Our family has been a part of the Steamboat community for 16 years.  Smartwool brought us to town, but the incredible community is what kept us here. I have 2 daughters that were raised in Steamboat.  Olivia is a Senior at TCU in Ft Worth, and Mia is 16 yrs old and a sophomore at Steamboat Mountain School.

Our family has been through difficult times these past few years with the loss of Mark, my husband and the girls father.  The Steamboat community has been exceptional to us and I would like to pay forward the generosity we have been shown. DWTS and CASA feels like the perfect way to support families who need resources to help them through hard times.  I am looking forward to raising money and having some fun while supporting CASA.

Traci is thrilled to be back choreographing for Dancing with the Stars, combining two things that she is passionate about – Northwest Rocky Mountain CASA and dancing. Traci has lived in Steamboat for almost 20 years, and is very active in the dance community. She has performed in Steamboat Dance Theatre’s annual performance for 17 years and produced the show for 2 years; she taught Bitty Ballet at Elevation Dance Studio for 10 years; and recently she taught the “Dance Around the World” program for Soda Creek Elementary 3rd graders. When she’s not performing, Traci works at the Yampa Valley Community Foundation, teaches fitness classes at Steamboat Fit and Old Town Hot Springs, and spends as much time as she can with her husband, son and furry family members. She is excited to share her love of dance with her good friend and partner for this year’s show, Amy Satkiewicz, and with everyone in the audience tonight. The louder you are, the better we dance – so let us hear it when we are on stage and let’s raise a ton of money for this incredible organization!

Kyle Rebik is the Youth Pastor at Steamboat Christian Center although he came to the valley as a lifty.  After retirement from lift-ops, he got involved in serving in South Routt and sub teaching at Soroco.  This experience would lead him to SCC to lead young students to a place of hope and freedom.  Kyle loves to enjoy all that the valley has to offer; skiing, biking, wakeboarding, snowboarding, hiking, and is always in for new hobbies, but he has stayed here for teens.  Seeing them enjoy life, find hope, find role models has kept him in the valley-although most will say its the Yampa Valley Curse.  Kyle’s deep dance history of keeping the party alive on cruises and at weddings has not in any way equipped him for this challenge. Penny, his choreographer, has been eager for the challenge.  Kyle has a heart for teens and students who need help, CASA provides that help in a deep way and so this opportunity to partner with them is right up his alley.

Penny has danced and choreographed professionally over the past 20 years and is excited to participate again in this fun, lighthearted, and extremely important fundraiser. Having graduated from Bartuccio School of Dance in Australia, Penny has been involved in dance companies in Australia, as well as the US. She has been involved in the Steamboat Dance Theatre in both dancer and choreographer roles. Penny owns her own functional fitness business ‘Power with Penny’ that she runs at the CrossFit gym on Jacobs Circle. Teaching classes and personal training, and helping people with their fitness goals is her life’s passion (along with her family of 3, her husband Cary and her two boys, Tanner 16 and Max 18.) This is Penny’s 8th year involved with ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ and she is so grateful to have been asked again. “Thank you to all the incredible volunteers that put so much into this event. It truly is an honor to be involved in something so amazingly beneficial to so many children less fortunate than all of us.”

Born and raised in Steamboat Springs, Ben spent his childhood at Howelsen Hill dreaming of someday competing in the Winter Olympics. A member of the US Ski Team for five years, Ben made 24 World Cup starts and competed in multiple World Championships. He represented the United States in Nordic Combined at the 2018 Winter Olympics, becoming one of 100 Olympians from Steamboat Springs dating back to 1932.

In 2020, Ben moved back to Steamboat to be closer to family and pursue a career in real-estate. He works at Steamboat Sotheby’s with the Boyd & Berend Group.

Within the Steamboat community, Ben serves on the Parks and Recreation Commission, volunteers as a ski coach at the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, and leads Olympic Heritage Tours for the local Tread of Pioneers Museum.

In his free-time, Ben can be found biking, backcountry skiing, and sneaking away from work on powder days.

Alexa Struss is a Real Estate Marketing Director for The Boyd & Berend Group at Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty. However, her evenings and weekends are spent as a dancer, dance teacher, and high school dance team coach in the community. She has been a competitive dancer since age five and still enjoys any chance she gets on the stage. In college, Alexa was a member of the Purdue University Dance Team. She competed through the National Dance Alliance (NDA) and performed at Big 10 football games and basketball games. In town, she shares her passion for dance by teaching Hip Hop and Pom classes at Bella Dance Movement and is a choreographer for Steamboat Dance Theater. In addition, Alexa started the Steamboat Springs High School’s Dance Team program this past year, where her students perform at high school sporting and community events and state competitions. This is Alexa’s first year as a DWTS choreographer, and she is excited to light the stage on fire with her partner while supporting a great cause!

Michael Buccino graduated from Arizona State University College of Architecture & Design in 1991 with a Bachelors of Science in Design. He started Steamboat Interiors in 2000 with his wide-range of experience includes both residential and corporate design.

Michael is a third-generation designer. His grandfather began designing in Palm Springs, California in the early ’50s, and his father currently has his own landscape design practice there. In the summer of 1996, Michael moved to Yampa Valley, Steamboat Springs, CO. In October of 1999, he married his beautiful wife, Janelle. He is also a proud father of 3. Michael is currently on City Council of Steamboat Springs after a 4 year stint on the planning commission. He has been on the board of the United Way, and is the council representative on the board of the Yampa Valley Housing Authority, Yampa Valley Airport Commission and Steamboat Chamber board. In 2019 he started Micro Living LLC to combat the need for affordable housing. The first project is in Milner with 6 single family tiny homes.

My name is Haley Orton. I grew up here in the Yampa valley. I was first introduced to dancing in High School for the Steamboat Dance Showcase. I graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Communication degree. While at college I learned country swing dance and ended up instructing for three years. After graduation I started dancing and choreographing for Steamboat Dance Theatre. This is my third-year dancing for CASA. I am very thankful to be a part of an organization that can raise so much money for kids and have a positive impact on the community. When I am not dancing you can find me riding horses, paddleboarding, skiing, snowboarding, and hanging out with my dog! I work IT for the Steamboat Ski Resort and am working on reaching 100 days on the mountain!

Dr. Celine Wicks is the proud Superintendent of Steamboat Springs School District. Prior to her current role, Celine was the principal of Strawberry Park Elementary for three years, and was a teacher on both the elementary and secondary levels for many years before moving into educational administration. Additionally, Celine continues to teach as an adjunct professor for the University of Northern Colorado in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies department. A focus on children is at the core of her passion. Although dancing is extremely out of her comfort zone, Celine is happy to do anything that supports kids including Dancing with the Stars! In her spare time, she is an avid snowboarder in the winter and a trail runner in the warmer months. Sprinkle in some golf and time with her husband, Randy, and fur baby, Woody, fill her personal time. Celine is extremely appreciative of the opportunity to support Northwest Rocky Mountain CASA.

Scott is the founder of Goodhart’s Dancin’ Steamboat, bringing the joy of partner dancing (no partner or experience needed) to North Routt since 2018. He’s been teaching social and ballroom dance since 2010, and believes there’s nothing that builds a strong community quite like it. Dance is life! Scott started the “Dance Around the World” program in the Yampa Valley, introducing dance to all the local 3rd and 5th graders. This develops cultural, social, and emotional learning for kids in the valley who may not otherwise think, or be able, to take dance on their own. He’s lead classes for Casey’s Pond, Horizons, and Steamboat Dance Theatre, and helped with fundraisers for the Yampa Valley Medical Center, Steamboat Creates, and the Steamboat Symphony Orchestra. Every Saturday he hosts intro lessons and donation based parties at his studio Steamboat Dance + Fitness. This will be Scott’s 3rd year doing DWTS. Every year it’s a wonderful experience, and every year he hopes to raise more awareness for CASA!

Betsy is nervous yet excited to be participating in Dancing with the Stars.  She said Yes for 2 reasons. To help raise $$ for the amazing work CASA does in Routt County. As a mother, Otis, 9 and Segar, 7, it is unbearable to think what many kids go through, she wants all kids to have a better life.  Second, her friends reminded her that she always says, “We should try everything in life at least once”, so here she is.  Betsy loves being outside in the mountains and is rarely alone, as she loves to recreate with others.  You will find her on her mountain bike, on the rivers with her family, playing pickleball, skiing, snowboarding, nordic skiing or fat biking.  Betsy is Director of Community Outreach for Alpine Bank; she loves her job as she gets to give away $$ working with non-profits in town, funding sponsorship and grant requests.  Betsy does not consider dancing one of her talents, but is rarely not on a dance floor if there is one.

This will be Rachel’s 4th year participating in the Dancing with the Stars event. As a long time community member, she has lived in Steamboat for 20 years, Rachel has been involved with many community organizations including the Steamboat Springs Arts Council, Free Summer Concert Series & Steamboat Dance Theatre. Rachel served on the Steamboat Dance Theatre board from 2012 – 2022 as treasurer & president of the organization. Additionally, Rachel has choreographed for the Steamboat Dance Theatre Annual Concert and Co-Produced the shows 2020 & 2021. Rachel has spent 16 years working at the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation currently as the Director of Catering & Conference Services whose team oversees all banquet events, conferences and weddings on the Ski Resort and at the Steamboat Grand Hotel. A Colorado Native, Rachel grew up in the Boulder area and went to school at Colorado Mountain College and Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design where she studied Art Education.

As Executive Director of The Health Partnership, Brittney works with the team and board to set the vision for the organization so that they can turn the vision into reality, ensuring community and client needs are met. She also strengthens collaboration with partners in the community working to improve the health and well-being across our 5 counties. Brittney’s diverse background spans both clinical and operations, leadership, human centered design, issue advocacy, and grassroots organizing. She is guided by a strong sense of social justice, loves to raft rivers with her husband and three kids, read good books, and eat chocolate. Brittney and The Health Partnership team are close collaborators and allies of CASA, recognizing the critical role CASA plays in the lives of children.

This is Jessica’s second year as a choreographer with DWTS and she is honored to help support the mission of CASA in our community.  Jessica grew up in Atlanta and began dancing at a young age.  Ballet was her first love, followed by tap. Many years later, after school and travel, she and her husband moved to Colorado and eventually to Steamboat Springs, where her love of dance was rekindled.  

She started dancing in the Steamboat Dance Theater Annual Concert in 2016, becoming a choreographer in 2020. She has a broad appreciation for many styles of dance including ballroom, African, Bollywood and contemporary. As her passion for dance grew, she was invited to join the Dance Theater board, where she is always looking for ways to help bring more ways for people to dance to our community and schools.  Jessica teaches three to six year olds at Steamboat Montessori. She has also instructed ballet for this age group.  She has two children, ages 11 and 9, who she hopes will enjoy dancing as much as she does.