-Where quality dance instructors provide quality dance education-
Setting high standards for excellence in our faculty starts at the very top. That's why for over 50 years, Miss Linda's has strived to bring the young dancers in our community the best possible instructional experts around to create enduring experiences for every student.
Linda Fuller, better known as "Miss Linda," began studying as a young girl at Virginia Maupin’s Dance Studio in Minot, ND and has been dancing ever since. She has become a staple in the Great Falls and Montana arts communities as a performer, instructor and advocate of the arts. Linda has a BS in English from Minot State University in ND and holds teaching certifications in dance from Dance Masters of America and Dance Educators of America, James A. Rozanas method for gymnastics and tumbling, Mary Mayta Aerobics and Kelopecz Pilates. Linda was a founding member of the Center Stage Theater Company and co-founder of the Dorothy Monagin Music Endowment, a music scholarship program supporting Montana youth. She has served on the Montana Arts Education Council, Montana Dance Arts Association Board, and numerous committees and groups supporting and developing all arts in Montana.
Linda has produced, directed and choreographed for hundreds of concerts, fully staged theatrical productions, cabarets, revues, school shows, television spots and more including local Dancing with the Stars, Marie Osmond’s Meet Me in Montana tour, Oklahoma!, The Music Man and 49 years of Miss Linda’s Spring Productions.
Linda is a percussionist and has been a member of the University and Great Falls Municipal bands and the Great Falls Symphony. As a dancer her performance credits include the Mod Moms and ‘Lectric Ladies companies; theater roles Annie (Miss Hannigan), Anything Goes (Bonnie), Sweet Charity (Charity), Mame (Gootch) and The Sound of Music (Mother Superior).
Her passion for the performing arts and their benefits to people of all ages is what drives Linda to make sure anyone wanting to explore their creative side or expand their imagination can do so at Miss Linda's.
Wendy Masterson
Wendy Masterson is a talented and sought-after master teacher, somatic practitioner, arts administrator and movement specialist with over 35 years of experience. She has a Master of Fine Arts in Dance, is a certified BMCSM Practitioner, a Somatic & Infant Developmental Movement Educator, is certified in GYROTONIC® and owner of The Motion Space, LLC in Great Falls.
A former professional ballet dancer, Wendy has worked with prestigious educational organizations and professional dance companies including 25 years on the dance/director at Interlochen Arts Academy in MI. She spent 15 summers as an administrator at President and Mrs. Ford’s Vail International Dance Festival working with elite dancers, choreographers and pedagogics from around the world. She has been the Director of Program Development at Kinesthetic Learning Center for 5 years. She is currently serving as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of Body-Mind Centering Association. As a leader in the field of dance pedagogy and artistry, Wendy has presented at the International Association of Dance, Medicine, & Science conferences in Washington, DC; Seattle, WA; and Basel, Switzerland and at the BMCA Annual Conference 2013 in Boulder, CO. Wendy is currently serving as the president of the Montana Dance Arts Association.
Shannon Hudson
Shannon Hudson discovered her love of the arts as a student at Miss Linda’s and has been dancing through life ever since. She attended Walnut Hill School for Performing Arts before graduating from CMR. Following that she studied at the University of Utah before transferring to and graduating from the University of Michigan with a BFA from the College of Music where she studied musical theater and dance. Go Blue!
From there Shannon pursued a career in the arts. Working as a dancer, singer, actress, choreographer and director she performed throughout the US, Europe, Canada and Mexico spending 10 years based out of NYC before moving to London where she spent the next 17 years. She has had the privilege of working with top professionals in the industry on both sides of the pond. Throughout this time Shannon was also an instructor in dance and worked in arts administration. Trained in multiple genres she has taught at studios, colleges and universities throughout the US and the UK.
Her continuing education includes training at the Bates Dance Festival, certification as a Simonson Jazz Technique instructor and certification from Vinyasa Yoga School of Rishikesh as a yoga instructor. In London, she was a corporate training consultant teaching at Cambridge University and London Business School. Shannon served the Talitha Arts UK charity using creative arts therapy to support victims of trafficking, domestic abuse and dementia.
Shannon is excited to be back at Miss Linda’s as an instructor, company director and business manager. She loves the arts, arts education and is proud to be working with her mom, Miss Linda.
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MariaJose Staley Ramon Ros
An accomplished performer, instructor and choreographer, Mariajose is originally from Spain where she studied dance under the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and the Spanish Dance Society (SDS). She has extensive performing experience dancing in Valencia and Madrid, Spain and Shima Spain Mura, in Mie-ken and Okinawa, Japan in operas, concerts, musical videos, musical comedies and showcases. An accomplished Flamenco Dancer, Mariajose also had her own Flamenco Company where she was a choreographer and performer. She has taught ballet and flamenco in Spain, Japan and the US at universities, arts schools, private studios, workshops and conventions. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Social Science, a Degree of Senior Technician in Early Childhood Education and finished her College career as a Middle School Teacher mastering in Physical Sports Education. In addition, she graduated from the RAD with an Advanced II Level, SDS with a Masters of Flamenco and the Flamenco Instructor Exam.
April Wendt
April’s love for performing began at the age of three right here in Great Falls, MT. As she grew up she participated in countless productions acting, singing, dancing, and growing her technical theater skills. This ongoing love influenced her to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree in Performing Arts from Carroll College graduating in 1998. While there, April was in an original production that toured to Seattle, WA and was honored to be in two different original productions that performed off-Broadway in New York, NY. Not long after graduating, she was hired to be an Improv player for “The Stage Door” in Fayetteville, NC. When her father became ill with cancer, she returned home to Great Falls to care for him. For ten years, April was the head drama, debate, and speech coach for Simms High School. Also during this time, April helped out with local community theaters, lending her acting, improv and technical theater skills.
In 2011, April began designing lights full time for the University of Providence. Throughout the years, she has not only designed the lights, but also acted in the productions. Once again in 2013 she returned to the New York Musical Festival stage in New York, NY playing Janis Joplin in the University of Providence’s production of “The Dead Legend.” During the 2018-2019 school year, April energetically directed the UP Improv Players. When COVID-19 hit, the University of Providence Theater closed its doors. Lost without theater in her life, April went in search of a new theater family. Graciously Act I allowed April to participate in their spring zoom sessions and she fell in love! April is extremely thrilled to be joining the Act I family permanently!
Kaylee Osentowski, or ‘Kaylee O’ as she’s known to us, is a Miss Linda’s alumnus. A graduate of CMRussell High School, Kaylee had an impressive career at the University of Montana which saw her graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre (emphasis Stage Management), a Bachelor of Arts in Dance (emphasis Choreography/Performance) and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (focus Management and Entrepreneurship) with Certificate in Entertainment Management. While in Missoula she worked as a choreographer, stage manager, performer and technician for college and professional organizations including Montana Repertory Theatre, Cohesion Dance Project and UM programs including Spring Awakening, Dance up Close, Summer and Smoke, Fall Studio Works and the American College Dance Association presentations. Kaylee’s choreography includes original pieces Farewell Ophelia, How Easily Broken and Honey Hot, the musicals You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and Beauty and the Beast. She is currently the coach of the CMR High School Dance Team.
Kaylee also attended the esteemed Disney College Program and worked at Walt Disney Parks and Resort in Toy Story Land and Star Wars Launch Bay. After leaving UM she returned to Orlando to work as Company Production Stage Manager with Young Star Musical Theatre for Hairspray and Peter Pan. She has worked teaching children and adolescents dance and theatre throughout her training and into her professional career. In addition to her instruction at Miss Linda’s, Kaylee sits on the board of the Great Falls Theater Company and serves those in need during the day working for the Make a Wish Foundation.
Kaylee Osentowski
John and Laurie Johnson
John and Laurie Johnson have been dancing together regularly for many years. In 1999, they moved to Los Angeles to care for Laurie’s parents, coming home to Great Falls for two months every Summer. In 2020 John and Laurie relocated back to Great Falls for good!
While in Los Angeles, their favorite aerobics class was cancelled and they looked for an activity
to fill the void. Dancing became their workout and their passion.
John and Laurie learned to dance from watching world class dancers, taking lessons from
accomplished professionals and asking all sorts of questions!
Their focus is on swing dancing, country dancing and even some line dancing. Laurie taught
dance, voice and drama to elementary kids for 14 years, including Ballroom Blast competition
dance for 4th and 5th graders for one of the top after school programs in Los Angeles.
John and Laurie eagerly look for opportunities to spread the joy and tradition of social dancing
to anyone willing to give it a go!
Dakota Bohman
Dakota Bohman was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM, and grew up in musical theater and dance. She began dancing at the age of four at Fishback Studio of the Dance, training in ballet, tap, and jazz. At age ten, she began dancing at the National Dance Institute of New Mexico (NDI) at the Hiland Theater. She became a valued member of the Senior SWAT (Super Wonderful Awesome Team) and Celebration outreach programs; both a tap, modern/contemporary, jazz, and musical theater-based company. Once graduating from the Celebration Team, she spent the next three and a half years training pre-professionally on The Company in all styles. She assisted multiple classes and volunteered backstage and in the office throughout her time at the studio. After moving to Montana, she began teaching at the Creative Arts Center in Helena, while also holding the position of Office Manager and teaching advanced hip hop guest classes. She also taught all levels of hip hop for Dance the Divide in Helena 2025, and multiple classes for Miss Linda’s summer program. Dakota is thrilled to join the team at Miss Linda’s and share her passion for dance with new and returning students.
Kelly Fisher
Kelly Fisher, originally from Boston, is a dancer, choreographer, and dance educator. She began her training at the Belmont School of Dance and continued at The Dance Inn where she trained with their pre-professional dance company through high school. Kelly graduated with honors from Brigham Young University Idaho with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance, with pedagogy emphasis. While in college, Kelly performed and toured with BYU-Idaho’s company Dance Alliance in Western Canada, Panama, Costa Rica, and the western states of the United States. After graduating, she taught as an adjunct faculty member at BYU-I in the dance department teaching 200-level modern, tap, and jazz. In 2017, Kelly co-founded a dance company called The Dancers Project in Rexburg Idaho providing local artists the opportunity to collaborate, choreograph, teach, and perform. Kelly then moved to the Washington D.C. area where she performed and choreographed for Tiffany Haughn's dance company DancEthos. She also performed with Ivy Chow's company I.C. Movement Project as well as Kimmie Dobbs Chan and Enoch Chan's company DEVIATED THEATRE. In Dayton, Ohio Kelly was the Artistic Director for Modern Elements the Dance Studio, which included writing and directing their fall production, organizing auditions, and helping the dancers get the best training. Kelly has been choreographing for as long as she can remember and has been teaching at local studios for over ten years. She loves teaching a variety of ages and styles and is always looking for ways to improve her teaching technique. She has learned a lot and is always grateful for the chance to share the joy of dance with others.
Darby started dancing at age 3 in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Hip-Hop, and more recently, Tap. Prior to college, Darby’s dance experiences were vast and fun. She performed at the 2010 Orange Bowl Halftime Show with many other dancers from the country. She danced in countless studio recitals, shows and Nutcrackers and even performed principal roles. She was invited to perform on a cruise ship for other guests and had the best time! She has also traveled to New York to take Broadway Dance Workshops from a dance captain and swing from Matilda. In 2016, she had the opportunity to dance at Disney in Orlando, Florida. Darby has also traveled to Johnson, Vermont where she worked as a counselor at Burklyn Ballet Theater and performed in Giselle, Swan Lake, and new works from professional choreographers and Master Teachers such as Helen Starr of the Louisville Ballet and Arthur Leeth of the Boston Ballet. In 2019, Darby achieved her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance Education from Texas State University in San Marcos, TX. Her certifications include Texas Educator Certification, 6-12 as well as Pilates Suspension Method. During her time at Texas State, she had the opportunity to perform in the faculty-run show Opening Door Dance Theater, and a Choreographers’ Showcase of newer choreographers also seeking a degree in Dance. She performed in a traveling troupe called CIMTEYA (Creation in Motion, Touring Ensemble for Young Audiences) that exposed young students to academic, emotional and social concepts through the art of dance. She also was part of a student lead organization, Orchesis, which is an ensemble performing Jazz, Modern and Hip-Hop to diverse audiences. Additionally, Darby had the opportunity to work with kids in the community during a summer program teaching them Creative Movement at the local library. She has also substituted at a dance studio in Leander, TX with the Elite Jazz Group and Baby Ballet. Darby currently works at Miss Linda’s School of Dance in Great Falls, MT where she is skilled in teaching Ballet, Modern, and Jazz. She is very excited to get to dance with you all!
Darby Rubino
Madeline Hall
Madeline Joy Hall is a born and raised Great Falls girl who began dancing with Miss Linda at the age of three. She’s been going gang busters ever since. For Maddie, dance isn’t a hobby, it’s a part of who she is. She dances every day as a choice, as a commitment. Maddie has travelled throughout the US dancing with the Young Dancers Company and the Montana Dance Arts Association. She has received numerous awards, scholarships and special recognition at competitions, conventions and workshops throughout her travels. She has trained in summer programs at UCLA, the Joffrey School NYC, Broadway Dance Center and the Radio City Rockettes. Tap, hip-hop and modern are dear to her heart and express different sides of who she is when she’s performing. Maddie is a true creative artist and works as a photographer as well as becoming a member of the Miss Linda's faculty this season. She will be teaching HIp-Hop and continue being member of the Young Dancers Company.Welcome aboard, Maddie.