Staff and Instructors

Diane Galbrecht Partee was born and raised right here in Olathe, KS. She started at the Studio School of Dance at the age of 3. She graduated in 1998 from Olathe South High School in which she was active in the Golden Girls dance team, too. After high school, Diane attended Benedictine College in Atchison for the next 4 years and obtained her BS in Biochemistry and a minor in dance. She was a member of the Raven dance team for 4 years and Captain for 2. 

In 2002, Diane was accepted to the Illinois College of Optometry. Dr. Diane graduated in 2006 with her Doctor of Optometry. After ICO, Dr. Diane specialized in Pediatrics during her residency at the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry. Since finishing her education, Dr. Diane has opened her own office to practice. When she’s not at work, Diane enjoys spending time with her family and three kids.

Molly Galbrecht was born and raised in Olathe, KS and is the youngest of five children. At the age of three, Molly started her dance career at The Studio School of Dance. Molly continued performing as a member of the Olathe South High School Golden Girls. 

While at Benedictine College she received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology while continuing to dance in classes and on the dance team. Molly was a four year member of the Raven Dance Team and served as captain for two of those years. From 2011-2015 Molly was a director and instructor for The Raven School of Dance, a community dance school set up on the Benedictine College campus in Atchison, KS. Molly looks forward to sharing her love and passion for dance with young students.

Born and raised in Olathe, KS, Samantha Bennett Miller began her dance training at the age of seven at the Studio School of Dance. After graduating high school, she went on to train at Stephen’s College and to earn a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance. When there, she trained under Elizabeth Hartwell, Deborah Carr, Carol Estey, Karen Grundy, Diane Coburn Bruning and performed scenes from Fokine’s Firebird and Petipa’s Swan Lake among other pieces choreographed by the Stephen’s College professors and guest instructors. 

In the summer of 2013, her own choreography was chosen for the Summer Dance Concert at Stephen’s College. After graduating from Stephen’s she continued her training with Störling Dance Theatre, and now continues to dance as a freelance artist. Samantha appreciates the way in which dance breaks down barriers and creates wonderful bonds of friendship with amazing people.

 Megan began dancing at The Studio at the age of four and continued until she graduated from Olathe South High School, where she was Captain of the Olathe South Golden Girls. She continued to study dance at the University of Kansas and graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in dance. While at KU she worked with a variety of choreographers including Mikhail Baryshnikov and Bill Evans. Megan has performed with the University of Kansas Dance Company, Prairie Wind Dancers and Band of Dancers. Megan also studied dance at the Ailey School in New York City and the Rhee Gold Project in Boston, MA. Working primarily with Pre-K students, Megan has become a certified Master Leap n’ Learn Instructor. 

Desire was born in Manhattan, KS and raised in the Johnson County area. She quickly realized her love for dance through ballroom dancing classes she took in elementary school, leading her to dance on her Middle and High School Dance teams. With a scholarship in town, she danced as a Golden Girl on Johnson County Community College’s dance team for two years with the title of dance captain her second year. Since then, she has worked, performed, and trained with various artists in Kansas City as well as become a partial member of Tigerstyle Crew! A dance crew/professional performance company based out of Kansas City. With them, she has received extensive training in hip hop foundations, street styles, technique, contemporary, lyrical, modern, commercial choreography, improvisation, story telling, artistry and has performed in their annual show DiversCity! Desire’ believes dance should be guided by a feeling that has the ability to connect us to one another and transcend. She hopes to show her students this while increasing hip hop dance’s longevity! 

Brooke Allen was born and raised in Olathe, KS. Brooke started her dancing career at the age of two at Starbright dance studio. Brooke also was a member of the Olathe Northwest Ravens Dance Team during high school. She has had the opportunity to learn from various artists throughout her dance career. Outside of dancing in high school Brooke was also on the competition team at Starstruck Performing Arts Center.After graduating high school in 2017, Brooke attended Kansas State University majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences and a minor in early childhood education. Brooke also was a member of the classy cats dance team at K-State. 

Amy Wilcox grew up here in Olathe, KS. She began dancing at The Studio School of Dance at 3 years old and continued through high school graduation from Olathe South High School in 1998. Amy attended the University of Kansas for undergraduate and graduate work and holds a master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education. She worked in the Early Childhood Autism classrooms for the Olathe School District and Gardner Edgerton School District for 9 years before taking a position with Infant Toddler Services of Johnson County where she continues to work today. Amy’s passion is working with children who have Autism through assistance with evaluations, education, and therapeutic strategies to help young children and their families.

Amy spent 8 years as a Jazzercise instructor in Olathe where she enjoyed the chance to teach, dance and be on stage all in one activity. She is excited about being back in the dance room and having the opportunity to share her love of dance with the students at The Studio!

Amanda is a Kansas City native, grew up in Olathe and currently resides in Overland Park. She began her life-long passion for dance at the age of five in a ballet/tap/acro combo class. Amanda spent her early dance career performing with a dance troupe throughout the Kansas City metro area, and later danced competitively. Amanda has traveled to attend various dance conventions and competitions, and has trained closely with tap legends such as Savion Glover and Al Gilbert. While Amanda’s first love was tap, the bulk of her training and teaching experience is in ballet. She also has extensive knowledge in all levels of jazz and contemporary dance. She loves to express herself through her choreography and tell a story with each new routine. When it comes to teaching dance, Amanda loves to challenge her students to become the best dancers they can, and dancers will definitely work up a sweat in her class! She believes every dancer must have a strong fundamental knowledge of dance technique and most importantly, ballet. She is excited to join the staff at The Studio and is looking forward to teaching this upcoming season!