DFy PROJECT STAFF

MEET OUR AMAZING STAFF!!!

~Nikki St. John – Owner/Director/Choreographer!

• Nikki is natively from Minnesota, primarily the greater Twin Cities area.  She moved to North Dakota in 2003 from Minneapolis, after spending nearly 9 years auditioning/dancing professionally for such venues as Dance Olympus,  the IFL (Indoor Football League) “Minnesota Purple Rage,” Minnesota Vikings and WCW Nitro Girls choreographers. She brought her love of dance since age 4 to our community in 2006 when Burn the Floor was opened.  She has been the guiding force behind her studio’s incredible “Give Back and Pay it Forward” motto…Nikki’s choreography has won overall choreography awards in 2013 and 2014 competition circuits, as well as her proudest honor through the “Anti-Bullying Stand Up” endorsement of receiving 5 Sportsmanship Awards since 2013, and most recently the “Academic Achievement” award from the LEAD Team dancers average GPA being 3.79.  She is constantly part of her community through the art of dance in the over 14 years of dedication to nearly 12 various charities/community venues.  On Oct. 1, 2016, Burn the Floor, Diversity in Dance celebrated 10 years of quality dance instruction to the Dickinson and surrounding area!  As of Oct. 3, 2016, Burn the Floor transitioned to our new name: PROJECT 2017, DFy Studio, DEFY YOUR DANCE!

~Deb (Kuylen) Jarrett – Assistant Director/Instructor!

• Deb is a native of the South Heart area. She has 3 children; Tanner, Madisen, and Aspen! Deb was highly involved in dance, even as a child taking Tap and Ballet classes, all the way to her involvement with pageants and the talent portion involving dance. Deb has already successfully been awarded Title, Overall, High 1st place, and the Overall Entertainment Award(s) for her choreography in the area of beginning Hip Hop and Ballet.  Deb has taught beginning Hip Hop, beginning Ballet and “Intro 2 Dance” since 2009 with Burn the Floor studio in Dickinson and now DFy PROJECT…Deb hosts/directs DFy classes at the South Heart school, teaching Hip Hop as well as “Intro 2 Dance.”  Deb has an amazing personality and brings her training as a Mother and an educator in the South Heart school system to the table!

~Janelle Yoder / Sherri Mindt~ “Music and Movement” Directors!

• Janelle is introducing a new program to our studio, known as “Music and Movement.”  This course is designed for ages 6 months – 3 years of age and promotes introduction to all types of music, musical games, and instruments.  Janelle completed training in 2005 to become an early childhood music and movement educator, and is currently finishing studies to obtain her BA in Elementary Education.  She has musical background in piano, guitar, songwriting and singing! Janelle’s children have been students and competition circuit dancers for several years…Miss Janelle also trains the student teachers at DFy PROJECT to learn the discipline of student teaching as well as the aspects of the child’s behavior and skill level and how to reach all of them on a positive level!

~Sherri Mindt ~ “Musical Theatre”

• Sherri come to us from the great state of Minnesota, and brings her 2 daughters and husband Bryce along! They met Nikki one year prior to making the move from Minnesota to North Dakota…Nikki, Sherri and Bryce followed to what was then “Burn the Floor” for one year, then contacted us with an interest in moving to the area and enrolling in classes after being impressed with our competitive dancers at several competitions in 2014 that BTF and their former studio both attended…the rest is history! Sherri is a full time Mary Kay Consultant and has brought her former dance training and previous office skills to us here at DFy! Thank you Sherri for lightening the load for Nikki! You were long overdue!

 

What we will share with you as recognition toward our hard work and dedication to dance, is that we are an award winning studio, earning high first place awards within the first 6 months of opening.  Since 2006, we have received awards for top choreography, costumes, technique and numerous judges choice awards.  HOWEVER, our most honorable award was given in 2012 when we received the sportsmanship award, better known as “Life of the Party,” honoring Burn the Floor’s outstanding treatment toward all dancers, regardless of their capabilities or differences, or even their similarities….it is by far the most honorable award a studio can receive.  To date, Burn the Floor has received 3 sportsmanship awards in 12 months time…2 of which were consecutive awards in 2013 and again in 2014 from the same competition….

We teach the importance and necessity of the “golden rule,” and that in order to dance with us, this rule cannot be overlooked because how we treat one another DOES determine your worth and DOES exemplify who you are and who you will become. We TRULY welcome all abilites and levels, and we truly mean this….the proof is in the pudding. The greatest thing about dance in Dickinson, ND is that our instructor believes in being genuine and never having to conform to what everyone else deems as dance, when all you see is the same thing over and over again….somewhere the creativity has been lost and conformity became the new cool thing. Well not here. Unfortunately or fortunately, however you look at it, imitation to me is NOT the most sincere form of flattery.

“To live a life of gratitude is to open our eyes to the countless ways in which we are supported by the world around us.  Such a life provides less space for our suffering because our attention is more balanced.  We are more often occupied with noticing what we are given, thanking those who have helped us, forgiving those who have hurt us along the way, and repaying the world in some concrete way for what we are receiving.”