Your Rapid City Studio!
Respect - Process - Community - Creativity
At Barefoot Dance Studios we have an incredible team of instructors and staff eager to provide the best experience for your family. Our goal is to meet each student where they are on their journey towards their own personal goals. We will assist in a nurturing way by drawing from our own expertise and experiences. Our qualified instructors create positive mentorship in and out of the classroom.
Ashley Reyelts
Studio Owner, Artistic Director
Reyelts holds dance education credentials from Arizona State University and has received training from prestigious institutions, including the American Tap Dance Foundation and the Joffrey Ballet. Her performances include roles such as Clara in "The Nutcracker," Sillibub in "Cats," and appearances in the National Broadway Tour of "The Wizard of Oz.". An award-winning choreographer, she has been commissioned locally by the Chamber Music Festival of the Black Hills, Black Hills Community Theatre, and West River Dance Company. Reyelts serves on the board of directors for The Black Hills Dance Theatre and is an active member of the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO). She was recently accepted into the Dance Studio Owners Association's (DSOA) "Inner Circle" and holds certifications as an AcroDance Preschool Certified Instructor through Acrobatic Arts, with ongoing certifications in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT).
MaryAnn Hodnett
Early Childhood, Hip-Hop
Mary Ann Hodnett, a Rapid City, SD native, captained the Cobbler Coeds Dance Team before graduating cum laude in Dance Management from Oklahoma City University. During college, she competed in the Miss America Organization. After earning her degree, she performed with the NBA Denver Nuggets Dance Team and High Performance Dance Theatre in Colorado. Later, while living in New York City for three years, she was a backup dancer for NSYNC and Radiohead (MTV Music Awards) and performed at venues such as Lincoln Center, Roseland Ballroom, Limelight, and Radio City Music Hall. After returning to South Dakota to open Pure Form Dance Studio, where she pioneered hip hop dance education in the Black Hills, she freelanced as a choreographer on the East Coast and created a preschool curriculum called Miss Cupcake’s Yoga Hoop Dance. Now back home, she is eager to share her extensive experience.
Sarah Pettyjohn
Advanced Ballet, Pointe, Conditioning
Miss Sarah Pettyjohn began dancing as a child in New Mexico, studying classical ballet at Ballet de Santa Fe, Dance Arts Los Alamos, and the University of New Mexico, where she also explored modern dance, flamenco, and salsa. After a foot injury in 1997 during college at Montana State University, she shifted her focus to physical therapy, completing a doctorate despite multiple surgeries. Her passion reignited when she enrolled her daughter in dance classes. In 2014, Miss Sarah began teaching at Barefoot Dance Studios, where she now teaches ballet technique, pointe, and injury prevention conditioning. She also owns Sundog Rehab, where she practices physical therapy, balancing her busy life with dance and family.
Katelyn Wachendorf
Jazz, Hip-Hop, Modern
Miss Katelyn grew up in the Black Hills and has been dancing, choreographing, and involved in theatre in the Rapid City community since 2009. She was part of Barefoot’s first competition team and has been teaching dance for 4 years. “My favorite part of teaching is seeing my students grow through the year; doing things they didn’t think they could do and being excited about it!”
Hannah Larson
Early Childhood, Tap, Modern
Miss Hannah has been dancing at Barefoot for eighteen years. She has participated in local Flutter productions, and competed on Barefoot's competition team for three years. Miss Hannah found her passion when she started teaching three years ago. "When I was young, dance class was my favorite thing. I really enjoy cultivating that same love of dance in others" . She has experience in most genres but adores Tap, Modern and Ballet.
Alie Martin
Mixed Ability Dance
Alie Martin is a choreographer, teacher, performer, and scholar based out of New York City. Her movement research focuses on neurodiverse dance and disability justice through performance. Her teaching is student-centered with a focus on dismantling harmful stereotypes in dance while building technical, performative, and creative skills that support strong dancing and build responsible, self-motivated, curious students. In 2018, Alie spent a year touring and performing professionally with the Young Americans, an LA based performance and outreach troupe. She attended the University of Wyoming starting in 2019 where she received her BA in Dance with a minor in Disability Studies in the spring of 2022. In May of 2024, Alie graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with her MFA in Dance. She has performed works by Paul Taylor, Netta Yerushalmy, Molly Lieber and Eleanor Smith, Jordan Demetrius Llloyd, Cat Kamrath-Monson, and Marsha Faye Knight. She has worked closely with Beth Gill, Juliana May, John Jasperse, Dean Moss, Peggy Gould, and other influential movement artists.
Kandra Walsh Davis
Musical Theater Program Director
Kandra Walsh Davis is a versatile vocalist with over 10 years of musical theater experience. Also specializing in genres like Funk, Soul, Gospel, R&B, Motown, Pop, Country, Indie, and Blues, she has primarily performed with vocal groups and leads her band in local performances. Kandra's most recent theater role was as Deloris Van Cartier in "A Sister Act," showcasing her dynamic stage presence and passion for performance. Miss Kandra is so excited to be a part of the Barefoot Dance Studios amazing team!
Ariana Burleson
Lyrical, Modern
Ariana started dancing at five years old and grew up dancing in Las Vegas. She attended Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts majoring in Dance in High School, where she first started assisting classes and found a love for choreography. Although she had experience competing in Hip Hop, she found her true passion and creative outlet in Modern, Lyrical, and Contemporary dance. This year Ariana published her first book and is so excited to be teaching Lyrical 1 & Modern/Lyrical 3 for the 2024-2025 season!
Rian Vollmer
Jazz
Miss Rian has been dancing since the age of seven and has over three years of experience in dance education. She trained at Barefoot Dance Studios until her junior year of high school. While Rian has experience in ballet, lyrical, hip-hop, jazz, and tap, she has found her true passion in contemporary and modern dance. She loves all forms of dance and is excited to return to Barefoot. Miss Rian looks forward to teaching her students emotional expression through the art of dance.
Morgan Pettyjohn
Early Childhood, Acro, Tumbling
Morgan Pettyjohn is an accomplished dancer and dedicated apprentice with the South Dakota Ballet, where she continues to refine her craft. With 15 years of experience at Barefoot, she has trained with prestigious institutions such as Colorado Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and South Dakota Ballet, and worked with renowned companies and choreographers like Synthesis Dance and Moraporvida. Morgan holds a Dance Teacher University certification through a partnership with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, highlighting her commitment to both personal artistry and teaching. A lifelong member of the Barefoot Dance team, she has been competing since childhood, showcasing her talent, resilience, and dedication. Her journey reflects a deep passion for dance and an aspiration to inspire others through movement.
Marguerite Reyelts
Office Manager, Costuming
Miss Marguerite LOVES her job at Barefoot!