Chelsea Speer has been dancing for about 28 years. She has taught dance classes for 14 years, the last 10 being right here in the Flathead Valley. During that time, she taught classes in ballet, pointe, tap, lyrical, contemporary and broadway to students age 3 to adult. Before that, Ms Chelsea taught classes in ballet, pointe, jazz and tap for 4 years in Arizona, where she is originally from.
Ms Chelsea was also privileged to teach for a program in Arizona for students with disabilities, where she used her unique abilities to help these students learn the joy of dance despite their difficulties. In addition to her teaching experience, she also danced for 4 years in a professional dance company called AZ Dance Group.
Chelsea originally began her dance training at the age of three. The style she trained in was the Royal Academy of Dancing. She was able to complete most of her ballet exams through the intermediate level with examiners from London, England. Chelsea grew up participating in various dance intensives all over the U.S. She attended a performing arts high school in Arizona where she studied a variety of dance forms. Chelsea went to college in Oregon and Arizona where she took dance classes and performed with a dance company. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education and is currently a special education Preschool Teacher.
In order to grow and continue in her love and passion for dance and children, Chelsea started Turning Pointe Dance in the fall of 2017. She desires to pass on her knowledge and love for dance to her students and instill in them the skills, fitness, and pure joy that dance has brought to her throughout all these years.
Libby Nemes is an energetic 22-year-old who has been dancing for 17 years. She has extensive training in tap, jazz, and hip hop and has also spent time studying ballet, contemporary, and Broadway. She has taught kindergarten through high school age students in tap, jazz, ballet, and hip hop at a local studio.
Being a full-time student working towards a bachelor degree of Science and nursing, she has wide-ranging knowledge in anatomy and body mechanics to keep dancers safe when stretching, conditioning, and performing new skills.
Having a younger sister with special needs, Ms. Libby understands that each dancer has individual needs and each class is tailored to meet those specific needs to bring out everyone’s potential.
Ms. Libby has a strong love for dance and is excited to share her passion with all her students!
Meredith Patterson is a Broadway, television and film actress/singer/dancer who has performed at the highest levels of the entertainment industry for 25 years. On Broadway, Meredith originated and starred as Judy Haynes in WHITE CHRISTMAS (Broadway Cast Album). She starred as Peggy Sawyer in 42ND ST (2001 Tony Award Winning Revival), co-starred in Julie Taymor’s playTHE GREEN BIRD (Broadway Cast Album), was featured in Madison Square Garden’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Pre-Broadway Workshops: She starred in FINDING NEVERLAND, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, CURTAINS, MARILYN & ME, GINGER, THE JAZZ SINGER. Off-Broadway: She starred in Encore’s Face The Music (Cast Album), and 5 years of Town Hall’s Broadway By The Year Concert Series. Regional Theatre: Starred in Real Housewives The Musical (Garry Marshall Theatre), Steve Martin’s The Underpants (Geffen Playhouse), The Boy Friend (Julie Andrews, Dir.) Young Phyllis in Follies (Papermill/Cast Album). Film/TV: Hail Caesar (Channing Tatum’s Tap Coach), Broken Flowers, My Secret Billionaire, Every Little Step, Before the Devil Knows You Dead & The Princess Diaries II, Company Man. Short Film: Starred in What If Wendy (SciFi Dust) & Follow Me (Web Series). Guest Starred: Law & Order SVU, Person Of Interest, The Good Wife, Boston Legal (Recurring 3 Seasons with Tom Selleck), Soap Opera All My Children (Francesca for 25 episodes). Concerts: Starred & Produced The Whitefish Summer Concert Series: The Music Of Fleetwood Mac, Broadway in Barbados, 100 Years of Broadway, Soloist with The Pasadena Symphony. Solo Jazz Show at Feinstein’s & Birdland in New York, The Gardenia in Hollywood. Podcast “Confessions Of An Actress” (Apple/Spotify/Anchor). Meredith launched her own production company @merieproductions and is producing and starring in The Second Story Band at 101 Central in downtown Whitefish. The Whitefish Summer Concert Series: The Music Of Fleetwood Mac & The Eagles, alongside the concert Nightmare Before Christmas Live to Film with The Whitefish Theatre Company in 2023. Online Courses coming in 2024 “How To Become An Actress”, “Holistic Health For The Performing Artist” and “Broadway Tap Dancing” is coming (2024) Follow her @MerPatterson @MerieProductions @ConfessionsOfAnActress www.MeredithPatterson.com
Kristin Stockham-Baller (tumbling teacher) was raised in Kalispell. She was in gymnastics from 3 years old through high school. During her competitive years in gymnastics she participated in ballet classes. She competed through level 9 at Flathead Gymnastics Academy where she also coached. She then went on to become a physical therapist.
She is excited to share her passion for gymnastics in co-teaching a tumbling and dance class as gymnastics is a part of dance and dance is a part of gymnastics.