PAEA Classes&Workshops

STRINGS

Becky Kia

PAEA is very fortunate to have Rebecca Kia as the instructor for Strings Unlimited. She is a full-time violinist with the Omaha Symphony and has performed as violin soloist for the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Tour. Becky is a Chicago native who now lives in Stanton with her three daughters. She has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Augustana College and a Master of Arts degree in violin performance from the University of Iowa. She has studied at the Mannes School of Music in New York City, and played in festivals across the country, from Los Angeles to Pennsylvania. Ms. Kia taught for three summers at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. She combines over twenty years of teaching experience with nearly twenty years of professional symphony performance.

GUITAR

Guy Somers

Guy Somers is owner of Somers Guitar School in Atlantic, Carroll & Red Oak, IA. He is a multi-style guitarist, composer, instructor, contemporary worship leader, and Technical Editor of Guitar Exercises For Dummies from the #1-selling guitar instruction book series in the USA. He has played 30 years, taught 20 years and performed most weekends for over 15 years. He studied guitar at the Cincinnati Conservatory, Southern Missouri State, Central Bible College and with world-class guitarist, composer & producer, Billy McLaughlin. In '07 Guy played a night with Will McFarlane formerly with superstar Bonnie Raitt. Guy also has a B.A. in Theological Studies with a minor in counseling.

Guy started out as an award winning artist in high school but it was his passion for guitar that won out. He loves to teach, compose, organize, analyze and achieve goals. When he's not playing he enjoys cooking, drinking tea, playing chess, landscaping, meeting people and spending time with his wife and four children.

DANCE

David Catherall

David Catherall, a Bellevue, Nebraska native, received a Bachelors of Science in Music Education from Northwest Missouri State University, a Bachelors of Arts in Dance from Creighton University, and a Masters in Liberal Arts from Creighton University. He is Royal Academy of Dance trained and received a distinction on his Royal Academy of Dance Exam.

David taught band and choir at Bellevue West High School for seven years. Along with his music duties he was responsible for the dance instruction and choreography for the show choirs, marching band color guard, and the musicals. While at Bellevue West, his many ensembles received local, regional, and national awards. He has choreographed for area high school musicals and show choirs, local theaters, Nebraska Wesleyan Honor Choir, Dana College and Creighton University.

David has danced and performed in local productions, the Aksarben Coronation, Omaha Modern Dance Collective, Omaha Dance Project, the Heartland of America Band Christmas Show, Creighton University Musicals, and the Creighton Dance Company. His most recent projects were West Side Story at Creighton University and Black Elk Speaks at Dana College.

SPIRIT DANCE

Shauna Berendes

Shauna has been a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher throughout her career. Shauna is a fitness instructor at the YMCA and coaches the Red Oak Roar Dance Teams and the Red Oak High School Basketball and Football cheerleaders.

Hollie Askey

Hollie Askey resides in Red Oak where her family has called home for many generations. She has been involved in cheerleading, tumbling and dance since the age of 5 and cheered for Red Oak middle and high schools from which she graduated in 1996. Hollie worked in the fitness industry for several years as a Manager and Certified Personal Trainer for World Gym and Bally Total Fitness before opening her own fitness center in Clearwater, Florida. Hollie owned and operated Ashton Personal Fitness Center for 6 years while coaching competitive cheerleading teams in the Tampa and Clearwater area, as well as running an All-Star Cheer and Dance League. Hollie was also a television fitness host for Bay News 9 and Tampa Bay on Demand for several years and was a fitness model in various television commercials and magazines. Hollie personally trained family members of the New York Yankees and enjoyed travelling the country during the baseball seasons. In 2008 Hollie decided to sell the fitness center and move back home to the midwest to be closer to family and enjoy the qualities of Iowa life.

Hollie is currently employed full time by the United States Department of Ag. as an ARRA Specialist for the Federal Government Agency in Atlantic, Iowa.

Hollie has been involved in the YMCA since moving back to Red Oak and coaches the Red Oak All-Star Performance Cheer team and still works part time for the YMCA as their Marketing and Website Director. Hollie also instructs Mini-Cheer and Pom Classes, and Mini-Mixed Spirit Dance Classes for Wilson Performing Arts Center and enjoys coaching, working out, and spending time with her family in her free time.

The mission of the Performing Arts and Education Association of Southwest Iowa is to honor the heritage, celebrate the present, and prepare for the future of southwest Iowa by enhancing and creating.

Diverse artistic performance experiences for audiences and Performers.

Arts education opportunities for all ages.

A premier performance venue for music, dance, and theatre.