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Alexa Olson
Alexa Olson
Alexa is in her fourth year of directing at Vandegrift High School and her seventh year as a dedicated dance educator. A proud alumna of Kilgore College, she served as the Left End Lieutenant for the world-famous Kilgore College Rangerettes, where she performed on prestigious stages including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, the 75th Anniversary Commemoration of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, and eleven consecutive performances at the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland.
Following her time at Kilgore, Alexa continued her education at Texas A&M University, where she studied dance as part of the TAMU Dance Department. She graduated in May 2020 with a degree in University Studies, concentrating in Dance with minors in Psychology and Leadership.
In addition to her work in the classroom, Alexa is on staff with Encore Creative Productions, where she choreographs, develops leadership curriculum, and trains dancers across Texas. She also returns annually to New York City with Spirit of America Productions to support the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and serves as a Cotton Bowl Pageantry staff member, working with spirit groups from across the nation at AT&T Stadium.
Prior to joining Vandegrift High School, Alexa was the Head Dance Director at Four Points Middle School for three years. She remains actively involved in the dance community as a member of the Kilgore Rangerettes Forever Foundation where she currently serves as the lead for communications and social media.
Alexa is incredibly grateful to be part of the Vandegrift Dance Department and looks forward to continuing to inspire and grow alongside her students for years to come.
CONTACT MRS. OLSON
Alexa.Blair@leanderisd.org
Haley Hollingsworth
Haley Hollingsworth
Haley Hollingsworth is originally from Grapevine, Texas, and has been passionate about dance from a young age. A competitive studio dancer for 15 years, she trained extensively in ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, tap, hip hop, high kick, and pom. Haley graduated from Colleyville Heritage High School, where she served as First Lieutenant of the Premier Panteras Dance Team.
She went on to attend the The University of Texas at Austin, earning her degree in K–12 Dance Education. While at UT, Haley performed as a member of the prestigious University of Texas Pom Squad, participated in the UT Dance Department, and was an active member of Dance Action, a student-run dance organization on campus.
In addition to her collegiate experiences, Haley taught at Lone Star Dance and Synergy Dance Studios and has served as a guest choreographer for numerous middle school and high school dance teams throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth and Austin areas.
For the past three years, Haley has served as the Head Dance Director of the Four Points Middle School Majestics, where she has cherished the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with students and become an active part of the Four Points community. Haley is excited and honored to join the talented Vandegrift HS Legacies!
CONTACT MS. HOLLINGSWORTH
Haley.Hollingsworth@leanderisd.org
Katie Hopkins
Katie Hopkins
Katie Hopkins is a modern dancer, teacher, and choreographer who currently resides in Austin, TX. Specializing in movement, Katie has worked with many marching band and color guard programs around the country. Since moving to Texas in 2016, she has served as a choreographer and instructor for Claudia Taylor Johnson High School, Cedar Ridge High School, Westlake High School, and more. She is currently on staff with the 2018 DCI World Champion Santa Clara Vanguard where she choreographs and is responsible for the color guard movement program. Katie’s drum corps career began in 2006 when she was a member of the Cadets color guard for four years. She then went on to teach and choreograph for the Cadets from 2010 to 2017.
Originally from Arlington Heights, Illinois, Katie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from Columbia College Chicago with a concentration in teaching and performance, and a minor in Arts, Entertainment and Media Management. She has been an artist with multimedia dance company, ARCOS (Austin, TX) since its founding in 2011, touring extensively in the US and UK, and assisting the directors on choreographic commissions and teaching professional classes.
CONTACT MISS HOPKINS:
Katie.Hopkins@leanderisd.org
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