Meet the staff
Brennan Wilder
Co-Executive Director & Choreographer
Brennan Wilder is a show choir choreographer, dancer, and freelance performer. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, Dance, and Psychology from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Throughout the year, she travels choreographing and adjudicating for junior high and high school choirs around the country. She has been an artist and performer at the renowned ‘Performatica’ conference in Cholula, Mexico. Her experience has led her to train in many different art forms, including Contact Improvisation, Movement Fundamentals, and Hip Hop. She has led a series of show choir workshops in Australia & completed three college dance residencies. She is currently working toward her Movement Fundamentals Certificate to bring more experimental movement to her dance community. After moving to Los Angeles in September of 2009, Brennan performed on the professional hip hop dance crew AXXENT during season five of MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew. Her work has been featured in many music videos and web series. During her time in LA, she was also invited to be a part of the CNE Irish Step Dance Company and Bollywood Express Dance Company. Brennan now resides in Bloomington with her wife, Ly. She is in her eighth year as a dance instructor with Fairview Elementary’s Arts Academy and the choreographer of the Fairview Show Choirs. She is in her twelfth year as the Executive Director of B E A T: Bloomington Expressive Arts Training, a community show choir program developed by Brennan & Ly for kids in grades 1st-12th in the Bloomington community.
Ly Wilder
Co-Executive Director & Vocal Director
Ly is a contemporary vocal artist and educator specializing in jazz and pop music. She has been featured as a soloist with combos, big bands and orchestras, as a studio vocalist, and as a performer at Walt Disney World. A prolific arranger, Ly’s works have been performed by university and high school groups internationally. She is in demand as an adjudicator/clinician for festivals throughout the nation and has conducted All-State Vocal Jazz Ensembles and Show Choirs in Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Washington, and Wisconsin. Ly has taught on the staff of Showchoir Camps of America since 2003, at the Steve Zegree Vocal Jazz Camps at WMU and IU, lead workshops for Queensland Show Choir in Brisbane, Australia, and taught at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and Purdue Musical Organizations at Purdue University. She serves as a community artist for the Fairview Elementary Arts Academy in Bloomington, IN, and as the Co-Executive Director of BEAT, the community show choir program she co-founded with her wife, Brennan.
Kevin Rudzinski
Choreographer
Kevin is a choreographer for BEAT, and he is happy to be celebrating his 10th year with the program! He has served as choreographer, clinician, and judge for various show choirs around the country, and loves being able to connect with others through dance. Based in Chicago, he is grateful to connect with BEAT throughout the year. With a background in theatre, he has also performed in various stage shows at the professional level and loves telling stories through art. As a lifelong learner, Kevin loves to work with dancers of all ages and life experiences and is inspired by others. He encourages the pursuit of excellence over the illusion of perfection. When not in rehearsal, he loves watching copious amounts of Parks and Recreation and hanging out with his dog, Mia.
Karena Brown
Choreographer
Karena is a Registered Nurse currently living in Chicago, IL. She was born and raised in Alabama and graduated from Auburn University, where she was involved in both High School and College Show Choir. Outside of working at Northwestern Hospital, Karena has worked with various show choirs and is currently a guest clinician & co-choreographer for BEAT: Bloomington Expressive Arts Training in Bloomington, IN. In her spare time Karena enjoys working out, traveling, and cooking!
Darian Wilson
Choreographer
Darian is a singer, dancer, actor, and freelance choreographer from Indianapolis, Indiana. She has appeared in a wide range of musicals, commercials, and stage performances. Darian has collaborated with multiple show choirs, theaters, and community art programs in the Midwest, relishing every opportunity she gets to teach and share her love of the arts with students. Darian takes pride in being the first BEAT TA during her time as a student at Indiana University and is grateful for the chance to return as a co-choreographer for BEAT.
Lauren Ladaker
Amplitude, Syncopation, and DanceWERKS Teaching Assistant
Lauren is an IU student majoring in Spanish Studies, East Asian Languages and Cultures, and pursuing her TESOL certificate. She was a three-year member in BEAT – a one-year member of Revelation and two-year member of Amplitude. This is Lauren’s third year as a TA for BEAT. She is excited to see both groups grow and see what the season has in store!
Olivia Dickens
Amplitude, Syncopation, and DanceWERKS Teaching Assistant
Olivia is a sophomore at IU studying Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Olivia was a member of BEAT for 7 years and this will be her second year working for the program as a TA. BEAT has been such a huge part of her life and she is so excited to continue her journey with them and to help all the young performers grow be their best!
Bella Philpott
Syncopation Teaching Assistant
Bella is a junior at IU studying Secondary Education Social Studies and Political Science. She was a member of BEAT for three years and was in both Revelation and Amplitude. Bella is so excited to be back with this amazing program and can’t wait for another wonderful show choir season!
Ben Larimer
Syncopation Teaching Assistant
Ben is a graduate student at Indiana University where he is studying to get his MBA. He has been studying dance, most notably Hip-Hop, since the third grade. He joined the show choir community as a sophomore in high school, and has loved it since. He is stoked to be working with BEAT for his fifth year!
Emma Kitchel
Syncopation Teaching Assistant
Emma is a junior studying criminal psychology at Indiana University. She is from Chesterton, Indiana, and was a part of the Chesterton Sandpipers in high school. This is Emma’s third year with Syncopation and she is so excited to continue working with this group and watch them grow!
Gannon Michna
Syncopation Teaching Assistant
Bio coming soon.
Gavin Rivera
Syncopation Teaching Assistant
Gavin is from Chesterton, Indiana, and currently a freshman at Indiana University. He is currently an undecided major, but wanting to see where a path in Astronomy could take him! Gavin performed with the Chesterton Sandpipers in High School and can’t wait to help Syncopation strive to be the best they can be!
Haley Plessinger
Syncopation Teaching Assistant
Haley is a junior at Ivy Tech studying Hospitality Management. She was a member of BEAT for two years, and was a member of Revelation and Amplitude. She is very excited to continue her journey with BEAT.
Lauren Bolla
Syncopation Teaching Assistant
Lauren is from Chesterton, IN and is a freshman at Indiana University where she studies Music Education and Vocal Performance. In high school, she was a member of the Chesterton Sandpipers. Lauren is so excited to work with BEAT this year and can’t wait to have so much fun!
Sierra Jones
Syncopation Teaching Assistant
Sierra is from Chesterton, Indiana, and is currently a freshman at Indiana University. She’s currently studying Media with a focus in Film, Television, and Digital Production. In high school, she performed with the Chesterton Drifters and Sandpipers. She is so thrilled to continue her show choir journey with BEAT and can’t wait to help throughout her first year with Syncopation!
Audrey Beverton
Mini-Sync Teaching Assistant
Audrey is a sophomore attending Bloomington High School North and it is currently her 9th year in the BEAT program. This year she is a part of the high school group, Amplitude, and it is her second year being a Mini Sync TA! At school, Audrey loves her choir and science classes, as well as seeing her friends every day. Outside of BEAT and school, she likes to play electric guitar and bass, and sing and play them together by herself as well as in bands. Audrey is so excited for another amazing year of BEAT!
Emma Hancock
Mini-Sync Teaching Assistant
This is Emma's sixth year in BEAT! She loves singing and dancing and is so excited to work with Mini-Sync this year!
Eva Rockhill
Mini-Sync Teaching Assistant
Eva has been a member of BEAT for 8 amazing years. She is part of the high school group, Amplitude, as a junior from BHSS and also one of the new TAs for Mini Sync. When she’s not singing and dancing, she participates in many school activities such as numerous clubs, the Hoosier Youth Philharmonic, and track. Over the years she has been part of many different groups in BEAT like Vocal Werks and Frequency. She is planning on starting her own club for Bloomington High School and is working towards pursuing a career in medicine or biology. In her free time, she enjoys being outside with a good book, working out followed by a coffee run, or shopping with my friends.
Nadia Herber
Mini-Sync Teaching Assistant
Nadia is a senior at Bloomington High School South, and this is her 9th year in BEAT! She is passionate about creating an inclusive environment, as demonstrated in her role has vice president in school club Supportive STEM with fellow Mini-Sync TA and president Charlotte Piedmont. She is so happy to be a TA and excited for a great year ahead!
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