Executive Director - Keally Lilly

 Keally Lilly - Executive Director: Keally Lilly previously owned and operated Miss Keally’s Dance Studio from 1997-2006. Wanting to offer a state of the art school and the best of dance to young children and adults, Keally opened STDC in the fall of 2006 and expanded to 4,000 square feet in 20007. Keally continues her dance education by attending teacher seminars and dance conferences all over the U.S.

To contact Keally, please feel free to e-mail

Director of Ballet - Barbara Coffman

 Barbara Coffman- Director of Ballet at STDC started her early training of Ballet at the age of 3 at Lee Weatherby School of Ballet in Mobile Alabama.  Later training continued with Kathy Gamble and Reginald Denney both in New Orleans, LA area.  Mrs. Gamble and Mr. Denney both studied under Leila Halleir.  Ms. Barbara also trained at the New Orleans Ballet School and danced with the New Orleans Ballet under the direction of Harvey Hysell and Diane Carney.  At the New Orleans Ballet she studied with Mary Monroe.  Ms. Monroe danced with the Royal Ballet in her youth.  Ms. Barbara has been teaching for 18 years in various schools in the New Orleans area and opened her own private studio before moving to Tulsa, OK.  In 2005 after arriving in Tulsa with her Husband and 6 children, she started teaching at Tulsa Ballet School of Education and various local dance schools but has since focused all her attention at STDC.

To contact Barbara, please feel free to e-mail

Hilary Berquist

 Hilary Berquist - has recently moved to Tulsa from Sartell, MN.  She danced competitively for 14 years at St. Cloud School of Dance in Minnesota where she was trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, and hip hop.  She was active in her high school choreographing for the Sartell Sabre Dance Team and numerous musical productions including Brigadoon and Cinderella.  After high school, she remained active in choreographing for her high school and local church productions.  She continued her dance education at St. Cloud State University where she studied ballet and modern while also teaching at Premiere Dance Studio in Minnesota.  Hilary has very much enjoyed being at part of STDC.

Gretchen Ponio

 Gretchen Ponio- has danced since the age of 6, she spent most of her free time at the Patti Parrish School of Dance in Sapulpa, OK taking ballet, tap, jazz and pointe.  Competing in pageants and numerous dance competitions throughout school, she became Miss Dance os Oklahoma in 1988.  Throughout college at the University of Oklahoma, she choreographed for the Miss OU Pageant and other dance productions.  Since then, she has continued with her love of dance by taking ballet and teaching others.

Amber Waid

Amber Waid began her dance training in Evansville, Indiana at The Hodgini School of Dance, which was owned and operated by the Hodgini Circus family. After several years of training and performing various styles of dance with the Hodgini family, she joined a ballet-based company, where she danced multiple roles, including: Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Cygnets in Swan Lake, Spanish and Arabian in The Nutcracker, and various other roles. After 7 years with the company, Amber attended college, where she studied dance at Ball State University and The University of Alabama. Additionally, Amber has performed in and choreographed for productions of The Princess and the Pea, Oklahoma and The Wiz. She is a former cheerleader and college dance team member, and has been teaching and choreographing for the past 14 years.

Mary Casey

Mary Casey received her formal dance training from Tulsa Ballet founder, Moscelyne Larkin. As a student, Ms. Casey began performing with Tulsa Opera’s dance ensemble and Tulsa Ballet’s pre- professional program. Upon graduation, Ms. Casey studied with Dance Theater of Harlem in New York City under the direction of Arthur Mitchell. Ms. Casey was named an apprentice with Urban Ballet Theater in 2003 and was promoted to soloist shortly after under the artistic direction of Daniel Catanach. While touring with UBT she developed her pedagogy by offering master classes in various cities across the country. Ms. Casey received sponsorship from Capezio and has appeared in Dance Spirit and Dance Teacher Magazine. She joined the faculty of Henry Street Settlement- Abrons Arts Center as an Instructor/ Choreographer from 2004-2007. Ms. Casey returned to Tulsa in 2008 to pursue a degree in Nutritional Sciences. She looks forward to sharing her love, knowledge and appreciation for ballet with Owasso and South Tulsa Dance Company.

Lisa Rutledge

A former Miss Owasso, Lisa Rutledge joins the Owasso Dance Company Staff with 20 years of dance and performance experience.Lisa has held the titles of Miss Owasso, Miss Collinsville and is currently Miss Green Country 2008. Lisa has won numerous talent awards while competing in the Miss Oklahoma Scholarship Organization as well as receiving over $12,000 in scholarships to continue her education. Lisa has trained in Emporia, KS for the past nine years under the instruction of Kari Kohls-Bruch at Kari’s Dance Academy. Lisa is a member of the award winning Starfire Dance Company. Lisa’s talents have been recognized at numerous national dance competitions and conventions where she has received scholarships to train at Millennium Dance Complex in Los Angeles, CA and Broadway Dance Center in New York City.Lisa has had to opportunity to travel all across the United States and Europe - training, teaching and performing. Lisa graduated from Owasso High School in 2003 and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from Oklahoma State University in 2006. Lisa is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Business Administration.Lisa is excited to join the staff at ODC and to be teaching and sharing her love of dance with her hometown!

Leslie Rutledge

Leslie Rutledge was born and raised in Owasso, Oklahoma. Leslie is a 2002 graduate of Owasso High School. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Marketing from Northeastern State University. For the past nine years Leslie has trained with Kari Kohls-Bruch in Emporia, KS where she is a member of the nationally reconigized Starfire Dance Company.Leslie was a featured performed at Tanzsommer, the international festival of dance, traveling through Germany, Austria and Italy. She has starred in regional productions of Wizard of Oz, Aladdin, Little Mermaid and Cinderella.Leslie also travels the country as an apprentice for Company Dance, one of the country’s most popular dance competitions and conventions – featuring a staff boosting some of the most recognizable and influential names in dance today. She has also received numerous national awards and scholarships including Performer of the Year for Odyssey Dance Competitions, L.A. Agent award winner at Starlight Dance Productions.Leslie is currently continuing to train, teach and choreograph at studios around the country. Leslie is very excited to be teaching back in her hometown.

Coming Soon:

Arielle McKenna
Anabel Gray
Leonard Richardson