Jacqui Gross, Studio Owner, Instructor
Jacqui has been part of the Stella family since its opening year in 2009. She has been passionate about dance for over 20 years, training in ballet, contemporary, hip hop, jazz, musical theater, pom, and tap.
A Prescott native, Jacqui was a four-year member of the state champion Prescott High School Dance Team, serving as captain her senior year. After graduation, she attended the University of Minnesota, where she earned her degree in Elementary Education while dancing competitively as a member of the Premier Dance Team and the National Champion University of Minnesota Dance Team. During her time on UMDT, she had the incredible opportunity to represent the United States at the ICU World Championships as part of Team USA.
Jacqui began teaching at Stella in 2010 and took over ownership of the studio in 2015. Through dance, she has learned many valuable life lessons and loves having the opportunity to instill those same lessons in her students. She believes in encouraging every dancer to be kind, work hard, and have fun—creating a supportive space where kids can move, groove, and challenge themselves to reach their greatest dreams while growing in confidence and dedication.
Casey Webber, Instructor
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Emma Carlson, Instructor
Emma has been part of the Stella Dance Studio family for as long as she can remember. She grew up dancing at Stella, was an assistant teacher in classes, and was a member of the Prescott High School Dance Team. She continued her dance journey at the University of St. Thomas, where she became a six-time national champion and team captain, while earning a degree in Data Analytics and Biology.
She is currently a Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader, where she has been honored as Rookie of the Year, Dancer of the Year, and Team Captain. Along with cheering, she coaches and choreographs for the Prescott Dance Team, serves as Director of Operations for a new clothing brand, Whit Design, and works in business management.
Stella will always be home to her—she loves this studio, this family, and especially these amazing kids who remind her every day why she fell in love with dance in the first place!
Grace Carlson, Instructor
Grace grew up dancing at Stella Dance Studio and was also a member of the Prescott High School Dance Team. She continued her dance journey at the University of St. Thomas, where she danced for the Division I St. Thomas Dance Team, won a national championship, and served as a two-time team captain.
She began teaching at Stella while in college and has continued ever since! She also coaches the Prescott High School Dance Team and Infinity Elite here at Stella. Outside of teaching and coaching, she works in data analytics.
Teaching allows Grace to stay connected to something that has always meant so much to her. Stella was such a special part of her childhood, and she feels so grateful to now share that same joy with the next generation of dancers. She loves these kids and is so thankful she gets to work with them!
Makenzie Huppert, Instructor
Makenzie has been dancing for 18 years and has been part of the Stella Dance Studio family since 2009–2010—both as a competitor and as a valued member of our staff, working the front desk and assisting with classes over the past few years. Makenzie has trained in jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop, lyrical, and contemporary. She was a four-year member and senior captain of the Prescott High School Dance Team. Makenzie graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, where she was also a captain of the UWEC Dance Team. She is very excited to be back with her Stella family and to encourage students to grow their love for dance throughout the season!
Maren Kariesch, Instructor
Maren began dancing at the age of five and has been trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and pom. She danced in studio programs for 13 years, 10 of which were with competition lines. Maren was also a four-year member of the state champion Prescott High School Varsity Dance Team and served as captain her senior year. She was a student and assistant instructor at Stella during its early years from 2009–2011.
Maren has always had a passion for working with children and holds a master’s degree in Elementary Education. Her favorite part about teaching is watching students persevere and work hard to achieve their goals. Maren is excited to be part of the Stella Dance community and to work with students and families throughout the season!
Katie Vortherms, Instructor
Katie has been part of the dance world for over 28 years! She began dancing at the age of two and started teaching when she was just 14. Throughout her years of dance, she has trained in jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, hip hop, clogging, contemporary, and musical theater. Katie has worked with both recreational and competitive dancers and went to college for Elementary Education, where she discovered her lifelong passion for working with kids.
Katie spent 8.5 seasons as a studio owner and lead instructor. Her favorite part of teaching dance is watching dancers perfect their individual skills and witnessing the pure joy and confidence that grow with each new accomplishment.
Kylie Fagnan, Instructor
Kylie loves everything dance has to offer, and it has always been a huge part of her life. She grew up dancing for many years and spent six seasons on her studio’s competition team. Kylie has experience in a wide variety of dance styles—her favorite has always been hip hop, though she has developed a strong love for tap over the years.
She has been teaching dance for over five years and has taught a mini pom team at Prescott Elementary for two years. Kylie also helped coach the Ellsworth High School Dance Team for a year, working with styles including hip hop, pom, and jazz.
Rachel Stang, Instructor
Rachel brings over 20 years of dance experience to Stella, with a strong foundation in ballet, lyrical, and contemporary dance. She trained at the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists and continued her education in dance at the University of Minnesota. Rachel also trained with Crash Dance Productions in Minneapolis, further developing her versatility and love for performance.
As a passionate and dedicated instructor, Rachel teaches ballet and is committed to helping dancers build strength, artistry, and confidence both in and out of the studio.
Taylor Wann, Instructor
Taylor began dancing at the age of two and started competing when she was six. Throughout her school years, she trained in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical, and contemporary while dancing at her local studio. Taylor graduated from Chanhassen High School in 2019, where she was a senior captain of the Senior Line team at The Dance Warehouse.
Following high school, Taylor was a member of the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Dance Team for four years and served as captain for three of those years. Being part of a collegiate team allowed her to travel for national competitions and opened doors to choreography and judging opportunities for high schools and competitions throughout Wisconsin.
Taylor is thrilled to return to teaching at Stella and is excited to help students recognize and reach their fullest potential!
Stephanie Boden, Studio Manager
As Studio Manager, Stephanie plays a key role in ensuring that Stella operates efficiently while maintaining its welcoming, family-oriented atmosphere. With a strong background in organization and leadership, she excels at planning, scheduling, and keeping every detail on track. Stephanie has also served on several community boards, where she developed a deep appreciation for teamwork, communication, and community engagement.
Outside of the studio, she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family.