Jon Hamilton – Founder / Dance Director / Dance Instructor / Choreographer
Cassie Hamilton began dancing and participating in fundraising activities at a very young age, but it was much later in life that she gained a deeper passion and appreciation for the art of partnership dance. A native Tulsan who earned both bachelors and masters degrees in Math Education from Northeastern State University, Cassie Hamilton found a new love of numbers when she connected mathematics to dance. She admits, however, that if it weren’t for her husband, Jon, she may have left dancing long ago.
Now, Cassie feels blessed to be able to express the many passions in her life through dance. Her love of family, people, music, expression, numbers, and art are all at the heart of her passion for dancing. “The geometric design left on the floor by dancers is a beautiful work of art,” she says.
Cassie has gained a testimony of the importance of Fine Arts in education and expresses a passion for relating mathematics throughout all disciplines. After school elementary school programs, high school courses, community classes and improv classroom lessons have all been a part of her dance instruction. Cassie maintains her certification from the State of Oklahoma for both math and dance instruction for grades Pre-K – 12. She currently teaches 6th grade math for Bixby Public Schools and dance for all ages at Allstar Ballroom Dance. Cassie and Jon have been married for 19 years and have 4 children.
Linda McCutchen-Keller – Dance Instructor
Dan & Trisha Zielinski – Dance Instructor / Choreographers
Trisha began dancing when she was 6 and has never stopped loving it. In high school, she had her first experience with ballroom on a competitive ballroom formation team. She went on to become a member of the Ricks College Ballroom Dance Team. She has competed at the college level and has received many awards in both the formation and individual categories. She has been the choreographer for both high school ballroom teams and show choirs. In addtion, she has taught ballroom to multiple youth and adult groups. At times, securing a willing ballroom partner has proved challenging, so Trisha has also been a member and instructor of multiple ladies’ tap dancing groups across the nation and in England. Trisha is married to her favorite dance partner, Daniel Zielinski, who is also an experienced dance instructor and theatre choreographer. He has a minor in dance from Bowling Green State University and taught for 3 years at a private studio in Pennsylvania. You will often see them teaching together. Trisha loves drowning herself in well written literature, old musicals with happy endings, laughing and learning with with her four children, and taking long naps. She dreams of one day having a beautiful garden and sharing her passion for reading as a reading specialist. To this end she is currently working on her master’s degree in reading at NSU. Above all, her passion is dance. She has personal experience with the healing that comes through ballroom dancing, and it is her joy to share this passion with others.