Courtney Betzel is an artist and performer whose movement background includes jazz, hip hop, modern, ballet, tap, and dance composition. She began dancing at the age of three and continues to grow as an artist by continuing her dance education with local technique classes and attending annual dance teacher conferences in New York City to work with professional performers and educators from the industry. She graduated from Shenandoah University in 2000, receiving her B.F.A. in Dance Education. While attending Shenandoah, she toured with the Shenandoah Dance Ensemble performing and participating in workshops held by the Shenandoah Arts Outreach Program.

Ms. Betzel has been the dance instructor/director for Fairfax County Public schools at West Potomac Academy since 2000. She served as head of the dance curriculum writing team for Fairfax County from 2001-2003 and 2008. She also teaches and serves as department chair with the Institute for the Arts summer program for Fairfax County Public Schools. She works with local private dance studios in the Northern Virginia area sharing new skills and techniques with the students and contributing to the artistic development of performers. She believes that bringing dance into public education opens opportunities for students to take on new experiences in the arts as well as venture into different approaches to learning.