Stephanie Bengtson began her training in Grand Forks, North Dakota and continued in North Carolina at the Alexander Dance Theatre. She received her degree in Dance and Musical Theatre from Lees McRae College and her Teaching Certification from UNC-Chapel Hill. In 2005 she received the National College Dance Student award. Stephanie has performed professionally in theaters throughout the country, on the television series “One Tree Hill” and “Palmetto Point,” and as a dancer at The American Dance Festival and Disney World. Stephanie has received numerous regional and national awards for choreography from The State Dance Championships, Showstopper and Star Power.
Courtney Cutillo Boccardy grew up in Boone and received her early training at Northwestern Studios where she was a scholarship student and member of the award-winning Starz Competition Team. She is remembered for her performance of the lead in “Cinderella.” She furthered her studies in ballet and modern at North Carolina School of the Arts and was a dance major at Meredith College and UNC- Charlotte. Courtney was an apprentice with the North Carolina Dance Theatre where she performed with the company in the "Nutcracker". A talented designer, Courtney designs and builds Northwestern Studios' beautiful ballet sets. She also owns and operates the specialty baking and catering business Delectables: Custom Cakes and Catering.
Mindy Cook received her training at the School of Nashville Ballet. She has her degree in dance from Lees McRae College and has performed with the North Carolina Stage Ensemble, the Steeple Players and Horn in the West. Before joining Northwestern Studios she was an instructor of various dance disciplines for 5 years at Wake Forest Academy of Fine Arts. Ms. Cook has been a judge at numerous regional dance competitions.
Wendy Fletcher, Studio Director, began her training in Birmingham, Alabama where she studied and danced with the Birmingham Civic Ballet Company. She received her High School Diploma in Theatre Arts from Alabama School of Fine Arts and her BFA in Dance Performance from Florida State University, on scholarship. She studied and performed extensively at North Carolina School of the Arts and in New York City on full scholarship at Alvin Ailey’s American Dance Center. Ms. Fletcher was the choreographer for Horn In The West outdoor drama and has performed in and choreographed many musical theatre productions. She has been an Assistant Professor of Dance at Appalachian State University and the dance coach for the two gymnastics teams. She is currently an adjunct with Appalachian State University Department of Theatre and Dance.
Shauna Godwin, originally from Boone, received her early dance training at Northwestern Studios and from her mother, Teresa, at The Dancer’s Corner. After high school she moved to New York City to train at the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre where she choreographed musicals including "Hair", "The Producers" and "Love". She taught creative movement around NYC while studying at Broadway Dance Center. Shauna performed with New York theatrical companies including Michael Chekhov Theatre Company, The Native American Opera House, Goldmine Theatre Company and Indigenous Taino Productions. Ms. Godwin currently choreographs for dance teams throughout the Southeast and teaches at regional dance conventions. She is completing her degree in Dance at Appalachian State University.
Rebecca Miller is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina where she was trained in classical ballet, pointe, modern, lyrical, jazz, character and folk dance at Greensboro Christian Arts Academy. She is a graduate of King College in Bristol, Tennessee and has performed professionally with companies in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Ohio. These include the Bristol Ballet Company, Morning Star Classical Theatre, and Barter Theater. Rebecca has been teaching various dance disciplines and choreographing for 12 years, including guest lecture series, choreography clinics and master classes. She is completing her degree in Dance at Appalachian State University. She is also the director and founder of the Christian dance troupe “Shine” which “shares the light of Jesus” throughout the High Country.
Stacey Trivett began her dance training in northeastern North Carolina. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Dance with minors in Education and Music from Lees-McRae College. She has taught ballet, tap, jazz, clogging and social dance at Mountcastle School of Dance, Lees-McRae College, Crossnore Academy, Avery and Watuaga County Schools, Grandfather Mountain Home for Children and the North Carolina Clogging Association. Mrs. Trivett has participated in musical theatre productions as a dancer, dance captain and assistant choreographer at Gallery Theatre in Ahoskie NC, Lees-McRae Summer Theatre and Blue Ridge Community Theatre. Mrs. Trivett is on the Performing Arts faculty at Lees-McRae College and is the Music Director and Children's Minister at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Banner Elk, NC.
