Rochester Acro is designed to give dancers and athletes more opportunities to explore Acrobatics! The world of dance is constantly evolving and we are seeing more tumbling feats emerge in all styles of dance. In Acro, students are trained to execute skills on both sides of the body. Athletes will progress through levels to increase their flexibility and their strength. Safety is our number one priority. We want to make sure that our athletes are correctly trained to perform Acrobatic skills on a hard floor. A student will only progress to the next level when they are physically ready. This ensures that their body remains healthy, and minimizes the potential for injury. We offer small class sizes to make sure that all students receive a great deal of one on one attention.
Meet Karyn Rasmussen
Karyn is originally from Brainerd, Minnesota. Growing up, she was a ball of energy and found dance to not only be a discipline but her passion! Karyn trained and danced competitively at Music General for 14 years and Just For Kix for 1 year. She trained extensively in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Tumbling, Lyrical, Kick, Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Jazz! Her senior year of High School she joined the Brainerd High School Dance Team, the Kixters, where she received many awards including “Rookie of the Year” and earned All Conference and All Tournament for Jazz.
In 2012, Karyn moved to Rochester to study at the University of Minnesota Rochester and the Mayo School of Health Sciences. She graduated with a degree in Health Sciences, a Radiography certification, and now works in Radiation Oncology research at Mayo Clinic. Since moving to Rochester in 2012, she has instructed and choreographed at the Rochester Just For Kix program.
Karyn has received Acrobatic Arts certifications in Module 1, Preschool AcroDance, Side Aerials and Back Handsprings, Contortion and Stability, and Acro Mentor. She is also Acro Hoop certified through Aerial Arts, a partner of Acrobatic Arts. Karyn has trained and received her AcroDance Competition Adjudicator Certification. Additionally, she has trained and completed her Aerial Silks certification through Aerial Arts. Most recently, Karyn has achieved her Module 2 Alixa flexibility certification! Her favorite part about AcroDance is that it combines the strong athleticism of gymnastics with the expressive, artistic movements of dance. Karyn cannot wait to continue to empower young athletes to believe in themselves and achieve their goals!
Meet Katelyn Herman
Katelyn was born and raised in Rochester, Minnesota. She started dancing when she was three years old at Dance Connection. She trained in tap, ballet, and jazz. Expanding her horizons, Katelyn became a competitive cheerleader for four years competing for Fierce All Stars and Minnesota Xtreme. She returned to competitive dance in 2018 by joining the Mayo High School winter dance team and later on the fall dance team. In 2021, Katelyn joined Just for Kix, becoming proficient in kick, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and hip hop. She also joined Bliss in 2022 where she spent time in tap class.
Katelyn became a student at Rochester Acro in 2021. She spent time in AcroDance, Flexibility & Alignment, and Aerial Hoop classes until her graduation in 2024. Katelyn implemented Acro into her dances and competed an AcroDance solo her senior year. She started assisting at Rochester Acro her senior year and completed her Acrobatic Arts assistant certification!
In the fall of 2024, Katelyn will begin her journey as a student at the University of Minnesota Rochester. She is planning to graduate with a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences and then moving on to the OTD program to eventually become an occupational therapist. Katelyn is also part of the staff at Just For Kix Rochester.
Katelyn has completed the Acrobatic Arts Module 1 certification. Her favorite part of AcroDance is that it is unique to each person. Every athlete can move at their own pace and skill level without pressure so that each skill is properly executed. Katelyn is excited to share her passion and love for Acro with others!
Meet Drew Clausen
Drew is from Rochester, Minnesota, and a current Junior at Mayo High School. She began her dance career at the age of 3, starting with ballet and tap, and quickly developed a passion for performing! By age 10, Drew began competitive dance and trained in all styles, including hip hop, jazz, lyrical, tap, kick, pom, and contemporary. She currently dances at the Rochester Just For Kix Dance Studio. She was on the Mayo High School Winter Competitive Team for two years, earning two varsity letters. She has danced with the Mayo Fall Dance Team for three seasons and is proud to serve as one of the captains for the upcoming 2025 season! In 2021, Drew began training at Rochester Acro with Coach Karyn, where she discovered a love for learning new skills and blending them into her dance routines.
Drew has been employed at Just For Kix as an assistant coach since 2022. Assisting all styles of dance and working with many different age groups. She also choreographs and coaches soloists one on one. Her dedication and progress in dance and coaching led her to begin assisting Acro classes in the spring of 2025. Drew is excited to continue growing as both a dancer and a coach, and she looks forward to sharing her passion and knowledge with younger athletes.
Meet Sophie Erpenbach
Sophie was born and raised in Rochester, Minnesota. She began dancing at just four years old at Allegro Dance Studio, where she trained in ballet and tap. Sophie has spent four amazing years dancing with Just For Kix, where she expanded her training to include jazz, lyrical, ballet, pom, and high kick. In addition to dance, she also trained for two years at Rochester Gymnastics Academy.
Since 2022, Sophie has been a proud member of the Century Silver Stars Fall Dance team and Century Winter Dance Team. Sophie is currently a junior in high school and is very thrilled to join our team as an assistant. She looks forward to assisting every week helping students with Acro!
Meet Sam Saiki
Coming soon
“Honestly, this [Acro] has been my favorite style of dance I've ever done. It's a perfect blend of gymnastics meets dance!”
— Aubrey