Cassie Trobaugh

Cassie is the director of Akron Center Stage! She took over as director in 2021. Prior to taking over Akron Center Stage, she grew up dancing at 5678 in McCook Lake, SD where she danced competitively at the local, national, and worlds levels. Cassie was also a member of the Akron-Westifled dance team for four years and was a captain for two years. Cassie Trobaugh is now the head coach of the Akron-Westfield dance team. 

Lillee Deike

Lillee is from Algona, Iowa. She began dancing at three years old at her local studio. In high school she was on the Bishop Garrigan Dance Team, where she served as a captain, earned 6 state championship titles, and competed in the ISDTA State Solo competition where she placed in the top 6 every year with two 2nd place finishes. At her local studio she competed at the Prestige and Elite senior-level. Lillee is a second year member of the University of South Dakota Dance Team. This is Lillee’s second year at Akron Center Stage. Lillee is also the assistant coach of the Akron-Westfield dance team.  

Tenley Hansen

Tenley is a recent graduate of Akron-Westfield. She has been dancing for 15 years, with 8 of those years being competitive. Tenley was a member of her high school dance team for four years, where she was a captain for two. Tenley has been assisting/teaching dance for 5 years. Tenley has grown up dancing the styles of jazz, lyrical, pom hip hop, ballet, and pointe. Tenley is currently a freshman at St.Lukes University where she is studying to become a nurse.

Kelsie McKinstry

Kelsie began dancing in 2018 at Anderson Hoxie Dance Project in Waverly, Nebraska. She then started competively dancing there for 5 years. In high school, Kelsie was a member of the Waverly High School Dance Team for 4 years. Now, she is a member of the University of South Dakota Dance Team. Growing up, Kelsie trained in the styles of ballet, pointe, contemporary, jazz, tap, hip hop, and game day performances. 

Samantha Murra

Samii has been dancing for 15 years with 5+ years as an assistant/teacher. She has experience in modern, ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, hip hop, kick, lyrical, and pom. She competed for over eight years with her dance studio and was a part of her high school dance team for three years. Samii was a member of the All-Iowa Honor Dance Team her senior year. This is Samii’s third year teaching at Akron Center Stage!