ROBERT THOMAS DANCENTER - Key Persons
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.
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.
Eva is a junior at Drake University and teaches Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Pointe at the studio.
Evan Brakke is a sophomore at Iowa State University. She danced at Robert Thomas Dancenter for over 10 years, and mainly specialized in Irish dance. She is so excited to be back and to help teach students about the art of dance!
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Member of the Educators & Staff
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.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Instructor
- Member of the Irish Performance Team
- Student at Ames High School
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.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Guest Instructor
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.
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.
As an instructor, Lillian is looking forward to teaching children about Irish dancing culture and sharing the love of the dance.
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!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Educators & Staff
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- 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.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Member of the Educators & Staff
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.
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.
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!
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.
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Member of the Educators & Staff