DIRECTOR/OWNER
RAMONA JACOBS, owner & artistic director of The Fergus Falls School of Dance, since 1985. She received her BFA in Ballet & Modern Dance from Texas Christian University, Fort Worth. She has choreographed numerous community productions & taught in summer MAX programs, served both as juror & mentor for the Lake Region Arts Council. She is a recipient of three LRAC grants. Ramona has continued her education at the International Ballet Teacher Workshop at Vail, the American Dance Festival, The Royal Winnipeg & National Ballet School Teacher Workshops, New York City, the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MS, & Dance Educator’s Coalition workshops. She lives with her husband Chuck Christianson & three friendly cats & is an avid flower gardener.
MARY PETTIT received her BA in Dance/Dance Therapy from the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, MN and her MS in Physical Education/Administration from UND. This year marks her 14th year at FFSD . In addition, she trained and performed professionally in
Chicago & Baltimore. Her choreography credits include over 35 musicals including local productions of ”Joseph”, “Cinderella” and Oklahoma”. She was the Founder & Director of the Reif Center Dance program in Grand Rapids, MN from 1989-94. She has served as a Juror & Mentor for the Lake Region Arts Council, and guest choreographer at the Reif Center, ND Ballet Company & for A Center For The Arts. Mary attended teacher workshops at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Tappin’ in the Twin Cities, Joel Hall Jazz in Chicago, the Giordano Jazz Workshop, the Jazz Dance World Congress ’02 & ‘07, Chicago Dance Connection ’03, ’04, ’05 & ‘06, and the MN Dance Educator’s Coalition ’04 ’05 & ‘08. Mary has received choreography awards in the Chicago area in ’05,’06. Mary, her husband Bill, and their children, Hannah & Joey, have enjoyed the arts and lakes of the Fergus area since 1994.
VALERIE SOHL, holds a BS in Vocal & General Music K-12 from Mankato State University where she received training in dance and theatre as well. While attending
MSU she performed & toured with the Ellis St. Singers Show Choir. Valerie has worked as a private music instructor (teaching voice, flute, and piano), a public
school music teacher, and a licensed in-home child care provider. Committed to teaching young children through music & movement, she has directed many community, church, theatre, and choral programs. Valerie is a certified fitness instructor currently teaching yoga, senior fitness, and step-aerobics classes at the YMCA. She lives in Fergus Falls with her two teen-agers, Theo and Megan, and enjoys music & sewing as her hobbies.
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HANNAH PETTIT has been a part of the FFSD teaching staff since 2005. She began her dance training at the age of 4 and continued into her high school years. She has attended the Chicago Dance Connection workshop three times as well as various master classes through her FFSD years of study. She has also participated in numerous local community theater productions. Hannah is currently a
sophomore at MSCTC working toward an undergraduate degree in Psychology.
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OLIVIA DANIELSON is currently in her 4th year of teaching at FFSD. She has been dancing with the school since 1997 and has attended workshops in Chicago, Mpls, Marshall, and Grand Forks where she has won awards for Most Outstanding Presentation, Best Technique, and Most Entertaining. She has been awarded a college Art Scholarship by District 544 and Performing Artist of the Month by the FF Sunrise Rotary. Olivia is currently attending MSCTC to complete an Associates of Art Degree. She is looking forward to a wedding this winter and a move to Grand Forks to pursue a degree in Physical Therapy.
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We are pleased to have the following student teachers on our staff:
SUZANNE LAFOND, KAITLIN LARSON, COURTNEY SCHULTZ and MEGAN TIEDE
