Instructors

Meet Our

Instructors

Kristy Larson

Director

I started dancing at age 6 in a creative dance class. I have now danced for over 50 years. As a teen I studied at the Royal Academy of Dance and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. I majored in ballet at college and performed as a soloist at Brigham Young University Theatre Ballet Company. I also studied at Pacific Northwest Ballet and had teacher seminars in Chehalis, Texas, Virginia, California, and all over Washington State. I have trained in Ballet, Tap, Ballroom, Jazz, Hip Hop, Modern, and Lyrical.

I have been teaching for over 40 years and have owned Evergreen Dance Center for more than 30 years.

I became a dance teacher because I love dancing and wanted to share that love with everyone.

I have 8 children, 6 boys and 2 girls. I have 13 grandchildren and love to spend time with family. I also love to sew, cook, read, hike, and cross stitch.

I play the piano, organ, flute, piccolo, and lots of other instruments.

Sam Larson

Tap Instructor

I have been dancing tap for 21 years, and I have been teaching tap for 5 years. I have also done ballet, swing, ballroom, and hip hop.

I started teaching to better my skills as a dancer, to help my ability to work with others, and to help others grow to love dance as I do.

I love spending time with my friends and family. I enjoy sports and music. And going to theater perfomances is always a high point of my day.

Leonessa Grimes

Ballet Instructor

I began dancing at age 7 at Adams Ballet Academy and trained with Mary Moe Adams. I completed all of my children’s and major’s Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus exams. I was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance, London, England. I also trained at the National Academy of Dance in Champaign, IL, for 6 intensive summers, Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA, Dallas Ballet School training under Marjorie Tallchief, Washington Ballet, Washington D.C. under Mary Day, Bartholin Summer Intensive, Copenhagen, Denmark. I have also had a variety of performing experiences with Ballet West as a child and young adult, including performing in the Nutcracker, Coppelia, and Don Quixote. I also danced as an apprentice with Arizona Ballet under ballet mistress Elaine Thomas, and Long Beach California under David Wilcox. I placed 5th at the National Society of Arts and Letters Ballet Competition

I started teaching ballet at age 19 for Mary Moe Adams and in other local studios in AZ. I later decided to pursue my career and traveled to Berlin, Germany and taught ballet at Tanz Akademie Cifuentes. I have taught at Evergreen for 12 years.

The most rewarding thing about being a teacher is seeing dancers enjoy dance and theatre through hard work and discipline and succeeding in whatever they choose to do.

Molly Johnson

Ballet Instructor

I took Ballet, Tap and Jazz, all at Evergreen Dance when I was a kid and adult.

I have been teaching off and on since 1999.

I love to dance and Kristy asked if I wanted to substitute for her when I was in high school. I loved it so I continue teaching. I came back this year as my two younger daughters are now taking classes.

I have 3 daughters and a fiancé of 7 years. We as a family like to play at our creek on our property, go for walks, take care of our chickens, ducks, goats, cats and dogs. We are a huge Disney family and love anything Disney. My hobbies are gardening and doing crafts with my girls.

Kaitlyn Guernsey

Ballet Instructor

I started dancing at Evergreen when I was three years old, and continued with ballet classes up until I was 20 years old. My love for dancing started right here. I also took classes in jazz, lyrical, ballroom and swing during my senior year of high school, and a few dance courses at LCC.

My first couple of years teaching were spent being Ms. Kristy’s assistant while I was in college, then I had the pleasure of teaching my own classes the following year.

I became a dance teacher because I love dancing and I love working with children. I took ten years off from teaching to start my own family and am happy to be back in the studio.

I have three children, all girls. I love to read and am a movie fanatic. In my spare time I love to spend time with my friends and family.

Danielle Manning

Ballet/Tap Instructor

I have been doing Ballet and Tap at Evergreen for a long time.

I have been teaching for 3 years.

I teach because I like teaching kids to express themselves through movement.

I don’t have many hobbies outside of dance. I do like taking photos when I have free time.

Maggie Dick

Ballet/Tap/Jazz Instructor

Maggie has been dancing since the age of three. She has over 20 years of classical ballet experience. She majored in Dance at the University of Washington where she studied ballet, tap, and jazz.

Maggie has been teaching at Evergreen for the past four years.

I became a teacher because I love dance and enjoy sharing it with all the students.

Maggie is a lawyer when she is not teaching dance. She lives in Longview with her dog. She enjoys music, reading, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings.

Debbie Williamson

All-Styles Instructor

I learned ballet, tap, and jazz from the Tugaw school of dance. Once I got to tap six weeks with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. I also did ballet with the San Fransisco Ballet Company.

I have been teaching for 52 years.

While I was dancing with the San Francisco Ballet Company I realized I enjoyed teaching more than performing, so I became a teacher.

I have been married to Bruce Williamson for 44 years and we have three children Amber, John, and David.

I enjoy gardening, reading, and traveling. I have been to all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, and now I am trying to get all of the European countries.

Ken & Kim Hash

Ballroom Instructor

Ken: I have learned both Ballroom and Tap at Evergreen.

Kim: I have done Ballet for 26 years, Hula for 6 years, Belly dancing for 6 years, Contemporary for 3 years and Ballroom for 10+ years.

Ken: I have been teaching dance for over 10 years.

Kim: I have taught with Ken for 10+ years.

Ken: I was inspired to start teaching by my teacher.

Kim: I started teaching because I love dance. I also love dancing with my husband and sharing that fun with others.

Ken: I enjoy kayaking with Kim, cycling, gardening and golf. I have 3 children and 6 grandchildren.

Kim: My hobbies are sewing/ quilting, gardening, biking, learning to kayak and spending time with family and of course dancing. We have 3 grown kids (all dancers at Evergreen) and 6 grandchildren. Ken and I have been married for 42 years and are blessed to be a part of Evergreen. My youngest granddaughter is currently taking ballet at Evergreen.

Jill Gibson

All-Styles Instructor

I’ve been dancing since age 3. I have trained in Ballet, Jazz, tap, acrobatics, lyrical, hip hop, and modern. I have performed in Disneyland and for the Portland Trail Blazers.

I have been teaching for 17 years.

I love being active like sharing my passion with other young dancers.

I live in Kelso with my two girls and a cat named Jasmine. I love all things Disney and my favorite character is Hei Hei. I also enjoy running, hiking and reading.

Madison Lucas

All-Styles Instructor

I started dancing at Evergreen, and I danced at BYUI.

I own Rising Heights Dance.

I have taught dance for 6 years:

- 1 in Idaho

- 4 in Woodland

- 1 in Kalama/Evergreen

Since the first class I took, dance changed my life and gave me so much goodness. Being able to share those amazing lessons and feelings with others is the joy of my life and I always want to learn and grow with my students.

I enjoy singing, playing instruments (piano, flute, etc.), reading, and journaling.

My husband is Taylor, and our two kids are Harmony and Hudson.

Jazmin Ball

All-Styles Instructor

I have been a part of this studio in various forms of dance for about 16 years or so now. Most of that being Classical Ballet

and 5 years of ballroom.

This is my first year of teaching but I have subbed in the past.

I became a teacher to learn new skills in leadership plus to share my love of dance with folks of all ages. It’s an

important thing to carry on.

I like to call myself a little grandma honestly. I love to see, knit, crochet, cross stitch, book bind, as well as harass my

family. I have my mom, two dads, two sisters, and a brother, as well as two dogs. All of whom I love dearly.

Deb Ochsner

All-Styles Instructor

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I trained with Chehalis Ballet Center and occasionally with Evergreen Dance Center. I also trained with Cornish College, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theater, and the University of Utah. I have performed in many states and even was part of the entertainment for the Miss USA Pageant, which was nationally televised!

I have taught for a handful of decades, but I have been teaching for either years at Evergreen. But I took a break during the pandemic. This is the start of my 9th year at Evergreen.

I always looked up to my teachers and mentors and I caught the teaching bug. I not only teach dance but I also coach others and taught at vocational courses and universities. My favorite part is seeing the light bulb click or a dance skill mastered (or at least completed). It is one of my favorite things to do in the whole world.

I am pursuing a doctorate degree (PHD) in holistic life planning. I am a massage therapist going on 30 years experience and am a Reiki master since 1999. I love all things art, all things “woo woo”, and I adore my beautiful musician husband, Chris. We live with and care for my folks.

Evergreen Dance Center.

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(360) 423-7410

Dance@evergreendance.com