Our Staff
Our instructors are all about putting focus on bringing your family our best in dance education.
With tons of experience and continuing education in all areas of dance and wellness we're proud of the team we offer. As you get to know us you'll quickly see that our dedication and creativity works to our advantage in bringing you the best dance experience in the area.
Meet our instructors
Melissa Hottenstein
Studio Director
Melissa graduated magna cum laude from Muhlenberg College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance and Psychology. She was accepted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society as well as Psi Chi psychology honor society. Melissa began her dance training at the age of 4 in Montoursville and Williamsport, PA before receiving her degree at Muhlenberg. She was awarded a dance scholarship for all four years at the college and performed in faculty and student choreographed concerts during her time at Muhlenberg. Melissa opened the Endless Mountains Dance Center in September of 2003 and has now directed 20 recitals as well as 10 student choreographed shows. She continues her dance education by taking classes and teacher training conferences in NYC as well as classes through the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO), for which she holds a membership. Most recently, Melissa was the recipient of the Choreography Award at Dancers Inc. Competition in Harrisburg, PA in March 2023 for her choreography to Bohemian Rhapsody.
Rachel Finogle
Instructor
Rachel began to dance at Endless Mountains Dance Center at the age of 14. She has studied several styles of dance including Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Pointe, Lyrical, Modern and Musical Theater. After graduating high school in 2009, she began teaching at the studio while attending Mansfield University to complete her BA in Elementary and Special Education. She is currently teaching at Towanda Area School District. Rachel has continued her dance education by attending dance conventions such as The Pulse and Dance Teacher Summit, as well as attending classes at Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center in New York City.
Emily Soden
Instructor
Emily started taking dance classes at the age of seven. Competitive dancing quickly became an important part of her life and she continued to dance until graduating high school. After attaining a degree from Mansfield University in Nutrition and Dietetics, she began working for Maternal and Family Health Services. In 2007 she started teaching dance classes with Melissa at EMDC. She continues her dance education by regularly attending dance conventions, taking classes, and studying various forms of dance.
Casmirra Ruhf
Marketing Manager and Instructor
Cassie began teaching at EMDC in 2016. A Wyalusing graduate with 20 years of dance training through the Wendy Peckins School of Dance in Tunkhannock, she has extensive experience with competition performance as well as community shows and annual recitals. She's worked for over 12 years with dancers of all ages focusing mainly on the classics: tap, jazz and ballet. Cassie holds membership with the National Dance Education Organization and has studied under many greats including Sue Samuels, Donna Flagg, and Jessica Epting. Miss Cassie also co-directed EMDC’s production of The Nutcracker in 2022.
Ashlynn Beckwith
Instructor
Ashlynn joined the EMDC staff in 2017. Ashlynn is a 2017 graduate from Northeast Bradford High School. She has been a dancer under Melissa since 1st grade. During the 2016-2017 dance year, Melissa had the pleasure of training Ashlynn to become a dance teacher and choreographer. Ashlynn is working towards her certification with National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) by taking dance courses through this organization. She also holds an Associates degree in child development and is finishing up her Bachelors degree in psychology. Ashlynn is also currently the director of a child care center. Miss Ashlynn co-directed EMDC’s production of The Nutcracker in 2021 and 2022.
Lillian Frisbie
Instructor
Lillian was a dancer at Endless Mountains Dance Center for 11 years, and was part of the competition team for 4. While competing, Lillian received the Encore Extreme Dance Scholarship, as well as being a part of many award winning dances. Lillian graduated from high school in May of 2019, and joined the staff here at EMDC that fall. She currently is working towards her certification with National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) by taking dance courses through this organization and is pursuing her degree in Business Administration. Lillian also received her Acro certification in 2021 which allows her to teach Acro classes at EMDC.
Alexandra Smith
Instructor
Alex began teaching at EMDC in 2021. She graduated magna cum laude from SUNY Cobleskill with a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology and a minor in Management. Alex began her dance journey when she was eight years old at the Endless Mountains Dance Center and danced at the studio until she graduated from high school. She is currently employed at Jimmy’s Park Hotel and Bar as a server/bartender.
Sarah Merritt
Instructor
Sarah joined the EMDC staff in 2021. She graduated magna cum laude from Cedar Crest College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance. She was accepted into the Nu Delta Alpha dance honor society. Sarah began her dance training at the age of 5 in Tunkhannock, PA before receiving her degree at Cedar Crest. She was awarded a dance scholarship for all four years at the college and performed in faculty and student choreographed concerts during her time at Cedar Crest. Sarah has received her Master of Education degree in Elementary Education and is currently teaching at St. Agnes Elementary School in Towanda. Sarah is also a certified yoga instructor.