Celebrating the Artistry & Technique of Dance

Since 1965

About Cleveland City Dance

Founded in 1965 by Alexis Martin of England, Cleveland City Dance has offered dynamic dance instruction and nurtured generations of dancers for over 50 years.

In 2004, Courtney Laves-Mearini took over CCD and moved our dance school to its current location on 13108 Shaker Square in Cleveland, OH. With a staff of 20 professionally trained dance instructors, we continue to carry on CCD’s legacy as an award-winning dance school offering classes and education for students of all ages.

Dance school  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance

We look forward to dancing with you!

Call 216-295-2222 to Enroll

View Our Classes

Our Director Engages in The Sound of Ideas Interview on Shaker Square’s History and Future

Courtney Laves-Mearini, the director of Cleveland City Dance, recently participated in an enlightening interview on “The Sound of Ideas” show. During the interview, we had the opportunity to share our insights and vision for the future of Shaker Square, emphasizing its significance as a cultural hub. We are excited to be involved in the revitalization efforts led by the new owners and to contribute to a vibrant arts and entertainment scene at Shaker Square through Cleveland City Dance’s programs and performances.

Our Instructors

Our professional teachers combine a wealth of professional, decades-long experience to nurture the passion and talent of our students.

We understand the dedication, talent, and hard work of self-expression through modern and classic dance instruction. We have found that confidence and self-awareness are integral rewards of artistry and technique, and we look forward to sharing these with our current and future students!

Courtney  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Courtney Laves-Mearini, CPR, YPAD
Director
Claire
Roxanne Bain

Yoga Teacher

Samantha  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Samantha Basford
Ballet
Bridget  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Bridget Biliunas, YPAD, RAD
Ballet
Bridget  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Gabriela Checo

Teacher

April  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Lori Christman
Ballet
Lauren  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Lauren Dangelo
Contemporary & Jazz
Alison  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Alison Dubsky
Ballet
Allison  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Allison Eastburn, CPR
Preschool & Pre-Ballet
Spencer
Annette Ellis

Jazz Instructor

Meghann in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Meghann Snow Hennen, CPR
Children’s Ballet
April  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
April Hirsh-Urban
Tap
Spencer
Antony Jamison
April  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Michael Keating

Ballet

Sara in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Johanna Kester

Musical Theater Teacher

Sara in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Sara Lawrence-Sucato

Modern, Tap, Ballet

Ethan in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Ethan Michael Lee
All Boys’ Ballet Instructor
April  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Joanne Hughes Morscher

Ballet

Lori in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Lori Simplican, CPR, YPAD
Front Office Staff, Adult Ballet, Jazz, Tap & Musical Theater
Meghann in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Gwendolyn Seckers
Ballet
Karin  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Tami Small

Musical Theater, Jazz, Tap, Zena Rommett Floor-Barre Technique®️

Jamie  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Kristi Tichenor
Ballet
Karin  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Karin Tooley

Accompanist

Spencer
Spencer Waldeck
Ballet & Contemporary
Heather in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Heather Koniz Young

Modern Dance Teacher and Executive Director to the In-Residence City Ballet of Cleveland

Claire
Claire Zakrajsek
Ballet & Contemporary
Claire
Maeve Dick

Ballet

Claire
Teagan Reed

Instructor

Heather in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Saundra (Sandi) Bohl
Flamenco Instructor
April  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Mary Caitrin Lynch

Irish Dance Instructor

April  in Cleveland, OH ❘ Cleveland City Dance
Carrie Langguth
ballet teacher and administrative assistant

Notible Alumni From Cleveland City Dance

Maia Atzemis Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Trainee
Adrienne Chan-Harvard University Class 2025 & Harvard Ballet Company
Barbara Craig-currently free-lance dancer and teacher
Abi Besse-Guest teaching
Brier Bracken- Ballet Met Trainee
Grace Bourdrez- The Ohio State University Class 2026
Holly Burke Point Park University Class 2023; Keystone Contemporary Ballet apprentice
Henry Harte- Butler University Class 2026
Lydia Havenar- guest artists in Ohio
Olivia Mian Ballet Met Trainee
Grace Pindel-Washington University St. Louis Class 2026
Luca Sakiewicz- The Ohio State University Class 2026
Sage Smith- The Ohio State University Class 2024
Katerina Steiber- Brynn Mawr College Class 2026
Spencer Waldeck-Dancer with Ballet Tucson
Claire Zakrajsek-Senior at University Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music; working with Fifth/Third Bank 2024

Dancer FAQ

Below we’ve provided information to help our students and families learn more about our dance school and what to expect. If you don’t see an answer to a specific question, get in touch with us today!

What ages does Cleveland City Dance teach?

Cleveland City Dance has some students starting their dance education as early as 3. Some dancers continue taking classes into their 80s. See class level descriptions for further information.

How can I register?

For students under 9 years of age, no audition is required. For dancers without previous experience please contact the studio at 216-295-2222 for assistance in registering for the appropriate classes. Trial classes may be taken throughout the year for placement each year. Auditions may be held during the summer for dancers with previous experience ages 9 and older wishing to enroll for the start of the academic season. All registration is online with a link at the top of our website.

How can I receive a current or future brochure mailed to me?

Cleveland City Dance is environmentally friendly, so our information is frequently updated on the website. We can also email information directly to you including schedules and more.

What benefits does dance offer mentally and physically?

Early exposure to dance helps children develop confidence, good posture, listening skills, coordination, strength, and balance while also growing lifelong friendships. Structured dance develops personal, physical, emotional, and social lessons. This includes coordination, strength, gross motor skills, poise, and posture while also improving cognitive skills, critical thinking, focus, rhythm, and creativity beneficial for academics.

Through dance education, one learns life lessons including discipline, focus on listening and thinking, and having the ability, confidence, and initiative to complete a task.

Classes also help build confidence, self-esteem, etiquette, social skills, and discipline that will be carried throughout many aspects of life. All the hard work and practice culminates in the end-of-year presentations to give all students a sense of accomplishment and pride. Students are not required to participate in the annual May show.

See Ten Reasons to Take Ballet

Will a beginning teenager or adult be placed in class with young children?

No, we offer teen/adult classes so all our students can enjoy a comfortable dance environment and learn dance techniques at their pace. We offer teen/adult beginning ballet, adult beginning ballet, adult ballet I, II, and III, teen/adult tap, teen/adult jazz, teen/adult modern, and teen/adult hip-hop. Teens and adults should consult their instructors for recommendations on additional class options as well as when the appropriate time would be to move up a level.  Some classes do have pre-requisites such as being at a Ballet II for Pointe and Ballet II Modern II.

Can I just drop into a class when it is convenient?

You may drop into a class for $25, however, if the class is at its capacity for students, you will not be allowed to take the class on that day. You are required to register in advance online by clicking on the Register Button and should call ahead (216) 295-2222 for a drop-in class to confirm the class availability. We only allow two drop-ins for the year. We ask you to enroll for consistency in training so you can progress. A class card is also an option for adult students past the beginner levels.

Will you start a new class if other classes are filled or if we have a group needing a different time?

Yes, we do our best to attempt to fill the desired class requests, but this is also influenced by the availability of studio times and having the appropriate teacher(s) available.

I see you have a weekly Level II-V morning ballet class from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM (this is an intermediate level). Does that class include professionals? May I take the class and what level is taught?

Yes, if you are an intermediate level (Level II at Cleveland City Dance) to an advanced dancer.  It frequently includes area professional dancers and visiting artists.  The teachers prepare a class to warm up all participants and challenge the professionals.  For intermediate students, this is a rewarding way to challenge oneself and be inspired by observing professional dancers in the class.

Do you limit the size of classes?

Yes, classes at CCD vary in sizes from 6-20 students.  This varies upon the age of the students and the size of the classroom. Some of our younger children’s classes also have an assistant.  We limit classes to ensure students receive personal attention and do not feel overwhelmed in a crowd. 

What is modern dance?

Modern dance emphasizes the exploration of our most basic movement impulses, such as breathing, walking, running, hopping, and leaping. Students will develop the means for individual expression and seek inner motivation for movement. Through floor work exercises and movements across the floor, students will improve flexibility and strength in the hips and core muscles while exploring rhythmic, spatial, and performance challenges. Students may begin in Children’s Modern at age 7.

Why is ballet recommended for jazz and modern dancers?

Jazz and modern dance have their roots in ballet. Ballet is the base for all classical theater performance styles of dance which incorporate the language, movements, and technical steps. This can enhance a person’s performance including how one carries oneself on stage and build more strength.

Why is jazz recommended for hip-hop dancers?

Jazz helps to enhance your upper body and arms coordination and movement, which is essential for balance and finesse. Jazz technique is also used in theater choreography, and concert stage performance as seen in music videos and award shows.

How do I know what courses are appropriate for me to enroll in when I arrive?

Please call us to schedule a trial/evaluation class for dancers with previous experience, ages 9 and older. We can assist you with proper placement through a conversation with you prior to your arrival at the studio. A student’s age and experience are always helpful guides.  If you have previous experience and do not make it to a trial/evaluation class prior to the start of a session, your first class will be an evaluation class so we can place you where you will be both comfortable and challenged. If you have prior experience and it is your first time at the studio, we will recommend taking a placement class that is lower for a variety of reasons.  You may be unfamiliar with a teacher’s style. Classes may be harder than what you are accustomed to, and you might want to acclimate yourself to new surroundings. Other studios’ syllabuses are not identical to CCD nor are the class-level names the same.  

If you have not danced in many years, you will want to reintroduce your body and muscles slowly. Please consult us regarding the appropriate level for your evaluation.

What is the difference between preschool ballet, pre-ballet, and beginning ballet?

These classes are for our younger students and introduce them to music, dance, basic ballet vocabulary, and classroom etiquette while continuing to grow their imaginations.  A student should enroll in a class based on the student’s age by September 1st of the academic school year.  Preschool ballet is for ages 3-5; while pre-ballet is for ages 5-7; and beginning ballet is for ages 6-9.  Students stay on the same level for one to two full academic years, based on their gross motor skills development, focus, and maturity.

No trial/evaluation class is required.

How does one make-up a class?

You can take a class of the same level which you missed.  For example: If you missed your Beginning Ballet class you may take another Beginning Ballet on another day or a Beginning Jazz, Beginning Modern… please speak with your teacher for recommendations and call the front office for availability. A makeup class can also be taken virtually.

How can a dancer join the City Ballet of Cleveland?

We hold annual auditions in the spring. The dancers need to be an intermediate ballet level and at least 10 years of age. The dancers need to be an intermediate ballet level and at least ten years of age. The company has an apprentice level for those not at the intermediate level but interested in dancing more to build strength and self-confidence and to have other performing opportunities throughout the year.

Please visit the City Ballet of Cleveland for more information.

Do you offer private lessons?

Yes, we do offer private classes especially for students wishing to catch up to their peers’ level or wishing to have private coaching/training for a special performance or audition. Teachers will set their fee, which includes the cost for using the studio space.  Hourly prices start at $65 and go up to $100.  Semi-privates are an additional $10 per student. 

Privates are based on studio and teacher availability.

Why is there a dress code?

The dress code allows students to feel a sense of community, while being an individual in a team. This allows for fewer distractions so students can focus on their technique and stand out for their artistry and personality through their dancing. This discipline of dressing the part will help dancers feel like dancers.

Students are showing their teacher respect. If dressed in appropriately it shows you are not ready or prepared for class.

Where do I park?

You have two options.  

  • The south parking lot off Drexmore Rd. is available for free. We have a back entrance with a purple awning so you can come directly in versus walking around to the front via Dave’s. 
  • The front entrance on the square does have metered parking, only quarters can be used.

Do you offer scholarship programs at CCD?

Yes! We offer scholarship forms for young men and children ages 7-18. Fill out our forms below!

Scholarship Program for Young Men

Scholarship Program for Children 7-18

You mentioned the City Ballet of Cleveland. How can a dancer join?

We hold annual auditions in the Spring.  The dancers need to be an intermediate ballet level and at least ten years of age.  The company has an apprentice level for those not at the intermediate level but interested in dancing more to build strength and self-confidence and to have other performing opportunity throughout the year. Please visit the City Ballet of Cleveland website under Events.

When does CCD accept new registration?

We have three sessions at CCD.

  • Academic School year (September through May). Early registration begins in May. Current students pre-roll during the Spring prior to the upcoming Fall academic school year have early bird registration in April. 
  • Summer session (June and July-August). Early registration begins in March.
  • CCD holds evaluations for new students via a trial class during all sessions for class placement. You do want to register early as many classes fill to capacity before the start of the session.
  • All registration is online with a link at the top of our website.

Can I enroll once a session has begun? What is the cut off date for registration?

Yes, we will place you in the appropriate class based on experience and age. However, we do suggest students begin at the start of a session as classes progress throughout the academic school year. Yes, there is a cut-off date for registration, however we will try to accommodate students based on availability. In 2020, we added the virtual classes option for those who wish to take class from home and when out of state.

Do you have boys in classes? Yes, currently we have boys ages 3 to 17.

They are currently enrolled in Boys’ ballet, jazz, modern, tap and hip-hop. See 10 Reasons Why All Boys Should Dance.

It is not uncommon to have a few boys in dance classes. If you are concerned about your son being the only boy, sometimes it helps to have them ask a friend to join them to try the class together. We offer a boys’ only ballet classes on Fridays for ages 7-16 during the school year and in the summer we also offer a boys’ only camp.
Ballet originally began as a masculine art incorporating skills from fencing. Ballet skills and muscular development can be very supportive of sports. Dance also offers boys a sense of accomplishment, so they stand out from the crowd. Ballet is more difficult than competitive sports. The strength that is utilized must be concealed to appear effortless. Dance enables boys to increase their coordination and athletic strength for sports. For example: in basketball, the leg strength generated from dance offers greater power to jump higher to reach the basketball hoop. The agility from petite allegro (fast footwork) increases the speed required in all sports, especially to change one’s direction on the field.

Will I be the oldest in class?

Some courses for the younger classes are age specific. (Adults are not allowed to take children’s classes for ages 3-12.) Others will have a variety of ages based on physical preparedness and mental maturity. We place students so they will be able to continually work on the basics as well as challenge themselves. If a student is placed in a level that is too advanced, they run the risk of injury as well as frustration, nor will they be strong enough for the strenuous nature of the level.

Can I take a free trial class?

We do not offer a free trial class. There is a trial rate fee of $25. For some young
students, it takes 4–8 classes to become acclimated to the studio environment, feel the progression of a class, and make new friends.

We offer Open House classes with limited free classes. Contact the studio for open house updates.

Will you start a “waiting list” and how does that work?

Yes, we do have a waiting list option for classes. If classes do not have four registered students, one week prior to the semester then the class will be canceled.  Four people need to be registered for the entire semester for a class to begin.  This enables Cleveland City Dance to guarantee the teacher a class. In 2020, we began offering live streaming for all classes so you may train at home as well.

What if I do not see what I am looking for on your schedule?

Please tell us what sort of class(es) you are seeking.  We can start a waiting list and see if we have a teacher and a convenient studio time available.  The class will begin once we have at least four people registered.

May I observe class before enrolling?

Yes, we do have viewing windows for classes. We have parent observation several times a year and the final week of the summer semester.  During observation week,  students invite their families to sit in on class and get to know the teacher more. Please see our school calendar. https://clevelandcitydance.com/classes-programs/#schedule

Once my child enrolls, am I allowed to watch them during class?

Yes,  the viewing windows are always open. We have parent observation several times a year and the final week of the summer semester.  During observation week students invite their families to sit in on class and get to know the teacher more. Please see our school calendar. https://clevelandcitydance.com/classes-programs/#schedule

What do you recommend for my child who is not interested in ballet?

If your child has a great amount of energy and enjoys moving, we recommend several other options. There is Jazz & Tap Combo for 3-5-year-olds; beginning jazz and beginning tap for 6 years and up; or beginning hip-hop for students 7 and up.  These classes are fun with energetic music and offer a great cardiovascular workout.  Many children develop enjoyment for ballet, as they get older and want to build more strength and or aspire toward a career in dance.

What is jazz dance?

Jazz is based on the technical dance styles seen on Broadway and in the LA scene.  The training is based on a strong ballet background and emphasizes dynamic movements and  passionate acting skills. Jazz warm-up is without a ballet barre and it incorporates some familiar terminology from ballet in parallel emphasizing isolations, core strength, and flexibility. 

 

Students may start Beginning Jazz at age 6.

What type of hip-hop do you teach?

Hip-Hop adds urban moves to jazz technique in an energetic fast-paced setting as seen in music videos and on the live concert circuit incorporating acting with more “attitude”.  Students will learn fundamentals and strengthening techniques such as body isolations, breaks, and dynamic moves. Students may start Beginning Hip-Hop at age 7.

Why is ballet recommended for tap dancers?

Ballet helps to enhance your upper body and arms movement, which is essential to develop proper alignment, balance, and finesse. Ballet steps are used in tap as well.

How can I be certain my child is placed in the appropriate class level?

For dancers ages 9 and up with previous experience,  it is best to attend a trial/evaluation class prior to the start of a session for appropriate placement. When students enter the class at the beginning of a session, they are evaluated for class placement with various goals. We want to place a dancer to be challenged and grow as an individual. We also strive to promote the development of self-esteem.   

Please be assured that all our students’ progress is evaluated throughout the year.  If a class change is needed, we will notify you of the necessary change within two weeks of the academic school year.  Physical strength, maturity, focus, and discipline are considered when evaluating students. Our teachers are very experienced and know what is necessary to progress from one level to the next.  We take your child’s best interest to heart.

It is rare that a child is not mature and focused enough to participate in a structured classroom environment.  If a child is unwilling or unable to participate in the group setting or is distracting the class, we will speak with the parents to see if some activities can be implemented at home to assist their child.

When will I know it is time to progress to the next level?

Many students will remain in a class level for two to three (2-3) years. The lower-level students receive an evaluation prior to the end of school. This includes preschool ballet, pre-ballet, beginning ballet, and jazz & tap combo. The studio has evaluations at the end of each session for the Upper Division.

Summer students are evaluated at the end of the summer term.  Typically, the lower-level students will continue at the same level from summer to fall.  Upper-level students can grow quickly in the summer due to the accelerated program and will be placed accordingly.

You may request a conference with the teacher and director after the evaluations should you have any concerns or questions. 

Is there a performance at the end of the academic school year?

Yes, we have three shows. The younger children ages 3-7 dance in an intimate setting at the school. The annual Studio Spring Concert for the Upper Division has two shows, and the City Ballet of Cleveland show is in May.

The lower-level classes, which include preschool ballet, pre-ballet, and jazz & tap combo, have free performances in May at the studio in an intimate and non-stressful setting. The Company performs for the students for free at the end of the class presentation with a story ballet such as Alice in Wonderland, Carnival of the Animals, and Peter & the Wolf.

There is no performance at the end of the summer semester. The Level I, Level II, and the Intermediate/Advanced camp do have an opportunity to perform at the Saturday Open house at the end of the summer.

My child is serious about a career in dance. What do you recommend?

You will want to speak with the director, Courtney Laves-Mearini of CCD in person.  Once your dancer has been evaluated, we can discuss an accelerated program appropriate for your child according to their desire whether it is ballet, jazz, modern, musical theater, college, dancing for the cruise lines, or other commercial work.  Ballet is the basis for many of the dance art forms and should be considered even for those wishing to pursue musical theater.

Auditioning for the City Ballet of Cleveland, a501 (c) 3 non-profit ballet company, is an option for those who want the opportunity to perform with more frequency and are ready to devote more time to serious training involving additional weekly rehearsals.

What are the policies at CCD?

We have dress code, financial, and general policies including communication and
classroom policies. They are here on our website along with the annual calendar which is emailed at time of registration.

Can I purchase a class card and how does that work?

10-class cards are for adults only.  These cards cannot be used for beginning level classes, as consistency in classes is the key to progression and we do limit the class size. We recognize the need for flexibility with family and work schedules; however, a class card does not register you for a class nor hold your space in a class.  Class cardholders will not be able to take a closed/full class.  A class will be cancelled if there is NOT a minimum of four (4) individuals registered for the entire semester.

  • Class cards expire six months from date of purchase.
  • Semester discounts do not apply to class cards.
  • There are no refunds for unused class cards.

Do you teach social dances such as ballroom, tango, or salsa?

No, we do not offer ballroom, tango, or salsa dance classes. A Flamenco teacher is offering classes at Cleveland City Dance.

Do you offer a military discount?

Yes, $15 discount on monthly tuition.

News

Begin your dancing journey today. Contact Cleveland City Dance at 216-295-2222 to get started.

Cleveland City Dance

Monday-Thursday:
9:00 AM ‒ 1:00 PM
4:15 PM ‒ 9:00 PM

Friday:
10:00 AM ‒ 1:00 PM
4:30 PM ‒ 7:30 PM

Saturday:
9:00 AM ‒ 2:30 PM
Sunday:
Closed
13108 Shaker Square
Cleveland, OH 44120

Cleveland City Dance is not affiliated with Cleveland Ballet. 

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Originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Gabriela began her training at 3 years old at Ballet Studio Doris Infante under the direction of Doris Infante, a former ballerina with Ballet de Camaguey, Cuba. In 2012, she got third place at the first edition of 'Premios Eladia de Cuello’ Contest in Dominican Republic. In 2015, she joined the National School of Ballet. That same year, she received a full 4 years scholarship to study a ‘Degree in Pedagogy of Classical Dance' and, also won Academic Excellence Award in 2019 at Instituto Universitario de Danza Alicia Alonso, King Juan Carlos University, Spain. During her time there, she joined the Youth Ballet de Cámara de Madrid, in which she has performed classical roles in Alicia Alonso’s production of Giselle as ‘Myrtha, Queen of Willis’, Coppelia as ‘Prayer’, Raymonda as ‘Raymonda’, Sugar Plum, Snow Queen and Mirlitons in ‘The Nutcracker’, ‘Diana and Acteon Pas de Deux’ and ‘La Sylphide' Pas de Deux’, among others.
In 2019, she joined the Sibiu Ballet Theater in Romania where she has performed in productions such as 'Swan Lake', 'The Nutcracker', ‘Romeo and Juliet, The Rock Story’, 'La Fille Mal Gardee', 'Anna Karenina', 'Lady of the Camellias', 'Walpugris Night', 'Grand Pas of Raymonda', 'Snow White', among others. Gabriela also toured to Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherland, Belgium, Turkey, and Romania.
In 2023, she joined Cleveland Ballet performing Aurora in 'Sleeping Beauty', ‘Raymonda Pas de Dix’, Arabian and Mirlitons in ‘The Nutcracker’. Gabriela has been a guest artist at International Ballet Galas where she participate at the ‘XXIII International Dance Day Ballet Gala’ in San Sebastián, Spain performing ‘La Sylphide Pas de Deux’, XII Gala of Stars in Dominican Republic performing ‘Coppelia Pas de Deux' and also at VI Edition Dance Campus and Contest San Francesco di Paola Gala in Romania performing ‘Diana and Acteon Pas de Deux’
Johanna started dancing at the age of 3 and has been trained in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, character, and musical theater. The majority of her formal dance training occurred under the direction of Sandra Carlino at Pennsylvania Regional Ballet (formally Cumberland Dance Company) in Harrisburg PA. She continued to dance and expand her knowledge during her time at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. While in New Orleans, Johanna served as the dance director of The Prism Project of Greater New Orleans, an inclusive performing arts program that worked with individuals of all abilities between the ages of 6 and 14.  Outside of dance, Johanna has spent 10+ years working in the field of disability education. She currently is an education specialist and the lead of the adult services program at the Two Foundation in Chagrin Falls, OH.

Carrie Langguth graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance from Case Western Reserve University in 2018. She additionally received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania in 2015. She has had the opportunity to study Irish dance in Ireland, hula dance, the Limon technique, and with Pascal Rioult in New York. She has performed in various pieces by choreographers including Gary Galbraith, James Hansen, Larry Keigwin, Karen Potter, and the late Nai-Ni Chen. This year, Langguth is teaching Dance as an Art Form at Kent State University and Ballet at CWRU.

Mary Caitrin Lynch, TCRG, began her Irish dance journey at the age of 9 after several years of ballet training at the Beck Center for the Arts under Melany Zucch. That early foundation in ballet instilled the posture, turnout, toe height, and balance that would serve her well throughout her competitive career. Mary Caitrin joined The Academy in 2011 at age 13, just as Edward Searle and Byron Tuttle brought their world-class training and vision to the U.S. She danced competitively for over a decade—her final seven years proudly with The Academy—earning numerous accolades at the regional, national, and world level.

In 2013, following her first World Championship team title with The Academy in Boston, Mary Caitrin and her teammates appeared on Season 8 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, performing for judges Howard Stern, Heidi Klum, Mel B, and Howie Mandel. The experience was a whirlwind introduction to performing Irish dance on a national stage, and it remains a highlight of her dance career.

Though she retired from her solo career in late 2015 due to a recurring foot injury, she remained deeply involved with the team program and competed at the 2015 World Irish Dance Championships in Montreal. After stepping away to attend Ohio University, Mary Caitrin was invited back from retirement in 2017 to compete at the Mid-America Oireachtas and later the 2018 World Championships in Glasgow, where she earned her final two world titles.

In 2020, after graduating college during the height of the pandemic, Mary Caitrin decided it was time to pursue a lifelong dream: becoming a certified Irish dance teacher. She had always known she wanted to teach under Ed and Byron and eventually work toward becoming an adjudicator (ADCRG). That unusual moment in time gave her the courage to go all-in, and she hasn’t looked back since.

Today, she is both a TCRG and a full-time IT recruiter for a small technical firm in Mayfield Heights. Her professional role allows the flexibility to remain present in the Irish dance world and support the continued growth of The Academy throughout Northeast Ohio. While The Academy’s main studio is based in Columbus, the school was originally founded in downtown Cleveland at the Masonic Temple with just six students. It has since grown into a premier program with 50+ dancers across the region.

Mary Caitrin has had the privilege of teaching numerous dancers over the years, including Elise Miklos, who she has worked with for the past five years. Elise’s recent competitive success includes placing 5th in the world at the 2025 World Irish Dance Championships in Dublin, earning a North American National Championship, and remaining undefeated as a six-time Mid-America Oireachtas Champion. Witnessing the dedication and growth of students like Elise has been one of the most rewarding parts of her teaching journey.

Saundra (Sandi) Bohl has been teaching Flamenco in the greater Cleveland area for over 20 years and is the artistic director of Fairmount Spanish Dancers. Sandi teaches regional, escula, bolero, flamenco, and castaneting and performs regularly with her company.

Saundra has studied throughout the United States and Spain with greats including Jose Greco, Teo Morca, Nana Lorca, Ilisa Rosal, Libby Fleming, and many more. She also holds a Ba from Oberlin College and an M.A. from John Carroll University.

Roxanne Bain spent her childhood in a Cincinnati suburb, as a competitive dancer, gymnast and cheerleader. She earned BA from Depauw University, and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Maryland before moving with her husband to Cleveland in 2004. She is mom to two dynamic teenagers, Tyler and Ella; she enjoys traveling, DIY projects, outdoor adventures, and cuddling with her bernedoodle. 

Fifteen years ago, Roxanne discovered a passion for yoga, captivated by her practice’s ability to blend strength and flexibility with mindfulness and meditation. Her yoga journey allowed her to channel her childhood love for dance and gymnastics into a fulfilling new form of expression. In 2024, Roxanne completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Yoga Roots in Cleveland Heights and has been teaching weekly studio classes ever since.

Teagan Reed (she/her) is a native of St. Petersburg, Florida. She started training and competing in Scottish Highland dance at age 12 and then trained at the Patricia Ann Dance Studio. Teagan received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and completed the Hubbard Street Professional training program. As a performer, Teagan has appeared in professional works with Chicago’s Dance in the Parks, Little Fire Artist Collective, Aerial Dance Chicago, Adam Weinert & Company at Jacob’s Pillow, and American Repertory Theatre’s “The Donkey Show @Oberon." In 2016, Teagan started a project called Ballet Naked, and in 2021, she founded the inaugural pro.noun dance festival to help queer dance artists gather and create. Teagan has been a guest artist at Ballet22 and Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and a guest teacher at Mass Motion Dance, New England Youth Dance Exchange, HAVEN Sanctuary for Dance, and Chicago Movement Collective. Teagan presented her own choreographic works and commissions with HAVEN Sanctuary for Dance, Dance in the Parks, and GroundWorks DanceTheater. Teagan has been moving and grooving as a company artist with Groundworks 2022-2024.

Maeve trained with the Rockbridge Ballet in Lexington, Virginia as well as at the Bates Dance Festival and went on to complete her Bachelor of Arts Dance Degree at Oberlin College, graduating with a concentration in Physical Technique and Education as well as the Distinction in Dance Award. Additionally, Maeve holds a Hispanic Studies degree and a minor in Physics. Maeve danced as a company member of the Stavna Ballet from 2022 to 2023 and as a guest dance with Starr Foster Dance in 2023. Maeve most recently worked as the Company Manager and Director of Diversity and Inclusion at TheStudio for Dance & the Arts and is looking forward to dancing as an apprentice with Inlet Dance Theater this year.

Lori Christman Bourtasenkov is known in the ballet world for her diversity that has won her critical acclaim both Nationally and Internationally. She has danced with Carolina Ballet as a Soloist, New Jersey Ballet as a Principal, Stars of American Ballet and The New York based Daring Project, directed by Valentina Kozlova and Margo Sappington.

Ms. Christman's repertory includes many Classics of yesteryear and neo-classics of today. She has worked with many of today’s top choreographers; Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Robert North, Margo Sappington, Tyler Walters, Norbert Vesak, Timour Bourtasenkov, Vincente Nebrada, Christopher Wheeldon, Johan Renval and Robert Weiss among others.

Ms. Christman has formal training in the Complete Teaching Method of Classical Dance developed by Vera Kostrovitskaya which she combines with her knowledge to teach young dancers in the 21 st century. She has been successful in producing dance performances for the community and is instrumental in educating the younger audience in the art of dance with children performances, workshops and lecture demonstrations. She has taught all levels at Carolina Ballets Summer Intensives from 2007 to 2013 as well as staged 160 children in Carolina Ballet Nutcracker.

“My lifelong love has been ballet and I would like to share my love and knowledge with the next generation”.  Married to Timour Bourtasenkov and we have a college student, Adelia.

Lisa Kuhnen is a Cleveland native who has spent the past twenty years travelling the globe as a professional dancer and singer while making NYC her home.  She has danced at Carnegie Hall with Sarah McLachlan, sang for the Prince and Princess of Monaco with Andrea Boccelli, and appears in Jordan Matter's Dancers After Dark with Alan Cumming. She toured the Americas with the world renowned musical Cats and has taught musical theatre to children in Shanghai.  She has performed aboard the "Most Luxurious Cruise Ship Ever Built," the Regent Seven Seas Explorer as lead singer. Lisa is a certified personal trainer, a certified barre instructor and a full-time barre and cycle instructor for Lifetime Fitness in Beachwood.  She has taught students at New York's well-known professional dance studio, Steps on Broadway.  Here she was mentored by the world's best lyrical jazz teacher, Suzi Taylor.  Growing up in Cleveland, she was a student at Dennis Nahat's Cleveland Ballet and was trained in Cecchetti Method through grade 5. Lisa holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Syracuse University where she concentrated in dance.

Anthony began dancing at the age of 21 after suffering an injury while playing collegiate sports. In his 10+ years of dancing, Anthony has had the privilege of performing in numerous music videos and events all throughout the country. Anthony has been able to learn and study dance from training with inlet dance company, the Sarah Morrison dance company and by working with dancers such as Les Twins and now training with a California based crew called Kinjaz. After taking some time away to raise his now 2 year old son, Anthony is very excited to come back to teaching and being a part of the Cleveland city dance family!

Review From A Client of Anthony:

Hi! It’s Vicky here. As I wrote before I’m leaving Cleveland this week and won’t come anymore. Just wanna thank you for everything, your support and help with the portal. We still do paper back home and it was hard for me to do everything virtually. Thanks to the teachers and staff and I may say that Anthony has been the best hip hop teacher I had in Cleveland.

Thanks for everything and hope I can visit again and take some classes one day.
Vicky

Michael, a New Jersey native, trained under the direction of John White and Margarita de Saa at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet. While studying under John White and Margarita de Saa, he also had the privilege of working with choreographers Bryan Koulman and Lina Early performing a variety of classical, modern, and contemporary works. During Michael's time at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, he was involved in a small ensemble called Pages to Pirouettes. The ensemble’s purpose is to take storybook ballets, such as Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Cinderella, to grade schools in the entire Philadelphia area and teach school children about ballet and dance in general. Michael also spent several months studying at the Boston Ballet School prior to joining a professional company. Michael joined The Sarasota Ballet of Florida as an apprentice in 1999 and retired as a principle in 2008.

Including Sarasota Ballet's full repertoire, he performed many leading male roles including Lysander and Theseus in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Siegfried, as well as Rothbart, in Swan Lake, Othello in Othello, and the Cavalier in the holiday favorite The Nutcracker. Michael also had the distinguished honor of portraying Don Jose in Alberto Alonso's Carmen, not only on stage but also in the documentary project Dancing in Freedom's Shoes portraying Alberto Alonso's illustrious life and career in ballet. Michael's contemporary repertoire includes many pieces by James Buckley including Business Casual, Centaur, The Rite of Spring, and Anne Frank. He also reset Mr. Buckley's Anne Frank on The Sarasota Ballet in January of 2006. In 2002, Michael had the honor of working with choreographer Christopher Fleming to celebrate the artist Jean Claude Gaugy’s's inspirational masterpiece 'The Awakening'. The work was revealed in Santa Fe, New Mexico to a ballet that reflected the artist's struggle to overcome impossible odds. Michael has received pedagogy training based upon the Vaganova Syllabus, which is the same syllabus he trained under at The Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet.

Amelia Foreman was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL, and has been dancing since she
was ten. She had started out as a competitive gymnast. Amelia has trained in ballet,
contemporary, jazz, tap, hip-hop, pointe, lyrical, character jazz, musical theatre, acrobatics and
modern technique. Special skills include tumbling and training in Lyra. Amelia started dancing
at Academy of Dance, in Jacksonville, Fl. Her first two years of college, Amelia attended Florida
State College at Jacksonville, where she was in “danceWORKS” Repertory Company. She
graduated from Troy University, as a dance major of the Department of Theatre and Dance.
Training includes the Florida Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and Alonzo King Lines Ballet
summer intensives. She has danced with the Montgomery Ballet and is currently dancing with
Inlet Dance Theatre. She also participated in the DAP Festival and performed multiple times in
Italy. Amelia has taught at Academy of Dance, Dance 4 Life, The Company Performance Center,
Patti Rutland Jazz, the Montgomery Ballet, and other local dance and gymnastics studios.

Orlando Mercado (aka X-Factor) was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and moved to Cleveland
in 2008. Orlando has been dancing since he was 15 focusing on hip-hop training with multiple
instructors including former member of the Cleveland Cavaliers Scream Team Daisun Santana
(aka Bz Brooks). He continues to train and learn other forms of dance styles because he believes
dancers are limitless to what they can learn and do.

In 2010, Orlando and his dad Angel founded the dance group Evolution when Orlando was 15
and were awarded Best Dance Group of The Year by Cleveland Magazine. When 17 ,Evolution
competed in Ohio's Best Dance Crew taking second place overall. Evolution was together
through 2016, then Orlando founded Limitless in 2017. Orlando was part of the 2014 and 2015
downtown Cleveland New Year’s event. He has performed for Spanish artists Cosculluela, Plan
B, and Yomo, as well as Montel Jordan, Flo Rida, Biz Markie, MGK and Lil Jon, and local
artists local artists such as K. Davis, Bori Q, J Jigs, Jonathan El Romantico and many more.
Orlando x-factor continues performing throughout Ohio.

Orlando had the privilege to travel to Atlanta, Florida, and Chicago to teach master classes and
perform at multiple events and studios. He has taken classes with Alex Fetbroth, Laura Edwards,
Tony Tzar, Lee Daniel, Tony Bellissimo and Parris Goelbel who all have danced and
choreographed for celebrity artists such as Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber and many more.
Since 2011 Orlando has worked as a professional dancer/entertainer including with the
Cleveland Cavaliers Scream Team and teaches at multiple studios winning awards and national
competitions. and local recreation centers in greater Cleveland.

Tami grew up in Mogadore, Ohio. Her performing career runs the gamut from musicals to classical theater to ballets to TV and film. Favorite performances include “The Bakkhai” with The Great Lakes Theater Festival and La Fille Mal Gardee as Widow Simone with The Hudson Valley Dance Theater in NY. Her choreography has been seen at The Tupperware Auditorium in Orlando, Fl and Town Hall Theater in NYC.
Tami started her dance training in Ellet with Pat Lewis, later studying at The Akron Fine & Performing Arts Center under Brad French, Suzanne Winland, and Kim Raines-Colton. She’s also studied with Carole Alexis, Tom Evert, Jeff Shade,and Mdme Peff Modelski among many others. Tami still takes class whenever she can.
Tami is certified in Zena Rommett Floor-Barre Technique®️.
Vivian is a current trainee with Inlet Dance Theatre who holds her BFA in dance and BSEd in exercise science from The Ohio State University. Her training is primarily in contemporary, jazz, tap, African, and ballet, as well as mat and reformer Pilates. She teaches dance and group fitness classes to children and adults and engages in dance science research in addition to her artistic practice. Using her dance and personal training background, Vivian weaves dance and science as the foundation of her work to guide others to find their love of movement through community-based practice.

Annette Gaetana Ellis graduated from Point Park University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance with a concentration in Modern, and a Minor in Business Management. Her dance background started in Classical Ballet and Circus Arts. Before her college career, Annette was One of Three Americans to represent the United States in the Geneè International Ballet Competition 2018 in Hong Kong. She also had the opportunity to perform on Broadway in the Actor’s Fund C.T.F.D 31st Jubilee directed by Anne Marie DeAngelo, Disney’s NYC Summer Stage, Brooklyn Art Museum’s Basquiat Exhibit, and was a member of Boston based company Mystique Illusions Dance Theatre. At Point Park she has had the opportunity to perform works by Kiesha Lalama, Rozanna Sweeny, Rocker Verastique, and Judith Leifer-Bentz. Annette also had the honor of being a choreographers assistant to professor Jason McDole and former Associate Artistic Director of Complexions, Jae Man Joo

Lydia is originally from Fullerton, CA, and began dancing at her mother’s studio when she was 3 years old. She attended summer intensives held by Marin Dance Theatre, Backhaus, Entity Contemporary Dance, and Cecchetti USA. From 2017-2022, Lydia taught contemporary and ballet classes and coached soloists at CF Dance Academy. She danced in and choreographed a variety of concept videos during Covid. Lydia danced with Emergent Dance Company, directed by Megan Pulfer, for their 2021 season before moving to Ohio. She trained with Inlet Dance Theater as an Apprentice from 2022-2023.

Gwendolyn Holden Seckers is a seasoned dance educator who has taught students of all ages in a variety of settings. Trained in both commercial and conservatory settings, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Georgia and was an inaugural member of the UGA Ballet Ensemble. Originally trained as a gymnast and competitive Irish dancer, Gwendolyn began ballet studies in Rochester, NY with her mother, who later relocated to Cleveland, Ohio. She studied at the School of Nashville Ballet with Elaine Thomas (Royal Ballet), Paul Vasterling, and Janek Schergen. While a musical theater student at Northwestern University, she studied jazz dance with Nan Giordano at the Gus Giordano Dance Center. As a young teen, Gwendolyn was chosen to perform with the New York City Ballet during its summer residency at Saratoga Springs. Gwendolyn was an adjunct faculty member at Middle Tennessee State University, a teaching artist for the Cumberland County Playhouse, and ballet instructor for the Rutherford County Youth Ballet.

At Cleveland City Dance, Gwendolyn teaches Beginning Ballet and Ballet I and also serves as a Children’s Rehearsal Assistant for City Ballet of Cleveland. She is also a teaching artist for the Beck Center for the Arts and created a curriculum for Head Start outreach programming. As a teaching artist, She developed a rigorous semester-long dance appreciation course, combining practical applications of dance technique and cultural history, used by area high schools. Gwendolyn has taught outreach education for DANCECleveland’s Read to Learn . . . Dance to Move program and has also worked as a certified fitness instructor.

She is a certified Silver Swans instructor (Royal Academy of Dance) and attended continuing professional development seminars with the Royal Ballet (England) and the Royal Academy of Dance. Gwendolyn completed Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s teacher’s workshop, learning Marcia Dale Weary’s curriculum with Rose Taylor. Gwendolyn is a YPAD-certified instructor and also holds CPR certification. She is a member of the Royal Academy of Dance. Most recently, she completed an intense study of the Vaganova curriculum through Level IV with tutors from the Bolshoi Academy of Ballet.

Outside of dance, Gwendolyn has volunteered as a tutor with The Refugee Response, served on the board of the Winterhurst Figure Skating Club, and was appointed to the City of Lakewood’s Community Relations Advisory Commission. She was also a volunteer for the Loyola Society at St. Ignatius High School. She is a longtime reader for the Maltz Museum Stop the Hate® contest. Gwendolyn maintains a K-12 substitute teacher license for the state of Ohio.

Mrs. Morscher is a former Principal dancer with North Coast Ballet Theatre.  She is originally from Buffalo, New York where she received her initial ballet training from Bernadine DeMike, Janet Springer, and Ginger Burke.  She continued her formal ballet training in Cleveland with Troy McCarrty, Lynn Brennan Tabor, Dee Hillier, Marguerite Duncan, and Nancy Arcury. 

Mrs. Morscher has taught for over 20 years throughout the Cleveland community culminating in the opening of her own school, Royal School of Ballet (RSB) in 1998 and Company (RYBC) in 2004 producing students and dancers participating in prestigious summer programs, receiving college scholarships, competing at the Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP) ballet competition, awarded contracts with major ballet companies, have successful careers in the dance arts as well as the military and the medical profession.  Joanne joined Cleveland City Dance in 2019.

From Xi'an, China, Liu Mo trained at the renowned Beijing Dance Academy from middle school through college. He received a degree in Classical Chinese dance with a focus in performance and education. During this time, he received third place for his solo at the prestigious Taoli Bei dance competition and had the opportunity to work with many choreographers, such as Shen Wei, for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Following the completion of his degree, Liu Mo served as an instructor in the foundations of Classical Chinese dance at the Beijing Dance Academy until 2011. From 2012 to 2019, he danced as a principal dance artist with Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers in Philadelphia, PA. Liu Mo has choreographed commissioned works for Ballet 180, Hua Hua Zhang, Hua Xia, Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, and Verb Ballets. Most recently, he worked with David Neuman as a dancer for the Netflix film "White Noise." He currently lives in Cleveland with his wife and young son.

Karin Tooley has extensive experience as a pianist for dancers. She has a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music.

While still a student, Karin began accompanying classes at the School of Cleveland Ballet. Karin has also accompanied ballet and modern dance at Mather Dance Center at Case, the Cecchetti Council of America Summer Dance Intensive, Cleveland City Dance, Cleveland School of Dance, Cleveland School of the Arts, Cleveland San Jose Ballet, Verb Ballets, Dancing Wheels, Cleveland Inner City Ballet, Pointe of Departure, Cleveland State University Dance, and Fairmount Fine Arts Center.

Karin also serves as pianist at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Cleveland and accompanies Windsong, Cleveland's Feminist Chorus. Karin performed with CityMusic Cleveland in the children’s opera Brundibar in 2012.

Her original scores include numerous small pieces for student productions at the School of Cleveland Ballet, Cleveland School of Dance and Cleveland School of the Arts, as well as the 75-minute An Urban Nutcracker, a modern/street version of the tale by CSA’s Youth at Risk Dancing and Pilobolus Dance Theatre, which received national attention in Time Magazine and the Wall Street Journal.

Spencer Waldeck is a native of Cleveland, OH, where she began her training at City Ballet of Cleveland under the direction of Courtney Laves-Mearini. Spencer joined Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s high school full-time program in 2016. She joined their Graduate program in 2018.

Since joining the pre-professional program, Spencer has performed in various roles in PBT’s productions of George Balanchine’s Divertimento No.15, The Nutcracker, Giselle, and Beauty and the Beast.

Additionally, she has performed featured roles as Medora in Le Corsaire, Paquita in Paquita, and Pigtail Girl in Graduation Ball with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School.

Spencer started teaching at Cleveland City Dance in 2020, and she will return in the summer of 2021 to teach ballet and contemporary.

Claire Zakrajsek is from Cleveland OH, and grew up training at Cleveland City Dance. Claire is now a double-major student at the University of Cincinnati, continuing her ballet training with UC’s College-Conservatory of Music. She is working towards her business degree.

Claire had the opportunity to train with Cincinnati Ballet, BalletMet, and to work alongside guest choreographers, Joysanne Sidimus and Matthew Farmer. Claire has performed lead roles in works such as ​Les Sylphides​, ​Rite of Spring​, and ​Pas De Quatre​.

Heather Koniz Young holds a Master of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Arts from Hamilton College. She is currently the Office Manager at Cleveland City Dance, administrative assistant for City Ballet of Cleveland, and teaches the modern classes at Cleveland City Dance.

In addition, Mrs. Young is an adjunct faculty at Lake Erie College and a yoga instructor at Yoga Roots. Mrs. Young has worked with Groundworks Dance Theater as a Teaching Artist and was an instructor for the Read to Learn… Dance to Move program with DANCECleveland.

Young has danced professionally with Antaeus Dance, Verlezza Dance Company, Marquez Dance Project, and Tikvah Company of Artists. She has performed in works by notable choreographers including Martha Graham, Pascal Rioult, Carolyn Dorfman, May O’Donnell, Amy Miller, Elisa Monte, among many others. She has taken workshops with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Jose Limon Dance Company, Pascal Rioult, and Ellis Wood.

Young is also a seasoned choreographer whose works have been performed at the Northeast Ohio Dance Festival, Case Western Reserve University, Allegheny College, and Hamilton College. In May 2013, she choreographed the 8th-grade musical at Hathaway Brown School, and in March 2014, she choreographed ​Shrek the Musical​ at Euclid High School.

Her work, ​Let My Hero In​, premiered at Cleveland Public Theatre’s DanceWorks’14. She was also a choreographer for Cleveland Dance Exchange’s Top Ten during Cleveland Public Theatre’s DanceWorks’ 15.

She and her husband have two active and adorable boys, Carter and Bryce.

Sarah Parr is a recent graduate of Case Western Reserve University, where she received her Bachelor’s degree with a triple major in theater arts, English, and cognitive science. In addition to working at Cleveland City Dance, she is a freelance copywriter, actor, and filmmaker. She is also a member of Chloe and Maud Arnold’s international tap dance company, Sole Talk.

Sarah has trained in many genres of dance (including, but not limited to, tap, hip hop, ballet, jazz, modern, lyrical, and musical theater) over her two decades of dancing. She began her dance studies at Metuchen Dance Centre in New Jersey, performing in numerous recitals, street fairs, and Duke Ellington Nutcrackers. In high school, she was invited to join MDC’s company, Dance Reflections, while supplementing her dance education with master classes in a variety of styles at Broadway Dance Center in New York City.

In the summer of 2019, she was a work-study student at the American Tap Dance Foundation’s annual festival, Tap City, where she took classes with tap masters such as Chloe Arnold, Randy Skinner, and Brenda Bufalino. She also assisted Maud Arnold’s choreography residency in the youth program.

Sarah has taught many dance classes while at CWRU as both the President of the Spartan Tappers, the campus tap dance club, and the PR Chair for Urban Elementz, CWRU’s street dance group. She also choreographed ​If/Then​​ and a charity showcase for the CWRU Footlighters, the school’s student-run musical theater organization.

Sara Lawrence-Sucato hails from Columbus, Ohio, graduated with a degree in Dance Teaching and Choreography (B.A. ’06) and Organizational Leadership (M.S. ’24) from Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania, and lives/works in the northeast Ohio (Cleveland) area. She has studied with noted dance teachers Madame Natalie Krassovska, Laura Alonso, Cynthia Harvey, Vivi Flindt, Finis Jhung, Christopher Huggins, and Milton Myers.

Sara's performance credits include roles in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Coppélia, La Sylphide, Pas de Quatre, Paquita Variations, and Bolero. She has performed in Columbus with The Dance Cure and Columbus Dance Theatre, as well as with the Mercyhurst Dancers, Lake Erie Ballet, SoMar Dance Works, and Shen and Bones Performance Group in Erie. In her 16 seasons as a dancer with Cleveland’s The Dancing Wheels Company, Sara performed works by noted choreographers Marc Brew, Nai-Ni Chen, David Dorfman, Christopher Fleming, Catherine Meredith, Stuart Pimsler, David Roussève, Ginger Thatcher, Mark Tomasic, Michael Uthoff and Robert Wesner as well as by internationally renowned choreographers Donald McKayle and Dianne McIntyre.

In her capacity as Director of Education at The Dancing Wheels Company & School, Sara works with a team of Master Teaching Artists to deliver the Dancing Wheels Teacher Certification program, trains new company dancers, oversees and teaches outreach and in-studio classes and programming, and instructs physically integrated dance technique. Sara is on the Ohio Teaching Artist Roster. She teaches residencies for Dancing Wheels in schools, community centers serving people with disabilities, and memory cafés for individuals living with dementia in Northeast Ohio. 

Sara’s choreographic credits include Concerto Impressionniste (2016) and Ocean Stories (2017) for City Ballet of Cleveland, as well as One (2015/2017) and other dances for Cleveland City Dance’s Annual Spring Concert. Sara has worked as a faculty member with Cleveland City Dance since 2014.

Ethan Michael Lee is an Ohio native from North Canton and started his training at Canton Ballet under the artistic direction of Cassandra Crowley at the age of 12. He has also trained at schools such as Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Chautauqua, and Joffrey Ballet to name a few. Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival 2013 was Ethan’s first performance with Neos Dance Theatre making this his fifth year with Neos Dance Theatre. He has been performing roles for Neos ballets such as Bobby Wesner’s original Snow White, Dracula, and an array of contemporary pieces he has choreographed. Currently Ethan is the Artistic Director of A Time to Dance Junior Company, and over the years has choreographed numerous pieces including four ballets. When not performing with Neos or choreographing, Ethan also guests throughout North East Ohio to perform with local ballet schools, such as Ballet Theatre of Ohio, Canton Ballet, Great Lakes Youth Ballet, and many others.

If you would like information including enrolling and reserving a spot in these unique boys’ ballet classes, please call 216-295-2222

Alumni Meghann Snow returned to Cleveland after being away for ten years in New York City. Her background includes being ballet trained, along with being a competitive figure skater and artist.

She graduated with her BFA from The Mary Schiller Myers School of Art in 2006 and received her MFA from Parsons School of Design ‒ The New School in 2008. Meghann has been teaching children for the past ten years and decided to get her second master's degree specializing in early childhood education and special education.

Meghann recently graduated from Teachers College, Columbia University, and is honored to be back and bring her passion and interests to Cleveland City Dance.

Lori Simplican grew up studying jazz dance from the renowned teacher/choreographer Dee Hillier. Lori performed locally in theaters and as a member of the Dee Hillier Dance Company, where she was a part of the Lighting of Public Square Show and the Opening of the remodeled Allen theater. She has also studied with some of the very best in ballet, tap, and modern dance, and continues her dance education by attending classes and dance conventions to stay current with the latest trends in dance.

Lori's teaching career spans over two decades throughout the Cleveland area. She was on the faculty and co-consort director of the Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theater. Along with teaching at several local studios, she has choreographed for many local theaters and worked with the late Joan Sidor at Independence City School District, creating their musical programs.

Lori is currently a teaching artist for Dancing Classrooms Northeast Ohio, a program that teaches ballroom dance to schools throughout the Cleveland area. Lori has been teaching at Cleveland City Dance since 2016.

 

April Urban is the director of the tap company in residence at Cleveland City Dance, Cleveland City Rhythm, and the lead tap instructor. April loves sharing the art form of tap dance with her students of all ages, and her classes integrate tap technique, musicality, and tap's uniquely American roots and history.

She is a proud mom of three little ones (Maeva, Evan, and Ethan) and they inspire her patience and connection with all her students. April grew up in Syracuse, NY, taking dance classes at Miss Colleen's School of Dance, and has had the opportunity to learn from many great tap artists like Brenda Buffalino, Barbara Duffy, Michelle Dorrance, and others.

Most recently, April completed the Level 1 Copasetic Canon Curriculum and holds a Tap Teacher Training Certificate from the American Tap Dance Foundation. April came to Cleveland to study social work at Case Western Reserve University and brings her social work background into her classes, putting an importance on dance class as a creative outlet for all students. She also daylights as a researcher at CWRU.

Ms. Dubsky began her ballet training at the Ashtabula Arts Center and finished her studies at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and the Joffrey Ballet School.

Upon graduation, Alison embarked on a professional career where she performed throughout North America. During Ms. Dubsky’s tenure as a professional ballet dancer, she danced with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, the Joffrey Ensemble Dancers, the Sarasota Ballet, the Richmond Ballet, and the Alberta Ballet.

Some of Ms. Dubsky’s favorite roles include the Black Queen from ​Checkmate​, the Sugar Plum from ​The Nutcracker​, Jiri Kylian’s ​Forgotten Land​, and the principal couple in George Balanchine’s ​Allegro Brillante​.

Alison is married to teacher Mike Keating and they have two adorable little boys.

Allison Eastburn started dancing at age three with Elise Okin at the Ballet Academy until graduating high school.

It was through dance Alison found her passion for working with young children. Allison has taught preschool ballet and gymnastics for private and public schools across the Cleveland area since 2011. She graduated in 2014 from Cuyahoga Community College with a degree in Arts and Early Childhood Education and decided to settle into a full-time preschool teaching position.

She teaches dance with the Serendipity dance program, working with students of various special needs to not only help develop their love for dance but overall health. In 2016, Allison became the director of preschool programs for Rockstar Cheer Cleveland coaching cheerleading, gymnastics, and dance classes. In December of 2019, Allison graduated with a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education from Ursuline College.

Kristi is an alumni of the Academy of Ballet and the Fredericksburg City Ballet Company. She studied under the instruction of Melissa Gregory, Julie Drennan, and Nikolai Balatsenko. Kristi has spent time training with many different Ballet Companies including The Richmond Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet School in New York, and was selected for a Trainee position with the Joffrey Ballet Company in Chicago.

Kristi has an extensive performance repertoire. She has performed as Aurora and the Lilac Fairy in ​Sleeping Beauty​, the Black Swan in ​Swan Lake​, the "Raymonda Grande Pas De Deux in ​Raymonda​, Clara, the Snow Queen, and the Sugar Plum Fairy in ​The Nutcracker​ and Kitri in ​Don Quixote​.

Kristi found her passion for teaching in 2014 when she moved back to Fredericksburg. She has since choreographed award winning contemporary ballet works for competition dancers and has staged and directed full-length ballets, including ​The Sleeping Beauty​ and ​The Nutcracker​.

Kathleen Davis Pierce has a B.S. in Dance from Kent State University. Kathleen has taught at Canton Ballet, Kent State Motor Development Program, the JCC, and the Fairmount Center. She has also taught adults and seniors at Cuyahoga Community College and Kent State Research and Fitness Program.

She has performed with the Leaven Dance Company and Dance Image. As of October 2002, Kathleen is also a certified Reiki master. In 2015, Kathleen became a full-time teacher at Shaker Schools.

Lauren Dangelo began dancing in Cleveland, OH, and is an alumna of Cleveland City Dance. In addition to training at local schools, she attended summer programs at Cincinnati Ballet. Lauren graduated in 2014 magna cum laude with her BFA in Dance Performance.

Upon graduating, Lauren went on to dance with the Charlottesville Ballet under the direction of Sara Jansen Clayborne. There, she danced both soloist and corps de ballet roles in classical ballets, including ​The Nutcracker​, ​The Firebird​, ​Sleeping Beauty​, as well as other original compositions. She also danced in several original contemporary works, most notably by Colby Damon from Ballet X and Steven Melendez from New York Theatre Ballet, among others.

Lauren now considers herself a freelance dancer, working with companies and creatives around the country. She has had the opportunity to dance with ODC in San Francisco, CA, where she had the pleasure of dancing Kate Weare's work, Giant. She danced for New Dialect in Nashville, TN, under the direction of Banning Bouldin, Sidra Bell, and Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, amongst others.

Recently, Lauren has performed in the Broadway and commercial industries by working as the dance captain on the show ​Chicago: The Musical​.

Samantha has been a student of movement and expression her whole life. She was a fearless climber as a child, growing to study gymnastics and figure skating until she brought her focus to ballet and dance in junior high school.

Studying with Feld Ballets NYC, Joffrey Ballet School (Dorothy Lister, Francesca Corkel), the School of American Ballet (Antonia Tumkovsky, Stanley Williams, Kay Mazzo, Suki Schorer), and at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School exposed Samantha to a wide range of techniques and styles of dance.

Samantha's dancing summers were spent at NYSSSA and the Chautauqua Institution. Piano and character/folk dancing were important supplements to her ballet training and helped shape her internal understanding of rhythm and grace.

At 17, she was hired by Edward Villella to join the Miami City Ballet. She performed the bulk of the repertoire including works of Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Petipa, and Gamonet for seven years until an injury led her to retire.

Upon her return to NYC, Samantha was the artistic assistant to Kay Mazzo and Peter Martins at the School of American Ballet. Since moving to Cleveland in 2006, Samantha has enjoyed teaching at Cleveland City Dance with Courtney for the advanced ballet students ‒ teenagers, adults, and professionals ‒ helping them to “find their legs.”

As a teacher of other modalities of movement, she is a practitioner of the Feldenkrais Method(R) of somatic education. She has been on the adjunct faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music, co-teaching a course on the Feldenkrais Method(R) for musicians for the past eight years, while maintaining a small private practice from home and presenting yearly lectures and workshops.

Samantha and her husband, Marc, occasionally take a break from teaching and enjoy being students of their two, still young children, who are currently ages six and four.

Diana Braun is an alumnus of Cleveland City Dance and has been training with the studio since she was 7-years-old. She is a recent graduate of Otterbein College, where she received a B.A. in Mathematics and a minor in Dance.

At Otterbein, she was able to work with Randy Skinner in their production of ​42nd Street​. She was also chosen to be the student choreographer for the 2009 dance concert ​To Each, His Own​. Diana has been teaching with CCD since 2009.

Bridget Biliunas began teaching at Cleveland City Dance in 2010. She was formally trained in Russian Classical Ballet by Cleveland ballet teachers, Marguerite Duncan and Nancy Arcury, performing with Northcoast Ballet Theatre from 1991 to 1998. During that time, she accompanied children’s ballet classes and student-taught under Sonja Kraljevic.

She has danced with Cleveland Dance Theater and studied with Kay Eichman of the Cleveland Ballet. She has attended dance and science somatic seminars and conventions in Cleveland, Chicago, New York City, and Las Vegas. Bridget has also participated in ​Food for Thought, an emergent choreography program.

Bridget has performed at the Cleveland Playhouse, the Masonic Temple, Cleveland’s Palace Theater, and Tower City Productions, among others. She has danced with Serena Polish Folk Group and Gorale Polish Folk Dancers, appearing in televised holiday showcases. She was co-artistic director of Grandinele Lithuanian Folk Assemble and choreographed dances for its 50th Jubilee performance.

Bridget taught accredited ballet classes at Lakeland Community College. She has taught intermediate and advanced level ballet at Dance by Gloria and Interpretations Dance Academy since 2004. In competition, Bridget's choreography was awarded Best Showmanship (1st Place). She currently coaches ballet students for competitions and consults for ice skating. Her former students have studied and performed with Pittsburgh Ballet, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Greensboro Ballet, and the National American Miss Pageant.

Bridget holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. Through the Royal Academy of Dance, she is a licensed Silver Swans teacher for therapeutic ballet for seniors. Beginning in 2020, Bridget attends the Royal Ballet School’s Enlighten global webinar program for dance training and pedagogy.

Courtney received her training in Houston, TX, studying primarily under Anne and Nicholas Polajenko, Gilbert Rome, ABT's Alexander Minz, Claire Duncan, and James Clouser. She also had the opportunity to study with Fosse jazz dancer, Delia Weddington-Stewart, for five years while growing up in Houston.

She trained for a year at the University of Utah under Li-Chou Chang and had the opportunity to work with Sir Anton Dolin and Toni Lander, restaging Pas de Quatre in the role of Marie Taglioni. She danced with several ballet companies including Atlanta Ballet, South Carolina Ballet Theater, and Cleveland San Jose Ballet. She danced lead roles in ​Serenade​ as the Russian Lead, ​Paquita​ as a soloists, ​Sleeping Beauty as Princess Aurora​, Concerto Barocco’s principal, a Raymonda Variations soloist, and in Lynn-Taylor Corbett's Appearances.

Courtney has been teaching ballet since 1978 for various studios in Houston, Florida, and Cleveland, including teaching at the University of Akron's dance department. She received her B.A. in Anthropology and Communications from Cleveland State University in 1997, and has excavated for three field seasons on the Maya Mountain Archaeological Project in Belize, Central America with Dr. Peter Dunham.
In 2004, Courtney began managing Cleveland City Dance and in 2009, the non-profit, 501(c) 3, City Ballet of Cleveland, and is the Artistic  Director as a pre-professional ballet company. The company became a member of the prestigious Regional Dance America Northeast in 2013 and Courtney became the region’s treasurer for 2015-2016. Cleveland City Dance became a competitor at YAGP in 2018.