Meet Ms. Bryanna Gehrtz

We welcome back Ms. Bryanna to our GSD staff this season. Ms. Bryanna teaches lyrical, jazz, turns & leaps, ballet, gymnastics for the dancer, and is one of our Performance Team coaches. We love having Ms. Bryanna's peppy spirit at our studio.

Q & A with Ms. Bryanna

Q. What is your favorite part of teaching?

A. My favorite thing about teaching is getting to see kids get so excited when they finally learn something new they have been working on.

Q. What inspired you as a dancer?

A. I was put in ballet when I was young but it was the older dancers at the studio that really inspired me to keep dancing and grew my love for the art.

Q. Tips for our dancers?

A. My best advice for dancers is to take what you want from class. You get what you give, so if you show up on time, dress the part, and work hard, you will see results!

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Bryanna Gehrtz

Bryanna has been a part of the dance community since she was 4 years old. Moving around as a child exposed her too many different studios and styles which caused her to fall in love with the art. Bryanna has danced key roles in various productions including Simba in Lion King, Peter Pan in Peter Pan, Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast, and most recently Pekoe in FMBallet's production of Aladdin.

Bryanna is a Student at NDSU and along with studying there has been a part of the NDSU cheer team for years, showcasing her passion for gymnastics and dance. This will be Bryanna's second year teaching with Gasper's and she is thrilled for the opportunity to meet her new students and spend the year dancing with them!

Meet Ms. Suzanne Spiese

Ms. Suzanne Spiese joins us again this season. Ms. Suzanne has an extensive background in teaching young dancers ages 3 - 8. She has a passion for this age group and loves sharing her 25+ years of knowledge with our instructors and with your dancers. We are so lucky to have her at our studio and teaching your dancers. Ms. Suzanne is also the Costume Designer for the FMBallet and runs her own dance costume business.

Q & A with Ms. Suzanne

Q. What is your favorite part of teaching?

A. My favorite part of being a teacher is to pass on my love of dance to my young dancers. I love seeing them try something for the first time. I want my classes to be a comfortable friendly place where the art form of ballet can be passed on to the next generation and that the dancers can feel excited about dancing and learning.

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Ms. Suzanne Spiese

Suzanne Spiese started dancing as a young child in Lisbon, ND. She later moved to Fargo to attend NDSU and began studying ballet, tap and jazz dance with Kathy and Eddie Gasper, then the FM Center of Dance. In Fargo she danced as a soloist with The Red River Dance and Performing Company under the direction of Kathy and Eddie Gasper as well as The Orchesis Dance Company at NDSU. During this time she also taught ballet and jazz dance classes at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

After earning degrees in Family and Consumer Science Education, as well as Clothing and Textiles, she moved to New York City for 3 years. There, she had the opportunity to take ballet, tap and jazz dance classes throughout the city. After moving back to the Minneapolis/St. Paul she completed her certification in Early Childhood Education and taught Early Childhood Education and lead Parent discussions with the Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) program in St. Paul.

Later she moved to Oakes, ND where she and her husband (Mike) owned Oakes Drug and she opened the Oakes School of Dance. She just celebrated her 22nd year owning and teaching at Oakes School of Dance.

Sue has 4 children: Abigail, Carley, Julia and Michael and a recent “empty nester”. She has choreographed 15 summers at The Lamoure County Summer Theater and most recently, two summers with The Oakes Theater Group.

In recent years she attended the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet teacher workshop, under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary as well at the Dance Life Teachers conference under the direction of Rhee Gold.

For the past 8 years she also has enjoyed costuming and making professional tutus for the FMBallet.

Meet Ms. Karly Pierce Lystad

Karly Pierce Lystad is a former Gasper dancer starting during the Carousel Dance Theatre era (currently Gasper's School of Dance). She teaches everything from Musical Theatre to Ballet, Jazz, and Lyrical. She is a well rounded dancer, as well as instructor. We have loved watching Karly grow up as a dancer and now as an instructor passing on her knowledge to a new generation. It is so great to have her spirit back in our studio again this season.

Q & A with Ms. Karly

Q. What is your favorite part about teaching?

A. I love seeing students begin to believe in themselves and the "light-bulb" moments of steps beginning to click in their heads. Teaching dance is more than educating dancers on proper technique, it's about cultivating a love for movement and building self-confidence in young students.

Q. What inspired you as a dancer? (What inspires you?)

A. I always admired watching my older sister perform when I was younger. She was my inspiration to start dancing, and continues to inspire me today.

Q. Tips for our dancers?

A. When you become worried about not advancing fast enough, struggling with certain steps, or fear that you're not good enough, remember that your instructors are always rooting for you and want nothing more than for you to succeed!

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Karly Pierce Lystad

Karly Pierce Lystad began her dance journey at the age of four in Fargo, ND. She credits her strong jazz technique to training with Gasper’s School of Dance and Performing Arts under the professional instruction of the Gasper family. During her time with Gaspers she studied classical ballet, pointe, tap, modern, and jazz technique rooted in the styles of Luigi, Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, and Jack Cole. In addition, Karly gained instruction at Minnesota State University Moorhead, the University of Montana Missoula, Luigi’s Jazz Studio NYC, and has attended several dance conferences and workshops across the United States.

Karly began her musical theater choreography career at the age of sixteen under the guidance of her mentor Matt Gasper, and has since choreographed for area high schools, community theaters, fine art camps, and children’s theaters. She has been teaching dance for eleven years in the styles of jazz, tap, lyrical, ballet, and fitness at various studios including Gasper’s School of Dance, DanceworX Studio Bismarck, Minnesota State University Moorhead, and International Music Camp.

Aside from instilling her passion of dance and movement in her students, Karly has a degree in Mass Communications with minors in Psychology and Dance from Minnesota State University Moorhead. She has a love for working with children with diverse backgrounds and is happiest when helping elevate students to being their best selves. She is so thrilled to have the opportunity to give back to the studio that gave her so much as a young dancer and continue the tradition of excellence at GSDPA.