Instructors
Jessica McCully - Owner
Jessica established Contemporary Dance Studio in 2009 and is the owner/director. Since then, she has taught thousands of dancers and transformed CDS into a top-notch, award winning studio offering several styles of dance as well as a certification in Acrobatic Arts.
Jessica received her early dance training from Siouxland Movement Arts Center. She danced with Siouxland Civic Dance Association, performing in numerous ballets including leading roles in the Nutcracker and Coppelia. Jessica was captain of the Sioux City West High dance squad leading the team to numerous State and National titles. She won the State Solo Championship Title for the ISDTA, large school division in 2001.
Jessica graduated from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Studies. In Las Vegas she performed in various productions including “Shag with a Twist” and “The Record Shop”. She also appeared in numerous stage productions at the University of Nevada. After graduation in 2001 Jessica performed professionally as a principal dancer with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
She began her teaching career in Las Vegas at the prestigious Gymcats Academy and has been teaching in Iowa for over 15 years. She was the director and choreographer for the Iowa Barnstormers arena football team in Des Moines. She has choreographed for the Morningside College dance team, and for musicals and dance concerts in the Siouxland area. Jessica’s students and choreography have won numerous awards and top honors in regional and national competitions throughout the years. Her students have been accepted into college dance programs as well as into the Joffrey Ballet School Trainee program.
Jessica is the Founder and Artistic Director for Flux Dance Company. Her mission is to expand the reach of dance as a performing art for youth in the Siouxland Tri-State area. Through Flux, Jessica is able to mentor to dancers to gain a strong foundation in dance and prepare for professional-level study and performance beyond Siouxland. Jessica created Flux-Ability, a community service project administered through Flux Dance Company, to provide dance lessons and performance opportunities for children with special needs. Through Flux Dance Company Jessica has been able to bring talent from across the country into Sioux City to hold master classes and workshops here. Some of the highly acclaimed and nationally known artists and teachers she has hosted include: Tracie Stanfield, Matthew Shaffer, Yusha Sorzano, Matthew Prescott, Nikki Snelson, Chelsea Hightower, and many more.
Recently, Jessica has partnered with Tracie Stanfield of New York’s Broadway Dance Center & Steps for several projects including “Mainstage Dance Convention Competition" and “United by Dance”.
Jessica was chosen as a “Top ten under 40 winner” for Siouxland Magazine’s 2018 Edition.
Molli Ruth
Molli joined Contemporary Dance Studio in 2012 and teaches hip hop, tap, jazz, ballet, children’s combo classes, and acro.
Molli began dancing at age 2, training in a variety of dance styles at Siouxland Movement Arts Center. She has danced in New York and Chicago, taking classes and workshops from master teachers, including Gus Giordano, Lisa Eardley, Joe Tremaine, and Ray Leaper.
Her performance credits include leading roles in Cinderella, The Nutcracker and La Fille Mal Gardee and supporting roles in Coppella, Cats, The Sound of Music and Les Miserables.
She was also a member of the Morningside College dance team. Molli has taught dance at Heart & Soul Studio and at Siouxland Movement Arts Center.
She has a passion for working with children and holds a degree in Elementary and Special Education with a minor in Dance from Morningside College.
Jackie Dailey
Jackie joined Contemporary Dance Studio in 2014 and teaches children’s combo classes. Jackie began dance at age 3 with Jim Christenson at Sioux City Music and Dance, where she continued to study ballet, tap, jazz and pointe for several years. Upon Jim’s retirement, she continued her dance education with her mother (Jameley Levich) at “the dance studio”.
Jackie has attended master classes in Sioux City, Omaha, and Chicago. While attending the University of Iowa, she took university classes in classical ballet, modern, tap, and jazz. Jackie received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa and her elementary education licensing through Briar Cliff University.
Her full time job is being a mommy to her two little girls. Since the opening of Contemporary Dance Studio in 2009, Jackie has continued her training in the adult technique class, instructed by Jessica McCully and Alexis Pangborn.
Haley Jo Behrens
Haley Jo joined CDS in 2016, she teaches hip hop and children’s combo classes.
Haley began dancing at age 2 and received her training from Meghan Osterman’s Dance and Jen’s Dance Studio in Sibley, Iowa as well as S.W.A.G.S gymnastics academy located in Worthington, Minnesota. She continued her training in Sioux City, Iowa from Sandy keane’s School of Dance and Rising Stars DAnce.
She was captain of both the North High Dance Squad and Color Guard Team, leading the teams to numerous State and National titles. haley won the State, Regional, and National Solo title for Iowa State Drill Team Association in 2013. She has carried her leadership beyond high school with Morningside College Dance TEam, leading the team in achieving numerous State and National titles as well.
Haley graduated in 2019 from Morningside College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and Dance. She has performed with the Moscow Ballet and danced throughout Sioux City with multiple performance groups, including concerts for Jill Miller and holiday services for Sunnybrook Church.
Miss Behrens has been teaching and choreographing dance and color guard since 2008. With her choreography and instruction, several high school and college dance and color guard teams have received State, Regional, and National title.
Haley not only enjoys sharing her love for dance, but also loves working with animals. She is the Office Manager at Pawsitive Pet Services, which allows her to manage the business and take care of pets!
Campbell Black
Elizabeth DePriest
Rylee Eyres - Substitute
Rylee began her internship at Contemporary Dance Studio in 2021. She began taking tap lessons at Dianne’s Dance in 2009. In 2012, she transferred to Contemporary Dance Studio. She has studied and is proficient in ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip hop, and pointe.
Rylee was part of the CDS Expressions Team from 2014-2016. She has worked with many choreographers including Tracie Stanfield of New York’s Synthesis Dance Company. She has also been to many conventions including Mainstage Competition Convention and Nuvo Dance Convention.
Rylee is a principal dancer with Flux Dance Company. She has been part of Flux since 2018. She has danced in countless performances throughout the community. She has also been in several of Flux’s concert pieces. She has been a volunteer for Flux-Ability since 2017 where she has helped teach dancers with special needs.
Rylee has been a teachers assistant since 2017. As a teacher’s assistant, she has helped teach an array of styles including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and modern.
Rylee graduated from Lawton-Bronson High School where she was a member of the dance team and student council. She is now attending USD and is a member of the USD Dance Team.
Micsha Gleiser - Substitute
Micsha began her internship at Contemporary Dance Studio in 2023. She began taking dance lessons at CDS in 2013 where she has studied and is proficient in ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip hop and pointe.
Micsha has performed and worked with nationally known choreographers including Tracie Stanfield of New York. She has attended numerous workshops and conventions throughout the area including Mainstage and Nuvo Dance Convention. She has been a member of the CDS Competition Team since 2014.
Micsha enjoys working with youth and has been a teacher’s assistant at CDS for four years where she has assisted younger children in classes including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and modern. She also works with children teaching golf lessons at the First Tee (Youth Development Organization) of Siouxland.
Micsha is currently a senior at North High School where she is a member of the North High Dance Team, a member of the north high gilr’s golf team and a member of the norht high M.V.P. program.
Micsha attends college at Morningside with major in Elementary Education and she is a member of the Morningside Dance Team.
