Heather began dancing 25 years ago under the instruction of Tom Irwin at Corvallis School of Ballet then later with Shelly Svoboda when it became Regional School of Ballet. At the age of 11, she began to study with the Eugene School of Ballet under Toni Pimble, Riley Grannan, Susan Zadoff, and Sarah Lombardi. She spent two winter seasons dancing the role of “Clara” on tour with the Eugene Ballet Company. Her training also includes summer dance intensives at Eugene Dance Pursuit, Ballet Aspen, Royal Winnipeg School of Ballet, and JoAnna Kneeland & Mary Price Boday's Dance Kinesiology. Teaching for the last 10 years at RSB, Heather has also continued her dance education and has participated in the David Howard teachers' seminar while still continuing to dance and perform each year. Heather feels that every dance instructor in her past has taken part in giving her a wonderful gift, one that she hopes to pass on to aspiring dancers.

Kaisa Laukkanen/Dance Instructor

Kaisa is a versatile dancer and experienced teacher. She has been dancing for 18 years and teaching dance for nine years. She began dancing at Windance School of Performing Arts under the tutelage of Wendy Vasion, learning ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, and character dancing, as well as acting skills and performing in many leading roles. Kaisa then went on to attend Washington University in St. Louis, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Minor in Ballet. At WashU, Kaisa studied under Christine Knoblauch O'Neal, who was one of Anthony Tudor's dancers at American Ballet Theatre, and Sally Brailey Bliss who danced with the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, co-founded Joffrey II and is Executive Director of Tudor's Trust. At WashU, Kaisa also danced four years with Jive, the University’s dance team, and performed hip hop, pom, funk, lyrical, swing, jazz, and kick routines. After college, Kaisa began teaching ballet, tap, jazz, and creative movement as Artistic Director of Dance at RiverCity School of Arts & Crafts in Ilwaco, Washington where she fell in love with teaching dance. The passion of sharing dance with students and witnessing their growth and gain in self-confidence led her to study Arts in Education at Harvard University, where she graduated with a Master's degree in Education. Kaisa is a licensed elementary teacher, as well as a yoga and pilates instructor. Currently, Kaisa teaches a credit ballet course at Linn Benton Community College, as well as non-credit yoga and pilates classes. She also teaches ballet and jazz at the Regional School of Ballet. As part of her continued dance education Kaisa takes advanced level classes, continues to perform, and attends local dance performances for inspiration and choreographic innovation. More than anything else, Kaisa loves to share her passion of dance with students of all ages and abilities.

Karen Mitchell/Dance Instructor

Karen Mitchell began dancing when she was 6 years old at Sunshine Generation & Pure Energy in Vancouver, Washington under the direction of Barbara Boyer, learning jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical, and novelty/character dancing as well as vocal and stage performance. By the age of 16, she became an apprentice teacher, which led her to become the lead jazz and hip hop instructor at the studio until 2004. During her years dancing with the studio, Karen has performed on 9 North American and International dance tours, which took her to Washington D.C., New York, Boston, Disneyworld, Hawaii, England, Scotland, France, Italy, New Zealand and Australia. Karen was also on her Junior High, High School and College Dance Teams. She was an All-State Novelty Dance Team Member and an ESPN Half Time Show dancer for the Florida Citrus Bowl. During college at Warner Pacific College, Karen performed with The Continentals on a 10-week tour throughout the United States and Australia. After graduation, in 2003, Karen went on to receive her Master of Arts in Teaching at Concordia University with an emphasis in Health, Physical Education and Dance. While earning this degree, she went back to Warner Pacific College and coached the Dance Team and worked as an Adjunct Professor teaching Rhythmics. Karen went on to teach Elementary and Middle School Dance for 2-1/2 years for Vancouver Public Schools in Vancouver, Washington then moved with her husband Kyle and daughters Genevieve and Macy to Albany in 2010. Karen’s dance experience and teaching style brings much passion and enthusiasm into the classroom. She looks forward to being the newest addition to our teaching staff here at Legacy Ballet.

Carrie Rector/Dance Instructor

Carrie Rector started dancing when she was 3 years old. She received training at Regional School of Ballet, later participating in the Nutcracker for 6 years. In 1998, Carrie started taking jazz classes and performed in local productions of the Lion King, Aladdin, Annie, Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, Alice and Wonderland and The Little Mermaid. Carrie danced with the West Albany Hi-Steppers dance team all 4 years of high school. Her senior year she was team captain and All State Dancer. Carrie continued her dance training at Western Oregon University where she completed her major in American Sign Language and a minor in dance. At WOU she developed her knowledge and skills in modern/contemporary dance as well as ballet, hip hop, jazz and modern techniques as well as dance history and choreography. She was selected to perform in the WOU annual Spring Dance Concert 2006 through 2010.