Dancing with the Last Best Stars Program
November 7, 2026
MC-
Colette Pengelley is from Australia and is a dancer, performer, choreographer, and educator. She has a business choreographing professional performances, music artist video clips, kids entertainment, and corporate events. Colette is the Recreational Program Managing Director at Tanya’s Dance Company.
Judges-
Val Andrews studied acting at the University of Arkansas as well as New York City's TVI Studio. She continued her teaching career in Montana and was a predominant figure in starting TATE Academy. The Ellen Theatre has been Valarie’s stage home for 9 years. Val and Mr. Will Dickerson won Dancing with the Last Best Stars in 2025!
Mr. Will Dickerson is entering his 4th year as Principal of Morning Star Elementary. Before that he served as principal at Hyalite Elementary. Mr. Will Dickerson and Val Andrews won Dancing with the Last Best Stars in 2025!
Courtney Foster founded Referred Realty Group in 2013. She moved to Bozeman in 2015 and works mostly with empty nesters and retirees moving out of a house that no longer fits, long-time owners sitting on a lot of equity, and buyers relocating to Bozeman from somewhere else.
ACT I
Babywearing Dance
Kendra Allenby, Nicole Armstrong, Kat Bezek, Kinsey Butler, Haley Dolan, Stephani Evans, Sam McCotter, Katy McKenny, Maria Tsomaya
Support the Babywearing Dancers here!
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Patrick Higgins & Vanessa Zamora
Patrick Higgins is an educator and Executive Director of Bozeman Children's Theatre, Patrick is committed to creating opportunities that bring families together and help young people discover confidence, creativity & connection.
Vanessa Zamora is the Executive Director at Bienvenidos of Bozeman, a local organization that illuminates pathways to self-empowerment and belonging for the Spanish-speaking community, by building bridges to resources, relationships, and advocates. She has taught latin dance classes for over 10 years.
Vote for Patrick & Vanessa here!
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Bozeman Dance Academy Tap
Hunter Craig, Lynken Damm, Audrey Folley, Adelee Jones, Sienna Smith, Jordyn Wildman
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Ali Schweitzer & Stevie Peterson
Ali Schweitzer Ali is a healthcare provider who works with families in the community. Ali appreciates that Roots has been a resource and support system not only for my patients, but also for herself.
Stevie Peterson is Executive Director of IndepenDANCE and has been dancing most of her life. The joy of sharing her love of the stage with hundreds of dancers, novice to expert, every year drives her passion in showing everyone that they can dance if they just give it a go! Stevie has recently become a mother and is so thankful for the resources that Roots provides.
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The Shrinking Violets
Roberta Amendolar, Ellie Atkins, Larry Atkins, Becky Ellsworth, Carissa* Ellsworth, Whitney Hall, Tamara Knappenberger, LeeAnn Mercer, Katherine Miller, Taryn Morris, Eden Night, Jeri Pipin, Wan-Yuan Quo, Jen Sonnichsen, Charlotte* Sonnichsen, Genevieve* Sonnichsen
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Sarah Hessler & Tim Edgar
Sarah Hessler is a financial consultant at Charles Schwab, and has been a top sponsor of this event for 3 years! She is proud to be raising support for Roots, an organization that has positively impacted so many families in our community!
Tim Edgar has been a professional ballroom dance instructor for 18 years, and been dancing for almost 30! He was trained in all styles, in one of the top studios in the country, and later became an instructor for the school for almost 10 years. He's a “born-again Montanan,” who moved to Montana when he was 7 years old.
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Gal-Latin
Veronica Nelson (choreographer), Fernanda Alcocer, Rachel Dunn, Caroline Gibson, Paige Herrington, Jocelyn Reid, Dan Kinon, LeAnn Bunn, Shirley McNeil, Pablo Prats Mira , Sarah Roderer, Kristen Wolf, Suzie Weaver, Vanessa Zamora
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Shallon Lester & Tyler Dunning
Shallon Lester is an author, YouTube personality, and self-appointed big sister to hundreds of thousands of women around the world. She's built a career teaching women how to navigate life's trickiest situations with confidence, strategy, and a healthy dose of sass. Tonight, she's putting her own advice to the test on the dance floor—the stakes are high, the heels are higher, and the cause couldn't be better!
Tyler Dunning grew up in southwestern Montana, having developed a feral curiosity and reflective personality at a young age. He’s dabbled in such occupations as professional wrestling, archaeology, social justice advocacy, and academia. At his core he is a writer, but in his heart he is a dancer!
Vote for Shallon and Tyler here!
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The Pengelley Crew
Melissa Casad, Allie Frazier, Olivia Genteman, Mia McCormick, Flora McCormick, Maria Tsomaya, Marissa Valone, Cary Wahlborg
ACT II
Kevin Brumbach & Maria Tsomaya
Kevin Brumbach is a husband, father, and Family Nurse Practitioner who loves the support Roots provides our community. Becoming a parent is a gift, and at the same time exhausting, confusing, and sometimes isolating. Roots provides a fantastic community for Moms and Dads to come together and share the struggles and beauty of it all. His wife has been on the board of Roots for the last 6 years and he feels privileged to dance the night away supporting her and Roots!
Maria Tsomaya has been teaching dance for over 10 years. She teaches ballroom dance at The Demi Space and runs her own business, Big Sky Ballroom, offering private lessons, group classes, and wedding dance instruction. Dance has always been her passion, and she’s incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share that passion while supporting such a wonderful cause through Dancing with the Last Best Stars!
Vote for Kevin and Maria here!
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Mountain Air Aerial Dance
Cecilia Whyel
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Katy Mistretta & Marissa Valone
Katy Mistretta is a Family Nurse Practitioner at Bozeman Creek Family Health and has been caring for patients over the past 13 years. Outside of work, you'll usually find Katy running mountain trails, making pottery, or spending time with her husband and their two teenagers. She’s excited to trade her running shoes for dancing shoes to support this incredible cause!
Marissa Valone teaches SHiNE DANCE FITNESS here in Bozeman and absolutely LOVES what she does! She is a wife to the funniest, most supportive husband and a mommy to two kiddos who are total balls of energy! She thinks using dance as a platform to support our community while simultaneously creating community is a beautiful idea. Let’s boogie!
Vote for Katy and Marissa here!
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406 Cirque
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Jessie Clark & Suzi Rose
Jessi Clark was born in rural Louisiana and grew up on a farm before heading to MSU to play Bobcat football. When his football career ended, he stayed. Montana felt like home. He discovered snowboarding, dirt biking, and a community that valued hard work and honesty. Jessie has built Every Detail 365 into a trusted detailing service in the Gallatin Valley.
Suzi Rose is the founder and owner of Western Roots Country Dancing www.mtcountrydance.com. Western Roots provides full-service country dance entertainment to Montana and beyond. She and her team of dancers passionately work to keep the west dancing. She teaches country swing, two step, waltz and line dancing through classes in studio, private events and hosting community social dance nights at Bourbon and the Westerner.
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Dancing Daisies
Kendell Bachman, Dezzi Cortez, Payton DeGidio, Haley Doland, Jayson Dunn, Olivia Harrison, Jessica Johnson, Brettlinn Keoper, Molly Martin, Taylor Owens, Lu Sorteberg, Sara Stanek, Tina Thompson, Morgan Wilson
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Matt Caires & Veronica Nelson
Matt Caires is the Dean of Students at MSU and husband to an amazing wife and father of two young daughters who keep him on his toes.
Veronica Nelson was born in Peru and raised in Argentina, has been part of our Bozeman community since 2004. She has been salsa dancing for 26 years, teaching, performing and choreographing Latin dance to spread the joy and benefits of dance to anyone willing to try it. Her favorite part of dance is to watch it unfold differently and bring out smiles in everyone.
Vote for Matt and Veronica here!
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Demi Space Pom Squad
Jane Edwards, Leighton Hoover, Greyson Jevne, Vonn Kordick, Kori McKinney, Margaret McSwain, Neeley Repscher, Kaile Thompson