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2020 nolte grads

5/12/2020

MEGAN RIES

Megan Ries is graduating from Liberty High School. She has danced at Nolte for 2 years but have been dancing since I was 6. In the fall she is excited to attend Iowa State University to major in elementary education.

"Although my time at Nolte has been short I’m so happy I decided to come here my junior year! My favorite Nolte memory is just how welcoming everyone has been Switching studios can be scary but I’m so thankful to be surrounded by such kind and talented dancers and teachers here at Nolte!"

Lydia mcintire

Lydia is graduating from City High and will attend Iowa State University in the fall. She plans to major in elementary education. Lydia has danced at Nolte for the last 8 years and has been a member of Affect for 6.

"My favorite Nolte memory is hanging out in the dressing room and enjoying time with all of my best friends!"

natalie cargin

Natalie Cargin is graduating from Liberty High School. She has been dancing for most of her life, but joined Nolte Academy 2 years ago. Next year she will be attending the University of Iowa to major in pre-med.

"My favorite Nolte memory was performing on the Hancher stage for the first time at recital last year and meeting new friends."

REESE HILL

Reese Hill is graduating from City High School as an AP Scholar with Distinction. At City, Reese was President of the Drama Board and participated in Speech, show choir tech crew, The Little Hawk student newspaper, and National Honors Society, as well as co-founded a student-produced summer musical program. Outside of City High, Reese has participated in thirteen community theatre productions with various companies as both a performer and a crew member, beginning as an ensemble member in Nolte’s School of Rock (2017) and leading to Assistant Director of City Circle’s Annie (2019). In her free time, Reese volunteers with cats at the animal shelter and studies art. Reese will be attending Grinnell College in the fall. Her major is undecided, but she’s interested in Theatre and Anthropology.

"My favorite Nolte memory is Newsies callbacks in 2019, which my brother Ethan and I both attended. Newsies would be our ninth show together. I hadn’t changed much since 2017, but Ethan had grown from a tiny fifth grader into this talented young man. It was so rewarding to see him singing and acting in front of everybody and to think about how far he’d come. I was so proud of him and I’m so grateful Nolte gave me the chance to experience something like that with my brother."

HANNAH LEDERMAN

Hannah has been dancing for 16 years and been a member of PV Platinum Dance Team for 4 years where she was the captain. She began dancing at Nolte in 2017. Hannah is also Editor in Chief of the yearbook, 3-year Student Council member, and award winning Spartan Shield writer. She is a member of National Honor Society, achieving 4.0+ Academic Excellence, and has been a New York Fashion Week featured dancer as well as a 2-year Rockettes intensive dancer. Hannah would like to thank her parents for investing so much time and encouragement into her dance career. "Without them, I would not have experienced such amazing moments.” Hannah plans to attend the University of Iowa majoring in Public Health and Psychology. She is also very excited to be a member of the Iowa Dance Team!

"My first Affect week was unforgettable. I felt so fortunate to be surrounded by such amazing dancers and soon to be life-long friends. The environment was welcoming and gave me so much excitement for the coming years as to what my future at Nolte would hold. It was the beginning of the best moments in my life!"

sydney sherwood

Sydney Sherwood is graduating from Iowa City West High School this year. She has been dancing since she was three and has been a part of Nolte Academy for four years. She was also a member of Affect for two years. Sydney plans to attend Iowa State University in the fall with an undecided major."

"My whole experience at Nolte Academy has been amazing and my favorite memory has been being apart of the recitals at Hancher."

LAUREN RUDE

Lauren Rude started dancing at Nolte when she was three, but quickly switched to Nolte's singing and acting classes when the opportunity arose. Since starting her theatre training, she's performed in many community and school plays, including five Nolte musicals.

Her favorite Nolte memory is playing Patty in School of Rock and meeting some of her best friends to this day. She also loved watching her sister as Snow Queen in the 2015 Nutcracker! This fall, she plans to major in acting at Boston University with a focus in musical theatre.

KARISSA BURKHARDT

Karissa Burkhardt is graduating from Iowa City West High this year. She has been dancing at Nolte Academy for 12 years and has been a member of Affect for 11 years. She was a four year member of the Iowa All-State Choir, Good Time Company Show Choir (3 years), American Choral Directors National Honor Choirs (3 years), and ISU Honor Choir (3 years). She has also been in many theatre productions including Maria in The Sound of Music, Johanna in Sweeney Todd, and Agnes in She Kills Monsters at West High as well as Newsies and Alice in Wonderland at Nolte Academy and Beauty and the Beast with City Circle. She was on the Theatre Board at West High and was the dance captain for both Theatre West and GTC. She was also named a Youth Salute Leader by Hills Bank and a State of Iowa Scholar. Karissa will attend the University of Iowa in the fall, where she is a recipient of an Iowa Center for the Arts Scholarship and will major in Vocal Performance, Dance, and Theatre Arts.

"I have loved all of my time at Nolte Academy. I knew it was going to be really hard to say goodbye this year, but I could never have dreamed how sad it was going to be to miss our Affect competitions and our last recitals in Hancher. Thank you to Leslie and everyone at Nolte for all of the wonderful memories over the years! I will miss you so much!"

MIA OLSON

Mia Olson is a graduate of West Branch High School. Next year, she will be attending the University of Tampa in Tampa, FL to study marine science-biology. In her 9 years at Nolte, she participated in the annual recitals, musicals, spring ballet, The Nutcracker, and Affect Dance Company.

Her favorite Nolte memories include hanging out during Nutcracker Tech week and Affect competitions. She would like to thank her teachers and friends for creating the Nolte family!

Elise Lanternier

Elise Lanternier is a City High School graduate and has danced with Nolte for over 15 years. She is more than happy to have been a part of the community here at Nolte and will continue to perform thanks to her years of dancing experience! She will be attending the University of California, Irvine, to double major in Drama and Psychology.

Her favorite Nolte memory is every moment right before the Englert theater curtain went up at the very beginning of Nutcracker performances. Lastly, Elise would like to thank every single person who shaped her life in the process, especially her father.

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2020 nolte grads

dancing through the decades

monday: 50s

TUESDAY: 60s

WEDNESDAY: 70s

THURSDAY: 80s

FRIDAY: 90s

SATURDAY: futuristic

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