Our Staff
Our Team
April Dahl
April Dahl co - founded Dahl Dance in 2005. She has been coaching for over 30 years and is skilled in multiple dance disciplines including ballet, contemporary, ballroom, west coast swing, and Argentine tango. She holds a degree in Kinesiology from the University of MN and is a postural alignment specialist, personal trainer and Dance for Parkinson’s provider.
Through AprilDahl.com, April blends her dance expertise with coaching and leadership mentoring not only as a dance professional but also as an AC certified life coach and Insights Practitioner. She creates experience for individuals and teams wanting to develop stronger communication, discover their creative potential and build sustainable partnerships. She has been a guest speaker and creative educator for the Prouty Project , Alice Mayo Society, Mayo Clinic's staff development DRIVE Leadership program, the Cowles Center's Dance Without Barriers and Beyond Ballroom Dance Company ( to name a few).
The charity event she co-created, Dancing for the Arts, has impacted over 100 local business leaders and community contributors through partnership development, artistic education and a unique way to give back. This event has raised over 600K for arts education and experiences in the Rochester area.
Her hobbies include dancing, reading, baking , hiking, snowboarding and connecting with her two adult children in travel adventures.
Gary Dahl
Gary Dahl co - founded Dahl Dance in 2005. He has been instructing dancers for over 30 years, is a regular finalist in the Dancer‘s Cup tour and was recently inducted into the DCT Instructor Hall of Fame. His journey to dance started with a girl inviting him onto the floor in high school and although the girl moved on, the dancing stayed! He thoroughly enjoys the technical precision of dancing and his passion is for finding new ways to help his students understand their bodies and the music. Gary is a former member of the Beyond Ballroom Dance Company in Minneapolis, a sought after collegiate level coach and a guest instructor with Dancing Classrooms. He has been a choreographer and professional dance volunteer with the popular, local charity event, Dancing for the Arts since its launch and is known for his music editing skills for performances and wedding couples. He supports the social dance community in Rochester as a regular instructor for the local chapter of USA DANCE.
When not teaching, he can be found on the golf course in summer and racquetball courts in winter, enjoying catching a few fish and running his woodworking company, Art in Advertising. A skilled wood worker , Gary creates custom furniture with a creative twist to match his clients imaginations.
Danika Dahl
Danika Dahl is a professional dancer and choreographer based in Minnesota, known for her versatility across a wide range of partner dance styles including ballroom and swing dances. With more than 2 decades of dance experience, Danika has coached and competed all over the world, winning first place championships internationally, including the 2022 US Open Rising Star Championship.
When not traveling and competing all over the world, Danika shares her passion for dance locally, teaching people how to dance, overcome their fears, and build connections. She's participated in a number of local dance-based charity events including Dancing for the Arts, and has coached individuals with zero dance experience to the glamourous stage within weeks. Whether you're looking for some fun social dancing, your next exciting competition, or a beautiful wedding performance, with Danika, you'll find an engaging and encouraging space for learning!
