Meet the staff
Brennan "B" Wilder
Co-Executive Director & Choreographer
Brennan is a show choir choreographer, dancer, and freelance performer. She received her Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Dance, Theatre, and Psychology from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. 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 Hip Hop, House, Contact Improvisation, Movement FundamentalsⓇ, and Modern. She has led a series of show choir workshops in Australia & completed 3 College/University dance residencies. Brennan recently earned her Movement Fundamentals Certification to facilitate deeper personal practice for preteen & teenage dancers to create choreography and performance pieces.
After moving to Los Angeles in September 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 invited to be a part of the CNE Irish Step Dance Company and Bollywood Express Dance Company.
As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Brennan hopes to provide an inclusive, nurturing, and safe environment for ALL young people to explore dance and movement with a focus on each person’s unique facility and embodied experience.
Brennan now resides in Bloomington, IN with her wife Ly. She is in her tenth year as a dance instructor with Fairview Elementary’s Arts Academy and the choreographer of the Fairview Show Choir! She is in her fourteenth year as the Executive Director of BEAT: Bloomington Expressive Arts Training, a community show choir program developed by Brennan & Ly for kids in grades 1-12 in the Bloomington community. And today, “B” travels nationwide choreographing and adjudicating for Jr. High and High School Show Choirs!
Ly Wilder
Co-Executive Director & Vocal Director
As a contemporary vocal artist, conductor and educator, Ly Wilder exhibits an infectious energy and knowledge of style and technique that engages students and audiences alike in jazz and popular choral music. She has been featured as a vocalist with combos, big bands and orchestras, and as a performer at Walt Disney World singing with legendary artists Joe Williams, Rosemary Clooney, and Dianne Reeves. A prolific arranger, Wilder's works have been performed by university and high school ensembles world-wide.
As an clinician, Ly has conducted All-State Vocal Jazz Ensembles and Show Choirs in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Washington, Wisconsin and adjudicated festivals and competitions throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. Ly taught at both Indiana and Purdue Universities and has served on the staff of Showchoir Camps of America since 2003. She taught at the Steve Zegree Vocal Jazz Camps at WMU and IU. Ly is the Vocal Director of Bloomington Expressive Arts Training (BEAT), which she co-founded with choreographer Brennan Wilder in 2012. Under their direction, this extracurricular community show choir program features award-winning student ensembles from 1st through 12th grades (including Syncopation and Amplitude). She is active as a community artist with the Fairview Elementary School Arts Academy as the Vocal Director of the Fairview Show Choirs.
She holds a BM in Studio Music and Jazz from the University of Miami and a MM in Jazz Studies from Western Michigan University. She and her wife Brennan reside in Bloomington IN and are the proud moms of daughter Jamie and kitties Mochi & Wasabi.
Kayla Roub
Administrative Assistant
Kayla is a member of the administration for BEAT, and is excited to be making her return to the program. Kayla was a former TA for BEAT for three seasons. She has taken on many different roles in the show choir community. In high school she was in the show choir program at Bedford North Lawrence High School, as well as the musical theater program. Later she moved to Fort Wayne to complete her college career and graduated from Purdue University Fort Wayne. After college she worked as an 8th grade English teacher in Garrett, Indiana where she assisted the show choir and musical theater program. Kayla is thrilled to come back to the BEAT program and assist in many of the administrative tasks!
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!
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.
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.
Jamie Tartell
Guest Clinician
Jamie is the choir director at Tecumseh Junior High School in Lafayette, Indiana where she directs the 7th and 8th grade choirs as well as the auditioned ensemble Tecumseh Singers. She holds a Bachelors of Music Education with High Distinction from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. At IU, she served as the Director of Education for the Grammy-nominated Singing Hoosiers. Jamie has previously worked as the choir director at Jennings County Middle School in North Vernon, Indiana and as a vocal director for Bloomington Expressive Arts Training. Jamie has adjudicated and led show choir clinics in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Massachusetts. Jamie is an Alumna of BEAT and is thrilled to return to the creative team!
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 currently taking a gap year between before returning to school to study elementary education. She was a member of BEAT for 7 years and this will be her third year as a teaching assistant. BEAT has had such an impact in her life and she wants to continue to help make an impact in other performers’ lives.
Emma Kitchel
Amplitude, Syncopation, and DanceWERKS Teaching Assistant
Emma is a vet tech student from Chesterton, Indiana. She performed in the Chesterton Drifters and Sandpipers in high school, and this is her fourth year working with Syncopation. Emma is so excited to take on another season with these talented kids and watch them do great things!
Sierra Jones
Syncopation and DanceWERKS Teaching Assistant
Sierra is a sophomore at IU studying Media Management, Law and Policy. She performed with the Chesterton Drifters and Sandpipers in high school and this will be her second year with the BEAT fam as a TA. She is so excited to continue working with the kids in BEAT to help them develop and grow as incredible young performers as well as watching them grow as individuals. She cannot wait to see where this season takes us!
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.
Gavin Rivera
Syncopation Teaching Assistant
Gavin is a sophomore at Indiana University studying Computer Science. He is very excited to work with the entire B.E.A.T family for a second year in a row! In his free time he does acapella, plays video games, and sports! Gavin is super excited to have year full of friendship and fun!
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