The Pointe Academy of Ballet and Contemporary Dance
offers serious and enjoyable dance classes for the whole family without the interruption and expense of a recital.  Students have the opportunity to study from teachers who had professional dance careers, and who have a teaching philosophy that dictates upbeat, constructive instruction focusing on the pleasure of participation, and the discipline inherent in DANCE. 

Our Professional Teaching Staff

Albert “Hank” Adams:

Co-director, is a Des Moines native who was awarded a scholarship to  study  at the prestigious Stone-Camryn School of Ballet in Chicago after High School.  In addition to an extensive ballet career with such notable companies as the Colorado Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, the Eglevsky Ballet in New York City, and the Neuman Dance Project,  he also performed in over 30 musicals and operas.  Since returning to Iowa in 1991, Mr. Adams  is in demand as a teacher and  choreographer  for ballet, musicals and the Des Moines Metro Opera.   Mr. Adams is also the Artistic director of the POINTE DANCE ENSEMBLE, a is a lead teacher at The Pointe Academy.

Elizabeth Harano Adams

Co-director, came to Des Moines in 1990 as Principal Ballerina for Ballet Iowa where she remained for 4 years.  Her ballet training includes scholarships in New York at the School of American Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School, the San Francisco Ballet School as well as the Frankfurt Musik Hochshule in Germany.  She danced professionally for 10 years and has graced national and international stages with companies from all over the U.S. including Ballet Met in Columbus, Ohio, Ballet West in Salt Lake City, Utah, Ballet Oklahoma, Princeton Ballet, Chamber Ballet USA, in New York City, Colorado Ballet, Ballet Iowa, and in Des Moines: The Neuman Dance Project and Iowa Dance Theater. She teaches all levels of Ballet, Pointe and Modern Dance and has been honing this skill for over 10 years. Mrs. Adams is also ballet mistress for the POINTE DANCE ENSEMBLE, and restages classical works and provides original choreography for the company.

Vicki Kolbinger: 
An Honors graduate of Mankato State University in Minnesota, Vicki has shared her love of dance with students of all ages for the past 25 years. She danced for the Mankato Orchestra Group.  Mankato Ballet Company and North Dakota Ballet Company.  She has taught and developed curriculum for Mankato State University, Mankato Conservatory and Company, and for 7 years at the School of Ballet Iowa.  Vicki joined the POINTE ACADEMY faculty in 1997 and teaches all levels of ballet.  Mrs. Kolbinger was director of our FOLK DANCE PERFORMING GROUP, and is also repetiteur of POINTE DANCE  ENSEMBLE repertory.

Ben Rethmeier
An exceptionally gifted local dancer, Mr Rethmeier joined the staff of CENTRAL IOWA DANCE in 2002, having gotten his early ballet training here before moving on to the Milwaukee Ballet School, and later to teach Jazz at several studios.  He was the dance captain for STAGEWEST'S production of "HAIR".  He heads up the jazz program at Central Iowa Dance and is also a gifted modern and ballet teacher. He has performed lead roles in Iowa Dance Theater's Nutcracker and Dracula and performs regularly as a dancer with the Des Moines Metro Opera, with Valerie Williams' Dance Co-Motion, and as a founding member of the POINTE DANCE ENSEMBLE then called CENTRAL IOWA DANCE YOUTH BALLET.

Support The Pointe Academy with Your Tax Deductible Donations

The Pointe Academy is a not-for-profit tax exempt educational organization that seeks funding from the community for three purposes: 

1. Tuition Scholarships for students with exceptional talent or enthusiasm who need financial support to continue their education.
2. Performance Fund are used to support performance opportunities to student dancers in The Pointe Dance Ensemble.
3. Endowment fund provides a stable economic platform from which long range planning is made possible.

Please contact us at  hank@thepointeacademy.org