FOREST HILLS DANCE ACADEMY                                                      RATED ONE OF THE TOP 50 STUDIOS IN THE US BY DANCE SPIRIT MAGAZINE…...2005

 

 

OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF

 
   
 

TEDDI BURGESS    (JAZZ, TAP) THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE FOREST HILLS DANCE COMPANY. OVER 25 YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE.  TEDDI HAS TRAINED 1000'S OF DANCERS OVER THE YEARS.  MOST OF THE AREAS DANCE STUDIOS OWNERS AND TEACHERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED BY TEDDI.  A HIGHLIGHT OF HER CAREER WAS TO HAVE HER WORK RECOGNIZED BY "DANCE SPIRIT" AND "DANCE TEACHER" MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE TOP 50 STUDIOS TO TRAIN AT IN THE UNITED STATES.  SHE WILL CONTINUE TO TEACH AND CHOREOGRAPH ORIGINAL AND AWARD WINNING ROUTINES.  HER CLASSES ARE INTENSE AND CHALLENGING. 

MICHAEL GOSNEY (BALLET, MODERN)  MICHAEL HAS BEEN STUDYING CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY BALLET FOR 15+ YEARS THROUGHOUT CHICAGO WITH MANY BALLET MASTERS.  AFTER DANCING WITH SEVERAL BALLET COMPANIES HE NOW CONTINUES TO TEACH MASTERS CLASSES AND PRIVATELY COACHING PROFESSIONALS.   HIS NEW COMPANY, ELEMENTS CONTEMPORARY BALLET (ECB), IS A LARGE FOCUS FOR HIM AND WILL BE SEEN IN CONCERT IN CHICAGO AND THE CHICAGOLAND AREA.  MICHAEL IS A FAVORITE OF FOREST HILLS DANCERS AND HIS CLASSES ARE DESIGNED FOR DANCERS OF ALL LEVELS. 

JOSEPH CARUANA (JAZZ, MODERN)   JOE JUST FINISHED HIS 3RD SEASON WITH RIVER NORTH DANCE COMPANY.   BEFORE COMING TO RIVER NORTH, HE PERFORMED WITH SD PRISM DANCE THEATRE, SPECTRUM DANCE THEATRE, AND THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET. HE RECEIVED TRAINING ON SCHOLARSHIP AT THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET SCHOOL, THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN LOS ANGELES, AND FROM WORKSHOPS WITH THE BOSTON BALLET, JOFFREY BALLET, AND LINES CONTEMPORARY BALLET IN SAN FRANCISCO.  HE HAS WORKED ON TELEVISION SHOWS SUCH AS "THAT 70'S SHOW" AND KTLA'S "THE LIVE SHOW".  JOE ALSO RECEIVED HIS INITIAL TRAINING WITH FOREST HILLS DANCE ACADEMY.  

AMIE BRANDON  (JAZZ,TAP, HIP HOP)    AMIE HAS BEEN DANCING SINCE THE AGE OF 3. A FORMER MEMBER OF THE FOREST HILLS DANCE COMPANY AND THE DANCE INSTRUCTOR AT ELLIS ARTS ACADEMY, AMIE IS A FAVORITE OF DANCERS OF ALL AGES.  AMIE HAS BEEN CHOREOGRAPHING OUR HIP HOP TEAMS FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS.   SHE RECEIVED TOP HONORS AS A COMPANY CHOREOGRAPHER IN HER FIRST SEASON AND WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE HER AS A COMPANY INSTRUCTOR AGAIN THIS YEAR. 

 DAWN CROZIER (JAZZ, TAP, POM/DANCE)  FOREST HILLS IS VERY EXCITED TO HAVE DAWN AS OUR NEWEST COMPANY INSTRUCTOR.  DAWN HAS BEEN DANCING AND TEACHING ACROSS THE MIDWEST AREA FOR MANY YEARS.  HER STUDENTS HAVE WON TOP HONORS AT MANY LOCAL AND NATIONAL DANCE COMPETITIONS.  DAWN IS ALSO THE DANCE TEAM COACH AT GUILFORD HIGH SCHOOL WHERE SHE HAS BROUGHT THE TEAM TO TOP STATE HONORS.  HER CLASSES ARE EXCITING AND CHALLENGING.  DAWN WILL HELP TO BRING A NEW SPARK TO OUR STUDIO AND TO OUR DANCE COMPANY.  

STEVE NECOLLINS - POWER TUMBLING AND TRAMPOLINE - ONE OF THE TOP TUMBLING INSTRUCTORS IN THE COUNTRY.  STEVE HAS BEEN COACHING POWER TUMBLING AND TEACHING POWER TUMBLING FOR OVER 10 YEARS.  AS A NATIONAL CHAMPION POWER TUMBLER HIMSELF STEVE KNOWS HOW TO TEACH EACH AND EVERY YOUNG TUMBLER WHAT IT TAKES.  HIS CLASSES ARE AMAZING!!!   HE HAS BEEN WITH FOREST HILLS FOR OVER 20 YEARS AS A STUDENT AND NOW A TRUE PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTOR. 

RACHEL HALL  (BALLET, POINTE, PARTNERING)  RACHEL HAS BEEN DANCING AT FOREST HILLS SINCE THE AGE OF 3.  SHE HAS BEEN STUDYING BALLET ALL HER LIFE AND LOVES TO WORK WITH CHILDREN.  HER INNOVATIVE BALLET PRODUCTIONS FOR THE YOUNGER DANCERS ARE INCREDIBLE.  IN HER 3RD YEAR OF BEING THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF OUR YOUNG BALLET DANCERS,  SHE HAS MADE BALLET A FUN AND REWARDING START FOR MANY.    RACHEL HAS BEEN TEACHING SINCE THE AGE OF 13 AND WAS A FOREST HILLS DANCE COMPANY TEAM MEMBERS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAM RENZETTI   (HIP HOP) ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF EXTREME DANCE FORCE, SAM BRINGS HIP HOP TO A NEW LEVEL.  HIS COMPANY CONTINUES TO REACH TOP NATIONAL HONORS WITH MANY OF HIS DANCERS ENTERING THE PROFESSIONAL FIELD.  HIS CLASSES ARE INTENSE AND A CHALLENGE TO ALL.  FOREST HILLS IS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THIS AMAZINGLY TALENTED AND ENCOURAGING INSTRUCTOR ON STAFF.

STEVEN SAUNDERS  (JAZZ) STEVEN IS AN OUTSTANDING DANCER AND HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER.  STEVEN HAS RECEIVED TOP HONORS IN MANY DANCE COMPETITIONS AND SEVERAL SCHOLARSHIPS.  STEVEN IS AN AMAZING ROLE MODEL AND THIS YEAR IS A FIRST TIME CHOREOGRAPHER FOR HIS OWN TEAM.  JUST WAIT---IT'S GOING TO BE OUTSTANDING.  WE ARE SO PROUD OF STEVEN AND WHAT HE CONTINUES TO INSTILL IN THE YOUNG DANCERS AT FOREST HILLS.  EXCELLENCE!!!

KRISTINA LEWIS (BALLET) KRISTINA LEWIS JOINS THE FOREST HILLS DANCE ACADEMY IN THE SUMMER OF 2006.  KRISTINA HAS HAD EXTENSIVE TRAINING IN ALL AREAS OF DANCE FOR OVER 19 YEARS.  SHE WAS THE DANCE DIRECTOR AT THE DANCE SOURCE UNLIMITED AND HAS TAUGHT ALL OVER THE MIDWEST SINCE 1994.   SHE HAS STUDIED AT COLOMBIA COLLEGE, ROCKFORD COLLEGE, AND IN LOS ANGELES.  KRISTINA IS AN EXCELLENT DANCER AND HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER.  WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE KRISTINA ON STAFF.  

ROBERT LEWIS- (HIP HOP) 

SPENCER BAUMGART  (HIP HOP)

 

OUR INSTRUCTORS ARE EXPERIENCED, PROFESSIONAL, AND CARE ABOUT EACH AND EVERY DANCER….. WE ARE SO EXCITED IN THE 2009-2010 SEASON TO HAVE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTORS TEACHING ALL LEVELS OF DANCERS....BOTH COMPANY AND NON-COMPANY DANCERS!!!! IT WILL PROVE TO BE AN EXCITING YEAR FOR ALL FOREST HILLS STUDENTS!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 TEDDI WITH STUDENT PRESLEY CLARK

TEDDI BURGESS    (JAZZ, TAP) THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE FOREST HILLS DANCE COMPANY. OVER 25 YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE.  TEDDI HAS TRAINED 1000'S OF DANCERS OVER THE YEARS.  TEDDI HAS BEEN A JUDGE FOR SEVERAL NATIONAL DANCE COMPETITIONS THIS YEAR JUDGING "SHOWBIZ NATIONALS IN CALIFORNIA".    SHE HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL CHOREOGRAPHY AWARDS THROUGHOUT HER CAREER AND WILL CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE HER COMPANY DANCERS WITH NEW AND EXCITING PIECES.   A HIGHLIGHT OF HER CAREER WAS TO HAVE HER WORK RECOGNIZED BY "DANCE SPIRIT" AND "DANCE TEACHER" MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE TOP 50 STUDIOS TO TRAIN AT IN THE UNITED STATES.    

 

DAWN CROZIER

DAWN CROZIER (JAZZ, TAP, TUMBLING)   DAWN IS THE CO-DIRECTOR OF THE FOREST HILLS DANCE COMPANY.   DAWN HAS BEEN DANCING AND TEACHING ACROSS THE MIDWEST AREA FOR MANY YEARS.  HER STUDENTS HAVE WON TOP HONORS AT MANY LOCAL AND NATIONAL DANCE COMPETITIONS.  DAWN  ALSO WAS THE DANCE TEAM COACH AT GUILFORD HIGH SCHOOL FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WHERE SHE HAS BROUGHT THE TEAM TO TOP STATE HONORS.  HER CLASSES ARE EXCITING AND CHALLENGING.

 

AMIE

AMIE SCHUMANN   (JAZZ,TAP, HIP HOP)    AMIE HAS BEEN DANCING SINCE THE AGE OF 3. A FORMER MEMBER OF THE FOREST HILLS DANCE COMPANY AND FORMER DANCE INSTRUCTOR AT ELLIS ARTS ACADEMY, WHERE SHE TURNED THE PROGRAM AROUND AND BROUGHT SEVERAL STUDENTS TO LOVE DANCE!!!!AMIE HAS SEVERAL YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND CONTINUES TO BRING HER EXCELLENCE TO THE CLASSROOM.  SHE IS A FAVORITE OF MANY, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE FOREST HILLS TEACHING STAFF.  

KEVIN EKBERG- TUMBLING,,,GYMNASTICS   At the age of 13, Kevin became a seven-time national champion. Five years later, while attending Northern Illinois University from 1981 to 1982, he competed in the floor exercise and vault competitions and won the NCAA championship. Around this time, he also achieved world class status, placing second in Japan and first in Brigg, Switzerland, at the World Cup Championship. Ekberg worked for professional athlete and Olympian Kurt Thomas, and was inducted intothe Hall of Fame at NIU last year.  Kevin will add a new dimension to the tumbling program at Forest Hills this year.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                           JANELLE VANWASSENHOVE - (BALLET, TAP, JAZZ, CONTEMPORARY)   JANELLE IS IN HER 2ND YEAR AT FOREST HILLS AND WHAT AN ADDITION!!!!  SHE HAS TAUGHT FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN FREEPORT AND DIXON, WHERE HER WORK HAS RECEIVED TOP HONORS ACROSS THE MIDWEST.   SHE IS AN OUTSTANDING BALLET TEACHER AND IS ENJOYED AS A TEACHER BY ALL AGES.   THIS PAST YEAR HER WORK WITH THE FOREST HILLS DANCE COMPANY WAS OUTSTANDING.  HER STUDENTS LOVE HER!!! WE ARE SO EXCITED SHE WILL BE TEACHING ALL LEVELS OF DANCERS IN THE 2009-2010 SEASON.  

 

SPENCER

SPENCER BAUMGART  (HIP HOP) SPENCER IS ONE OF THE TOP HIP HOP DANCERS IN THE AREA.  SPENCER IS IN HIS 3RD YEAR OF TEACHING AT FOREST HILLS AND IS A FAVORITE OF HIS STUDENTS.   SPENCER IS ALSO AN OUTSTANDING DANCER AND PERFORMED JAZZ, MODERN, BALLET, CONTEMPORARY ALONG WITH HIP HOP.  SPENCER HAS BEEN WITH  XTREME DANCE FORCE FROM NAPERVILLE FOR 7 YEARS.  HE HAS BEEN DANCING AT FOREST HILLS SINCE THE AGE OF 10.  SPENCER IS LOVED BY HIS FELLOW DANCERS AND PROVES TO BECOME AN OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL DANCER IN THE FUTURE.  HIS CLASSES ARE EXCITING AS WELL AS CHALLENGING. 

MICHAEL (MONTHLY GUEST BALLET INSTRUCTOR)

MICHAEL GOSNEY (BALLET, MODERN)  MICHAEL HAS BEEN STUDYING CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY BALLET FOR 15+ YEARS THROUGHOUT CHICAGO WITH MANY BALLET MASTERS.  AFTER DANCING WITH SEVERAL BALLET COMPANIES HE NOW CONTINUES TO TEACH MASTERS CLASSES AND PRIVATELY COACHING PROFESSIONALS.   HIS NEW COMPANY, ELEMENTS CONTEMPORARY BALLET (ECB), IS A LARGE FOCUS FOR HIM AND WILL BE SEEN IN CONCERT IN CHICAGO AND THE CHICAGOLAND AREA.  MICHAEL WILL BE GUEST TEACHING ONCE A MONTH AT FOREST HILLS FOR THE 2009-2010 SEASON. 

JOE (GUEST TEACHER)

JOSEPH CARUANA (JAZZ, MODERN)   JOE JUST FINISHED HIS 3RD SEASON WITH ELEMENTS CONTEMPORARY BALLET.  BEFORE COMING TO EBC, JOE PERFORMED WITH RIVER NORTH DANCE COMPANY FOR 3 YEARS.  HE ALSO  PERFORMED WITH SD PRISM DANCE THEATRE, SPECTRUM DANCE THEATRE, AND THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET. HE RECEIVED TRAINING ON SCHOLARSHIP AT THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET SCHOOL, THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN LOS ANGELES, AND FROM WORKSHOPS WITH THE BOSTON BALLET, JOFFREY BALLET, AND LINES CONTEMPORARY BALLET IN SAN FRANSICO.  HE HAS WORKED ON TELEVISION SHOWS SUCH AS "THAT 70'S SHOW" AND KTLA'S "THE LIVE SHOW".  JOE ALSO RECEIVED HIS INITIAL TRAINING WITH FOREST HILLS DANCE ACADEMY.  

 

 

SAM (GUEST TEACHER)

 

 

 

 

SAM RENZETTI   (GUEST INSTRUCTOR FOR 2009-2010)  (HIP HOP) ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF EXTREME DANCE FORCE, SAM BRINGS HIP HOP TO A NEW LEVEL.  HIS COMPANY CONTINUES TO REACH TOP NATIONAL HONORS WITH MANY OF HIS DANCERS ENTERING THE PROFESSIONAL FIELD.  HIS CLASSES ARE INTENSE AND A CHALLENGE TO ALL.  SAM WILL BE AVAILABLE AS A GUEST INSTRUCTOR THROUGHOUT THE 2009-2010 SEASON..SO KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE CALENDAR!!!!