The Dance Project is owned and operated by Miss Becky Swenson, an artist, dancer, and lover of life who has found her greatest joy in celebrating the uniqueness and God given talents of her dancers, while teaching them to make great art!
​
Read our bios below!
At The Dance Project, we believe that everything about dance is a powerful art form and we are passionate in our intent to create movement that tells our stories both on and off the stage.
​
Choreography, music selections, and costumes will always be age appropriate in a dance world where there is sometimes an over-emphasis on pageantry.
We believe that while pointing your toes is important, perhaps even more so are the life lessons that come as a result.
Miss Becky Swenson
Founder & Owner, Instructor
​
Miss Becky grew up dancing and knew early on she wanted to teach and perform. She started at age three at Laurie’s School of Dance, then moved on to compete with The Dance Factory Studio in Forest Lake, MN. In her high school years, she balanced competitive studio dance, with competitive dance team practices with the Forest Lake Dance Team.
She went on dancing at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities for her first year of university, then later transferred for her remaining three years at The University of Wisconsin - River Falls. She got her bachelor’s degree in fine arts and dance education, as well as performing with River Falls’ modern dance company, Dance Theater.
Since graduating college, Becky has taught dance at Inspiration Performing Arts Center in Mahtomedi, MN, and Moore Than Dance in Fridley, MN. She was also part owner of a studio in southern Minnesota, Soul Storm Dance. Miss Becky also spent six months as a missionary living in Port Au Prince, Haiti, in the year 2017, where she had the opportunity to serve and teach dance at local orphanages.
Becky’s famous choreography has won countless awards, including the great honor of Choreography Review at Cathy Roe’s Ultimate Dance in 2016, Best Presentation at Majestic DX Competition in 2016, Dare to Be Different at CRU 2021 and numerous judge’s choice awards. She has the ability to see each piece of choreography through the lens of a true artist, and personalizes each movement to align with the strengths of her dancers. This quality makes her classes unique and her choreography special.
When she is not dancing, Miss Becky likes to draw, paint, goof off, play piano, spend time with her husband Dan, her new baby Arlo, her lab, Billie, and volunteer at church.
Miss Kelly Rodencal
Owner, Instructor
Miss Kelly Rodencal enrolled in dance at the age of three and spent the next fifteen years competitively dancing at Laurie’s School of Dance in White Bear Lake, and The Dance Factory in Forest Lake, MN. Specializing in tap, jazz, lyrical and ballet, Kelly always took dance lessons very seriously (perhaps too seriously!)- and was diligent about perfecting her ‘heel ball changes’ and pirouettes at home in the laundry room.
​
She completed her Bachelors of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota in 2008 and soon after began what was a short, but successful career in marketing. Kelly’s organizational skills, creativity in both dance and business, and overall sense of leadership lends itself well to an entrepreneurial adventure in the dance world. As an avid wellness enthusiast, Kelly firmly believes in the power of movement & loves coaching others in mindfulness, breath awareness & positive mental health through exercise.
​
Kelly LOVES teaching tap, ballet, jazz, musical theater, & technique at the studio, and her routines are known to be fast-paced, sharp, and technical. Her competitive choreography has won accolades in the way of Judges Choice awards, Category High Point awards, and most recently a First Place & Top Score Diamond award at 2024 Symposium Talent Competition. Kelly is known to push her students & challenge them to reach their highest potential, all while poking fun of herself & laughing along the way. ​
​
In her free time, Kelly enjoys gardening, cooking, true crime stories, and spending time with her 3 hound dogs & husband :)
Miss Ari Strand
Instructor
​Miss Ari started dancing when she was 3 years old, and grew up dancing at Northern Force Dance Company, Vogue Dance Company, and Keane Sense of Rhythm. Tap dancing has always had a special place in her heart and her love for tapping really took off when she got selected for a tap small group at Northern Force Dance Company. This group went on to perform all over the Twin Cities at different events and shows with the prestigious Keane Sense of Rhythm.
Ari has won Miss Showbiz, countless Judges Choice Awards, 1st in the 'Toe Touch' competition at Just for Kix, and won multiple awards (including best leaps and jumps, best facial expressions, and best hip hop dancer) during her time on the Anoka High School Dance Team, where she was captain for the 2021-2022 season.
Currently, Ari is a member of the UWRF Dance Team, where she was awarded best leaps and jumps, in addition to serving as Tech-liaison & dancing as part of the UWRF Dance Theater program. Ari joined The Dance Project in 2024, and loves teaching dance because she gets to see young dancers fall in love with the sport, grow, and become proud of what they learn & accomplish.
In her free time, Ari loves to paint, read, & hike! Fun little fact about Ari (and we encourage you to take her up on this challenge): it doesn’t matter when, or where she is, if you ask her to do the worm she'll do it & with style! :)
