EDDIE GASPER came to the area as Director/Choreographer at Minnesota State University, Moorhead. He has been commissioned by the New York Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company, worked through the League of Regional Theatre and was guest artist/instructor in various universities and organizations. Eddie was also Bob Fosse’s assistant for over a decade working with him on and off Broadway and in Hollywood. In London, he choreographed at the Palladium for the BBC’s Talk of the Town. On Broadway, he choreographed Fig Leaves are falling, with Barry Nelson and Dorothy Loudon, and appeared as lead dancer in Can Can, Sweet Charity, West Side Story, Irma la Douce, Music Man, and Guys and Dolls. Eddie has directed night club acts for Juliet Prowse and Jedy Carne, and has also directed Ginger Rogers, Phil Silvers, Donald O’Connor, Agnes Moorhead, Kathryn Grayson, and Howard Keel, to name a few. He has had the pleasure of working under the direction of Jerome Robbins, Agnes DeMille, Michael Kidd, and Onna White. Locally, Eddie was the former co-Artistic Director/Choreographer for the Red River Dance and Performing Company from 1978-1995 and directed the main-stage musical at Trollwood Performing Arts School from 1981-1991.  

KATHY GASPER has an impressive classical background complimenting her appearances on the Broadway stage, television, cabarets, regional theatres, and summer stock productions. Kathy has been a soloist and principal dancer with the Milwaukee Ballet, Weisbaden Ballet, Illinois and Chicago Ballets, the Florentine Opera, and the Chicago Opera Ballet. She has been an instructor/guest artist at several universities and has produced creative “in-school” programs that are applied today in Michigan, Florida, Minnesota, and North Dakota. Kathy’s professional musical comedy roles include Lola in Damn Yankees, Gladys in Pajama Game, Rose in Bye Bye Birdie, Gypsy and Dainty June in Gypsy, Ado Annie in Oklahoma, and Miss Hannigan in Annie. She has been privileged to have studied and performed under outstanding choreographers Lupe Surrano, Luigi, Jamie Rogers, Madame Clistove, Ellis DuBoulay, Peter Genaro, and Ron Fields. She was assistant choreographer for the Doc Severinson & Brothers and Sisters nigh club act at the Plaza Hotel in New York and Hawaii. She has also choreographed summer stock productions, industrials, commercials, and major dance works for several performing groups, including the Merion Cole Ballet. Kathy was the former artistic director of the Red River Dance and Performing Company in Fargo, ND, and choreographed and was the director of the dance department at Trollwood Performing Arts School from 1981-1993.  

MATTHEW GASPER has been dancing since the age of 12. A late start considering his parents owned a local dance school. But ever since, dancing has been a huge part of his life. Matthew was asked by the Cleveland San Jose Ballet Company. Matt danced principal roles including, Nutcracker, Rodeo, Coppell, Swan Lake, and Blue Suede Shoes,. Matt moved to New York City where he studied dance and pursued a career in musical theatre. Theatre productions included Appleamondo’s Dreams, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof. Mr. Matt has also appeared in TV and Film: Center stage, The Drew Carey Show, Picture This, and Blue Suede Shoes. Matthew has taught round the United States as a Guest Instructor. Currently Matthew is in Fargo, ND as a Master Teacher with Gasper’s School of Dance and Performing Arts, North Dakota State University, and Minnesota State University-Moorhead. Matt is working to propel not only GSDPA, but Fargo Moorhead Ballet as well, to national recognition, as the Artistic Director. Mr. Matt holds a Degree in Exercise Science as well and is a certified Personal Trainer.

PATRICK KASPER is the Creator/Presenter of POSITIVE MOTION "Movement with a Message" POSITIVE MOTION is a mind/body/fitness/team building/ motivation program that Patrick has shared all over the world for the past 15 years. www.positivemotion.net He is an internationally known dancer, singer, choreographer and performer. He has appeared on television, in magazines, commercials and newspapers and heard on radio throughout the world. Patrick began his career in the mid-west with the Red River Dance And Performing Company under the direction of Kathy and Eddie Gasper. (Gaspersschoolofdance.com) Patrick then combined his love for fitness and dance and became a popular instructor/choreographer at Voight Fitness and Dance Center in Los Angeles and went on to present his fitness dance class Positive Motion in Nice, Bahrain, Palm Springs, Paris, New York, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis,Grand Cayman and many other places. As Fitness Representative for Reebok in Chicago, Patrick choreographed and danced on The Reebok Demo Team that performed at Fitness conventions throughout the world. Patrick formed his own full service entertainment company called P.M. Productions or Positive Motion in 1993. Under the P.M. Productions umbrella Patrick starred in the television program "Shape Up Chicago" and even appeared on OPRAH! While living in Minneapolis Patrick was the Seasonal Live Entertainment Director and a choreographer at Valleyfair Amusement Park. Patrick also choreographed several industrial and College Productions worked with the Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders, taught at The Firm Fitness Studio and appeared in several commercials and radio programs. Patrick recently has choreographed many musicals all over the country and has shared POSITIVE MOTION with the guests of Celebrity Cruise lines. In addition, he teaches thousands of students with in school dance residencies. Patrick is proud of the training he received from Kathy, Eddie and Matt Gasper that gave him the skills to work at the career he loves and move and groove in POSITIVE MOTION!

LIISA LOCKER was born and raised in South-East Michigan, where she took her first dance class at the age of six. She quickly increased her classes to include modern, Pilates, tap, jazz, pointe, and ballet. Liisa's studies took her to Dance Gallery Studio, home of the Peter Sparling modern company, where she met Wendi DuBois. Ms. DuBois became Liisa's main ballet instructor after coming to teach at Dance Arts of Chelsea in Liisa's hometown. Liisa became involved with the Youth Dance Theatre of Michigan at age 8, and moved up the ranks to a position as First Company Soloist in high school. Through YDT, Liisa has had the pleasure of creating roles in Tchaikovski's The Nutcracker with original choreography by Ms. DuBois; Five Dancing Princesses, after the story of Twelve Dancing Princesses; and Gershwin!, a contemporary ballet to the well-known tunes of George and Ira Gershwin. Throughout middle and high school, Liisa involved herself in numerous summer intensives, including those given by the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet, BalletMet Columbus, the Kansas City Ballet School, and the Cecchetti Council of America. Liisa participated in the pre-professional teacher training classes given by Ms. DuBois, and she has taught ballet and pointe at YDT's summer dance intensives. Liisa is currently a member of the FM Ballet, and is studying at NDSU for undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Physics.  

CARRIE HUBBARD started dancing at age 3 in southern Minnesota where she was born and raised. The daughter of dairy farmers, her parents spent the hours between milking cows taking her 42 miles one way to Rochester Ballet School/ Allegro School of Dance for classes in Ballet, Pointe, Tap and Jazz. She widened her horizons by moving to the Fargo/Moorhead area in 2005. While a student at Minnesota State University Moorhead she danced on the MSUM Dragon Dance Team and helped lead them to the UDA National Championships for three years. Upon graduation with a B.A. in Communication Studies, she began taking on numerous roles as a freelance choreographer and dance instructor. She has had the privilege of teaching at Trollwood Performing Arts School since 2010 and is thrilled to have the opportunity to teach at Gasper's School of Dance and Performing Arts where she teaches ZUMBA, Itty Bittys, and Tap as well as private instruction. When she is not dancing, Carrie enjoys helping brides plan their perfect wedding day as a Bridal Consultant at The Bridal Shop in Fargo.  

JILL LAWRENCE Is from Lidgerwood, ND having grown up on a dairy farm next to the Tewauken Wildlife Refuge. She got a taste of gymnastics as a small child and always enjoyed watching the high school drill team perform at home games. Unfortunately though, she didn’t have access to dance classes as a child. Jill would listen to her moms LPs and 45s, dancing around in the living room like no one was watching! (And still does…) Jill took part in photo club, chorus and drama all throughout high school, and somehow got a nickname of Dancin’ from her classmates. During college and post-college Jill struggled with her weight and discovered three things that helped her take charge of her health and life: Curves for Women, Weight Watchers, and ZUMBA® Fitness. She started out as a ZUMBA® student in January 2008 while living in Kansas City and was hooked after one class. Later that year she was licensed in ZUMBA® Basics 1. Since then she has attained licenses in ZUMBA® Basics 2, ZUMBA® Gold, and ZUMBA® Toning. Jill is also qualified to teach ZUMBA® in the Curves Circuit and ZUMBA® Gold-Toning, two newer programs. She is also an AFAA certified Primary Group Fitness instructor and is CPR/AED certified. Jill returned home to North Dakota fall 2009 and began teaching all over the Fargo-Moorhead area. This is her true passion. ZUMBA® is a euphoric escape she can’t get enough of! To learn more about her and the ZUMBA® program check out http://www.zumba.com, or check out ZUMBA® with Jill on Facebook. “There is no right or wrong in ZUMBA, embrace awkwardness and have fun!”