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Lake Forest Dance Academy CommissionThe Dance Commission is made up of parents of our dance students from every discipline and program. The purpose of this Commission is to establish and secure good communication between the dance participants and the Parks & Recreation Department and to supplement and support the activities of the Dance Academy. Meetings are held once a month. Please consider supporting your dance community by serving as a Commission member. Call the dance office (847-615-4385) for more information. Meet Our Professional StaffSANDY GOETZ RAGSDALE (Director) began her early dance training with Anida Sedala, former Lake Forest Dance Academy Director, and with Gus Giordano. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Sarah Lawrence College and her Master of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Michigan. She was on the faculty of University of Michigan’s Dance Department for two years. She has performed, taught, and choreographed in Paris, France, Geneva, Switzerland and New York City as well as in the Chicago area. Sandy choreographs for CenterStage in Lake Forest and Lake Forest High School. She is past President of the Lake Shore Chapter of the Sacred Dance Guild of America. Sandy holds her Associate IV Teaching certificate from the Cecchetti Council of America. For the past eleven years she has co-directed the Dance Academy with Connie Davis. This will be Sandy’s fifth year as a full time Parks and Recreation Department Staff Supervisor and as the Lake Forest Dance Academy’s Artistic Director. This will be Sandy’s 24th year with Lake Forest Dance Academy. CONNIE DAVIS (Ballet Mistress & Co-Director) was a member of Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago for five seasons, during which she toured the U.S., Japan, Brazil and Europe. She also served as Scholarship Program Director. She has appeared as a guest artist for Ballet Entre Nous, Winnetka, IL and Balletto Italia Associazione with whom she toured Italy (also teaching classes in ballet, tap, and jazz.) Connie danced and choreographed for Festival Chorus at Harper College, Palatine, IL and was Artistic Director for Lake Shore Dance Theatre. Television appearances include Star Search (1990 season), Oprah Winfrey (dancer/model), Bo-May Film, Inc. and Kansai Television in Osaka, Japan. Connie was Ballet Director for the Center for Performing Arts in Maryland and received scholarships from the National Ballet and Washington School of Ballet in DC. Her teaching experience has included: Gus Giordano Dance Centre, Maryland School of Ballet, Northwestern University, George Mason University(VA- master class), Joy of Motion (DC), Jackson School of the Arts (Bermuda - master class), and the Dance Factory in Mundelein. Connie is a Fellow Member of the Cecchetti Council of America (CCA) and holds her Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate (Grade VII). She is principal for the Midwest Committee of CCA and is also a member of Chicago National Association of Dance Masters (CNADM). She is certified by CNADM in ballet, tap and jazz. This will be Connie’s 11th year at LFDA as Co-Director and Ballet Mistress. Mary Cromer began her training at The Larkin Dance Studio in Maplewood, Minnesota. She studied in New York with Jo Jo Smith and later found herself in Chicago at the Giordano Dance Center. Mary was a member of Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago for five seasons during which she toured Germany, Switzerland and the U.S. Mary has appeared on Star Search and has danced in LA Anthony’s Phantom of the Super Stars at Drury Lane South. Her industrial experiences include a video for All State Insurance and Trane. Mary has been teaching for thirty years; her experience has included Giordano Dance Center and The Dance Factory, where she choreographed and rehearsed works for competitions, Jem Studios, All The Right Moves and Geneva Dance Center. Mary is currently working towards a B.A. in English Secondary Education at Northeastern University. Mary is looking forward to working with the students at Lake Forest Dance Academy. Holly Curtis Hartman grew up in New York City with a love for dance. She pursued gymnastics and dance in High School where she competed on the Chapin Gymnastics Team in NYC and won a dance award at Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, Mass. Holly graduated from Northwestern University with a BS in Psychology. She Competed on the NU Gymnastics team and was a Big 10 Cheerleader. Currently Holly is our Birthday Party Guru as well as teaching in our Toddler and Pre-School Programs. She has been with us for four years. LIZZIE DAVIS is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dance in London & holds a Master of Arts Degree in Ballet Studies from Surrey University U.K. For 8 years she performed as principal & soloist with the Chelsea Ballet London where her roles included the title role in Act II pas de deux from Giselle, Dawn in Coppelia and the Pas de Trois from Swan Lake as well as many roles in Nutcracker. She also had the role of Marie Taglioni recreated on her by the director and former soloist of Rambert Ballet when Chelsea Ballet restaged the romantic ballet, Pas de Quatre. Lizzie has danced with groups in Europe and Africa and has taught in Africa, the US and Europe, the Education Department of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Barat Conservatory of Dance and College of Lake County amongst other North Shore schools. As well as ballet, Lizzie lectures on dance history and dance & worship in the Judeo/Christian world. She considers teaching a great way to give back to the profession she loves and is excited about starting her third year with LFDA. Roberta Cassidy-DuMong worked professionally with the legendary master teacher Richard Arve and with Margaret Lynn DiCanni. In training and on scholarship she became a company member of “The Arve Connection Dance Company” and was asked to become the Rehearsal Mistress for “The Arve Quartet”. She continued her study at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival with James Truitte and the amazing Judith Jamison. Her independent teaching credentials have taken her to choreograph works for Denise Sabala, DAL’s Terpsichore Dance Company and their Summer Intensives with concerts at the Cuneo Museum, Joel Hall’s 1511 Youth Dance Company, William Rainey Harper College, and Giordano Dance Center’s New Choreography Showcase. She has taught and choreographed for numerous Orchesis Dance and Colorguard Programs. Roberta created a Children & Adult Community Dance Program for mothers and daughters and became Director of the Youth Dance Program at the Irving Park YMCA. She has also worked with Claudette Soltis, Artistic Director of the Joliet Ballet Society and Evon Freund, Master Ballet instructor of Studio B. Roberta has taught ARVE Master Classes for the Joel Hall Jazz Camp and has taught with the Chicago Dance Connection since the 2000 season. Roberta has had the wonderful opportunity to share her artistic endeavors and shared her gift of freedom of movement and expression throughout the Chicagoland area and is now thrilled to be returning to Lake Forest Dance Academy’s faculty for the second year. Brianna Eisen was trained in Classical Ballet at The Evanston School of Ballet and has studied with Kerry Hubata and Laura Wade. She danced at Lou Conte, Ruth Page, Giordano Dance Center and spent summers training with the Joffrey Ballet of San Antonio and Columbia College in MO. In college, Brianna danced with the Barat Conservatory of Dance and graduated with a degree in sociology. She has her masters in social work from Loyola University of Chicago. This is Brianna’s 2nd year at Lake Forest Dance Academy. HEATHER GOODRICH received her B.A. in Communications with a minor in Business & Theater from Barat College of DePaul. She was an intern on the WGN Morning Show where she not only reported but performed song and dance numbers. Heather’s dance training includes Dance Center North and Terpsichore Company in Libertyville; tap workshops in New York, Disney Dance Workshops, Orlando, FL. and LA Dance Force Workshops. She is currently director of the Libertyville Park District Dance Program. Heather will be teaching for us for the sixth year and is thrilled to be directing our classes in Musical Theater again this season! Heather believes every child has the gift of music and dance within them and that it is her gift to bring that out and help her students shine. She directs our musical theater performing group, “Triple Threat Troupe”. JEANETTE GORDON graduated Magna Cum Laude from Illinois State University with a B.S. in dance. After graduation, she joined the Tom Evert Dance Company and Great Lakes Theater Company in Cleveland, OH. She has performed with numerous Atlanta dance companies. Her theatrical experiences include the solo role of Princess Samahris in the Savoyards Musical Theater Company’s production of Kismet and the lead role of Azuri in The Desert Song. She has also performed as a featured dancer with the Atlanta Opera. In addition to commercial work, Ms. Gordon was the dance coordinator for 7 Course Theater where she performed, choreographed and produced many commercial productions. She appeared as a featured dancer with Michael Buble. As a principal member of Thodos Dance Chicago, she directed the TDC Menomonee Youth Company and was a master company instructor. Ms. Gordon had the pleasure of performing for Ann Reinking, Randy Duncan, Lauri Stallings, and Sean Currin. Most recently she appeared as the lead female soloist in the Chicago Opera Theater production of The Padlock/Dido & Aeneas and Nixon in China. She is currently the director of dance at Whitney Young Magnet High School. This season Jeanette will be teaching for her fourth year with us. Jennifer Gorman is proud to have grown up in Boise, Idaho, where she started her early dance training with Lloyd Carlton, Lisa Moon, and Marla Hanson. She recently relocated to Chicago from San Francisco where she worked with an array of dance companies, challenging herself to explore movement in as many interesting, exciting and different ways as possible. While performing with Savage Jazz Dance Company, Amy Seiwert’s im-ij-re and Liss Fain Dance, critics referred to her as a “particularly gleaming performer” as well as a dancer who “boasted a spine that seemed to go on forever” and “moved from a center that harbored power, perhaps aggression.” Gorman graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, and has her Certified Public Accounting license. When not dancing, her other passion is traveling and exploring the world. Gorman is excited to be in her second season with Thodos Dance Chicago and Lake Forest Dance Academy. Peter Hammer started dancing at the age of 14 in his home state of Montana. After only four years of training, he was accepted into the dance program at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts. While a student, Peter performed as a member of Insync Dance Theatre, and at the same time became a member of Chicago Tap Theatre, continually commuting back and forth from Michigan. Now firmly planted in Chicago, he continues to enjoy a professional career with CTT while teaching throughout Chicagoland and occasionally setting choreography for companies such as the Euphony Tap Ensemble last season. Peter is also trained in other various movement forms such as; Tai Chi, Tae Kwon Do, Hawkins modern, non-traditional partnering and Capoeira. KHAZANA KHALIL holds an Associate Degree in Performing Arts from Lansing Community College in Michigan. At an early age dance became her passion and her studies included jazz and modern, tap and hip hop as well as ballet. When a homework assignment in college led her back to her Lebanese roots, she started taking Egyptian Oriental dance (belly dance) lessons and within two years was dancing professionally in Detroit and Dearborn, Michigan. Khazana now lives in Chicago where she performs weekly as well as teaching at Rast Ballet Studio, Danza Viva in Oak Park and giving private lessons from her home. She has studied Turkish Karshelama with Artemis in Washington and Raks Sharki with Sadiya in Chicago. She is also studying child development at Truman College and has experience teaching young children creative movement and ballet. We are excited to have Khazana back with us for a third year! Hilliary Murphy started dancing at the age of three in Madison, Wisconsin and continued her training with the Milwaukee Ballet and the Kirov Academy of Ballet. She furthered her training and education at the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point, where she received a B.A in dance. Upon moving to Chicago she joined Thodos Dance Chicago, where she has been a performer, choreographer and educator for the past four years. She has been a guest artist with Rasa Dance Chicago and for numerous Nutcraker productions. Her interest in choreography has allowed her to set works on many high schools and colleges. She is also the choreographer for the annual Diabetes Foundation Fundraiser. Hilliary has worked with choreographers such as Ann Reinking, Lar Lubovich, Eddy O’campo, Brian Jeffery, and David Berkey. She has been teaching throughout the Chicagoland area and is very excited to begin her first year with Lake Forest Dance Academy. KRISSIE ODEGARDE GEYE graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with degrees in Vocal Performance, Public Relations and International Studies, was “Tapadictorian” at the American Tap Dance Institute, and is certified as a Grade II teacher through the Cecchetti Council of America (CCA). She has been on staff for Goliard Concerts in New York City, The Ethnic Dance Theatre in St. Paul, MN, Barbi Lee Dance Arts Center in Minneapolis, MN, and the Arts Alliance of Greater La Crosse as well as clinician at the ATDI “Spirit of Tap” Conference, faculty member for the New York City Public School system, and Director of Dance at Island Lake Summer Arts Camp. Her choreography has received honorable recognition from LA Dance Force, Tremaine Dance Competition, and Talent On Parade Competition. Her students have received scholarships from Hollywood Vibe Conventions, the Minnesota Ballet, and The Edge Performing Arts Center. She is currently Recording Secretary of the Midwest Council of the CCA and on the Executive Board for the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Krissie is excited to begin her fourth year with Lake Forest Dance Academy. Stephanie Paul is a native New Yorker who has proudly called Chicago her home since 2002. While working towards a B.S. in Communication Studies at Northwestern University, she discovered her passion for rhythm and dance as a member of Boomshaka, NU’s percussion/dance/rhythm ensemble and as a student of Billy Siegenfeld, Jump Rhythm Jazz Project’s Artistic Director. After co-directing Boomshaka for two years, Stephanie graduated from Northwestern in 2006 with an undeniable need to continue creating, performing and educating. In July 2006 she co-founded Be the Groove, “a Chicago-based rhythmic performance/education ensemble and she also serves as the group’s Artistic Director”. Her choreography has been showcased in numerous shows including Danceworks 2007 at Northwestern University and Dance Chicago 2006’s New Moves and World Rhythms & Dance Festival. Stephanie currently works as a teacher/choreographer in the Chicago area and is thrilled to return to LFDA for her 2nd year! Danielle Schager graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of Akron where she received the Partners in Excellence award, the Dance Department Scholarship award and the Women in Higher Education Award. While attending Akron Danielle created works for the University shows “Spring Into Dance” and Choreographers’ Workshop Concerts. Danielle has taught jazz, modern and hip hop at Dance Academy South and ballet and pointe at Diann’s Dance Center, both prestigious dance institutions in Ohio. Danielle is excited to perform this year as a first time LuvaBull (Chicago Bulls) and of course to teach for Lake Forest Dance Academy. Jessica Saniie received her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of Akron where she participated in several student produced Choreographer’s Workshops and the Dance department’s annual “Spring Into Dance”. She has studied at a number of Chicago studios and as a member of Chestnut Street Dancers she toured Europe and performed at the Urdang Academy in London and at Café de la Danse and EuroDisney in Paris. She has taught ballet, jazz and tumbling at Star Maker Performing Arts Center. Jessica is excited to be joining Lake Forest Dance Academy’s dynamic program for the 2007-2008 season. MARINA TOLPIN was trained in Classical Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia and in Los Angeles, CA. She danced as a soloist with the Pacific Festival Ballet Company and studied the Vaganova Method of teaching throughout her dance career. She is currently studing the Cecchetti Method of Ballet with Connie Davis and has achieved her grade two teacher certification. Marina has taught Classical Ballet to children and adults in Los Angeles, CA, Washington, D.C., and is currently teaching in the Chicago area. Marina has also studied various forms of Swing Dance such as, Smooth Style Lindy Hop, and Balboa. She has taught and performed Swing Dance all over the United States, England, and Sweden as well as choreographed for various performance troupes in Santa Barbara, CA and London, England. We are happy to have Marina teach for LFDA for her third year. LESLIE TREECE holds her B.A. in Dance with a minor in psychology from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. She has performed at the Athenaeum Theater, Northwestern University, and Columbia College. Leslie holds her Associate III Teaching certificate from the CCA and will be teaching at LFDA for her tenth year. SHEILA TULLY has been teaching Irish dance in the Chicagoland area for over 40 years. She was a champion dancer herself. Her students compete in Midwest, National and World Championship competitions and have performed at Walt Disney World in Orlando, the White House, Soldier Field and the United Center in Chicago. The school has won numerous awards for their annual appearance in the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade, in which our LFDA classes have participated. We are thrilled to have Sheila teaching for us again this year! JENNA WAGNER graduated from The University of Akron in 2006 with a BA in Dance and a minor in Business Administration. She performed with The University of Akron Dance Company and also choreographed several tap pieces for student performances. Still an avid dancer, she has trained at studios such as Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, Luigi Jazz Center, Jump Rhythm Jazz Project, Giordano Dance Center, Lou Conte Dance Studio, and is currently studying on scholarship at Joel Hall Dance Center. She has taught at studios in both Ohio and Chicago, and has also served as an assistant teacher for The Rockette Experience. Jenna is excited to begin her first year at Lake Forest Dance Academy. The Anita Sedala Memorial Merit AwardThe Lake Forest Dance Academy has established a merit award in memory of Anida Sedala (nee Raili Anita Siren), former Director of the Academy (1974 -1995). Anida moved to the United States from Nokia, Finland in 1949 and opened a Ballet studio in Lake Forest. She was also on the faculty of the Gus Giordano Dance Center in Evanston for over 30 years. Anida was founder and Artistic Director of Lake Shore Dance Theatre and became a well respected mentor for many professional dancers. She was a devoted advocate of the Cecchetti Method of teaching classical ballet. In 1956 Anida and her sister Pirkko founded the Cecchetti Council of America’s Midwest Committee. Anida coached many area teachers and became a nationally recognized Cecchetti Method adjudicator. Anida passed away in August 2001. We will remember her spirit, love of life and love of ballet always. The recipient of this award is chosen by the Ballet faculty as a student exhibiting dedication, potential and love of dance. The annual award consists of tuition for one Ballet class for one full season (Sept.-May). Anyone wishing to contribute to this fund may contact Dan Deuel at (847) 283-8541. Congratulations to Chelsea Kiely 2007 Anida Sedala Memorial Merit Award Recipient! |
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