The Dance Unit Staff
Lauren Gross
Owner/Instructor
Lauren began dancing in tap, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, and jazz at a young age. A graduate of Woodbury Dance Center, Lauren continued her dance studies, in addition to holistic health and cultural studies, at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. As a college student, she also danced for Breaking Boundaries, Eclectic Edge Ensemble, and University Dance Theater. During this time, Lauren began instructing and choreographing for recreational classes and competition lines at Lake Area Dance Center and Dance By Kris.
Her routines have won numerous overall placements and choreography awards during her 14 years of teaching. She enjoys teaching individuals improved not only technical skills and excellent performance quality but also life lessons learned through the dance education process. Lauren also custom designs and sews all the Pre-Competition and Competition costumes for TDU through her custom costuming business, LTG Costumes. She's one high-energy, organized business owner and dance educator! Outside of dance, she enjoys time with her husband and fellow instructor, Kyle, and their 2 year old Corgi dog named Toad.
Kyle Gross
Owner/Instructor
Kyle grew up training in tap, jazz, ballet, musical theater, lyrical, and hip hop at Dance By Kris in Cottage Grove, MN. Kyle received numerous overall high scores and special judges’ awards through his solo and group routines as a competition line dancer. He also won the national “Mr. Masquerade” title in 2011. Kyle is a graduate of the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management with majors in Marketing and Supply Chain Operations Management and a minor in Mass Communications. While at the U of M, Kyle danced with “MinnesoTap” – the University of Minnesota’s tap dance company, serving as both President and Artistic Director. He was also a contemporary dancer for Breaking Boundaries Dance Company in Minneapolis.
Kyle is entering his 16th season of teaching dance. In June 2023 he was awarded the National Choreography Award at Masquerade Nationals! As an instructor, he enjoys teaching dancers about accountability, work ethic, communication, and dance technique. Kyle is looking forward to sharing his passion with students at The Dance Unit!
Erika Zeuli-Ruth
Erika began dancing at a young age, starting in recreational hip hop, tap, jazz, and lyrical and progressing into a senior competition group. There she learned the arts of ballet and other styles. In her senior year, she competed in a solo and duet in the contemporary category. A graduate of Lake Area Dance Center, Erika began her journey as a recreational dance teacher assistant. She assisted from preschool and kindergarten classes to teen and senior dancers. By the last year at Lake Area Dance Center, Erika was the primary teacher for most recreational classes and even a choreographer for the teen tap, jazz, and lyrical. Erika also taught and choreographed for competitive Pom Jazz as well. Erika has four semesters of general college classes outside of dance, including interpersonal communication and American Sign Language. While at college, she also enrolled in a guitar ensemble and concert band, where she played guitar and flute, respectively.
Erika is entering her seventh year of teaching recreational dance classes and she looks forward to sharing her love for dance and building lifelong relationships at The Dance Unit!
Zoey Malmstedt
Zoey began dancing at a young age, training seriously in many styles, including tap, ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and many other dance techniques. She joined The Dance Unit during its inaugural season and graduated in 2021. As a competitive dancer, she earned numerous top placements and high adjudications, as well as many Judges' Choice Awards.
Zoey graduated from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in Spring 2025 with a B.A. in Strategic Communications, with an emphasis in Advertising & Public Relations, and minors in both Physical Activity & Health Promotion and Dance. During college, she continued her training under respected dancers and choreographers. She was also a founding artist of the Minnesota Ballet Collective (2022–2024), where she performed, trained, and choreographed original works.
Zoey has been teaching dance since high school and has choreographed for The Dance Unit since its first season. Since then, she has worked with dancers ages 18 months to 18 years. Her choreography has earned multiple awards, including a 2025 National Choreography Title! She is passionate about creating confident, versatile dancers and is excited for another amazing season with The Dance Unit!
Leah Gulstrand
Leah Gulstrand is excited to celebrate her sixth summer teaching at The Dance Unit. She holds a BFA in Modern Dance with a ballet emphasis from the University of Utah and brings over a decade of experience as a performer, educator, and choreographer. Leah has taught ballet throughout the Twin Cities for the past six years, working with dancers of all ages and levels, and is passionate about helping students build strong classical technique, artistry, and confidence.
Over the past six summers, Leah has loved teaching ballet to The Dance Unit's company dancers and watching them grow as both artists and individuals. This fall, she will begin her Master of Arts in Teaching Dance in the Professions at New York University in partnership with American Ballet Theatre. Leah is incredibly grateful for the dancers, families, and faculty who have made The Dance Unit such a special part of her teaching journey and looks forward to seeing all that her students accomplish in the future.
Claire Mork
Claire Mork is a dance artist, who enjoys the thrill of performing as well as the creativity involved in choreographing works. Most recently, Claire was a dancer in the inaugural cast of Fosse and Verdon: The Duet That Changed Broadway, onboard the Holland America Line Koningsdam. Over the past few years, Claire has enjoyed working with RWS Global on a variety of show packages for Holland America Line and MSC Cruises. She also has a passion for leadership and developing community within her casts. Claire has taken on roles like dance captain and wardrobe supervisor, as an opportunity to serve in this way.
In between cruise contracts, Claire enjoys the hustle of NYC and some breaks back home in Minnesota. Claire graduated from the University of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in the spring of 2021, and she was the recipient of the Elizabeth Pulaski Scholarship in 2020. During her time at UArts, Claire directed and choreographed a handful of short dance films with the sheer intention of enjoyment.
In addition to performing in these films, Claire has a heart for teaching and choreographing. She has been choreographing pieces for competitive dance studios and her own projects since high school. It is Claire’s biggest desire to find joy in movement and then share it with others. She hopes to spend the rest of her life chasing that feeling through dance.
Addie Schroeder
Addie has been dancing since the age of two, but started competitively when she was 8 years old. Addie greatly enjoys working on jazz and contemporary dance styles, but has experience in tap, hip-hop, musical theater, and ballet. She has been assisting competitive classes for the past 5 years, and has occasionally substitute taught competitive and recreational classes. In addition to performing in solo, duet/trio, and group routines over the years, Addie has participated in two Parade Of Stars Opening Number routines at Masquerade Nationals. Having completed her 6th and final season at The Dance Unit, Addie is so excited to be teaching this summer alongside her best friend Katie!
In the fall, Addie will be attending the University of Wisconsin - River Falls to study chemistry and keep dancing!
Katie Zeh
Katie has been] dancing for 15 years and competing for the past 12. She began her dance journey at Lake Area Dance Center and has been a member of The Dance Unit since season one, graduating this year. Katie has performed in solo, duet/trio, and group routines during her time as a competitive dancer - accomplishing many high score overall awards in each category of routine. While tap is her favorite style, Katie has performed in jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, musical theater, and ballet. For the past five years, Katie has been a dance assistant, working with students of various ages, skill levels, and dance styles. This past year, she taught her first recreational class and also assisted and substituted for numerous competitive routines.
This fall, Katie will attend the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, where she plans to study Marketing Communications. She is excited to continue teaching at The Dance Unit and share her passion for dance with her students!
Jax Igel
Jax has been dancing since she was 3 years old and competed for six years in various styles including tap, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and ballet. She started out by dancing in recreational classes at Lake Area Dance Center before moving to competitive classes at the Dance Unit. She has had the opportunity to take tap class from Sam Weber during Rhythm World, organized by the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, and also took a semester-long tap class at the University of Rochester taught by Cheryl Johnson. She also later performed in the Miles Davis Animated jazz concert in January as a tap dancer alongside Cheryl Johnson and Laurie Coles, accompanied by several other jazz musicians. She has assisted class at the Minnesota Classical Dance Academy summer intensive this year and is excited to continue assisting classes at the Dance Unit as well.
Jax is currently a sophomore at the University of Rochester, in Rochester, New York, on the Mechanical Engineering track while continuing to take dance classes along the way.
Marin Galatzer
Marin began competitive dance at age six, training in tap, jazz, and ballet. Later adding in hip hop and contemporary. In 2020, she joined The Dance Unit as a student, where she continued her dance education for five years. At age 15, she began assisting hip hop at TDU. After graduating, she continued assisting the teen company, occasionally substitute teaching classes of all ages at TDU. She has also assisted summer intensives at Minnesota Classical Dance Academy.
Currently, Marin is attending Century College, Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician program.
Willa Gulstrand
Willa is an instructor and choreographer based in the Twin Cities with more than 20 years of dance experience. Throughout her training, she studied with Midwest Youth Dance Theatre and continued her dance education at the University of Minnesota Duluth where she further developed her artistry and technical foundation. She has also had the opportunity to participate in the prestigious Youth America Grand Prix, gaining valuable experience in a nationally recognized dance setting.
As a choreographer, Willa has created works for the University of Minnesota Duluth Theater Department as well as Short Dance Studios, collaborating with dancers of various ages and experience levels. Her teaching emphasizes strong technique, artistic expression, and fostering a positive, encouraging learning environment where every dancer can grow in confidence and ability.
Alyssa Zerwas
Alyssa began dancing at the age of five and has competed in multiple styles including ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, hip-hop and contemporary. She started assisting classes at Lake Area Dance Center at age 12 and quickly discovered her passion for mentoring dancers. Alyssa spent over ten years as a competitive dancer, and one of her proudest accomplishments was competing at the Youth America Grand Prix. While she enjoys many styles of dance, ballet has always been her favorite!
Alyssa recently completed her sophomore year at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, where she is pursuing a degree in Marketing and Data Analytics. After graduating high school, she continued sharing her love of dance by substitute teaching classes at The Dance Unit. Outside of dance and academics, Alyssa enjoys spending time with friends, reading, and staying active through hobbies such as walking, running, and pickleball. She is looking forward to a fun and rewarding summer at The Dance Unit!
Maya Woodward-Bitzer
Maya has been dancing since she was 3 years old, and been dancing competitively for 11 years. All the way from Lake Area Dance Center to covid turning her to The Dance Unit in season 1, Maya has experienced many different kinds of teachers and dances over her time at each respective studio. She also has participated in many solos, duos, and trios in her time dancing competitively as well as small groups, large groups, lines, and productions. Maya has performed many different styles like Jazz, Contemporary, Tap, Hip-Hop, Musical Theater, Lyrical, and Ballet, and she enjoys all and every class with it. Maya has been assisting dance classes at The Dance Unit for 4 years, working with both Pre-Competitive and Competitive classes over that time. She has also substituted for many classes in this past year, teaching all the way from Recreational to Competitive classes. Over the last two years, She has also self-choreographed her last 2 contemporary solos, winning several judges choice and high point awards respectively.
In the fall, Maya is attending the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee to study Dance and General Business to continue her dream of teaching dance and owning her own studio one day. She is overjoyed to be able to spend time working with the wonderful students at The Dance Unit and get to experience being a part of the incredible team of staff at this studio.
Olivia Vermeersch
Olivia has been dancing since she was two years old training and competing in jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, hip-hop, and contemporary. She has been assisting classes since she was 12 and started teaching classes at The Dance Unit in 2024. Olivia enjoys teaching because she is able to continue to share her love for dance with the younger dancers. She has competed numerous contemporary and jazz solos throughout her 16 years of dances. Her favorite routine of all time though was her trio with fellow graduates Alyssa Zerwas and Addie Schroeder.
Olivia graduated from The Dance Unit in 2025 and is attending Iowa State pursing a degree in Computer Science. Olivia assisted classes after graduating last summer and is super excited to teach some of her own this summer. Outside of dance, Olivia enjoys spending her with her friends and family, being out in the sun, reading, and going camping. Olivia can’t wait to teach classes and private lessons this summer!