Faculty

About the Owner

BRITTNEY REICHERT

Brittney (Schubert) Reichert grew up in Brainerd, MN and trained at Music General & Just For Kix dance studios in a variety of styles and was also a 4-year member and senior captain of the nationally recognized Brainerd Warrior Dance Team, the Kixters.

She is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas with a degree in Business and Marketing Management and is a former 2-year member and 2-time national champion of the University of St. Thomas dance team. One of her favorite dance experiences was when she performed on stage with Beyonce at Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 and at the Super Bowl in 2018 with Justin Timberlake. Additionally, Brittney was a 9-year member of the Just For Kix summer dance camp staff and has taught at the Brainerd & Medina Just For Kix dance studios. She has been selected to demonstrate proper technique for the Judges Association of Minnesota training seminar and has attended and spoken at numerous dance conventions throughout the U.S.

Brittney was the program director of the St. Cloud Area Just For Kix studio for six years where she ran a studio that was home to over 500 dancers that danced recreationally and competitively earning numerous awards. She has also been an adjudicator at various dance competitions throughout the midwest.

Brittney moved to the St. Michael-Albertville area in 2020 where she resides with her husband (Bill) and kids (Brekken & Madden) and is passionate about sharing her knowledge and dance training to youth in a fun and engaging manner and to offer a diverse dance studio experience to the west metro.

In addition to operating and teaching at Gravity, Brittney is a professional choreographer for high school and collegiate dance teams throughout the United States (WA, ND, WI, MN, IA, SD, IL). Brittney has won numerous awards over her dance career including choreography awards. Brittney Is a certified acro instructor through the world renowned Acrobatic Arts program in both their preschool and acro training program.

Meet our Team

Liz Schwab

Instructor

Liz Schwab grew up right here in St. Michael, MN. She began her studio career at the age of 4, dancing locally at Dance Impressions, and ended her journey at Genesis Dance Company in Maple Grove. She enjoyed a variety of dance styles and competed at regional and national levels.

Liz graduated with her master's degree in December 2020 in Clinical Exercise Physiology at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. She received her bachelor's degree at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire (UWEC) in Kinesiology. While at UWEC, she continued her passion for dance by participating in the dance club and the university's dance program. Through the university's dance program, she received a certificate in dance! At UWEC, Liz was fortunate enough to do administrative work, choreograph, and lead the dance club.

This will be Liz's fourth year with Gravity Dance. She loves the atmosphere of Gravity and all of the amazing dancers, families, and staff! Liz will be teaching on Wednesday

evenings this season.

She is ready for another great season with her dancers! Liz is excited for her dancers to step out of their comfort zones and be more confident with their movement and technique!

Jamie Loiselle

Instructor

Jamie Loiselle grew up in Albertville Minnesota where she began dancing at 3 years old. She enjoyed a variety of different dance styles, her favorite being lyrical and ballet. Jamie completed her bachelor degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Minnesota State University Mankato. Jamie started her teaching career with Dance Conservatory of Southern Minnesota where she taught both competitive and recreational classes. She taught a wide variety of styles and ages, but her favorite is preschool.

Jamie recently moved to Monticello where she resides with her husband (Derrick) and daughter (Lilly). She is excited to be back near her hometown and continue her teaching career. Jamie is excited to be a part of Gravity and can't wait to share her passion and knowledge of dance with her students.

In Season Four, Miss Jamie will be teaching performance classes on Monday evenings.

Erin Evans

Ballet Instructor

Erin Evans is originally from Rockford, Minnesota and currently is working in Minneapolis. Erin received her BFA in Dance from the University of Iowa. During her time at Iowa, she had the opportunity to study under many great professors such as Armando Duarte, Charlotte Adams, Jennifer Kayle, Melinda Meyers, Tony Oricco, Christopher Rasheem Mcmillan, and Eloy Barragan. During undergrad, Erin performed many of her professors' works and danced for guest artists such as Monica Bill Barnes and Brian Enos. In 2017, Erin performed in the premiere of Monica Bill Barnes “Leave it on the Field”. Since finishing school, Erin received her Yoga Teacher Training certificate and has been teaching yoga and ballet throughout the Twin Cities.

This is Erin's third year instructing ballet at Gravity and she's looking forward to watching the dancers learn and grow throughout the season!

Maddie Derbis

Instructor

Maddie grew up in St. Michael, training at studios across the Twin Cities metro, and serving as a captain of the STMA Dance Team. She has studied jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet and pointe, modern, hip hop and many other styles of dance.

Maddie has a degree in athletic training from Gustavus Adolphus College, where she was a member of the Performance and Competition dance teams, led the dance team in strength and conditioning, and participated in the College’s Theatre and Dance department shows. She is an athletic trainer at OSR Physical Therapy, where she helps rehabilitate patients with orthopedic injuries and them get back to playing sports. Maddie is also a certified Zumba Instructor and Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) instructor.

This is Maddie’s third season with Gravity Dance, and she is very excited to encourage individuality in her classes and share her love of dance with students!

Maddie Leyse

Instructor

Maddie Leyse grew up in Maple Grove, MN. She began her studio career when she was 2 years old, dancing at Butterfields and ended her journey at Genesis Dance Company in Maple Grove. She enjoyed a variety of dance styles and competed at regional and national levels. She attendend two tap conventions on scholarship in New York City with Slide under Mike Minery and one at the Chicago Human Rythum Project. Later in her dance career, Maddie joined Maple Grove Dance Team and was a 5-year member competing in both Jazz and Kick. She also joined the Maple Grove Musical Theatre department where she preformed in numerous dancing numbers, including an improv tap solo.

Maddie graduated with her bachelor's degree at the College of Saint Benedict in Accounting and Finance. While at CSBSJU, she continued her passion for dance by participating in the fall and competition dance team finishing with 4 UDA Nationals top 10 finishes, including 3rd place in Pom in 2018.

Recently, Maddie moved to Minnetonka, and she has been enjoying her time teaching and is so excited to watch all her students learn and grow! Maddie is excited to share her love for dance while challenging her students in a fun enviroment. Maddie will be teaching on Thursday evenings this season.

Julia Propson

Instructor

Julia has been a dancer for over 12 years. Julia trained at St. Cloud Just For Kix for 10 years, a majority of those years being under the direction of Brittney. As a senior in high school, Julia trained at the Dance Complex in Maple Grove, MN. As a dancer, she is remembered for her comittment to her performance and style. Julia continued dancing into college and was a member of the University of Minnesota's Premier dance team!

She is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and is studying to major in dance and minor in business management. Over the summer, Julia became certified in the world renowned Acrobatic Arts curriculum and is looking forward to teaching acro at Gravity along with choreographing small groups, solos and duets!

Maggie Schneider

Instructor

Maggie grew up in Sartell, MN where she started dancing at the age of 3. She trained at St. Cloud Just For Kix all the way through high school and trained under the direction of Brittney. She was also a four year member of the Sartell Dance Team, where she won five state championships and was also a senior captain. Maggie also received the high honor of winning the highest score of the whole competition with her solo routine at Starz Dance competition in high school.

Maggie now attends the University of Minnesota for undergard and is planning on going into occupational therapy. This will be her second year with Gravity and she is looking forward to a great season!

Kaitlyn Graning

Instructor

Kaitlyn started dancing at age five at a studio in her hometown of Becker, MN. She performed multiple styles of dance including jazz, tap, hip hop, pointe, lyrical, and musical theater. Kaitlyn was a teacher at the studio for seven years starting in her senior year of high school.

Her dance journey shifted when she attended Main Street School of Performing Arts in Hopkins, MN from sophomore to senior year of high school. Kaitlyn states attending Main Street was “One of the best decisions she could have made” to advance in her dance career while also still dancing at her hometown studio. She experienced many leadership opportunities such as: Vice President of National Honors Society for Dance Arts, Co-Directed a National Dance Day Production, and a Cast Member in Southern Theatre’s ArtShare Program in the 20-day Show “Hollywoodland”.

Kaitlyn was also given opportunities to study and take master classes from artist professionals such as Mette Towely, John Mark Hostetler, Dario Mejia, Crash Dance Productions, TU Dance, Flying Foot Forum, and Zenon Dance Company. Other styles/concepts she has been exposed to are: Fosse, Ballet, Modern, Dance Somatics, Improvisation, and Lighting Design.

Kaitlyn graduated from Minnesota State University Mankato with a Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation. She currently works as an Activities Director for a Senior Living, and resides in Hanover with her fiancé, and cat named Kevin.

In seasonfour, she will be assisting/teaching on Monday nights, and is super excited to be back with the Gravity Dance Family!