Ali Morrissey
Dance Director
Ali Morrissey is the Director of Dance at VDT and an Eden Prairie, Minnesota native with more than 17 years of studio teaching experience. At VDT, Ali teaches Jazz Technique, Lyrical, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Specialty Groups, and Specialty Routines, bringing her extensive experience as a dancer, coach, choreographer, and educator into every class.
Ali grew up training at Dyan’s World of Dance in tap, jazz, lyrical, ballet, and musical theatre. She continued her training as a member of the Eden Prairie Dance Team throughout high school, where she was twice selected as an MADT All-State Jazz dancer and received the Wells Fargo All-State Jazz Award.
Her professional dance career includes three seasons as a Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader and four seasons as a dancer and choreographer with Crash Dance Productions. Ali also spent 13 years coaching high school dance team and has built an accomplished career as a competitive dance choreographer. Her work has earned more than 30 choreography awards, two Choreographer of the Year Awards, and five Grand Championships.
One of Ali’s most memorable performance experiences was taking the stage alongside The Beach Boys and John Stamos for the annual Veteran’s Christmas Show at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
While Lyrical and Musical Theatre were her favorite classes growing up, today Ali especially loves teaching Contemporary and Open. Her go-to coffee order is either an iced Americano with light ice or an iced chai latte with almond milk and light ice.
Ali brings a passion for growth, versatility, and continued learning to VDT, guided by one of her favorite reminders:
“Feedback is a gift!”
Hannah Morrissey
Theater Director, Recreational
Hannah grew up dancing competitively at Dyan's World of Dance. She performed in shows at avarious theater companies such as Children's, Stages, Stepping Stone, Fringe Festival, EPHS, Normandale, and CVFT. Hannah helped direct/choreograph/write/tech work for various theater productions at Stages, MMW, Chaska High School, Stepping Stone, and Artistry.
Hannah has been at Velocity since 2014. She helped form an improv group at Stepping Stone, helped write a show about bullying at EPHS that got other schools interested in producing their own productions, and is currently in the middle of trying to publish some plays that she has written over the years. Hannah teaches the theater styles including musical theater, acting, competitive monologue, and scene.
Hannah enjoys painting, baking, gardening, film and photography. "If you aren't seeing anything inspiring, you're walking too fast".
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Sylvia Chandler
Ballet, Floor Barre and Yin Yoga
Sylvia Chandler is originally from Germany and brings decades of classical training, professional performance experience, and dance education to VDT. At the studio, Sylvia teaches Ballet Technique and occasionally Yin Yoga, sharing her passion for movement, artistry, and the foundations of classical ballet with her students.
Sylvia grew up training in classical ballet in Germany, with favorite classes including Classical Ballet, Character Dance, and the Graham and Horton techniques of modern dance. She continued her education as a Dance Education major at two performing arts schools in Germany, graduating with a State Diploma in Dance Pedagogy, equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in the United States.
Her training eventually brought her to New York City, where she continued studying at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater before joining Continental Ballet Company in Minneapolis. Sylvia has been teaching and performing throughout the Twin Cities metro area since 1999.
While Sylvia’s primary focus is teaching Ballet Technique rather than competition choreography, her love of dance extends far beyond the studio. A self-proclaimed Dance History nerd, she also studied Philosophy which are two interests that reflect her appreciation for both the physical and intellectual sides of the art form.
Her coffee order depends on which side of the Atlantic she’s on: a cappuccino in Europe and a green tea matcha latte in the U.S.
Two quotes capture Sylvia’s approach to dance and movement:
“Every movement is a thought made visible.” by Peter Deunov
“Dance is of all the arts the one that most moves the Soul.” by Plato
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Dorian "Dori" Meifert
Tap & Musical Theater
Dorian “Dori” Meifert is an Edina, Minnesota native with a lifelong love for dance and theatre. Growing up as a competitive dancer from ages 3 to 18, Dori found her passion for tap early on. She went on to study Theatre in college with a minor in Dance and continues to perform professionally throughout the Twin Cities.
At VDT, Dori teaches Tap and Musical Theatre, bringing her professional performance experience and love of storytelling into the classroom. Outside of teaching and her full-time career, she remains heavily involved in the Twin Cities theatre community and has performed with renowned companies including the Guthrie Theater, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Lyric Arts, and Theater Latté Da.
Dori’s favorite style to both take and teach has always been tap, and her choreography has been recognized with a choreography award for “Fabulous Feet,” a Teen Tap routine.
When she’s not teaching or performing, you can probably find Dori with her go-to coffee order: two shots of espresso over ice with a pump of white mocha and salted foam!
Her favorite quote is: “If it’s meant to be, it will be. And if it’s not, it makes me available for what I’m supposed to be doing!”
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Cayman (Fasching) Nastrom
Contemporary, Strength & Conditioning, Specialty Routines
Cayman (Fasching) Nastrom is a Chanhassen, Minnesota native whose connection to VDT goes all the way back to the studio’s beginning. At VDT, Cayman teaches Contemporary, Strength & Conditioning, and Specialty Routines, with Contemporary holding a special place as both one of her favorite styles to take and teach.
Cayman began her dance training at Chanhassen Dance and Performing Arts before finishing her studio career at Velocity when the studio first opened. Throughout her studio years, she also competed on both the fall and winter dance teams at Chanhassen High School.
After high school, Cayman continued her dance career as a member of the nationally ranked University of Minnesota Duluth Dance Team. She performed at community events including Grandma’s Marathon and UMD football games and competed with the team at UDA College Nationals in Orlando, where they earned the program’s first national titles in the Open division.
Cayman began teaching and coaching as a college freshman and went on to coach the Chaska High School Dance Team for eight seasons. Now entering her 11th season teaching and choreographing at Velocity, her journey has come full circle from being one of VDT’s first students to helping shape the next generation of dancers.
Throughout the past 10 years, Cayman has co-choreographed Velocity’s large group Contemporary routines, which have consistently received choreography recognition each season. She also choreographed the winning Miss Dance Team Minnesota performance for her sister, Jordan, during her senior year.
Outside of the studio, Cayman is a chiropractor who specializes in working with dancers, allowing her love for dance to play a role in both her personal and professional life. She’s also an avid traveler who has lived abroad in Australia and Costa Rica, got engaged in Italy, and returned to Australia for her honeymoon.
Her studio essentials include an iced caramel macchiato with oat milk and either Reese’s or Airheads Bites, depending on whether she’s craving chocolate or something sour.
Above all, Cayman wants her students to remember to never lose the joy of being a dancer. While competition results, awards, and accomplishments are exciting, she believes the memories, friendships, and love of dance are what stay with you forever. Her goal is not only to train great dancers, but to help develop exceptional human beings and getting to play a small part in that journey is one of her greatest joys.
Kara Krosschell
Contemporary, Jazz, Musical Theater, Hip-hop
Headshot & Bio Coming Soon!
Jordan "Jordla" LaCroix
Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-hop, Strength & Conditioning, Specialty Routines
Jordan “Jordla” LaCroix is originally from Bethpage, New York, and brings her East Coast dance background and love for performance, creativity, and storytelling to VDT. At the studio, Jordan teaches Jazz, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Strength & Conditioning, and Technique while also supporting studio administration and managing VDT’s social media and content.
Jordan grew up training and competing at several studios across Long Island before finishing her competitive dance career at MB Dancers, where she trained under Maria Biase, Theresa Stone, and Brit Hay. She also attended the Long Island High School of the Arts as a Dance Major. While in high school, Jordla has the opportunity to perform in an NYU Tische Student ballet piece exploring women’s lives in the 1950s.
After earning her degree in Marketing, Jordan returned home to Long Island and began teaching and choreographing at JD Dance Studio. She remained there until making the move to Minnesota in the summer of 2026 and joining the VDT family.
While Jazz and Tap were her favorite styles growing up, Jordan especially loves teaching Hip-Hop and Lyrical. Her choreography has received several honors, including Best in Hip-Hop at Journey Dance Competition Nationals 2025 for “Is Mom On Aux?”, the True Talent Triton Award for Highest Scoring 13 & Up Routine for “Jet Set,” and Unleashed Passion for “Baddie Alert.”
Outside of dance, Jordan is a certified Level 1 Lagree Instructor and has been a vegetarian for more than 15 years. Her essentials? An iced brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso, Pretzel Goldfish, and SweeTARTS Ropes.
Her favorite quote, from Misty Copeland, perfectly reflects the mindset she hopes to share with her dancers:
“You can start late, look different, be uncertain, and still succeed."
Jordan Fasching
Competitive and Post Dance Team
Lexci Houwman
Competitive and Technique
Jacob Becker
Jazz, Tap, Modern, Acro, Contemporary, Musical Theater