OUR INSTRUCTORS
AMY DERSTEIN
Amy L. Derstein is the owner and primary teacher for Paquita Dance Center. Amy Derstein has been choreographing and teaching dance since 1996. She has also danced and performed professionally in New York, St. Louis, Chicago, and Wichita. In 2001 Amy graduated from Friends University with a degree in Fine Arts/Ballet and Psychology with an emphasis in counseling. She is currently enjoying her time as a wife to her beloved, best friend, Christopher Derstein, and being a mother to two amazing girls Addie and Meredith, and her son Ellington. She also enjoys choreographing for Christian Youth Theaters (CYT). Amy L. Derstein has a passion to provide classical and professional ballet/dance to all ages in an environment that honors and praises Jesus Christ.
Elizabeth Yeremin
Elizabeth has been performing for over 10 year. From ballet to to singing to painting, Elizabeth loves making art for the Lord. She hopes to continue to use her talents from God to influence the kids around her. She started teaching at Paquita Dance Center her junior year of high school in 2018.
Her favorite style to teach would most likely be ballet since she loves seeing her little’s faces when THEY feel like the ballerinas they dream about. At the moment, she is attending her sophomore year at Friends University with a Art Education major. If it's the Lord's will, she hopes she will be able to teach in inner city schools where kids rarely have to opportunity to learn and grow their talents.
Alyssa Butler
Alyssa was born and raised in Wellington, KS and has danced since the age of 6. She started with jazz and then ballet and lyrical, for which she grew a passion.
She took ballet from Miss Amy for many years. Alyssa began competing at age 11 and started choreographing her own solos as well as others at the age of 16. After high school, she was captain and danced on the Cowley College dance team.
Alyssa has been teaching and choreographing jazz and lyrical since 2014, and taught ballet for 4 years. Before Paquita, Alyssa took over as the competition, company director for a studio in 2014 and has won numerous awards at Regional and National competitions. When the opportunity came to teach at Paquita Dance Center she was excited to make the transition. She loves teaching and watching the kids grow and improve their talent and skills! Alyssa has loved her time at Paquita Dance Center so far and is looking forward to teaching for PDC for years to come.
Bailey Harris
Bailey was born and raised in Wellington, Ks and has danced since the age of 2. She did recreational dance for 4 years, until she began doing competitive dance at the age of 6. She took ballet from Miss Amy for 14 years.
As Bailey grew older she began choreographing her own dances with her friends for her studio's annual recitals, and began choreographing dances for others to perform at competitions at the age of 17. During her time as a competitive dancer she had been chosen for numerous awards, gifted personally to her.
Apart from her dance life she is a full-time student obtaining her degree in elementary education, and a full-time wife & mother. Her oldest daughter started taking classes from Amy in 2017, and this is when Bailey's love for dance had shifted from a performer, to a teacher. She has, since then, stepped back into teaching, and really enjoys watching the children grow and meet their goals. Bailey is PBT certified, and really enjoys teaching tap, jazz, and progression classes. Her mission is to encourage, and provide a fun and safe environment.
Rachel Quinn
Rachel has been dancing and performing since she was 4 years old! She grew up in dance and theatre, and is a former student/intern at Paquita Dance Center. She loves to sing, dance, listen to music, and spend time finding ways she can glorify God in everything she does. Rachel recently graduated with an associates in dance from Butler Community College, and is currently choreographing for schools around Kansas, as well as entering her third year of teaching at Paquita! She loves encouraging others and being a cheerleader alongside her friends while they strive to reach their goals. Rachel is excited to teach and continue teaching for years to come!
Heather Patterson
Heather began dancing at the age of 13 and quickly developed a love for the arts with a determination to learn all she could. She began dancing at Wichita Children's Theater and participated in classes and productions with Ballet Wichita. Later she transferred to Paquita Dance Center for its reputation as a high quality, Christian studio. Through the years she has been trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, partnering, modern, and contemporary. Heather loves serving the Lord, time with friends, and traveling. Finding a studio like Paquita has fostered an environment where she can both praise Jesus and pursue her passion at the same time. This past year she had the opportunity to intern at Paquita and is thrilled to begin teaching this summer. While interning she enjoyed most the smiles on the students' faces as they grew in their dance abilities and increased their own love of the arts. Heather is attending Friends University this fall to pursue a career in psychology with a minor in dance. In the future she hopes to continue dancing, teaching, and helping others through wholistic counseling.
Hailey Smith
Hailey began dancing at the age of six, but her love of dance especially grew in her high school years when she discovered that dance could be used to tell stories, convey words, and impact others. Her desire is to patiently care for, encourage, and instruct other dancers. While she has training in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Partnering, Pointe, and Musical Theatre, she especially enjoys Ballet as it is so elegant and intricate. While it is a delight to perform, she has found so much joy getting to teach and watch others develop their talents. She began teaching in 2016 when Miss Amy gave her the opportunity to intern with the intention of teaching her own class the next year. She is grateful to have been teaching for the past 7 years now, and to be returning back to Paquita after having been away beginning her pursuit of a degree in Elementary Education. Hailey creates a learning environment in which students are challenged to strengthen their current skills and identify new ways to grow. She finds it incredibly rewarding to see students growing in their talents and using them to glorify the Lord. May this next year be full of joy and reflecting Him in both our actions and interactions.
Annie Weixelman
Growing up in Wichita Kansas, The performing arts has always been a part of Annie’s life as she grew up in Wichita, Kansas. At the age of 3 years old she was in her first musical with Encompass the Arts. Annie also began Ballet, Tap, and Jazz classes at this time and continued that for a couple years. Since then Annie has participated in 31 musicals with Encompass the Arts, CP Theater, and Stage Lights Theater Company. Annie also performed in MTW’s teen choir for two years during high school and cheered with the Wichita Warriors for 9 years. As Annie loved performing in musicals, she specifically loved the dancing! Ever since she was little she would choreograph little dances for herself as well as memorize her older sisters’ dance routines. After 9 years of taking dance classes with CP Theater, Annie began taking classes with Paquita Dance Center. Annie just finished her 5th year of dancing with Paquita. She is now excited to be a part of the team of teachers at the studio and to give back what she received from the teachers throughout her life. Annie sees the art of dance as a beautiful gift from God and she feels blessed that the Lord has allowed it to remain in her life for so long. Currently Annie is pursuing a teaching degree at WSU and hopes to someday teach 2nd grade.