Coaches

Angela Nieman

Owner, Director and Head Coach

Angela Nieman celebrates her 23nd year as Head Coach of the 2008-2013, 2015-2018 State Champion Washington High School Highsteppers. Angela has also taught algebra, Spanish, and German classes at Washington High School, and currently, teaches "Introduction to Dance" as a program for the fine arts division. She was elected to serve on the inaugural National USASF Dance Advisory Panel and currently serves on the NASC.

In 2001, Angela started her own dance studio, Champion Legacy. In 2014 her all male Open Hip Hop team brought home a Gold Medal from Dance Worlds, followed by all Large Senior Hip Hop in 2015. In 2018 Small Senior Jazz and Large Senior Pom brough home the coveted title of World Champion.. The teams have won a total of 12 medals at Dance World, and the team is one of the only studio teams to compete and place in the top 6 in all four styles at the 2017 Dance World. These styles included Pom, Jazz, Hip Hop and Lyrical.

In February 2013, Coach Nieman received the DX Legacy Award for her lifetime achievements in coaching cheer and dance, and just recently Angela was also recognized as one of the top three studio owners in the nation by the USASF.

Coach Nieman’s oldest daughter, Ashley, has her master's degree in counseling and was a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader from 2012-2015. Her son, Josh, is a graduate of Washington High School, and her youngest daughter, Anna Kate, is a gratuate of University of Cincinnati.

Anna Kate Nieman

Head Coach & Choreographer

Anna Kate Nieman is is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a business and marketing degree . An avid dancer and teacher, she participated on the National Champion Bearcat Dance Team at the U of C, and has been an enormous asset as a coach at Champion Legacy for past six years. Anna Kate does choreograph for Champion Legacy in Sioux Falls, and also currently takes a lead role in helping with choreography for other surrounding high schools and colleges.

Anna Kate was a member of four State winning dance teams, and has been with winning teams at Champion Legacy, bringing home numerous Gold, Silver and Bronze World Championships. In addition to her competition choreography, Anna Kate also teaches classes and workshops in jazz, contemporary, hip-hop and other dance technique, with a specialization in the "turning technique."

Leila Trigg

Head Coach & Ballet Instructor

Leila Trigg grew up in Hawarden, lowa, where her love for dance first began. At age 14, she made the exciting move to Texas to pursue intense training at the Joffrey Ballet School! Since graduating, she has been fortunate to work with incredible organizations, including South Dakota Ballet, Cirque du Soleil, GagaLab, and more. Each has inspired her growth as both a performer and teacher.

Amaya Fisher

Head Coach

Amaya Fisher is a veteran dancer and coach who grew up dancing at Champion Legacy and spent four years on the Washington High School dance team. Her experience spans hip-hop, pom, jazz, and contemporary dance.

Now back at Champion Legacy as a coach, Amaya brings an encouraging, energetic approach to working with younger athletes. She combines challenging instruction with a fun, supportive environment, helping dancers build their skills, confidence, and love for dance.

Ali Viereck

Consultant

Ali is entering her second year as a consultant, bringing with her a deep passion for dance and a strong background in both performance and leadership. She spent 13 years dancing at Champion, where she was a member of the Worlds team for five seasons and proudly brought home four globes. In high school, Ali was a committed four year member of the Washington High School Highsteppers dance team. Her freshman year, the team earned a state title, and she played a key role in securing first place finishes in hip hop each year that followed. As a senior, she was honored with the All-State award, a meaningful capstone to her high school dance career.

Although competing and performing were major highlights, some of Ali’s most cherished memories came from mentoring younger dancers. She began helping with the younger teams early on, and it was through that experience that her love for coaching truly took root. Watching dancers grow in confidence, skill, and passion reminded her of the deeper purpose behind the sport.

Tessa Keller

Coach

Tessa began dancing at the age of 7 and trained for 13 years, developing a strong foundation in jazz, pom, hip hop and contemporary. She spent 5 years as a member of Champion Legacy, earning 1 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze medal at national competitions. A 2023 graduate of Brandon Valley High School, she was a key member of the state champion dance team, helping lead them to two state titles. She recently completed a season on the South Dakota state University Dance Team and is currently pursuing a degree in Exercise Science on the Pre-Physician Assistant track. With two years of experience as a certified SDHSAA dance judge, she brings a well-rounded and passionate approach to reaching and inspiring young dancers.