The Nutcracker Ballet: December 10 – 7pm & December 11 – 1pm at Stephens Auditorium. Click here to learn more!

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About

About Robert Thomas Dancenter

Our Story

In the late Winter /Early Spring of 1978, Robert and Miyoko traveled to Ames, Iowa from New York City in a recently purchased pre-owned sky- blue Opel station wagon. They traveled with their two cats, a monkey and most of their personal belongings. After three decades in dance, half of that as professional dancers working in touring companies, Robert and Miyoko were ready to retire to Robert’s hometown.

Their goal was to create a dance environment where young people could enjoy the experience of learning the technical skills, presentation, and performance of dance in a professional setting much like the one Robert and Miyoko had been working in.

The environment created was the Robert Thomas Dancenter. Although there are many pages of stories of our experiences and those of the dancers along the way, we have never varied form that goal. Robert Thomas Dancenter has trained over 10,000 Iowa dancers of all ages and has recently celebrated a 40-year anniversary.

Robert&Miyoko-EarlyDays

Dance Masters Certified

Dance Masters of America, Inc. is an International Non-Profit Educational Organization of dance educators, who have been certified by test to teach.

Dance-Masters-Certificate

Professional

Our instructors are the best around and offer more 1-on-1 time with small class sizes.

High Quality

Our core values have been Quality, Integrity, and Leadership since the day we opened in 1978.

Affordable

We offer affordable pricing to fit any budget with 12 month payment plans.

Founders

Robert

Robert Thomas

Co-Founder, Owner

miyoko

Miyoko Thomas

Co-Founder

Educators & Staff

Lisa Luiken-Woxell

Instructor

Maureen McGrath

Maureen McGrath

Instructor

Wendy Leopold

Wendy Leopold

Instructor

Gil McNaughton

Gil McNaughton

Instructor

Serica Maiers

Serica Maiers

Instructor

Natalli Besch

Instructor

Eva kellen

Eva Kellen

Instructor

Julia

Julia Shao

Guest Instructor

Inna Kuznetsova

Instructor

Lisa Davis

Lisa Davis

Instructor

Lillian Hovar

Associate Instructor

Grace Markley

Associate Instructor

Lily Rettig

Lily Rettig

Associate Instructor

Deb Weaver

Deborah Weaver

Guest Instructor

Mary Behn

Mary Behn-Mentzer

Instructor

Kimberly Kellen

Studio Administrator

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Ames South

319 S. 17th St.
(515) 233-0826

Ames West

134 Dotson Dr.
(515) 292-4602

Mailing Address

3405 Clinton Ct. Ames, IA 50010

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Robert Thomas

Co-Founder, Owner

Robert Thomas, an Iowa native, studied dance in Iowa until 1964. The Summer of ’64 Robert received a dance scholarship to Ted Shawn’s Jacob’s Pillow in Lee, Mass. From the summer of 1964-1967, Robert retained a position in the highly competitive Harkness Ballet trainee program in New York City.

In 1967, Robert joined the Harkness Ballet of New York. With the Harkness Ballet, Robert toured the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. In 1969, Robert was offered a position with the Stuttgart Ballet, the National Ballet Contemporair, the Joffrey Ballet, the Geneva Ballet, and the second Harkness company. Accepting positions with the Joffrey Ballet, Robert performed in New York, throughout the United States, Europe and Russia. Robert Thomas has been guest artist with the Andre Eglevesky Ballet Co., Lar Lubovitch Dance Co., Jack Cole, and Stuart Hodes Ballet Close-Ups. Robert has performed in over 70 major works which include ballets by choreographers such as Ailey, Arpino, Balanchine, Boris, Cole, Cranko, Folkine, Harkarvey, Hodes, Joffrey, Lubovitch, Massing, Neumeier, Petipa, Rivera, Saddles, Sappington, Severs, Van Dancing, Walker, and Willed. Robert has appeared in a variety of media from opera and stage to television. From 1984-1986 Robert Thomas was assistant Ballet Master to the Joffrey Ballet.

In 1981, Robert and Miyoko assisted in the creation of the Iowa State Center’s Nutcracker. They have served as artistic directors each year.

miyoko

Miyoko Thomas

Co-Founder

Miyoko Kato Thomas received her extensive ballet training at the Tachibana Ballet School of Tokyo in her native Japan, subsequently joining the Asami Maki Ballet company. In 1964 she joined the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in New York City. A year later she signed with the Harkness Ballet Company and was promoted to the rank of Soloist in 1969. With the Harkness Ballet, Ms. Kato performed at the White House and toured Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and throughout the United States.

Ms. Kato joined the Joffrey Ballet in 1974. She has performed leading roles in works ranging from classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Coppelia, Giselle (Queen of the Willies), The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Les Sylphides, Raymonda, Pas des Quatre, and The Firebird to modern ballets and jazz. She has worked with numerous choreographers including Antony Tudor, Jerome Robbins, Agnes DeMille, Alvin Ailey, Twyla Tharp, Robert Joffrey, Gerald Arpino, and Jack Cole. Among the highlights of her career was a performance for President Johnson at the White House in 1965. In 1966 Kato toured Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East under the sponsorship of the State Department.

Miyoko Kato Thomas has been married to Robert Thomas since 1971. Robert and Miyoko opened the Ames Dancenter in 1978. Robert and Miyoko own and operate the Robert Thomas Dancenters in Ames (2). In more than 40 years of dance instruction, Robert Thomas Dancenters have trained over 10,000 young dancers. Robert and Miyoko are producers of the award winning Dancenter Dancers. Currently, Robert is the Executive Director and Artistic director, and Miyoko is the Artistic Director, Emeritus of the Iowa Youth Ballet.

Lisa Luiken-Woxell

Instructor

Lisa began dancing at the age of three under the instruction of Connie Jo Wilson. She continued her training with Janet Morse, Robert Thomas, the Des Moines Ballet School, and Central Iowa Dance.

Lisa has been teaching since 1987 and is a Dance Master Certified Instructor. She has been teaching at the Robert Thomas Dancenter since 1999. Lisa also currently teaches at Ankeny Dance and Performing Arts Academy. In addition, she has taught at Connie Jo Wilson’s School of Dance, the Dancer’s Workshop, the Newton YMCA, Carol Tetmeyer Dance Studio, and Stacey’s School of Dance. Lisa has performed with Iowa Dance Theatre, The Nutcracker Ballet, the Neuman Project, the Barnstormers Flight Line, and with Dance Olympus on tour. 

Lisa is currently the Iowa Youth Ballet Regisseur at the Dancenter. She is an Iowa Youth Ballet Mistress, and teaches Ballet, Pointe, and Tap.

Maureen-McGrath

Maureen McGrath

Instructor

Maureen McGrath, a native of Des Moines, graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science in Dance and Apparel Design. Before joining the Dancenter, Maureen taught Jazz, Tap, Ballet, and Tumbling in Des Moines for over ten years. Maureen McGrath accepted the position of instructor for the Robert Thomas Dancenter in 2000. Maureen assumed the directorship of Dancenter Dancers in 2001. She has been teaching at Robert Thomas Dancenter for over 20 years. Her focus as an instructor is to educate dancers in a positive and enjoyable classroom environment. Her mission with Dancenter Dancers is to provide dancers with the education and opportunities that afford them the option of pursuing dance post-high school. Her goal has been to give the dancers this education and these opportunities since day one at the Dancenter.

 

Along with Maureen’s passion for educating dancers, she cherishes creativity. Working on new choreography is one of her most vital endeavors. Maureen creates new worlds and ways of thinking for her dancers to explore and make their own in her works.

 

Maureen is a costume designer. Maureen’s creativity extends to designing new looks for dancers. Her costume company FR-NGE has manufactured costumes for studios around the country. Her contemporary dance company, Dancenter Dancers, utilizes designs by FR-NGE and has won numerous awards for these designs. Other FR-NGE clients have been the Iowa Youth Ballet and the Nutcracker. Where FR-NGE designs appeared in the 40th Anniversary production.

 

Under Maureen’s direction, Dancenter Dancers receives numerous awards and honors each year. Both at regional and national levels. They have performed at workshops and competitions throughout the country and appeared with Radio City Rockettes, Harlem Globetrotters, and NCAA Sporting events.

Maureen teaches Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, and Contemporary classes in both the Ames studios. She has choreographed the Sweet Toffee, Candy Canes, Coffee, Battle Scene, and this year will rechoreograph the Tea in the Stephens Auditorium production of The Iowa Youth Ballet Nutcracker.

Maureen formed Blast Dance workshop, a local workshop every December. It is an opportunity for local dancers to take classes with training and working Dancenter Dancer slums. It has proudly become a fundraising opportunity for the company, giving some proceeds to quality dance education organizations.

 

Maureen does endless hours of continued education. Every year, she strives to be an improved, more knowledgeable educator.

Ellen-Mullen

Ellen Mullen

Instructor

Ellen (Crawford) Mullen started teaching Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, and Combination classes at the Robert Thomas Dancenter while in college. She has taught all ages of dancers at every level. In addition to being a lead teacher at the Dancenter, Ellen has been involved in the Stephens Auditorium production of The Nutcracker Ballet, beginning with the very first Nutcracker production.

 

Ellen’s dance studies and experience span many years. An Ames native, Ellen started studying dance at a very young age with Ann Dirksen. Her dance training continues, and passion for dance grew, under the instruction of Terry Thomas, and especially with Robert and Miyoko Kato Thomas at the Robert Thomas Dancenter. Ellen went on to study ballet at the University of Utah, at the Des Moines Ballet, in New York City, at the Ballet West intensive, and at the Joffrey Ballet Intensive at the University of Iowa before coming back to the Dancenter to continue teaching.

 

As an instructor at the Robert Thomas Dancenter, Ellen enjoys the opportunity to share her lifelong love for dance with her many students. She is mother to three daughters, Liz, Leanna, and Allie, who share that love of dance.

 

Ellen teaches Ballet and Jazz for all ages, including adults. She also teaches Tap and Stage and Screen.

Wendy-Leopold

Wendy Leopold

Instructor

Wendy started dancing in Massachusetts at age ten. She continued when her family moved back to Iowa at Ballet Iowa. She also danced non a competition team for many years. After high school, she went to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet for teacher training and ballet. She has been to many summer intensives and has performed in many Nutcracker Ballets and operas, as well as Iowa Youth Ballet and ISU showcases. Wendy is a mother of three boys! Her love for teaching is enormous and she is excited to share that with the students at Robert Thomas Dancenter. Wendy is an Iowa Youth Ballet mistress and teaches Ballet, Pointe, Tap and Gymnastics classes.

Gil-McNaughton

Gil McNaughton

Instructor

Gil McNaughton received his MA from West Texas A&M in 1994. In addition to earning his MA in Dance, Music and History, he taught and performed while there. He received his BA at Sam Houston university and also has studied at the University of Iowa, Southern Methodist University and Texas Christian University. During his time at TCU, Gil participated in several ballets.

 

1970-1983: Professional dancer with Walt Disney/NBC Productions, Dallas Ballet, Pacific Ballet Theatre, Dallas Summer Musicals, Casa Manana, Windmill Dinner Theatres, and Country Dinner Theatres chain. Performed with Gene Kelly, Ginger Rogers, Ricardo Montelban, John Davidson, and Van Johnson to name a few.

 

1983-2002: Artistic Director for Cedar Rapids Civic Ballet, adjunct dance instructor for Coe College, choreographer for Cedar Rapids Theatre and Coe College.

 

2000-2002: Artistic Dancer Director for Reif Center of Performing Arts in Grand Rapids, MN.

 

2002-2004: Assistant Director and Choreographer for Texas – Legacies Outdoor Musical Drama and instructor for West Texas A&M.

 

2004-2005: Full time dance professor at Southeast Missouri State.

 

2006-Current: Teaches for the Dancenter. Gil is an Iowa Youth Ballet master, and teaches Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Musical Theater.

Serica-Maiers

Serica Maiers

Instructor

Serica Maiers is a graduate from St. Mary’s University of MN with a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Social Studies Education and a certificate in Leadership. She is a Senior District Executive with Mid-Iowa Council, BSA. Growing up in Dubuque, Serica trained in Irish dance with the Claddagh/McNulty Irish Dance School and in college with Flanagan School of Irish Dance. She has danced in seven countries including Ireland and India, and has studied with the Riverdance dancers three times. She trained in Classic Russia Ballet with the Academy of Ballet/Heartland Ballet Company for twelve years. Her extensive performance list includes sixteen full-length ballets, twelve musicals, one play and one opera.

 

Serica teaches Irish soft shoe and hard shoe. She is also a choreographer for the Irish Performance team.

Natalli Besch

Instructor

Natalli has been dancing since she was three years old at Grimes Superstars, now Black Pearl Dance Academy. She participated on the competition team for seven years. Natalli was involved in hip hop, musical theater, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, ballet, pointe, and production. Throughout her time in high school, she was also a part of her school’s dance team and marching band. She is currently in her first year of college, attending Iowa State University for Elementary Education This is her first year at Robert Thomas Dancenter, and she is super excited to be teaching, and can’t wait to make new memories!

Eva-Kellen

Eva Kellen

Instructor

Eva has been dancing at the Robert Thomas Dancenter since she was three years old, and has participated in many of the Dancenter’s programs including Irish Performance Team, Iowa Youth Ballet and Dancenter Dancenters Competition Company. Through Dancenter Dancers she has been allowed many opportunities and has taken classes from renowned instructors such as Martha Nichols, Dana Foglia, and Chloe Arnold.

 

The technical training that Eva has received at the Dancenter has proved to be an asset in both Iowa State Center’s production of The Nutcracker, and her high school’s drama department. Some of her favorite roles in The Nutcracker include Clara, Snow and Arabian. In the spring of 2018, Eva served as one of two dance captains in her high school musical Seussical. She and her co-captain were honored to be named Outstanding Featured Dancers at the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards that year.

 

Eva is a junior at Drake University and teaches Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Pointe at the studio.

 

As an instructor, Eva is looking forward to sharing her love of dance with her students!

Julia

Julia Shao

Instructor

Welcome back to the Dancecenter Julia Shao!

We hope you enjoy your time with us!

Ms. Shao, a former Dancenter student, is our guest instructor for IYB. She will also be available for private lessons for all levels of ballet and practice. 

Meet Julia Shao! 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE 

Intrigue Dance, Chicago, IL (Summer 201 -Dec 2017)

Rush Page Center for the Arts, Chicago, IL (Summer 2017)

Joffrey Academy of Dance, The Official School of the Joffrey Ballet, Chicago, IL (Fall 2015-2016)

May’s Dance Academy, Chicago, IL (Fall 2014-Spring 2015)

Carmel Academy of Performing Arts, Carmel, CA (Fall 2013)

Shan-Yee Poon Ballet School, San Francisco, CA (Fall 2013)

Interlochen Arts Camp, Interlochen, MI (Summer 2012)

SCHOLARSHIPS 

School of American Ballet (SAB) (Full Merit Scholarship, Summer 2003, 2004)

Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) (Merit Scholarship, 2005-2009)

DANCE EDUCATION

Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS), Toronto, Canada (Full-time Professional/Academic Program, 2005-2009)

Sarah Lawrence College, Broxville, NY (Dance Program, 2009-2011, 2012-2013)

Steps on Broadway, New York, NY (2009-2011, 2012-2013)

Каннон Данс [Kannon Dance], St. Petersburg, Russia (2011-2012)

SUMMER STUDIES 

School of American Ballet, New York, NY (2003 and 2004)

Liana Navarro’s Selected Workshop, Miami, FL (2004)

Alonzo King LINES Ballet, San Francisco, CA (2009)

Parson’s Dance Intensive, New York, NY (2011)

Mark Morris Intensive, Brooklyn, NY (2011 and 2012)

Paul Taylor Intensive, New York, NY (2012)

Inna Kuznetsova

Instructor

Innah (Inna Kuznetsova) is a professional Egyptian dancer and an Oriental (Egyptian, Arabic) Dance teacher from Saint Petersburg, Russia.

She started dancing ballet when she was five years old and since then, dancing has been a part of her life. Innah has studied the art of Oriental dancing with master teachers from Russia, Egypt and Germany.

Oriental dance originates in the Middle East. Innah dances Egyptian Raks Sharqi style of oriental dance which was established in Egypt in the beginning of the 20th century as a mixture of ballet with classical Oriental moves.

Innah goes to Egypt every summer to participate in Ahlan Wa Sahlan Festival, a major event for Oriental dancers from all over the World. Innah has participated in many festivals in Russia, Germany, the USA, and Egypt. She won third prize in Berlin Oriental Dance Festival in 2006 and got an award for the Egyptian category in the Oriental Dance Festival in LA in 2007.

Innah also provides private ballroom dance lessons for couples in styles such as Waltz, Foxtrot, Salsa, Zouk and Bachata. 

LIsa Davis

Lisa Davis

Instructor

Lisa Davis starting dancing when she was 5 years old. She began her training with Anna Mae in Boone, Iowa and continued with Carol Renae also in Boone. At the age of 13, Lisa’s family moved from Boone to Sioux City, Iowa where her mother, who trained under Betty Mae Harris, opened a dance studio. There they taught together until Lisa graduated from high school. Lisa attended Rick’s College in Rexburg, Idaho on a dance scholarship where she was part of the International Folk Dance Team. During this time, she toured Germany for 5 weeks with her dance team and developed her love of clogging. Lisa had her own studio, DanceSteps with Lisa Davis, in both Ames and Roland for a few years when her 2 oldest sons were young. After having her third son, she decided to take a hiatus until her children were raised. While on this hiatus, she was blessed with 2 daughters and remained involved in dance while choreographing for Gilbert High School’s musicals and North Polk’s high school show choir. Lisa has been a familiar face at the Robert Thomas Dancenter for the last 28 years. All 5 of her children danced there, and she has worked as the backstage coordinator for the annual EXPO and Stephen’s production of the Nutcracker Ballet for the last 18 years. In 2022, she returned to teaching. Lisa is trained in ballet, tap, jazz and clogging. She has an affinity for working with children and currently shares her love of dance with the youngest of our dancers!

Ava-Reason

Ava Reason

Associate Instructor

Ava is an Ames High School student, who will be graduating in 2023, and plans to pursue a nursing degree. She grew up taking classes at the Robert Thomas Dancenter, and is now an associate instructor in our teaching training program. She loves sharing her love of dance with her students, and we are expecting wonderful things from Ava as she continues her training with us!

Lillian Hovar

Associate Instructor

Lillian is a senior in high school and has been dancing since she was three years old and started dancing at Robert Thomas Dancenter when she was six. Lillian has taken part in the Dancenter’s Irish Performance team. Lillian has assisted in the rehearsals  for the Gumdrops for Stephens Auditorium’s presentation of the Iowa Youth Ballet The Nutcracker. Over the years with the Irish performance team Lillian has preformed with professional Irish dancers Celtic Fire, and performed at the Iowa State Fair.

Lillian teaches Irish Hardshoe and softshoe at the Dancenter.

As an instructor, Lillian is looking forward to teaching children about Irish dancing culture and sharing the love of the dance.

Grace Markley

Associate Instructor

Grace Markley is a student at Ames High School. She has been dancing at Robert Thomas Dancenter since the age of four. She had tried many forms of dance but found her passion in Irish dance. She has performed in The Nutcracker every year since 2019 and has been a member of the Irish Performance Team since 2018. Grace finds inspiration in listening to and creating music on her own and in the Ames High band. She is excited to share her love of Irish dance with younger students.

Kim Kellen

Lily Rettig

Associate Instructor

Lily began her dance training at Robert Thomas Dancenter in 2007. She has trained in ballet, pointe, contemporary, jazz, lyrical, tap, musical theater, and more. She was part of the Dancenter Dancer competition team for 5 years, and IYB for 9 years. She also danced in the Nutcracker Ballet for 11 years. Lily graduated from Ames High School in the spring of 2021. Lily is now in her second year at Iowa State University and is perusing a design degree, with minors in event management and dance. She currently dances with the Orchesis I Dance Company. Through this company she has gotten the opportunity to learn from many different choreographers and fellow students, as well as choreograph two of her own pieces. She enjoys the opportunity to continue her training with a focus in contemporary and modern through Orchesis I. This year she has also been assisting for the Dancenter Dancer competition team!

Deb-Weaver

Deborah Weaver

Guest Instructor

IYB Welcomes Deborah Weaver!

Ms. Weaver will be a guest instructor September 18th. 

TRAINING: Edith James School in Dallas, SAB, ABT (apprentice), Juilliard 

SOLOIST DANCER: Andre Eglevsky Ballet / The Hartford Ballet / Off-Broadway / Royal Ballet of Belgium / German Opera on the Rhine Düsseldorf / Teatro Alla Scala Milano / AterBalletto / National Ballet of Portugal / RAI Italian National Television / TeleMonteCarlo 

CHOREOGRAPHER or ASSISTANT: Alvin Alley- (Asst. for the creation of Escapades) / Winter Olympics 1988 (choreographer and dance trainer for Italy) / Canale 5 Italy (production assistant) / TeleMonteCarlo (guest sport commentator for Italian national ice-skating championships) / directed my own company in Italy, Dance Unlimited 

TEACHER:

Contemporary Ballet Dallas School, and Youth Ballet Company- Dallas

Ballet Conservatory, and Lakes Cities Ballet Theater- Lewisville, TX

Southern Methodist University- Dallas / Adjunct Faculty, & Artistic Dr. for Senior Showcase. Voted “Most Popular Prof” by the senior class 2013.

Dallas Black Dance Academy – Dallas

Compagnia di Danza Teatro di Torino – Turin, Italy

Balletto Regionale di Mantova -Mantua, Italy

Libera Universitá di Danza Lirica Teatro di Mantova – Mantua, Italy

Universitá Danza di Milano – Milan, Italy (Deborah Weaver, Artistic Dr. and Founder)

AterBalletto – Reggio Emilia, Italy 

Teatro Alla Scala Milano – Milan, Italy

Mary Behn

Mary Behn-Mentzer

Guest Instructor

Past-President of Mid-West Dance Masters Chapter #47, is the Delegate for the Chapter serving on the Board of Directors for the National Dance Masters of America, INC. organization.  A graduate of  their Teachers Training School at Buffalo, N.Y. and holds “Certification to Teach” in ballet, tap, jazz, tumbling, and modern.  Mary is also a certified National Examiner for the organization.

 

Currently retired from full time teaching and operating her own studio the past 42 years, “Behn’s Centre of Dance” in Boone.  She began her studio career 3 years prior in Carroll, IA,  teaching along with continual studies while in Denver, CO. the next 7 years.  In the midst of the 42 years in Boone, she also taught 15 years in her satellite studio in Jefferson and 1 day a week at the RTDancenter.

Kimberly Kellen

Studio Administrator

Kimberly grew up in a suburb of the Twin Cities. She graduated from Drake University in 1993, with degrees in Radio/Television Broadcasting and English. She has been working for the Robert Thomas Dancenter since 1995.

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