Meet Our Board & Staff
Charlene White
Executive Director
Charlene lives in Helena, and has been proudly serving as Executive Director of the Montana Dance Arts Association since 2011 and has been a MDAA member since 1985.
MDAA board members are all volunteers keeping our organization alive, making sure our non-profit pursues its mission, focuses on student education and scholarship, and runs our workshops non-stop all weekend. We do this with the support of our Executive Director.
President
Jordan Dehline Burt
Jordan lives in Missoula, teaches dance both in the studio and integrated with the K-5 core curriculum, and is the co-author of the textbook "Dance Integration: 36 Dance Lesson Plans for Science and Mathematics."
Leigh Schanfein
Secretary
Leigh Schanfein lives in Billings, danced professionally in NYC, was a dance science researcher, and teaches at the School of Classical Ballet in Billings, where she co-directs Billings Ballet Company.
Diadra Goldes
Treasurer
Diadra lives in Helena, and, with a background in competitive dance, she has focused her career on dance education, predominantly using Brain-Compatible Dance Education.
Darby Rubino
Member at Large
Darby lives in Great Falls, where she teaches Ballet, Modern, and Jazz
Barbara Otey
Member at Large
Barbara lives in Kalispell, her degree is in Integrative Physiology and Health Sciences, and she has taught at schools across Montana.
Member at Large
Ricki Feeley
Ricki lives in Billings, where she founded the city's first student and professional modern dance companies.