Redeeming Dance, Ballet, Christian Dance Academy

ABOUT REDEEMING DANCE

OUR STORY

OUR PASSION FOR DANCE

We are passionate about redeeming the many facets of dance lost in today’s dance culture. We believe in dance being a medium to build and renew a person’s spirit and soul. Our talents are gifts that can bring healing, build character, lift us, and ultimately glorify God. We are excited to teach the foundations of dance in a unique, fun, and supportive environment, experiencing the love of Jesus. Our passion is to create a culture where the redemptive power of dance can be experienced and shared.

ballet teacher, Elzanne Fields

OUR MOTIVATION

Redeeming Beauty

Motivated by the redemption Jesus first provided us, “buying back” the old for the new is our focus. God calls us each by our “new” name and gives us a redeemed identity that connects our spirit to His. When we become Him, everything changes. The truth wins, and truth only leads to life.

“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1 

MEET THE TEACHERS

biographies, ballet teacher, Elzanne Fields

ELZANNE FIELDS

DIRECTOR & TEACHER

Elzanne is a former principal dancer from South Africa who has taught for over ten years. She has had the wonderful opportunity to be mentored by world-renowned teachers from ABT in the USA, The Royal Ballet in the UK, and Ballet BC in Canada. She is very fortunate for all her opportunities as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and dance rehabilitation coach.

Kira Fredericks

PRESCHOOL DIRECTOR & TEACHER

Kira Fredericks grew up dancing in San Marcos Texas. She began dancing at the age of four at Betty Jacks School of Dance. It quickly became a large passion for her. While there, she practiced Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Contemporary. It was very apparent to her that she truly enjoyed the art that is Dance. Later she went on to join the high school Drill team, while continuing to dance in the studio as well.

She graduated from San Marcos High School, and is currently attending Huston Tillotson University. She is currently a preschool teacher at Acorns to Oaks and has invaluable experience and gifting as a teacher of little ones.  She is very excited, and so grateful to share her passion of dance through teaching at Redeeming Dance Academy.

Hannah Christian, Professional Dancer, Austin, Texas

HANNAH CHRISTIAN

Personal Assistant & Guest Teacher

Hannah Christian, formerly Hannah Bettes, began training at The Central Florida Ballet School.  She then went on to train at Next Generation Ballet in Tampa, FL, and finished her training at The Royal Ballet School in London.

She has won multiple awards including the Gold Medal in both the Junior & Senior Division at Youth America Grand Prix, the Silver Medal 2 years in a row at the World Ballet Competition, the Bronze Medal at The Beijing International Dance Invitational, as well as the 2nd prize and the “Audience Choice Award” at the prestigious Prix De Lausanne. Austin in 2019 and began teaching full-time.

Cassidy de Kooker

Marketing Director & Teacher

Cassidy de Kooker is a successful entrepreneur and professional dancer hailing from Johannesburg, South Africa. Her mother homeschooled her, and she began training at a high-performance center for dance at just nine years old.

Cassidy trained there until she was 17 years old, during which she completed her Cambridge AS-Levels, and then went on to study Exercise Science alongside pursuing a professional dancing career.

Cassidy has danced professionally with many esteemed companies and artists, including Royal Flux contemporary dance company in Los Angeles, CA, as a professional guest dancer in Dancing with the Stars and with singer-songwriter John Legend.

Cassidy de Kooker, Accomplished Professional Dancer and Entrepreneur, Austin, Texas
Kirsten Kemp, Ballet Teacher

Kirsten Kemp

TEACHER

Kirsten Kemp is a Professional Ballet Dancer, Classical Ballet Instructor, and High-Performance Mindset Coach for ballet dancers, specializing in helping dancers release the mental and emotional blocks that hold them back from peak performance and well-being.

As a dancer, Kirsten grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas, and has trained and performed with the Houston Ballet, graduated from the University of Utah with a B.F.A. in Ballet and Minor in Business Administration, danced professionally with Oklahoma City Ballet, and is the creator of The Confident Dancer on YouTube and Instagram, an online community of over 20,000 created to empower dancers with tools to build confidence in themselves and on the stage.

Taylor Harbin

TEACHER

Taylor Noel Harbin was born and raised in Dayton, OH; she began her dance training at the Jeraldine School of Dance. From there, she studied dance and choir at Stivers School for the Performing Arts. During high school, Taylor also trained with Barbara Pontecorvo, a former Dayton Ballet principal dancer, at Pontecorvo Studios, later joining their pre-professional company Gem City Ballet.

Upon graduating from High School, Taylor initially attended Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA, where she studied for a year and was able to perform a Martha Graham original piece ‘Heretic’—later Transferred to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she studied ballet and performed in Giselle, original pieces set by her professors and fellow classmates.

During her junior and senior years of school, Taylor joined the Louisville Ballet as a Corps de Ballet dancer. She was later retiring from Ballet Austin.

Taylor Harbin, Dance Teacher, Austin, Texas
Selena Offenberg, Ballet Teacher, Ballet Instructor, Austin, Texas

Selena Offenberg

Ballet Instructor

Selena Offenberg is originally from Munich, Gemany, and enjoyed a 14-year professional career; Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden and Nuremberg City Ballet, Germany; Paul Henry Dance Company, London; Concert Dance Theater, Munich; Michael Mao Dance and Dance Imprints, NYC.

Selena worked with choreographers Royston Maldoom of the Scottish Ballet and Mauricio Wainroth of Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal. She also trained with Batsheva Dance Company in Tel Aviv; Ballet Rambert and Michael Clark in London; David Parsons and Alvin Ailey School in NYC.

In the fashion industry, Selena was a dance model in fashion shows with Nike, Reebok, Goldwell, Wella, and Mercedes Benz. Selena also worked as a personal trainer with members of the HBO Fitness Center, NYC, and in Miami. From 2007 to 2013, Selena was ballet mistress, instructor (all ages) and administrative director with the New Mexico Dance Theater School and Performance Company.

Ryleigh Strong

TEACHER

Ryleigh Strong was born in a small town just outside of Chicago, Illinois but moved to South Austin at a very young age and has lived here ever since. She has always been obsessed with dance whether it was just bopping around the house or tagging along with grandma to dance at her praise dance practices at church.

She started taking dance classes when she was 2 and hasn’t really stopped since, even when she tried gymnastics for a bit she ultimately made her way back to dance. She started competitive dancing at the age of 5, becoming the youngest in the studio to compete and place with a solo.

She trains daily in all styles at a studio in Austin along with competing at different conventions and competitions year round. She currently has a full scholarship to every convention she has attended. She also has been very blessed to be signed with Go 2 Talent Agency based in Los Angeles, California.

Dance is her favorite thing in the world and she is so excited to share her passion and style with other people who love it just as much!

Ryleigh Strong, Ballet Teacher, dance teacher, dance instructor, Austin, Texas