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Béa Rashid, Director is a Dance Educator and Choreographer. A graduate of Northwestern University's theater department, Béa concentrated her studies in acting, dance, choreography, and directing. Falling in love with modern dance while in college. Béa was a full scholarship student at the American Dance Festival, and studied under Mel Wong '77 and Pearl Lang '78 in their Summer Repertory Companies. Continuing her dance training in New York, Béa trained with legendary dance teachers David Howard, Finis Jung, Lynn Simonson and Luigi, and acting teacher, Uta Hagen. Béa's New York credits include Green Mountain Guild Theatre Company (Oklahoma, Quilters and Chicago), Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble (As You Like It ), and Florida Shakespeare Festival (A Midsummer Night's Dream). After moving to Chicago in '87, Bea continued to work in professional theater, choreographing productions for the Practical Theatre Company (Art, Ruth and Trudy, Bozo the Town), Goodman Theatre (A Christmas Carol, Romeo and Juliet, House and Garden), Chicago Opera Theatre (The Tender Land, Ariadne Auf Naxos, Hansel and Gretel), Steppenwolf (The Libertine), City Lit (The Good Times are Killing Me), and Evanston's own Light Opera Works (Pirates of Penzanze, Babes in Toyland, Princess Ida, One Touch of Venus). In 1994, Béa opened Dance Center Evanston and two years later established the Evanston Dance Ensemble as a not-for-profit organization. Béa has collaborated with composer and husband, Steve Rashid, to create several pieces of choreography and two productions with all original music (Dance Odyssey and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). At Dance Center Evanston, Béa combined her dance and theater background to design a program that offers solid training, artistry, performing opportunities, and fun. She teaches ballet and modern at several levels and holds the Teacher's Advanced Professional Certificate in the Cecchetti Method of Ballet. In 1999, Béa was awarded the Mayor's Award for the Arts in Evanston. [back to top] |
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Victoria Barlow completed her BA in Dance Education at Columbia College. She was a principal member of the Rockford Dance Company from 1987 to 1993, training with Kenneth Von Heideke of the Lyric Opera and Joy Xu, former principal dancer of the Shanghai Ballet of China. During 1992 and 1994, Victoria toured China attending two international dance festivals. She was a member of the Bryant Ballet from 1996 to 2001 and has been seen in numerous Chicagoland productions of The Nutcracker. They include the Chicago Tribune Charities and the Dancenter North production, in which she was The Sugar Plum Fairy. She has danced the title roles in Dancenter North's Cinderella and Schaumburg Dance Ensemble's Snow White. In addition to her teaching and the Nutcrackers, Vicki has danced with the Chicago Ballet under the direction of Paul Abrahamson. [back to top] |
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Keesha Beckford began her dance studies in Queens, New York. She graduated cum laude from Princeton University with a major in American history and a certificate in Dance. In New York, City she was a member of Steeledance and Amy Marshall Dance Company, and performed the choreography of Fabrice Herrault, Milton Myers, Val Suarez, and Lorn Macdougal. Her European credits include the German tour of Tabaluga and Lilli, as well as the Dublin, Ireland production of Giselle: The Presence of the Past choreographed by Michael Foley and Cathy O'Kennedy. Ms. Beckford's teaching credits include New York City's Steps on Broadway, The Spence School and Trinity School. She has taught workshops at Yale University and Ballet Academy East. After moving to Charlotte in 2002, Ms. Beckford danced in the companies of Martha Connerton and Sabrina Berry, and taught and choreographed for students at UNC Charlotte and North Carolina Dance Theater. Currently, in addition to teaching at Dance Center Evanston, Ms. Beckford is a faculty member at Columbia College Chicago and the Hyde Park School of Dance. [back to top] |
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Laura Brand has performed extensively with classical and modern concert dance companies and in musical theater, commercial and industrial shows. Her work includes performances with the Chicago Ballet Theater, Momenta, The Beverly Dance Ensemble, the Polish Opera Company, the Lyric Opera Company of Chicago, the David Puszh Company, the Ukrainian Folk Dancers, and in the Ruth Page production of "The Nutcracker." She performed at the International Ballet Competition in Lima, Peru and in the PBS television production of Ruth Page's "Die Fledermaus." Laura has appeared in "Annie," "Sweet Charity," "My Fair Lady," "Funny Girl," "West Side Story," and "Carousel" at The Theatre at the Center and "West Side Story" at the Timberlake Playhouse. She has conducted a ballet workshop for dance teachers in Omaha, Nebraska, and has been a judge at the National Dance Olympus competitions in Atlanta, Nashville, and Minneapolis. Laura received her dance training from Loretto Rozak, Larry Long, Richard Arve and Lou Conte. She currently teaches at a number of Chicago area schools. [back to top] |
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Julie Cartier artistic director
of Especially Tap Chicago Dance Company, has performed and choreographed
on both the jazz and tap concert stages for over fifteen years with some
of Chicago's finest dance companies including River North Dance Co., The
Lynda Martha Dance Co., and Chi-Town Jazz Dance, for which she served as
associate director . Her credits also include Especially Tap Chicago's
performances in the Kuopio Dance Festival in Finland, the St. Louis Tap
Festival, and Chicago's own Human Rhythm Project. In additon to Dance
Center Evanston, Julie has taught for Barat College, DEA, NADA, CNADM, Gus
Giordano Dance Center, the Cecchetti Council and numerous studios in the
Chicagoland area. [back to top] |
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Allen Desterhaft holds a BFA in dance from the Ohio State University. He has danced professionally with Chi-Town Jazz Dance Chicago, and Winifred Haun and Dancers. He has performed as a guest artist with the Joffrey Ballet, Dance for Life, Dance Theater North, Schaumburg Dance Ensemble, Evanston Dance Ensemble, Barrington Youth Dance Ensemble, and The Chicago Festival Ballet. He is a certified fellow teacher of the Cecchetti Council of America, and is currently teaching the method at Northwest Ballet Academy. He is also a faculty member of the Dance Department of Columbia College Chicago. Allen has 24 years of experience in competitive and social Dancesport, which he teaches at the University of Chicago, Dance Center Evanston, Dance Center Chicago, and Diamond Dancesport Studio. [back to top] |
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Laura Gates holds degrees in Dance and Psychology from the University of Iowa. While there, she was privileged to have worked with many gifted artists including Francoise Martinet, David Berkey, Randy Duncan, and Mauricio Wainrot. Upon returning to Chicago after graduation, she performed locally with Swallow Cliff Dance Company, Concert Dance, Inc. and several independent choreographers. In 1999, Ms.Gates joined Thodos Dance Chicago. Highlights of her six year tenure with TDC as a performing artist include performing in Dance For Life, meeting and working with Ann Reinking, and touring with the company to Turkey. She has also enjoyed being a master teacher for TDC. Laura is passionate about teaching dance and has taught in the Chicago area for over 10 years. She has been an adjudicator for the State Wide Dance Competition, as well as on guest faculty at Northeastern Illinois University and the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters. She is in her fourth season as rehearsal director and in her first season as ballet mistress for Thodos Dance Chicago. [back to top] |
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Mike Gosney began his training at the age of 15 and studied many forms of ballet under the direction of Ken Von Heideke, Sherry Morray, Anida Sedala, Birute Barodicaite, Anna Czajun, Pam Tanis, Betsy Herskind, and others, primarily in the Chicagoland area. Training under numerous ballet masters all over the country, his education is both classical and contemporary, and his style is unique and modern. He has received numerous scholarships and currently continues his training at the Ruth Page Foundation. After dancing professionally on stage for over 10 years, he retired from the stage early to form his own contemporary ballet company, Elements Contemporary Ballet, in Chicago. In addition to Dance Center Evanston, Michael is on staff at Joel Hall Dance Center and has taught master classes around the country. [back to top] |
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Nichola Goss has a Bachelor of Fine Arts with honors from the University of Texas. She has been teaching dance to children and senior citizens in the North Shore area since 1995. Nichola has choreographed and performed professionally in Austin, Dallas, and Chicago. A member of the Cecchetti Council and a recipient of an Evanston Arts Grant, Nichola also enjoys dancing with her sons at the park. [back to top] |
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Betsy Herskind
is a former soloist with the Lyric Opera Ballet, Ballet Russe
de Monte Carlo and the Illinois Ballet. She owned and operated her own studio
in Chicago for many years and, in addition to teaching at DCE, is currently a
faculty member of the Joel Hall Dance Center and ballet mistress for the Joel
Hall Dance Company. [back to top] |
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Jenny Higgins
studied dance growing up in Kansas City before going on to
study at the School of American Ballet in New York City, the University of
Michigan, and various dance studios in Chicago, Boston, and northern California. She
also has a Master's degree and teaching experience in Special Education.
Jenny has been teaching dance to children for the past 6 years, as well as
dancing in the living room at home with her own 3 children! [back to top] |
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Jordan Kahl is a graduate from Northwestern University with a B.S. in Dance and a Minor in Psychology. Having studied under Billy Siegenfeld at Northwestern, she fell in love with Jump Rhythm Technique and has been dancing with Jump Rhythm for four years. Jordan is honored to be a part of the Jump Rhythm community and has been able to share her love for rhythm teaching around the country and in the Chicagoland area including The Nettlehorst Elementary School, Kent State University, and Westchester Community College. She has also taught abroad in Italy as part of Pro Danza and in Finland at the Turku University of Applied Sciences. Jordan is very proud to share the 2006-2007 Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence On Camera/Performer with the rest of JRJP for their work in the multiple-Emmy-Award-winning documentary Jump Rhythm Jazz Project: Getting There, produced by HMS Media for public television. [back to top] |
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Allie Kurtz is thrilled to return to Dance Center Evanston this year where she serves as Associate Program Director, trains young dancers in modern and ballet, and runs the popular Mini-Camps for young dancers. She is an ensemble member of Striding Lion InterArtsWorkshop, with whom she has performed and choreographed since 2001 and has served as Education Director. As a Striding Lion Artist-Teacher, she has been an active participant in the growth of the company's educational outreach, teaching and administrating in over twenty performing arts residencies throughout the greater Chicago area. The Cecchetti Council of America has certified Ms. Kurtz as a Grade II Teacher of Classical Ballet Dancing. Prior to these endeavors, she worked for the Dancercise Kids program, bringing dance to children in day cares, pre-schools, and after-school programs throughout the Chicagoland area. As an independent dancer/choreographer, Allie has collaborated with many companies. Most recently, she designed choreography for Dog and Pony's award-winning As Told by the Vivian Girls... Look for her choreography in EDE's upcoming production of Alice. [back to top] |
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Glenn Leslie Glenn Leslie is in his 10th year teaching at DCE, his 8th year as an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University, and has just completed 10 years with Chicago-based dance company Jump Rhythm Jazz Project. In 2007, Glenn received the Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Achievement for Individual Excellence On Camera/Performer for his work in the multiple-Emmy-Award-winning documentary Jump Rhythm Jazz Project: Getting There, produced by HMS Media. With JRJP, Glenn led many choreographic and teaching residencies as well as intensives, workshops, and master classes all around the country. Glenn is currently setting some new dance paths including developing more of his own choreography, and is looking to return to doing some musical theatre performing. Prior work in that arena includes tours of Europe with Rhythm, Oklahoma!, and West Side Story, and U.S. productions of Singin' in the Rain, Forty-Second Street, Dames at Sea, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, to name just a few. Glenn has also served as choreographer for such shows as Anything Goes and West Side Story. More about Glenn can be found at www.glennleslie.com. [back to top] |
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Stephanie Paul, a native New Yorker, has proudly called Chicago her home since 2002. After graduating from Northwestern University, Stephanie co-founded Be the Groove, a rhythmic performance ensemble based in Chicago. She also serves as the ensemble's Artistic Director. When not working with Be the Groove or teaching at Dance Center Evanston, Stephanie can be found teaching at other Chicagoland studios and working as a teaching artist for Urban Gateways. Stephanie's approach to dance instruction is founded in the usage of rhythm as the means of motivating development of ensemble and individual self-confidence. [back to top] |
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Jill Raycraft graduated from Webster University with a B.F.A. in Dance. She
danced with the Webster Dance Ensemble for four years and with the Webster
Dance Theatre for two years. After moving to the Chicago area, Jill
performed with the Joel Hall Dancers. In addition to teaching, Jill has been dancing with Rasa Dance Chicago for the past four years. [back to top] |
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Enid Smith hails from a dairy farm near Freeport, Illinois. She earned her BFA in modern dance from the North Carolina School of the Arts in 1999. In New York City, she danced with the Merce Cunningham Repertory Ensemble, Ivy Baldwin Dance, and Anita Cheng Dance, among others. She moved to Evanston in 2007 and joined the DCE faculty in 2008. She is also a licensed massage therapist, an avid cook, and a mom. [back to top] |
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Kelly Sullivan springs from Kansas City where she studied ballet and modern dance at The Westport Ballet under the direction of Elizabeth Hard Simms and Susan Hard. Upon this foundation, Kelly advanced to receive her BFA in Ballet and Modern Dance from Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth, TX where she had the privilege of working with the late Fernando Bujones and Mary Cochran, and performing in Italy. After college, Kelly worked with modern companies in New Mexico and Wyoming before returning to Kansas City where she was a member of Storling Dance Theater. Kelly has instructed students of all ages in ballet and modern for eight years. She believes that to teach proper technique from fundamentals to professional level, she must also consistently nurture her students' passion for the art form while encouraging each student in a way that is appropriate for their level. This is Kelly's 3rd year on staff with Dance Center Evanston. [back to top] |
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Meghann Wilkinson
is a graduate of Northwestern University and has been dancing in Chicago for five years. She is a performer with Lucky Plush Productions and Mordine and Company Dance Theater and has created choreography for Raizel Performances and the Evanston Dance Ensemble. Meghann has worked for the Northwestern Dance Program, the Society of Dance History Scholars, and the Chicago Seminar on Dance and Performance. In addition to DCE, Meghann is currently on faculty at Northwestern University and Columbia College Chicago. She will be teaching at the Cecchetti Council of America's 2009 Summer Intensive. [back to top] |
