milwaukee, at City Winery STL, and creative directed and starred in his music video for his single “Rock!” Renée recently collaborated with artist Jasmin Savoy Brown and has worked with numerous artists including Blanca, Keshon Campbell, Hana Canhasi, Faith Miller, and Aaliyah Weston. In July 2024, Renée was chosen to perform at the triennial ELCA National Youth Gathering for an audience of over 16,000 people at Smoothie King Stadium in New Orleans. She is a company artist of two prominent St. Louis dance companies: RESILIENCE Dance Company and Kode Redd Dance Company. You can also find her teaching at Yes Honey on Fridays. Renée is elated to join Imagine Dance Project faculty this year!
ABI TELANDER
JAZZ INSTRUCTOR/COMPETITION CHOREOGRAPHER
Abi Telander is originally from a small town in northwestern Minnesota. She trained extensively with the North Dakota Ballet Company and spent summers training under the direction of Ronn Guidi of the Oakland Ballet Company. She performed in several ballet productions with both companies including Hansel and Gretel and the Nutcracker. While at the North Dakota Ballet Company she trained in Ballet, Jazz and Modern techniques and studied with former Broadway performer, Job Christenson. Under Job’s direction of the company, Abi became the Ballet Mistress for several years and was featured in the Crimson Creek Collegiate Players summer productions or Oklahoma! and Cabaret.
In 2005, Abi relocated to Columbia, MO to attend Stephens College and studied under Jan Miller (former Balanchine company dancer) and Deborah Carr (Charles Weidman Dance Company member). While at Stephens, Abi trained in several dance styles including Ballet, Modern, Musical Theater, Jazz, Irish Step, Flamenco, and East Indian. She was also a member of the college’s performance company “Dance Dimensions”. Abi graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree as well as receiving the Dance Department’s award for most influential company member.
After graduation, Abi went on to teach and choreograph for a competition studio in central Missouri for 10 years until moving to Wentzville with her family in 2020. Her competition students and choreography have won several awards, including many 1st overalls, high point champions, and awards for entertainment, technique, and overall choreography. During the day, Abi works as a Loan Officer’s Assitant and Processor at USA Mortgage and in her free time is the Team Manager for her son’s hockey team and loves to spend time with her son and husband watching and attending all things hockey.
This is Abi’s 2nd year at Imagine Dance Project, and she is excited to share her love of dance with all the students at IDP!
JOCELYN EVANS
COMPETITION CHOREOGRAPHER
Jocelyn Evans started dancing at the age of four and continued to gain experience up until her high school graduation. The majority of those years were spent dancing competitively at various dance studios, only to find a home at Imagine Dance Project. She also was a member of her high school dance team at Fort Zumwalt West High School. Throughout the years, Jocelyn has had the honor to perform in The Nutcracker with the Joffrey Ballet, as well as the St. Louis Ballet, and earned a wide variety of awards and achievements dancing competitively at the studio. During her senior year at Fort Zumwalt West (2018), her team won the UDA National Championship in Large Division Hip Hop.
After graduating high school, she attended Western Kentucky University and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Health Science and Public Health. After graduation, Jocelyn began working in the St. Louis region as a public health emergency preparedness planner. She then returned to Imagine Dance Project to begin working with the competition team, giving back to the institution that helped make her the woman she is today. As of 2024, she is attending Western Kentucky University virtually to earn her Masters degree in Homeland Security Sciences with a concentration in Emergency Management Disaster Science.
Once a student and now a teacher, Jocelyn loves having the opportunity to work with the competitive dancers at Imagine Dance Project, as it’s a team and family she holds near and dear to her heart.
RACHEL RYSANEK
TAP INSTRUCTOR
Rachel Rysanek started dancing at age five at Dance Productions Unlimited (DPU Dance) in Arnold, Missouri, where she grew up. She has trained in Tap, Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, and Jazz, and competed in these styles of dance from 2006 to 2017. She graduated from DPU Dance in 2017 and also taught various dance classes at DPU Dance from 2015 to 2020 as a teacher and an assistant. In addition, Rachel taught tap classes at Center of Creative Arts (COCA) from 2017 to 2020.
Rachel was a member of STL Rhythm Collaborative, also known as MoSTLy Tap from 2021-2022, teaching dance camps and performing professionally around the St. Louis area. Rachel has also trained under many talented tap dancers, including Anthony Russo, Lisa Dallas, and Amy Gammon. She has taken classes from Sarah Reich, Charles Renato, Dianne Walker, Derick Grant, Star Dixon, Dre Torres, Michelle Dorrance, Elizabeth Burke, Jumaane Taylor, Acia Gray, Kazunori Kumagai, Lisa La Touche, Mark Goodman, Justin Myles, and Christopher Erk. She continues to develop her dancing skills professionally and creatively through local and out-of-town dance classes regularly.
Rachel is also a certified Medical Laboratory Scientist and works at St. Luke’s Hospital in the blood bank and the main laboratory. She graduated from Maryville University of Saint Louis in 2021 with two degrees: Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science. She loves caring for patients through her work in the hospital lab!
Rachel started teaching at Imagine Dance Project in 2023 and loves to share her passion for tap dance with her students!
JACKIE GRAY
YOUTH INSTRUCTOR/COMPETITION CHOREOGRAPHER
Jackie Gray has been dancing in the St. Louis area for 21 years. She was an IDP competitive dancer for seasons 1-4 and earned a wide variety of awards and achievements including first place on her solo “Ne Me Quitte Pas”. After graduating high school, she attended the University of Arkansas and earned her bachelor’s degree in Finance. She then moved back to STL and is a financial advisor with her dad at Thrivent. Jackie always had a strong passion for dance and has decided to share that passion at the studio that helped raise her. Teaching at IDP has made her feel like she never left and she is so excited to share her Imagination, Dedication, and Perseverance with the next generation of dancers.
MADI MAETTEN
YOUTH INSTRUCTOR
Madi began dancing at the age of 13 and trained exclusively with Imagine Dance Project’s competition team from seasons 7 through 10. Currently, Madi is pursuing her BFA in modern dance at Webster University. Undergoing instruction from teachers such as Sydnee Reese, LeeAnn Melchor, Maggi Deuker, Tayler Kinner, Robert Poe, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Michael Uthoff, and Xi Zhao, Madi has received rigorous technical training in styles such as ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop.
Everyday, her passion for dance continues to grow through her own practices and also through teaching. While she was in high school, Madi worked as an instructors assistant for multiple teachers at IDP, helping with students ages 3-12. Because of this, Madi found her love for teaching dance and she is now entering her second year of teaching independently. Madi is so excited to be back at IDP as a faculty member and she can’t wait to see what the future has in store for her!