Westside Dance Faculty

Cindy Jones	Cindy is a 40 year member of Chicago National Association of Dance Masters and is certified by testing to teach ballet, jazz, and tap. She is a former student of her mother Betty Dybdahl, and Rose Lorenz. She attended Interlochen, Michigan and Jacob's Pillow in Massachusetts during summers of high school and college. After graduating from Drake University, she taught school in West Des Moines and Urbandale for 10 years. She has managed one of the most successful dance schools in Iowa for almost 30 years. She continues to expand her training at various conventions all over the country with some of the most famous teachers in the United States. She also is a mother to 4 children and 2 grandchildren. Her passion for family and dance can be seen throughout her life.
Ben Rethmeier	Ben Rethmeier has been teaching dance across Central Iowa for the past 10 years. He offers an energized class for all ages. Ben focuses on giving the intermediate/ advanced students, tools most useful for performance quality movement. Younger students enjoy his spunky sometimes off the wall lessons in class. Parents enjoy seeing their kids having fun with dance. His attitude and energy in the class room are felt by all. Ben received ballet training at Milwaukee School of Ballet and Central Iowa Dance; continuing his Education at dance conventions with master teachers. Westside Dance Academy attends the CNADM convention in the summer; geared for educators. Ben has served as co-director,rehearsal director and choreographer for Iowa Dance Theater productions; The Nutcracker, Snow White and some dwarfs, and Peter Pan. His performances include The Nutcracker, Firebird, Snow White and some dwarfs, Peter Pan, and Dracula. The Des Moines Metro Opera; La Traviata, Candide, Amaul and the Night Visitors, Faust, Gloriana, Unicorn,Gorgon and Manticore. Ben has performed jazz,ballet and modern for Central Iowa Dance Youth Ballet Company, Dance Theater of Omaha, and Dance Comotion. Ben strives to build a better dancer from the inside out.
Kristi Neil	Kristi has been dancing for 20 years. She studied dance with Cindy at Westside Dance until the age of 18. She has performed and competed at both the regional and national levels. She has received many high point awards for her performances as well as her own choreography. Kristi has attended yearly conventions with Dance Masters, LA Dance Force and Tremaine to further her dance training.
Heather Skinner	Heather started dancing at age 4 and studied with Jodie Currie in Des Moines for 14 years. She was fortunate to take class from several of the great Jazz teachers, including Frank Hatchet in NYC and Joe Tremaine in LA. Upon graduation she attended the University of Iowa where she was a 3 year member of the U of I Dance Team ( Formerly U of I Pom Pom Squad). Heather and her team competed on ESPN at the national level and finished in the top five in the nation twice. Heather has been an instructor at camps, clinics and studios throughout Iowa and Texas.
Carlton Oglesby	Carlton Oglesby is the hip hop choreographer for Westside Dance Academy’s Competition Team. He has choreographed many award-winning routines! Carlton’s energized approach to teaching hip hop has attracted a huge number of students to his classes.After graduating from Waukee High School, Carlton attended Iowa State University for 1 year and then transferred to Columbia University in Chicago, Illinois to pursue a dance major.Carlton has a passion for both teaching hip hop, competing, and performing. He has competed in “So You Think You Can Dance” and “America’s Got Talent”. Carlton was selected to be a back-up dancer for Beyonce, Kp, and Paul Wall.He furthers his dance knowledge at Monsters of Hip Hop, Pulse, and Wild Style, to name a few. Carlton has been training and travelling throughout the United States, bringing the latest hip hop movements and trends to our studio. He won Iowa’s Got Dancer. He has done choreography for the Waukee Dance Team and the Top Gun All Stars.
Christine Wilson	Christine Wilson is a 24 year veteran of the performing arts community. As a youth, Christine was actively involved in competitive and non competitive dance, baton, cheerleading, and gymnastics. With her growing passion for dance and the arts, at the age of 15, Christine began instructing her first dance class. Twelve years later, she is still instructing and sharing her love for dance with both competitive and non competitive students. Christine is currently instructing at two of the top competitive dance schools in Des Moines, IA. Christine has won numerous awards at both the regional and national level for her own performances as well as with her own choreography. Along with dance choreography, Christine has also been involved with choreographing for one of the top gymnastics gyms in Iowa. Today, Christine continues to expand her knowledge in the arts by attending workshops with some of the best choreographers known in the realm of dance. Some of these workshops include Tremaine, Adrenaline, LADF, and Dance Masters of America.
Genna Sears	Genna Sears grew up in the Chicago land area where she pursued the majority of her dance training. She received her early dance training at such places as Barrington Youth Dance Ensemble, Ballet Chicago, and Salt Creek Ballet where she was a member of their pre professional Ballet Company. She also has trained with at the Joeffery School in New York City. After graduating High School, Genna went on to receive her BFA in Theater with an emphasis in Dance Performance from Northern Illinois University. Here she was lucky enough to train under Randal Newsom, Judith Chitwood, Karen Williams, and Paula Fraz. Here she had the opportunity to perform and master such roles as, Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker Suite), Zulma (Giselle), and a Soloist (Paquita), As well as several contemporary works. After graduating NIU she became an instructor at Third Street Dance Academy and St. Charles School of Dance both in her home town of St. Charles, IL. She is very excited to be starting a new life in Des Moines and becoming a part of the great dance community it has to offer.
Mara Porter	Mara Porter began taking dance classes at the age of 4. She was at Westside Dance Academy through age 18, where she enjoyed taking classes, competing and teaching. Mara studied dance in the summers at conventions in Chicago, Kansas City and New York City. She was also on the Waukee High School Dance Team for 4 years, serving 2 years as captain. While at the University of Iowa, Mara took several dance department classes, including ballet, modern, dance production and contact improv. She was also a 3-year member and 2-year captian of the Iowa Dance Team. Mara is currently teaching fifth grade in Des Moines and is so excited to be back at Westside!
Jordan Willis	Jordan Willis began his dance career at his high school at the age of 16. He started the first All-Boy's Dance Team at Roosevelt High School. The team went on to place in the top 3 and first in every competition they entered during the dance team's first year. Jordan knew dance was definitely something he would love and cherish for the rest of his life. Jordan joined DMI Dance Force with his good friend Tyler Foote. Tyler and DMI introduced him to a new world!!!!! Jordan hia trained all over - Millennium Dance Complex, Debbie Reynolds, Iowa Dance Academy, and Edge Dance Center in Los Angeles, California. He has also danced with a lot of amazing dancers and choreographers! Lesle Scott, Kenya Clay (ABDC), Mykell Wilson, Flavia Scheizwer (WYTYCD, Switzerland), Jaquel knight (Beyonce, Monsters of Hip Hop), Matt Stefanina, and Ava J. Bernstine are some of these famous dancers/choreographers who have really inspired Jordan. While dance is a great passion, it is not his only one! Jordan is a singer/actor/model. While living in Los Angeles, he was in a few shows that are popular today: "Glee," "Shake It Up," "No Ordinary Family," etc. Jordan, by all means, just LOVES to entertain.