Intrepid. Innovative. Athletic.
About Studio Pulse Center for Dance & Faculty
Our Philosophy
Studio Pulse Center for Dance is a locally owned dance studio in Anchorage, Alaska. Our mission is to provide well-rounded, technical dance education with a focus on contemporary styles, and to nurture and inspire movers of all ages. Our beautiful, three-studio facility allows for individualized student attention and fosters meaningful connections within our dance community. Our studios are professionally outfitted with extra large mirrors, barres, and floating floors bedecked with Harlequin marley, imperative for safe dancing and pointe work.
Our experienced, award-winning faculty compassionately challenge students to become the very best dancer they can be. Students are exposed to a variety of styles of classical ballet, contemporary modern, acro, jazz, and hip hop, with a minimum of two performance opportunities throughout the season.
Studio Pulse is a body-positive environment that places emphasis on proper warm ups and alignment so that our dancers can continue dancing for years to come.
The Owner
STEPHANIE WONCHALA
Owner/Director, Instructor of Contemporary/Modern
Stephanie Wonchala is an Anchorage choreographer, dancer and dance educator who
L O V E S dance, and has been teaching or over two decades. She founded Studio Pulse Center for Dance in 2013 and serves as the Executive Director of Pulse Dance Company, which she founded in 2010. She is a 2017 Connie Boochever Fellow, a 2016 Alaska Journal of Commerce "Top Forty under 40" awardee, and a 2015 Rasmuson Fellow.
Wonchala served as Artistic Director of the 2014 Arctic Winter Games, and on faculty with UAA's department of Theatre & Dance as instructor of Modern dance. She has produced and directed numerous community dance events, including but not limited to 14 evening-length concerts for Pulse Dance Company, annual local Nutcrackers, two productions of Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and produced work for the Anchorage Concert Association and Cyrano's Theatre. She has been commissioned by the Anchorage Symphony, the Alaska State Council on the Arts, the Anchorage Museum Polar Lab Initiative, and the University of Alaska Anchorage. She is regularly hired to lead corporate movement workshops, and her work has earned the prestigious "DJ's Pick" at the NUVO dance convention.
Wonchala is a UAA dance ensemble alumna and has trained in acclaimed studios in New York, Seattle, Vancouver, Long Beach, and Berlin, as well as attended multiple American College Dance Festivals across the U.S. She has interned, instructed, performed and choreographed for dance intensives in Homer, Seward, and the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival. Her competition and dance/drill team experiences include performing with the Crestview High Dazzlers in FL, as well as serving as Officer with the Chugiak Chaparrals, a nationally recognized, award-winning girls dance drill team at Chugiak High School.
She is proud to have served as Miss Anchorage 2005, Miss Chugiak/Eagle River 2006, Miss Alaska 2006, and competed in the Miss America 2007 pageant on Country Music Television. In addition to a lifetime of dance training and two decades of experience as a dance educator, she is a 200 hour registered yoga teacher also certified in Progressing Ballet Technique, Yoga Sculpt, Buti Yoga, Barre Pilates, and Zumba.
Most importantly, Wonchala understands that dance is a shortcut to joy, and she's incredibly grateful to live a life in the arts - especially in Alaska. She continues to be inspired by the beautiful souls who share her passion for dance, and feels deeply privileged to work with them every day.
Our Team
ALICE BASSLER SULLIVAN
Instructor of Ballet
Ms. Sullivan began her dance training in Anchorage with Lynda Lorimer and Steve Primis, earned a BFA from the prestigious University of Utah Ballet Department in 1975, performed with Ballet West, apprenticed with the First Chamber Dance Company in Seattle, and worked as a company dancer with the Minnesota Ballet for five years.
Alice returned to Alaska in 1982 and led Alaska Dance Theatre to unprecedented achievements as its Founding Artistic Director. Under her stewardship, ADT received the Mayor’s Youth Arts Award (2004) and the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Arts Organization (2005). In recognition of her outstanding leadership within the community, Ms. Sullivan was named a finalist in the BP Women of Achievement Award (1990), and a finalist in the Athena Award (1996). Ms. Sullivan was awarded the Lorene Harrison Lifetime Achievement Award by the Mayor’s Arts Awards (2010) and honored with a Rasmuson Individual Artist award (2013). In 2007, the in-house theatre at ADT was named the Alice Bassler Sullivan Theatre to honor her legacy.
She has instructed or choreographed for programs across the state, including the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, UAA Department of Theatre and Dance, Studio Pulse Center for Dance, Pulse Dance Company, The Alaska Club, and as guest instructor for the Anchorage Classical Ballet Academy. She launched Eagle River Ballet in 2011 to serve the broader Eagle River community, and has groomed many dancers and mentored faculty who have joined prestigious programs and dance companies nationwide.
CREACY BOGGESS
Studio Manager, Instructor of Hip Hop & children's classes
Creacy Boggess has been dancing for over 20 years. She has trained in Hip Hop, Modern, and Jazz dance. While in high school, she became very involved with Dance West under the direction of Lori Bradford, where she began honing her focus to Hip Hop dance. Creacy minored in dance at UAA while training and competing with Underground Dance Company's team Hardcore. She has traveled across the U.S to study dance at leading studios, including Millenium Dance Complex in LA, and has trained directly with the creator of the Angelina Ballerina program, Beverly Spell. Creacy has choreographed for UAA's dance production New Dances, as well as The Alaska State Fair pageant in 2018 and 2019. She has choreographed for many local dance productions, and performed across the state. In addition to many years as a dance educator, She is also Zumba certified. Creacy loves sharing her passion for dance with her students, and continues to instruct across Anchorage, AK.
TOBY CARRILLO & CHERISH DEBORD
Street Teams Coaches, Instructors of Hip Hop, Contemporary
Toby and Cherish are the leaders of Pulse's Street Team Division. The teams regularly perform for local events as well as compete throughout the season.
Toby started learning Hip Hop and Street Styles at Underground Dance Company 12 years ago. He became an educator and helped to lead competition teams shortly after. He also heads the dance department at Bartlett High School.
Cherish began dancing at Underground Dance Company 18 years ago. She also became an educator shortly thereafter, then was appointed Artistic Director in UDC's final years.
They are so excited for their newest venture with Pulse, to continue leading in a welcoming and safe environment built to enrich the upcoming generations of dancers.
KAZMERE DEVORE
Instructor of Ballroom
Kazmere DeVore has been teaching ballroom for over 6 years. She grew up in a ballroom family in which both of her parents are/were instructors. Kazmere is trained in DanceSport, which is the governing body of ballroom competitions in the U.S. She teaches rhythm/Latin and smooth/ballroom dances with a focus on technique in Bronze and Silver levels. She has choreographed for various events including weddings, quinceañeras, and performance routines.
JOYCE MAYER
Instructor of Ballet, Pointe, Pilates, Yoga
Joyce is a long-time member of Anchorage's dance community. She is a balletomane certified in barre, mat, and reformer Pilates, and is a 200 hr RYT. She has performed alongside a myriad of organizations, and is a Studio Pulse/Annex OG instructor who has gained the love and appreciation of many students for her vast technical and anatomical knowledge, and encouraging teaching approach.
The unique opportunities, diverse creative challenges, and the beautiful synergy that happens among this amazing group of dancers feed her soul. She looks forward to another adrenaline filled year.
ROBYN MINOR
Instructor of Contemporary & Hip Hop
Robyn Minor is an artist, esthetician, baker, crocheter, and most of all - dancer. She grew up in Alaska where she trained in a variety of styles including Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Modern, and Ballet. She has performed/competed/choreographed in countless competitions including but not limited to World of Dance Bay Area, Top of the World, Hiphop International, 5678 Showtime, Alaska State Cheer and Dance Competition, and America’s Got Talent. Her choreography has won numerous awards in state and out of state. As a performer, she has opened up for 2 chainz, August Alsina, and J.Holiday with the adult Hip-Hop dance crew Artistic Drift who is undefeated in Anchorage. After years of performing, she wanted to share her craft and began teaching in 2014. She has been teaching ever since and enjoys sharing her knowledge and love of dance with her students.
ALEXANDRA NENAHLO
Instructor of Ballet & Pointe
Ali is a born and raised Alaskan and lifelong dancer. She has trained in many styles of dance but her primary focus has been in ballet and jazz. She has trained at Anchorage Classical Ballet Academy, Alaska Dance Theatre, The Kirov Academy in Washington DC, and Ballet Elle in Houston, TX, and the University of Alaska Anchorage. She has performed in a myriad of productions and roles including the Violante fairy from Sleeping Beauty, Aurora in Aurora: A Tale of the Northern Lights, and Dulcinaea from Don Quixote.
She has over ten years of experience as a ballet and pointe instructor at Anchorage Classical Ballet Academy and Children’s Dance Theater. She loves teaching dance and can’t wait to get in the studio and inspire the next generation of dancers!
ALIYAH PROFETA
Instructor of Toddler Tumble, Acro, Contemporary
Aliyah Profeta is a Palmer, Alaska based dancer, choreographer, dance educator, and artist. As a lifelong student of dance, she has seized any opportunity for outside learning to include earning a placement at the Claire Trevor School for the Arts Summer Dance Intensives. She specializes in the genres of Acro (in which she is certified), jazz, ballet, and contemporary, as well as a long standing focus in adaptive arts, ensuring artistic therapy is available to all abilities. Her greatest passion is providing an artistic and athletic outlet for young children, and she has been instructing preschool dance and acrobatics for the past four years. She has a strong belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to be a performer. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in kinesiology as she continues her dance journey.
THERESA RINEHART
Instructor of Youth Programs
Theresa owned and operated Children's Dance Theater for 16 years. She specializes in Creative Movement, Ballet, Tap, and Jazz instruction. Theresa has her Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Dance from Montclair State College in New Jersey, and has frequently participated in the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival. She has studied Belly Dance and danced with Alaska Silk Road, and is Zumba and Zumba Kids/Jr. certified. You may or may not recognize her from her role of Mother Ginger in Pulse's Nutcracker Redux! Her greatest love in the classroom is watching the youngest dancers discover, develop, and blossom, all because they danced.
SUMMER SMITH
Instructor of Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary/Modern, Circus Arts
Summer Smith (She/Her) grew up in South Jersey and trained at The Rock School for Dance Education and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She went on to work with Ballet 5:8 as a Company Artist, and their Production Designer. She then joined Moonwater Dance Project in their inaugural season, and Winifred Haun & Dancers as a Company Dancer. Summer performed soloist and corps roles in works by Hanna Bricston, Christine Cox, William Forsythe, Noelle Kayser, Ronen Koresh, Kevin McKenzie, Caleb Mitchell, Preston Miller, Marius Petipa, and others. Summer's choreography has received awards and recognition by 3Arts, RDA and YAGP, and she has presented professional dance works at the Athanaeum Theater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple, Hamilton Park Cultural Center, Links Hall, and many other theaters and community spaces. Summer is passionate about arts advocacy, and currently serves on the Nome Arts Council Board of Directors in Nome, AK. She has been a part of Winifred Haun & Dancers since 2017, and was promoted to Assistant Artistic Director in 2020. In 2023 she relocated to Alaska, and became Winifred Haun & Dancer’s Managing Director.
SKYLAR THOMAS
Instructor of Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary
Skylar Thomas is a dedicated dancer, teacher, and certified Pilates instructor with a lifelong passion for movement. She began dancing at the age of six, starting her training in 2006 at Dance Creations in Indianapolis. In 2013, she continued her development at Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre (GHDT) in Carmel, Indiana, where she was a member of the pre-professional program G2 from 2013 to 2018. During the 2017–2018 season, Skylar also served as an intern with GHDT’s professional company and was honored with the Florence Marie Hancock Scholarship in 2018.
Skylar went on to earn her BFA in Dance and a minor in Psychology from Indiana University. At IU, she received comprehensive training in a wide range of styles including Ballet, Contemporary, Horton, Graham, Musical Theatre, African Diaspora, and Aerial Silks. She performed in numerous productions, including IU Contemporary Dance’s annual faculty concerts (2019–2021), as well as student-led shows and independent projects. Skylar also presented original choreography during her time at IU, with her works Homage (2020) and Wrays of Light (2022) featured in Framing Figures and New Moves, respectively.
From 2022 to 2024, Skylar taught at Central Indiana Academy of Dance, where she played a key role in nurturing the growth and artistry of young dancers both in the studio and on stage. She also served as the Director of the Youth Company at Central Indiana Dance Ensemble, the studio’s pre-professional company. In this leadership role, she contributed to choreography, staging, and production for full-length works such as The Nutcracker, Snow White, and Alice in Wonderland.
In 2024, Skylar joined Pulse Dance Co. & Studio for their 15th season, where she currently resides as a company artist. She has performed in The Nutcracker Redux, Grey Matter, and Bloom. Skylar is deeply grateful to Stephanie Wonchala and the Pulse Dance Co. team for their support, mentorship, and the opportunity to be part of such an inspiring artistic community.
CASSIE TROMBI
Instructor of Contemporary, Hip Hop, Competition, Pre Ballet
Originally from Eagle River, Alaska, Cassie began her dance training at the age of three. She has studied an extensive range of styles, including ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, tap, contemporary, modern, and musical theatre. She holds multiple degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, including one in dance. During her time at UW–Green Bay, she served as the choreographer for the university’s hip hop team and contributed original solo and ensemble pieces to the UW-Green Bay DanceWorks program.
Cassie began teaching dance at age 15 and has since taught throughout Alaska and Wisconsin at several leading dance institutions. Her choreography has earned numerous awards, with recognition for both her personal performances and competitive team achievements. She is dedicated to fostering growth in dancers through both technical training and creative exploration, and continues to share her passion for dance through performance, education, and choreography.
MCKENNA YOUNG
Instructor of Contemporary/Competition Teams, Tap