About Us
Meet Our Teachers
Step into the world of Dance Now! Studios – Where Precision Meets Passion!
Founded in 2008 by Beaver Dam resident and veteran Julie Ronzani, Dance Now! Studios is a locally owned and operated dance sanctuary that originated in the heart of our community. As a dedicated owner and operator, Julie transformed the former St. Michael's parochial school into a state-of-the-art dance studio, ushering in a new era in dance education.
With accreditation as an educator from the Youth Protection Association for Dance (YPAD), Julie Ronzani is committed to creating a secure and nurturing environment for every dancer at Dance Now! Studios. We take great pride in being acknowledged as a YPAD Certified Studio, reflecting our unwavering dedication to prioritizing the well-being of our students. Julie is also trained and certified with Youth Mental Health First Aid.
At Dance Now! Studios, we transcend the conventional definition of a dance studio – we are a technique-centered studio where the art of dance is not only taught but also celebrated. Our professional dance instructors specialize in a diverse range of styles, including ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, acrobatic arts, and hip hop. This comprehensive training extends beyond the dance floor.
Our team of instructors holds certifications from Dance Masters of Wisconsin and Acrobatic Arts, prestigious distinctions that underscore their proven expertise as dance educators. As active members of the Wisconsin Dance Council and Dance Masters of WI, we are deeply ingrained in the dance community, consistently staying ahead of industry standards and trends.
Kristine Duchrow
Kristi has been dancing for over thirty years. She began taking dance in Englewood, New Jersey at the age of 8. When she moved to Wisconsin she continued her dance education at A Step Above Dance Academy. She continued there as an assistant teacher and then moved on to teaching her own classes. She then began teaching dance classes at Madison School Community Recreation in 1998. She has experience teaching ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and pointe to students ranging in age from 3 to adult. She loves teaching and sharing the experience of joy in music and movement with others. Miss Kristi has trained with American Ballet Theater, is certified with Dance Masters of Wisconsin and Chicago National Association of Dance Masters in Ballet, Jazz and Tap. She is a certified instructor in Rhythm Works Integrative Dance and is a Certified Acrobatic Arts Instructor. Miss Kristi is a YPAD Certified Dance Educator and has received her Senior Fitness Certification, Aerobics Certification, Yoga Certification and Kinesiolgy Certification.
Veronica (Roni) Harper
Roni has always loved to dance, but actually began her formal training as a young adult. She studied ballet, tap, and jazz at Miller Academy of Dance in Beaver Dam, putting her skills to use in choreographing about a dozen musical theatre productions in Beaver Dam and for Madison Theatre Guild. She has also studied at Madison Ballet School under W. Earl Smith. Roni loves to share the joy of many styles of dance and music-- her teaching experience also includes serving as a coach for a varsity pom pom squad, directing children's productions, and holding classes for adult tappers. She has played clarinet from grade school into adulthood, and can be found providing the folk melodies and demonstrating the polka and waltz to audiences of PolKalamity in the Madison and Beaver Dam area. Miss Roni is certified in Discover Dance, Early Childhood Dance Education and is a YPAD Certified Instructor.
Our teachers and staff are awesome! All of our instructors are certified with Dance Masters of Wisconsin. DMW requires teachers to take verbal, written and demonstrative exams in order to get their certification. Our teachers also attend workshops throughout the year to increase their already extensive dance knowledge, and to learn and bring new, exciting ideas and choreography back to the studio with them. They also get certified in the DiscoverDance Early Childhood Dance Education Program.
Breanna Long
Breanna's love for dance first developed watching her older sister. Wanting to be like her, Breanna started dancing at the age of three in ballet, tap and jazz. At 10 years of age, due to family circumstances, she had to stop taking lessons. But, that didn't stop her from dancing on her own. She went on to audition for the local school dance team and was able to immerse herself back in dance. She then started training at multiple studios in a variety of disciplines to include; contemporary, modern, jazz, ballet (lots of ballet), tap, ballroom and of course hip hop! At 16 she started assistant teaching at Encore Dance Academy and then continued to teach at the Fox Cities YMCA. At 18 Breanna began traveling around the country auditioning and learning from as many professional choreographers as possible. She volunteered at Everybody Dance Now!, Chicago, helping provide dance in communities needing the extra light and positivity that dance provides. She's now back to Wisconsin where she looks forward to investing herself in teaching youth dancers and getting to know all that the Wisconsin dance community has to offer. We are pleased to bring Breanna to Dance Now! Breanna will be teaching all classes and coaching our Galaxy Stars Cosmos pre-professional dance team along with our Galaxy Stars Dance Teams for the 2023-2024 season. Breanna is certified with Youth Protection Association for Dance (YPAD) and is certified in Ballet, Tap and Jazz with Dance Masters for Wisconsin. Breanna is also a certified Acrobatic Arts instructor.
Beth Rusher
Beth began her dance training at the young age of 18 months. She studied all styles of dance until the age of nine and then transferred her training to The Milwaukee Ballet until she graduated high school. Following high school she trained and received her degree at the University of Maryland for Dance Performance. She performed throughout the D.C. metro area until moving back to Wisconsin. She has taught dance at the UMD, ballet royale, Milwaukee Ballet School and other studios until owning her own studio for 12 years. Competitive dance, recreational instruction and choreography have been a huge part of her life. Her passion for teaching dance and sharing her education and love for the arts continues to grow as she joins Dance Now! Studio of dance. She can’t wait to get started and meet everyone!
Sophie Biel
Sophie has been dancing at Dance Now! for several years and is currently a certified instructor for DiscoverDance Early Childhood Dance Education. Sophie is a certified educator with Youth Protection Association for Dance.
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Olivia Ginsbach
Olivia was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and was eager to begin dancing at just 1 1/2 when she watched her older sister perform at her dance recital. Quickly finding her passion for tap dance specifically, she started competing when she was five, and continued training in all styles of dance in Las Vegas until moving to Appleton, Wisconsin in 2012. Throughout Olivia’s pre- teen and teenage years, she continued training in tap, jazz, hip hop, and ballet, choreographing all of her own tap solos from the time she was 13, up until she graduated high school from Appleton North in 2019. Prior to graduating, Olivia received several choreography awards for her and her sister Lilah’s tap dance routines, all while going to school full time and working 2 jobs. Yearly, she would travel to NYC to train with well known dancers in differentiating styles of tap, and following graduation she traveled to Los Angeles, CA to dance and train with the Syncopated Ladies Tap Group, founded by Chloe and Maud Arnold. Olivia is beyond excited to begin teaching at Dance Now! this year. She holds herself and her students to the highest standard to insure that her students are not only growing as dancers, but also as respectable, compassionate, and strong human beings. Olivia will be certifying with Dance Masters of WI this fall. Olivia is certified with Youth Protection Association for Dance
Sara Diehlmann
Sara began dancing at the age of two and never looked back. She started her training under Susan Bunting at First Street Academy of Dance with Royal Ballet as the foundation of her training. She’s enjoyed teaching ever since. Sara is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and tumbling. Since 2008 Sara has participated in various dance education and conventions to continue to learn and improve herself for her students. In 2014 Sara became a member of Dance Masters of Wisconsin and continues her education today. In 2021 Sara became YPAD (Youth Protection Advocates in Dance) Certified to help all who walk through her dance door to feel protected, healthy, and happy. Miss Sara is a very spunky and loving teacher. She very much looks forward to having you in her class! We are thrilled to have Miss Sara on staff!
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Ashley Harty
Ashley Harty's passion for dance started at the young age of 4 at the Dance Arts Center in Racine, WI. As a member of the Competitive Company, she earned numerous national titles and scholarships, including a significant $50,000 scholarship to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), a prestigious performing arts conservatory in New York City and Los Angeles. Ashley pursued her college education at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Here she received her Bachelors of Science in Biology and Forensic Investigation. She was also a dedicated member of the Collegiate Dance Team. After graduation, she was invited back to showcase a self-choreographed piece with the concert band. Ashley has taught at various studios across Wisconsin, sharing her love for dance with countless students. She has also performed in local musicals, including "A Chorus Line" with the Lancaster Community Players, and is currently a member of the Madison Contemporary Dance Company. Ashley is working towards her certification with Dance Masters of Wisconsin and her YPAD certification. We are thrilled to have Ashley as one of our instructors!
Jessie “Coach P” Przybylski
Jessie is a Beaver Dam native who has been dancing Poms for 15 years. She spent 6 seasons dancing with a competition team before coaching and choreographing for 2 seasons at a competitive High School level. Since then, she has continued to choreograph for all age levels as well as teach Poms locally for 12-14 year olds. Jessie passionately advocates for youth athletics. She believes children of all ages deserve the opportunity to learn and experience the life skills group sports can provide. In addition to Poms, she coaches volleyball for ages 9-14 and has started skills clinics for both sports so girls as young as 5 can build confidence in their athletic abilities. Jessie and her husband describe life with their 4 children and 3 fur babies as ‘controlled chaos.’ When she’s not coaching, she can be found in the stands cheering on their children at soccer, gymnastics, volleyball or softball. In her spare time, she loves to play piano and curl up with a good book. Dance Now! Studios is extremely excited to be offering Poms to their students this season! We don't believe we could have found a better fit for our Poms Coach! Welcome Coach P.! Coach P. is certified in DiscoverDance Early Childhood Dance Education and is a YPAD Certified Instructor.
Jessie “Coach P” Przybylski
Jessie is a Beaver Dam native who has been dancing Poms for 15 years. She spent 6 seasons dancing with a competition team before coaching and choreographing for 2 seasons at a competitive High School level. Since then, she has continued to choreograph for all age levels as well as teach Poms locally for 12-14 year olds. Jessie passionately advocates for youth athletics. She believes children of all ages deserve the opportunity to learn and experience the life skills group sports can provide. In addition to Poms, she coaches volleyball for ages 9-14 and has started skills clinics for both sports so girls as young as 5 can build confidence in their athletic abilities. Jessie and her husband describe life with their 4 children and 3 fur babies as ‘controlled chaos.’ When she’s not coaching, she can be found in the stands cheering on their children at soccer, gymnastics, volleyball or softball. In her spare time, she loves to play piano and curl up with a good book. Dance Now! Studios is extremely excited to be offering Poms to their students this season! We don't believe we could have found a better fit for our Poms Coach! Welcome Coach P.! Coach P. is certified in DiscoverDance Early Childhood Dance Education and is a YPAD Certified Instructor.
Amie Ferrante
​Amie is a professionally trained performer and educator, born in Chicago and raised in the southern suburbs of Chicago. Her early ballet training was with Elise Stiegler at Roosevelt University’s children’s program followed by pre-professional training at Ellis-DuBoulay School of Ballet. She performed with several chamber ballet and jazz companies in the Chicago area before moving to Milwaukee. Once in Milwaukee, she spent several years as a Fred Astaire National Dance Board member and instructor, after which she returned to the world of teaching ballet and pointe, expanding her knowledge to modern, tap, and jazz. She is starting her 47th year of teaching this 2025 season, teaching pointe, ballet, modern, jazz, and tap for beginning through professional dancers, in addition to choreographing hundreds of pieces for competition since 1989. She is currently the Educational Director for Dance Masters of Wisconsin and is pursuing her CDE degree with Chicago National Association of Dance Masters. She currently teaches at Elation Dance Center in Delafield, WI, Academy of Dance Arts in Brown Deer, WI, and has been the pointe instructor for Milwaukee High School of the Arts for the past 10 years, in addition to being artist in residence from 2004-2007. She has judged dance competitions for several years, including New World Dance Competition and Power of Dance. She most recently choreographed a ballet piece for MHSA for their guest choreographer concert in January and was just nominated for a Jerry Award for Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Musical for her work on Cinderella at Cedarburg High School. She has choreographed over 60 musicals for local high schools, and community and professional theater companies. When not involved with dance, Amie loves spending time with her 2 giant dogs; 1 Newfie-Golden mix and a St. Bernard-Great Pyrenees mix dog and traveling. We are so excited to have Amie tech with us this summer!
Jessie “Coach P” Przybylski
Jessie is a Beaver Dam native who has been dancing Poms for 15 years. She spent 6 seasons dancing with a competition team before coaching and choreographing for 2 seasons at a competitive High School level. Since then, she has continued to choreograph for all age levels as well as teach Poms locally for 12-14 year olds. Jessie passionately advocates for youth athletics. She believes children of all ages deserve the opportunity to learn and experience the life skills group sports can provide. In addition to Poms, she coaches volleyball for ages 9-14 and has started skills clinics for both sports so girls as young as 5 can build confidence in their athletic abilities. Jessie and her husband describe life with their 4 children and 3 fur babies as ‘controlled chaos.’ When she’s not coaching, she can be found in the stands cheering on their children at soccer, gymnastics, volleyball or softball. In her spare time, she loves to play piano and curl up with a good book. Dance Now! Studios is extremely excited to be offering Poms to their students this season! We don't believe we could have found a better fit for our Poms Coach! Welcome Coach P.! Coach P. is certified in DiscoverDance Early Childhood Dance Education and is a YPAD Certified Instructor.
Veronica (Roni) Harper
Roni has always loved to dance, but actually began her formal training as a young adult. She studied ballet, tap, and jazz at Miller Academy of Dance in Beaver Dam, putting her skills to use in choreographing about a dozen musical theatre productions in Beaver Dam and for Madison Theatre Guild. She has also studied at Madison Ballet School under W. Earl Smith. Roni loves to share the joy of many styles of dance and music-- her teaching experience also includes serving as a coach for a varsity pom pom squad, directing children's productions, and holding classes for adult tappers. She has played clarinet from grade school into adulthood, and can be found providing the folk melodies and demonstrating the polka and waltz to audiences of PolKalamity in the Madison and Beaver Dam area. Miss Roni is certified in Discover Dance, Early Childhood Dance Education and is a YPAD Certified Instructor.
We are a YPAD Certified Studio!
YPAD Certification provides education on the latest cutting edge research from industry experts, PhD. specialists and dance leaders on the emotional, physical, and sexual safety of youth in all dance environments. This training assures parents you strive for accountability and integrity in all aspects of dance and you believe in keeping our youth happy, healthy and safe in dance.
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Skills / Knowledge
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Background Checked
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CPR Trained
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Mandated Reporter
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Certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid
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Trained in Prevention of Abuse
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Positive Role Model in Body Image, Behavior, and Social Media
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Physical Safety
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Injury Prevention
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Emotional Health of Children
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Nutrition for Dancers
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Committed to Age Appropriate Artistic Choices in Music
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Committed to Age Appropriate Artistic Choices in Costumes
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Committed to Age Appropriate Artistic Choices in Movement
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Committed to Age Appropriate Artistic Choices in Concepts
