6 Head Coach: Nandi Schloesser
6Dance@smanet.org
Nandi is a passionate dancer and coach of our 6th grade dancers. Originally from everywhere, Nandi grew up traveling the United States and abroad as a Naval Dependent. Throughout her travels however, dance remained a constant. From dancing country-jazz and ballet at her local community center in Pearl City Hawaii at the age of 10, being a dance captain for her High School dance team Unleashed in Orlando Florida (2009 - 2011) and dancing for Pulse Dance Troupe (2012-2015) at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton Florida, Nandi has remained connected to dance her entire life.
With a speciality in hip hop and jazz, Nandi invites dancers to explore their bodies, the way they move, the shapes we can make, and how movement feels, to better understand themselves and the world around them. Through dance and creative exploration, dancers gain not only physical skills in being able to pop, turn or leap...but they gain self-esteem, self-confidence and self-trust as well... and that, to Nandi, is more important than nailing any triple outside right turn.
Outside of coaching, Nandi enjoys taking a variety of local dance classes to continue to improve and expand her dance technique. She also enjoys learning Spanish, going to First Fridays on Santa Fe and hosting her podcast "Believe Like a Boss". She is recently married to Colorado-native Tyler living in Lakewood, CO with their goldendoodle, Frasier.
7/8 Head Coach: Kristin Walp
78Dance@smanet.org
Kristin grew up in Charles Town, West Virginia and received her BA and Masters in Accounting at West Virginia University. Growing up, Kristin’s mom owned the Charles Town Dance Studio where she spent hours dancing, help run the studio, teach and took classes.
Kristin has danced with the Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall for the Summer Intensives, was awarded All American in college with National Dance Alliance, won 2 national Championships at Nationals with West Virginia University and has danced with the Washington Wizard’s NBA dancers. After coaching the Catholic University of America’s Dance Team, Kristin found her passion for coaching and now is enjoying coaching all levels and ages her love of dance and the discipline that comes with it.
