Students never know all the things their teachers can do.  Take math teacher Megan Herbst, for example, who is the lead choreographer for Annie. 

“I taught beginner dance classes where I wrote the routine and was a competitive dancer through high school where I choreographed a few of my own routines as well as group routines on my high school pom teams. I also helped choreograph routines for my college cheerleading team,” said Herbst. 

She was brought on as assistant choreographer for Footloose before now being lead choreographer for the musical. 

Herbst has danced most of her life. She began with ballet at three years old, in high school she was the captain of her school’s pom team her senior year, and then she switched it up as a cheerleader in college at UW-Stout, but helped write the sideline dances that were performed.

“I started with Mrs. Gilson as the assistant choreographer for Footloose, then last year and this year I was brought on as lead choreographer. It has been amazing working with and learning from a director as talented as Mrs. Gilson,” she said. 

So far, Annie has been her favorite musical to choreograph. 

“It has a very contemporary vibe within a historical setting. It has a lot of large numbers that can showcase so many different performers,” she explained. 

Her favorite memory in her choreographing career is seeing Under the Sea last year with the lights and the bubbles for the first time. 

“The energy lit up the room,” said the choreographer. “It was such an amazing experience to see that number come all together for the first time and how it really brought the whole auditorium to life.” 

Right now, she is only choreographing the NDA musical, but she has in the past taught beginner dance classes that involved choreography. 

Indeed, dancing was part of her life before math was!