Studio Owners/Directors
Amanda Heine
Amanda has been dancing since 1990 and teaching dance since 2006. I was born and raised in Prineville and am a graduate of Crook County High School and Central Oregon Community College. My mom put me in my first tap class when I was three years old, and I never looked back. I took tap, ballet, and jazz classes, and my sophomore year of high school I was introduced to the world of competitive dance team.
During college I served as an assistant coach for the Crook County Sparkles and danced with The V!be Dance Center in Bend, Or. During that time, I was also an education major at COCC and quickly realizing that the academic classroom wasn't where I truly wanted to teach. In July of 2008, I took over as the head coach for the CCHS Sparkles and we won our first dance State title in my first season. From that moment on I have known that this is the path chosen for me. In 2012 I won the Dance and Drill Coaches Association 1a-4a Coach of the Year. The award is nominated and voted on by the DDCA membership, comprised of coaches and other affiliates from across the state. I resigned from CCHS in August of 2021 to focus on my family and our growing business. I've worked with teams all over Oregon at the high school and Junior level as a choreographer and also taught workshops and technique classes. I've worked in studios as a guest instructor and a faculty member. I served on the DDCA Board of Directors from 2017 to 2021 where I was the Membership Director. I am also currently a Certified Performance Judge for the organization. I took this opportunity to give back to the dance community. It has given me a chance to mentor other coaches, contribute to the growth and change of dance team in Oregon, and to represent an organization that I truly believe in.
I am beyond thrilled to see Legacy Dance Company succeeding. We have been so embraced by our community and I hope we can continue to serve Prineville and Crook County well. I am forever grateful to do this with a co-Director who is as tenacious and creative as Ciera; we both truly have a passion for bringing dance to everyone. I am a firm believer that when you do what you love, you never work a day in your life. I look forward to the challenges and adventures this will continue to bring!
Ciera Hensley
I spent all of the life I can remember in Prineville. Dancing since I was 4 years old. I still remember my very first tap dance, “Catfish for Supper”! Since then, my love for dancing has just continued to grow stronger and stronger. Since then I have danced in just about every style imaginable. Tap and Ballet have always been a couple of my favorites though. In my later years of dance, I was an assistant teacher, this was when I realized that teaching was my passion. I knew that I wanted to share my love of dancing with everyone.
I taught in Colorado at, A Dance Place, for a few years. I learned so much and grew so much as a teacher and a dancer. I was able to take several master teaching classes in Denver, working alongside of some amazingly talented teachers.
My world is centered on my daughters, Adisynne and Brynlee. This dream I am living is because of them. I want them to know that you can do anything that you set your mind too! Nothing is out of reach!
I have lots of fresh new ideas that I am excited and ready to share with all of you. I can’t wait for this year to start and to get to share my passion and love for dance with all of your dancers! Thank you all for the tremendous amount of love and support! We appreciate every single one of you!
business Office Manager & OFFICE ASSISTANT
Megan Foster - Office Manager (Right Side) Jaimie Crockett - Office Assistant (Left Side)
Megan : I can be found primarily at our Main studio office as well as running most aspects of the business inside and outside of our dance studio. I am the mother of three and graduated with my Associates Degree in Accounting from COCC. Since I was little, I've loved seeing the joy that dancing brings to the dancers as well as the ones watching. I have two dancers that attend Legacy Dance and am very excited to be running the office and working behind the scenes.
Jaimie : I can be found primarily at our Annex studio office.
Instructors
Heather Richardson - Acro, Ballet
Born and raised here in Prineville, I started dance at 4 years old and continued through high school. My senior year I was on Sparkles Dance Team and my studio's competition team. In 2011 I discovered a love for yoga and in 2019 I earned my 200-hour yoga teacher certification. I'm so excited to teach here at Legacy Dance Company and give back to my wonderful community.
Maressa Milat - Ballet (Department Lead)
I grew up here in Prineville and I've been dancing for 21 years (so most of my life)! I have trained in many advanced level classes, dancing en pointe since the 6th grade. I was selected to the Thuderbird Dance Camp All Star Team and the DDCA All State Team. I'm drawn to LDC because it's a place that you can come and just be yourself. You don't have to be perfect, you just have to work hard and enjoy expressing yourself through dance, both student and teacher alike! I am so excited to share my experience with the students at LDC.
Kalysa Bond - Hip Hop, Jazz, Musical Theater
Kalysa was born and raised in Prineville, Oregon. I graduated from Crook County High School, Lane Community College and the University of Oregon. My mother placed me in my first dance class in 1994 at High Desert Dance Arts. Ever since then, my passion for dance has continued to grow. While attending High Desert Dance Arts, in High School I added ballet, jazz and continued tapping. After graduating from Crook County High School in 2007, I moved from Prineville to Eugene.
During my college adventure, I enrolled in my first ever Hip-hop class with Anita Stanford. I believe that’s when my passion for dance became a love for dance. A little over a year after dancing with Anita, I was invited to become a member of her semi-professional dance company; Dance Northwest and she also asked if I would become her assistant for her Lane Community College dance classes. I was on cloud nine, when I stepped into the role of being Anita’s assistant. I helped in leading the classes in warm-ups, across the floor and choreography.
Anita has been the best mentor in the growth of my dance life and career. Dance Northwest, changed my perspective of performance dance and being affiliated with a dance family. Each member of Dance Northwest played a key roll in the growth of my dancing abilities, skills, technique and confidence. While dancing with Dance Northwest, I had the opportunity to choreograph for our Down4it showcases. Not only did I get to choreograph dances, I was able to pick my lighting, how the dancers entered/exited the stage and other aspects. The showcases that I have the privilege of being a part of were always so spectacular, phenomenal, and magical. With the knowledge that I gained working alongside Anita, I was able to find instructor jobs while living in Eugene. I taught at Musical Feet, Elmira High School and Unity School of Dance (just to name a few).
In 2014, I graduated from college leaving Eugene and finding myself back in Prineville. I reunited with one of the owners of High Desert Dance Arts, Caroline Kaiser. The reunion directed me towards being an instructor for High Desert Dance Arts. It was an amazing feeling to be back in my childhood studio, and as an instructor. In 2021 I had the honor to work aside Karlenn Smith, the latest owner of High Desert Studio.
I am so beyond thrilled and excited to be a part of Legacy Dance Company. I cannot wait to share with the students of Legacy my passion, love and skills of dance. I love being a teacher of dance, and providing my knowledge to my students. This is gonna be a wonderful journey and I am blessed to share it with the students.
Cally Hampton - Tap
I grew up in Washington dancing tap, jazz and ballet. Through High School I found my love in musical theater. I danced and sang as the lead in several starring roles throughout Oregon. I was able to continue my love for the stage in Los Angles by studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, California. There I was lucky enough to perform and choreograph on many on and off Broadway Shows. For the past 20 years I have been a Central Oregonian. Raising my family and loving outdoor activities. My daughter fell in love with dance at 9 years old and we have been thankful for the opportunity Legacy Dance Company has provided. When the studio had an opening for a Tap
Instructor, I knocked the dust off my tap shoes and tested my skills. It feels so good to be back to this mindset. My choreography style is fun for students and focuses a lot on technique as well as sharp movement.
Marrin Nyman - Ballet
Bio coming soon!
Rylee Bates (Junior Teacher) - Pre-K
I grew up in Prineville Oregon, I am 16 years old and a Junior in high school. I have been dancing since I was about 10 years old, and I fell in love with it. I started rec classes at the studio in 2017 and then shortly joined their elite competition team. I have been enrolled in every style of dance at the studio and have gotten great experience from our directors. Previously I have interned for 3 years with the studio working with the younger kiddos. I am so excited to be teaching this year and getting this great experience.
I love working with kids and showing them how much fun dance is, I want to show them how creative and yourself you can be in a safe and friendly environment. The studio has an amazing program, and I am so happy to be teaching such hard working and incredible dancers this 2023-2024 year.
Kayleigh Rhode (Junior Teacher) - Technique
I’m Kayleigh and I‘be been dancing for 8 years. I am going to be a freshman in high school and I’ll be a junior teacher at LDC this year. I am really excited to start a new dance season and meet/ teach new kids.
Paislee Peebles (Junior Teacher) - Pre-K, Acro
I grew up in Prineville Oregon, I am 15 years old and a freshman in high school. I started dancing when I was three years old and I have loved it since the start. I have been on the Elite team since the beginning, so 7 years! I have found myself trying every style the studio has to offer and it has helped me learn so much. I love helping kids grow and find their love for dance, as I did! I have previously been an intern for two years and this year I am very excited to be teaching and to have this great opportunity to learn even more.