About Us

Come Dance with Us!

Our dance studio was founded over 40 years ago and welcomes dancers of all ages. Our class offerings include ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, dance line, musical theatre, creative movement, and more!

Conveniently located at the Chaska Community Center, we offer affordable and professional dance education that fits your family's budget without the competitive atmosphere. Our emphasis is on building self-esteem, self-confidence, and personal development.

Our Team

BIO-JENNY

Miss Jenny

Jenny Pantano is the owner and director of Chaska Dance Center. She has been dancing her whole life and has been training dancers for over 25 years.

Miss Jenny

Jenny Pantano is the owner and director of Chaska Dance Center. She has been dancing her whole life and has been training dancers for over 25 years.

Jenny trained at various dance studios throughout her childhood including The Dance Shoppe, Victoria Dance Productions, Hopkins Dance Center, and Ballet Arts. After graduating high school, Jenny moved to Los Angeles where she trained with the nation’s top choreographers and instructors at the Performing Arts Center. She performed in the Jerry Lewis Telethon and with the Mark Goodman Tap Company as a dance captain. Her choreography has received top honors winning awards such as Outstanding Choreography at BravO! National Dance Competition and at Showbiz National Talent Competition in Daytona Beach, FL.

Jenny holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master’s Degree from UCLA. She has two daughters, Giselle and Mila, who both share her love of dance!

janet

Miss Janet

Janet Merckling has studied modern, ballet, jazz, and tap, and brings a lot of fun to our classes!  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from the University...

Miss Janet

Janet Merckling has studied modern, ballet, jazz, and tap, and brings a lot of fun to our classes!  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from the University of Minnesota.  After college Janet taught dance for several Twin Cities studios, specialized in teaching younger students in ballet and tap.  Janet lives in Chaska and has 1 son, Nathan, who attends St. Cloud State University and is serving in the Marine reserves.

BIO-ALLY

Miss Ally

Ally Motzko teaches several of our young children and teen classes, and our Sapphire and Emerald Company competition teams.

Miss Ally

Ally Motzko teaches several of our young children and teen classes, and our Sapphire and Emerald Company competition teams.

Ally has been dancing since the age of three and has won numerous national awards as a competitive dancer.  She coached the Armstrong Dance Team for two years before joining our staff in 2022. Her routines have won Choreography Awards at local dance competitions. She is currently part of a pre-professional contemporary dance company located in Minneapolis where she continues her training as a dancer. “Dance is my biggest passion, and I love working with dancers fostering a fun yet hardworking environment”.

Ally received her Bachelor’s Degree in Entrepreneurship from the University of St. Thomas in 2022.

BIO-AMANDA

Miss Amanda

Amanda Middleton teaches several of our teenage technique classes. She also teaches Ruby Company competition team, and our adult classes.

Miss Amanda

Amanda Middleton teaches several of our teenage technique classes. She also teaches Ruby Company competition team, and our adult classes.

Amanda grew up in the Twin Cities training at various dance studios including Starburst Dance Academy and Summit, and dancing competitively from a young age through college where she was part of the St. Cloud State University dance team.  Amanda continued to participate in the dance community post-college with Vikings and Timberwolves training camps, dance troupe Soul to Sole Dance Conversion, and backup dancing for an 80s cover band. 

Amanda received her Bachelor's degree in Marketing from St. Cloud State University, and her Master's in Human Resources Management from St. Mary's University, and has worked in Corporate HR positions for several years.  Amanda and her husband Anthony have two daughters, Josie and Mackenna, who already share mom's love of dance!

BIO-ABBY

Miss Abby

Abby Moldenhauer started dancing at the age of seven and graduated from Chaska Dance Center. She performed with our competitive teams...

Miss Abby

Abby Moldenhauer started dancing at the age of seven and graduated from Chaska Dance Center. She performed with our competitive teams for many years, winning multiple awards throughout her career, and worked as an assistant teacher for our younger classes throughout high school.

Abby graduated from Chaska High School and currently works as an infant teacher at Kindercare Learning Center. She is currently taking her CDA course to become a teacher. Abby loves the outdoors and spends much of her free time enjoying it.

We are excited to have Abby on staff co-teaching our preschool and K-1st grade classes.

jenna

Miss Jenna

Jenna Anderson grew up in Brooklyn Park, MN, and graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato, with a bachelor's degree in communications and...

Miss Jenna

Jenna Anderson grew up in Brooklyn Park, MN, and graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato, with a bachelor's degree in communications and a minor in dance. She began dancing and performing at three years old, competed regionally and nationally, and was a member of her high school and college dance teams. In addition to dance during her childhood, Jenna was a student of the arts including piano, singing and theatre performance.

Jenna is a dancer in Chase and Ovation, A Tribute to the Music of Prince, where she performs locally and internationally, and continues to dance competitively with the Larkin Ladies at Larkin Dance Studio. Jenna is trained in a variety of smooth and rhythm ballroom dance styles, and is also a certified barre instructor.

Parisha Rajbhandari

Parisha Rajbhandari

Parisha Rajbhandari is a recent graduate in Dance from Minnesota State University, Mankato and an emerging professional.........

Parisha Rajbhandari

Parisha Rajbhandari is a recent graduate in Dance from Minnesota State University, Mankato and an emerging professional dance artist in the Twin Cities community. She grew up in Nepal learning, performing and exploring its diverse and rich dance cultures. Parisha moved to the United States to pursue her undergraduate degree in Dance. She has studied and performed hip hop, salsa, bollywood, modern, ballet, jazz, tap and improvisation. During her undergraduate experience, she also discovered her love for teaching dance. She is a dance artist at Ananya Dance Theatre (ADT). Parisha has found her voice for social justice through ADT and she is grateful for the community-based collaboration at ADT. She hopes to create anenriching class experience through her love and passion for dance.

Chaska Dance Center

Additional teachers joining our team soon

Miss Kathleen

Kathleen Baffert has been teaching dance for 30 years to children and adults and is inspired by watching others find their love for dance. Kathleen received her dance training in Chicago, Illinois, and performed in the Judith Svalander Ballet Company for 6 years.

Kathleen was educated at Columbia College, Hubbard Street Dance and the Joffrey Ballet. Kathleen spent 15 years teaching and studying dance in Southern California. Kathleen has performed in numerous shows including West Side Story, Exodus, Gate' Parisian, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, Swan Lake, and Rhapsody in Blue. Kathleen is the lucky Mom of two wonderful daughters.