Director of Belle Academy of Dance

Kay Ferris has a B.A. degree in Education from the University of Iowa, where she was a Hawkeye cheerleader and a member of the Old Gold Singers.  Her first formal dance training in ballet, tap, and jazz began as an adult under the instruction of Constance Bracey and staff at CLB Dance Academy.  After first serving as a substitute dance instructor for CLB, she later became the general manager and a staff instructor for the studio.  In 2005 Kay was offered ownership and renamed the studio Belle Academy of Dance, LLC.  At First Presbyterian Church in Davenport she is a member of the Sanctuary Choir and Chamber Chorale, and has been the choreographer for the church’s Performing Arts Series for almost 20 years, as well as for several musical productions at Davenport Central High School.  Kay is the mother of three daughters - Lindsay, Anne, and Adrienne - all of whom who grew up through this studio, and as adults continue to study, perform, and teach dance.

 Instructors

Lindsay Hoffman started dancing at the age of eight training in ballet, pointe, tap, and jazz at CLB Dance Academy under Connie Bracey and staff. Throughout high school she danced and choreographed for her school dance team, and one of her choreographed dances won third place at Iowa State Competition.  After graduating in 2002 with a BA in Music Education from Luther College in Decorah, IA, Lindsay embarked on an adventure to teach music in Colorado.  There she became involved with Glenwood Dance Academy in Glenwood Springs where she took classes, taught and choreographed jazz and tap, and was a soloist with the school’s professional dance company, The Danse Arts Theatre Company.  Lindsay’s choreography experience also includes musical theater at Luther College’s Dorian Summer Music Camps, as well as high school show choir numbers in Rifle, Colorado.  Returning to Iowa in the summer of 2008, she is now busy as a teacher of general music and chorus at Smart Intermediate School, as a singer in the Sanctuary Choir and Chamber Chorale at First Presbyterian Church in Davenport, and as a student and instructor with Belle Academy.  Other than dance and music, reading is her favorite pastime.  

Starting at the age of two, Adrienne Hoffman is now in her 22^nd year of dance training.  Through high school she studied at CLB Dance Academy in Davenport, IA, training in ballet, pointe, jazz, and tap under the direction of Connie Bracey and staff.  She began teaching classes and choreographing in 2001, and with her high school dance team expanded her dance knowledge and choreographic experience in poms, jazz, and hip hop.  Her training continued with the Dance Department at the University of Iowa, including extensive work in ballet and modern under internationally-known and awarded dancers and choreographers:  Armando Duarte, Charlotte Adams, Alan Sener, and Jennifer Kayle in modern, and Eloy Barragán, Deanna Carter, George de la Peña, Thaddeus Davis, and Tanya Wideman-Davis in ballet.  A 2009 Iowa graduate with degrees in finance and management and minors in dance and Spanish, Adrienne is now employed by John Deere.    She is thrilled to be able to continue pursuing and sharing her love of dance at Belle Academy.

Lindsey Howe does not remember life without dance.  She began her training at CLB Dance Academy at the age of five, continuing through high school in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, and hip hop.  Through her hard work and dedication to dance she received both the CLB Karen Webb Ballet Award in 2001 and the Karen Webb Tap Scholarship in 2002.  Lindsey recently graduated from the University of Iowa with a major in elementary education and a minor in Spanish.  She is happy to be back with Belle Academy teaching and continuing her training.

Dance has added dimensions to the life of Anne Page for 23 years.  She trained with CLB Dance Academy in ballet, pointe, tap, and jazz, and was the 1994 recipient of the Karen Webb Ballet Award.  At North Scott High School, Anne both performed and choreographed for the dance team and show choir.  During a three-year membership with Orchesis Dance Company at the University of Northern Iowa, she studied modern dance and choreographed two modern pieces, one of which was selected to be performed and adjudicated at the 2002 American College Dance Festival.  Anne graduated from UNI with a B.A. in Music Education in 2004, and now teaches general music at Monroe Elementary in Davenport.  This is her sixth year of teaching dance at Belle Academy and also enjoys choreographing for area high school musicals.  Anne is recently married to Adam Page.

Graduating from Stephens College in Columbia, MO, in 1995, Lisa Levetzow Tanner earned a B.F.A. in dance, a B.A. in psychology, and a minor in biology.  Starting at the age of four, the emphasis in her dance training has been in ballet and modern technique, however her repertoire includes tap, jazz, African, Spanish flamenco, and East Indian.  Lisa graduated with her MSEd in Counseling from Western Illinois University in 2005 and currently is the guidance counselor at Walcott School. She and her husband, Mike, live in Davenport with their two daughters, Dayna and Zoe.  This is her thirteenth year teaching dance at Belle Academy.

Andrea Williams holds a minor in Dance and an M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Northern Iowa, where she was a member of Orchesis Dance Company.  She has been working as a dance teacher and choreographer for a number of years, including five years as owner and director of a studio in Galesburg, IL, and now five years with Belle Academy.  Currently, Andrea is a full-time instructor in Communications at Scott Community College.  She enjoys choreographing high school and community theatre productions, the most recent being Beehive for Quad-City Music Guild.  Andrea and her husband Gary have a son, Brady, and  live in Rock Island with their very spoiled Labrador Retrievers.