Staff & Board
Current Executive Director – Katie Cook
Rochester native Katie Cook is a SE Minnesota based choreographer, dancer, dance instructor and director. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point dance department and received additional dance and teacher training from the Sydney Dance Company (Australia), Mark Morris Dance Group (New York), CNADM (Chicago), Zenon Dance Company and School (Minneapolis) and Lisa Howell’s Perfect Form Physiotherapy.
Most recently, Katie completed her 16th year of teaching at Allegro School of Dance and Music. She has performed and choreographed locally for the Rochester Civic Theatre, Honors Choirs of SE Minnesota, Rochester Chamber Music Society, Rochester Symphony Orchestra and Chorale, Children’s Dance Theatre, Tonic Sol Fa, and various other schools and youth programs. In addition to the launch of RED, her next creative endeavor is titled Stronger Together, an original dance production coming in November 2021, featuring Interactive Immersive 3D Media by Kevin Dobbe (This activity is made possible through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council in cooperation with a private foundation). Register for Stronger Together!
Outside of the arts, Katie’s favorite roles include wife to Russ and mom to Evy, Norah and Ben. She enjoys traveling with her family and working as a professional organizer with the Rescued Room.
Current Treasurer – Danielle Anderson
Danielle began dancing at age 3 and quickly discovered that classical ballet was her passion! Growing up
in Rochester provided Danielle with opportunities study ballet and to perform. Some of her favorite
roles were Sugar Plum Fairy in Allegro’s Nutcracker and Belle in Children’s Dance Theater’s Beauty and
the Beast. Danielle also spent summers at ballet intensive programs with Milwaukee Ballet, Central
Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Sarasota Ballet School in Florida. This gave her a wonderful foundation
which she shares with aspiring dancers as a classical ballet instructor. Danielle has been teaching ballet
and pointe for over 20 years.
Danielle attended the University of WI La Crosse and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology
along with a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Augsburg College. In addition to working
full time with the Mayo Clinic Health System laboratories, Danielle teaches Sunday School and
volunteers at her church. In her free time, Danielle enjoys spending time with family, renovating her
house, reading, traveling, and dancing, of course!
Current Secretary – Amanda Ruggeri
Rochester native Mandy Ruggeri has been involved in the local fine arts community for nearly 4 decades. Her passion for theatre and dance began in her youth, with involvement in the Masque Youth Theatre, Children’s Dance Theatre, Janet Lang Dance Studio and the Rochester Civic Theatre. After living in Australia for many years, Mandy returned to Rochester in 2010. She has coached Mayo Spirits Fall Performance dance team, formed the Longfellow Elementary Hip Hop Club, was a featured dance professional for Dancing for the Arts (Takes I-III), Style on the Plaza, RED’s Uplift! and has performed numerous stage roles with area theatres (including Grace Farrell in Annie, M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias andChelsea in On Golden Pond). Mandy is also a professional actress in local commercials and the movie Seed of Doubt, filmed in Rochester in 2018. She currently co-coaches the Poetry Out Loud recitation competition class.
Outside of the arts, Mandy works for RPS Community Education, where she manages the office of Early Childhood Family Services. She believes in the power of performance as a teaching tool and outlet for creative expression and she’s so happy to be able to give back to Rochester youth by serving on the RED Board. She loves to go adventuring with her three children, cuddle her dog and three cats, putter around in her garden and cook up new recipes for her partner.
Current Board Member – Sara Holmes
Sara Holmes was born and raised in Rochester and is delighted to be back in town and reconnecting with the greater Rochester dance community. Sara’s dance career began at Dance Connection and continued with Children’s Dance Theater and at Allegro School of Dance and Music. With the support of passionate teachers and choreographers, Sara developed a love of performing and the arts—performing in Allegro’s holiday productions, singing in Honors Choirs of SE MN for 6 years, and serving as the choreographer and liturgical dancer for Zumbro Lutheran Church for over a decade.
Sara is a passionate educator and teaches math at the Rochester Alternative Learning Center. She values building and embracing inclusive community. When she is not teaching, Sara can be found coaching the Rochester Nordic Ski Team, staying active outdoors, or working on one of her many crafting hobbies.
Founding Board Member – Amanda Moder
Photo credit: “Kylie Hope Photography”
Founding Board Member – Laura Watkins
Rochester Ensemble of Dance 