Meet The Team

Founder & CEO

Chrissy Lenart has trained extensively in multiple styles of dance, developing a strong technical foundation in ballet, jazz, hip hop, and contemporary. Her passion for performance and mentorship led her to found Rize Above Dance Company, where she is dedicated to building confident, disciplined, and well-rounded dancers. With years of competitive and performance experience, Chrissy strives to create an environment that pushes dancers to excel both on and off the stage.

Lead Assistant 

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Office Staff & Recreational Dance Coordinator 

Cristanne is a dedicated dance educator and choreographer with over 17 years of dance experience and several years of coaching and teaching across Central Texas. She has participated in numerous professional development opportunities for dancers and coaches, with her most meaningful experiences being those hosted by the World Famous Kilgore College Rangerettes and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders organization. Her stylistic strengths include drill team, pro-style pom, contemporary, modern, and a distinctive ballet-hip hop fusion.

Her choreography has earned multiple awards and has been performed by teams throughout Texas. In addition to choreographing, Cristanne has served as a judge at regional dance competitions, bringing both technical knowledge and an encouraging perspective to the evaluation process. She also taught with Tippi Toes in Corpus Christi, where she developed a special love for teaching baby ballet and working with young dancers while completing her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education EC-6 STEM at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi.

During her time at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Cristanne was an active member of Zeta Tau Alpha, where she held multiple leadership roles including Director of Membership Enrichment and Vice President II of New Member Education and Coordination. In this role, she planned Bid Day, taught new members the values and history of the organization, and guided the important process of pairing new members with their Big Sisters. These experiences strengthened her skills in leadership, mentorship, organization, and community building, qualities she brings into her teaching each day.

A Central Texas native who grew up in New Braunfels, Cristanne feels especially honored to now teach students in the same region that shaped her own dance journey. She is known for creating a structured, positive environment that emphasizes strong technique, artistry, teamwork, and confidence while ensuring dancers feel supported and valued.

Cristanne is currently a graduate student at Texas State University, pursuing a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Teaching and Transforming Gifted and Talented / Advanced Education. She is passionate about helping dancers reach their full potential and considers it a privilege to guide students as they grow both as performers and as individuals.

Cristanne is excited to be part of the Rize Above Dance Company family, where she not only serves as the welcoming front face of the studio but also has the joy of teaching and connecting with dancers each day. She looks forward to building meaningful relationships with students and families and contributing to the supportive, uplifting community that makes Rize Above so special