Sophie Allen

Tuesdays: Release Based Contemporary

Sophie Allen is a Chicago-based dance artist who pushes playfulness, nuance and rigor to the forefront of her creative endeavors. Her teaching practice is influenced by several contemporary and release-based techniques, improvisational methodologies and continued lessons from mentors/teachers including, but not limited to: Clare Croft, Alexandra Beller, Ayako Kato, and Marijke Eliasberg. Alongside teaching, Sophie has had the pleasure of performing works by Ayako Kato/Art Union Humanscape, Katlin Michael Bourgeois, Rigo Saura, Shannon Gillen/Laja Field/Martin Durov, Sandra Torijano and Meredith Monk among others.

Her choreography has been recently commissioned/presented by COMMON conservatory, Detroit Dance Exchange and the Going Dutch Festival/Side Street Studio Arts. Sophie holds a BFA in Dance and a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from the University of Michigan.

Kimberly Baker

Tuesdays: Absolute Beginner Ballet

Kimberly Baker is a dancer, choreographer, and arts educator. She is currently dancing with Ardent Dance Company, and has performed with dozens of Chicago contemporary and modern dance companies and independent artists over the course of her expansive career including Core Project Chicago, Lawson Dance Theater, dropshift dance, Innervation Dance Cooperative, Alliance Dance Company, Theory of Relativity, Renegade Dance Architects (of Chicago), The Monocle Collective, Schmib dance, think/dance collective, Stefany Cotton Choreography, Kristina Fluty, Kait Dessofy, April Tornby, Christine Hands, Dustyn Martincich, Bonnie Christine Willis, CJ Inzirillo and more. Kimberly has Co-Produced/Directed/Choreographed three full-length dance works featured in Chicago and beyond including CAPTURED. (2018,2019) with Charlique C Rolle and Sonder (2017) with Amanda Ramirez. You can find her teaching younger movers with Urban Gateways in Chicago Public Schools, or drop-in adult classes at Glenwood Dance Studio and The Rooted Space.

Tamara Hollis

Mondays: Kids Hip Hop

Tamara has always loved to dance to all things hip hop. When she was younger she would record music videos to learn all the choreography of her favorite artists like Aaliyah, Janet Jackson, and Missy Elliott. She is originally self taught, teaching herself through beats and movements, instead of the traditional 8-count. Tamara started dancing for her high school as a Thunderette, a dancing/cheering team where she found her initial love for dance.  Tamara has since studied at  Joel Hall Dance Center, The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, Gus Giorando Dance School, and Millennium Dance Complex in Los Angeles.

Tamara’s professional experience includes, the Chicago Luvabulls, dancer for Sean John Fashion Shows, touring as a backup dancer with R&B Artist, Sparkle, and she appeared on Soul Train, BET Live and the Big Black Comedy Show. She danced for many choreographers in LA as well as Chicago Hip Hop dancer/creator, Viola Elkins, in February of 2020. 

Tamara has taught in her home town of Omaha Nebraska as well as Glenwood dance studio in Chicago and Fisher Dance Studio in Wilmette.

She now has 3 of her own little dancers, who keep her busy dancing, being silly, and will forever be what keeps her young!

Kristin Nelson

Saturdays: Kids classes

Kristin started dancing at age 4, performing and competing in several dance studios in the Chicago suburbs. She deepened her love for dance in high school, taking classes at Inspire School of Dance in Naperville.

She got her BA in dance performance and choreography from Hope College, in Holland Michigan. During her time there she danced with their jazz and tap company, modern dance company, and traveling teaching company. She had the opportunity to perform twice with Chicago Tap Theatre in their Holiday show, and attend the Joffrey Jazz and Contemporary Intensive in New York.

Since her time at school, Kristin has been teaching, performing and choreographing in and around the city of Chicago. She has a Tap Teaching Certificate from The Chicago Human Rhythm Project.

Kristin loves to share her passion for dance with students and help develop them into artists themselves! 

Jackie Nowicki

Wednesdays: Advanced Contemporary

Jackie Nowicki originates from Chicago, Illinois. She received her BFA in Dance from Western Michigan University, where she graduated summa cum laude and was named Presidential Scholar in April 2008, and she was chosen as the Department of Dance's Distinguished Alumni for the 2016 school year. She danced for Pilobolus Dance Theater in their PCS company performing for them all over the world, and is certified to teach for their Educational Outreach Program. She danced for Pilobolus Dance Theater in their PCS company performing for them all over the world, and is certified to teach for their Educational Outreach Program. Her professional credits also include dancing for Mike Esperanza's BARE Dance Company, Calen Kurka's :pushing progress, and Marlena Wolfe's The Wolfe Project.

Jackie worked as a part-time faculty member at Western Michigan University's Department of Dance, and for the past ten years had taught all over the New York dance scene including being on faculty at Peridance Capezio Center, and guesting at Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center. Her athletic, daring, and unique approach to movement has also landed her numerous master classes and conventions throughout the United States and even internationally in Rome, Italy. She is currently on faculty at Visceral Dance Center, Extensions Dance Center, and The Rooted Space, as well as guesting at Lou Conte Dance Studio and the COMMON Conservatory in Chicago. Jackie is also on faculty for Celebrity Dance Conventions, Dance Device Labs, Turn it Up Dance Challenge, and Stage Door Workshops, specializing in Contemporary and Improv classes. She is the artistic director of her own contemporary dance company based out of New York and Chicago, NOW Dance Project. 

Her choreography has been commissioned by numerous colleges, dance companies, studios, and universities including The Ailey School, Elon University, The HARTT School, Salve Regina University, Western Michigan University, Urbanity, the Peridance Certificate Program, and many more. Jackie’s work has received numerous acclamations and awards and was even selected to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, for the American College Dance Association's 2016 National Festival. She also judges dance competitions in the U.S. and Canada and is a nationally certified personal trainer. 

Emmanuel Ramirez

Fridays: Advanced/Professional Ballet

Emmanuel Ramirez is a dancer, actor, choreographer and dance teacher based in Chicago, IL. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Dance from Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Drama from Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Mexico. Emmanuel trained intensively at the School of the Dynamic Method by Sergio Vicencio, studying ballet technique, classical repertoire, pas de deux, and choreography. From 2006-2008 he danced for the Contemporary Company Guadalajara en Movimiento. He danced for the Company of Classical and Neoclassical Dance of Jalisco from 2009-2013. In 2014 he danced for Universidad Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM) with the project Danzando a Márquez en la UNAM.

In 2015 Emmanuel danced for the Company of Classical Dance of the Quintana Roo State. In his desire to connect with other artists and cultures, Emmanuel first traveled to Chicago in September of 2016, where he performed in Ballet Legeres’ “Nutcracker”, as well as Ruth Pages’ “Nutcracker” in 2016-2018. Later, he became a company member of Elements Contemporary Ballet, and also performed in Lucky Plush Productions’ “Rink Life”. He has been teaching ballet, pointe, contemporary dance and partnering at various dance studios in the Chicagoland area, at Joel Hall Dance Center, Maywood Fine Arts, Dance On Broadway, Kenwood School of Ballet and Ballet Legere as well. Emmanuel dances, choreographs and teaches a variety of different dance genres, including ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz, and Latin.

Erika Shi

Sundays: Beginner/Intermediate Ballet, Absolute Beginner Jazz

Erika is currently with her second season with Visceral Dance Chicago where she has performed in works by Nick Pupillo, Danielle Agami and Marguerite Donlon. Ohio native, Shi began dancing at the Canton Ballet where she trained under the direction of Cassandra Crowley. She graduated in 2022 summa cum laude from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she earned a BFA in Dance. Erika was invited to join New York Dance Project as an apprentice in 2020. She has performed in Gerald Arpino’s “Birthday Variations” and “Viva Vivaldi”. Erika has also worked with Madison Hicks, Gabrielle Lamb, Ephrat Asherie and Maleek Washington. She is also interested in choreographing and has choreographed for CCM’s 2020 Student Choreographer’s Showcase, which the piece was a finalist of the 2020 Online International Dance Competition. Erika is excited to continue to learn and grow as an artist with the Chicago community!

Shanae Sterba

Mondays: Booty Barre

Shanae Sterba is a proud graduate of Northern Illinois University, earning a BFA in Theatre Studies with an Emphasis in Dance Performance. She has been dancing since the age of two, performing and competing across the country, as well as in her hometown of Rock Falls, Illinois. Since moving to Chicago, Shanae has had the opportunity to perform in Dance Chicago, with the Blues Brothers at Navy Pier, in the UPS logistics launch web commercial, at The House of Blues, and on Guaranteed Rate Field for The Chicago White Sox. Also on her Chicago roster is Mystique Productions, Innervation Dance Cooperative, IDC SPEAKS, Alliance Dance Company, SHMIB dance, The Monocle Eclectic, Nine Ladies Dancing, a handful of independent choreographers and her own project, Strut Productions.

Simone Stevens

Thursdays: Open Contemporary

SIMONE STEVENS (she/her, Atlanta, GA) an Atlanta native, earned her BA in Dance and Minor in Anthropology from Kennesaw State University in July 2017. One year post-grad, she moved to Chicago and trained on scholarship at the Lou Conte Dance Studio where she was mentored by Laura Wade, Ethan Kirschbaum, and Kristina Fluty. During that time, she also freelanced throughout the city and performed works choreographed by Alice Klock, Alysia Johnson, Hanna Brictson, LOUD Bodies, and Joshua Peugh, among others.

She also performed as a company member with Katlin Bourgeois's Ensemble180 and was on faculty with Ethan Kirschbaum’s Chicago Movement Collective before joining Hubbard Street Dance Chicago last season. In her inaugural season as a member of HSDC, she was recognized as one of Dance Magazine’s Top 25 To Watch.

Jessica Miller Tomlinson

Wednesdays: Contemporary Ballet Fusion

As a young dancer, Jessica apprenticed with NC Dance Theatre under the direction of former New York City Ballet principals Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. Tomlinson graduated from the University of NC School of the Arts with a BFA in Contemporary Dance. Upon moving to Chicago she collaborated with Lauri Stallings (formerly of Hubbard Street and current Artistic Director of gloATL) and performed with her company NANDANSE. Jessica was a dancer, choreographer, assistant rehearsal director , director of the Thodos Youth Ensemble and teacher for Thodos Dance Chicago from 2005-2017, where she performed and toured both Nationally and Internationally. Jessica continued developing her own choreography through the Thodos New Dances Performance Series, with several works becoming part of the company’s repertoire. She produced her first evening length performance JMT/JLS Choreography following a Grand Prize Win/Grant from the Joyce Theater Foundation’s A.W.A.R.D. Show! 2009.

Jessica Miller Tomlinson’s Award Winning Choreography has been commissioned or produced by the Chautauqua Ballet Company, NC School of the Arts, Aerial Dance Chicago, Take Up Space Dance Fest, Unearth Virtual Arts Festival, Moonwater Dance Project, Alluvion Dance Chicago, Hot Crowd, The Universal Ballet Competition,Dancing To Dream Fundraiser, DanceWorks Chicago, Chicago Repertory Ballet,The Joyce Theater Foundation, The Inconvenience Performance Group,The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Idaho Dance Theatre, Regional Dance America, Columbia College of Chicago, Spring To Dance Festival St Louis, Washington and Lee University, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival , Forum Dance Theatre, Nomi Dance Company, Common Conservatory, Dance in the Parks, The Dance Gallery Festival, Visceral Dance Chicago, Nebraska Contemporary Dance Theatre, Eisenhower Dance Detroit, The Harvest Dance Festival, The HSDC Youth Ensemble, Northern Illinois University, SHIFT DANCE | FESTIVAL Albuquerque, Dance For Life, and Thodos Dance Chicago. She has collaborated with Dance For Life's Our Voices Dance, Jacqueline Stewart/JAXON Movement Arts, Joshua Manculich, local Chicago band District 97, and the Andy Warhol Silver Clouds Exhibit at the MCA.

Jessica was the Winner of Idaho Dance Theater’s Inaugural New Visions Choreography Competition as well as a Winner of DanceWorks Chicago’s Inaugural NewMoves Choreography Competition. She has been a Finalist for the Avant Chamber Ballet Women’s Choreography Competition 3 times in addition to being a Finalist for the METdance Emerging Choreographer Competition.

Jessica was most recently a Faculty member for the Hubbard Street Youth Dance Program, as well as The Joffrey Academy of Dance, where she taught Contemporary for the Joffrey Studio Company and Trainees. She was Adjunct Faculty at Northern Illinois University for two years. Jessica was a Guest Alumni Choreographer/Teacher for UNCSA, and has been an Guest Artist in Residence for Eisenhower Dance Detroit, Columbia College of Chicago and Washington and Lee University. Jessica is currently in her fourth season as the Ballet Mistress for Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre. In addition, Jessica is the Rehearsal Director ,Company Liaison and Ballet Instructor for South Chicago Dance Theatre. She is also currently a Faculty member for Alma Dance School, Pure Vibe Dance Center, and The Rooted Space.

www.JessicaMillerTomlinson.com

Cyrie Topete

Mondays: Floorwork Fundamentals

Cyrie Topete (she/they) is from Peoria, Arizona, where she trained in competitive dance starting at the age thirteen. She moved to New York City and received her BFA at The Juilliard School, class of 2022. During her time at Juilliard, she was given Juilliard’s FENDI Vanguard Award and attended programs including Springboard Danse Montreal, Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Program, B12 in Berlin, Germany, Youngarts LA, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and more. Shortly after, Cyrie was featured in an On Running dance film directed by Justin Peck. She then joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago under the direction of Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell in 2022. During her first season with HSDC, she was featured in Dance Magazine’s “On the Rise”. Cyrie has had the opportunity to perform works by Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, Alan Lucien Øyen, Kyle Abraham, Bobbi Jene Smith, Rennie Harris, Peter Chu, Justin Peck, Aszure Barton, Rena Butler, Jenn Freeman, and Jamar Roberts. She was also recognized for choreographic opportunities including Juilliard’s Choreography and Composers in 2021, National Sawdust’s Blueprint Fellowship in 2019, and Juilliard’s Choreographic Honors in 2019. Cyrie’s served as a mentor and teacher with Open Door NJNY a Non-profit organization, Lili ùokalani Trust in Maui, HW, and has taught a range of classes for Hubbard Street’s Summer Intensive.

Maggie Vannucci

Fridays: Release Based Contemporary

Maggie is based in Chicago in her second season as a company member with The Seldoms directed by Carrie Hanson. She has been a part of three works including Floe, a multimedia dance-theater piece exploring rising sea levels and the communities impacted by the climate crisis. Restaging Exit Disclaimer for Steppenwolf Theater, and is now in creation for their new production Grass set to premiere in Fall 2021. During the pandemic, she has completed Gibney Dance’s Climate of Possibility program, gaining a larger national network, vital skills for a thriving freelance career, and weekly mentorship from Alexandra Wells, Gilbert T Small II, and Jessie Kardos. Maggie has also been facilitating open classes for The Seldoms, teaching somatic-based release techniques and exploring mind-body connections. She hopes to continue growing her teaching methodologies alongside her performance work. Before her time in Chicago, she received her MFA with distinction in Contemporary Dance Performance through the postgraduate program VERVE led by Matthew Robinson in Leeds, UK. She toured around the UK and Europe performing four original creations by Sita Osthimer, Matthew Robinson, Hanas Lengoff, and Lenka Vagnerova. Her first three years overseas were spent at London Contemporary Dance School where she received her BFA in contemporary dance and studied a multitude of techniques and improvisational courses. She is currently an international ambassador for student recruitment for Northern School, helping with audition touring around the US. Abroad and in the US, she has attended various workshops focusing on somatic, anatomy, and improvisational based methodologies with Counter Technique, company Ate9, Ketchari dance company, Gaga, Boston Dance Theater, and Hofesh Shechter.