Instructors

Izabella George

Izabella went to her first dance performance at the age of 3 and immediately fell in love and signed up at a local dance studio. Shortly thereafter, she realized she also had a passion for teaching and choreography. This passion led her to offer free dance classes out of her garage. Over her 20 years of dancing and 15 years of competing, she was trained in contemporary, modern, lyrical, ballet, tap, hip hop, salsa, bachata, and more.

After graduating from Larkin Dance Studio she went on to pursue a degree in dance education at Hamline University. While attending Hamline she founded a dance organization that went on to perform and compete at the national level. Izabella is excited to share her passion and knowledge with the students and become part of the amazing work at Mayer Arts!

Kate Herrera

Kate Herrera is a performer and teaching artist based in the twin cities. Born and raised in Minnesota, she went to North Dakota State University and graduated with a BFA in musical theatre. Kate has been doing theatre since she was 8 years old and her passion has only continued to grow as she’s gotten older. In college she found directing to be a true love of hers as well as working with kids. Therefore, she is delighted to be working with Mayer Arts this fall!

Kaelin Walker

Kaelin Li Walker hails from El Paso, Texas and is currently a Master’s of Public Policy student at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She has a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in Women’s and Gender Studies. She has performed with and choreographed for El Paso’s youth theatre company Kids ‘n’ Co, performed in numerous musicals at the UTEP Dinner Theatre, and appeared in productions with the UTEP Department of Theatre and Dance. After having taught taekwondo to children for seven years, working as an undergrad TA, and teaching dance to young people, she continues to develop her pedagogical methodology as well as fostering arts appreciation through her work with Mayer Arts.

Olivia Lundberg

Olivia is a Senior at the University of Northwestern St. Paul, where she studies theatre. She has been studying voice for seven years, dance for three, and has been performing since she was six years old. She has also worked in childcare for the past eight years and loves combining her passions of theatre and childcare by working for Mayer Arts.

Elinor Rees-Hill

Elinor Rees-Hill is thrilled to be a Musical Theatre Instructor at Mayer Arts! She was in her first musical at the age of seven, and has loved the creativity and community to be found in theatre ever since. In addition to performing in musicals and plays, she enjoyed receiving vocal training and studying jazz and contemporary dance styles. She recently graduated from Carleton College, where she earned a B.A. in English and performed with Carleton’s Jazz and Contemporary Dance Company, Semaphore Repertory Dance Company, and Experimental Dance Board. Away from campus, she has worked both as a theatre educator and a dance instructor. She loves watching children grow into their confidence and express themselves through the performing arts!

Kirstin Nelson

Kirstin has been performing since she was a small child and began teaching theatre and
dance in her teens. In addition to teaching for Mayer Arts, she is a teaching artist for
Hennepin Arts for both Disney Musicals in Schools program and Spotlight, and for
Young Dance. Since relocating to the metro she regularly directs, choreographs, and
performs for various organizations in the Metro and beyond; including the Guthrie
Theatre, Shadow Horse Theatre, Orthogonal Productions, Old Gem Theatre, Chaska
Valley Family Theatre, Lakeshore Players, and Ashland Productions. She has
performed internationally and throughout the US, and continues to develop her dance
repertoire many forms from classical ballet to alternative and circus arts.

Carina Birkholz

Carina got her first tutu on her third birthday and has been dancing ever since! Growing up, she trained in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, and musical theatre. She graduated in 2020 with a B.A. in Dance from the University of Minnesota, and her M.Ed. in Elementary Education in 2021. Carina is honored and excited to share her passion for movement with others. (Photo by Isabel Fajardo)

Calista Weidemeier

Calista is a Minneapolis-based teaching artist and performer. She attended Stephens College in Columbia, MO for Musical Theatre Performance. Post-college, she began pursuing her two biggest passions: theatre and education. She is also a teaching artist at Lyric Arts, SOAR Regional Arts, and this school year she will be a swing teaching artist for the Disney Musicals In Schools program through Hennepin Theatre Trust. She is also the Administrator for Buffalo Community Theater. She is thrilled to be a teaching artist at Mayer!