Staff & Board
Executive Director – Katie Cook
Executive Director, Katie Cook, is a Southeast Minnesota based choreographer, director, instructor and dancer. A passionate arts educator for the past 20 years, she has worked with groups such as the Rochester Civic Theatre, Rochester Repertory Theatre, Allegro School of Dance and Music, Honors Choirs of SE MN, Rochester Chamber Music Society, Rochester Symphony Orchestra and Chorale and various other schools and youth programs. In 2021, she formed Rochester Ensemble of Dance (RED) as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and has since directed RED’s original productions of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Polar Express.
A native of Rochester, MN, Katie holds her degree in dance from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, and received additional training from Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, Mark Morris Dance Group (NYC), Sydney Dance Company (Australia), Zenon Dance Company (Minneapolis) and Lisa Howell’s Perfect Form Physiotherapy. Outside of the arts, her favorite roles include wife to Russ and mom to Evy, Norah and Ben.
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!
Secretary – 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 has served in various roles with RED since 2023.
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 staying active outdoors, enjoying a book at a local coffee shops, and working on one of her many craft hobbies
Founding Board Members: Amanda Moder and Laura Watkins
