FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS

  The following is a list of some of our client favorites!!!  

 

*Marla Heeler - is currently the owner of The Dance Arts Center, LLC located in St. Joseph, MO.  Marla resided in Chicago for 15 years at performed with Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, The Chicago Opera Theater, The Evanston Dance Ensemble, The Dance Foundation, Dance Explosion, Dancewerks, and Indola Int’l Hair Show.  She has taught Master Classes for Dance Masters Wisconsin and several workshops in Chicago. Marla is also a member of the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters and Dance Masters chapter 28.   She also holds a teaching certificate with the Cecchetti Council of America. She has choreographed pieces for T.J. & Company Dance Theater, Terpsichore Dance Company, Euphony Tap Ensemble and many others.  She is a trained Massage Therapist and is Nationally Certified. She has also taught many classes in massage therapy geared especially for dancers. In addition to teaching throughout the Chicago area, Marla also judged for regional dance competitions such as Applause.  She is the founder and Artistic Director of A Chance To Dance, an annual benefit dance concert for the prevention of child abuse. 

*Richard Smith - is currently on faculty at Joel Hall Dance Center and is the jazz teacher for Cerqua Rivera Dance Company. He has been on Faculty at the Giordano Dance Center and is still afflitated with GJDC as well as River North Dance Chicago.  He attended East Carolina University in North Carolina where he worked with Mia Micheals, Mark Dendy, Katiti King and Frank Chaves, Alan Arnett and Tomi Overcash-Galaska. After college Smith moved to Chicago to train with GJDC.. He has since had the opportunity to work with great teachers and choroeographers including the late Gus Giordano, Randy Duncan, Sherry Zunker, Elijah Gibson and Eddy Ocampo. He has had the privilege to perform in Dance For Life and  Dance Chicago. Smith has worked at the Goodman Theater and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Smith has appeared in the commercial for “The Wedding Singer” National Tour and Phillips Magnavox. He has performed on stage with pop artists Kim English, Pat Hodge, Barbara Moran and Byron Stingly. He has also worked with Sir. Elton John in his last visit to Chicago. Smith is a teacher of all ages for numerous studios in the Chicagoland area.   He is a regional and national adjudicator and teacher for Applause Talent Presentations in addition to teaching and choreographing for workshops and companies across the country. Smith is the Assistant Director of Forum Jazz Dance Theatre, winner of the 2007 Leo’s Gold Shoe Award at Jazz Dance World Congress.

*Aleksandra Wojda was born in Pretoria, South Africa, but grew up dancing in the Chicagoland area. She graduated from Northwestern University in June 2006 with dual degrees in Communication Sciences & Disorders and International Studies. While attending Northwestern full-time for four years, she trained at the Giordano Dance Center as both a work-study and scholarship student. She has performed in Dance Chicago under the direction of Nick Pupillo and Tracy Marrion. In the summer of 2006, she was seen as a top twenty dancer on the second season of Fox's hit show, So You Think You Can Dance.  After ending a run at the Lincolnshire Marriott's production of All Night Strut, she is joined Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago's second company, which she enjoyed for a year. She has been featured in industrials for Panasonic and Sebastian/Graham Webb/Wella. Currently, she is a freelance dance artist and dance teacher in the Chicagoland area.

*Debra Nanni - has been teaching all styles of dance in along with tumbling for over for 20 years.   Her students now dance in professional dance companies, teach in private studios, work in the entertainment industry, perform on world cruise lines and have received many college scholarships. In her ongoing association with the dance community she conducts private classes in Austria and master workshops nationally and internationally with her focus on contemporary ballet, modern, jazz/lyrical, and contemporary dance. Debra's choreography has be showcased throughout United Sates and Europe. She has received numerous awards with her young dancers including outstanding and innovative choreography awards. She resides in Chicago teaching and producing her choreography on professional dance companies.

*Sinead Gildea - graduated with a Minor in Dance from the University of Iowa, where she was a member of the University's professional touring company for two years. She has appeared with various companies, independent choreographers, and numerous dance festivals in the Chicago area. Sinead is a co-founder and the Executive Director (and dancer) of Impetus Dance Theater, a professional dance company based in Chicago. She has danced with The Cerqua Rivera Art Experience and Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre, trained with River North Dance Company, and has had the pleasure of dancing for Harrison McEldowney, Eddy Ocampo, Randy Duncan, Jan Erkert, and many more. Sinead performs regularly with various production companies and benefit performances, and was a featured dancer for the Black Orchid Supper Club and Dance Captain for Flirt Cabaret. Her dancing has been seen on ABC, WGN, and WTTW. She currently teaches in the Chicagoland area and conducts Master Classes throughout the Midwest, and has been on staff at the Lou Conte Dance Studio, home of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Sinead has choreographed for Impetus Dance Theater, Forum Jazz Dance Theatre, Fisher Dance Center's professional production of "The Journalist", Lake Zurich High School Orchesis, Motions Dance Company, where she is currently a Company Co-Director, and Midwest Dance Collective, where she is currently an assistant director. She is also a national and regional adjudicator for Applause Talent Competitions.

*Alisha (Tresslar) Slaughter - is a studio owner, teacher, choreographer, and dancer from Indiana.  She has been dancing since the age of two. She is trained in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, hip hop, clogging, and tumbling. Alisha trained at Ballet Internationale and toured with the company performing in Cinderella at the age of twelve. Alisha has been named Miss Junior, Teen, and Senior Dance of Indiana.  Alisha has received degrees in Dance Performance and Dance Education. She was a member of the Ball State Dance Theatre for four years.  Alisha was asked to perform at the Kennedy Center in 2002. She also appeared on a PBS Special about Isadora Duncan. She has danced in pieces choreographed by professionals such as: Bill Evans, Charlotte Adams, Elena Comendador, Alan Sener, Kennet Oberly, Lori Belilove, and Robert Gardner. Currently, Alisha is a guest choreographer and teacher throughout the Midwest.Alisha's students have performed and competed throughout the United Sates and have been honored with many awards at the state, regional, and national level.
 

*Christine Gruca (Alma, Michigan) began her dance training at age six and continued through high-school and college where she earned a B.S. in Exercise Science with a double major in Dance Performance.  At Western Michigan University she was fortunate to work with dance legends such as Donald McKayle, Randy Duncan, Frank Chaves and Mary Cochran, while performing classic works by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor and Frank Chaves (River North Chicago Dance Company).  Upon graduating from WMU in 2002, Christine moved to Chicago and joined Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre where she is currently a company member.  With CRDT, Christine enjoys working with noted choreographers such as Michelle Manzanales and Dionna PridGeon, and explores her own choreography on the side.  Christine is always thankful for the opportunities to share her love of dance with her students.

*Jaime Moore-Wells CO-DIRECTOR OF MAKE YOUR MOVE PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO.  Ms Wells has traveled far and wide, teaching and educating numerous high school and college dance teams, and has conducted master classes and summer camps across the United States .  She has been a featured dancer and dance captain in several theme parks throughout the country, where her choreography has also been showcased. This exciting motivator, educator, choreographer, and dancer has studied under many talented and well-known  professionals in the dance world, and is thrilled to bring that same love of dance to the dancers she works with.  Her goals are many. High on the list is to instruct dance in a positive manner, to create thinking and intelligent dancers who are not only technically brilliant, but creative and passionate about dance. Ms. Wells has taught for the past 14 years. Many of Jaime’s  protégés operate successful dance studios and appear on Broadway, in films, and on television. 
Jason Hortin - (Olympia, WA) graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a B.F.A. in dance under the direction of Louis Kavouras and is in third season dancing with River North Chicago Dance Company.  While attending university, Jason performed at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland; the International Dance Festival in Kiel, Germany; the Lincoln Center in New York City; and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  Jason has danced with Moving People Dance Theatre in Santa FE, NM; B.A.D. in San Francisco, CA; and with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company based in New York.  In addition to dancing with River North, Mr. Hortin also teaches in the Chicagoland area and northwestern Indiana, and guest artists for various regional companies.

Sarah Kramer - has been dancing since the age of 3. She is a former company member of Midwest Dance Collective and has worked professionally for Dancewerks Dance Production Company, both under the direction of Ellen Werksman. Sarah has performed at various venues in the Chicagoland area, including Dance Chicago, The Dance Legacy Project, The Fire and Ice Ball, as well as several events for charity. She has worked with many teachers from Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Arizona, including Richard Smith, Alberto Arias, Frank Chavez, Rosemary Doolas, Eddy Ocampo, Sam Watson, and Susan Quinn. She has been accepted into the River North Dance Chicago summer intensive program for the last five consecutive years. Sarah currently attends the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. She is a double major, working toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. Over the last two years, she has performed in several shows held at the University?s Stevie Eller Theater. Sarah choreographed and auditioned her piece, ?Silent Embrace?, and it was accepted into the Spring Collection series held in Tucson in April 2007.

*Kelly McMahon Crain - (Houston, TX) received her formative training under Evelyn Ireton at Houston Academy of Dance. She was awarded a scholarship and attended The University of Texas at Austin where she received a B.F.A in dance.  She teaches master workshops nationally for Applause Talent and has been recognized by the American College Dance Festival for her choreography. She is on faculty at Joel Hall Dance Centre and also at Bataille Academy of the Danse in Barrington. Kelly has been dancing with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre since 2002.

Kelly Hayes - currently resides in New York, but is originally from Chicago.  She has performed with Zephyr Dance, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II and City Ballet Theater of Milwaukee. Currently she is a member of Tony Silva Dance and Music in New York and performs independently throughout the New York area.              

Alberto Arias - a former dancer with the esteemed Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and currently the Rehearsal Director for Chicago's popular Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Company.

Julie Brodie - has taught dance at the university level for over 10 years. She danced professionally in Chicago with the Chicago Dance Medium and Dancewerks.  Her work has been presented at dance festivals and choreographic forums all over the country.  

Jonathan Stahl - a featured performer on stage in New York, he has been seen in "Cats" & "Swing" on Broadway and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular- and continues to tour nationally.

 Amethyst Horne - is very happy to be back at Dance Directive for a second year. Amethyst is a much sought-after dancer, teacher and choreographer.  She currently dances with The Joel Hall Dancers, GI Alliance, Ballet Entre Nous and God’s Lively Stones.  She is teaching at the Joel Hall Dance Center, Le Ballet Petit, Walter Payton High School and The Juvenile Detention Center.  Amethyst is the Director for “Dance Is A Language” and a Board Member for GI Alliance. She has appeared in numerous commercial and film productions most recently on the film “Quebec” working with John C. Reilly.  Amethyst is very happy to be back at Dance Directive for a second year. She gives praise to God and gives thanks to her friends, family and to the many teachers and people who have supported her over the years.

Murray Phillips - brings a flavor of L.A..  He has been seen in "A League Of Their Own", choreographed movies and videos and has taught master classes for Applause Talent and Kids Dance LA.    

Jennifer Curren - is the proud owner/director of Footsteps Family Dance Center in Columbus, Ohio. A bornteacher, she trained at Edye Cook’s School of Dance and Performing Arts in ballet, pointe, pas de deux, tap, and jazz before moving to Boston to train at the Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts as a ballet major. She earned a BFA in Dance Education, magna cum laude, from the Ohio State University. Foregoing the stage for the studio, Jennifer has taught and/or developed dance programs for the Martin Luther King Cultural Arts Center, the Delaware County Cultural Arts Center, and Dance Reach, where she served for 12 years as Ballet Dept Head and Assistant Director. She has taught at various dance workshops, judged in the Jr. Miss Scholarship Pageant circuit, and is currently developing a worship dance program at her church. Her students regularly win top honors at competitions across the country.

Margaret Palmer - danced with River North Dance Chicago as a founding member in the early 1990's.  She enjoyed appearing in the Channel 11 WTTW special, "Reality of a Dreamer".  Since then, Margaret has enjoyed teaching and choreographing around Chicagoland.  She performed with the Cerqua/Rivera Art Experience from 2000-2003.  Currently, she co-directs the dance program for Larkin High School Academy of Fine Arts.  Also, she is a national adjudicator for Applause Talent competitions.  She has had the privilege of working with Ellen Werksman in many different venues over her professional career.

Jeff Hancock - was a founding member of River North Dance Chicago, has danced for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Jan Erkert & Dancers, Dance Kaleidoscope, WatsOn Dance, Joe Goode, Same Planet Different World Dance Theater, and a long list of independent choreographers and artists. West Side Story, Song and Dance, Oklahoma, Romeo and Juliet, and Disney are some of the tours he has done, nationally and internationally. He has set choreography on River North Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street ll, Columbia College, Northwestern University, the Edinburgh Festival, Ruth Mitchell Dance Theater, Dance Chicago, and Same Planet Different World among others. He has been teaching for 17 years, at a variety of schools,festivals, organizations, and Universities, including Columbia College Chicago, Northwestern University, Lou Conte Dance Studio, Butler College, Chicago National Assoc. of Dance Masters, and was a Co-Artistic Director of Same Planet Different World Dance Theater for many years. He has created and constructed costumes also for a variety of companies and artists, among them, River North, Gus Giordano, The Dance ColeCtive, Columbia College Chicago, Chicago Cultural Center and many others. He has been nominated for Ruth Page Awards for his dancing and choreography, and recieved a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.