"Is the world's greatest athlete a dancer?" -Life Magazine
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Directors & Instructors
Isabele Melo ElefsonBorn in Brazil, Isabele Melo Elefson began her Ballet training in the Royal Academy of Dancing system and continued her studies with Halina Biernacka, a protégé of Bronislava Nijinska. Isebele danced with several companies in Brazil, including The Classical Ballet of Sao Paulo and Cisne Negro Cia de Danca, where she performed soloist roles in The Nutcracker. In the United States she has performed with The Ballet Theatre of Chicago. As a guest artist she has performed with the Boca Ballet, The Civic Ballet of Chicago (under the direction of Larry Long and Delores Lipinski) and Terpsichore Dance Company. She has danced lead roles in Giselle, Coppelia, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Les Sylphides, Paquita, La Fille Mal Gardee to name a few. At the Ravinia Festival she performed with Tango 21 and most recently the program "A Tribute to Ruth Page". Additionally, she has performed in many contemporary ballets including Rodin Impressions, choreographed and set by Mr. Lou Conte. Isebele holds a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from FAAP University, Sao Paulo (Brazil). She is a guest teacher for the Dance Masters of Wisconsin.
Juliet Stephenson - DirectorJuliet Stephenson began her ballet training at he age of four with Elisabeth Campbell. She continued her training in ballet, pointe, jazz, and modern with other instructors and schools including Ruth Page School of Dance, Deweese Academy of Dance Arts, and Lana Kay Rosenberg. She received her Bachelors degree form the University of Illinois and a Master's Degree from Miami University of Ohio, both in Sports Management. Juliet was also a performing member of Miami University Dance Theatre and has performed at ACDFA. Professional credits include Hello Dolly, South Pacific (Stage Right Dinner Theatre), Cabaret Christmas (Pheasant Run Dinner Theatre), among others. Choreography credits include several pieces for Terpsichore and Terpsichore 2 Dance Company, Victor/Victoria for Stage Right, and numerous other pieces around the Chicagoland area.
Emily Winkler- DirectorEmily has worked as a dancer, choreographer, and instructor for the past 13 years. She has a BA from the University of Illinois, Champaign. Her performance experience has varied from company work with Emergence Dance Theatre, to regional musical theatre, theme park, industrial work, and as a dancer for top R&B artist Montell Jordan. Movie credits include Kevin Costner's Message in a Bottle. Emily's choreography credits include Six Flags Great America, Stage Right Dinner Theatre, Lincoln Park Zoo, Lake Forest Children's Theatre, Carthage College, and Drew Thomas Production in Orlando, FL. Emily has been a guest teacher for Dance Master's of Wisconsin and Columbia College Chicago, and she is currently on faculty at Carthage College.
Robert Baudry - Ballet
Robert Baudry studied in France with the Academie International de la Danse with faculty from the Paris Opera, under the direction of Yvette Chauvire. He was a member of the Ballet de Bretange Company and taught extensively in Paris. He also currently is on faculty at the Rockford Dance Comnpany.
Karen Brettschneider - Ballet
Karen Brettschneider graduated with a B.A. in Performing Arts Dance from Barat College in Lake Forest. For several years she performed with Zephyr Dance Ensemble before deciding to teach full-time. Karen has been teaching in the Chicagoland area for 18 years. She choreographs for North Shore Nutcracker and the North Shore Dance Co. Karen founded and choreographs for the NSYMCA dance company, a non-profit company dedicated to performing at senior living facilities.
Jessica Emery - Jazz
Jessica has been teaching, performing and choreographing through the mid-west for the last 10 years. She has studied with some of the most prominent artists and teachers throughout the nation. She is returning for her 10th year at DAL.
Emily Foust - Pre-Ballet, Tap & Pre-Tap
Emily Foust began her training at the age of 12 in Sterling Illinois and continued her pursuit as an artist at Western Illinois University as a performing member of the University Dance Theatre Company. Emily has extensive training with MADD Rhythms and has over 5 years of teaching experience at dance studios throughout Chicago. She also teaches dance curriculum for a College for Kids program in Dixon, IL.
Christina Gasper - Pre-Ballet & Pre- Tap
Christina Gasper received her training in Cecchetti School of Dance from Claudette Soltes of Juliet. She has a BA in Dance & Theatre and Secondary Education from Barat College. She danced with Barat repertory Dance Troupe while in college. Christina has taught dance at Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools and she has been a teacher and director of the Vernon HIlls Park District for the past 25 years.
Nancy Gattone - Jazz & Modern
Nancy Gattone began her training at the age of 6 in California. She later relocated to the Midwest and continued her training with such teachers as Gus Giordano, Lou Conte, Lynda Martha, and Anna & Twyla Tharpe. After earning her BFA in Dance from Florida State University, she began her teaching career. Nancy now has 25 years of choreography and teaching experience in Modern, Ballet, and Jazz , and she teaches exclusively for Dance Academy of Libertyville.
Valerie Gonzalez - Jazz & Modern
Valerie Gonzalez received her MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from NYU -Tisch School of the Arts. She has served on the faculty of several diverse New York and Chicago area studios, where she taught Jazz, Modern, and Ballet. Valerie has trained and performed with notable companies such as Gus Giordano Jazz Dance II, River North Chicago Dance Company, Chicago Arts Project, Joel Hall Dancers, and TJ & Co. Dance Theatre. Valerie's experiences have allowed her to perform across hte country and internationally. She has choreographed for the Second Avenue Dance Company, TJ&Co. Dance Theatre, Terpsichore Dance Company, numerous competitive entries, musicals, and orchesis groups. Valerie shapes her classes as a means to provide an outlet for creative and artistic expression.
Rob Lane - Ballet
Rob Lane is currently the Associate Director, Ballet Master and Company Manager for the Civic Ballet of Chicago. Rob has been teaching Ballet, as well as other forms of dance, for over 19 years in and around the Chicagoland area. He has taught for the Northwest Ballet Academy, DuPage Dance Academy, St. Charles School of Dance, Dance Academy of Libertyville, and Ruth Page School of Dance. Rob has an extensive theatrical performing career that spans some 30 years and continues through the present. Rob holds a BA in Dance Performance from Northern Illinois University and a MBA from the Lake Forest School of Management.
Holly Pace - Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Pre-Ballet & Pre-Tap
Holly began her training with Lisa Sheppard and continued it at Dance Academy of Libertyville. Other training includes Milwaukee Ballet and Ruth Page School of Dance. She was a performing member of Terpsichore Dance Company from 1998-2004. Holly has also performed at Six Flags Great America during the fall and summer seasons of 2004. Holly is excited to be teaching at Dance Academy of Libertyville.
Amy Rose - Ballet & Pointe
Amy trained on scholarship at the American Ballet Theatre School, The Lyric Opera of Chicago and at the Ruth Page Foundation School of Dance. She performed with the Chicago Ballet before joining ABT at the age of 16. She danced as a soloist with ABT from 1979-1992 featured in principal, soloist and character roles in both classical and contemporary repertoire. She also performed with the Universal Ballet in Korea, Japan and China; and danced with the Stars of American Ballet in Manila. In 1992, she joined the Pacific Northwestern Ballet where she danced lead roles in many ballets. Most recently she was a guest artist with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Dance West Ballet, Civic Ballet of Chicago, as well as being on staff at Dance Academy of Libertyville, Chicago Ballet Arts, and North Shore dance schools. She is also a faculty member of the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensives, and a guest teacher for many local and national schools.
Sara Stewart - Ballet & Pointe
Sara Stewart brings extensive performing experience to her teaching. She trained at the School of American Ballet and at the School of Pennsylvania Ballet, also with David Howard and Maggi Black. Sara made her professional debut at the age of 15 in Balanchine's Concerto Barocco. Since then, Sara has danced with the Pennsylvania Ballet, Maryland Ballet, and most recently with the Ohio Ballet. She has toured and competed internationally, dancing with Scottish-American Ballet, and representing the United States in the First International Ballet Competition in Japan. Chicago is Sara's home, and she has been a guest artist with several local area troupes. She has danced the role of American Beauty Rose in The Chicago Tribune Charities Nutcracker for seven years as well as featured roles for the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Since 1998, Sara has been the ballet mistress at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She has also worked on the faculty of several local Chicago area schools including: Chicago Multi- Cultural Dance Center, Joel Hall Jazz Dance Convention, The Dance Center, Chicago Ballet Arts, School of Performing Arts, and Chicago Festival School of Ballet.
Tracy Thom - Ballet , Jazz, Pre-Ballet, Hip-Hop, Tap
Tracy Thom received her early dance training at MetroDance in Madison, WI. She attended University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee as a dance major before moving to Chicago to join Rasa Dance. Currently Tracy is teaching, dancing with Rasa, and is also working towards a double major in both Dance and Physical Therapy.
Heather Sherman- Ballet
Heather L Sherman was born and raised in East Dubuque, Illinois. Growing up, she trained with Tatiana Bechenova and Marina O’Rourke at the Academy of Ballet in Dubuque, Iowa. Heather attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. She graduated ahead of schedule with her BFA in Dance under the instruction of Randall Newsom, Judith Chitwood, Paula Frasz and Karen Williamson. Heather began choreographing her senior year of college where she was also the Director of Art for Life, a branch of Dance for Life in Chicago an AIDS Fundraiser. Upon graduating Heather moved to Florida where she danced as a soloist for SOFLO Ballet and then spent 2 years in New York where she trained and performed with Joffrey Ballet School, under David Howard at STEPS on Broadway, and Madame Darvesh of Alvin Ailey. She also performed on Broadway as a soloist with Linda Diamond and Co. As well as her training and performing she has taken class with Julie Kent, Ethan Stiefel, and her favorite, Gelsey Kirkland. Since moving back to the Midwest Heather has been teaching in the Chicagoland area and looks forward to sharing her knowledge and passion for dance with generations to come.
Leslie Treece - Ballet, Pre-Ballet
Leslie Treece holds her BA in Dance and a minor in Psychology from Western Michigan University. Along with dancing and choreographing professionally throughout the Chicago area and Michigan, Leslie has been teaching for almost 15 years, 8 of which have been at DAL. Leslie continues her love and knowledge of dance and will complete her Cecchetti grade 3 teaching certification this year.
