Lacee Wick
We want to start introducing all the amazing staff that make up our Fusion family! First, is our amazing leader and owner of Fusion Dance Studio, Miss Lacee Wick.
Lacee Wick has been immersed in dance her entire life. First as a student and then as an instructor, choreographer and coach. Teaching dance began thirteen years ago and has been her passion ever since. Lacee’s approach in the classroom has made her one of the most beloved teachers in Rapid City. Whether Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical, Modern, Jazz or Tap; In the classroom she has found mastery in the balance between training, love of dance and meeting students right where they are at. Her skill in training has been proved by her many students winning awards and pursuing dance outside of the studio and beyond our community. Her students work hard and still remain faithful to their love of dance because Lacee creates a safe learning space that makes every student from beginner to advanced feel like they have a place to belong. Lacee treats all students with the same empathy, sincerity and love no matter their skill level. Her reputation is unmatched. Before studio ownership, Lacee led her competitive dance team into countless victories in SD and beyond including several major studio awards, countless top five placements and choreography awards. Her team’s awards are countless. More importantly, Lacee has taken her team to the top while creating an atmosphere that parents and staff also love! Lacee is excited to implement more mentorship opportunities here at Fusion allowing her more experienced dancers to begin touching the lives of her younger students and intends to take the same culture that led her team to success and implement it studio wide at Fusion. Lacee has been focused on continuous training outside the studio as well taking master classes, participating in online communities and attending teachers workshops with the incredible Bill Evans in Boston MA. Lacee’s continued mission to give every child access to dance took her and her dance team to Sioux Falls to work with the beautiful children of Lifescape. There she assisted in choreographing works that highlight the natural abilities of all performers no matter their disabilities or access to dance training. She is proud to carry this work into Fusion.
Lacee’s incredible experiences have given her the confidence and excitement to open Fusion Dance Studio and is excited to share it with her hometown.
Kiley Durward
Kiley was born and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota. Growing up Kiley has always had a passion for dance. When she was 12 years old her mother enrolled her into Hip Hop classes. A year after starting dance classes, Kiley was accepted onto the dance team under the instruction of Andrea Schaefer, Lacee Wick, and Shapeera Davis. Kiley has eight years of Hip Hop, three years of Cheerleading, two years of Modern, a year and a half of Acrobatic Dance, and one year of Ballet experience.
Zoe Wick
Hi my name is Zoe Wick, I am 16 years old and was born and raised here in Rapid City SD. I am proud to say that I have 14 years of dance experience and have trained in a variety of dance styles, ranging from ballet and jazz to hip-hop and contemporary. My passion for dance led me to become a teacher’s assistant at the age of 11, where I spent 5 years learning from seasoned instructors. In my 14 years of dancing I have spent 10 of those as a competitive dancer which has taught me teamwork and discipline, while also fostering my strong work ethic. As a dance teacher I strive to bring my youthful energy and love for dance into every class. I enjoy connecting with my students and helping them grow to their fullest potential.
Kelsi Boland
Kelsi began her dance journey at the age of 12 at Dance Intensity in Centennial, CO, where she quickly discovered her passion and talent for dance. She competed in numerous Denver dance competitions throughout middle and high school and was a member of the Grandview Poms varsity dance team, earning state championship titles and top-three national placements in jazz and pom categories. At Colorado State University, Kelsi danced while pursuing a degree in secondary education/history. During college, she worked as a Universal Dance Association instructor, traveling the West Coast to run dance camps for high school teams.
Kelsi has choreographed for several dance teams in Colorado and served as the head coach for the Brighton High School dance team. Her journey also took her across the country due to her husband’s career in the Air Force. She taught and led the competition team at Southern Dance Explosion in Raleigh, NC, coached the dance team at St. Thomas More in South Dakota, and taught Zumba and hip hop fitness in Abilene, TX, and Shreveport, LA. Kelsi is thrilled to bring her extensive experience and enthusiasm to the Fusion Dance Studio team!
Moira Grant
Moira Grant is 17 years old and a recent high school graduate, now pursuing a career in cosmetology. She’s excited to share that she’s been dancing for 15 years, including 7 years of competitive experience. Her love for performing began at a young age and has only deepened over the years. Her training includes ballet, lyrical, jazz, contemporary, and modern styles. Through dance, she’s gained resilience, creativity, and a joy for self-expression. She’s had the privilege of being a class assistant for the past 7 years, which has taught her the value of creating a supportive and encouraging environment. Now, as a dance teacher, she aims to provide a fun and positive experience where students can hone their skills, build confidence, and share in the passion for dance that drives me every day!
Ella Trithart
Ella Trithart has been dancing since they were just three years old. In addition to over 20 years of dancing, teaching and competing, Ella has been involved with a variety of community productions. These productions include multiple Flutter Productions, “Cats” with Black Hills Community Theatre and performances with the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra. Ella has also had the opportunity to travel to Sioux Falls to teach and dance with children with disabilities at LifeScape. Ella is thrilled to be able to continue their dance career with Fusion and cannot wait to see what comes next. outdoors with my family!
Benae Reuppel
My name is Benae Reuppel and I am beyond excited to be a part of the staff here at Fusion Dance Studio! This will be my first year teaching classes, but I’ve had the opportunity to coach the competition team for the past 2 years. My dance training includes 9 years of many genres including ballet, jazz, lyrical/contemporary, tap, and hip hop. Aside from coaching here at Fusion, I have also been involved in the Nutcracker and was given the opportunity to choreograph musicals like “Frozen” and “Mamma Mia” at Central High School. Recently, I finished my Freshman year at SDSU, where I trained with the dance company. After this year, I plan on continuing my dance education at Grand Canyon University.
Paul Burns
Paul A. Burns, II is very excited to be teaching and sharing his knowledge of classical ballet with the students of Fusion. He carries a line of ballet techniques traced back to the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. He trained at North Carolina School of the Arts under Duncan Noble and Melissa Hayden. He was taught at the Joffrey Ballet School by Trinette Singleton, Francesca Corkle and John Magnus. He has worked with Agnes de Mille, Mel Tomlinson and De Ama Battle.
Sara Hornick
Sara Hornick is the Executive Director of the Rapid City Public School Foundation. Her career took some turns in a few different directions when her family became a foster family almost 10 years ago. 26 foster children later, Sara and her husband adopted two children and they stepped away from fostering. Now, Sara is a CASA, a Court Appointed Special Advocate and continues the work of advocating for foster children. One of her side-hustles include helping out at Fusion Dance Studio as the Office Manager. Her daughter, Lucy, has been dancing for almost 13 years and competes on the Fusion Dance Team.