COACHING STAFF
Photography by Rouse Productions
TIFFANY SANDHURST
Head Coach
The 2024-2025 Season will be Tiffany's sixth year as the Head Coach of the Trojan Dance Team. Tiffany works full-time within District 721 as the Executive Assistant at Eagle View Elementary and she comes to New Prague Area Schools with a wide variety of knowledge and experience in the world of dance. She began studio training at the age of three and continued on with her passion of dancing on her high school team as well as dancing competitively through studio. She continued to train and study dance, pedagogy, and performance arts at the University of Minnesota, has taken classes at Broadway Dance Center in NYC, has attended numerous conventions and master classes dancing with professional choreographers, and has performed with various dance companies throughout the Twin Cities. Tiffany has over 2 decades of teaching and coaching experience and was an instructor and Hot Kix Director at Premiere Dance Academy for 21 years. During her many years teaching competitive dance she has won several awards including Dance Xtreme’s National Choreographer of the Year as well as a handful of National Titles. She was the Head Coach of the Bloomington Jefferson JJ's in 1999-2000. She founded the Prior Lake Dance Team in 2004 where she was the Head Coach for three years, and was the Varsity Assistant Coach for the Faribault Emeralds Dance Team from 2017-2019, placing 3rd at State in Class AA High Kick both seasons. Tiffany is a Nationally Accredited and Certified Coach through the National Federation of High School Coaches and she serves on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Association of Dance Teams. She was awarded the Assistant Coach of the Year award from MADT in 2018. In her inaugural year with New Prague, the team was awarded MADT's Sportsmanship Award and in 2022 Tiffany was honored to receive MADT's Class AA Head Coach of the Year Award. Tiffany lives on Roberds Lake with her husband Jeffery, and they enjoy sharing time together on the lake boating and fishing and recently started golfing with him as well. Tiffany's charisma is contagious and her positive outlook radiates through all of the athletes she is fortunate to work with. Tiffany is so thankful for the roads that lead her to coach for New Prague and can't wait for another incredible year with this team.
TARA BRANDT
Assistant Coach
Tara began developing her passion for dance at the age of five. She spent her entire studio career at Premiere Dance Academy where she gained experience not only as a dancer but also an assistant teacher. She began her dance career as a recreation tap, jazz, and hip hop dancer before moving into the realm of competition kick. Throughout middle school and high school she competed with the studio kick team and became a Captain of her team her Junior and Senior year as well as being an assistant for the other competition kick teams. After graduating from Prior Lake High School, she attended the University of Notre Dame. She graduated from college in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience and Behavior as well as Spanish Literature and Culture. Tara has just graduated from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, where she has been applying the hard work ethic and dedication to excellence she learned throughout her dance career to the classroom. In 2022 Tara completed all of the MSHSL requirements to become Head Coach Certified as well. This past year she was the proud receipeint of MADT's 2023 Class AA Assistant Coach of the Year Award. Tara is so excited and honored to be back again for her sixth year with the talented dancers of the New Prague Dance Team.
EMMA IVERSON
Assistant Coach
Emma is a 2018 Graduate of New Prague High School and a 2022 graduate of the University of Minnesota with her Bachelors degree in Health and Wellbeing Sciences. Emma is currently working towards a second degree in Digital Marketing through the University of Minnesota and works as an Behavioral Health Specialist at The Emily Program. She began dancing at the age of three and hasn't stopped since! Emma was involved in studio dance for 14 years and gained experience in several dance styles including: ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, modern and hip hop. She was also a member of the New Prague Varsity Dance Team for six years. During her years on the team, she was named Captain for two seasons, MVP for three seasons, All-Conference for four seasons, and All-State her senior year. Throughout her dance career, Emma has had the opportunity to attend several conventions and camps, including Just for Kix Dance Camp. While attending this camp, she received the Most Outstanding Dancer Award as well as the prestigious Heather Star Habeck Award. In 2023 Emma was also a nominee for MADT's Class AA Assistant Coach of the Year Award. Emma is extremely excited to be back for her seventh season as a coach for NPDT. She looks forward to continuing to work with this amazing team!
ISABEL PANEK
Assistant Coach
Isabel grew up in the Twin Cities area and found her creative outlet in dancing. From elementary school to high school, she danced recreationally and competed on her studio kick team at Premiere Dance Academy in Prior Lake. Isabel was the Captain of her competitive kick team for two years, and has experience with assistant and substitute teaching dance as well. Dance, especially kick, nurtured her appreciation of precision and accuracy, an interest she applied to her college education and career in engineering. Isabel graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. She is currently an Engineer in transportation design and construction at WSB, a national engineering design consulting firm. Being a civil engineer allows her to explore her other passions, too, of community involvement, improving the lives of others, and spending time outside. Isabel is delighted to be coming back for her fifth season on the NPDT coaching staff and working with the New Prague Dance Team again.
CAITLYNN NELSON
Assistant Coach
Caitlynn Nelson is back for her fifth season coaching for NPDT. She graduated Northfield High School in 2019 with 5 years of dance team experience under her belt dancing on the Northfield Hiliners Dance Team. During the 2023-2024 season, she will be a Senior at Minnesota State University-Mankato studying Communication Sciences and Disorders while also being a part of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. Caitlynn decided to begin her coaching journey to not only continue her love and passion for dance team, but to be able to be a mentor, role model, friend, and inspiration to the young adults of NPDT. She looks forward to giving back what skills and life lessons she learned through her years on dance team. Caitlynn is so happy to be a part of our NPDT family!
LINDSEY DAVIS
Assistant Coach
Lindsey graduated from Faribault High School in 2019 and she was a member of the Faribault Emerald Dance Team for 6 years. She just graduated from Mankato State University, Mankato with a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies and Human Resource Management. Four of Lindsey's years as an Emerald were as a Varsity High Kick and Jazz dancer competing at the State competition. She received the All-Tournament award at the 2019 State Championships in the High Kick category of AA. She was also selected as part of the 2019 Minnesota All-State AA High Kick Team. Along with being awarded Most Dedicated and All-Conference. Lindsey was a Varsity Assistant Coach for the Northfield Hiliners from 2020-2022 and this will be her third season as a Varsity Assistant for New Prague. Lindsey’s positive outlook and strong work ethic is something she has gained through dance team, and she can’t wait to continue working with these talented athletes and looks forward to helping them reach their goals.
MORGAN RIST
Assistant Coach
Morgan is a 2020 graduate of Faribault High School and currently attending the University of Minnesota for her Bachelors degree in Biology, Society, and Environment as well as a minor in Public Health. Morgan was a studio dancer for 13 years, learning multiple styles of dance including jazz, tap, lyrical, and hip hop. She was also a member of the Faribault Dance Team for 6 years. Four of those years being on Varsity dancing Kick for all 4 and Jazz for 3. She was Big 9 Conference Honorable Mention for two years in a row and was also selected as a part of the All-State Kick Team in 2020. Morgan has worked with the Northfield Hiliners Dance Team over a few summers until she joined our coaching staff. Morgan is very excited for her third season coaching NPDT and looks forward to helping these athletes reach their goals!
SALMA MASOOD
Assistant Coach
This is Salma Masood's second season with NPDT and she is so excited to be a part of the family! Salma graduated from Austin High School where she danced for the Austin Packer Dance Team. She was also a student at Bridget’s Dance Conservatory where she trained for 16 years. She received a Bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Social Welfare. She is currently in graduate school to get her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling. Salma is also going into her fourth year on the Maverick Dance Team and was chosen to be a captain. Through her years on MSUDT she has won 3 National Championships titles. During her high school career she was awarded All-Tournament, All-State Jazz, Big-9 All-Conference, and Big-9 Honorable Mention. Salma is so excited to start her first year as a coach and cannot wait to work with such an amazing group of athletes.
CHELSEA LOCKREM
JV Head Coach
We are excited to welcome Chelsea Lockrem (Coach C) to our NPDT family. This will be her 17th year coaching Minnesota High School Dance Team! She was a member of the Wabasha-Kellogg Star Dancers and later, had the honor of coaching them, when she was in college at Winona State University. She started the dance team at Stewartville High School as well. Chelsea was a Varsity Assistant Coach for five seasons at Cannon Falls and this past season was the Varsity Head Coach for Apple Valley. In 2022, she was elected, Class A Assistant Coach of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Dance Teams (MADT) and has been an active member since she started coaching in 2008. For the past four years, she has served as a member of Activity Advisory for class A. Currently, Chelsea lives in Farmington with her husband Jordan of 12 years and two kiddos, Catherine and Austin. Four years ago, she got her real estate license and currently works for the Lock It In Real Estate Group, eXp, she is also a group fitness instructor and Social Media + Marketing Manager for the St. James Hotel. Fun Dance Fact: Her daughter was born 4 hours after the section dance tournament in 2014, when Chelsea took Wabasha-Kellogg to state for the first time in several years in kick! Her first vacation was to the Target Center. Fun Non-Dance Fact: Chelsea’s family lived in the Czech Republic (now Czechia) for one year! Chelsea is looking forward to working with NPDT this year and watching this program grow!!
JACKIE RINDAHL
Fall Head Coach
Jackie works at the Training Haus for Twin Cities Orthopedics as a patient service representative and she graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2021 obtaining a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science. She began dancing at age 3 at a studio in Faribault. She became a part of the Emeralds dance team in high school, obtaining 4 state medals and she continued to dance in college at the University of Minnesota Duluth dance club. Jackie has been coaching for 6 years and has coached at multiple high schools throughout the state, aiding Hermantown Proctor in making it to state for the first time in their team history in 2019. Last year she also began coaching as an Assistant Coach for Prior Lake. She lives in Burnsville with her cat Remi, and Jackie enjoys walking outside, being by the water, playing with Remi, and staying active. Jackie can’t wait for her second season coaching NPDT this fall! For information or questions during our Fall Performance Season, please contact Coach Jackie at: npdtcoach@gmail.com
KIMBERLY SEABERG
Fall Assistant Coach
Kimberly "Kimmy" works as an office specialist at Northfield Public Schools and she graduated from Bemidji State in 2021 with a degree in mass communication. While living in Bemidji she taught at a local studio for 4 years teaching ballet, contemporary and jazz. At that studio she also choreographed many solos and group dances for competitions. In addition to teaching at a studio she was also a part of the Bemidji High School Dance Team as an assistant varsity coach for 2 winter seasons. Prior to college, Kimberly danced at Holly's Dance in Lakeville starting at age 5. In middle school she began competing jazz and contemporary pieces both in groups and as a soloist. She also was on the Lakeville South Cougar Dance Team for 3 fall seasons and 2 winter seasons while in high school. Since being back in the south metro Kimberly taught and choreographed dances for recreation and competitive classes at Dance Endeavors for a year. Kimmy coached Farmingron's JV dance team last season and will now be coaching at Northfield this winter. Kimberly is very excited to continue her dance journey with the New Prague Dance Team this Fall and can't wait to share her experience with all of the wonderful athletes!
Coaching Philosophy
Our philosophy is always to LEAD
Listen:
listen to what is said and not said, verbally and non verbally, and give everyone attention
Educate:
teach and inspire young adults to give value and purpose to what they do, it's not all about dance, it is teaching life lessons as well
Applaud:
be the team's biggest cheerleader giving dancers necessary approval and praise
Drive:
push the team beyond what they think their limits are, be responsible, organized, and dedicated