Carole Skalsky

Along with our teaching staff, we have many new faces at our front desk. Today we introduce Front Desk Manager, Carole Skalsky. You may see Carole on Friday and Saturday at our Downtown location greeting you when you arrive. Our front desk staff is trained to help you with all your studio needs, including dance wear, invoices and payments, as well as studio tours and making sure your dancer gets to where they need to be.

Q & A with Carole

Q. What is your favorite part about teaching?

A. When you see the joy in a students face when they "get it"

Q. What inspires you?

A. Teaching students and watching students learn new things

Q. Tips for our dancers?

A. Everyday is an opportunity to learn something new

Q. Working the front desk, what is your favorite thing about your day?

A. I love to see the dancers come out from class with smiles and saying how much they love dance

Q. Favorite snack?

A. Oh, well it depends... anything that is made for me..or chocolate without nuts.

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Carole Skalsky

Carole spent her childhood in Sturgis, SD. She danced with Prima School of Dancing studying Jazz for 3 years. In 2017, she was in the infamous adult tap class at Gasper's School of Dance and plans to join again. She is now living vicariously through her daughter who is dancing in her 4th year Gasper’s.

She has a Bachelor of Science in Music Education, a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Masters in Education Leadership. Music and movement has always been a part of her life and can’t wait to help dancers of all ages find their love of dance.

Carole is excited to be a part of the downtown front desk team at Gasper’s

Kathy Hanson

Kathy Hanson is no stranger to the Gasper family. She grew up training with Mr. Eddie Gasper and Mrs. Kathy Gasper. We are so thrilled she is back teaching with us this season. Kathy teaches our Adult Jazz class at our south studio on Thursday evenings. She brings in a combination of her past with elements of her dance technique and training today.

Q & A with Kathy Hanson

Q. What is your favorite part about teaching?

A. Watching individuals open up to be vulnerable and fall in love with movement.

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

A. Rhythm, music and anything with Gene Kelly.

Q. Tips for our dancers?

A. Keep showing up, expose yourself to different styles/instructors and be open.

Q. Favorite snack?

A. Healthy- Apples. Not-so-healthy-RUFFLE POTATO CHIPS AND CARMELIZED ONION DIP.

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Kathy Hanson

Kathy Hanson grew up in Moorhead, MN where she discovered her love for the arts. Whether singing, dancing, writing or acting, she was privileged to learn from a community of extraordinary educators with vision and skills to match. From the early years at Trollwood and Red River Dance and Performing Company, under the direction of Kathy and Eddie Gasper, Kathy was immersed in studying and performing ballet, tap, jazz and musical theatre and eventually became a soloist with RRD&PC. She went on to attend the University of Denver, with a Marketing/Finance major, while continuing to study dance and perform in Denver and Minneapolis after college.

Over the last 20 years, Kathy and her husband have raised their two daughters, Audra and Eve, in Fargo, ND. She is co-founder of Wheelhouse Theatrical Productions (formerly Music Theatre Fargo-Moorhead) and has performed in numerous productions with Wheelhouse, Act Up, Phipps Dance Theatre (Minneapolis), FMBallet, NDSU, Carousel Dance Theatre, Dakota Civic Theatre (Minneapolis) and FMCT.

Kathy is jazzed to return to teaching at Gaspers, where Kathy and Eddie Gasper first encouraged her to be an educator. Since then she has choreographed many musical theatre productions with FMCT, Moorhead Community Ed, Fargo Public Schools, Theatre B, NDSU and Trollwood. “Mentoring individuals from young too old is a joy; there is nothing like watching an artist grow and push boundaries to tell you a story through movement, music, poetry, etc. I am grateful for having the opportunity to be part of that process.” – Kathy Hanson

Mr. Chris Taylor

Welcome back. Today we continue to introduce our 2019 - 2020 staff. We are happy to have Mr. Chris Taylor back with us this season. Chris teaches tap, musical theatre, ballet, and jazz.

Q & A with Mr. Chris

Q. What is your favorite part about teaching?

A. My favorite part about teaching is watching students grow as young artists and well-rounded human beings.

Q. What inspired you as a dancer?

A. There is something about performing and moving that makes every fiber of my being come alive. That feeling made me want to study the art form and continues to inspire my life choices and career.

Q. Favorite snack?

A. Fruit, trail mix, or Reese’s

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Christopher Taylor

Christopher began dancing at the age of fourteen while he attended the Trollwood Performing Arts School summer program. Since then, he has studied dance through the lens of musical theatre. He has studied tap, jazz, ballet, and musical theatre styles of dance through classes and productions since high school. After graduating, he went on to receive his BFA in Musical Theater performance. Christopher has been performing professionally in the world of musical theatre and dance for the past seven years. His travels have taken him to all around the country, from Georgia, South Dakota, Minnesota, and New York, in the pursuit of honing his craft. This will be his second year as dance instructor at Gasper’s School of Dance.