Meet Our Wonderful Staff

Instructor & Preschool Programming

Ellie Allen was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil. She started to dance when she was 4 years old. She was part of a ballet team that competed and won many awards in Sao Paulo, igniting her passion for the dance world as well as sharing her experience with other dancers. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and moved to Chicago right after completing her studies. Ellie and her husband moved to Hong Kong where she taught Preschool for 4 years at Yew Chung International School and loved working in developing children's creativity, body and movement awareness and academic needs.
Ellie's been living in the Quad Cities since 2014 with her husband Drew and their two sons, Sam and Oliver. She is ecstatic to be joining the ATB family, doing what she loves the most: dancing, creating, teaching, and having fun with the students.

Choreographer/Instructor

Olivia Hull has been dancing since the age of 6 as a competitive dancer. She started teaching at the age of 16, all while she danced and carried the role of co-captain on her highschool dance team. After high school she continued her journey into the big city of Chicago as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and took the position as a co-director of a dance team. Olivia had amazing opportunities in the 5 years she lived there. She danced on live television, was featured in 2 short films, taught at many intensives, performed/choreographed in World of Dance & Prelude Midwest dance competitions, and experienced much more! Olivia is now back in Iowa living with her fiance Thomas, and dog Koda. They're planning for their wedding in June and couldn't be more excited! Olivia is so happy to be a part of staff at ATB and is driven to improve style, technique and strength, all while making dance fun and engaging for all levels!

Choreographer/Instructor

Emma is a current student at St. Ambrose University where she is studying elementary education and is also a member of the SAU Dance Team. She was a member of the award winning Revolution Competition Team at Above the Barre for 15 years, and was also a four year member and captain of the Golduster Dance Team at Bettendorf High School. In her free time, Emma loves spending time with friends and family, listening to music, drawing, and going out to eat or get ice cream. Emma enjoys teaching both rec and competitive classes, and is looking forward to sharing her love and passion for dance with all of her students!

Choreographer/Instructor/Coach

Amy Showers started as a dancer on the Above the Barre Dance Academy competition team. She began teaching at the studio in 2016. Additionally, she danced and served as captain on the Pleasant Valley Platinum Varsity Dance Team for 4 years. Amy began coaching as the assistant for Powerhouse Dance Team in 2022. She is a 2023 graduate from the University of Iowa with a Bachelors in Elementary Education. During her time at Iowa she continued her dance training through the University of Iowa's Dance Department and received a minor in Dance! Amy is looking forward to the start of her career as an Elementary Teacher! Her time as both a dancer and teacher at Above the Barre has had an incredible impact on her life! Amy is so excited to share her passion for dance with the next generation of dancers!

Instructor

I find passion in sharing everything I've learned through my dance experience as a student and a professional. More than that though, I love supporting these kids from the time they enter the studio to the time they graduate. I can't imagine a better place to do all of this than Above The Barre Dance Academy.

Instructor

After growing up and living in California, Miss Stacie moved to the Quad Cities a few years ago. Dance has been in Miss Stacie's heart since the age of three. After graduating from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in Ethnic Studies with a focus in Dance and Theater, she married and raised three children. Miss Stacie worked in city government while always being involved with local dance studios and theater productions. In addition, she worked briefly in the movie and television industry. Miss Stacie loves to bring the magic of dance and the joy of friendship to our "Littles" here at Above the Barre Dance Academy.

Instructor

My name is Aubrey Holst and I am on the elite team here at ATB. I have been dancing since I was 3 years old and I have been competing for 9 years and 2 at ATB. I also dance for my schools dance team Pleasant Valley Platinum and I am on the varsity team! My favorite styles of dance are lyrical and contemporary. I hope to share my love of dance with all the littles at the studio and I can't wait to be teaching this year!

Instructor

Miss Kat graduated from Pleasant Valley High School in 2007 and then attended St. Ambrose University and Scott Community College. She graduated in 2013 with her diploma in Nursing from SCC. Miss Kat grew up dancing at ATB, where she won multiple national titles including Miss Teen Stars of Tomorrow, Miss Senior Stars of Tomorrow, and Miss NYLA Dance. She also competed with the St. Ambrose University dance team and coached the North Scott High School dance team to a fourth place title. Miss Kat loves teaching dance because she gets to share in the joy of teaching younger generations something she loves so much. In her free time, Miss Kat loves to camp, play outside and watch sports with her family and spend time with friends. She currently lives in Eldridge with her husband Ron, two boys Everett and Waylon, and her daughter Ruth.

Instructor

Maicey Munn is a student at pleasant valley, where she is a member of the state champion pleasant valley platinum dance team, when she is not busy at school she loves being a part of the Above the Barre revolution team. Although she loves the stage and competition, her real passion is teaching and coaching the next generation of above the barre athletes. After many years of assisting she is SO excited to teach classes of her own!

Instructor

Katie Powers has been dancing since the age of 3, and taught dance all throughout high school and college. She was a member of the St. Ambrose University dance team and graduated with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. She works as a pediatric physical therapist at Genesis and truly loves working with children! Katie lives in Bettendorf with her husband Adam, daughter Brinley and son Jax. She previously competed in the Miss Iowa program, and now enjoys volunteering her time with the Miss America Organization. Katie has been watching her daughter dance at ATB the past few years and is excited to join the ATB teaching staff. She's most looking forward to teaching her favorite style of dance...tap!

Instructor

Lexi is a current student at Davenport Central High School. Lexi started dancing at ATB at the age of 2. Lexi has been teaching at the studio since 2021. Along with dancing at ATB Lexi also competes on her high school dance team, Blue Illusion. When Lexi isn't dancing she enjoys hanging out with friends, napping, and playing trumpet in her high school band.

Instructor

Maci Quam is a senior in high school and has been dancing since the age of four. She has been competing from a young age and is currently a member of the Elite competition team here at Above the Barre. Maci also dances on the Pleasant Valley Dance Team where she is a fourth year member and captain. Maci's favorite style of dance is lyrical and she is most looking forward to sharing her passion with dance with many young dancers.

Instructor

"Jamie Randolph Stineman began her dance training at the age of 2 with the Houston Ballet, upon moving to Southern California, Jamie was then exposed to the world of competitive dance. Jamie won multiple overall titles including receiving the first perfect score in tap, jazz and lyrical from Youth Focus Ltd.
Along with training Jamie performed all over southern California, including the Governors Ball, Super Bowl XXXII pre and halftime show, Evoke Dance Theater, Malashock and Jean Issacs San Diego Dance Theater.
Upon retiring from performing Jamie would return to her love of teaching, she feels nothing is greater than the joy on a students face when it finally clicks. Jamie continues to take classes and advance her education gaining her certification in Progressing Ballet Technique, and studying the techniques of Pilates and Vinyasa Yoga.
Jamie resides in Bettendorf with her husband David and two sons James and Liam. When not dancing she enjoys all things outdoors from gardening to kayaking, as well as designing and making costumes."

Instructor

Adrianna Slings has been dancing since the age of 3, and has been assisting classes for the last two years. Adrianna began competition dance at the age of five. She is currently on Pleasant Valley Platinum's Varsity team, as well as the Elite team here at ATB. Adrianna lives in Bettendorf with her parents and two siblings. She is also involved in her schools Future Business Leaders of America, where she holds an officer position. She loves working with kids and is so excited to share her passion with others.

Instructor

Clare Tinsman has been a dancer at Above the Barre Dance Academy since she was two years old. She loves all styles of dance! She has student taught for five years, and this will be her second year as a head teacher. She is on the Elite competition team at the studio, and she is a varsity member and co-captain of her school dance team, Pleasant Valley Platinum. Besides dance, Clare also enjoys band and choir! Clare loves spending time with her friends and family. Above the Barre is her second family and home, so she can't wait to share this with her new little friends! Clare is excited to be a part of the ATB teaching staff in order to share her passion for dance!

Instructor

Savana Thorsen has been dancing since the age of 7, and has taught dance while in high school and now college. During high school, she was a four year varsity member and one year team captain of the Bettendorf Goldusters, where she was able to lead them to placing at state in the Pom category her senior year, and also competed in two state solo competitions. Additionally, she was able to co-coach the schools Dusterttes dance team for 2 years, with some of her fellow teammates. She also was a member of the St. Ambrose University dance team, where she captured a national title in 2021 and was named as one of eight All-America dancers of the year, all while pursuing her two bachelor degrees in Political Science and International Studies and a minor in Leadership Studies. While working to graduate from St. Ambrose in fall of 2023, you will also find her working as an assistant manager at Ducky's Formal Wear and Little Black Dress in Moline, IL helping brides and grooms pick out their favorite selections for their wedding, or helping high schoolers pick out their perfect dress. Savana is excited to be on the ATB teaching staff, and looks forward to teaching her favorite styles including ballet and jazz.

Instructor

"Heather's dancing career began at the age of 5 in a small-town Dubuque Iowa. She studied ballet under Tatiana Bechenova who was the Owner and Director of Academy of Ballet, and who at the age of 14 was the youngest to join the Original Ballet Russe, Col. De Basil in Paris France. While performing in full length ballets such as The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Giselle and many others, she knew at the age of 16 that she wanted to be a professional ballerina. With strict instructions from her parents, college was the first priority.
Heather's ballet training continued under Randy Newsom and Judith Chitwood. I also expanded my repertoire into Modern Dance under Karen Williamson and Paula Frasz. She graduated in three years from Northern Illinois University with a BFA in Theatre Dance Performance, which also included a semester performing with The Joffrey Ballet Program in New York City.
After college, she spent the next 7 years dancing and traveling Florida, Chicago and New York with some of the top instructors and choreographers such as Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, Ellison Ballet, and David Howard.
Retiring from dance at the age of 27, and finally settling down in the Quad Cities, Heather went back to school to receive my second degree for Interior Design. She now owns her own Kitchen + Bath Design Company. She married the love of my life Mitch in 2021 and have the most amazing Step-Daughters Alex and Camryn.
Heather began teaching at Above The Barre in 2009 and loves being a part of this amazing family!"

Office Manager

Nicole is not only the Office Manager at ATB, but she is also the proud mom of a dancer here as well. She worked in administration and education prior to joining the team at Above the Barre. The thing that she loves most about her position is getting to interact with so many incredible people including the staff and families that she has gotten to know and love. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Her and her husband Rich, son Garrett and daughter Addison have a love of travel and the outdoors. In Nicole's downtime, you can usually find her cooking, swimming or planning the next getaway.

Office Manager Assistant & Bootcamp Attendance Coordinator

Most of the time, you'll find Hannah happily helping out in the office, or cheering the kiddos on during competitions. Her daughter joined ATB in the spring of 2019 after searching for a studio with top notch training, and they are both THRILLED to have found such a fantastic studio that continually exceeds all of their expectations! Hannah currently lives in Muscatine with her husband Brian, daughter Kaylin, and twin sons Michael and Matthew. They enjoy being outdoors biking, hiking, swimming, and exploring as much as possible in their free time, and of course, Kaylin dances her way through life no matter what they happen to be doing- which Hannah loves!! Seeing kids happily pursue their passion is simply a joy, and Hannah is thankful for ATB's impact on her and her family's lives!

Family Survey Coordinator, Recital Program Designer, & Family Concierge

Allie was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa where she started dancing at a young age. In high school she began to cheer and enjoyed it so much she coached a Special Olympics cheer team while attending Iowa State University, was the head varsity coach at Davenport Central for 4 years, and coached 7th and 8th grade cheer at PVJH for a year. Allie first joined the ATB family in 2010 and taught recreational tap, jazz, and ballet. After a 10 year hiatus she is so happy to be back and working at the front desk. Allie loves being the one to greet all the dancers and families with a great big smile when they enter the studio. When Allie isn't working behind the desk she is teaching 4th grade at Cody Elementary School in the PVCSD or spending time with her family and friends. She lives in Bettendorf with her husband Shawn, dog Aspen, and step-son Cael. Her other step-son Colin and his family are not too far away. Allie is also the proud grandmother of

Family Concierge

Kelly is a mom to two ATB dancers, Molly and Claire who started their dance journey in the previous ATB LeClaire location in 2017. Kelly has enjoyed watching the girls grow as dancers and humans at ATB. This studio is much more than a dance studio, it has become a second home for our girls and dance friends have become like family. Kelly has enjoyed working the desk at the studio and getting to engage with so many of our amazing dancers and their families. During the day, Kelly is an occupational therapist at Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency. She has been working in the school setting for 10 years and loves working with kids each day and helping them be the best they can be! Kelly, her husband Brian, and the girls love to boat on the Mississippi River in the summer and travel!

Communications Coordinator/Choreographer

Katie is a graduate of Pleasant Valley High School. She received her Bachelors in Elementary Education and her Masters in Educational Administration from St. Ambrose University as well as her Masters in School Library Science from the University of Northern Iowa. Growing up as a dancer herself, Katie received many awards including Miss Showbiz, Miss Stars of Tomorrow and several national championships and choreography awards. She is also the coach of the 11-time Iowa State Dance and Drill Team Winners - Pleasant Valley Platinum. After a brief hiatus from weekly roles at ATB, Katie is SO excited to be back in this new capacity as Communications Director. She is thrilled to be able to use her love of all things organization and design work to help families stay in the loop about the awesome-ness that is Above The Barre Dance Academy. With a background in elementary education, she knows the importance of a partnership with parents and being in regular communication about what's happening at school, and she is looking forward to bringing that to ATB. In her free time, Katie loves to spend time with her family, travel, read, scrapbook and watch movies. She lives in Bettendorf with her husband Kevin and dancing daughter Kamdyn, along with their dog Kinnick, and her step-daughter Kaitlyn attends Loyola University in Chicago.

Family Concierge

Mia began working at the front desk in 2023 and very much enjoys working at the front and seeing all the smiling faces walk through the door. It's amazing to see the growth each dancer goes through and the confidence they build along the way! Mia is also an ATB mom so she knows the studio well.

New Student Onboarding Specialist & ACH Coordinator

Barb graduated from Marycrest College where she triple majored in Secondary Education, Theater and English. Above the Barre was her family's dream and she is so proud to have created an environment that is rich in culture, passion, outstanding teaching and most of all love. Barb has directed and/or performed in over 100 theater productions and loves sharing her passion for theater with the dancers at ATB. In her free time, Barb enjoys watching her grandchildren doing the things they love, reading and swimming in her pool. She resides in Bettendorf with her dogs Murphy and Winnie. Barb is the proud mother of daughters Kim and Katie, and the proud grandmother of Kaitlyn, Kamdyn, Sam and Maicey.