Ashley Krupinski Canale
After graduating from Visitation Academy in 2004, Ashley joined the world-renowned Young Americans in Los Angeles, CA. She performed on two international tours (Germany, Holland, Scotland, England) and at the Boyne Highlands Dinner Theatre in Harbor Springs, MI. Ashley was also a principal dancer in “The Magic of Christmas” at the LaMirada Theatre (2004-2007), a backup dancer for Nickelodeon star Ashley Argota, and performed at various industry events in Hollywood, CA. She is also very proud to be apart of a documentary (ft. Mark Walberg) about her Young American tour workshop teaching at a German prison.
Ashley has also performed in over 35 Equity productions at The Muny. She is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association. She has been both assistant choreographer and dance captain on several productions. Ashley is an original member of Muny Kids & Teens. She has worked with Liza Gennaro, Mercedes Ellington, Kelli Barclay, Gemze de Lappe and many others. She also spent 14 years assisting Mark Krupinski with the Muny Kids & Teens.
While living in New York City & Los Angeles, Ashley furthered her dance education at Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway and The Edge Performing Arts Center. She has studied under the instruction of Doug Caldwell, Suzi Taylor, Traci Stanfield, Mandy Moore, Keith Clifton, Dana Moore, Randy Skinner, Chio and others. Ashley was also a staff member and master teacher at the Dance Excellence International Dance Festival in Los Angeles from 2006-2019. She is also a proud American Dance Troupe alumni! In 2009, Ashley attended the Paris Fashion Institute and worked at Paris Fashion Week S/S 2010.
Ashley is happily married to a wonderful guy named Patrick and a mom to their wonderful daughter Lucy. She works full time at Krupinski Academy of Dance! Ashley enjoys traveling and has a strong love for the movie Jurassic Park.
Mark Krupinski
Mark Krupinski is a native St. Louisan. He is regarded nationally, as well as locally, as an accomplished performer, master teacher and choreographer. Mr. Krupinski is a member of Actors Equity, Dance Masters of America, Dance Educators of America and the National Association of Dance Affiliated Artists. He has studied with nationally renowned dance instructors Gus Giordano, Michael Simms and Luigi. Mr. Krupinski has danced in more than 79 productions at The Muny, where he also served as Assistant Choreographer. In 1976, he was with the American Dance Machine in Newport, Rhode Island and he has danced in many productions at Kansas City’s Starlight Theater.
Since 1970, Mr. Krupinski has taught at Krupinski Academy of Dance and, for several years, at Webster University. Mr. Krupinski has instructed many workshops and master classes in Atlanta, Chicago and Milwaukee. He has won several national awards for choreography.
Abbey Wagoner
Abbey has been dancing since the age of three. She has studied ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, musical theater and lyrical with Mark and Caren Krupinski. After graduating from Northwest Missouri State University with a degree in Public Relations she returned home to Krupinski’s. Abbey has been teaching and working as the office manager since 2001.
Amber Franek
Amber Franek received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with departmental honors from Webster University in 2011. While at Webster Amber received the honor of having her works performed at The American College Dance Festival and National Dance Week Showcase. She performed in numerous student and faculty concerts as well as at The American College Dance Festival, National Dance Week Showcase, Dancing in the Streets, and as a soloist in ANNONYArts commissioned full length work Steps. Franek was also chosen to be the Dance Demonstration Fellow which allowed her to teach modern technique and set a piece on the students in the dance program at Kirkwood High school.Upon graduation Franek moved to the Atlanta area to work as Associate Director and Principal Dancer for Advocate Arts Contemporary Dance. While in Atlanta Franek taught at multiple studios and choreographed for Fabrefaction Theatre Conservatory, Live Arts Theater, Project Dance and more. After leaving Advocate Arts Franek performed with Fuerta Dance Company on their stage show Luna(tics) and their full length film En La Mente. She also teaches fitness classes at The Timbers of Eureka and The Four Rivers YMCA. She is excited to share her passion and knowledge with the students Krupinski’s Academy of Dance.
Hannah DuBois
Hannah DuBois was born and raised in Overland Park, Kansas. She started ballet classes at the age of three and received her dance training through the Somerset Ballet School and the Kansas City Ballet School. While at the Kansas City Ballet, Hannah had the opportunity to dance a variety of children’s roles in The Nutcracker for many Christmas seasons, and was also a member of the junior performing company, the Kansas City Youth Ballet. Hannah attended summer intensives at the Kansas City Ballet, Austin Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.
After graduating from St. James Academy, Hannah attended Lindenwood University. While in college, she performed with the University Dance Ensemble and represented the university while attending regional competitions for the American College Dance Association. During her freshman year at Lindenwood University, Hannah performed in St. Louis Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. She also choreographed and performed to The Nutcracker Suite with the Alton Symphony Orchestra.
Hannah graduated Magna Cum Laude from Lindenwood University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in May 2016. Hannah joined Missouri Ballet Theatre upon graduation and then went on to become a member of Common Thread Contemporary Ballet Company. In 2023, she graduated from Saint Louis University with her Master’s Degree in Social Work. Along with teaching at Krupinski Academy of Dance, Hannah currently works at a local school district as a Mental Health Professional. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and her son Charlie. They look forward to welcoming a baby girl to the family in January 2026.
Andrea Sarasin Millsap
Born in New Hampshire, Andrea found a love for performing when she joined her first dance class at the age of 2. After high school, she got the opportunity to travel, teach, and perform across 5 different continents while mentoring over 40,000 students in music outreach workshops. In 2017, she transitioned to producing and directing these workshops. Andrea continues to work with HEART Global, producing 6 international tours in the year 2023. She joined the Krupinski team in 2020 and has loved sharing the love of dance with students here! She currently lives in Brentwood with her husband and puppy, Celine Diog.
Nick Millsap
Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Nick caught the “performance bug” when he took his first dance class at Krupinski’s when he was 8 years old. After performing around St. Louis as a member of the Muny Kids, Teens, and the American Dance Troupe, Nick joined a performing arts-based non-profit organization called the Young Americans. With the Young Americans he was honored to not only perform and teach dance in 12 different countries but also to join the booking team and have a hand in planning international touring experiences. Nick feels so blessed to be back with his Krupinski family sharing the joy of performance and dance.
Emma Debski
Emma Debski is a dancer with many artistic passions that inform and enhance her dance career. She began her dance training in Canal Fulton, OH. She trained in ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, modern, and hip hop. At 16 she received a scholarship to train year round at The Ailey School in New York City and did so for her last two years of high school. She also assisted teaching in The Ailey School’s “First Steps” program. While dancing in NYC, Emma also pursued a passion for visual art and had a drawing displayed in a student exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. In May 2023, she graduated summa cum laude and with honors from the Alonzo King LINES Ballet program at Dominican University of California with a BFA in dance. During her time in college, she had the opportunity to work closely with many original company members of Alonzo King LINES Ballet as well as the opportunity to work directly with Alonzo King. Also, during her senior year she choreographed a work and designed and sewed the costumes for it. After graduation, Emma danced with Philadanco’s second company, Danco 2, for a season. She then danced for Whirlwind Dance Company for a season and was the Dance Department Director at Vitality Athletic Center in Columbus, OH. She is now a trainee with St. Louis Dance Theatre and is excited to be a teacher for Krupinski Academy of Dance!
Baylee McAllister
Baylee McAllister is originally from Fishers, Indiana where she started her dance training at Dance Creations Academy. She graduated with highest distinction from Indiana University and received her B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance and Minor in Arts Management in the Spring of 2024. Baylee has performed in works by DaEun Jung, Elizabeth Shea, Justin Sears-Watson, Stafford C. Berry Jr., Maya Orchin, Stefanie Nelson, and Selene B. Carter during her time at Indiana University. She is a proud recipient and first place winner of the Molly Parsley Festival of Creativity Award for her choreographic work, ‘Chasing Rabbits’ (2022) set at Indiana University.
Baylee studied dance in Paris, France, working with astounding dance professionals: Wanjiru Kamuyu, Sébastien Thill, Anna Chirescu, Aurélia Lefauchaux, LaMichael Leonard, Clint Lutes, Asha Thomas, Michelle Jacobi, Madison Mainwaring and Michael Foley while also receiving choreographic experience in Berlin with Heidi Weiss, Paris with Nathalie Pubellier and Amsterdam with Maurice Causey. She attended programs with Boston Ballet School, Eisenhower Dance Detroit, SALT Contemporary Dance, and interned with Dance Kaleidoscope in Indianapolis, IN.
She has performed at Waterstreet Dance Festival with Phoenix Rising Dance Company, Indy Dance Festival, Dumbo Dance Dance Festival hosted by White Wave Dance in NYC at Mark Morris Theater, Space Station Dance Residency, SALT LINK Festival, and SEEN: STL by Resilience Dance Company.
Baylee was previously a trainee with St. Louis Dance Theatre (2024-2025) and has performed works by Avree Walker and Peyton Bellman, Hui Cha Poos, Brandon Fink, Maddy Bailey, Logan Guerra, Mady Buerk, and Carly Vanderheyden at COCA, The Grandel, and Nerinx Hall.
Baylee is currently living in St. Louis, Missouri where she is a teaching artist and choreographer at various studios around the city, is currently working with Weissman as a choreographer, and is a freelance dancer in St. Louis.
Catherine Rogers
Catherine Rogers comes to Krupinski after a decade of experience as a dancer, teacher and choregrapher. Catherine grew up in St. Louis where she trained at COCA. Upon graduating from Cor Jesu Academy, she spent two years at Butler University studying ballet and creative writing. After her sophomore year, she left to attend the Joffrey Ballet School and pursue her dream of dancing in New York City.
Catherine toured nationally and internationally and danced professionally in Chicago and Madison. Most recently, she danced with Chicago Repertory Ballet and Madison Ballet. Throughout her career, Catherineperformed the works of George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Robert Joffrey, Robert Battle, Antony Tudor, Merce Cunningham and Sharon Eyal.
While in Wisconsin, Catherine taught ballet, modern and improv and choreographed for recital and competition. Her pieces received numerous awards for choreography and judge’s preference. Most importantly, audiences loved watching and dancers loved dancing her work. As a teacher, Catherine believes in collaboration and joy within the structure of discipline and respect. She loves to connect with and mentor students to encourage their success in and out of the classroom.
Catherine graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in Psychology in 2022. She loves to spend time with her wonderful husband, Joe. Her greatest joy is her son, Max. She is looking forward to another great year with Krupinski!
Kaitlyn Thomas
Bio Coming Soon!