STAFF
Marie Robertson (Director & Co-Owner, Jazz, Tap)
Marie, graduated Stephens College with a B.F.A. in Dance. She was a member of the Stephens College dance faculty for eight years and toured with the "Mid-America" and "Harriette Ann Gray" Dance Companies. She returned to Columbia in the early 80's to begin teaching at Dancearts. She became part owner in the early 90's and became the main owner in 2000 along with her co-owners Maggie Dethrow and Marisa Robertson. She teaches primarily tap and jazz at Dancearts and choreographs award-winning numbers for the competition team. Her incredible tap teaching skills has earned her the title of the "Tap Queen!"
Marie, graduated Stephens College with a B.F.A. in Dance. She was a member of the Stephens College dance faculty for eight years and toured with the "Mid-America" and "Harriette Ann Gray" Dance Companies. She returned to Columbia in the early 80's to begin teaching at Dancearts. She became part owner in the early 90's and became the main owner in 2000 along with her co-owners Maggie Dethrow and Marisa Robertson. She teaches primarily tap and jazz at Dancearts and choreographs award-winning numbers for the competition team. Her incredible tap teaching skills has earned her the title of the "Tap Queen!"
Maggie Dethrow (Co-Owner, Modern, Body Toning, Abs/Core)
Maggie graduated Stephens College with a B.F.A. in Dance. She has been a member of the dance faculty at Stephens College for twelve years. She has taught and performed at Perry-Mansfield in Colorado and has taught for Stephens Theatre Institute for many years. Maggie has been a teacher for over twenty years and is currently teaching modern for the Stephens College Dance Department and continues to teach all the modern classes at Dancearts.
Marisa Shoemaker (Co-Owner)
Marisa is a dancer, instructor, and choreographer who some would say was born into the dance world from her mother, Marie Robertson. Marisa started dancing at the age of five and began teaching at the age of fifteen. She was trained in ballet, tap, jazz,
hip-hop, modern, lyrical, and musical theatre at Dancearts of Columbia. She was awarded Young Choreographer of the Year for five consecutive years as a teenager for Dance America and has choreographed numerous award-winning State and National routines for many different cheer and dance teams in Missouri. She has taught Master Classes across the Midwest, in New York City, and at Stephens College in jazz and hip-hop. She worked at Broadway Dance Center in New York City, and was a teacher for The Edge Performing Arts Center in NYC. She was a traveling choreographer assistant for Sara Jo Fazio and was a performer with Neil Young on the Greendale Tour. Marisa is known for her innovative and polished choreography as well as her teaching ability. Dance is Marisa's heart and soul and hopes to continually be inspired and to inspire others to do what she loves to do.
Marisa is a dancer, instructor, and choreographer who some would say was born into the dance world from her mother, Marie Robertson. Marisa started dancing at the age of five and began teaching at the age of fifteen. She was trained in ballet, tap, jazz,
hip-hop, modern, lyrical, and musical theatre at Dancearts of Columbia. She was awarded Young Choreographer of the Year for five consecutive years as a teenager for Dance America and has choreographed numerous award-winning State and National routines for many different cheer and dance teams in Missouri. She has taught Master Classes across the Midwest, in New York City, and at Stephens College in jazz and hip-hop. She worked at Broadway Dance Center in New York City, and was a teacher for The Edge Performing Arts Center in NYC. She was a traveling choreographer assistant for Sara Jo Fazio and was a performer with Neil Young on the Greendale Tour. Marisa is known for her innovative and polished choreography as well as her teaching ability. Dance is Marisa's heart and soul and hopes to continually be inspired and to inspire others to do what she loves to do.
Ken Braso (Ballet)
Ken started his professional dance career with Walt Disney World and Southern Ballet Theatre, now called the Orlando Ballet. Ken then danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet Austin and the Louisville Ballet. He was featured in over one hundred works, including ballets created by Louisville Ballet director Alun Jones, George Balanchine, Choo San Goh, Anthony Tudor, William Soleau, Stephen Mills and David Parsons. During his tenure in the Louisville Ballet Company, Ken also performed with the Cincinnati Opera, Derby Dinner Playhouse and the Children's Theatre of Cincinnati where Ken would later co-direct their production of Walt Disney's "Cinderella." After retiring from the Louisville Ballet in 2002 as a Principal Dancer, Ken founded Step One Dance and joined the Louisville Ballet School as a faculty member. Ken has been teaching ballet for Dancearts since 2008.
Ken started his professional dance career with Walt Disney World and Southern Ballet Theatre, now called the Orlando Ballet. Ken then danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet Austin and the Louisville Ballet. He was featured in over one hundred works, including ballets created by Louisville Ballet director Alun Jones, George Balanchine, Choo San Goh, Anthony Tudor, William Soleau, Stephen Mills and David Parsons. During his tenure in the Louisville Ballet Company, Ken also performed with the Cincinnati Opera, Derby Dinner Playhouse and the Children's Theatre of Cincinnati where Ken would later co-direct their production of Walt Disney's "Cinderella." After retiring from the Louisville Ballet in 2002 as a Principal Dancer, Ken founded Step One Dance and joined the Louisville Ballet School as a faculty member. Ken has been teaching ballet for Dancearts since 2008.
Hallie Rainwater (Jazz, Tap, Musical Theatre, Kinderdance)
Hallie began dancing at the young age of five. She grew up in St. Louis and performed in various musical theatre productions. She joined the Dancearts staff in 1992. Hallie has performed regionally in various professional musical theatre productions, including Chicago, Cabaret, Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Hello Dolly, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Evita. Some of her favorite choreography credits include 42nd Street, Crazy For You, The Music Man, and Seussical the Musical. Currently Hallie is not only an instructor at Dancearts of Columbia, but recently stepped into the title of Columbia Public Schools District Dance Coordinator. She is also a guest director and choreographer for TRYPS Children's Theatre, and is a guest choreographer for the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre.
Fran Patrick (Ballet, Jazz, Irish)
Jes Saylor (Ballet)
Jes began dancing at the age of two in Omaha, Nebraska, with a primary focus in ballet. She spent the majority of her high school and collegiate careers involved with the Omaha Ballet Company and Community Theatre, as well as being involved in her high school productions and dance teams. After attending Stephens College as a part of the dance program, Jes returned to her hometown to begin her teaching career in 2006. While she is trained in and enjoys all aspects of the dance and theatre world, she loves teaching ballet to young students to provide the foundation and fundamentals on which they can build all other forms of dance, and find the movement within the music. Jes joined the Dancearts staff in 2016.
Amanda Renot (Kinderdance, Creative Movement, Twinkle Toes)
Destiney Lockhart (Hip-Hop)
Destiney graduated from Stephens College in 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She is a Universal Dance Instructor and the Head Coach of the Spartan Sparklers Dance Team at Battle High School in Columbia, MO. She is a firm believer that "practice makes permanent"!
Amanda Roberts (Hip-Hop)
Cortez Brown (Hip-Hop)
Hallie McCoy (Jazz, Lyrical, Kinderdance 1)
Shanley Silvey (Jazz, SL/ST, Cardio Jazz)
Abby Rainwater (Musical Theatre, Lyrical)
Abby has been dancing with Dancearts since the age of three and joined the Dancearts Competition Team in 2015. She plans to pursue musical theatre after high school and has performed with numerous theatres throughout Missouri, including TRYPS Institute at Stephens College, Gateway Center for Performing Arts, and the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre.
Hallie began dancing at the young age of five. She grew up in St. Louis and performed in various musical theatre productions. She joined the Dancearts staff in 1992. Hallie has performed regionally in various professional musical theatre productions, including Chicago, Cabaret, Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Hello Dolly, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Evita. Some of her favorite choreography credits include 42nd Street, Crazy For You, The Music Man, and Seussical the Musical. Currently Hallie is not only an instructor at Dancearts of Columbia, but recently stepped into the title of Columbia Public Schools District Dance Coordinator. She is also a guest director and choreographer for TRYPS Children's Theatre, and is a guest choreographer for the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre.
Fran Patrick (Ballet, Jazz, Irish)
Jes Saylor (Ballet)
Jes began dancing at the age of two in Omaha, Nebraska, with a primary focus in ballet. She spent the majority of her high school and collegiate careers involved with the Omaha Ballet Company and Community Theatre, as well as being involved in her high school productions and dance teams. After attending Stephens College as a part of the dance program, Jes returned to her hometown to begin her teaching career in 2006. While she is trained in and enjoys all aspects of the dance and theatre world, she loves teaching ballet to young students to provide the foundation and fundamentals on which they can build all other forms of dance, and find the movement within the music. Jes joined the Dancearts staff in 2016.
Amanda Renot (Kinderdance, Creative Movement, Twinkle Toes)
Destiney Lockhart (Hip-Hop)
Destiney graduated from Stephens College in 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She is a Universal Dance Instructor and the Head Coach of the Spartan Sparklers Dance Team at Battle High School in Columbia, MO. She is a firm believer that "practice makes permanent"!
Amanda Roberts (Hip-Hop)
Cortez Brown (Hip-Hop)
Hallie McCoy (Jazz, Lyrical, Kinderdance 1)
Shanley Silvey (Jazz, SL/ST, Cardio Jazz)
Abby Rainwater (Musical Theatre, Lyrical)
Abby has been dancing with Dancearts since the age of three and joined the Dancearts Competition Team in 2015. She plans to pursue musical theatre after high school and has performed with numerous theatres throughout Missouri, including TRYPS Institute at Stephens College, Gateway Center for Performing Arts, and the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre.
DESK STAFF:
Manager: Hallie McCoy
Libby Cleavinger
Hannah Halwel
Michelle McCoy
Shanley Silvey